Brussels, 03/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - Restating their commitment to developing green energy beyond 2020, the member states are keen that the momentum delivered by the current legislative framework should not dwindle. Cost-effectiveness and efficiency will, however, be the watchwords for support schemes that should, in the long term, be withdrawn.
In conclusions adopted on Monday 3 December, building on the communication presented by the Commission in June, which provides guidelines on support for green energy until 2020 and beyond (see EUROPE 10628), the Energy Council set out priorities for future action on renewables.
In this current period of debt crisis and fiscal austerity, EU energy ministers spoke repeatedly of the need for cost efficiency in the support schemes, with the consumer price having to remain at an affordable level. National support schemes will have to be constantly adapted and ultimately phased out when the economic viability and competitiveness in the market of technologies that have been receiving support has been achieved. The Commission is called on to consider a support scheme which is “well-targeted and cost-efficient post-2020 … which does not cause inefficiencies in cross-border trade of electricity, avoids overcompensation, promotes research and development and innovation and creates greater convergence” with other policies. “Non-binding” guidance from the Commission on support scheme reform, based on experience gained and best practice, should show ways to ensure “the most cost-efficient and effective deployment” for facilitating better market integration and for strengthening transparency and predictability to make support schemes more responsive to market signals, lower their costs and support renewables' penetration levels and technology maturity.
In its future guidelines, the Commission should paid more attention to the “widely untapped” potential of renewables in the heating and cooling sectors. Acknowledging that its importance is not reflected in current EU green energy policies, Commissioner Gunther Oettinger, on Monday, promised a place of honour for this sector.
NGOs and the renewables industry immediately welcomed the call to extend support for renewables after 2020. European leaders will have the opportunity to discuss the issue at a European Council devoted to energy - the second of its kind - under Irish presidency in the spring. (EH/transl.fl)