Renewable energy accounted for 37% of the total energy used for heating and cooling

In 2018, renewable energy accounted for 21% of the total energy used for heating and cooling in the European Union (EU), 37% in Cyprus (8th) and the 30% in Greece (13th), according to data published on Tuesday by Eurostat, the statistical service of the EU.

According to Eurostat, the total EU share has increased steadily since the beginning of the data collection in 2004, when the share was 12%. Increases in industry, services and households have all contributed to the growth in renewable energy used for heating and cooling.

Sweden stood out among EU member states with almost two thirds (65%) of the energy used for heating and cooling in 2018 stemming from renewable sources. More than half of the energy used for heating and cooling came from renewable energy sources in Latvia (56%), Finland (55%) and Estonia (54%).

In contrast, renewable sources contributed the least to heating and cooling in Ireland and the Netherlands (both 6%), Belgium (8%) and Luxembourg (9%).

Renewable energy also includes derived heat and heat energy (from air, ground or water) captured by heat pumps. In 2018, such heat energy contributed more than one quarter (27%) of the energy from renewable sources used for heating and cooling.