"In spite of 2006 being a good year" in terms of increased renewables in primary energy consumption, "it's certain today that the targeted 12% threshold is not going to be reached." says the French 'Observatoire des énergies renouvelables' (eurObserv'ER).
Its 2007 State of Renewable Energies in Europe report notes considerable growth in the biofuels, biomass and wind sectors, but laments that "progress and advances are too small to be able to fill the existing gap over the four years [from 2006] to come".
The report also regrets that this limited progress was "not accompanied by any real effort to conserve energy" in the EU, with electricity production from renewable sources being somewhat stagnant.
"Since the beginning of the 21st century, the share of renewable energies in electricity production has been fluctuating between 13% and 15% without having begun a clear-cut trend towards a sustainable increase," the report says.
The EU's target for electricity production from renewables is 21% for 2010. Both the 21% target and the 12% overall target are non-binding, but are set to be replaced by a binding target of 20% renewables by 2020 as part of a new directive on renewable energies proposed on 23 January (see EurActiv 24/01/08).
Despite the overall slow progress, Germany is singled out for praise in the report. The country accounts for "43% of the advance recorded in 2006 for all the members of the European Union," it says.
The pro-renewables eurObserv'ER concludes that since Germany, unlike the Nordic EU member states, has limited hydroelectric potential, "this result is the proof that it is technically possible to significantly advance the renewable electricity share by setting up a voluntarist policy in this direction".
The EU's proposed 2020 target of 20% renewables in the bloc's energy mix is "not only realistic but above all an act of responsibility," says eurObserv'ER.
