Renewable technologies in the EU electricity sector: trends and projections: Analysis in the framework of the EU 2030 climate and energy strategy

With the ratification of the COP 21 Paris climate agreement, EU climate change policy entered a new phase with more ambitious climate and energy goals for 2030. The EU electricity sector is witnessing its greatest transformation to date because of the rapid deployment of renewables in the form of wind power and solar photovoltaic (PV). Wind and solar PV have been at the forefront of recent growth in renewables-based capacity, although biomass is by far the largest source of renewables-based energy consumption in the EU today. In 2016, installed wind-power capacity surpassed the capacity of both coal and lignite and became the second biggest electricity source in the EU. In the same year, renewables accounted for nearly 86 % of new electricity capacity. The pace of progress for solar PV since 2010 has been impressive: it achieved in 5 years what was expected to take 15 years. The costs of producing electricity using these technologies have decreased rapidly in recent years. The costs of PV electricity have dropped to less than 0.03 EUR/kWh, making it the technology with the lowest electricity generation costs. To understand what EU renewable electricity is projected to look like in the future, our analysis is based on scenarios that are an essential part of European Commission impact assessments. These scenarios assume that the EU reached its greenhouse gas reduction targets as stated in the 2030 energy and climate strategy and as committed to in the COP21 following a cost-optimal approach. To reach the 30 % overall renewable energy target, in 2030 the EU needs to meet 54 % of its gross electricity generation needs using renewable technologies. It also needs to increase its current final consumption of renewable energy and installed capacity, by 68 % and 75 %, respectively. Towards the 2030 target the PRIMES EUCO projections rely mostly in the deployment of solar technology. Its share in final renewable electricity capacity is projected to reach at least 36%. The PRIMES climate mitigation scenarios (EUCO scenarios) project that wind will be the second biggest source of gross electricity generation in the EU in 2030, accounting for 24 % of gross electricity generation and 45 % of final renewable electricity.JRC.C.2-Energy Efficiency and Renewable

Methodological overview on the calculation of air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural activities

Improving the estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) and air pollutant emissions from agricultural activities is important not only in relation to the magnitude of the impact of these activities on air quality and climate change, but also to understand their contribution in relation to other activities such as energy, industrial processes, waste etc. The complexity of the existing farming systems brings to the necessity of the transparency and harmonization on how the quantitative estimation of GHG and air pollutant emissions from such activities are performed and reported. The aim of this report is to provide an overview of the different methodologies and parameters needed to estimate air pollutant and GHG emissions from all agricultural sub-sectors, following the EMEP/EEA and IPCC guidelines. The report findings will contribute to the development of a database on activity data and emission factors as input for a tool to support the development of robust agricultural air pollutant emission inventories at Member State level.JRC.C.5-Air and Climat

Snapshots of renewable energy developments in the European Union. Status in 2010 and progress in comparison with National Renewable Energy Action Plans.

This report presents a snapshot of the use of renewable energy in the European Union in 2010, the progress and the deviations from the targets set in the National Renewable Energy Action Plans. The report describe the developments in the overall contribution of renewable energy in each Member State since 2005 according to their first Progress Reports, the progress made in the use of each renewable energy source and their share in heating and cooling, electricity and in transport sector.JRC.F.7-Renewable Energ

Renewable Energy Progress in EU 27 (2005-2020)

The report present the combined analysis of EU 27 National Renewable Energy Action Plans and Progress Reports to identify the 2005-2010 and 2010-2020 trends of the renewable energy development in three main sectors: Electricity, Heating/Cooling and Transport. The planned development of these sectors and each renewable technology in EU 27 is compared with the actual development achieved in the same time span and the expected trend to reach 2020 target is compared with the planned one.JRC.F.7-Renewable Energ

Renewable Energy Development in EU 27 (2009-2010)

The present report is an analysis of the state of the art in the development of renewable energy by each technology and Member State for years 2009 and 2010. The report presents a comparative analysis with expected achievements and indicative interim trajectory provided by National Renewable Energy Action Plans and Progress Reports for year 2010.JRC.F.7-Renewable Energ

