Brussels, 16/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission and the International Energy Agency have been repeating it tirelessly: investment of €1,000 billion in electricity grids and production and €150 billion in gas networks will be needed before 2030 in order to ensure the EU's energy security of supply. By 2020, it is estimated that the necessary capacity expansion for power generation will amount to circa 360 GW, which corresponds to about half of the current installed capacity. In addition to the new rules for the internal energy market (3rd liberalisation package), the “renewables package” (energy-climate package) and the €3.98 billion envelope for energy infrastructure (European economic recovery plan), on Thursday 16 July, the Commission adopted a proposal for a regulation to receive better information on investment projects into energy infrastructure within the EU, whether in oil, gas, electricity (including nuclear energy) and biofuels or in the transport and storage of carbon related to energy production. Member states and industry will submit data and information to the Commission, which will analyse investment trends. The results of this cross-sector analysis at EU level will be shared with member states and stakeholders and made public. Future developments on the supply side will be contrasted with regular outlooks for energy demand in the EU.
The Commission's aim is clear: to meet the energy security challenge, and, given the scale of investment needed, the Commission will further contribute to shaping a favourable investment climate for economic operators with regular monitoring and an improved transparency on investment projects at EU level in all the areas mentioned above. The Commission believes that it will thus be better equipped to assess whether there is a risk of infrastructure gaps over the coming years as a significant proportion of ageing capacities have to be renewed or new capacities have to be built in order to make the low carbon energy mix a reality. It will also be better equipped to anticipate threats to a secure and sustainable energy supply of the EU.
The Commission expects the new mechanism to be adopted by the Council of the European Union in early 2010. (E.H./transl.rt)