EU Renewable Energy Use Still Rising — But Falling Short of 2030 Goal
Published · Updated · 4 min read
New official figures show that renewable energy use in the European Union (EU) continued to grow in 2024, but the bloc remains far from its climate goals for 2030. According to data from Eurostat, Europe’s statistical office, renewable sources provided 25.2 % of the EU’s total energy use in 2024 — up slightly from the year before, but still far below the target needed to meet future climate commitments.
Key Facts from the Eurostat Report
- In 2024, 25.2 % of the EU’s gross final energy consumption came from renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, hydro and biomass — a rise of 0.7 percentage points compared with 2023.
- This is a clear increase, but it is 17.3 percentage points below the EU’s 2030 renewable energy target of 42.5 % — meaning Europe must accelerate its transition if it hopes to hit its climate goals.
- Member states showed big differences in their renewable share. Sweden led the way with 62.8 % of its energy coming from renewables in 2024. Finland (52.1 %) and Denmark (46.8 %) also stood well above the EU average.
- At the lower end, Belgium (14.3 %), Luxembourg (14.7 %) and Ireland (16.1 %) had the smallest renewable shares.
These figures show that while some countries are making strong progress, others lag far behind — making the overall EU target harder to reach.
What This Means for the EU’s Climate Goals
The EU’s Renewable Energy Directive was updated in 2023 to raise the 2030 target to 42.5 % of final energy consumption from renewables — a major step up from previous goals.
However, the latest data shows that to reach that target, the EU needs to increase its renewable energy share by nearly three times more each year than it did in 2024 — a major challenge for policymakers and energy planners.
Experts say that this means Europe must step up investment and policy support for clean power technologies, grid upgrades, energy storage and other infrastructure needed to expand wind, solar and biomass use. Some believe slowing progress in certain countries could weaken the EU’s ability to meet climate commitments without stronger coordination among member states.
Renewable Energy by Sector
The statistics released give a broad view of renewable energy use across sectors:
Electricity
While this latest release focuses on total energy use, related figures show continued progress in renewable electricity production across the EU. In 2025 quarter 3, nearly 49.3 % of electricity generated in the EU came from renewable sources — up about 3.8 % from the same period a year earlier.
Renewable electricity includes large contributions from:
- Solar power
- Wind energy
- Hydropower
This reflects the strong deployment of solar and wind farms across the bloc, particularly in countries such as Denmark, Austria and Estonia.
Other Energy Uses
Renewables also play a role in heating, cooling and transport energy use, although these areas lag behind electricity in terms of renewable share. For example, renewable use for heating and cooling had been rising in previous years, reaching over 26 % in 2023.
Transport — one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize — saw smaller renewable contributions, with biofuels and renewable electricity still taking time to scale up.
Country Highlights: Leaders and Laggards
Top Performers
| Country | Share from Renewables (2024) |
| Sweden | 62.8 % |
| Finland | 52.1 % |
| Denmark | 46.8 % |
These countries benefit from strong wind, hydro and biomass resources, as well as supportive national policies that helped build renewable capacity over many years.
Slowest Movers
| Country | Share from Renewables (2024) |
| Belgium | 14.3 % |
| Luxembourg | 14.7 % |
| Ireland | 16.1 % |
These countries are still increasing renewable use, but at a slower pace — often because of heavier reliance on fossil fuels in certain sectors or slower build-out of new renewable capacity.
Why Growth Has Been Modest
Several factors explain why the EU’s renewable share hasn’t risen faster:
- Grid bottlenecks can slow integration of new wind and solar power into national systems.
- Permitting delays and regulatory hurdles make it harder to build new capacity quickly.
- Investment uncertainty in certain regions can reduce funding for renewables expansion.
Policy experts say tackling these issues — such as speeding up planning and improving cross-border electricity connections — will be essential if Europe hopes to keep its climate promises.
Bottom Line
Renewable energy use in the EU grew in 2024, reaching 25.2 % of total energy consumption — a clear sign that clean energy continues to expand on the continent.
However, with the 2030 target still far out of reach, EU governments must accelerate efforts to scale up wind, solar and other renewable sources. Without stronger action, the bloc risks falling short of its climate goals — and missing key opportunities to reduce dependence on imported fuels and cut greenhouse emissions.
