Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, reports that energy from renewable sources is estimated to have contributed 10.3 per cent of gross energy consumption in the 27 member states of the EU, compared with 9.7 per cent in 2007 and 8.8per cent in 2006. The EU has set the target that 20 per cent of its total energy consumption comes from renewable sources by 2020. The highest percentage of power production from renewables in 2008 was Sweden with 44.4 per cent, followed by Finland 30.5 per cent, Latvia 29.9 per cent, Austria 28.5 per cent and Portugal 23.2 per cent.

The lowest percentages were in Malta 0.2 per cent, Luxembourg 2.1 per cent, the United Kingdom 2.2 per cent, the Netherlands 3.2 per cent and Belgium 3.3 per cent. The largest increase in renewables contribution occurred in Austria, where renewables moved from contributing 24.8 per cent in 2006 to 28.5 per cent in 2008.

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