Figures from the European statistical office Eurostat show that renewable energy accounted for more than a quarter (26.2%) of final energy consumption in the European Union in 2025. A year earlier, that figure was 25.2%, and the EU binding target for 2030 is 42.5%, with an ambition to reach 45%.
Eurostat calculated that the EU share would therefore have to rise by an average of about 3.3 percentage points every year between 2026 and 2030, much faster than the recent pace.
Sweden is a forerunner
Sweden is the EU leader with 65.4%, followed by Finland at 53.0%, and Denmark at 48.2%. Belgium ranked last among the EU27 at 14.9%, behind Slovakia at 16.3%, and Ireland at 17.2%. Belgium’s 14.9% corresponds to only about 57% of the EU average.
Renewable electricity in the EU performed considerably better. It covered 49.9% of EU gross electricity consumption in 2025, up from 47.5% in 2024. Wind and solar have been the principal growth engines, while solar photovoltaic generation rose from 7.4 TWh in 2008 to 304 TWh in 2024.
Heating and cooling remain the slower part of the transition. The EU share reached approximately 27.4% in 2025, but detailed national figures are available only for 2024. Transport data are also available only through 2024.
Belgium sits last
Belgium’s overall last place conceals substantial differences between sectors. When it comes to electricity, Belgium’s 34.3% is well below the EU average but slightly higher than France and considerably higher than Luxembourg. The Belgian electricity system is therefore not the principal reason for the country’s overall last place.
Regarding heating and cooling, Belgium (at 11,3) was effectively tied with the Netherlands and ahead only of Ireland. The EU average was 26.7%, while Sweden and Estonia reached almost 68%. This is Belgium’s clearest structural weakness.
As far as transport is concerned, Belgium’s 12.7% was above the EU average of 11.2% and ahead of Germany, France, Luxembourg, and Ireland. Only Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, and a few other countries performed better.
So, Belgium has progressed, but more slowly than Europe. Belgium’s overall renewable share rose from 1.9% in 2004 to 14.9% in 2025, while the EU rose from 9.6% to 26.2% over the same full period. Belgium gained about 1.9 percentage points, while the EU gained approximately 4.3 points.
Why is Belgium so low?
First, renewable heating is exceptionally underdeveloped. Belgium still relies heavily on natural gas and oil for buildings and industrial heat. Second, Belgium has fewer favorable natural resources than the Nordic leaders.
Belgium has good offshore wind and solar potential but virtually no large-scale hydroelectric resource. It therefore cannot easily reproduce the renewable mix of Sweden, Finland, or Austria.
Third, Belgium has a relatively large energy-demand denominator, including energy-intensive industry, dense transport activities, and a building stock that remains costly to heat.
Conclusion
Belgium is indeed the EU’s last-ranked country for the overall renewable-energy share. However, the country is not last for renewable electricity but ranks around 19th. Its real Achilles’ heel is heating and cooling, where it ranks 26th. It performs comparatively well in transport, ranking approximately seventh.
To conclude: Belgium is last in the EU for renewables mainly because of fossil heating and slow overall progress, despite a mid-table electricity score and an above-average transport result.
