EU Energy Policy:

Brussels - 3 October

As the European Commission prepares its Renewable Energy Roadmap, due for adoption in the coming months, the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) reiterates that binding targets should be adopted for the share of renewable energy in the future electricity mix. Otherwise, EWEA argues, the Commission will fail in its mission to promote a 'sustainable, competitive and secure' energy policy for the EU[1].

In EWEA's submission to the public consultation on the Commission Energy Green Paper, it supports a binding 2020 target for renewable energy. EWEA argues that such a target would demonstrate the lasting EU commitment to a clean energy supply and maintain investors' confidence, if accompanied by targets for each sector (electricity, transport and heating and cooling). EWEA considers 'sectoral' targets a fundamental prerequisite for an effective strategy to boost the share of renewable energy. They are needed to account for the different nature of the various technologies, as well as their divergent requirements in terms of infrastructure and monitoring.

The success of such an approach has been demonstrated in the past decade with the 2001 adoption of the Directive on the promotion of electricity from renewable energy sources.

"In 2001, the European Union took the lead by passing the world's most significant piece of legislation for renewable electricity. As a consequence, 25 Member States and several countries outside Europe, are adopting frameworks for investments in wind power and other renewables and European companies are reaping commercial benefits from exports. The Commission needs to decide what it will propose for the period after 2010. EWEA recommends that it uses the existing successful framework as the foundation, by setting renewable electricity targets for 2020," said Christian Kjaer, EWEA chief executive.

The European wind industry also highlights the urgent need to establish real competition in the energy markets through, for example, increased interconnection and full legal and ownership separation between transmission and production of electricity.

EWEA strongly supports the Commission's proposal for a European energy regulator to look at cross-border issues, as well as the Green Paper's emphasis on the need for a single European grid, which would accommodate offshore wind power and enhance competition in electricity markets.