renewable energy in europe for climate change...
TRANSCRIPT
Manjola Banja, Fabio Monforti-Ferrario, Katalin Bódis, Vincenzo Motola
RENEWABLE ENERGY IN EUROPE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION
Greenhouse gas emission savings due to renewable energy (2009-12)
2 015
Report EUR 27253 EN
Foreword Heinz Ossenbrink
European Commission
Joint Research Centre
Institute for Energy and Transport
Contact information
Manjola Banja
Address: Joint Research Centre Via E. Fermi 2749, TP 450, I-21027 Ispra (VA), Italy
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +39 0332 78 3992
JRC Science Hub
https://ec.europa.eu/jrc
Legal notice
This publication is a Science for Policy Report by the Joint Research Centre, the European Commission’s in-house
science service. It aims to provide evidence-based scientific support to the European policy-making process. The
scientific output expressed does not imply a policy position of the European Commission. Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use which might be made
of this publication.
All images © European Union 2015
JRC95263
EUR 27253 EN
ISBN 978-92-79-48368-4 (PDF)
ISBN 978-92-79-48369-1 (print)
ISSN 1831-9424 (online)
ISSN 1018-5593 (print)
doi:10.2790/941325
Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2015
© European Union, 2015
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.
Abstract
The report provides an overview of greenhouse gas emission savings in the European Union due to the use of
renewable energy in three sectors: electricity, heating/cooling and transport. The assessment is based on data
reported by EU Member States in their 2011 and 2013 bi-annual progress reports, as required under Article 22(1)(k) of Directive 2009/28/EC on renewable energy. The report assesses all 28 Member States of the
European Union and covers the period 2009-12.
pp. | 3
Table of contents
Table of contents .................................................................................................................................... 3
Foreword................................................................................................................................................. 5
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................ 7
Executive summary ................................................................................................................................. 9
Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 13
Chapter 1. Overview of Member State methodologies to calculate GHG emission savings (2009-12)15
1.1 Belgium ....................................................................................................................................... 17
1.2 Bulgaria ....................................................................................................................................... 17
1.3 Czech Republic ............................................................................................................................ 17
1.4 Denmark ..................................................................................................................................... 17
1.5 Germany ..................................................................................................................................... 18
1.6 Estonia ........................................................................................................................................ 19
1.7 Ireland ......................................................................................................................................... 19
1.8 Greece ......................................................................................................................................... 20
1.9 Spain ........................................................................................................................................... 20
1.10 France ....................................................................................................................................... 20
1.11 Croatia ...................................................................................................................................... 21
1.12 Italy ........................................................................................................................................... 21
1.13 Cyprus ....................................................................................................................................... 21
1.14 Latvia ......................................................................................................................................... 22
1.15 Lithuania ................................................................................................................................... 22
1.16 Luxembourg .............................................................................................................................. 22
1.17 Hungary .................................................................................................................................... 22
1.18 Malta ......................................................................................................................................... 22
1.19 Netherlands .............................................................................................................................. 23
1.20 Austria ....................................................................................................................................... 23
1.21 Poland ....................................................................................................................................... 23
1.22 Portugal .................................................................................................................................... 24
1.23 Romania .................................................................................................................................... 24
1.24 Slovenia ..................................................................................................................................... 24
1.25 Slovakia ..................................................................................................................................... 24
1.26 Finland ...................................................................................................................................... 25
1.27 Sweden ..................................................................................................................................... 25
1.28 United Kingdom ........................................................................................................................ 27
Chapter 2. Trend for GHG emissions in Europe (1990-12) ................................................................... 29
2.1 Overall GHG emissions — EU trends .......................................................................................... 29
2.2 Overview of energy-related GHG emissions in Europe (1990-12) ............................................. 30
2.3 Overview of GHG emissions by Member State .......................................................................... 31
Chapter 3. GHG emission savings from renewable energy use in the EU (2009-12) ........................... 37
3.1 GHG emission savings and renewable energy trend in the EU .................................................. 37
3.1.1 Trend for GHG emission savings ......................................................................................... 37
3.1.2 Renewable energy trend ..................................................................................................... 38
pp. | 4
3.2 GHG emission savings and renewable energy by sector ............................................................ 39
3.2.1 Electricity ............................................................................................................................. 41
3.2.2 Heating/cooling ................................................................................................................... 41
3.2.3 Transport ............................................................................................................................. 42
3.3 Overview by Member State ........................................................................................................ 42
3.3.1 Contribution to energy-related GHG emissions .................................................................. 42
3.3.2 Contribution to total GHG emission savings ....................................................................... 45
3.4 Economic benefits of GHG emission savings .............................................................................. 56
Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................... 59
References ............................................................................................................................................ 60
Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................................ 62
List of figures ......................................................................................................................................... 63
List of tables .......................................................................................................................................... 63
ANNEX I ................................................................................................................................................. 65
ANNEX II ................................................................................................................................................ 71
ANNEX III ............................................................................................................................................... 75
pp. | 5
Foreword
This report is published at a time where
the European Union proposes a Climate
and Energy policy, which shall be the
Europe's contribution to the 21st session of
the Conference of the Parties (COP21) to
the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in
December 2015, in Paris, France.
The report takes stock of the achievements
of the current EU policy on renewable
energy, and the impact this policy has on
the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions.
The European Union has committed to
reducing GHG emissions by 20% by 2020,
and has set out a Europe-wide target for
the reduction of energy consumption by
20%, as well as member state-specific,
mandatory targets for the share of
renewable energy, which shall add up to
an EU wide share of 20% renewable
resources.
It is certainly very justified to ask, to which
extent every unit of energy provided by
renewable sources, as well as every unit of
energy saved contributes to the overall
goal of reducing GHG emission. This
question is fundamental in projecting
objectives for future shares of renewables
and relative savings of energy in order to
achieve more ambitious European GHG
reduction goals for the year 2030, which
are proposed to be above 30% or even
40%.
The report outlines the framework to
quantify the impact of renewable energy
deployment on GHG emission. It analyses,
how fossil energy carriers are displaced by
renewable sources, and has to assume
very specific issues of the energy supply
mix in the member-states. Much of this
analysis is based on the calculation done
individually in the Member States, as
required by their own bi-annual reports.
However, the modalities to calculate the
GHG emission savings or the underlying
assumptions of what fossil energy sources
are displaced by what type of renewables
are far from being harmonized.
The report describes also in detail the GHG
emission reduction (or increase) for each
Member State, as an indication of the
national efforts to contribute to mitigate
Climate Change. More specific, it analyses
the emission mix from the main
consumption sectors electricity,
heating/cooling and transportation.
We wish that the report is detailed enough
that Member States can compare each
other, as well as for feeding back validated
results to the upcoming negotiations
mitigating on global GHG emissions.
Heinz Ossenbrink
Head of Renewables and Energy Efficiency Unit
Institute for Energy and Transport
Joint Research Centre, European Commission
pp. | 6
pp. | 7
Acknowledgements
This report was prepared by the Renewables and Energy Efficiency Unit (REEU) of Institute
for Energy and Transport (IET), Joint Research Centre (JRC) of European Commission (EC).
Manjola Banja had the responsibility to design and developed this report which benefits
from the contribution of other co-authors, especially Fabio Monforti-Ferrario. Katalin Bódis
contributed also with GIS mapping of data on renewable energy development in EU and on
net GHG emissions savings from the use of renewable energy.
Special thanks to Arnulf Jäger-Waldau (IET, REEU) for reviewing the report and to Richard
Davies and Mark Osborne (DGT) for their contribution in editing this report.
Data contained in this report are part of the complete, updated and available for download
database [14] on national renewable energy action plans and bi-annual progress reports
established by the Renewables and Energy Efficiency Unit of IET, JRC, EC, under the support
of its head Heinz Ossenbrink.
Please cite as
Banja M., Monforti-Ferrario F., Bódis K., Motola V. (2015). Renewable energy in Europe for climate change mitigation – Greenhouse gas emission savings due to renewable energy (2009-12). JRC Science for Policy Report, EUR 27253 EN.
pp. | 8
pp. | 9
Executive summary
Policy context: This report1 assesses the data reported by the European Union Member
States in first two waves of their biannual progress reports [1] covering the 2009-12 time
span as of the request of Article 22(1) (k) of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) [2]. The
role that renewable energy (RE) plays to the net greenhouse gas (GHG) emission savings in
the European Union is analysed in details in this report supporting the implementation of
the RED in each Member States.
Key conclusions: Renewable energy has a large potential in the portfolio of climate change
mitigation and its increasing share in gross final energy consumption is a main option for
lowering the GHG emissions from the energy system in the European Union.
Main findings:
More findings on GHG emission savings trends in European Union related to renewable energy development during period 2009-12 can be found below:
GHG emission savings due to final renewable energy consumption in electricity,
heating/cooling and transport sectors were 716 Mt CO2eq in 2012, having risen from
the 2009 figure (529.4 Mt CO2 eq) at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of
8.8 %;
1 Disclaimer: This report is not a policy document and as such it does not represent the views of the European Commission.
Methodological issues
18 Member States developed and applied their own methodology to calculate the GHG
emission savings from the final consumption of renewable energy in electricity sector; 5
Member States declared to have applied the methodology suggested in COM (2010) 11.
16 Member States applied their methodology to calculate the GHG emission savings from
the final consumption of renewable energy in heating/cooling sector; 7 MS declared to
have applied the methodology suggested in COM (2010) 11;
12 Member States applied their factors to calculate the GHG emission savings from the
use of biofuels in transport sector; 11 MS declared to have applied the methodology
suggested in the Renewable Energy Directive.
pp. | 10
Renewable energy related GHG emission savings increased from 1.05 Mt
CO2eq/capita in 2009 to 1.42 Mt CO2eq/capita in 2012;
The contribution of EU GHG emission savings from the use of renewable energy to
total GHG emission2 rose from 10.2 % in 2009 to 13.6 % in 2012;
The contribution of EU GHG emission savings from the use of renewable energy to
total energy-related GHG emission3 rose from 12.6 % in 2009 to 16.6 % in 2012;
The proportion of GHG emission savings due to the use of renewable energy in the
EU rose from 35 % of total GHG emission reductions4 in 2009 to nearly 40 % in 2012;
Figure I. Contribution of GHG emission savings due to RES contribution in the GHG emissions
reduction in EU, 2012
The contribution of renewable electricity development to the total RE- related GHG
emission savings in EU increased from 56.3 % (298 Mt CO2eq) in 2009 to 64 % (458
Mt CO2eq) in 2012; (see Figure I)
2 The contribution of net GHG emission savings in a year to the total GHG emissions for this year are obtained as a ratio
between net GHG emission savings in this year and the total hypothetical GHG emissions for this year (total hypothetical GHG emissions in a year are obtained by adding the absolute values of net avoided GHG emissions in a year due to renewable energy to the actual GHG emissions in that year). 3 For each year, the contribution of RE-related net GHG emission savings to energy related GHG emissions are obtained as
a ratio between RE-related net GHG emission savings and the total hypothetical energy related GHG emissions. Total hypothetical energy related GHG emissions in a year are obtained by adding the absolute values of net RE-related avoided GHG to the actual GHG emissions in that year). 4 For each year, the contribution of net RE- related GHG emission savings to the total GHG emissions reductions are
obtained as ration between the net RE-related GHG emissions savings and the hypothetical GHG emissions reductions. Hypothetical GHG emissions reductions are obtained by adding the absolute values of net avoided GHG emissions due to renewable energy to the actual GHG emissions reductions, defined as the difference between actual GHG emission in the given year and GHG emissions in 1990. This methodology is applied also in the calculation of each sector contribution in the GHG emission reductions in the EU.
