ENERGY: Cyprus falls behind in Europe\\\’s renewable race

The European Union is making strides in renewable energy generation with the share of energy from renewable sources in gross final consumption hitting 17% in 2016, double the share in 2004 (8.5%). The EU is aiming to reach 20% by 2020 and at least 27% by 2030, according to Eurostat data that showed that Cyprus, a newcomer to renewable energy sources (RES), is in the bottom six rankings, despite a long history of solar use for household heaters.

So far, Sweden is leading Europe’s renewable energy charge. Its share of energy from renewable sources stood at 53.8% in 2016, far beyond its 2020 target of 49%. Finland is also doing well with renewables accounting for 38.7% of its energy consumption. So far, 11 member states have already achieved their 2020 targets but others still have a lot of work to do. In advance of its divorce from the EU, the UK has a renewable energy consumption share of just 9.3%, an improvement on 1.1% back in 2004. It is aiming for a 15% renewable share by 2020, a target which may already be out of reach. (Source: Statista)