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BRUSSELS, Belgium, June 14, 2006 (Refocus
Weekly)
Europe should source at least 35% of its
electricity from green power by 2020, as well as 12% from green
fuels and 25% from green heat sources.
“While it seems obvious that the European Union needs a common
energy policy, it is still not apparent whether the Community will
seize the opportunity and turn the looming energy and climate crisis
into an opportunity for Europe,” says the European Wind Energy
Association. “A main objective for an EU Energy Policy should be to
use the opportunity created by the large turnover in electricity
generating capacity over the next two decades to secure a truly
indigenous clean energy supply based on renewable sources of
energy.”
“Combined with much more ambitious efficiency measures and biofuels,
it is the only way for Europe to turn the looming energy and climate
crisis into an opportunity and a benefit to the welfare of our
citizens,” said chief executive Christian Kjaer. “As an importer of
energy, we put the control of our energy supply, and thereby the
future welfare of our citizens, in the (few) hands of the nations
that sit on the remaining fossil and uranium resources.”
EWEA submitted its comments to a public hearing on ‘Towards a Common
European Energy Policy’ that was organised by the socialist group in
the European Parliament.
“We can be sure of one thing; we are going to import an ever growing
share of our energy at unpredictable (but most likely higher)
prices, from unstable regions in fiercer competition with the rest
of the world and at unbelievable environmental cost,” he explained.
“Europe simply does not have the fossil fuel resources to emerge as
the winner of the global fossil fuel energy game. What we do have is
enormously rich renewable energy resources and European industries
that are world leaders in turning that resource into energy.”
“Regardless of whether we are successful in energy diplomacy or not,
we will have no idea about the future cost of energy we will be
paying to maintain current supply, unless we redefine the energy
game itself,” he added. “By dramatically increasing our efforts in
energy efficiency and indigenous renewable energy sources and the
technologies that can convert them, Europe can turn the energy and
climate crisis into a vast opportunity.”
The current national targets for renewables should be made mandatory
and national targets should be adopted for 2020, in line with the
recommendation of the European Parliament, he concluded. The overall
target must be translated into sectorial targets of at least 35%
from green power by 2020, at least 25% from green heat by that time,
and at least 12% from green fuels.
“Although targets themselves do not guarantee development, they act
as important catalysts for development of the necessary frameworks
for renewable energy investments,” he explained. “The setting of
targets encourages investors to commit, enables stable technological
development and cost reductions, and encourages research
investments.”
“A fundamental pillar of a visionary strategy should be clean and
indigenous renewable energy sources combined with energy efficiency
measures,” he said. “However, the Green Paper fails to combine that
idea with the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, develop
renewable energy technologies and increase the share of renewables.”
A European offshore grid would address many of the central goals of
a European strategy, including large-scale indigenous renewables
from offshore wind, wave and tidal energy to increase the share of
renewables, and better interconnection to improve competition in the
power market. EWEA welcomed the Commission’s proposal for a
‘Renewable Energy Road Map’ but, “given the strong rhetoric on
renewables, it is simply unacceptable that the Green Paper seems to
move backwards when it comes to setting long-term targets for
renewables.”
Besides targets and a continental policy for offshore renewables, a
roadmap should include grid extensions and upgrades, removal of
administrative barriers and grid access barriers (including
excessive technical requirements), a dramatic refocus of R&D
spending, and an export strategy for renewables.
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