RES (39.9%) 716 Mt CO2 eq
25.5%
Non RES (60.1%) 1080 Mt CO2 eq
12.5%
0
0
1.9%
0
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
64%
31.3%
4.7%
RES-E
RES H/C
RES-T
Sectoral breakdown of net GHG emission savings due to renewable energy in EU, 2012
%
pp. | 11
GHG emission savings due to renewable electricity accounted for 19.7 % of the total
GHG emissions reduction in the EU in 2009 and 25.5 % in 2012; (see Figure I)
Renewable heat consumption in the EU saved 207 Mt CO2eq in 2009 and 224 Mt
CO2eq in 2012;
The proportion of total GHG emission savings from the use of renewable energy
accounted for by renewable heat consumption decreased from 39.1 % in 2009 to
31.3 % in 2012;
GHG emission savings from the use of renewable energy in transport increased from
24.4 Mt CO2eq in 2009 to 33.8 Mt CO2eq in 2012;
The proportion of GHG emission savings in transport rose from 4.6 % in 2009 to 4.9 %
in 2011 and fell back to 4.7 % in 2012;
The use of renewable energy in electricity and heating/cooling in 2009 resulted in a
30% (505 Mt CO2eq) saving of GHG emissions from public power and heat
production5. In 2012, the figure reached nearly 36 % (682.2 Mt CO2eq);
GHG emission savings from the use of renewable energy in transport accounted for
2.5 % of total GHG emissions from this sector6 in 2009 and 3.6 % in 2012;
Almost two thirds of total GHG emission savings in the EU in 2012 came from
renewable energy development in Germany (144.5 Mt CO2eq), Sweden (98 Mt
CO2eq), France (82.4 Mt CO2eq), Italy (70.94 Mt CO2eq) and Spain (56.86 Mt CO2eq);
In the electricity field, the main GHG emissions savers in 2012, accounting for 60 % of
total savings from renewable electricity, were Germany (102 Mt CO2eq), Sweden (67
Mt CO2eq), France (56.4 Mt CO2eq), Italy (47.8 Mt CO2eq) and Spain (37.6 Mt
CO2eq);
In the heating and cooling sector, In 2012 the main GHG emissions savers from
renewable heat were Germany (37.2 Mt CO2eq), Finland (24 Mt CO2eq), Italy (20.5
Mt CO2eq), France (19.9 Mt CO2eq) and Poland (18.5 Mt CO2eq);
In the transport sector France was the main GHG emissions saver (6.16 Mt CO2eq)
due to the use of renewable energy in transport, followed by Spain with 5.89 Mt
CO2eq, Germany with 5.60 Mt CO2eq, Poland with 3.08 Mt CO2eq and Italy with 2.67
Mt CO2eq;
The economic benefits of GHG emission savings due to renewable energy use in the
EU during the period covered by this study varied from 74.1 billion in 2009 to 47.1
billion in 2012.
5 For each year, the contribution of net renewable electricity and heat GHG emission savings to public power and heat
related GHG emissions are obtained as a ratio between net renewable electricity and heat GHG emission savings and the total hypothetical public power and heat related GHG emissions. The total hypothetical public power and heat related GHG emissions are obtained by adding the absolute values of net avoided GHG emissions due to renewable energy to the actual public power and heat GHG emissions. 6 For each year, the contribution of net GHG emission savings from use of renewable energy in transport sector to the
transport sector related GHG emissions is obtained as a ratio between net GHG emission savings from renewable energy in transport and the total hypothetical transport related GHG emissions. Total hypothetical transport related GHG emissions are obtained by adding the absolute values of net avoided GHG emissions due to renewable energy to the actual transport related GHG emissions.
pp. | 12
Related and future work: This report complements the set of reports on renewable energy
development ([3], [4], [5], [6], [7] and [8]) published by JRC-IET, and will serve as a basis for
the future work in this topic as the bi-annual progress reports on renewable energy
development in European Union are expected to be submitted to the European Commission
till 2021.
Quick guide: The report covers the 2009-12 period and is organised in three chapters:
First Chapter provides an overview of the methodologies used by the Member States to
calculate the GHG emission savings due to the use of renewable energy in three main
sectors: electricity, heating/cooling and transport. As a general rule, net savings were
estimated by calculating the difference between emissions from RES and their fossil
comparators. For the fossil comparators, different emission factors were applied to
electricity and heat production in line with EC recommendations. For electricity and
heating/cooling, if no later estimates were available, the Member States were invited to use
the EU-wide fossil fuel comparators for electricity and heat, as set out in the report on
sustainability requirements for the use of solid and gaseous biomass sources in electricity,
heating and cooling [11]. When estimating their net GHG emission savings from the use of
biofuels, Member States had the option, under Article 22(2) of the RED, of using the typical
values given in parts A and B of Annex V to the Directive. If a Member State chose not to use
the suggested methodology for estimating net GHG emission savings, it had to describe
what other methodology was used.
An overview of GHG emissions in the EU, energy-related emissions in the three above-
mentioned sectors, their contribution to total GHG emissions and GHG emissions in
individual Member States is presented in the Second Chapter of the report.
Third Chapter of the report presents the trend in GHG emission savings from the use of
renewable energy in the EU, on the basis of Table 6 of the template used in the Member
States bi-annual progress reports. The savings are detailed by sector and by Member State
for the 2009-12 period. We also analysed the absolute and relative share of GHG emission
savings due to renewable energy use in the total net GHG emission savings in the EU during
the same period. As a benchmark, we also included data on GHG emissions in the EU, taken
from European Environment Agency sources. A short section here also deals with the
economic benefits of GHG emission savings by referring to changes in the price of carbon in
the EU during the period covered by this study.
Annex I presents a summary of data reported by Member States in their 1st and 2nd
progress reports on greenhouse gas emission savings by renewable energy in the EU during
period 2009-12. The relationship between greenhouse gas emission savings and renewable
energy sources as well as the CAGR of renewable energy in EU Member States, 2009-12 are
presented respectively in Annex II and Annex III of this report.
pp. | 13
Introduction
Around 10% of the greenhouse gases emitted worldwide in 2012 came from the European
Union (EU). For 2020, the EU has decided, as a unilateral commitment, to reduce overall
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its 28 Member States by 20% compared to 1990
levels.
Renewable Energy Sources (RES) are a major tool for achieving the commitment of the
decarbonisation of the European Union’s economy, as provided for in the EU Climate and
Energy Package [9] and a legally binding target of 20 % of gross final energy consumption
(GFEC) from RES has been set for 2020 in the Renewable Energy Directive. Moreover, in
October 2014 the Commission proposed a climate and energy policy framework for 2030
that includes a target of reducing emissions to 40 % below 1990 levels and increasing the
proportion of renewable energy in the EU’s energy consumption to at least 27 %.
For 2050, EU leaders have endorsed the objective of reducing Europe’s GHG emissions by
80-95 % compared with 1990 levels, as part of similar joint efforts by developed countries.
While the discussion of explicit targets for RES is still far off, ambitious targets in reducing
GHG emissions must be reflected in a truly consistent role for RES.
The European Commission strictly monitors the deployment of RES in the EU on the basis of
the progress reports submitted every two years by its 28 Member States. This report offers
a combined analysis of the Member States’ 2011 and 2013 progress reports, in order to
identify trends in GHG emission savings due to the final consumption of renewable energy
in EU in three main sectors: electricity, heating/cooling and transport.
Since the entry into force of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and the related national
renewable energy action plans (NREAPs) [10], RES have already provided a strong overall
contribution to GHG reduction: in 2012, the equivalent of 716 Mt CO2 was avoided for the
EU area as a whole. The level of success varied from country to country, depending on the
technologies in use.
pp. | 14
pp. | 15
Chapter 1. Overview of Member State methodologies to calculate
GHG emission savings (2009-12)
According to Article 22 (1) (k) of RED each Member State should report on the estimated net
GHG emission savings due to the use of renewable energy sources in its territory.
While no methodology is suggested for estimating GHG savings arising from wind, solar,
hydro, geothermal and tidal/waves sources, in the case of biomass, biofuels and bioliquids
some standard methodologies are suggested in the RED.
In the case of greenhouse gas performance of solid and gaseous biomass used in electricity
and heating/cooling sectors the suggested methodology is provided in the report on
sustainability requirements of solid biomass and biogas used in electricity and
heating/cooling sectors [11] briefly referred hereafter as "COM (2010) 11 methodology".
In the case of biofuels and bioliquids in the transport sector, Articles 17, 18, 19, 21 and
Annex III and V of RED establish both a sustainability scheme and rules for the calculation of
the biofuels impact on GHG emission savings, briefly referred hereafter as "Annex V
methodology".
If a Member State chooses not to use the suggested RED methodology, it should describe
what other methodology has been used to estimate these savings.
Most Member States decided to develop and apply their own methodology for the
calculation of biomass related net GHG emission savings in electricity (18 Member States
out of 28) and heating and cooling (16 out of 28) sectors. In the case of biofuels, only 12
Member States developed a different methodology of what was suggested in the RED.
One Member State (Sweden) applied both methodologies (own methodology and suggested
RED methodology) and therefore reported two values for one sector. In such cases, the
analysis for Sweden presented in this report used the methodology recommended by the
RED.
In several cases, the Member States did not report which methodology they applied: seven
Member States did not report the methodology applied for electricity, heating and cooling
and eight Member States did not report the methodology applied for biofuels.
Table 1 shows which Member States followed the recommendations of the RED in order to
calculate the biomass related GHG emission saving and whether they applied a different
method. The table shows whether a description of the Member State’s methodology was
made available in the progress reports, as required.
pp. | 16
Table 1. EU Member State methodologies applied to calculate the net GHG emission savings from RE
Y — the methodology is described
N — the methodology is not described
Y/N — the methodology is partially described
The following section provides a short description of the methodologies7 applied by each
Member State to calculate their net GHG emission savings in electricity, heating/cooling and
transport in 2009-12, where such methodologies were made available.
7 Disclaimer: The editing of this report includes also the description of methodologies used by each Member
State to calculate the net GHG emission savings from the use of renewable energy in electricity, heating/cooling and transport sectors. Nevertheless these methodologies remained the Member States original one and authors cannot take any responsibility for the content of these descriptions.
ELECTRICITY
HEATING/COOLING
TRANSPORT
DESCRIPTION
COM(2010) 11
MS
METHOD COM(2010) 11
MS
METHOD
ANNEX
V
MS
METHOD 1st
PR 2nd
PR
BE ☐ ☐ ☐ N N BG ☐ ☐ ☐ Y Y CZ N N DK ☐ ☐ ☐ Y Y DE ☐ ☐ ☐ N N EE Y/N N IE ☐ ☐ ☐ Y Y EL ☐ ☐ ☐ Y Y ES N N FR ☐ ☐ ☐ Y Y HR ☐ ☐ ☐ n.a Y/N IT ☐ ☐ ☐ Y Y CY ☐ ☐ ☐ Y Y LV ☐ ☐ ☐ Y Y LT N N LU ☐ ☐ ☐ N N HU ☐ ☐ ☐ Y Y MT N N NL ☐ ☐ ☐ N/Y Y AT ☐ ☐ ☐ N N PL ☐ ☐ ☐ Y Y PT ☐ ☐ ☐ N N RO ☐ ☐ ☐ N Y SI N N SK ☐ ☐ ☐ Y/N Y/N FI ☐ ☐ ☐ Y Y SE ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Y Y UK ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Y/N Y/N
pp. | 17
1.1 Belgium
Belgium followed fully the methodology suggested in Article 22(2) of the RED applying the
typical values from Annex V for transport and data from COM (2010) 11 for heat and cooling
and electricity.
