MEPs have approved, by a large majority (470 votes in favour, 120 against and 40 abstentions), the agreement reached during inter-institutional negotiations with the Council of the EU on the Renewable Energy Directive (see EUROPE 13204/3, 13153/1) setting a target of 42.5% renewable energy in the EU’s energy mix by 2030.
This plenary vote follows the validation of the text by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) on 28 June (see EUROPE 13211/23).
The directive’s rapporteur, Markus Pieper (EPP, German), welcomed the vote, describing it as “excellent news for the development of renewable energies in Europe”.
However, he urged caution. Although the proportion of renewable energy consumed in the EU is currently around 22%, higher than the global average, he pointed out that last year the EU built only half as many wind turbines as the global average. “This means that we are losing ground. This adjusted directive comes at just the right time”, he said.
The day before the vote, during a plenary debate, a number of MEPs welcomed doubling targets for the deployment of renewable energies and adopting legislation deemed essential for meeting the EU’s climate objectives and taking action on energy security.
The European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, welcomed the text, which offers “regulatory stability for investment” and will speed up the granting of permits.
The text aims to limit bureaucracy and make it possible for renewable energy projects to receive authorisation more quickly.
“Under the principle of ‘positive silence’, investments will be deemed to have been approved in the absence of any feedback from the authorities”, explained Markus Pieper. He also issued a reminder of the introduction of mandatory innovation quotas for the installation of renewable energies.
The text covers a range of so-called “innovative” renewable energy technologies, from wind and solar power to hydropower, geothermal energy, hydrogen in all its forms and biomass.
Biomass
This technology, supported by the rapporteur, was the subject of concern from many MEPs on both the right and left of the House, such as Robert Roos (ECR, Dutch) and Tiemo Wölken (S&D, German), who deplored the fact that numerous derogations allow wood incineration to be heavily subsidised.
Martin Häusling (Greens/EFA, German), for his part, felt that there should be greater focus on developing solar energy rather than burning wood. “70% of the EU’s timber goes up in smoke, and that’s not sustainable. We cannot accept that the power stations that were fuelled by coal in the past will be fuelled by wood in the future. This is not the right approach.”
For Michal Wiezik (Renew Europe, Slovakian), these rules contain “so many loopholes and gaps that are being introduced in an attempt to pander to certain forestry lobbies and encourage global greenwashing”.
In response to this criticism, the rapporteur, Mr Pieper, pointed out that the text had been adopted as it stood during the inter-institutional negotiations and that, with regard to the use of wood, the “cascade” principle had been introduced, thus taking account of the environmental aspect (see EUROPE 13153/1).
Nuclear
Finally, the role of nuclear energy once again entered the debate.
Several MEPs, including shadow rapporteur Christophe Grudler (Renew Europe, French), were keen to reaffirm the importance of nuclear power (see other news item) alongside renewable energies in meeting Europe’s climate objectives. “We need both. Opposing the two, or omitting one of them, is not serious in the fight against global warming.”
The text must now also be formally adopted by the Council before the legislation can enter into force.
To view the agreement, go to https://aeur.eu/f/7kx (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)