Although the EU has set ambitious growth targets for the marine renewable energy (MRE) sector, these may well prove unattainable, as may the guarantee of social and environmental sustainability, according to a report by the European Court of Auditors published on Monday 18 September.
It looked at the development of policies linked to MRE, such as wind power, ocean energy and floating solar power, focusing on the situation in four Member States: Germany, Spain, France and the Netherlands.
In 2020, the European Commission adopted a strategy to develop MRE and, since 2007, the EU has devoted €2.3 billion to these technologies, in addition to €14.4 billion in loans and equity investment from the European Investment Bank.
The EU’s objective is to increase installed capacity on its territory from the current 16 GW to 61 GW in 2030 and 340 GW in 2050.
Rapid deployment of MRE installations is therefore deemed necessary. This requires a vast maritime area and the mobilisation of around €800 billion, mainly from the private sector.
Environmental and social sustainability
The report highlights the “ecological dilemma” associated with the development of MRE. Their development is “a necessary step in the ecological transition of the old continent”, but it risks damaging the marine environment.
“The Blue Revolution must not be achieved at any price”, insisted Nikolaos Milionis, the member of the Court of Auditors responsible for the audit.
In its report, the Court of Auditors notes that the European Commission has not assessed the potential effects of these technologies on the environment, and fears that the major development of MREs will be detrimental to marine biodiversity, ranging from the displacement of species to changes in population structure and altered migration patterns.
The auditors also revealed a number of obstacles to the widespread development of MRE, such as opposition to projects (conflicts with fishermen in particular), the lack of joint projects between countries sharing the same marine waters and the lack of sufficiently in-depth studies on the development of MRE.
According to the report, there are also risks associated with the supply of raw materials, such as those needed to manufacture permanent magnets for generators, which are currently supplied almost entirely by China.
Finally, approval times for offshore wind farms are very long at national level. In France, this can take up to 11 years.
The Court of Auditors recommends that the European Commission promote the development of MRE, in particular by inviting Member States to include their national objectives for MRE, broken down by type of technology, in their National Energy-Climate Plans (NECP) and to provide a better response to the social, industrial and environmental difficulties raised by the development of MRE.
To see the Court of Auditors report: https://aeur.eu/f/8mq (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)