1.2 Bulgaria
For biofuels, Bulgaria followed the methodology suggested in Annex V to the RED.
GHG emission savings due to the use of heat from renewable sources were estimated by
applying the comparative values, validated across the EU, as laid down in COM(2010) 11.
Savings due to the use of electricity from renewable sources were estimated by applying a
carbon emission factor for electricity, calculated on the basis of the fuel types, their calorific
values and their proportion of annual electricity output in 2011 and 2012. The comparators
used to calculate the GHG emission savings due to renewable energy use in Bulgaria during
2009-12 are presented in Table 2 together with the percentage of GHG emission savings.
Table 2. Comparators used to calculate GHG emission savings in Bulgaria, 2009-12
1.3 Czech Republic
The Czech Republic did not provide a description of the methodology applied in its first and
second progress reports.
1.4 Denmark
The calculation of GHG emission savings due to the use of renewable energy in Denmark is
based on the following assumptions:
- In the case of renewable energy used for heating, the calculated net saving is 0.065 Mt CO2
per PJ renewable energy used, corresponding to the renewable energy replacing a mixture
of natural gas and oil typical of the Danish market.
- In the case of renewable energy used for electricity, it was assumed that electricity
generation by wind, water and solar panels displaces 2.4 units of fossil fuel, while one unit
2009
2010
2011
2012
% % % %
Heating/cooling (gCO2eq/MJ) 87 87 87 87
Biomass (gCO2eq/MJ) 17.16 19.90 24.59 27.21
Electricity (tCO2eq/MWh) 0.580 9.38 0.632 9.69 0.711 13.48 0.672 16.57
Transport (gCO2eq/MJ) 83.8 n.a n.a n.a n.a n.a n.a n.a
pp. | 18
of biomass/biogas displaces 1 unit of fossil fuel. It was estimated that the quantity of fuel
displaced would have given rise to CO2 emissions of 0.08 Mt per PJ.
- In the case of transport, it was assumed that one unit of biofuel displaces 1 unit of fossil
fuel. It was estimated that the displaced quantity of fuel would have produced emissions of
0.0733 Mt CO2/PJ.
Table 3. Comparators used to calculate GHG emission savings in Denmark, 2009-12
1.5 Germany
The methodology, data sources used and the technology-specific results for GHG avoidance
through renewable energy are described in detail in 2011 and 2013 reports issued by the
German Environment Agency (UBA). The GHG avoidance factors used in the calculations for
2009-12 are presented in the table below.
Table 4. Comparators used to calculate GHG emission savings in Germany, 2009-12
Mt CO2 eq/PJ 2009
2010
2011
2012
Electricity
Hydropower 0.221 0.221 n.a n.a
Wind power 0.204 0.204 n.a n.a
Photovoltaic 0.189 0.189 n.a n.a
Biogenic solid fuels 0.216 0.216 n.a n.a
Biogenic liquid fuels 0.167 0.167 n.a n.a
Biogas 0.164 0.162 n.a n.a
Deep geothermal 0.136 0.136 n.a n.a
Heating
Biogenic solid fuels 0.084 0.083 n.a n.a
Biogenic liquid fuels 0.076 0.073 n.a n.a
Biogas 0.048 0.046 n.a n.a
Solar thermal 0.062 0.062 n.a n.a
Deep geothermal 0.018 0.018 n.a n.a
Heat pumps 0.023 0.023 n.a n.a
Transport
Biodiesel 0.038 0.038 n.a n.a
Vegetable oil 0.049 0.049 n.a n.a
Bioethanol 0.040 0.040 n.a n.a
2009
2010
2011
2012
Heating/cooling (MtCO2eq/PJ) 0.065 0.065 0.065 0.065 Electricity (MtCO2eq/PJ) 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.08 Transport (MtCO2eq/PJ) 0.0733 0.0733 0.0733 0.0733
pp. | 19
1.6 Estonia
Estonia reported data on GHG emission savings in its first progress report delivered in 2011,
but not in its second report. In the first 2011 report, Estonia stated that a detailed
calculation of GHG emission savings due to the use of energy from renewable sources had
yet to be conducted in compliance with the RED. More specifically, Estonia at that time had
has not yet conducted any of the required studies required for developing a method of
assessment that takes into account the whole life-cycle (or at least part of it) and under the
conditions prevalent in Estonia.
For this reason, estimates provided in the 2011 report are based on the amounts of fuel
used, their emission factors and data on the amounts of heat and electricity produced.
Therefore, Estonia took into account neither the priority order for entering the electricity
market with respect to fossil fuels nor the GHGs emitted during the life-cycle with respect to
biomass were taken into account. It is worth noticing that 85% of non-renewable electricity
produced in Estonia in 2010 originated from shale oil, a low efficiency resource that resulted
very high GHG emissions per unit of electricity produced.
In Estonia, most electricity (85 % in 2010) is produced from shale oil, which emits large
quantities of carbon when burnt — the specific emissions as carbon dioxide amount to 99.4
t CO2/TJfuel. As shale oil is also a low-efficiency method of generating electricity, the average
specific emissions regarding electricity generated from oil shale are very high: 1085 kg
CO2/MWhe. Emissions from shale oil accounted for 94 % of Estonia’s total CO2 emissions
from electricity generation. The emission factors for shale oil were determined as weighted
average factors, taking into account the two combustion methods used: pulverised
combustion and circulating fluidised bed combustion. As the proportion of other fuels used
to generate electricity was rather small, the overall average specific emissions were high:
980 kg CO2/MWhe; if only fossil fuels were taken into account, the figure would be 1066 kg
CO2/MWhe.
1.7 Ireland
In both of its progress reports, Ireland provided a detailed description of the methodology it
applied to calculate GHG emission savings due to the use of renewable energy in the three
sectors.
The estimate of avoided CO2 emissions associated with biofuels usage in transport assumes
100 % displacement of emissions from conventional fuels. The emissions from biofuels
production are accounted for in this analysis in accordance with the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change reporting guidelines. Therefore, the CO2 avoided
from bioethanol in transport is supposed equal to the amount of CO2 emissions that would
have arisen from petrol consumption. Similarly, CO2 avoided from biodiesel and pure plant
oil (vegetable oil) is computed on the basis of the equivalent equated with diesel
consumption.
pp. | 20
1.8 Greece
Greece followed the methodology in Article 22(2) of the RED (Annex V) to calculate net GHG
savings due to the use of renewable energy in transport.
For electricity and heat the comparators weighted fossil fuel emission factors are estimated
on the basis of the emission factors for liquid, solid and gaseous fossil fuels (as presented in
the National Annual Inventory Report, submitted in 2009 and 2013 under the Convention
and the Kyoto Protocol for greenhouse and other gases for the years 1990-2011). The
estimation of GHG emissions in the aforementioned report was based on the methods
described in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines, the IPCC
Good Practice Guidance, the Land use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) Good
Practice Guidance and the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme/European
Environment Agency CORINAIR methodology.
Table 5. Comparators used to calculate GHG emission savings in Greece, 2009-12
CO2 (t/TJ)
CH4(Kg/TJ)
N2O(Kg/TJ)
Electricity and heat production
Liquid fuels 75.48 3.000 0.600
Solid fuels 126.12 1.000 1.500
Gaseous fuels 55.10 1.000 0.100
Manufacturing industries and construction
Liquid fuels 67.51 1.024 0.730
Solid fuels 97.13 1.156 1.430
Gaseous fuels 55.24 1.000 0.735
Other sectors
Liquid fuels 72.97 3.109 5.733
Solid fuels 99.18 1.156 1.500
Gaseous fuels 55.24 1.000 0.100
Transport
Liquid fuels 70.72 13.370 2.925
Gaseous fuels 55.38 69.826 2.633
1.9 Spain
Spain did not provide a description of the methodology it applied to estimate the net GHG
emission savings in its progress reports.
1.10 France
France applied its own methodology to calculate net GHG emission savings from the use of
renewable energy. A detailed description is available in both its first and second progress
pp. | 21
reports. The methodology used for the 2009-10 calculations differs slightly from that used
for 2011-12, and this influenced the results obtained for the two periods (see paragraph 2.2)
1.11 Croatia
The reduction in GHG emissions in Croatia was determined by considering the production of
electricity from renewable energy sources, renewable energy use in transport and the use
of renewable energy for heating and cooling in 2011 and 2012.
To determine the contribution of renewable energy sources, reducing GHG emissions, an
estimate of what are called the avoided CO2 emissions due to the use of renewable energy
instead of fossil fuels. The avoided emissions are determined in such a way that the amount
of electricity from renewable energy, energy, renewable energy for heating and cooling and
energy from renewables in transport, replaced fossil fuels and for them a certain CO2
emissions
The sectoral perspective, in the production of electricity from RES, a comparison is made
with fossil fuel power plants. For the budget is taken specific emissions from thermal power
plants HEP-s.
Avoided CO2 emissions from transport are determined by the consumption of gasoline and
diesel fuel. CO2 emissions from the heating and cooling assume the use of fuel oil instead of
renewable energy sources.
1.12 Italy
In its second progress report, Italy updated the method used to calculate net GHG emission
savings for 2009-10.The detailed estimate of RE-related net GHG emission savings has been
based on a study prepared by GSE (Gestore Servizi Elettrici) for Italy’s Ministry of Economic
Development following Article 40 of Italian Legislative Decree No 28/2011. The second
Italian progress report provides quite a detailed view of the mix of fossil fuels displaced in
the three sectors by the different renewable technologies.
1.13 Cyprus
GHG emission savings in Cyprus from the use of renewable energy in electricity and
heating/cooling were calculated by the Department of the Environment of the Cypriot
Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, using its own methodology.
The net GHG emission savings due to the use of biofuels in road transport were calculated
as the difference between the emissions produced if the biofuel quantity was diesel and if
the said quantity was a biodiesel mixture in specific proportions. The calculation was based
on the typical GHG emission reduction values listed in parts A and B of Annex V to the RED.
pp. | 22
A very detailed description of the methodology applied by Cyprus to calculate GHG emission
savings due to the use of renewable energy is presented in Annex I to Cyprus’s first and
second progress reports.
1.14 Latvia
In order to calculate GHG emission saving due to the use of biofuels in transport, Latvia
followed the "Annex V methodology"
When calculating GHG emission savings from the use of renewable energy in heating and
cooling, Latvia used a fossil fuel comparator of 87 g CO2/MJ, as suggested in COM (2010) 11.
For electricity, Latvia assumed that the GHG emission factor for electricity from solar
collectors, solar power plants and hydropower plants was zero. For GHG emission savings
for energy from heat pumps, the quantity of electricity used to ensure the functioning of
heat pumps (not reported separately) was also taken into account. The CO2 emission factor
for gross consumption of electricity from fossil fuels considering the cogeneration
correction, was estimated at 0.235 t CO2/MWh in 2010.
1.15 Lithuania
Lithuania did not provide any description of the methodology applied in its progress reports.
1.16 Luxembourg
Luxembourg did not provide any description of the methodology applied in its progress
reports and GHG emission savings from renewable electricity and heat were not split, but
reported together. The two reports indicate in the Environment Agency’s inventory of GHG
emissions the data source for the calculations.
1.17 Hungary
Hungary fully followed the methodology suggested in Article 22(2) of the RED, applying
typical values from Annex V for transport and data from COM (2010) 11 for heating/cooling
and electricity.
