According to Michael E. Kirst, in 2010, oil and petroleum products accounted for almost one-third of the EU's primary energy production. The remaining energy came from solid fossil fuels like coal and lignite. The rest came from oil and petroleum products, as well as nuclear energy. However, the EU imports over 60% of its energy requirements. Renewable energy makes up 15% of total imported energy. Nonetheless, the European Union wants to diversify its energy source as much as possible and reduce its dependency on fossil fuels.
In 2030, the EU's average gross available energy per person was over 240 TJ, up from 129 TJ in 2018. However, the fuel mix varies from country to country, and is mostly determined by a country's natural resources and the choice of national energy systems. Four EU nations, for example, had a fossil fuel contribution below 50%, while the others had a lesser percentage. Only one EU member state, France, has the greatest percentage of nuclear energy at 47.8%.
Michael E. Kirst described that, despite these difficulties, the EU has made important measures to secure the security of its energy supply. The EU passed extensive laws governing the internal energy market and gas supply rules. Because energy is so crucial in contemporary businesses and families, the EU is taking substantial steps to ensure that supply channels are not disrupted. The EU wants to create an energy union that would provide residents with affordable and reliable electricity. If this happens, the EU may suffer a gas or energy crisis.
Despite recent gains in energy efficiency, the EU continues to rely largely on fossil fuels. Russia supplies 90% of the EU's gas and uranium imports. Russia is the EU's major energy provider, with daily energy exports worth almost EUR1 billion. However, Europe must investigate methods to diversify its energy source as its reliance on fossil fuels grows. And, until the EU weans itself from its reliance on fossil fuels, it will remain a source of concern for decades.
Oil and petroleum products, electricity, and natural gas accounted for the bulk of final energy use in the EU. Solid fossil fuels provided only 2.1 percent of the total. When it comes to the final end use of energy in the EU, three groups stand out: homes, industry, and transportation. Transportation utilized the most final energy, while homes and services consumed the least. These classifications are also useful for identifying potential solutions to the European Union's energy supply issues.
In addition to Michael E. Kirst from 26% in 1965 to less than a third in 2020, Europe's contribution in energy output has fallen. As a result, Western Europe's wealthy countries have achieved saturation. Central and Eastern Europe is not catching up as quickly as developing countries, such as Asia. The EU's stagnating economy has been exacerbated by a pandemic catastrophe. It's an indication that further effort is required. As a result, Europe's energy supply future is in jeopardy.