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Renewable energy

EU Encourages Renewable Power Generation to Achieve Energy Autonomy and Decarbonisation Objectives

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Renewable power generation is pivotal in lowering energy prices, enhancing the European Union's (EU) competitiveness, and securing its energy autonomy. The EU has established a comprehensive legal framework to address the balance between energy generation and other public interests. This framework includes support for small-scale renewable projects, energy communities, and self-consumption, as outlined in the Renewables Energy Directive and Electricity Market Directive. The EU's legislative framework also prioritises the implementation of solar energy on specific categories of buildings, as stipulated in the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. Member States are urged to fully implement these provisions, while also developing their own initiatives to boost self-consumption, such as Spain's National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

Key Takeaways:

  • The EU's legislative framework supports the multiple use of space and encourages synergies for land, ensuring a balance between energy generation and other public interests.
  • The EU has established a comprehensive legal framework, including the Renewables Energy Directive and Electricity Market Directive, to facilitate small-scale renewable projects, energy communities, and self-consumption.
  • Article 16d of the Renewables Energy Directive and Article 15 of the Electricity Market Directive provide support for small-scale renewable projects and energy communities.
  • Article 21 of the Renewables Energy Directive and Article 15a of the Electricity Market Directive facilitate self-consumption and energy autonomy.
  • Member States are urged to fully implement the EU's provisions, including the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive's phased obligation to install solar energy on certain buildings.
  • Spain's National Recovery and Resilience Plan, including the REPowerEU chapter, is an example of a Member State initiative to boost self-consumption.
  • The EU Solar Energy Strategy recognises the need for both rooftop and utility-scale solar to meet the EU's renewable energy targets.

Sources:

  • Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (recast)
  • Directive (EU) 2019/944 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on common rules for the internal market for electricity and amending Directive 2012/27/EU (recast)
  • Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast) (Text with EEA relevance)
  • Component 7 of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan

Statistics:

  • The EU has set a target to achieve at least 32% of its gross final energy consumption from renewable sources by 2030.
  • The EU's Solar Energy Strategy aims to deploy at least 300 GW of solar energy by 2030.
  • Spain's National Recovery and Resilience Plan allocates €10 billion for the development of renewable energy and energy storage.
  • The EU's energy performance of buildings directive requires Member States to achieve a 39% reduction in energy consumption in buildings by 2030.
  • The EU's renewable energy directive requires Member States to ensure that at least 32% of their gross final energy consumption comes from renewable sources by 2030.

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