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The unrecognized contribution of renewable energy to Europe's energy savings target

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  • Harmsen, Robert
  • Wesselink, Bart
  • Eichhammer, Wolfgang
  • Worrell, Ernst

Abstract

We show that renewable energy contributes to Europe's 2020 primary energy savings target. This contribution, which is to a large extent still unknown and not recognized by policy makers, results from the way renewable energy is dealt with in Europe's energy statistics. We discuss the policy consequences and argue that the 'energy savings' occurring from the accounting of renewable energy should not distract attention from demand-side energy savings in sectors such as transport, industry and the built environment. The consequence of such a distraction could be that many of the benefits from demand-side energy savings, for example lower energy bills, increase of the renewable energy share in energy consumption without investing in new renewable capacity, and long-term climate targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80%, will be missed. Such distraction is not hypothetical since Europe's 2020 renewable energy target is binding whereas the 2020 primary energy savings target is only indicative.

Suggested Citation

  • Harmsen, Robert & Wesselink, Bart & Eichhammer, Wolfgang & Worrell, Ernst, 2011. "The unrecognized contribution of renewable energy to Europe's energy savings target," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 3425-3433, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:39:y:2011:i:6:p:3425-3433
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Segers, Reinoud, 2008. "Three options to calculate the percentage renewable energy: An example for a EU policy debate," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(9), pages 3243-3248, September.
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    3. Kraan, Oscar & Chappin, Emile & Kramer, Gert Jan & Nikolic, Igor, 2019. "The influence of the energy transition on the significance of key energy metrics," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 215-223.
    4. López-González, Luis M. & López-Ochoa, Luis M. & Las-Heras-Casas, Jesús & García-Lozano, César, 2018. "Final and primary energy consumption of the residential sector in Spain and La Rioja (1991–2013), verifying the degree of compliance with the European 2020 goals by means of energy indicators," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P2), pages 2358-2370.
    5. Sousa, Tânia & Brockway, Paul E. & Cullen, Jonathan M. & Henriques, Sofia Teives & Miller, Jack & Serrenho, André Cabrera & Domingos, Tiago, 2017. "The Need for Robust, Consistent Methods in Societal Exergy Accounting," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 11-21.
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    11. Kveselis, Vaclovas & Dzenajavičienė, Eugenija Farida & Masaitis, Sigitas, 2017. "Analysis of energy development sustainability: The example of the lithuanian district heating sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 227-236.
    12. Honma, Satoshi & Hu, Jin-Li, 2014. "Industry-level total-factor energy efficiency in developed countries: A Japan-centered analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 67-78.
    13. Marta Ros Karlsdottir & Jukka Heinonen & Halldor Palsson & Olafur Petur Palsson, 2020. "High-Temperature Geothermal Utilization in the Context of European Energy Policy—Implications and Limitations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-27, June.
    14. Radu Lupu & Adrian Cantemir Călin & Cristina Georgiana Zeldea & Iulia Lupu, 2021. "Systemic Risk Spillovers in the European Energy Sector," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-23, October.
    15. Rokas Tamašauskas & Jolanta Šadauskienė & Dorota Anna Krawczyk & Violeta Medelienė, 2020. "Analysis of Primary Energy Factors from Photovoltaic Systems for a Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB): A Case Study in Lithuania," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-15, August.
    16. Baldini, Mattia & Klinge Jacobsen, Henrik, 2016. "Optimal trade-offs between energy efficiency improvements and additional renewable energy supply: A review of international experiences," MPRA Paper 102031, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Solomon, Barry D. & Krishna, Karthik, 2011. "The coming sustainable energy transition: History, strategies, and outlook," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(11), pages 7422-7431.
    18. Batas Bjelić, Ilija & Rajaković, Nikola & Krajačić, Goran & Duić, Neven, 2016. "Two methods for decreasing the flexibility gap in national energy systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(P3), pages 1701-1709.

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