With each year that passes, the EU imports more and more of its primary energy. The EU imported just over 43% of its primary energy in 1995 . By 2011 the figure had risen to nearly 54% – in large part due to increased energy use in buildings. This means that the EU became dependent on foreign imports on the 26th July in 1995. With increasing energy demand, the EU became dependent on foreign imports as early as the 18th June in 2011, an extra 38 days of energy dependence!
European Energy Dependence Day is set to fall even earlier in the year over the next decade, unless the EU ambitiously addresses the most energy-consuming sectors in the EU’s economy, such as buildings, as a means of reducing energy demand, with a binding 40% energy efficiency target for 2030, supported by a binding sectoral target for buildings.
This is the message that Adrian Joyce, Secretary General of EuroACE, will deliver when addressing theEnergy Ministers at the Informal Ministerial on Friday 16th May in Athens.