Renewable Energy Snapshot 2013

Penetration and deployment of some key renewable energy sources in Europe is analysed on the basis of the latest available data and statistics.JRC.F.7-Renewable Energ

SNAPSHOT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN THE EU-28 Volume 2

This report presents a snapshot of the current state of renewable energy development in the European Union and the progress expected by 2020, as forecasted in the Member States’ national renewable energy action plans. The report compares the progress achieved between 2005 and 2012 as that reported by EU Member States in their bi- annual progress reports with the expected results, as set out in their action plans and . It goes on to describe in details each Member State’s overall contribution to the development of renewable energy since 2005. The findings draw on the Member States’ bi-annual progress reports, the progress each country has made in the use of each renewable energy source and the contribution of renewable energy in each Member State to the heating/cooling, electricity and transport sectors are summarized in standardized tables and graphs allowing quick comparison among different countries and for EU as a whole.JRC.F.7-Renewables and Energy Efficienc

Brief on biomass for energy in the European Union

This brief on biomass for energy is one out of a series of briefs from the EC's Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy which intend to provide independent evidence for EU policy in this field. The following are the key results: 1. Biomass for energy (bioenergy) continues to be the main source of renewable energy in the EU3, with a share of almost 60%. The heating and cooling sector is the largest end-user, using about 75% of all bioenergy. 2. Bioenergy contributes to the EU’s energy security, as most of the demand is met from domestically produced biomass (about 96% in 2016). 3. Forestry is the main source of biomass for energy (logging residues, wood-processing residues, fuelwood, etc.). Wood pellets, mainly for heating and electricity production, have become an important energy carrier. 4. Germany, France, Italy, Sweden and the UK are the largest bioenergy consumers in absolute terms, while the Scandinavian and Baltic countries, as well as Austria, consume the most bioenergy per capita. 5. Bioenergy can play a key role in achieving the EU's renewable energy targets for 2030 and beyond. However, biomass for energy must be produced, processed and used in a sustainable and efficient way in order to optimise greenhouse gas savings and maintain ecosystem services, all without causing deforestation or degradation of habitats or loss of biodiversity.JRC.D.1-Bio-econom

Renewable Energy Snapshots 2012

Penetration and deploymernt of renewable energies in Europe until 20102 is analyzedon the basis of the latest available data and statisticsJRC.F.7-Renewable Energ

Mitigating Climate Change: Renewables in the EU: Cutting greenhouse gas emissions through renewables: Volume 2

The energy sector accounts for the lion’s share (55 %) of greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union (EU). While EU emissions had fallen by 22.1 % in 2015 compared with 1990, and continue to fall, the bloc’s economy grew by 27 % over that period. Since the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) entered into force, use of renewables has continued to grow in the 3 EU sectors that consume most energy (electricity, heating/ cooling and transport). This has done much to cut emissions. While the renewable share in gross final energy consumption rose from 12.4 % in 2009 to almost 17 % in 2015, EU emissions fell year-on-year by an annual average of 8.5 %. Fossil fuels are increasingly being displaced by renewables. The displacement between 1990 and 2015 amounted to 139 Mtoe equal to 11.5 % of the gross inland consumption of fossil fuels. The electricity sector accounted for almost 40 % of this displacement, with rapidly growing new technologies such as wind and photovoltaics accounting for almost 18 % of total fossil fuel displacement. Without renewable energy sources, total emissions in the EU would have been 8.7 % higher in 2009, 13.8 % higher in 2014 and 14.4 % higher in 2015. This report represents an integrated analysis and provides: (i) a concise overview of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) and aggregated emissions (in both the ETS and the ESD sectors), including recent trends in the EU as a whole, and in individual EU countries; (ii) an assessment of the role played by renewables in mitigating climate change in the EU and individual countries between 2009 and 2014; and (iii) a proxy estimate of emissions savings through the use of renewables in 2015.JRC.C.2-Energy Efficiency and Renewable