Renewable energy can be produced from a wide variety of sources including wind, solar, hydro, tidal, geothermal, and biomass. By using more renewables to meet its energy needs, the EU lowers its dependence on imported fossil fuels and makes its energy production more sustainable.

The EU's Renewable energy directive sets a binding target of 20% final energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020. They are also each required to have at least 10% of their transport fuels come from renewable sources by 2020.
All EU countries have adopted national renewable energy action plans showing what actions they intend to take to meet their renewables targets.
But, Europan Comission have proposed a new target for 2030. EU countries have already agreed on a new renewable energy target of at least 27% of final energy consumption in the EU as a whole by 2030.