Increase of Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources Utilization in Slovakia by 2020 in Comparison to other Selected EU Countries

Abstract

One way to save fuel is to use renewable energy, including solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and biomass. The use of renewable and alternative energy sources is contributing to environmental protection and nature conservation as a whole and provides a perspective of sustainable development. The aim of this paper is to compare the possibility of increasing the use of alternative and renewable energy sources in Slovakia with neighboring countries. It determines and also identifies the level of the Slovak Republic in the use of renewable energy sources because it is expected to increase by 2020 in each country. This paper is also devoted to the theoretical base of renewable and alternative forms of energy. One part of the paper deals with an analysis and comparison of the state of the use of renewable energy sources in Slovakia and in selected EU countries. Latest part deals with the overall national objectives set by the European Union for the proportion of energy from RES, which will be achieved by 2020. The paper is a partial result of the research project on RES realized at Technical University of Košice (Slovakia).