In 2011, energy from renewable sources was estimated to have contributed 13.0% of gross final energy consumption in the EU27, compared with 7.9% in 2004 and 12.1% in 2010. The share of renewables in gross final energy consumption is one of the headline indicators of the Europe 2020 strategy. The target for the EU27 to be reached by 2020 is a share of 20% renewable energy use in gross final energy consumption. The national targets take into account the Member States' different starting points, renewable energy potential and economic
performance.

Highest share of renewables in Sweden, Latvia, Finland and Austria

Between 2010 and 2011, almost all Member States increased their share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption. The highest shares of renewable energy in final energy consumption in 2011 were found in Sweden (46.8% of renewable energy sources in total consumption), Latvia (33.1%), Finland (31.8%) and Austria (30.9%), and the lowest in Malta (0.4%), Luxembourg (2.9%), the United Kingdom (3.8%), Belgium (4.1%) and the Netherlands (4.3%). In 2011, Estonia was the first Member State to exceed its Europe 2020 target.

Since 2004, the share of renewable energy in final energy consumption grew in all Member States. The largest increases during this period were recorded in Sweden (from 38.3% in 2004 to 46.8% in 2011), Denmark (from 14.9% to 23.1%), Austria (from 22.8% to 30.9%), Germany (from 4.8% to 12.3%) and Estonia (from 18.4% to 25.9%).