Renewable energy sources management in the EU-27 countries

Abstract

Effective ways of reducing harmful emissions in the energy sector include, in particular, increasing the efficiency of energy conversion from non-renewable energy sources, the wider use of renewable energy sources and on the other hand, the rational use of energy by consumers. This study deals with the application of renewable energy sources (green energy), which, in addition to environmental benefits, also increase the state's independence from the import of fossil fuels. The world trend is clearly moving towards more intensive use of these clean green energies. Therefore, their higher use is included among the strategic goals of energy policy in most countries of the world, in EU countries, including Slovakia. The paper aims to examine the most important renewable energy sources producing green energy in the EU-27 member states in the period of 2010-2020. The subject of the research is the indigenous production of geothermal energy, solar thermal energy, primary solid biofuels, biogases, and renewable municipal waste. The analyzed EU countries differ in the most important renewable energy production. The countries of northern Europe are the Union leaders in producing energy from waste. Italy is a leader in the use of geothermal energy. The countries of northern Europe, including the Baltic States, are making progress in the production of solar energy. The cluster analysis resulted in the identification of countries with similar characteristics in the case of the development of domestic production of selected renewable sources in the examined period. The analysis showed the development of indicators had not changed significantly over the last decade, although some countries have moved within the established clusters.