While Cyprus fared very low and Greece was just under European Union average in 2014 by the share of renewables in gross final energy consumption, Croatia reached the highest level in the bloc among the markets followed by Balkan Green Energy News. A publication released by Eurostat revealed the newest EU member exceeded the target of 20%, set for 2020, by 7.9 percentage points. Sweden was first with a 52.6% share, compared to the target 52%. Latvia, Finland, Austria and Denmark were also ahead of Croatia, all slightly above or under the level set for 2020. The target share for the EU in total is 20% and the level of 16% was reached in 2014.
Romania and Bulgaria surpassed the target 24% and 16%, respectively, while Slovenia was 3.1 points short from reaching the planned 25%. Greece achieved 15.3% and Cyprus had a share of 9%, in comparison to the level of 18% and 13%, respectively, agreed at the EU level for 2020.
Since 2004, the share of renewable sources in gross final consumption of energy grew significantly in all member states. Compared with a year before, it has increased in 24 of the 28 in the EU. The contribution of renewable energy from heat pumps is also covered in the report. The renewable energy delivered to final consumers is the numerator. The denominator, the gross final energy consumption of all energy sources, covers total energy delivered for energy purposes to final consumers as well as the transmission and distribution losses for electricity and heat.
Bulgaria had previously agreed to produce 16% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. This goal was achieved in 2012 and in 2013 the target was exceeded to a 19% share, which was reached that year, but in the current report one percentage point less was measured.
