Is Energy Use in the EU Countries Moving toward Sustainable Development?

Abstract

The increase in energy demand requires urgent investments in sustainable energy. It is vital to the success of the 2030 Agenda, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. The article aimed to assess the situation of the European Union countries with regard to energy use. Indicators related to the implementation of SDG7 and environmental and resource productivity of the economy were adopted for the study. The research presented in this article fits into contemporary debates on the effectiveness of implementing one of the SDG7: ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. The analysis included 26 countries that have been in the European Union since 2010. The study’s originality lies in the use of primary data obtained from the Eurostat database for three research periods: 2010, 2015, and 2020, which will allow for assessing the situation of the surveyed EU countries in the area of energy use. In order to achieve the research objective, selected methods of descriptive statistics and vector measurement were used. The application of a vector measure made it possible to rank the studied countries in terms of efficient energy use. Based on the results obtained, there is a significant variation in space and time in the evolution of the energy system of the European Union’s member states toward sustainable development. Rational energy use is primarily the domain of north-western European countries, with Sweden and Austria always leading the rankings. However, this does not mean that in these countries, in spite of their high position in the ranking, the levels of some indicators in 2015 and 2020 as compared with those in 2010 did not deteriorate. Due to this fact, attention should be paid to the energy use process and identification of signals responsible for deteriorating the outcomes. The research results can help diagnose the results obtained so far and correct the European Union’s climate and energy policy in the future.

Decent Work and Economic Growth in EU Countries—Static and Dynamic Analyses of Sustainable Development Goal 8

“…Interestingly, Romania ranks high in terms of implementing SDG7 [61]. Studies indicate an improvement in the energy use process in this country [68]. However, improvements are needed in the targets included in SDG8.…”

Differences in the Structure of Household Electricity Prices in EU Countries

“…The silhouette index (SI, [77] pp. [83][84][85][86][87][88] was used to select the best division. A description of this index can also be found in [78,79].…”

Determinants of Return-on-Equity (ROE) of Biogas Plants Operating in Poland

“…The development of biogas pl creates the possibility of obtaining high-quality organic fertilizers, as well as the poss ity of obtaining electricity, which, under the current conditions, may become an impor supplement to conventional sources of electricity. The research of Bąk et al [11] indic the increasing importance of renewable energy in the economies of the European Un Energies 2023, 15, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 23 emissions of the gas sector. The energy transition requires a significant investment effort, especially in the countries that are mostly dependent on fossil fuels.…”

“…The development of biogas plants creates the possibility of obtaining high-quality organic fertilizers, as well as the possibility of obtaining electricity, which, under the current conditions, may become an important supplement to conventional sources of electricity. The research of B ąk et al [11] indicates the increasing importance of renewable energy in the economies of the European Union countries, but also significant disproportions among the Member States were noted. This indicates the diversified strategies for changing the energy systems of the European Union countries towards rational energy management.…”