Europe closer to energy independence thanks to renewables
Two years after the launch of the RepowerEU plan, imports of Russian coal, gas and oil have been reduced
3' min read
3' min read
Two years ago, when Russian tanks penetrated beyond Ukraine's borders, Europe realised a dangerous state of dependence: we were so reliant on Russia for gas, oil and coal supplies that our energy security was at risk.
Ukraine proved courageous, resilient and determined in its response. In contrast, having become so dependent on Russian energy, some wondered whether Europe was capable of responding politically - or if it would. In 2021, before the war, our continent imported about 45 % of its gas, almost half of its oil and almost a third of its coal from Russia.
The RepowerEu Plan
Yet, by showing unity and determination, the EU has set the goal of reducing this dependence, affecting key sectors of the Russian economy and supporting Ukraine in its fight for freedom. It is in this context that in May 2022 the Commission launched the RepowerEu action plan, which aims to diversify energy supply by finding alternatives to imports from Russia while saving energy and accelerating Europe's transition to clean energy.
Gas demand dropped by 20%
.In the two years since the start of the RepowerEu plan, we have drastically reduced imports of Russian coal, oil and gas and seen an unprecedented increase in the use of renewable energy, with a historic rebalancing of our energy supplies and record levels of gas storage at the end of the winter. Demand for gas decreased by almost 20 % thanks to energy savings and energy efficiency measures.
The plan enabled Europe to get through two winters without suffering energy shortages. We managed to keep the lights on and heat our homes.
