ENTSOG TYNDP 2015

4.2.1.2 Power generation in Europe

Fossils fuels and nuclear remain the main sources of power generation in Europe. Their relative shares have slightly decreased between 2010 and 2012 as a result of the development of renewable sources, which have risen from 21% to 26% over that period.

2010

2012

4.1

0.3

1.8 0.3

Fossil fuels Renewable Nuclear 25.5

Fossil fuels Renewable Nuclear

26.3

%

%

48.6

46.2

Non-renewable hydro Not clearly identifiable

Non-renewable hydro Not clearly identifiable

26.2

20.6

Figure 4.3: European generation mix for power generation 2010 and 2012

(Source Yearly Statistics & Adequacy Retrospect 2012 ENTSO-E, ENTSOG depiction)

The main fossil fuels for power generation are gas then hard coal and lignite. The gas share declined from 44% in 2010 to 35% in 2012. Over the same period hard coal showed a stable trend in absolute terms, increasing its relative share from 29% to 33%. In aggregate, other fossil fuels have played only a minor role in power gen- eration over the period.

800 TWh

45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 %

600

400

200

0

0

2010

2012

Gas

Hard Coal

Lignite

Oil

Mixed

Other

Relative share (second axis)

Figure 4.4: Generated power from fossil fuels 2010 and 2012 in absolute and relative terms. (Source Yearly Statistics & Adequacy Retrospect 2012 ENTSO-E, ENTSOG depiction)

From a generation capacity perspective, gas increased by 11% over the 2010–2012 period, whereas hard coal declined by 3%. During the same period power genera- tion from gas decreased by 23% and power generated from hard coal increased by 9%. These diverging trends of capacity and actual generation put gas-fired power plants in a difficult economic situation.

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Ten Year Network Development Plan 2015