Brussels, May 2019 – The Clean Energy Package sets a renewable energy target of at least 32% by 2030. For investors, this target is the minimum to keep momentum going in the fast-growing sector that is the renewable energy industry. Meeting this target is necessary for Europe to reap the economic benefits resulting from a clean and efficient energy system by 2050. This will strengthen European competitiveness at the global level boosting domestic jobs and growth.
For the EU to be world leader in renewables and leading force on climate action, European and national policies must help increasing renewable energy shares in the final energy demand: in electricity, heating & cooling and transport. This is of utmost importance to decarbonize the EU economy. A higher share of renewable energy in all final energy uses will create more jobs, push technological innovation, boost infrastructure development at the local, regional and national levels.
The recently adopted Clean Energy Package contains concrete provisions to ensure the 2030 decarbonisation objectives are collectively met. Now the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) submitted by the EU Members States are the key instrument to turn the provisions of the Package into reality. These Plans need to outline the renewable energy deployments over the next decade, being consistent with the EU-wide 32% target and the long-term decarbonization objectives set forth by the Paris Agreement. The renewable energy industry considers that the draft NECPs submitted so far to the European Commission are lacking substantial details:
• Ambition. The NECPs’ level of ambition must be significantly increased to reach the 2030 targets and maintain the competitiveness of the EU renewable energy industry
• Robustness, clarity, visibility. The plans need to clearly translate the provisions of the Clean Energy Package into actionable and forward-looking national policies. Member States should clearly define how they plan to comply with the requirements of provisions such as the sectorial objective on renewable heating and cooling, enabling energy communities, or aligning their electricity market.
• The draft NECPs’ should be aligned with other relevant European policies, such as the innovation policy and the SET Plan targets.
The renewable energy industry is a key enabler of growth in Europe. Our industry now urges the European Union to call for more robustness and ambition in the NECPs, in order to enable the EU to remain on track to meet its renewable energy target to 2030.
All signatories of this letter remain at full disposal to provide more information where needed and hope this call for action will be taken into account.
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