In 2022, Europe consumed roughly 11 exajoules of renewable energy, excluding hydropower, with Germany, the United Kingdom, and Spain being the
. In the European Union, the share of energy consumption covered by renewable energy stood at almost 22 percent in 2021, with the
registering the largest renewable penetration. By 2030, the EU aims to achieve an overall renewable share of 45 percent and has set a
of 42.5 percent for all member states. Regarding
, some countries such as Portugal, Denmark, and Austria are aiming for a 100 percent renewable electricity mix by 2030. On average, EU countries are targeting a renewable electricity generation share of over 80 percent by that year.
Solar energy outlook
As of May 2023, Europe had over 200 gigawatts of
solar power capacity in the pipeline, excluding small residential and commercial solar installations. Of that amount, however, only about 18 gigawatts were already under construction. Most of the prospective solar energy capacity in Europe will be located in southern European countries, which account for roughly 80 percent of planned new installations. By 2030, projections point to a cumulative solar photovoltaic capacity of 600 gigawatts installed across the European Union. Germany, Spain, and Italy are forecast to be the
leading solar markets in the EU in 2026. Other solar technologies such as
concentrating solar power and
solar thermal heat are also projected to grow in the next years, but they not expected to experience the same steep growth as solar PV.
Wind energy outlook
Wind energy capacity in the European Union is projected to reach almost 450 gigawatts in 2030. Onshore wind is expected to account for roughly 85 percent of wind installations by that year, whereas offshore wind will make up the remaining 15 percent. Germany is forecast to be the
European Country with the most onshore wind energy installations in the period from 2023 to 2027, followed by Spain. In the
offshore segment, the United Kingdom will continue to lead the market, surpassing 28 gigawatts of offshore wind power in 2030. New advances in floating offshore technologies will allow many countries to install wind turbines in deep waters. It is forecast that in 2030, the UK, Italy, and Sweden will have the most
floating offshore installations in the continent, all with more than six gigawatts installed by that year.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no
liability for the information given being complete or correct.
Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date
data than referenced in the text.
