Europe - Overwhelming European Parliament support for priority grid access and improved infrastructure for renewable energies

The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) welcomes the Energy Committee (ITRE) of the European Parliament’s vote on the proposed Renewable Energy Directive. Earlier this morning the ITRE Committee voted overwhelmingly in favour of key amendments which will support the development of renewable energy to help achieve the 20% by 2020 target. Foremost among these are the quick development of all necessary physical connections to the grid, priority access and priority during dispatch for renewable energy.

“The Rapporteur and his colleagues from the other political groups must be commended for reaching a broad and strong agreement, not least on the need for effective infrastructure measures including priority grid access and dispatch for renewable energy technologies,” said Christian Kjaer, EWEA Chief Executive. “The Parliament’s message to the Council could not have been stronger. It is imperative that the Member States take on board the European Parliament’s proposals if they are serious about negotiating a successful agreement in time for the international climate negotiations.”


EWEA is also pleased that the MEPs adopted flexibility mechanisms which will help Member States achieve their renewables target whilst retaining control over their national support schemes and renewable energy policies. National governments will have the options of statistically transferring surplus renewable energy to count towards their national target, launching joint renewables projects with other Member States, and voluntarily agreeing joint, or harmonised, support mechanisms.

Other important amendments agreed by ITRE include mandatory interim targets that are legally binding, which together with the direct penalty mechanism, would allow the European Commission to take effective early action against those Member States that fall behind on their renewable energy targets. ITRE also underlined that electricity from outside the EU must be physically imported into the Community before it can count towards a Member State’s national target.

The European Parliament will vote on the Renewable Energy Directive in a plenary session in the coming months.