5 July 2010: The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre published the report “Renewable Energy Snapshots,” which shows that renewable energy sources accounted for 62% (17GW) of the new electricity generation capacity installed in the EU27 in 2009.

The report findings include that: the share of renewable energy sources rose from 57% in 2008; wind energy accounted for the largest share of the new capacity for the second year in a row; and, in absolute terms, renewables produced 19.9% of Europe’s electricity consumption last year.

The report concludes that, if current growth rates are maintained, in 2020 up to 1400 TWh of electricity could be generated from renewable sources, accounting for approximately 35-40% of overall electricity consumption in the EU. The development of renewable energy sources will depend on the success of EU policies on electricity efficiency, contributing significantly to the fulfilment of the 20% target for energy generation from renewables. In order to meet the proposed targets, the report also highlights the need to ensure fair access to grids, substantial public research and development (R&D) support, and adaptation of current electricity systems to accommodate renewable electricity, noting that cost reduction and accelerated implementation will depend on the production volume and not on time. [EU Press Release] [The Report]