Malta met 17.2% of its energy needs through renewable energy sources in 2024, marking an increase of almost two percentage points compared to the previous year, according to newly published Eurostat data, the government said Wednesday.

The figures highlight a steady and significant rise in Malta's renewable energy share over the past decade. In 2014, renewables accounted for just under 5% of the country's energy mix, meaning the share has more than tripled within ten years

At 17.2%, Malta now ranks ahead of several EU member states, including Ireland (16.1%), Luxembourg (14.7%), and Belgium (14.3%), and is approaching Poland's level of 17.8%. Across the EU members, Sweden recorded the highest share of renewable energy at 62.8%, followed by Finland (52.1%) and Denmark (46.8%). The EU average stood at 25.2% in 2024.

Malta also registered one of the most notable year-on-year increases in renewable energy share among EU member states. With a rise of 1.8 percentage points compared to 2023, only four countries: Latvia (+2.3%), the Netherlands (+2.6%), Denmark (+3.0%), and Lithuania (+3.5%), recorded larger increases.

This sustained growth, achieved despite Malta's geographical and size constraints, reflects the country's ongoing commitment to reducing reliance on non-renewable energy sources. Progress has been driven by targeted financial incentives, support schemes, and initiatives aimed at accelerating the transition to renewable energy.

Minister for the Environment, Energy and Public Cleanliness Miriam Dalli welcomed the results, noting that Malta is firmly on track to achieving its renewable energy objectives. She attributed this progress to the collective efforts of the entities responsible for designing and implementing support schemes, as well as to the public's active participation and strong uptake of these initiatives.

Energy and Water Agency Acting Chief Executive Officer Sandro Lauri highlighted the Agency's role in supporting the Ministry with the development of policies and measures that encourage the adoption of renewable energy technologies. These efforts span both the domestic, industrial and services sectors, and include support for photovoltaic panels, solar water heaters, heat pump water heaters and battery storage systems, and are delivered in close collaboration with other entities within the same Ministry.