Between now and 2030, the share of renewable energies in gross energy consumption at EU level should be at least 35% and the energy efficiency target 40%, the committee on industry and energy of the European Parliament stated, in its adoption, on Tuesday 28 November, of its position on the revision of two directives that are part of the package of clean energy measures, which was presented in November 2016 (see EUROPE 11679).
Whilst the European Commission recommended a binding target at European level of 27% for renewable energies, the MEPs adopted a compromise amendment of the S&D, EPP and ALDE groups setting this minimum threshold at 35%, together with indicative targets at member state level.
“Europe needs more ambition for renewable energy if it wants to fulfil its Paris commitments”, said rapporteur José Blanco López (S&D, Spain) (see EUROPE 11912). On behalf of the EPP, Seán Kelly of Ireland, whose constructive attitude was praised by the renewable energies industry, said that this target was “balanced and realistic”.
“Renewable energy costs have fallen rapidly, and a higher target is not only affordable but economically desirable: wind is now the cheapest form of new power in most EU countries and it creates jobs”, said Giles Dickson of Wind Europe, welcoming the parliamentary committee’s level of ambition.
The MEPs rejected the compromise amendment tabled by the Greens/EFA, GUE/NGL and EFDD groups, which called for the introduction of national renewables targets, as is currently the case up to 2020. Claude Turmes (Greens/EFA, Luxembourg) believes Parliament started off by weakening its negotiating position with the Council. The MEP also criticised the provision whereby member states could depart from the 35% renewable energies target for up to 2030 by as much as 10%, in cases for which reasons were provided.
On this line, non-government organisations such as Greenpeace were calling for a European target of 45% for renewables, together with binding national targets.
As regards the support regimes, the MEPs left room for two options: the application by the member states of the principle of technological neutrality and the authorisation of calls for tender to support less mature and more expensive technologies.
Aside from measures aiming to reduce the administrative burden, the parliamentary committee furthermore adopted provisions authorising individuals to produce and consume renewable energy without being subject to any fixed fee or tax. This calls into question the Spanish ‘sun tax’, which requires individuals who own solar panels to pay for the electricity they produce for their own use. According to MEPs, individuals should also be authorised to join local communities of producers of renewable energy without being subjected to excessive conditions or procedures.
As for transport, the MEPs take the view that the member states should ensure that the share of renewables in final consumption will stand as at least 12% by 2030. Bas Eickhout (Greens/EFA Netherlands) takes the view that the introduction of this sub-target is a “major cause for concern that will open the door to first-generation agri-fuels that are bad for the climate and compete with food production”, even though, under his impetus, Parliament's committee on the environment has been calling for an end to fuels made from food crops by 2030 (see EUROPE 11890).
The 'Blanco López' report was adopted by a comfortable majority (43 votes to 14 with 7 abstentions). It has yet to pass the test of the plenary, which will probably be attempted in January of next year, before the inter-institutional negotiations with the Council begin. These will start once the member states have reached a political agreement in principle (‘general orientation’), which they may do at the ‘Energy’ Council of Monday 18 December.
“The Parliament must now defend its position and convince the Council to come on board with the same sensible and necessary level of ambition”, said Philippe Dumas, Secretary General of EGEC, which represents the European geothermal industry.
Binding EU target of 40% energy efficiency
Unlike the relatively strong compromise on renewable energies, the narrow majority (33 votes to 30 with 2 abstentions) on the revision of the directive on energy efficiency seems far less solid.
“It’s by no means a done deal on this text in plenary”, said an industry expert, stressing that the rapporteur, Adam Gierek (S&D, Poland), and the EPP group had frequently been in a minority during the voting.
However, the European Left and environmental organisations welcomed as a victory the adoption of the compromise amendment of the S&D, GUE/NGL, ALDE, Greens/EFA and EFDD groups, introducing a binding target of 40% for energy efficiency at EU level up to 2020 and requiring the member states to set national targets that will also be binding. These national targets must cover the whole of the energy supply chain, from production to end consumption.
Whereas the Commission’s initial proposal featured a binding target of 30% for the EU, the MEPs rejected the amendment of the EPP, ECR and ENF groups calling for a target of 30%, but non-binding.
On behalf of the S&D, Kathleen Van Brempt of Belgium welcomed the fact that the MEPs had tightened up the provisions aiming to prioritise energy efficiency measures for lower-income households, which are more at risk of energy poverty. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)