By Martin Banks - 15th December 2011
Oettinger has provided European industry and citizens with that clarity
Christian Kjaer
The European commission has published its much-awaited 'energy roadmap 2050' which contains different options towards the 'decarbonisation' of Europe's energy system.
The proposals, outlined on Thursday by Günther Oettinger, the EU energy commissioner, were met with a mixed response by NGOs and industry.
The roadmap calls for the negotiation of new renewable energy targets to go beyond 2020.
Oettinger said that as current targets to produce 20 per cent of Europe's energy from renewable sources run out in 2020 new targets were needed for 2030.
The roadmap says that opting for a very high renewables component to the energy mix would be no more expensive than opting for alternative scenarios that placed more emphasis on nuclear power or coal and gas with carbon capture and storage.
It says a high renewables energy mix - with as much as 97 per cent of the EU's electricity consumption met by renewable energy, including 49 per cent wind power in 2050 - would have the same "overall energy system costs" as any other decarbonisation or business as usual scenario.
At a news conference, Oettinger said that he expected binding renewable energy targets for 2030 to be proposed and in place by 2014.
He said, "With our roadmap we want to ensure that, for all participants, there should be an interesting discussion on binding targets for renewables by 2030.
"This should begin now and lead to a decision in two years' time."
Reaction to his announcement was swift with Christian Kjaer, CEO of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), saying the commission's communication "could have been clearer in its commitment" to binding renewable energy targets for 2030.
He added, "However, with his strong statement, Oettinger has provided European industry and citizens with that clarity.
"The European parliament and member states must now give the commission a clear mandate to come forward with ambitious binding 2030 targets for renewable energy."
Further reaction came from Jason Anderson, head of EU climate and energy policy at WWF in Brussels, who said, "Oettinger's roadmap will remain a pure think piece if not backed by effective legislation.
"It is a mystery how the commission imagines we will be able to transform the energy system with a carbon price rapidly approaching zero and a draft energy efficiency law that is woefully weak."
Elsewhere, Greenpeace EU energy policy director Frauke Thies said, "The roadmap shows that getting clean energy from renewables will cost taxpayers no more than getting dirty and dangerous energy from coal or nuclear power.
"The commission will be tempted to overplay the role of coal and nuclear energy to appease the likes of Poland and France, but the numbers in the roadmap are unequivocal. It proves that a modern energy system can't do without renewables and efficiency, but can easily consign coal and nuclear power to the past."
The Danish Energy Association welcomed the roadmap and called for decision-makers to agree on a 30 per cent carbon reduction target in 2020 and "clear carbon" targets for 2030 and 2040 during the Danish EU presidency.
John Harris, head of governmental affairs and communications at Landis+Gyr, the leading smart metering company, welcomed the "major improvements" that the roadmap foresees in energy efficiency.
He stressed the "need to lay the foundations for the transformation of the energy network without further delay".
A spokesman for the European Building Automation and Controls Association said, "The potential is enormous and we welcome the commission's recognition that energy efficiency in new and existing buildings play a key role."
Stefan Scheuer, secretary general of the Coalition for Energy Savings, said, "We appreciate the commission's recognition that energy efficiency is the top priority, but it is incomprehensible that none of the roadmap's scenarios assume that the 20 per cent energy savings target will be achieved."
He added, "The energy efficiency sign is on the wall but the direction is missing."
A spokesman for the Committee of the Regions, meanwhile, said it "broadly welcomed" the commission's announcement, but warned that "more will need to be done to help local and regional authorities to play their part in reducing energy consumption and switching to more sustainable energy sources".
