Renewable energy sources accounted for 41.2% of gross electricity consumption in the EU in 2022, according to Eurostat data released on Wednesday.
This figure is up from 37.8% in 2021 and represents an increase of 3.4 percentage points, outpacing other electricity-generation sources such as nuclear at below 22%, gas below 20%, and coal below 17%, the EU’s statistical agency said.
According to the agency, in total, renewable energy sources increased by 5.7% from 2021 to 2022.
While wind and hydropower accounted for over two-thirds of the total electricity generated from renewable sources, respectively, at 37.5% and 29.9%, the remaining one-third of electricity came from solar at 18.2%, solid biofuels at 6.9%, and other renewable sources at 7.5%.
The data showed that solar power is the fastest-growing source of consumption in the EU.
-Sweden leads European nations in renewables
The majority of Sweden's electricity consumption in 2022 came from renewable sources, totaling 83.3%, predominantly sourced from hydro and wind. Denmark followed with 77.2%, mostly from wind, while Austria ranked third with 74.7%, mostly from hydro.
Portugal, Croatia, Latvia, and Spain all surpassed a 50% renewable energy share in 2022.
Malta, with 10.1%, reported the lowest share of electricity from renewable sources, followed by Hungary at 15.3%, Czechia at 15.5%, and Luxembourg at 15.9%.
By Handan Kazanci
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr