| Abstract [eng] |
The aim of this master’s thesis is to comprehensively assess the impact of renewable energy development on the economies of European Union countries by developing and applying the Renewable Energy Economic Impact Index (AEIPEI) for the period 2015–2024. A literature review revealed that most existing studies and indices focus primarily on the readiness, security, and regulatory environment of energy systems, or on the assessment of the green economy; but there is a lack of comprehensive assessments that specifically highlight the economic, social, and environmental impacts of RES development. In this study, the AEIPEI was constructed from three areas (economic, social, and environmental), comprising 9 indicators. Data on indicator values were obtained from the World Bank, Eurostat, and EurObserv’ER databases. Indicator values were normalized to the 0–1 interval and aggregated using equal weights. Due to missing 2024 data, geometric interpolation was applied to several indicators, maintaining the dynamics of the time series. The calculated results revealed marked regional differences: the Nordic countries (Sweden, Denmark, Finland) ranked highest in terms of average AEIPEI scores, while Southern European countries (particularly Greece and Cyprus) ranked lowest. Using hierarchical cluster analysis (Euclidean distance, single linkage, R software), EU countries were grouped into four clusters, distinguishing a group of high performers (Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Latvia), an intermediate group (the Netherlands, Estonia, and Austria), and clusters with average and lower AEIPEI values; Lithuania fell into the cluster closest to the EU average. |
