An analysis published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) on Friday 18 December states that, although the revised Renewable Energy Directive (2018/2001) and the Energy Union Governance Regulation (2018/1999) specifically mention regional cooperation as an important tool for meeting EU climate and energy targets in a cost-effective manner, only a small number of EU countries have so far embarked on cross-border renewable energy projects.
The EEA notes, however, that analysis of current examples shows that cross-border cooperation on renewable energy delivers multiple benefits for the participating countries, including more efficient and cheaper electricity generation, increased certainty in the market, and open access to new resources and opportunities.
According to the analysis, the complexity of reaching agreements between countries, concerns about conflicts with national measures, uncertainty about sharing costs and benefits, and public acceptance are all barriers deterring EU Member States from launching cross-border renewable energy projects.
In order to overcome these obstacles, the EEA recommends flexibility in negotiations and national legislation, mutual trust and a coordinated communication strategy amongst other enabling factors.
The EEA’s analysis can be found at: http://bit.ly/3mw0qwf (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)