Brussels, 18/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - Experts and policymakers have had to bow to the evidence: -despite geopolitical risks and the strong rise in global demand fuelled by rampant consumerism in the emerging countries, gas and oil will remain essential energy sources for several decades yet to meet Europe's energy needs. If current trends continue, by 2030 the EU's dependency on imported fossil fuels to cover its energy needs should reach 65%. It is therefore imperative to produce and use traditional energy sources in a more economical way, by adopting innovative and clean technologies as well as by turning to the nuclear option. Such was the conclusion reached by Herbert Reul (EPP-ED, Germany) in his own-initiative report on “traditional energy sources and energy technologies”, adopted on Thursday 13 September by the European Parliament's industry, research and energy committee (ITRE) by 37 votes to 7 and 3 abstentions.
Given the EU's commitment to combating climate change, the ITRE committee therefore calls on the EU, its member states and its energy companies to step up their R&D efforts in the energy field in order to reduce the environmental impact, ensure existing technologies and develop storage techniques for renewable energies, as well as new generation nuclear reactors and new energy technologies. Welcoming the communications on sustainable energy production based on fossil fuels in the indicative nuclear programme and in the strategic plan for the development of energy technologies (“energy and climate” package January 2007, EUROPE 9341), the ITRE committee invites the European Commission to: - rapidly submit legislative proposals on carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to answer the outstanding legal questions surrounding the storage and transport of CO2; - present a concept to promote R&D in the field of CCS technology which, while based on technical elements, is not yet the subject of an overall concept at industrial level.
Based on the fact that nuclear energy contributes, in sizeable proportions, to the production of electricity in many member states, the ITRE committee stresses the importance of this energy source for covering the EU's basic energy needs in the medium term. Although, like the European Council, it acknowledges the need for a broad, unbiased debate on its advantages and risks, the ITRE committee nonetheless stresses that nuclear energy is currently “the greatest energy source low in CO2 in Europe” and that it plays a “major role in combating climate change”. It stresses that, if nuclear energy is abandoned, the targets for reducing greenhouse gases and combating climate change will not be reached.
Finally, the ITRE committee emphasises the significant impact of the generation of energy that comes from biomass, the need for the EU to support synthetic fuel technology and the importance of liquefied natural gas (LNG) when it comes to diversification of gas imports.
The Reul report will be put to the plenary vote during the October session in Strasbourg. (eh)