Darragh O'Brien, the Irish Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, was at the European Parliament on Tuesday 1 September to present the programme of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union (see EUROPE 13898/19) to Members of the European Parliament.
At the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), he stressed three watchwords – sustainability, affordability and security – applying to the energy systems that Ireland wants to help put in place, notably through an agreement with the European Parliament on the ‘networks’ package (see EUROPE 13897/1) and an agreement in the Council of the EU on ‘network charges’ (see EUROPE 13912/7).
At the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), he defended competitiveness, security of supply and the values of the European Union, notably through the strength of collective action - referring to Ireland’s ambition to reach an agreement in the Council of the EU on the revision of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS or ‘ETS’) (see EUROPE 13912/1) by next December.
Energy transition, an issue of independence. Unequivocally, he told both committees that “dependence on imported fossil fuels exposes us to a strategic risk with considerable economic consequences”, and that this EU dependence is “one of the highest in the world”. To reduce it, he stressed electrification, renewable energy, but also “clean energy”, thus not ruling out nuclear power, on which some Member States, such as France, are heavily dependent.
He also said that the use of renewable energy for data centres and pressure on water resources were growing concerns for Ireland, but also for the European Union as a whole, which is preparing to equip itself with an initiative for the integration of data centres into the European energy system (see EUROPE 13880/4).
“We could become the first electro-continent,” he concluded in the Environment Committee.
ETS reform. In both committees, Members of the European Parliament mainly questioned him on the ETS reform, presented by the European Commission on 17 July. “We have defined an ambitious timetable with ten working party meetings”, he announced. “We want the ETS to be dealt with in October by the Council of the EU so as to reach a political agreement in principle (general approach) at the December Council of the EU”.
He added that what was essential was that “the instrument be available” and insisted on the Presidency’s role “as mediator” in this programme. (Original version in French by Nadège Delépine)