The French Presidency of the Council of the European Union transmitted to the Member States, on Tuesday 8 March, a new draft compromise on the revision of the European directive (2018/2001) on renewable energy (RED II).
There are several significant changes compared to the previous draft text (see EUROPE 12888/10), in particular the sub-targets for the use of renewable energy in different sectors.
Industry
The Presidency therefore proposes to review the calculation of the targets for industry.
While the European Commission’s initial text provides for an increase in the share of renewable energy in industry of at least 1.1 percentage point as an annual average by 2030 (non-binding target - see EUROPE 12762/8), the French text specifies that this average is calculated for the periods 2021 to 2025 and 2026 to 2030.
Regarding the share of renewables in hydrogen used in industry by 2030, the Presidency proposes to lower the binding target set by the Commission to 40%, rather than 50%. By 2035, Member States should ensure that this share reaches 50%, the draft compromise states.
Heating and cooling
Paris also wants to review the method of calculating Member States’ targets for the use of renewable energy in heating and cooling by introducing an intermediate target.
Under the Commission’s original proposal, each Member State would be required to increase the share of renewable energy in this sector by at least 1.1 percentage point as an annual average calculated for the periods 2021-2025 and 2026-2030, with the 2020 share as the reference point.
The Presidency proposes to oblige Member States to aim for an increase in this share of at least 0.8 percentage point as an annual average calculated for the period 2021 to 2025 and at least 1.1 percentage point as an annual average calculated for the period 2026 to 2030 (keeping 2020 as the base year).
Member State-specific ‘top-ups’ would be added to this minimum growth rate of renewable energy sources in the heating and cooling sector, as foreseen by the Commission, in order to distribute the additional efforts to the desired level of renewables in 2030 among the Member States on the basis of GDP and costs.
Transport
In the transport sector, the Presidency wants to amend the binding target for the use of renewable fuels of non-biological origin in the energy supplied to this sector.
While the Commission’s initial text envisages a target of at least 2.6% by 2030, the Presidency proposes 2.2%.
It retains the Commission’s proposal that each Member State should ensure a reduction in the greenhouse gas emission intensity of transport fuels of at least 13% by 2030, including for aviation and shipping.
The Presidency also maintains the indicative target for buildings to aim for a share of renewable energy in final energy consumption in this sector of at least 49% by 2030 at EU level.
Biomass
In addition, the draft compromise contains changes concerning biomass, notably on the application of the cascading principle (the principle of aiming for efficient use of biomass by prioritising its material use over its energy use).
While the Commission plans to adopt a delegated act on the modalities of application of this principle, the French text stresses that it must allow for “national specificities to be taken into account in ensuring that the cascading principle is applied in a flexible way”.
The Presidency added: “In particular, it shall allow Member States to grant derogations to the cascading principle whenever the local industry is quantitatively or technically unable to use forest biomass according to a higher economic and environmental added value than energy” for certain raw materials.
The text also introduces the concept of “highly biodiverse forest and other wooded land which is species-rich and not degraded”.
This should ensure adequate protection of these areas while not creating obstacles to the use of forest biomass for the production of biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels, says the draft compromise.
To this end, only forests and woodlands that have been scientifically or administratively identified by the competent authorities as being very rich in biodiversity will be subject to exclusions and limitations on forest biomass production.
See the draft compromise: https://aeur.eu/f/nn (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)