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Energy in Europe 2024

The European Commission's State of the Energy Union Report 2024 outlines the EU's resilience and progress in addressing unprecedented energy challenges, establishing a framework to transition towards clean energy and foster economic growth.

Key Achievements:

  1. Renewable Energy Milestone: By mid-2024, 50% of the EU's electricity was generated from renewables, with wind energy overtaking gas as the second largest source.
  2. Reduced Dependence on Russian Gas: The share of Russian gas imports dropped from 45% in 2021 to 18% in June 2024, with increased imports from reliable partners like Norway and the U.S.
  3. Energy Security: The EU met its 90% gas storage target ahead of schedule, stabilizing energy prices below the 2022 crisis peak.
  4. Emission Reductions: EU greenhouse gas emissions fell by 32.5% between 1990 and 2022, while the economy grew by 67%.
  5. International Leadership: The EU led global efforts to triple renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency improvements, endorsed at COP28.
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Areas for Improvement:

  • Energy Efficiency: Further progress is needed in reducing energy consumption by 11.7% by 2030, particularly through building renovations and electrification of heating.
  • Competitiveness and Innovation: The report emphasizes the importance of the Net-Zero Industry Act and Critical Raw Materials Act to enhance the EU’s position in net-zero technologies and strengthen industrial alliances like the European Battery Alliance.
Energy Mix

In 2023, the European Union saw significant changes in both energy production and imports:

  1. Energy Production:
    • Renewable energy generation grew significantly, with wind energy overtaking natural gas as the second-largest source of electricity after nuclear. Wind power accounted for 17.6% of electricity production, while natural gas contributed 17.2%.
    • Solar photovoltaic energy also saw a sharp increase, with its production up by nearly 19% compared to 2022.
    • Overall, 50% of the EU's electricity generation in the first half of 2023 came from renewable sources, a significant milestone.
  2. Energy Imports:
    • The EU reduced its reliance on Russian gas, with imports from Russia dropping from 45% in 2021 to 18% by mid-2024. Imports from more trusted partners like Norway and the United States increased to fill this gap.
    • The EU also managed to meet its 90% gas storage target ahead of the 2024-2025 winter, bolstering its energy security amidst the volatile global energy market.

These shifts reflect the EU’s ongoing transition towards cleaner energy and the diversification of its energy sources​.

State of Energy Union in 2022

On 24 October 2023, the EU Commission published the Eighth Report on the State of the Energy Union 2021, that it takes stock of changes and progress in the implementation of EU energy and climate policies, including energy union through its 5 pillars, on the road to climate neutrality by 2050.


Some of the most relevant findings include:
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  •  Greenhouse Gas Emissions: In 2020, EU greenhouse gas emissions, including international aviation, were down by 31% compared to 1990 levels. This decrease was partly due to the pandemic's impact on energy consumption, as well as ongoing decarbonization efforts.
  • Renewables vs. Fossil Fuels: For the first time in 2020, renewable energy sources overtook fossil fuels as the EU’s main power source, contributing 38% of EU electricity, compared to 37% from fossil fuels and 25% from nuclear power. The share of renewable energy in the overall EU energy mix was expected to have reached at least 22%.
  • Energy Consumption: EU primary energy consumption declined by 1.9%, and final energy consumption by 0.6% in 2019 compared to 2018.
  • Energy Import Dependency: The EU's net energy import dependency reached 60.6% in 2019, the highest level in the past 30 years. 
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  • Fossil Fuel Subsidies: These subsidies decreased slightly in 2020 to EUR 52 billion, down from EUR 56 billion in 2019, mainly due to reduced consumption during COVID-19-related restrictions.
  • Coal Phase-Out: Nine EU Member States have phased out coal, 13 have committed to do so by a certain date, four are considering possible dates, and only one has not started discussions on a phase-out.
  • Energy Prices and Consumption Trends: Energy prices fluctuated significantly, with wholesale energy prices falling sharply in 2019 due to cheaper fuels, subdued demand, and expanding renewable generation. However, wholesale electricity prices increased by 230% on a yearly basis by September 2021, largely driven by rising gas prices.
  • Electricity Consumption: More than 98.6% of EU electricity consumption is coupled, and traded volumes on natural gas hubs reached an all-time high in 2019, continuing the trend into 2020.
  • Research & Innovation Spending: Public clean energy R&I spending in Member States remains lower than in 2010, but national and EU recovery funding targeting clean energy R&I can partially compensate for this reduction.
  • Energy Poverty: Up to 31 million people in the EU were affected by energy poverty as of 2019, highlighting the need for a just transition towards climate neutrality and protecting vulnerable populations from price spikes
Together with the report, the Commission published 28 comprehensive overview fiches, one for the EU as a whole and one per EU country. All the accompanying reports and annexes are listed below.
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Energy Consumption and Energy Produced in 2021 and 2022