1.18 Malta
Malta did not provide any description of the methodology applied in its progress reports.
pp. | 23
1.19 Netherlands
The Netherlands applied its own methodology to calculate net GHG emission saving for
2009-12. A description of this methodology is available only in the Netherlands’ second
progress report.
For transport, the Netherlands calculated GHG emissions prevented by the consumption of
biogasoline and biodiesel for transport in 2010 and 2012 using a combination of data taken
from Statistics Netherlands energy statistics and data from the Dutch Emissions Authority
(NEa) on the GHG performance of the biogasoline and biodiesel brought onto the market.
The NEa received the data from companies that supply biogasoline and biodiesel in
accordance with legislation and regulations on renewable energy for transport, on fuels and
on air pollution. In 2010, the NEa also obtained data through voluntary agreements with
sector associations.
For 2011, the emissions avoided were calculated from the average reduction per unit of
energy for biogasoline and biodiesel in 2010 and 2012, multiplied by the amount of
biogasoline and biodiesel brought onto the market in 2011. The figures were extracted from
the national energy statistics.
For electricity, emissions avoided were based on a comparator considering a national mix of
gas-fired, coal-fired and nuclear power stations with emissions of 0.59 kg CO2 per KWh in
2012. For heat, the main reference technology was a gas-fired boiler with 90 % efficiency,
resulting in emissions of 63 kg CO2 per GJ of useful heat.
1.20 Austria
Austria reported on GHG emission savings in both its first and second progress reports but it
did not provide a description of its methodology. The data on the GHG emission reduction
reported in the second progress report were based on the study Renewable energy in
figures — development of renewable energy in Austria in 2012.8
1.21 Poland
Poland fully followed the methodology suggested in Article 22(2) of the RED, applying
typical values from Annex V for transport and data from COM (2010) 11 for heating/ cooling
and electricity.
8 http://www.lebensministerium/at/umwelt/energie-erneuerbar/ERneuerbare_Zahlen.html.
http://www.bmlfuw.gv.at/publikationen/umwelt/energie/energie_zahlen_2012.html.
pp. | 24
1.22 Portugal
In its first and second progress reports, Portugal reported only the coefficients used to
calculate its GHG emission saving from the use of renewable energy in electricity,
heating/cooling and transport.
Electricity: the emission factor used was different from the figure recommended by the
Commission at COM (2010) 11 - (56.1 g CO2eq/MJ);
Heating/cooling: the emission factor recommended by the Commission was used - (87 g
CO2eq/MJ);
Transport sector: a diesel emission factor different from the Annex V recommended figure
was used - (74.1 g CO2eq/MJ).
1.23 Romania
In its first progress report, Romania did not provide a description of the methodology
applied to calculate the net estimated reduction of GHG emissions.
In its second report, Romania provided net GHG emission savings for 2011-12 based on the
Romanian National Institute of Statistics’ energy balance sheets. The CO2 equivalent
emission savings for the production of electricity and of heat for heating/cooling were
estimated using solid fuel (brown coal) as a comparator while savings obtained from using
biomass in transport were estimated using diesel fuel as a benchmark.
Specific Romanian emission factors were used equal to: 87.7 tCO2eq/TJ for brown coal and
73.56 t CO2eq/TJ for diesel fuel. Factors were taken from the national inventory of GHG
emissions (INEGES), sent in January 2014 to the European Environmental Agency and to the
European Commission, for 2012.
1.24 Slovenia
Slovenia did not provide a description of the methodology applied in its first and second
progress reports.
1.25 Slovakia
Slovakia calculated its net GHG emission savings from the use of energy from renewable
sources for electricity and heating using reference values for fossil fuels for the whole of the
EU. This was in line with COM (2010) 11. Slovakia did not provide a clear statement on its
transport estimates.
pp. | 25
1.26 Finland
Finland applied the methodology recommended in Article 22(2) of the RED (Annex V) in its
estimates of net GHG emission savings due to the use of renewable energy in transport.
To estimate the GHG emission savings due to the use of renewable energy in the electricity
and heating/cooling sectors, Finland applied its own methodology as follows:
For separate electricity production (hydro power, wind power, photovoltaic electricity
and separate electricity production from bioenergy), the net savings were estimated
using an emission coefficient of 0.0951 Mt CO2eq/PJ, which corresponded to the average
emission coefficient of Finland’s separate condensate production based on fossil fuels.
The consumption ratio of hydro power, wind power and photovoltaic electricity was
assumed to be 2.4.
For bioenergy, the fuel consumption ratio used in calculations was 1. In assessing the
emissions reduction provided by bioenergy, biomass emissions were accounted for in
accordance with Annex II to COM(2010) 11.
In the calculation, heat pump energy and solar heat were replaced by separate fossil heat
production. Net savings were estimated using an emission coefficient of 0.075 Mt
CO2eq/PJ, which corresponded to the average emission coefficient of Finland’s separate
heat production based on fossil fuels.
For separate heat production based on bioenergy, the net savings were estimated using
an emission coefficient of 0.074 Mt CO2eq/PJ, which corresponded to the average
emission coefficient of Finland’s separate heat production based on fossil fuels and peat.
The coefficient included the reduction in net savings by biomass emissions, for which a
default value of 0.001 Mt CO2eq/PJ was laid down in Annex II to COM(2010) 11.
For combined electricity and heat production, the net savings were estimated using an
emission coefficient of 0.081 Mt CO2eq/PJ, which corresponded to the average emission
coefficient of Finland’s combined electricity and heat production based on fossil fuels and
peat, minus biomass emissions as laid down in Annex II to COM(2010) 11.
1.27 Sweden
Sweden estimated its net GHG emission savings from the use of renewable energy in
electricity and heating/cooling sectors in two different ways:
Case 1. GHG emission savings compared with a reference scenario where all renewable
sources are replaced by fossil fuels. Potential theoretical savings were estimated by
pp. | 26
calculating the difference between emissions from the renewable energy sources9 and their
fossil comparators, where emission factors for the fossil comparators were based on the
Commission’s recommendations, which correspond to the fossil marginal production of
electricity and heating.
Case 2. GHG emission savings compared with a reference scenario where renewable
sources for electricity and heating production are replaced with the average energy mix for
electricity and heating production in 2009. The net savings were estimated by calculating
the difference between the emissions from the renewable energy sources (as in Case 1) and
the emissions for the fossil comparators represented by the emission factors10 for Swedish
electricity and district heating production mixes for 2009 (instead of emission factors for
fossil production, as in Case 1).
For biofuels, the Commission’s recommendations, i.e. the emission savings specified in
Annex V to the RED,11 were used in both cases. For Case 1, only values for the fossil
comparators were obtained from the Annex to which the RED refers. The emission factors
for net emissions of GHGs from renewable fuels were obtained from elsewhere.5 These
emission factors were compiled from a life-cycle perspective and include all material
emissions — from raw materials recovery and production of the fuel to use and distribution.
However, emissions from the use of the biofuel were set to zero. For all cases, the actual
values (not normalised) for hydro and wind power were used in the estimates.
For Case 2, the emission factor for the district heating mix was used as the fossil comparator
for all heat production (that is, even for heat pumps and solar heating, etc.), which is a very
simplified assumption. The emission factors used in this case represented the total GHG
emissions (i.e. using the life-cycle perspective).
The emission factors for the Swedish electricity and district heating production mix for 2009
would not be the same if, say, hydropower did not exist, but they give a picture of how the
different calculation methods affect the results.
9 Gode, J et al., Environmental Fact Book 2011. Estimated emission factors for fuels, electricity, heating and
transport in Sweden [Miljöfaktaboken 2011 — Uppskattade emissionsfaktorer för bränslen, el, värme och transporter], Värmeforsk (Thermal Engineering Research Institute). 10
Approximately 25 g CO2 equivalent/KWh for electricity and approximately 120 g CO2 equivalent/KWh for heating. These emission factors come from: Martinsson, F and Gode, J 2011. Emission factors for the Swedish electricity mix and Swedish district heating in 2009 [Emissionsfaktorer för svensk elmix och svensk fjärrvärmemix år 2009]. IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. Report produced for Article 22 reporting. Available from the Swedish Energy Agency. 11
For those biofuels whose production pathways are not specified in Annex V, assumptions were made concerning which value in Annex V best represents this pathway. Ethanol produced from pulp production and wine production residues was assumed to have the same value as ethanol from sugar cane. For ethanol from wheat, the highest typical value for ethanol from wheat was used.
pp. | 27
We used the data in Case 1 for the analysis in our report. Some information on GHG
emission savings in the EU using the data of Case 2 is included in the footnotes in the
respective sessions.
1.28 United Kingdom
The United Kingdom calculated its net GHG savings from electricity using the average CO2
emissions factor for the fossil fuel mix for that year, as published in Table 5C in Chapter 5 of
the Digest of UK Energy Statistics, 2013.12
Net direct GHG savings for transport were calculated using the carbon intensity data
reported by suppliers for the fuel supplied. This includes a mix of RED Annex V default
values and actual data calculated by fuel suppliers using guidance published by the
Department of Transport in line with Annex V.
12 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electricity-chapter-5-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes
pp. | 28
pp. | 29
Chapter 2. Trend for GHG emissions in Europe (1990-12)
In this section, we report and discuss data on total GHG emissions (excluding LULUCF) [12]
and energy-related GHG emission changes and provide continental values and sectoral and
country-based breakdowns. In the text below, we use the expressions ‘GHG emission
reductions’ to mean the difference between the GHG emissions for the reference year
(1990) and the actual emissions for a certain year, country or sector.
The analysis in this section covers the period 1990-2012 and focuses on:
the state of GHG emissions in Europe (totals and per capita);
the state of energy-related GHG emissions in Europe (energy including transport,
public power and heat, transport);
the contribution of energy-related GHG emissions to the total GHG emissions in
Europe; and
an overview of GHG emissions by Member State.
2.1 Overall GHG emissions — EU trends
GHG emissions in the EU in 1990 were 5 626.3 Mt CO2eq. In 2009, GHG emissions were
4 642 Mt CO2eq. In 2010, the figure increased by 2.3 % (+107 Mt CO2eq).
Figure 1. GHG emissions in EU since 1990 (1990=100 %)
For 2010-11, GHG emissions in the EU fell by 3.1 % (-143 Mt CO2eq), reaching 4606 Mt
CO2eq in 2011. Between 2011 and 2012, GHG emissions in the EU decreased further by
1.3 % (60 Mt CO2eq), reaching 4 546 Mt CO2eq.
-19.2%
-22.2%
70
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80
85
90
95
100
105
19
90
19
95
20
00
20
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20
06
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%
pp. | 30
Over the period 2009-12, GHG emissions were 17.5 % (984 Mt CO2eq) and 19.2 % (1 080 Mt
CO2eq) below the base year level. Total EU emissions [13] (excluding LULUCF) are projected
(based on latest Member State projections) to be 22.2 % lower in 2020 compared with 1990
(Figure 1).
2.2 Overview of energy-related GHG emissions in Europe (1990-12)
In 1990, energy13-related GHG emissions in Europe accounted for 77 % of total GHG
emissions, with a figure of 4 324.6 Mt CO2eq. Between 1990 and 2009, energy-related GHG
emissions decreased by 15 % (646.6 Mt CO2eq), but their contribution to total GHG
emissions increased to 79.2 %.
