Renewable energy is continuing to reshape Europe’s power landscape, with new Eurostat figures showing that close to half of all electricity generated across the EU now comes from renewable sources.
According to the latest data, renewables accounted for around 47% of EU electricity generation in 2024, underlining the rapid shift away from fossil fuels and towards low-carbon energy systems. This transition is being driven largely by wind and solar, alongside steady contributions from hydro power.
For UK facilities managers, the implications are substantial. As renewable penetration increases, energy supply is becoming more decentralised and, at times, less predictable, placing greater emphasis on demand-side management, on-site generation and energy storage strategies.
Eurostat’s wider energy dataset highlights how energy use is distributed across sectors, with commercial and public services accounting for 13% of final energy consumption in the EU. This places buildings, particularly retail, logistics and office environments, at the centre of decarbonisation efforts.
At the same time, the data underscores the continued reliance on imported energy. In 2024, the EU still depended on imports for around 57% of its energy needs, exposing organisations to ongoing price volatility and geopolitical risk. For energy managers, this reinforces the importance of resilience planning and long-term procurement strategies.
The rise of renewables is also being accompanied by structural changes in energy consumption. Transport remains the largest energy-consuming sector at 31%, while buildings (through heating, cooling and operations) represent a significant share of overall demand. Electrification of heat and the adoption of technologies such as heat pumps are expected to further increase electricity demand within facilities.
For facilities and energy professionals, the challenge is twofold: managing increasingly complex energy systems while aligning with net zero targets. Greater use of smart building technologies, real-time monitoring and flexible energy contracts will be critical to optimising costs and reducing carbon impact.
As Europe edges closer to a renewable-dominated grid, the role of FMs and energy managers is evolving, from energy consumers to active participants in a more dynamic, data-driven energy ecosystem.
Photo by Antoine Schibler on Unsplash
