Estimated effects of increased RES consumption since 2005 on fossil fuels and GHG emissions

Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion and use of energy from renewable sources commits the EU to achieving a 20 % share of renewable energy sources (RES) in its gross final energy consumption by 2020 and a 10 % share of renewable energy in transport energy consumption by the same year. Article 22 of the directive requires Member States to report on national progress in the promotion and use of energy from renewable sources, biennially, starting with 31 December 2011. It specifies that the national reports shall contain, inter alia, the estimated net GHG emission savings due to the use of energy from renewable sources. Information regarding the specific methodologies used by the countries for producing the above estimates of net GHG emission savings is not always available. To that end, the EEA and its European Topic Centre for Air Pollution and Climate Change Mitigation (ETC/ACM) produce each year a consistent set of estimated co-benefits, at the Member State and EU level, concerning the impact on fossil fuels and GHG emissions due to the increase in RES consumption since 2005. For 2017, these estimated co-benefits are based on the EEA 2017 RES share proxies and the EEA 2017 proxies on primary and final energy consumption.