Rothe: Renewables directive will boost EU success

As Brussels gears up for the 2009 EU sustainable energy week, Mechtild Rothe argues that renewables can help tackle climate change, boost energy security and make Europe more competitive.

The Socialist MEP, president of the European forum for renewable energy sources (Eurofes) and member of parliament’s energy committee uses an article in the latest edition of the Parliament Magazine to set out her views on the directive on the promotion of renewable energy.

Read the full text of the article below:

EU sustainable energy week (EUSEW) can help disseminate the news on sustainable energy policy and give in-depth information about energy efficiency and renewables.

This will be the second time that the European forum for renewable energy sources (Eufores) organises an event at the EUSEW. This year Eufores is focusing on the renewable energy directive and the question of how to comply with the 20 per cent renewables target.

The directive on the promotion of renewable energies is of the utmost importance. I am convinced that this directive will help to boost Europe’s success strategy, making the EU a truly sustainable economy based on energy efficiency and renewables. Against the background of the economic crisis and climate change, it is vital to act to conserve economic, ecological and social livelihoods now and for future generations. The transition from an energy wasting fossil fuel-based economy into an energy efficient and renewable energy-based economy is the only sustainable and responsible answer. Promoting renewable energies means fostering climate mitigation, the security of energy supply, competitiveness and regional development. The renewable energy industry itself already has an annual turnover of more than €40bn and more than 350,000 jobs have been created across the EU. The commission assumes that the renewable energy sector alone will be accountable for more than a million jobs by 2020. The ancient days of environment versus jobs are over - we don’t need to sacrifice quality of life in order to stimulate the economy.

EU member states are committed to a mandatory target for renewables to make up 20 per cent of their energy mix by 2020. Unlike the previous sectoral approaches, the new directive includes provisions for all three energy sectors: electricity, transport, and heating and cooling. It also sets a legally binding target for renewable energies for each member state and maps their clear trajectory until 2020. The binding nature of the overall and national 2020 targets is of major importance in order to ensure planning reliability and investor confidence.

The agreement between the European parliament and the council means member states must now properly implement the requirements set by the renewable energies directive. The next important step will be for member states to draw up national strategies for increasing their share of renewable energies. These renewable energy action plans have to be submitted to the commission by June 2010 at the latest. Thanks to the European parliament, member states have to follow a clear template when drawing up their national strategies. They have to state how much they want to do in the three different sectors and to assess their domestic potential. Moreover, they have to list what support schemes they will allocate to different technologies and how they will tackle administrative and grid barriers.

Consequently, member states cannot get away with doing nothing. The commission has the power to initiate infringement procedures in case a member state fails to introduce appropriate measures to enable it to meet its trajectory. So nobody can sit back and leave the necessary decisions to the next government.

This does not mean, however, that member states and relevant stakeholders should be left alone. We have to ensure that more funding for renewable energies is available from the European Investment Bank. The potential of renewable energies has to be fully exploited. In addition to financial flanking measures, support is needed in the way of knowledge transfer and assistance in setting the right political framework on national and regional level. To this end, the event by the Eufores parliamentary network will surely be a step in the right direction.

Read articles from our special report on EU sustainable energy week in the Parliament Magazine's digital online archive from:

Green MEP and parliament's rapporteur on the renewable energy directive Claude Turmes

Fiona Hall, the vice president pf the European forum for renewable energy sources

Luc Van den Brande, the president of the Committee of the Regions on the covenant of mayors ceremony

Jan Denneman, the president of the European Lamp Companies Federation

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