E.U. Countries Compete to Meet Renewable Energy Goals

Denmark, a country that has always been a pioneer of sustainable living, set a high bar of 30 percent renewable energy by 2020. Photo: Flickr/tomhe

In the spirit of friendly competition for a good cause, the European Union reported that it will meet its goal of instituting 20 percent renewable energy by the year 2020.

While some countries like Denmark, Bulgaria and Belgium will fall short of their production goals, other nations like Estonia have exceeded their targets considerably.

A report conducted by the European Wind Energy Association reveals that eight countries have surpassed their individual goals, while thirteen countries have just reached their production target. The remaining six member states will be short only 1 percent of the target by the deadline.

“The clear majority of European Member States recognize the economic, environmental and social benefits of promoting a broad range of renewable energy technologies nationally, as reflected in their forecast documents,” said Christine Lins, the current secretary general of the European Renewable Energy Council.”

Denmark, a country that has always been a pioneer of sustainable living, set a high bar of 30 percent renewable energy by 2020, which it already plans to fall short of. Spain, on the other hand, expects to reach an unexpected renewable energy level of 23 percent by 2020, and currently leads all other E.U. member states in the running.

“In 2008 many countries were stating that their target would be difficult to meet – now the majority are forecasting that they will meet or exceed their national target,” Justin Wilson, the policy director of the European Wind Energy Association, stated in a news release.

The race for renewable energy has placed other countries, like Italy, in a unique position. Italy will have to import renewable energy from non-E.U. member states including Tunisia, Serbia and Albania to meet its production target for 2020.

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