Boosting the use of homegrown renewable electricity is Europe’s best way to reduce its vulnerability to volatile international energy supplies and rising energy prices according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) assessment published today.
Global gas price spikes this year cost the European Union an additional €13 billion by mid-April, while renewables saved €29 billion. This means renewable energy sources are already shielding Europe from price shocks — and could do so far more — acting as a powerful buffer against gas price volatility, as highlighted in the EEA briefing ‘Renewable electricity: best buffer against gas price volatility’.
Europe’s fossil vulnerability
With around 85% of all gas and 97% of all oil products consumed in the EU in 2024 imported, Europe remains exposed to externa supply shocks with direct implications for competitiveness and strategic autonomy. This continued dependence on fossil fuel imports means European consumers are paying a considerable gas volatility premium especially in wake of external political and economic shocks. In the last five years these have included the war in Ukraine and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the recent the US-Israel-Iran conflict.
Renewables: Europe’s future proofing on prices and beyond
Stepping up the deployment of renewables like wind and solar, could lessen Europe’s fossil fuel import dependence and prevent a potential 125% rise in wholesale prices by 2030, according to the briefing which involves assessing price and renewable rollout scenarios. This is based on a 68% growth of renewable energy use of total EU electricity generation, according to projections from EU Member States in the most recent 10-year network development plans.
The EEA briefing cautions, however, that renewables alone will not deliver price gains. As renewable electricity shares rise, price benefits increasingly depend on grids, storage and demand response to integrate variable solar and wind. Faster electrification of buildings, transport and industry must be matched by parallel progress in renewables, grids, storage, efficiency and demand response to avoid locking in additional gas-fired capacity.
Balanced progress across supply, demand, grids and storage — supported by pricing that favours electrification — is essential to deliver sustained price reductions, the briefing says.
These measures are explored at greater detail in the EEA report ‘Renewables, electrification and flexibility – For a competitive EU energy system transformation by 2030’.
