Tables Summing Up Energy in Europe

Summary Tables Summing Up Energy in Europe

Introduction
Energy Consumption and CO2 Emissions in Europe and Worldwide
Energy: Europe Depends on the Rest of the World
The Great Diversity Behind Europe’s Electricity Generation
The Rise of Renewable Energies in Europe
CO₂ Emissions in Europe

The European Union is gradually building a single energy policy by unifying its markets, developing its electrical interconnections, establishing common standards and setting targets to limit global warming. However, the energy system still varies considerably among the 28 member states (including the United Kingdom). Here are a few simple tables, drawing examples from six countries, to demonstrate the challenges the bloc faces.

Image du siège de l’Union européenne à Bruxelles, derrière une rangée de drapeaux de l’Europe.

Where does the European Union (EU) stand in terms of energy consumption and CO₂See Carbon Dioxid emissions compared with other regions of the world like the United States, China or the African continent? In two simple tables, Planète Energies explains the major world energy balances.

A country’s energy dependency rate is the proportion of energy it imports divided by its total consumption. Expressed as a percentage, it reflects how much an economy depends on other countries to meet its energy needs. If the dependency rate decreases, then the country is said to be making the transition toward “energy sovereignty”. Using two tables, Planète Énergies explains the position of the European Union.

Image d’une métropole illuminée, illustrant la place grandissante de l’électricité dans le monde moderne.

ElectricityForm of energy resulting from the movement of charged particles (electrons) through a conductor... can be generated from fossil fuels (mainly coalCoal is ranked by its degree of transformation or maturity, increasing in carbon content from... and gas), nuclear energyEnergy produced in nuclear power plants. The enormous amount of heat released during fission of uranium atom nuclei is transferred to water... or renewable sources such as hydro, wind, solar, geothermalDescribes the technology used to tap subsurface heat to produce energy... , biomassIn the energy sector, biomass is defined as all organic matter of plant or animal origin... and waste. The combination of these resources makes up the electricity mix, also known as the powerIn physics, power is the amount of energy supplied by a system per unit time. In simpler terms, power can be viewed as energy output... generation mix. Here are two tables to illustrate the choices made in Europe.

Image d’éoliennes sur la crête d’une falaise, signe de l’essor des énergies renouvelables en Europe.

The amount of renewable energyEnergy sources that are naturally replenished so quickly that they can be considered inexhaustible on a human time scale... produced in Europe tripled between 1990 and 2016, but the goals set by the European Union for 2020 have still not been reached. Here are a few tables illustrating the situation.

Photo-montage symbolisant les émissions de dioxyde de carbone dans l’atmosphère

The European Union has announced its intention to position itself at the cutting edge of the international effort to combat climate change, particularly by setting measurable targets for CO₂ emissions. The aim is to reach “carbon neutrality” (net zero emissions) by 2050. However, commitment varies among the 28 countries.