Figure 2. Contribution of energy sectors to the total GHG emissions in EU, 1990 (left) 2012 (right)
In 2009-10, energy-related GHG emissions increased by 2.9 % (+105 Mt CO2eq) before falling
in 2012 to a level that was 4.7 % (147 Mt CO2eq) lower than the 2010 figure. The
contribution of these GHG emissions to the total GHG emissions in the EU changed only
slightly between 2009 and 2012, rising from 79.2 % to 79.3 %.
GHG emissions from public power and heat production amounted to 1 436.7 Mt CO2eq in
1990. This represented 25.5 % of total GHG emissions in that year and 33.1 % of
energy-related GHG emissions.
In 2012, the contribution of GHG emissions from public power and heat to total GHG
emissions reached 1 225.2 Mt CO2eq (27 %) and accounted for 34 % of energy-related GHG
emissions.
13
GHG emissions related to energy include GHG emissions from transport.
23.1% 25.5%
13.9%
37.4%
76.9%
Non-Energy Power & Heat
Transport Other Energy
20.7% 27.0%
19.6%
32.7%
79.3%
Non-Energy Power & Heat
Transport Other Energy
pp. | 31
In 1990, GHG emissions from transport amounted to 782.6 Mt CO2eq, or 33.2 % of total GHG
emissions from energy (including transport). The figure accounted for 13.9 % of total GHG
emissions released that year.
In 2012, GHG emissions from transport were 14 % higher (110.5 Mt CO2eq) than the 1990
level. They accounted for 19.6 % of total GHG emissions and 24.8 % of GHG energy-related
emissions.
2.3 Overview of GHG emissions by Member State
In 1990, GHG emissions in per capita terms were 11.8 Mt CO2eq/capita. In 2012 the figure
was 9 Mt CO2eq/capita.
Only eight Member States (Ireland, Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Malta, Austria, Portugal and
Slovenia) increased their GHG emissions between 1990 and 2012 (see Figure 3).
Germany, the United Kingdom, Romania, France and Poland were the five best performing
countries in terms of reducing their GHG emissions during that period. Together, they
accounted for almost 71 % (767 Mt CO2eq) of the total GHG emissions reduction. Germany
had the highest GHG emissions reduction during this period, achieving a reduction of
309 Mt CO2eq, followed by the United Kingdom, which reduced GHG emissions by 194.5 Mt
CO2eq.
For the 2009-12 period, the GHG emissions reduction was somewhat different from the
picture above, which shows the situation for 1990-2012. This was because GHG emissions in
Germany and Poland increased during 2009-12 (Figure 4).
Between 2009 and 2012, the five best-performing Member States in terms of reducing their
GHG emissions were Italy (-30 Mt CO2), Spain (-19 Mt CO2), France (-19 Mt CO2), Greece (-13
Mt CO2) and Denmark (-9 Mt CO2). Together, they accounted for 95.7 % of the reduction.
Only five Member States (Bulgaria, Germany, Estonia, Lithuania and Poland) increased their
energy-related GHG emissions (including transport) between 1990 and 2012. There was no
change in the energy-related GHG emissions (including transport) of Latvia, Luxembourg,
Malta and Slovenia during that period. All other Member States decreased their GHG
emissions from energy (including transport).
Almost two thirds of GHG emissions from energy (including transport) came from five
Member States (Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Poland). Those countries
maintained the same level of contribution and their position in the ranking in 1990 and
2012.
pp. | 32
In 2012, Germany had the highest GHG emissions from energy with 786 Mt CO2eq. Germany
also had the highest absolute reduction, achieving a reduction of 233 Mt CO2eq (23 %) from
the 1990 level.
Malta had the lowest level of GHG energy-related emissions in both 1990 (1.9 Mt CO2eq)
and 2012 (2.8 Mt CO2eq).
In 2012, the five Member States that recorded the highest level of GHG energy-related
emissions in per capita terms were Luxembourg (20 t CO2eq/capita), followed by Estonia
(12.7 t CO2eq/capita), the Czech Republic (10.2 t CO2eq/capita), Germany (9.8 t
CO2eq/capita) and the Netherlands (9.7 t CO2eq/capita).
Ten Member States (Ireland, Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Croatia, Malta, the
Netherlands, Portugal and Finland) increased their GHG emissions from public power and
heat production between 1990 and 2012. In 1990, more than two thirds of the emissions
came from just five Member States: Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom, Italy and
Romania. In 2012, the picture is almost the same, with the only change being that fifth place
was taken over by Spain.
Germany had the highest absolute level of GHG emissions from public power and heat in
both 1990 and 2012: 314 Mt CO2eq in 1990 and 334 Mt CO2eq in 2012. Poland was second,
but also achieved the highest reduction in this type of emission between 1990 and 2012,
having reduced emissions to 161 Mt CO2eq, a decrease of 67.6 Mt CO2eq compared with the
1990 level.
In per capita terms, Estonia had the highest GHG emissions from public power and heat
production, with a figure of 9.6 t CO2eq/capita. The Czech Republic had the second highest,
with 5.0 t CO2eq/capita, followed by Malta (4.9 t CO2eq/capita), Greece (4.6 t CO2eq/capita)
and Poland (4.2 t CO2eq/capita).
Only seven Member States (Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Sweden and the
United Kingdom) emitted less GHG from transport in 2012 than in 1990. In 1990, more than
70 % of GHG emissions from transport came from five Member States: Germany, France, the
United Kingdom, Italy and Spain (Figure 5). In 2012, the ranking did not change, but the five
countries’ contribution to the overall figure decreased to 66 %.
In 2012, Luxembourg had the highest value in per capita terms, recording 12.4 t
CO2eq/capita, followed by Slovenia (2.8 t CO2eq/capita), Austria (2.6 t CO2eq/capita), Cyprus
(2.4 t CO2eq/capita) and Ireland (2.4 t CO2eq/capita).
Figure 3. Changes in total GHG emissions in EU MS, (1990-2012) left - (2009-12) right
Figure 4. GHG emissions from energy in EU MS, totals (left) — per capita (right), 2012
pp. | 35
Figure 5. GHG emissions from power and heat in EU MS, totals (left) — per capita (right), 2012
pp. | 36
Figure 6. GHG emissions from transport in EU MS, totals (left) — per capita (right), 2012
Chapter 3. GHG emission savings from renewable energy use in the
EU (2009-12)
In this section, we will present data on GHG emission savings arising from renewable energy
use. The data were taken from Member States’ official progress reports, where these were
available. The analysis focused on the following:
changes (increases or decreases) in GHG emission savings from renewable energy
deployment in EU (totals and per capita);
the contribution of GHG emission savings to the total GHG emissions in the EU;
the contribution of GHG emission savings from renewable energy use in electricity
and heating/cooling to the total GHG emissions from public power and heat;
the contribution of GHG emission savings from renewable energy use in transport to
the total GHG emissions from transport;
an overview of GHG emission savings in each Member State.
We use the term ‘GHG emission savings/reductions due to renewable energy use’ to
indicate the GHG emission savings obtained specifically through the introduction of
renewable energy.
3.1 GHG emission savings and renewable energy trend in the EU
3.1.1 Trend for GHG emission savings
Renewable energy was increasingly deployed in the EU between 2009 and 2012 in all of the
three main energy consumption sectors (electricity, heating/cooling and transport). As a
result, it has had an increasingly positive effect on the trend in GHG emissions.
Figure 7. Annual change in total GHG emission savings in EU, 2009-12
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Mt CO2 eq
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12
pp. | 38
In 2009, the net GHG emission savings due to renewable energy use in the EU14 were
estimated at almost 529.4 Mt CO2eq. In the four years to 2012, this figure increased by
almost 35 % (186.5 Mt CO2eq).
Additional GHG emission savings in 2009-10 and 2010-11 were almost equal, at nearly
60 Mt CO2eq. The highest additional GHG emission savings of the period were in 2011-12.
In 2009, the net GHG emission savings due to the use of renewable energy in the EU
accounted for nearly 10.2 % of its GHG emissions. By 2012, the figure had increased to more
than 13 %. The proportion of GHG emission savings compared with the total energy-related
GHG emissions increased from 12.69 % in 2009 to nearly 17 % in 2012.
Figure 8. Contribution of GHG emission savings from RES to the net GHG emission reductions in EU,
2009 (left) and 2012 (right)
Over the same period, the proportion of net GHG emission savings due to renewable energy
use in the net reduction of GHG emissions in the EU increased from 35 % in 2009 to nearly
40 % in 2012, demonstrating the increasing role of renewable energy in EU GHG savings.
In per capita terms, GHG emission savings increased from 1.05 Mt CO2eq/capita in 2009 to
1.42 Mt CO2eq/capita in 2012.
3.1.2 Renewable energy trend
Renewable energy consumption in the EU reached almost 160 Mtoe (6 677 PJ) in 2012,
contributing 14.17 % of the EU's gross final energy consumption. However, in 2010 and 2011
renewable energy deployment followed a different trend from that for GHG emission
savings. This was because most Member States decided to develop and apply their own
14
Calculations using Sweden’s Case 2 gave GHG emission savings in the EU of 459 Mt CO2eq in 2009 and 631.4 Mt CO2eq in
2012.
65.0%
19.7% 13.7%
1.6%
35.0%
Non RES reduction RES_E_savingsRES_HC_savings RES_T_savings
60.1%
25.5% 12.5%
1.9%
39.9%
Non RES reduction RES_E_savingsRES_HC_savings RES_T_savings
pp. | 39
methodology to calculate GHG savings instead of using the methodology suggested by the
Commission.
Figure 9. Annual change of total RES consumption in EU, 2009-12
If we look at the years 2009 to 2012 as a whole, we can see that the highest additional
consumption of renewable energy in the EU was in 2009-10, while in 2010-11 the trend in
additional consumption was negative.
3.2 GHG emission savings and renewable energy by sector
In 2012, GHG emission savings due to the use of renewable energy were mainly from
electricity and heating/cooling: those sectors accounted for more than 95 % of the total
GHG emission savings for that year.
Figure 10. Contribution of RES sectors to GHG emission saving due to RES in EU, 2012
-5 0 5 10 15 20
Mtoe
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12
64% 31.3%
4.7%
RES-E
RES-H/C
RES-T
pp. | 40
GHG emission savings from the use of renewable energy for heating/cooling fell in 2010-11
(see Figure 12 below).
Figure 11. Annual change in net GHG emission savings due to RE in EU, 2009-12
The highest additional GHG emission savings were for electricity in 2010-11. During the
same period the additional GHG emission savings for heating/cooling were negative. GHG
emission savings in transport sector had the highest additional contribution during 2010-11.
Renewable energy consumed for heating/cooling and electricity accounted for nearly 92 %
of total renewable energy consumption in the EU.
Figure 12. Contribution of RES sectors to total RE consumption in EU, 2012
In 2009-12, renewable energy consumption followed the same trend as GHG emission
savings in electricity and heating/cooling, but for transport the trends were different due to
-40 -20 0 20 40 60 80
RES
-ER
ES H
/CR
ES-T
Mt CO2 eq
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12
51.5% 40.2%
8.3%
RES-H/C
RES-E
RES-T
pp. | 41
the fact that some Member States didn't report on biofuels use in transport sector because
they don't fulfil the sustainability criteria as required in Article 17 of the RED.
Figure 13. Annual change in RES by sector in EU, 2009-12
3.2.1 Electricity
The main contributor to GHG emission savings from renewable energy sources was
electricity. In 2009, it accounted for 56.3 % (298 Mt CO2eq) of total GHG emission savings
due to renewable electricity deployment in the EU.15 In 2012, the figure was 64 % (458 Mt
CO2eq). Electricity’s contribution to the total net GHG emissions reduction was 19.7 % in
2009 and 25.5 % in 2012.
