Page 19 - European Energy Innovation - autumn 2018 publication

Autumn 2018 European Energy Innovation 19

ROOFTOP PV

The dependency of the European Union
on energy imports has increased from about
40% of gross energy consumption to 54%
between 1990 and 2015.

which is needed to reach the target. exceeded 60%. The annual value of the import of the needed energy,
the energy imports amount to more decentralised local renewable can
Figure 4: The annual photovoltaic than €400 billion, which values the make a significant impact in local
installations in the European Union renewable energy at about €100 wealth creation. Self-consumption
billion[15]. of electricity from PV systems in the
The dependency of the European Podlaskie region, Poland, is one of
Union on energy imports has In a recently published Opinion, the examples highlighted to boost
increased from about 40% of gross the European Economic and regional purchasing power.
energy consumption to 54% between Social Committee highlighted
1990 and 2015[14]. In 1990 renewable some effects of a decentralised How can the great potential of PV
energy contributed about 4.5% and renewable energy supply on jobs systems on rooftops be utilised and
increased to more than 13.2% in and regional economies[15]. Especially help to deliver the Paris agreement?
2015. Without this tripling of local regions with no or little own fossil
generated renewable energy the energy resources, which have to One of the problems is that so far,
energy dependency would have spend significant amounts for self-consumption in most countries

Figure 4: The annual photovoltaic installations in the European Union
20

18 n Rest of EU
n Greece
Annual Photovoltaic Installations [GWp]n United Kingdom
BAU16 n Czech Republic
optimisticn Belgium
14 n France
n Spain
n Italy
12 n Germany

10

8

6

4

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