Press Release- European Commission - Fact Sheet - Achieving global leadership in renewable energies - Brussels, 30 November 2016
Renewable electricity, cleaner heating and cooling, decarbonised transport, empowered consumers and at least 27% renewables in the EU will bring clean energy for all Europeans.
Why are renewables at the centre of this package?
The transformation of global power markets is ongoing. According to the International Energy Agency, renewable energy surpassed coal as main source of power capacity in 2015. In 2030, half of the EU's electricity generation will come from renewables. By 2050 our electricity should be completely carbon-free.
Renewables will play a major role in the transition to a clean energy system. Europe has set itself a target to collectively reach a share of at least 27% renewables in the final energy consumption by 2030. It has spearheaded global efforts to fight climate change, and has been leading global efforts with a commitment to cut emissions by at least 40% by 2030. It has successfully turned solar and onshore wind technologies from niche technologies into central players in the European power sector. This has also helped global access to cheaper and clean technology.
The renewable energy sector in Europe employed more than one million persons. Employment in wind energy alone has increased in the EU fivefold from 2005 to 2013, with total associated employment numbers of about 320,000 in 2014.
Growth in renewable energy is driven by the most innovative technologies that deliver substantial greenhouse gas savings. Global market projections for renewable energy solutions in line with the long term decarbonisation objectives have been estimated at about EUR 6,800 billion for the 2014-2035 period, with high growth potential especially outside Europe. In recent years, investments in renewable generation assets represented over 85% of generation investments, most of them at lower voltage levels, notably at the level of distribution grids.
How will the clean energy package boost renewables?
The Renewable Energy Directive, together with the proposals on the New Electricity Market Design and governance, will set a regulatory framework that leads to investor certainty and allows a level playing field for all technologies without jeopardising our climate and energy targets.
In order to better accommodate the rising share of renewables, wholesale markets have to further develop and in particular provide adequate rules allowing shorter term trading to reflect the necessities of variable generation. Renewables producers will be able to earn revenues from the market, including system service markets that are required to maintain grid stability and security. By introducing trading closer to the time of delivery well-integrated short-term electricity markets will also reward flexibility in the market both for generation, demand or storage.
Renewable energy will be increasingly market-based, untapped potential needs to be exploited, and certainty and visibility for investors ensured. New rules will allow renewable electricity generators to earn increasing shares of their revenues from the market.
The clean energy package will also guide the design for national support by setting out framework principles to facilitate a cost-effective, market-oriented and Europeanized approach. These principles include cross border opening of support schemes, non-retroactivity and long term visibility for the support.
Will this end priority of renewables in the networks?
On the contrary, the Commission's proposals will set a regulatory framework that allows a level playing field for all technologies without jeopardising our climate and energy targets. The new regulatory framework will make sure that renewables can participate fully in the electricity market, but also that the market related provisions do not discriminate against renewables.
Priority dispatch will remain in place for existing renewable installations, small-scale renewable installation and, projects demonstrating innovative technologies. Other installations, independent from the technology applied, will be subject to non-discriminatory third-party access rules. In addition, curtailment of renewables should be done last.
How will the heating and cooling sector contribute?
Three out of four European homes are heated (or cooled) with fossil fuels. This corresponds to 68% of the EU's gas import, and is a sign of slow growth of clean energy in a sector which takes half of EU's energy needs.
In order to address these challenges, the Renewables Directive includes a number of options for Member States to increase their share of renewable energy in heating and cooling supply, by 1 percentage point per year until 2030.
Furthermore, it opens access rights to local district heating and cooling systems for producers of renewables heating and cooling and waste from industry and third parties acting on their behalf.
page source http://europa.eu/
