European renewables industry unites in call for 2030 renewable energy target

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REA joins over 60 European companies and associations to call for ambitious 2030 renewable energy framework

The European renewable energy industry has written to the European Parliament President Martin Schulz, EU Energy Ministers and the EU Energy and Climate Commissioners to call for a legally binding 2030 target for renewable energy as part of “a strong and ambitious regulatory framework for the years to come” [1].

The letter, organised by the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) and signed by the REA and more than 60 others, notes the success of the existing 20-20-20 framework in setting “a clear direction” for industry and the urgent need for a 2030 framework “given the long investment cycles in the energy sector”. The letter continues:

“Such a framework bears the opportunity to reduce the current costs of uncertainty, mobilise the needed funding, help to protect the environment, decrease the costs of decarbonisation, facilitate the creation of new jobs and enhance the EU’s technology leadership.”

The 20-20-20 framework has been the fundamental driver of national level policies to expand the renewables industry, especially the 2020 renewable energy targets which are devolved to Member States. Jobs in UK renewables could grow from 110,000 in 2012 to 400,000 in 2020 as the industry expands to reach the 2020 UK’s targets of 15% renewable energy and 10% renewable transport.

EREC also manages the ‘Keep on Track!’ project, which monitors member states’ progress towards their targets and seeks to identify and overcome barriers to expansion [2]. The REA is the official UK partner for the project, which published its first EU Tracking Roadmap in June, alongside a report on barriers to expansion and a set of policy recommendations [3]. The UK was the only country in the project to miss its interim 2011/12 renewables target – albeit by a narrow margin [4].

REA Chief Executive Dr Nina Skorupska said: “The UK remains in the bottom three of the EU renewables league table with only 4% renewables while Sweden tops the table with almost 50%. The UK has only scratched the surface so far in terms of the opportunities for growth, innovation, jobs and exports that renewables can bring to UK plc.

“But Government has learned a lot from working within this 20-20-20 framework, and it makes sense to go for a similar framework for 2030, including a binding renewables target. This will enable Government to build on those lessons, reassure investors, scale up the industry, boost our energy security, reduce our emissions and grow our budding green economy.”