In 2009-12, additional GHG emission savings as a result of renewable electricity rose by
160.2 Mt CO2eq, with an average annual growth rate of 18 %.
The trend replicated the upward trend in the development of renewable electricity sources
in Europe: in 2012, RES production was 6.5 % higher than its 2009 level.
The GHG emission savings provided by renewable electricity increased from 0.6 t
CO2eq/capita in 2009 to 0.9 t CO2eq/capita in 2012.
3.2.2 Heating/cooling
In 2009, the heating/cooling sector16 accounted for 39.1 % of total GHG emission savings,
recording a figure of 207 Mt CO2eq. Although overall GHG emissions saved from the use of
15
Using Sweden’s Case 2, GHG emission savings from renewable electricity in the EU were 245.4 Mt CO2eq in 2009 and 392.6 Mt CO2eq in 2012. 16
Using Sweden’s Case 2, GHG emission savings from renewable heat in the EU were 189 Mt CO2eq in 2009 and 205 Mt CO2eq in 2012.
-4 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12
RES
-ER
ES-H
/CR
ES-T
Mtoe
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12
pp. | 42
renewable energy for heating/cooling rose by 8.2 % (+17 Mt CO2eq) between 2009 and
2012, their relative share in the total GHG emission savings decreased to 31.3 %.
In absolute terms, GHG emission savings decreased by nearly 10 % in 2011 compared with
2010. In 2012, savings increased by 6.4 %, reaching 224 Mt CO2eq.
GHG emission savings remained unchanged at 0.4 t CO2eq/capita throughout the period.
The development of renewable energy sources for heating/cooling followed a similar trend
in 2009-12. In 2010 it rose by 16 % compared with 2009, fell by 3.3 % in 2011 and rose again
by 6 % in 2012.
3.2.3 Transport
The absolute level of GHG emission savings due to renewable energy use in the transport
sector increased continuously from 2009 to 2012, rising at an average rate of 2.1 % per year
from 24.4 Mt CO2eq in 2009 to 33.8 Mt CO2eq in 2012.
The proportion of GHG emission savings in the transport sector rose from 5.3 % in 2009 to
5.9 % in 2011 and then fell back to 5.3 % in 2012.
Renewable energy use in this sector developed following a different trend in 2010-11,
decreasing by 4 % (3 513 ktoe). Due to the requirements of Article 17 of the RED relating to
sustainability criteria for biofuels and bioliquids, some Member States did not report on the
use in transport of biofuels that did not fulfil the criteria. It is not clear from the first and
second progress reports whether biofuels that did not fulfil the above-mentioned criteria
were taken into account when calculating the GHG emission savings from this sector.
The GHG emission savings due to renewable energy used in transport increased from 50 kg
CO2eq/capita in 2009 to 70 kg CO2eq/capita in 2012.
3.3 Overview by Member State
We set out below an overview of the Member States’ contribution to the total net GHG
emission saving for 2009-12 due to renewable energy use in three sectors: electricity,
heating/cooling and transport.
3.3.1 Contribution to energy-related GHG emissions
In 2009, the use of renewable energy in electricity and heating/cooling accounted for almost
30 % of GHG emissions from public power and heat production, recording a saving of 505 Mt
pp. | 43
CO2eq. In 2012, the figure rose to 682.2 Mt CO2eq, accounting for nearly 36 % of GHG
emissions from these two sectors.
Figure 14. Contribution of GHG savings from RES-E+H/C to GHG emissions P+H in EU, 2009-12
In 2012 Germany had the highest savings of GHG emissions from renewable electricity and
heat consumption, with a figure of 139 Mt CO2eq. This accounted for 29.4 % of the GHG
emission savings from Germany’s public power and heat sectors.
Sweden17 was in second place, recording savings of 97 Mt CO2eq from renewable electricity
and heat. With this savings Sweden recorded the highest contribution to its total GHG
emissions from public power and heat, posting a figure of 92.7 %.
In 2012, Austria had the second highest contribution, with GHG emission savings from
renewable energy in electricity and heating/cooling accounting for 75.7 % (28 Mt CO2eq) of
its total GHG emissions from public power and heat.
In per capita terms, Sweden had the highest savings from renewable electricity and heat
with 10.2 t CO2eq, followed by Finland with 7.5 Mt CO2eq/capita and Austria with 3.38 Mt
CO2eq/capita.
GHG emission savings from the use of renewable energy in transport had a low contribution
to the total GHG emissions from this sector, with the figures ranging from 2.5 % in 2009 to
3.6 % in 2012 (Figure 17).
Austria had the highest contribution to the savings of GHG emissions in transport with 6.9 %
(1.6 Mt CO2eq). It was followed by Spain and Sweden, which recorded 6.8 % each.
17
Using Case 2 calculations, Sweden ranked fifth with GHG emission savings from renewable electricity and heat accounting for 62 % of its total GHG emissions from public power and heat.
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
2009
2010
2011
2012
GHG emissions P+H GHG saving E+H
pp. | 44
Figure 15. GHG emission savings from RES (E+H/C) in EU MS, 2012
Figure 16. Contribution of GHG savings from RES-T to GHG emissions from transport in EU, 2009-12
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
2009
2010
2011
2012
GHG emissions T GHG saving T
pp. | 45
3.3.2 Contribution to total GHG emission savings
In Germany and the UK, renewable energy’s contribution to GHG emission savings
accounted for almost 35 % of the countries’ total reduction in GHG emissions between 1990
and 2012.
Figure 17. Compound annual growth rate of GHG emission savings in EU MS, 2009-12
Only four Member States (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Portugal) produced reduced savings
in GHG emissions due to renewable energy use between 2009 and 2012. Lithuania had the
largest decrease in GHG emission savings during this period, with -2.7 Mt CO2eq.
The five best performing Member States with the highest additional GHG emission savings
due to renewable energy use between 2009 and 2012 were France (+40.6 Mt CO2eq),
Germany (38 Mt CO2eq), the United Kingdom (+19 Mt CO2eq), Italy (+14.8 Mt CO2eq) and
Poland (+9.3 Mt CO2eq). These five accounted for 70.6 % of the additional GHG emission
savings in the EU in 2009-12.
The fastest growth in GHG emission savings between 2009 and 2012 took place in Malta,
which recorded a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 128.8 %. However, the absolute
value of Malta’s savings was very low. Slovenia recorded the second highest CAGR of 54 %,
followed by the UK with 39 %, France with 25.4 % and Belgium with 20.4 %. Germany and
Sweden had the highest GHG emission savings during this period, saving 107 Mt CO2eq and
84 Mt CO2eq respectively in 2009 and 145 Mt CO2eq and 98 Mt CO2eq in 2012.
According to the aggregated first and second progress reports, almost two thirds of total
GHG emission savings in the EU in 2012 came from renewable energy growth in five
countries: Germany (144.5 MtCO2eq), Sweden (98 Mt CO2eq), France (82.4 Mt CO2eq), Italy
(70.94 Mt CO2eq) and Spain (56.86 Mt CO2eq).
BG DK DE ES
FR
IT CY
LV
LT
MT
AT
PL
PT RO
SI
SK FI SE
UK
-40
-20
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
-20 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
CA
GR
20
09
-20
12
(%
)
GHG savings (Mt CO2 eq),2012
pp. | 46
In 2012, Finland had the highest GHG emission savings per capita with 7.6 Mt CO2eq/capita,
followed by Austria with 3.6 Mt CO2/capita, Denmark with 2.8 Mt CO2eq/capita, Slovenia
with 2.3 Mt CO2eq/capita and Latvia with 2.2 Mt CO2eq/capita.
The picture for the change in renewable energy consumption from 2009 to 2012 was slightly
different. This is because some Member States, such as Slovenia18 and Romania,19 reported
positive additional GHG emission savings due to renewable energy, but consumed less
renewable energy over that period.
Italy20 had the highest additional renewable energy consumption between 2009 and 2012
but was fourth in terms of additional GHG emission savings. France21 had the highest
additional GHG emission savings but was fourth in terms of additional renewable energy
consumption over the same period. Only Germany13 held into second place on both lists.
Malta recorded the fastest development of renewable energy consumption between 2009
and 2012, but its contribution to the overall figure remained very small. The Member States
with highest development of renewable energy were Germany, France, Sweden, Italy and
Spain.
Renewable energy consumption in Portugal decreased in 2009-12 and this was reflected in a
decrease of GHG emission savings over the same time span. Latvia and Lithuania increased
their renewable energy consumption but did not achieve any additional savings in GHG
emissions.
Figure 18. Compound annual growth rate of total RES in EU MS, 2009-12
18
Slovenia did not describe the methodology it applied to calculate the GHG emission savings resulting from the use of renewable energy. 19
Romania applied its own methodology to calculate GHG emission savings resulting from the use of renewable energy. 20
Italy applied its own methodology to calculate GHG emission savings resulting from the use of renewable energy. 21
France and Germany applied their own methodologies to calculate GHG emission savings resulting from the use of renewable energy.
BE BG
DK DE
EL
ES FR
IT CY
LV
LU
MT
NL AT
PL
PT
RO SI
SK FI SE
UK
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
-5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
CA
GR
20
09
-20
12
(%
)
RES (Mtoe)
pp. | 47
In 2009-12, the use of renewable energy in the production of electricity resulted in lower
additional savings of GHG emissions in only two Member States: Hungary and Lithuania.
Just three Member States accounted for almost 64 % of additional GHG emission savings
from the consumption of renewable electricity from 2009 to 2012: France had the highest
additional GHG emission savings during this period, with +50.5 Mt CO2eq, followed by
Germany with +33 Mt CO2eq and the United Kingdom with +18.9 Mt CO2eq.
The Member States that saved the largest proportion of GHG emissions in 2012 were
Germany (102 Mt CO2eq), Sweden (67 Mt CO2eq), France (56.4 Mt CO2eq), Italy (47.8 Mt
CO2eq) and Spain (37.6 Mt CO2eq). Together they accounted for 60 % of the total GHG
emission savings from the consumption of renewable electricity.
Malta had the fastest increase in 2009-12, with a CAGR of 467.8 %, but its contribution in
absolute values remained very small. Cyprus had the second largest CAGR for the same
period, recording a figure of 103.8 %, but, like Malta, its contribution was very small.
In per capita terms, Sweden had the highest savings of GHG, recording a figure of 7.1 Mt
CO2eq. It was followed by Finland with 3.1 t CO2eq/capita, Austria with 2.2 t CO2eq/capita
and Slovenia with 1.5 t CO2eq/capita.
Figure 19. Compound annual growth rate of GHG savings from RES-E in EU MS, 2009-12
In Malta and Cyprus, there was a very fast increase in the consumption of renewable
electricity. The two countries recorded CAGRs of 215.4 % and 103.4 % respectively.
In Member States such as Romania, Slovenia and Finland, the consumption of renewable
electricity followed a downward trend, but this was not reflected in savings of GHG
emissions.
DE ES
FR
IT
CY
MT
AT PL
PT
RO SK FI SE
UK
-100
0
100
200
300
400
500
-20 0 20 40 60 80 100 120
CA
GR
20
09
-20
12
(%
)
GHG savings from RES-E (Mt CO2 eq)
pp. | 48
In the heating and cooling sector, five Member States reported lower GHG emission savings
between 2009 and 2012: France, Latvia, Lithuania, Austria and Portugal.
