Brussels, 23/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - The renewable energy industry has welcomed the backing given by the Energy Council to improving energy efficiency and the development of renewable energy and infrastructure as the core elements of the EU's future energy system.
“The Council took a promising step towards agreeing on a pathway towards a renewable and energy-efficient sector by 2050”, said Josche Muth, Secretary General of the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC), on Friday 20 April. European energy ministers at the informal Council meeting in Horsens, Denmark, discussed the Energy Roadmap 2050, tabled by the European Commission in December 2011 (see EUROPE 10517). This documents sets out a number of options for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of the energy sector by the middle of the century. Green energy, efficiency and infrastructure are identified as the common elements across different decarbonisation scenarios. Denmark's Energy and Climate Minister Martin Lidegaard said that these three elements had been “accepted” as the “platform for discussion” of a future energy system. “EREC is pleased to see that member states share the view that a high level of renewables is a prerequisite for any decarbonisation scenario”, stated Muth, calling on the member states to swiftly endorse a post-2020 renewable energy target to provide the necessary long-term predictability needed to attract large amounts of private capital investments into a sustainable energy future. EREC says that it is calling for 45% renewable energy as a new binding target for 2030. Just like Energy Commissioner Günter Oettinger and Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard, EREC is hoping for a decision on such a target by 2014. (EH/transl.rt)