Electricity accounts for around 23% of the final energy consumption in the EU. In 2017, 44% of the electricity consumption came from power stations burning fossil fuels, 31% from renewable energy sources (RES), and 25% from nuclear power plants. The most important RES were wind power (11%), hydropower plants (10%), biofuels (6%) and solar power (4%) (European Commission).
Increased generation from RES and improved transformation efficiencies in electricity generation were the main factors for the 2,6% average annual decrease in CO2 emissions per kWh between 2005 and 2016. However, despite the increased efficiency, EU final electricity consumption slightly increased from 2015 to 2016 (EEA). Final electricity consumption is defined as the total electricity consumption by all end-use sectors plus electricity imports and minus exports (EEA). Moreover, in 2017 fossil fuel based generation also increased, largely due to reduced nuclear and hydro generation (ENTSO-E).
Sources:
European Commission : https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/cache/infographs/energy/bloc-3b.html
European Environment Agency: https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/indicators/overview-of-the-electricity-production-2/assessment-4
ENTSO-E – European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity: Electricity in Europe 2017. Synthetic overview of electric system consumption, generation and exchanges in 34 European countries. Available at: https://docstore.entsoe.eu/Documents/Publications/Statistics/electricity_in_europe/entso-e_electricity_in_europe_2017_web.pdf
Source: European Commission https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/cache/infographs/energy/bloc-3b.html
