Renewable energy production and potential in EU rural areas

The green energy transition and its boost to the deployment of renewable energy can offer a unique opportunity for rural areas to benefit from their natural resources. The present study aims to provide a quantitative assessment of the technical potential of renewable energy sources in the EU's rural areas, focusing on solar, wind and hydropower. This will help to provide relevant insights into how rural areas and communities can contribute to and benefit from the EU's green energy transition, without undermining natural areas, key biodiversity and bird areas, high-value natural farms and food production. Moreover, a comparative analysis between current renewable energy production and potential in rural areas identifies which sustainable development trajectories for the future deployment of renewables are the most suitable in each specific territory. The report shows that solar photovoltaic systems in rural areas generate 136 TWh a year but have the potential to generate 60 times more (8 600 TWh/year). Rural areas produce 280 TWh a year through onshore wind but have the potential to produce four times more (1 200 TWh/year). Hydropower production in rural areas yields 280 TWh a year, but it could potentially be 25 % higher (350 TWh/year). This work also addresses the concept of energy communities, as an emerging framework intended to foster a just green transition for rural communities, where generated values and benefits can be retained locally, while also promoting democratic participation and citizen engagement.