Renewables' share of EU energy use
Renewable sources made up 24.5% of the EU's gross final energy consumption in 2023, up 1.4 percentage points on 2022, and rose further to 25.2% in 2024. The EU has a binding target of at least 42.5% renewables by 2030, so the share must still rise sharply this decade.
Source: Eurostat — Share of energy from renewable sources (dataset nrg_ind_ren) (2024)
What it means
A quarter of the EU's total energy now comes from renewables, and the share is climbing about a point a year toward a 42.5% 2030 target. For an industrial operator that means grid-supplied electricity is steadily decarbonising on its own, strengthening the case for electrifying process heat and drives — every electric kilowatt-hour gets cleaner over time.
Context
Eurostat's nrg_ind_ren dataset tracks the share of energy from renewable sources in gross final energy consumption, the metric used to monitor the EU's Renewable Energy Directive targets. This measure spans electricity, heating and cooling, and transport — broader than the renewable share of electricity alone, which is higher. The 2023 figure of 24.5% and 2024 figure of 25.2% are EU-wide; the share varies widely by member state.
How to interpret this data
About the source: This data comes from Eurostat. Public datasets like this are the foundation of fact-based decision-making in industry. When you see these numbers cited in vendor proposals or consultant reports, remember: the raw data is freely available, and the value is in how you interpret it for your specific plant and situation.
Where this matters: How to reduce industrial energy costs are built on insights like the data shown here. Rather than treat data in isolation, read the deeper guides to see how these trends translate into actionable levers for your plant.
Sector relevance: This dataset is especially relevant to Power Generation, Chemicals. These sectors face the trends and challenges you see in this chart daily — energy cost pressure, the push for decarbonization, adoption of AI and predictive maintenance. Use this data to benchmark your plant against the industry average and identify where you lag or lead.
How to use this data: Take the headline number but look deeper at the chart. Is it growing or shrinking? Which segments or regions drive the trend? Does your plant's data align, or are you an outlier? Outliers are often where the best opportunities hide — either an efficiency gap you can exploit, or a leading practice you can copy.
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Related topics
How to Reduce Industrial Energy Costs: Practical Quick Wins · Net Zero · Carbon Footprint
Relevant to: Power Generation · Chemicals · Cement