Figures published on Thursday by Eurostat, placed Luxembourg at the bottom of the ranking for all EU member states with just 5.5% of its needs met through sustainable energy. It will have to more than double its performance in order to meet its 2020 target of 11%.

Responding on Friday, economy minister Étienne Schneider stressed that the country was continuously increasing its share, rising from 4.51% in 2014.

He also outlined the 2010 action plan for renewable energy which involves developing energy generation through cold and heat sources, biofuels and the use of the cooperation mechanism enabling member states to share energy from renewable sources. In 2017, the country sign two agreements with Lithuania and Estonia, which will help the country reach its 2020 target.

“As for the development of renewable energies on the national territory, Luxembourg is in 2016 above the forecasts of the action plan, which proves that the multiple efforts of the government during the last years, in particular in the support of the wind, solar and biomass energy have paid off,” Schneider said.

In 2016, the average share of energy from renewable sources in gross final consumption reached 17%, doubled the 2004 figure of 8.4%. The EU’s target is to generate 20% of energy consumed through renewables by 2020 and 27% by 2030.

In 2016, the best performers in this respect were Sweden and Finland, both of which had reached their 2020 targets with 53.8% and 38.7% respectively, Latvia (37.2%), Austria (33.5%) and Denmark (32.2%). Just ahead of Luxembourg in penultimate last were Malta and the Netherlands, both with 6%.