The Study of Disproportions in the Area of Green Energy in EU Countries

The chapter provides a quantitative analysis of the disparity between EU countries in the use of renewable energy. For this purpose, the synthetic measures determined by the TOPIS method and the structures similarity coefficient were used. The statistical data used in the analysis came from the EUROSTAT database and contained information from 2016 to 2020. The conducted analyses confirmed the existence of differences both in the level of use of energy from renewable sources and the structure of its production. The changes in energy balances necessitated by Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and the Council and the goals stipulated in the Paris Agreement also unfolded differently in the countries studied. They resulted in the majority of members achieving the prescribed limits. The highest share of energy from renewable sources was recorded among northern European and Baltic countries. In contrast, it developed the fastest in Central and Eastern Europe. The lowest level of use of green energy was detected among the Balkan countries and in France.