To accelerate the development of renewable energy, the European Union is ambitiously revising the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), aiming to raise the 2030 renewable energy target from 32% to 42.5%. The European Parliament and the Council reached an agreement at the end of March, requiring only a vote from both sides for it to take effect. However, related agenda items were halted at the last minute.
Foreign media reports indicate that the reason is France's insistence on including hydrogen produced from nuclear power (known as pink hydrogen) in the bill as a means of meeting renewable energy targets. This crucial legislation, crucial to the EU's climate timeline, has reached a deadlock, with EU officials slamming France as "mad" and tantamount to hijacking the bill.
EU plans to increase renewable energy to 45%, including hydrogen
The Russo-Ukrainian conflict has driven the EU to accelerate its development of renewable energy. At the end of March, the European Parliament and the Council reached an agreement on amendments to the Renewable Energy Directive, raising the 2030 renewable energy target from 32% to at least 42.5%, and potentially even reaching 45%. This would nearly double the EU's current renewable energy share.
The agreement also sets specific targets for transport, buildings, and transportation. For example, the transport sector must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 14.5% by 2030, or have renewable energy account for 29% of final energy consumption; the industrial sector must increase renewable energy use by 1.6% annually; and by 2030, 49% of building energy consumption must come from renewable energy.
The EU also recognizes that some industries find it difficult to achieve this goal directly with renewable energy and electricity, so it has included hydrogen regulations. For example, by 2030, 42% of hydrogen used in the industrial sector should come from renewable fuels from non-biological sources (RFNBO), and by 2035, 60%.
The agreement must be ratified by both the Council and Parliament before it can be considered legislation. Since both sides have already agreed to the agreement, the votes are generally a formality. However, the scheduled dates for May have been repeatedly canceled. Foreign media have suggested this is due to France's attempt to pass nuclear-produced hydrogen as "clean energy."
Renewable energy progress stalls, EU officials accuse France of holding the bill hostage
Euractiv reported that EU diplomats had originally planned to finalize the text of the agreement on the 17th, but canceled it at the last minute. Sources attributed the reason to the role of nuclear energy in the Renewable Energy Directive. Diplomats criticized France for its "hardline stance" and unwillingness to compromise. Another anonymous official added, "This bill is narrowly controlled by the interests of a very small number of countries."
Sources said France was keen to maintain technological neutrality during negotiations on the terms to ensure nuclear and renewable energy were not forced to compete with each other.
According to Politico, officials' reaction to France could be described as furious. They angrily declared, "This is a renewable energy directive, not a nuclear energy directive," and criticized France's push for nuclear power, further delaying the transition to and deployment of renewable energy. However, the Financial Times reported that at least six countries, including Poland, Bulgaria, and Hungary, also supported France.
A week later, the first round of votes in the European Parliament, originally scheduled for the 23rd, was postponed. Reuters noted that Paris hopes low-carbon nuclear energy will gain greater recognition and criticized the current rules for discriminating against pink hydrogen. The final vote may be postponed until September.
Besides France, some countries are concerned that renewable energy targets are too ambitious and unrealistic. The impasse over key climate legislation has angered and frustrated many diplomats, and Sweden, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, is intensifying negotiations.
Source: Environmental Information Center (https://e-info.org.tw/node/236840)
