On Thursday 20 February, a week before the presentation of the Action Plan for Affordable Energy (see EUROPE 13582/2), the European Commissioner for Energy, Dan Jørgensen, emphasised to a handful of journalists, including Agence Europe, the need to make “transformative changes” in the face of a geopolitical context marked by the United States’ rejection of climate policies, but nevertheless suggested that the EU could import more US gas.
“The fact that the US is now moving away from the green agenda and putting the break on the green transition does not mean we will be doing the same. When they step back, we step forward”, he said.
To maintain this green agenda and, at the same time, act on high energy prices in Europe as it faces competition from the US and China, the Commissioner mentioned a series of priority actions.
He wants to focus on accelerating the production of domestic renewable energy, investing in electricity grid infrastructure, taking action on energy taxation and decoupling retail electricity and gas prices by using long-term financial tools such as ‘power purchase agreements’ (PPAs).
Phasing out Russian fossil fuels. The Commissioner also stressed the need to do away entirely with Russian gas imports into the EU, which still account for a 13% share. In late March, therefore, the Commission will present a ‘roadmap’ for phasing out Russian fossil fuels, such as gas and oil, by 2027, and possibly also nuclear raw materials.
More US LNG. However, Mr Jørgensen does not currently envisage a definitive exit from fossil gas, including US liquefied natural gas (LNG), despite the widening political gap between Washington and Brussels.
“There is still a need for gas, and there we will need to find sources other than Russia. And that can also be bigger imports from the US”, he told the press.
In a provisional version of the Action Plan for Affordable Energy (see EUROPE 13582/2), the Commission stresses its willingness to enter into longer-term contracts to obtain volumes of liquefied natural gas (LNG), despite the end of long-term contracts for the supply of fossil gas post-2049, as set out in the gas package (see EUROPE 13455/26) to align with the target of carbon neutrality by 2050.
The draft document even mentions investment in export infrastructure abroad - without mentioning any countries - possibly inspired by the “Japanese model” involving the purchase of stakes in LNG companies abroad in exchange for continued access to gas at preferential prices.
Support for nuclear power. Earlier in the day, Mr Jørgensen had called on members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) to show unity within the EU in “these divided times”, particularly on the issue of the sources making up Europe’s energy mix.
The Commissioner acknowledged that nuclear energy would continue to be part of this mix in the future, and that he would shortly be presenting the new PINC report to assess investment needs, as well as a strategy for small modular reactors (SMRs) and a strategy for fusion.
Renewable energy target for 2040. The Commissioner reiterated, however, that the expansion of nuclear power over the next few years would not be as great as that of renewables. “Of all the energy plants that are being built around the planet, 85% of them are renewable, 5% are nuclear, and the last 10% are gas or coal”, he explained.
He clearly reaffirmed his desire to present a renewable target for 2040, as mentioned in his mission letter, but decried by the supporters of nuclear energy, who are campaigning for a common target including both renewable energy and nuclear power by 2040.
He went on to say that the Commission had no current plans to present an energy efficiency target for 2040. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)