New data from Eurostat reveals that the European Union’s (EU) share of energy from renewable sources has increased from 25.2% to 26.2% in 2025.
The European Commission says the share has been rising since the time series began in 2004, which totalled 9.6%. However, there is still progress to be made, as the EU’s 2030 renewable energy target is 42.5%.
Achieving this target requires an annual average increase of 3.3 percentage points (pp) from 2026 to 2030.
Among EU countries, Sweden had the highest share of gross final energy consumption coming from renewable sources, at 65.4%. Sweden primarily relies on solid biomass, hydro, and wind.
Finland had the second highest share of gross final energy consumption from renewables, with 53%. The nation relies on solid biomass, wind, and hydro. Denmark’s gross final energy consumption from renewables totalled 48.2%, mainly from solid biomass, wind, and biogas.
The lowest shares of renewables were recorded in Belgium (14.9%), Slovakia (16.3%), and Ireland (17.2%).
Eurostat’s data reveals that when it came to gross electricity consumption in the EU, renewable energy accounted for 49.9% in 2025, representing a 2.4pp increase from the previous year. For comparison, the share stood at 15.9% in 2004.
In Austria, 90.8% of gross electricity consumption came from renewable sources, and in Sweden, that share was 89.2%. Other countries with high renewable energy consumption were Denmark (77.7%), Portugal (65.6%), Greece (60.9%), and Spain (60.7%).
In contrast, Malta (11.2%), Czechia (19.2%), Luxembourg (23.3%), Slovakia (24.1%), and Cyprus (27.5%) registered the lowest shares.
New EU energy rules
This news comes as new electricity and gas market rules are being implemented across the EU. The new rules aim to make Europe’s energy system cleaner, more secure, and resilient.
According to the European Commission, the 2022 energy crisis exposed consumers and businesses to extreme price volatility, with record gas prices and soaring electricity bills. The reform of the EU electricity market rules aims to make the energy market more resilient, boost renewables, better protect consumers, and enhance Europe’s competitiveness.
For consumers, this means more choice between fixed-price and dynamic-price contracts, improved safeguards when choosing or switching energy suppliers, new opportunities to generate and share renewable energy, and stronger protection.
The new gas market rules support the gradual replacement of fossil gas with renewable and low-carbon gases, particularly hydrogen. They will create a more secure and integrated European gas market, strengthen consumer rights and protections, safeguard vulnerable consumers, and support the EU’s climate goals.
Europe’s new electricity rule applies from 17 July 2026, while those for the gas market will apply from 5 August.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Unsplash
