Europe dependent on imported energy

New research by the statistical office at the European Union has found that Europe is becoming increasingly dependent on imported energy, with Ireland having the fourth highest energy dependency rating in the continent.

This week, Eurostat published a study of energy production and consumption across all 27 EU member states during 2006.

The energy dependency rating of a country shows that country’s net imports of energy as a percentage of its energy consumption.

Ireland imports 91% of the energy that it consumes, behind only three countries - Cyprus imports 102%, Malta 100% and Luxembourg 99%.

The average energy dependency rating across Europe is 54%, and the only country that produces more energy than it consumes is Denmark, with an energy dependency rating of -37%.

Europe’s energy consumption in 2006 remained stable on year, but was up 7% compared to 1997.

Meanwhile during that decade Europe’s energy production fell by 9%.

Nuclear power accounts for 29% of the energy produced in Europe, solid fuels account for 22%, gas 20%, renewables 15% and crude oil 14%.