State of Renewable Energy in Europe, 2008 Edition
In 2008, the EU confirmed its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% by 2020, to limit energy consumption by 20% through improved energy efficiency, and to increase the share of renewable energy sources in the EU's final energy consumption to 20%.
These commitments will be transposed into legislation, such as the new Renewable Energy Directive, which was accepted in 2008. In response to the new Renewable Energy Directive, one of the first and most important measures in 2009 for member states will be the development of their “action plans for renewable energies”. They will set the scene for investors, communities and local and regional industries, leading the way in building new energy infrastructure and creating new jobs and businesses in the energy sector, while providing a great opportunity to face the economic crisis.
This latest EurObserv'ER publication, produced with the support of the Intelligent Energy - Europe (IEE) program, provides a reliable reference for experts and officials from Member States responsible for developing action plans for renewable energies. In recent years, it has shown that its data correlate well with the official statistics published by Eurostat, while being provided a year before them. It also offers interesting insights from energy industry professionals that influence trends and any associated determinants.
The IEE program supports actions across the Union aimed at removing barriers that inhibit the growth of renewable energy markets.
It has a key role through its support to multinational teams of market players (experts, NGOs, public administrations, investors, industries and companies), to achieve the 2020 objectives so that they materialize on the ground.
Read more and debate: RE in Europe in 2008