Record rise for Europe's green power but emissions fall slows
The figures, released by Sandbag, claim that clean energy now represents 29 per cent of the Continent’s supply, however large falls in coal generation in the UK were offset by increases in the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Poland, while European gas generation saw its first increase in five years in 2015.
The UK, Germany and Italy were the only countries to record concentrated renewables growth, although Sandbag still predict European emissions to fall 21 per cent from 2014 to 2020, surpassing the EU’s 20 per cent target, with the UK-based think-tank arguing that the drop in Europe’s emissions reduction rate is a “pause for breath” after a “massive” 7.5 per cent reduction in power sector emissions in 2014.
“Emissions are expected to resume the fast downward trend in 2016. However, large, mostly political, uncertainties still remain about how quickly future emissions will fall to 2020, and beyond,” Sandbag states in the report.
“People need not worry that emissions registered only a very small fall in 2015. 2015 was playing catch-up after the large 7.5 per cent fall in 2014. It is clear emissions will resume their fast fall in the coming years, not least because of structurally falling electricity demand and the increase in new renewable capacity.”
Increases in renewables generation set national records in the UK, Germany and Italy, while the three nations contributed more than three-quarters of the overall rise, with the paper suggesting that the EU might be “worryingly dependant” on the trio.
The study reveals that Spain saw the biggest decrease in green power generation, citing reduced hydropower output as a major factor, while Portugal, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic all saw decreases in clean electricity production.
The report also shows that electricity demand rose by an estimated 1.1 per cent last year, while claiming that a number of imminent coal and nuclear plant closures across Europe are set to further reduce the Continent’s emissions output through to 2020.
