The European Parliament passed an amendment to the Renewable Energy Directive on the 12th, predicting that the proportion of renewable energy will reach 42.5% in 2030, with a target of 45%. It also requires the government to set up renewable energy zones, and the application procedures for new sites in the zones must be completed within one year to accelerate the progress of renewable energy.
The EU reached an agreement on renewable energy targets in March, but reached a deadlock in May over whether hydrogen produced from nuclear power (known as pink hydrogen) should be considered renewable energy. Ultimately, the EU made a minor concession on nuclear ammonia production in exchange for passage of the amendment. The bill will now enter into force after a Council review.
Accelerate the development of renewable energy; complete the review of new sites within the zone within one year
On the 12th, the European Parliament overwhelmingly approved an amendment to the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) with 470 votes in favor, 120 against, and 40 abstentions. The amendment projects that renewable energy will account for 42.5% of the EU's final energy consumption by 2030, a target of 45%. This represents a 10.5% increase from the current RED target of 32%.
The Associated Press, citing data from the international energy think tank Ember, reported that in 2022, 22% of the EU's electricity was generated by wind and solar power, surpassing natural gas's 20% for the first time. Coal-fired power generation accounted for 16%.
To accelerate the development of renewable energy such as solar photovoltaics and wind power, the bill also regulates the approval time for renewable energy applications.
The European Parliament said member states should establish "renewables go-to areas." New renewable energy projects within these areas must undergo a review process no longer than 12 months. Projects outside these areas must complete the review process within 24 months.
According to a European Commission document, renewable energy acceleration zones should prioritize man-made structures, such as rooftops, transportation facilities, landfills, parking lots, industrial parks, artificial lakes, reservoirs, etc., and exclude sensitive areas such as "Natura 2000" protected areas, national parks, and confirmed migratory bird routes.
In the transport sector, the EU requires that vehicles use a higher proportion of advanced biofuels or hydrogen to reduce carbon emissions by 14.5% by 2030.
Resolving the pink hydrogen deadlock: Nuclear ammonia production will be included
The European Parliament and the Council reached an agreement on the amendment of the Renewable Energy Directive at the end of March, but the two parliaments reached a deadlock over the definition of hydrogen energy in May, resulting in the postponement of the vote on the bill.
The pro-nuclear camp, led by France, strongly supports pink hydrogen as a way to achieve renewable energy goals. According to the Financial Times, the EU made a small concession on using nuclear energy to produce ammonia in exchange for the bill's passage.
The Associated Press reported that Finnish Green Alliance MP Ville Niinistö said Europe is saying goodbye to fossil fuels. The energy crisis has taught us that we must be completely independent of oil and gas, especially from Russia.
According to Balkan Green Energy News, some environmental groups have criticized the bill for mandating timelines for reviewing renewable energy zone projects, which could compromise the integrity of environmental impact assessments.
References:
*Associated Press (September 12, 2023), EU lawmakers approve a deal to raise renewable energy target to 42.5% of total consumption by 2030
*Financial Times (September 12, 2023), EU legislators vote to sharply increase bloc’s renewable energy target
*European Parliament (September 12, 2023), MEPs back plans to boost use of renewable energy
*Balkan Green Energy News (September 13, 2023), European Parliament votes to double renewables share in consumption by 2030
Source: Environmental Information Center