The updated histogram chart displays the EU's energy consumption by source in 2021 and 2022, sorted by the percentage share of each energy source. This visualization provides a clearer comparison of the relative significance of each energy source in the EU's energy mix for those years. ​Data provided by EUROSTAT
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Here is a histogram chart illustrating the EU's primary energy production by source in 2021. The chart shows the percentage share of each energy source, highlighting the dominance of renewables and biofuels in the EU's energy mix for that year, knowing that Europe has not important fossil sources. ​​Data provided by EUROSTAT

​The European Union's primary energy production includes energy generated from various sources within its borders. Inland sources of primary energy production in the EU typically refer to energy sources that originate within the EU's territory and are not imported. These sources can vary from country to country within the EU and may include:
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  1. Fossil Fuels: This category includes coal, natural gas, and oil extracted from domestic sources. Some EU countries have significant coal and natural gas reserves, which contribute to their primary energy production.
  2. Renewables: Renewable energy sources like wind, solar, hydroelectric, and biomass play a growing role in the EU's primary energy production. These sources harness energy from within the EU, such as wind turbines generating electricity from the wind or solar panels capturing energy from sunlight.
  3. Nuclear Power: Some EU member states rely on nuclear power plants for a significant portion of their electricity generation. Nuclear energy is considered an inland source as long as the fuel used in the reactors is domestically produced or imported.
  4. Biomass and Biofuels: Biomass energy, derived from organic materials like wood, crop residues, and waste, is often produced within the EU. Biofuels, such as biodiesel and bioethanol, can be made from domestically grown crops.
  5. Geothermal Energy: Geothermal power plants utilize heat from the Earth's interior, and these resources can be found in various regions of the EU.
  6. Hydroelectric Power: Some EU countries have substantial hydroelectric power capacity, utilizing rivers and water resources within their borders.

It's important to note that the availability of these energy sources varies from one EU member state to another, depending on their geographical location and natural resources. The EU as a whole promotes the transition to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and combat climate change. That the reason why the 75

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Electricity Production in EU

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This visualization provides a clear overview of the proportionate contribution of each energy source, such as nuclear power, wind turbines, hydropower plants, solar power, and combustible fuels, to the EU's electricity generation in these years. ​​
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​In 2022, Europe experienced a significant decrease in nuclear energy production, partially offset by an increase in the use of fossil fuels. This situation was influenced by several factors:

  1. Maintenance and Extended Shutdowns: The decrease in nuclear energy production was due to maintenance and extended shutdowns of nuclear power plants​

  2. Extreme Weather Conditions: The exceptionally hot and dry summer of 2022 in many EU countries also impacted hydroelectric production, another important source of clean energy​

  3. Impact of the Energy Crisis: Recent years have been marked by uncertainties and fluctuations in the energy sector. Natural gas prices soared in the latter half of 2021 and into 2022, exacerbated by sanctions on imports from Russia and disruptions in natural gas supply. These conditions led to a spike in natural gas prices, thus pushing Europe to rely more on fossil fuels​

  4. EU Policy Response: The European Union adopted measures to reduce electricity demand and use energy surpluses more efficiently​. Additionally, it proposed measures for joint gas purchasing and mechanisms to limit prices, as well as encouraging solidarity among member states in energy demand management​
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  5. Demand Reduction and High Prices: EU member states agreed to reduce overall electricity demand by 10% and peak-hour demand by 5%. This impacted the reduction in the use of gas for electricity production, influencing prices and market pressure​

These factors combined led to an increase in the use of fossil fuels despite efforts towards a cleaner and more sustainable energy transition.
​Data provided by EUROSTAT