Due to France’s use of two different methodologies in its two progress reports’, its GHG
emission savings due to renewable energy use on heating and cooling in 2009-10 were
almost double its GHG emission savings for 2011-12. France actually recorded a slight
slowdown in renewable energy consumption on heating and cooling in 2011 compared with
2010, as the figure almost returned to its 2009 level. In 2012, the use of renewable energy
in heating/cooling sector in France increased and the GHG emission savings followed the
same trend.
Italy had the highest additional GHG emission savings in heating and cooling between 2009
and 2012, with +5.5 Mt CO2eq, followed by Germany with +4 Mt CO2eq. The two Member
States accounted for almost 60 % of the additional GHG emission savings from renewable
heat/cool during that period.
The largest GHG emissions savers in 2012 were Germany (37.2 Mt CO2eq), Finland (24 Mt
CO2eq), Italy (20.5 Mt CO2eq), France (19.9 Mt CO2eq) and Poland (18.5 Mt CO2eq). Their
contribution accounted for 58.4 % of the total GHG emission saving from the use of
renewable energy in heating and cooling.
Figure 20. Compound annual growth rate of GHG savings from RES-H/C in EU MS, 2009-12
Malta had the fastest increase between 2009 and 2012, recording a CAGR of 58 %. Lithuania
reported a decrease in savings of GHG, with a CAGR of -46.4 %.
BE
BG DK
DE EL ES
FR
IT CY
LV
LT
HU
MT
AT
PL
PT
RO SI SK FI SE
-60
-40
-20
0
20
40
60
80
-5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
CA
GR
20
09
-20
12
(%
)
GHG savings RES-H/C (Mt CO2 eq)
pp. | 49
In per capita terms, Finland recorded the highest GHG emission savings due to renewable
heat with 3.8 t CO2eq/capita in 2009 and 4.4 t CO2eq/capita in 2012. Sweden recorded the
second highest figure, with 3.1 t CO2eq/capita in 2009 and 3.2 t CO2eq/capita in 2012.
The situation concerning renewable heat consumption was different for France, Spain,
Austria and Lithuania, which reported an increase between 2009 and 2012.
Malta had the fastest increase in renewable heat consumption, with a CAGR of 32.2 %. Italy
recorded the next fastest increase, recording a CAGR of 18 %.
Ten Member States recorded a CAGR for their growth in GHG emission savings that was
higher than the CAGR for renewable heat consumption over the same time span (2009-12).
France had the highest GHG emission savings (6.16 Mt CO2eq) due to renewable energy use
in transport, followed by Spain with 5.89 Mt CO2eq, Germany with 5.60 Mt CO2eq, Poland
with 3.08 Mt CO2eq and Italy with 2.67 Mt CO2eq.
Eight Member States (Ireland, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania,
Slovakia and Slovenia) produced lower savings of GHG emissions from renewable energy
use in transport between 2009 and 2012.
Spain had the highest savings of GHG emissions between 2009 and 2012 with 2.3 Mt CO2eq,
followed by Austria with 1.8 Mt CO2eq and Germany with 1.0 Mt CO2eq.
Luxembourg had the highest savings in per capita terms, with 0.28 t CO2eq/capita, followed
by Austria (0.19 t CO2eq/capita), Sweden (0.15 t CO2eq/capita), Spain (0.13 t CO2eq/capita)
and Denmark (0.11 t CO2eq/capita).
Malta and Lithuania had the highest positive CAGRs between 2009 and 2012, recording
figures of 78.7 % and 78.4 % respectively.
Portugal reported the highest negative CAGR (-57.5 %) in GHG emission savings from
renewable energy use in transport during this period and it recorded also a negative CAGR
even for renewable energy development.
The trend for the use of biofuels in transport over the same period was different from that
for GHG emission savings.
Nine Member States (Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria,
Portugal and the United Kingdom) reduced their use of biofuels in transport between 2009
and 2012.
pp. | 50
Between 2009 and 2012 Greece and Spain’s reduced use of biofuels was not reflected in
GHG emission savings, the latter increasing over the same time span.
Figure 21. Compound annual growth rate of GHG savings from RES-E in EU MS, 2009-12
Belgium, Ireland, France, Slovenia and Slovakia reported lower GHG savings from the use of
renewable energy in transport between 2009 and 2012. However, over the same time
period the five countries reported an increase in the use of biofuels in transport sector.
Denmark had the highest CAGR in biofuels growth during 2009-12 with 183 %. However,
Denmark’s increase in GHG savings was very low, at only 0.6 Mt CO2eq.
BE
BG DE
IE
EL ES
FR IT
CY
LV
LT
HU
MT
NL PL
PT
SI SK
FI SE
UK
-80
-60
-40
-20
0
20
40
60
80
100
-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
CA
GR
20
09
-20
12
(%
)
GHG savings RES-T (Mt CO2 eq)
Figure 22. GHG emission savings in EU MS, changes 2009-12(left) — 2012 (right)
Figure 23. Changes in RE consumption in EU MS, 2009-12
Figure 24. GHG emission savings from RES-E in EU MS, 2009-1222 (left) — 2012(right)
22
The marked increase in GHG emission savings due to renewable electricity in France was caused by the fact that France used two different methodologies to calculate the savings in its two biannual progress reports.
Figure 25. GHG emission savings due to RES-H/C in EU MS, changes 2009-12(left) — 2012(right)
Figure 26. GHG emission savings due to RES –T in EU MS, changes 2009-12(left) — 2012 (right)
pp. | 56
3.4 Economic benefits of GHG emission savings
We present below an estimate of the economic benefits of GHG emission savings due to
renewable energy use in the EU. The estimate is based on the average carbon price in the
EU, taken from EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). Despite its regional character, the ETS is
a landmark and its price serves as a signal for the global carbon market. It covers almost
45 % of total GHG emissions from the EU Member States.
Six Member States (Denmark, Ireland, France, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom)
have implemented or are planning to implement an ETS and carbon tax scheme. The other
Member States have already implemented or are planning to implement an ETS scheme.
The EU carbon market peaked at a price close to EUR 30/t in the middle of 2008 and has
never returned to that level. After that date, the EU price went into freefall. The collapse
was exacerbated by the start of the global economic crisis and the price fell to as low as EUR
8-9/tonne.
The carbon price fell sharply at the beginning of February 2009, when the compliance date
for 2008 was approaching and the emissions data for that year became available, revealing
the effects of the crisis. The price stabilised at around EUR 12-14 for about two years, before
dropping to about EUR 7 at the beginning of 2012. In 2012, it fluctuated between EUR 6 and
EUR 9/tonne. At the end of the scheme’s second phase it stood at just below EUR 6.5/t [15].
Figure 27. Carbon price evolution in EU, 2008-12 [16]
According to the working document prepared for the Proposal for a Decision of the
European Parliament and of the Council concerning the establishment and operation of a
pp. | 57
market stability reserve for the European Union greenhouse gas emission trading scheme
and amending Directive 2003/87/EC, carbon prices in the ETS dropped from around
EUR 30/t of CO2 to EUR 13.09/t in 2010 and then to EUR 11.45/t in 2011, reaching an
average global carbon price of around EUR 5.82/t in 2012 [17].
The following calculations are based on an average carbon price of EUR 14/t for 2009.
Although GHG emission savings due to the use of renewable energy increased between
2009 and 2012, the economic benefit from emission savings decreased from
EUR 74.1 billion in 2009 to EUR 47.1 billion in 2012. A peak was reached in 2010, when the
benefit from emission savings reached EUR 76.8 billion.
Figure 28. Economic benefits of GHG emission savings from renewable energy use in EU, 2009-12
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
2009 2010 2011 2012
Bill
ion
Eu
ro
pp. | 58
pp. | 59
Conclusions
The European Union must decarbonise its energy system to reach its climate change goal. In
the 20-20-20 climate and energy framework the EU has set a 20% reduction target on
greenhouse gases, an energy savings by at least 20% and an increase to 20% of renewable
energy share by 2020 which was then translated into binding national targets embedded in
the 2009 Renewable Energy Directive and governed through tools as NREAPs’ and bi-annual
progress reports. According to European Council the share of renewable energy sources in
gross final energy consumption should reach at least 27% by 2030.
Setting up the 20% target for greenhouse gas emissions reduction up to 2020 drove an
increase in renewable energy share in the EU, from 8.5% in the baseline year to 11.9% in
2009 and furthermore to 14.1% in 2012, a development that was accompanied by an
increase by 8.8% each year in greenhouse gas emission savings in the EU.
Use of renewable energy in electricity and heating/cooling sectors resulted to have the
highest contribution in climate change mitigation in EU especially due to the fast
penetration of new technologies as wind and photovoltaics. In 2012 the contribution of
these two sectors in the gross final energy consumed in the EU was more than 92% bringing
to almost 95% of contribution in the net GHG emission savings in the EU due to renewable
energy used in all sectors.
The transport sector is expected to provide a 10% contribution in gross final energy
consumption up to 2020. Up to 2012 renewable energy use in this sector doesn’t developed
at the expected level in some Member States especially due to the difficulties in fulfilling the
sustainability criteria established at Article 17 of the RED. For this reason some Member
States didn’t report on biofuels used in transport sector remaining out of the contribution
this sector had in the net GHG emission savings in the EU which count for only 4.7% of this
net savings.
A switch from fossil fuels to renewables in energy mix is feasible in response to carbon price
which need to stay above a certain level. An effective carbon-price signal could realise
significant mitigation potential in all sectors. What was experienced during last years was
that carbon price in EU fell sharply from nearly EUR 30/t in 2008 to almost EUR 7/t in 2012
revealing the effect of the crisis and continued imbalance between supply of and demand
for carbon permits. The decrease of carbon price diminished the economic benefits of GHG
emission savings from EUR 74.1 billion in 2009 to EUR 47.1 billion in 2012.
