Cyprus among lowest performers in EU for renewable electricity use

Renewable energy sources supplied 47.5 per cent of gross electricity consumption in the European Union in 2024, with Cyprus recording one of the lowest shares in the bloc, according to Eurostat.

The EU-wide figure marked a 2.1 percentage point increase from 2023 and represents an increase of almost 30 percentage points since 2004, when renewables accounted for just 15.9 per cent of electricity consumption.

The share rose to 28.6 per cent in 2014 before climbing sharply to 47.5 per cent in 2024, underscoring the bloc’s accelerating transition towards cleaner energy.

Despite the overall upward trend, Cyprus remained among the EU’s weakest performers, with renewable sources accounting for 24.1 per cent of electricity consumption in 2024.

The same level was recorded in Hungary, placing both countries near the bottom of the EU rankings.

Across the European Union, wind and hydro power dominated renewable electricity generation, accounting for 38.0 per cent and 26.4 per cent of the total, respectively, or almost two-thirds combined.

Solar power contributed 23.4 per cent, while solid biofuels accounted for 5.8 per cent and other renewable sources made up 6.4 per cent of total renewable electricity generation.

Solar power emerged as the fastest-growing renewable source. In 2008, solar accounted for just 1 per cent of renewable electricity, with production standing at 7.4 terawatt hours.

By 2024, solar generation had surged to 304 terawatt hours, reflecting rapid investment and deployment across the bloc.

At the top of the rankings, Austria led the EU, with 90.1 per cent of electricity consumption generated from renewables, driven largely by hydro power. Sweden followed with 88.1 per cent, mainly from hydro and wind, while Denmark recorded 79.7 per cent, mostly from wind energy.

Several other member states also surpassed the halfway mark.

Portugal recorded 65.8 per cent, Spain 59.7 per cent, Croatia 58.0 per cent, Latvia 55.5 per cent, Finland 54.3 per cent, Germany 54.1 per cent, Greece 51.2 per cent and the Netherlands 50.5 per cent.

By contrast, Cyprus ranked among countries with renewable electricity shares below 25 per cent, alongside Malta at 10.7 per cent, Czechia at 17.9 per cent, Luxembourg at 20.5 per cent, Hungary at 24.1 per cent and Slovakia at 24.9 per cent.

The figures highlight a widening gap within the European Union, as renewable electricity increasingly dominates energy consumption in northern and western member states, while Cyprus and several central and southern countries continue to lag behind the EU average.