Use of renewable energy for transport in Europe

The share of energy from renewable sources used for road and rail transport in the European Union increased from less than 2% in 2005 to 10.1% in 2023, according to preliminary EEA data. These sources include biofuels, renewable electricity, or hydrogen and synthetic fuels of renewable origin. The share of energy from renewable sources used for transport varies greatly among the EU Member States, ranging from below 4% in Latvia and Croatia and up to 29.5% in Sweden.

The share of renewable sources in the transport sector has increased since 2005, reaching a share of 10.1% in 2023 according to preliminary estimates from the EEA. The ongoing growth of renewable energy uptake in transport is largely driven by increasingly strenuous targets established by the Renewable Energy Directive.

The 2009 Renewable Energy Directive (RED) set a target for road and rail transport in all Member States, where 10% of all energy used in transport should stem from renewable sources by 2020. In 2020, 10.3% of the total energy used in the transport sector came from renewable sources, following a steady increase in this share since 2005, when it was just under 2%. Therefore, the 2020 target of 10% was reached at the EU level.

In 2018, the new Renewable Energy Directive 2018/2001/EU (RED II) strengthened the sustainability criteria for bioenergy and set a new goal for 2030. It increased the target for the share of renewable energy used in transport to 14% by 2030. In 2022, 9.6% of the total energy used in transport in the EU was from renewable sources, reflecting a rebound in transport activity after the Covid-19 pandemic. Preliminary EEA estimates suggest that the share of renewables in total transport energy use increased to 10.1% in 2023, which would be 3.9 percentage points below that initial target for 2030.

The RED II was revised further in 2023 (2023/2413/EU), raising the EU's binding target for total renewable energy shares in electricity, heating and cooling and transport to 42.5% for 2030. To achieve this target in the transport sector, countries have two options. They can choose from a binding target of a 14.5% reduction of greenhouse gas intensity in transport or a binding share of at least 29% of renewables within the final consumption of energy in the transport sector by 2030.

Furthermore, as part of the ‘Fit for 55’ package, the Commission proposed the ReFuelEU aviation and FuelEU maritime regulations which aim to boost the uptake of renewable and low carbon fuels in these transport modes. This should additionally support the achievement of the renewable energy targets.

The uptake of renewable energy sources for transportation varies greatly among EU Member States. Sweden and Finland show the highest shares of renewable energy in 2023, with 29.5% and 19.4% respectively.

Preliminary estimates for 2023 display that eight countries have reached a level more than 10% of renewable energy used in transport. These were Netherlands, Malta, Belgium, Denmark, Austria, Italy, Germany, and Spain. France had a share that was very close to 10%.

The highest share of energy from renewable sources in transport was in Sweden, where ambitious targets for the transport sector are in place. Energy and carbon taxes are used to achieve these targets. A carbon tax on fuels has been in force since 1991, and exemptions and reductions apply for sustainable biofuels according to Sweden's Ministry of Infrastructure.

Croatia has the lowest percentage of energy from renewable sources in transport, with 1%. However, this is projected to increase to 3.5% by 2030 as more hybrid, electric, and hydrogen-powered vehicles are to be adopted.

Supporting information

DefinitionMethodology

Methodology for indicator calculation

The indicator uses information compiled by Eurostat (for historical trends) on the shares of energy from renewable sources, supplemented by the EEA’s own approximated estimates for the latest year. This is replaced by the Eurostat value when that becomes available.

The Eurostat data are based on information gained through annual energy statistics (as mandated by Regulation (EC) No 1099/2008 on energy statistics), and additional data required for the calculation of the share of energy from renewable sources in transport (RES-T), based on the RED. The EEA approximate estimates for the share are calculated in accordance with the methodology under RED.

The ratio determining a Member State’s RES-T share is defined in the RED. Article 3(4) defines both the numerator and the denominator of the ratio:

The denominator is the total amount of energy consumed in transport and includes: ‘petrol, diesel, biofuels consumed in road and rail transport, and electricity, including electricity used for the production of renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non-biological origin’.

The numerator defines the ‘energy from renewable sources consumed in transport’. It is the total of compliant biofuels (liquid and gaseous), renewable electricity, hydrogen of renewable origin, synthetic fuels of renewable origin and other forms of renewable energy consumed in the transport sector.

Methodology for gap filling

No gap-filling is applied.

Methodology references

SHARES Tool Manual Shares Tool Manual: Describes the Shares Tool that is designed to collect and present the information – the energy data – that is needed for the calculations as defined in Article 3 (transport sector) and Article 5 (overall target) of the Directive.

Policy/environmental relevance

The European Green Deal sets out the aim for a carbon neutral EU by 2050. This requires the decarbonisation of all sectors.

The transport sector is responsible for nearly a quarter of Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, this sector has proven difficult to decarbonise. Increasing the share of renewable energy in the sector is a key means to reducing emissions and contributing to Europe’s goal of carbon neutrality.

The policy and targets for the energy sector as a whole, and specifically for the transport sector, were established in the Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC (RED). It requires that all EU countries ensure that by 2020 at least 10% of the fuels in the transport sector come from renewable sources. The RED also established sustainability criteria for biofuels, which must be fulfilled to be considered in the target.

In 2018, the recast Renewable Energy Directive 2018/2001/EU (RED II) was adopted. It extends the legal framework to 2030, setting new targets and extending the requirements for the sustainability of bioenergy. The target set in RED II for the share of energy coming from renewable sources in transport is 14%.

Targets
No targets have been specified for this indicator.

Metadata

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Use of renewable energy for transport in Europe

Figure 1. Share of energy from renewable sources used in transport in Europe

Figure 2. Share of energy from renewable sources used in transport by country

Supporting information

Methodology for indicator calculation

Methodology for gap filling

Methodology references

Related policy documents

Methodology uncertainty

Data sets uncertainty

Rationale uncertainty

Metadata

References and footnotes