Cyprus has recorded a slight dip in renewable energy use, with the share for heating and cooling standing at 41.591 per cent for 2024. This marks a decrease from a record high of 42.896 per cent achieved in 2023. While this change may seem minor, it highlights the ongoing evolution of renewable energy consumption on the island.
In a broader context, the European Union (EU) has reached a noteworthy milestone in 2024, with renewable energy accounting for 26.7 per cent of heating and cooling. This represents the highest percentage since Eurostat began tracking the data in 2004, when the figure was just 11.7 per cent. The collective growth across the EU is attributed largely to increased utilisation of biomass and heat pumps.
Long-Term Progress in Renewable Energy
Cyprus’s long-term progress in renewable energy is striking, considering the island’s share was only 9.264 per cent at the beginning of 2004. In 2022, the renewable share was recorded at 41.560 per cent, showing a consistent upward trajectory over the years. However, the slight decrease in 2024 raises questions about the sustainability of this growth.
EU Legislative Push for Renewables
The recent EU Directive 2023/2413, adopted on October 18, 2023, aims to further accelerate these figures. It mandates that each member state increase its annual average share of renewables in the heating and cooling sector by at least 0.8 percentage points between 2021 and 2025. This requirement will become even stricter, with a target of at least 1.1 percentage points from 2026 to 2030.
Comparative EU Data
Despite Cyprus’s minor decrease, it remains significantly above the EU average. Sweden leads with an impressive 67.8 per cent share of renewables in heating and cooling, followed by Finland at 62.6 per cent and Latvia at 61.8 per cent. In contrast, Ireland has the lowest share at just 7.9 per cent, with the Netherlands and Belgium also lagging behind at 11.3 per cent.
Year-on-Year Variations Across Member States
In 2024, 16 EU countries reported an increase in renewable shares, with Malta experiencing the most substantial growth of 6.0 percentage points. Luxembourg and Denmark followed with notable gains of 3.7 and 1.9 percentage points, respectively. On the other hand, Estonia saw the largest decline, with its share dropping by 11.1 percentage points. Greece and Bulgaria also faced reductions of 2.9 and 1.9 percentage points, respectively.