pp. | 60
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umentlanguage:en)%20(documentnumber:0800)%20(documentyear:2014)
pp. | 62
Abbreviations
COP – Conference of Parties
GHG — Greenhouse Gas
H/C — Heating/Cooling sector
ktoe — kilotonne of oil equivalent
Mtoe — Megatonne of oil equivalent
MS — Member States
NREAPs — national renewable energy action plans
PR —progress reports of renewable energy
PV — solar photovoltaic
PJ — petajoule
RED – Directive 2009/28/EC on renewable energy
RES — Renewable Energy Sources
RES-H/C – Renewable Energy Sources in the Heating/Cooling sector
RES-E — Renewable Energy Sources in the Electricity sector
RES-T — Renewable Energy Sources in the Transport sector
UNFCCC - United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Units
1 Mtoe = 41.868 PJ = 11.63 TWh
1 ktoe = 41.868 TJ = 11.63 GWh
1 PJ = 0.278 TWh = 0.024 Mtoe
1 TWh = 3.6 PJ = 0.086 Mtoe
1 TJ = 277.8 MWh
pp. | 63
List of figures
Figure 1. GHG emissions in EU since 1990 (1990=100 %) ..................................................................... 29 Figure 2. Contribution of energy sectors to total GHG emissions in EU, 1990 (left) 2012 (right) ........ 30 Figure 3. Changes in total GHG emissions in EU MS, (1990-2012) left - (2009-12) right...................... 33 Figure 4. GHG emissions from energy in EU MS, totals (left) — per capita (right), 2012 ..................... 34 Figure 5. GHG emissions from power and heat in EU MS, totals (left) — per capita (right), 2012 ...... 35 Figure 6. GHG emissions from transport in EU MS, totals (left) — per capita (right), 2012 ................. 36 Figure 7. Annual change in total GHG emission savings, EU, 2009-12 ................................................. 37 Figure 8. Contribution of GHG emission savings from RES to net GHG emission reductions in EU, 2009 (left) and 2012 (right) ............................................................................................................................ 38 Figure 9. Annual change of total RES consumption in EU, 2009-12 ..................................................... 39 Figure 10. Contribution of RES sectors to GHG emission saving due to RES in EU, 2012 ..................... 39 Figure 11. Annual change in net GHG emission savings due to RE in EU, 2009-12 .............................. 40 Figure 12. Contribution of RES sectors to total RE consumption in EU, 2012 ...................................... 40 Figure 13. Annual change in RES by sector in EU, 2009-12 .................................................................. 41 Figure 14. Contribution of GHG savings from RES-E+H/C to GHG emissions P+H in EU, 2009-12 ....... 43 Figure 15. GHG emission savings from RES (E+H/C) in EU MS, 2012 .................................................... 44 Figure 16. Contribution of GHG savings from RES-T to GHG emissions from transport, 2009-12 ....... 44 Figure 17. Compound annual growth rate of GHG emission savings in EU MS, 2009-12..................... 45 Figure 18. Compound annual growth rate of total RES in EU MS, 2009-12 ......................................... 46 Figure 19. Compound annual growth rate of GHG savings from RES-E in EU MS, 2009-12 ................. 47 Figure 20. Compound annual growth rate of GHG savings from RES-H/C in EU MS, 2009-12 ............. 48 Figure 21. Compound annual growth rate of GHG savings from RES-E in EU MS, 2009-12 ................. 50 Figure 22. GHG emission savings in EU MS, changes 2009-12(left) — 2012 (right) ............................. 51 Figure 23. Changes in RE consumption in EU MS, 2009-12 .................................................................. 52 Figure 24. GHG emission savings from RES-E in EU MS, 2009-12 (left) — 2012(right) ........................ 53 Figure 25. GHG emission savings due to RES-H/C in EU MS, changes 2009-12(left) — 2012(right) .... 54 Figure 26. GHG emission savings due to RES -T in EU MS, changes 2009-12(left) — 2012 (right) ....... 55 Figure 27. Carbon price evolution in EU, 2008-12 ................................................................................ 56 Figure 28. Economic benefits of GHG emission savings from renewable energy use in EU, 2009-12 . 57
List of tables
Table 1. EU MS methodologies applied to calculate the net GHG emission savings from RE .............. 16 Table 2. Comparators used to calculate GHG emission savings in Bulgaria, 2009-12 .......................... 17 Table 3. Comparators used to calculate GHG emission savings in Denmark, 2009-12 ........................ 18 Table 4. Comparators used to calculate GHG emission savings in Germany, 2009-12 ........................ 18 Table 5. Comparators used to calculate GHG emission savings in Greece, 2009-12............................ 20
pp. | 64
pp. | 65
ANNEX I
Data from 1st and 2nd progress reports on greenhouse gas emission
savings due to renewable energy in EU, 2009-12
pp. | 66
pp. | 67
Table A I.1. GHG emission savings due to total renewable energy
23
The numbers in brackets show the results of using Sweden’s Case 2 to calculate the GHG emission savings due to renewable energy (see Chapter 1).
2009
2010
2011
2012
Mt CO2eq Mt CO2eq Mt CO2eq Mt CO2eq
BE 6.02 7.44 9.08 10.51
BG 5.12 6.17 7.54 8.32
CZ 0.00 0.00 8.32 8.77
DK 12 13.80 14.6 15.70
DE 107 120 129 145
EE 0.003 0.003 0.0 0.0
IE 3.02 2.94 3.64 3.71
EL 11.66 14.60 12.44 13.60
ES 46.47 59.77 53.65 55.86
FR 41.77 45.42 67.30 82.40
HR n.a n.a 5.77 5.89
IT 56.19 60.45 63.78 70.94
CY 0.28 0.31 0.35 0.36
LV 5.05 4.99 4.66 4.57
LT 4.28 4.27 1.43 1.62
LU n.a 0.14 0.44 0.45
HU 4.05 4.35 4.47 4.25
MT 0.01 0.01 0.05 0.14
NL 8.55 8.91 9.28 10.11
AT 28.80 29.90 29.90 30.00
PL 23.86 27.42 30.12 33.17
PT 0.008 0.009 0.007 0.007
RO 26.16 27.35 31.13 30.35
SI 1.31 1.51 4.40 4.78
SK 5.72 5.95 6.28 6.20
FI 37.20 39.80 39.30 41.00
SE23 84 (13.3) 89 (14.2) 86 (13.2) 98 (13.5)
UK 11.12 12.37 22.25 30.15
EU-28 529.64 586.87 645.17 715.85
pp. | 68
Table A I.2. GHG emission savings due to renewable energy use in electricity
2009
2010
2011
2012
Mt CO2eq Mt CO2eq Mt CO2eq Mt CO2eq
BE 3.2 3.9 5.0 6.1
BG 2.3 2.8 3.8 4.3
CZ n.a n.a 4.4 4.7
DK 5.8 6.7 6.9 7.3
DE 69.0 75.0 89.0 102.0
EE 0.001 0.001 n.a n.a
IE 2.0 1.9 2.7 2.7
EL 8.2 10.9 8.3 9.3
ES 29.6 39.0 35.8 37.6
FR 5.9 6.0 44.2 56.4
HR n.a n.a 4.9 5.0
IT 39.4 40.2 41.5 47.8
CY 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1
LV 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.8
LT 1.1 1.1 0.9 0.9
LU n.a n.a n.a n.a
HU 1.3 1.3 1.0 0.9
MT 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1
NL 6.4 6.9 7.0 7.6
AT 17.9 18.2 18.8 18.1
PL 6.2 7.4 8.7 11.6
PT 0.002 0.003 0.003 0.003
RO 15.4 15.9 17.3 15.9
SI 0.002 0.002 2.8 3.1
SK 3.7 3.8 4.1 4.2
FI 16.5 16.0 16.6 16.5
SE 54 (1.5) 57 (1.3) 58 (1.2) 67 (1.5)
UK 9.3 10.4 20.1 28.2
EU-28 297.9 325.0 402.6 458.1
pp. | 69
Table A I.3. GHG emission savings due to renewable energy use in heating/cooling
2009
2010
2011
2012
Mt CO2eq Mt CO2eq Mt CO2eq Mt CO2eq
BE 2.1 2.5 3.6 3.9
BG 2.8 3.3 3.8 4.0
CZ 0.0 0.0 3.4 3.6
DK 6.2 7.1 7.3 7.8
DE 33.0 40.0 35.0 37.0
EE 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
IE 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8
EL 3.3 3.5 3.9 3.9
ES 13.3 16.0 12.2 12.3
FR 29.6 33.5 17.3 19.9
HR n.a n.a 0.8 0.8
IT 15.0 18.0 20.0 20.5
CY 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3
LV 4.3 4.2 3.9 3.7
LT 3.2 3.1 0.4 0.5
LU n.a n.a n.a n.a
HU 2.5 2.8 3.2 3.1
MT 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
NL 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.6
AT 10.9 11.7 9.4 10.3
PL 15.3 16.9 17.9 18.5
PT 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
RO 10.8 11.5 13.2 13.9
SI 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.6
SK 1.9 1.9 2.0 1.9
FI 20.4 23.5 22.3 24.0
SE 29 (11) 31 (12) 27 (11) 30 (11)
UK 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
EU-28 207.1 234.5 210.6 224.1
pp. | 70
Table A I.4. GHG emission savings due to renewable energy use in transport
2009
2010
2011
2012
Mt CO2eq Mt CO2eq Mt CO2eq Mt CO2eq
BE 0.66 1.01 0.48 0.49
BG 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.01
CZ n.a n.a 0.47 0.48
DK n.a n.a 0.40 0.60
DE 5.00 5.00 5.00 6.00
EE n.a n.a n.a n.a
IE 0.22 0.26 0.15 0.14
EL 0.18 0.28 0.28 0.37
ES 3.58 4.79 5.64 5.89
FR 6.27 5.92 5.81 6.16
HR n.a n.a 0.03 0.05
IT 1.84 2.24 2.24 2.67
CY 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.03
LV 0.03 0.05 0.04 0.04
LT 0.04 0.03 0.00 0.22
LU 0.00 0.14 0.14 0.15
HU 0.27 0.28 0.26 0.22
MT 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01
NL 0.73 0.52 0.79 0.84
AT 0.00 0.00 1.70 1.60
PL 2.32 3.11 3.46 3.08
PT 0.0004 0.0006 0.00003 0.00003
RO 0.00 0.00 0.66 0.60
SI 0.11 0.15 0.06 0.09
SK 0.19 0.25 0.18 0.14
FI 0.30 0.30 0.40 0.50
SE 0.80 0.90 1.00 1.40
UK 1.82 1.92 2.19 1.98
EU-28 24.38 27.20 31.43 33.75
pp. | 71
ANNEX II
Relationship between greenhouse gas emission savings and
renewable energy sources
pp. | 72
pp. | 73
Figure A II.1. Correlation in GHG emission savings — RES in EU, 2012
Figure A II.2. Correlation in GHG emission savings — RES in electricity in EU, 2012
DK
DE
ES
FR
IT
MT
NL AT
PL
PT SK
FI
SE
UK
R² = 0.9544
-20
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
-5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
GH
G s
avin
gs (
Mt
CO
2 e
q)
RES (Mtoe)
DK
DE
ES
FR
IT
MT
NL AT PL
PT SK
FI
SE
UK
R² = 0.9371
-20
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
-2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
GH
G s
avin
gs R
ES-E
(M
t C
O2 e
q)
RES-E (Mtoe)
pp. | 74
Figure A II.3. Correlation in GHG emission savings — RES in heating/cooling in EU, 2012
Figure A II.4. Correlation in GHG emission savings — RES in transport in EU, 2012
DK
DE
ES
FR IT
MT
NL
AT
PL
PT SK
FI
SE
UK
R² = 0.8848
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
-2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
GH
G s
avin
gs R
ES-H
/C (
Mt
CO
2 e
q)
RES-H/C (Mtoe)
DK
DE ES FR
IT
MT
NL
AT
PL
PT SK FI
SE
UK
R² = 0.6599
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
-500 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500
GH
G s
avin
gs R
ES-T
(M
t C
O2
eq
)
RES-T (ktoe)
pp. | 75
ANNEX III
Compound annual growth rate of renewable energy in EU Member
States, 2009-12
pp. | 76
pp. | 77
Figure A III.1 Compound annual growth rate of RES-E, EU, 2009-12
Figure A III.2 Compound annual growth rate of RES-H/C in EU, 2009-12
Figure A III.3 Compound annual growth rate of RES-T in EU, 2009-12
DE
EE ES
FR
IT
CY
LT LU
MT
AT
PL
RO SI
FI SE UK
-50
0
50
100
150
200
250
-2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
CA
GR
(%
)
RES - E (Mtoe)
BE BG
DK DE
EL
ES FR
IT
CY LV LT
LU
MT
NL AT PL
PT
RO SI SK
FI SE UK
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
-2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
CA
GR
(%
)
RES - H/C (Mtoe)
BE
BG
DK
DE EL
ES
FR IT CY
LV
LT HU
MT
NL AT
PL
PT
RO
SI SK FI SE
UK
-100
-50
0
50
100
150
200
-1 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4
CA
GR
(%
)
RES - T (Mtoe)
pp. | 78
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ISBN 978-92-79-48368-4
doi:10.2790/941325
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