Cyprus is well ahead of an EU directive to increase the contribution of renewables to the island’s gross final energy consumption to 7.45% by 2015-16, Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis says.

Renewables currently provide “around 9%” of Cyprus’ gross energy consumption, Mr Lakkotrypis says, as well as 7.5% of electricity generated. Despite the former including road transport – close to 100% oil-fuelled – as well as power generation, Cyprus’ figure for renewables share of gross energy consumption is given a major boost by the country’s world-leading position in the use of domestic roof-mounted solar water heaters: over 93% of households use the technology. (CONTINUED - 784 WORDS)