{"id":22193,"date":"2022-06-09T10:52:45","date_gmt":"2022-06-09T09:52:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=22193"},"modified":"2022-06-28T10:19:42","modified_gmt":"2022-06-28T09:19:42","slug":"repowereu-plan-boost-clean-energy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/repowereu-plan-boost-clean-energy\/22193\/","title":{"rendered":"REPowerEU Plan: A boost for clean energy"},"content":{"rendered":"
As Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine continues to unfold, it has initiated massive disruptions to global and European energy markets. Europe\u2019s reliance on such an unreliable partner is becoming fraught. Reinventing Europe\u2019s energy architecture to reduce independence on Russian Fossil fuels has become critical, with the European Commission being forced to act.<\/p>\n
Europe\u2019s reliance on Russian fossil fuels is widely accepted as an economic and political weapon used by Russia. The Commission estimates this dependency costs European taxpayers \u20ac100bn per year.<\/p>\n
A Flash Eurobarometer survey, published on 5 May 2022, depicted broad support for the EU\u2019s actions in the field of energy, with 85% of Europeans<\/a> championing plans to reduce dependency on Russian fossil fuels. However, not all European countries are united in this endeavour. Hungary opposes a Russian oil ban by the end of 2022, noting it could not back measures that could endanger supplies.<\/p>\n To combat the ongoing energy crisis, REPowerEU – proposed by the European Commission – intends to help phase out reliance on Russian fossil fuels. As Europe stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, the REPowerEU Plan was presented on 18 May 2022 and outlines a strategy to attain European independence from Russian fossil fuels before 2030.<\/p>\n The plan aims to accomplish three main objectives: energy conservation, diversifying supplies; and accelerating Europe\u2019s clean energy transition. This will be achieved by hastening the rollout of renewable energy to replace fossil fuels in homes, industry and power generation, all while smartly combining investments and reforms.<\/p>\n The proposals include increasing the EU\u2019s 2030 headline targets for energy efficiency from 9% to 13% and renewables from 40% to 45%. The plan, which the Commission says is in line with the European Green Deal and the EU\u2019s net zero ambitions, is expected to provide a significant boost to solar, wind and green hydrogen power. The green transformation is intended to strengthen economic growth, security, and climate action for Europe.<\/p>\n The plan will spur interesting discussions surrounding funding and require a high degree of coordination and alignment between the Member States implementing the various policies and recommendations.<\/p>\n Amidst the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, energy prices are dangerously high, exasperating the already tense financial situation for many households in Europe. As well as these pressing concerns, addressing the ongoing climate disaster must also remain a priority. The Climate Change 2022 report,<\/a> conducted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), reiterates the need to limit global temperature rise to 1.5\u00b0C to avoid catastrophic social, environmental and economic impacts. The plan focuses on energy savings as one of its key pillars to address these issues.<\/p>\n According to the European Commission, the quickest and cheapest way to reduce energy dependency is by using less of it. Building on the \u2018energy efficiency first\u2019 principle, already fundamental to the Fit for 55 package, the Commission proposes to increase the overall binding target of an EU-wide 9% increase in energy savings to\u00a013% by 2030\u00a0(compared to the 2020 baseline). Member States are further encouraged to organise campaigns urging people to change their energy usage behaviour and offer fiscal incentives for energy efficiency investments.<\/p>\n Pillar three of the plan focuses on achieving a more diversified energy supply for Europe and escaping reliance on Russian fossil fuels. The key is to accelerate the rollout of renewable energy, emphasising that renewables are at the core of Europe\u2019s energy security.<\/p>\n The REPowerEU Plan acknowledges the necessity for wind energy permitting to be drastically accelerated. To that end, the Commission has tabled a new legislative proposal on permitting renewables, which will be folded into the ongoing review of the EU Renewable Energy Directive.<\/p>\n The Commission has also published a permitting recommendation and detailed guidance to governments on simplifying their permitting rules and procedures to accelerate the rollout of wind power.<\/p>\n WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson said: \u201cThe REPowerEU Action Plan hits the nail on the head. The EU wants to build out wind energy from 190 GW today to 480 GW in just eight years. But you can only do that if you simplify the permitting. And that\u2019s what REPowerEU aims to achieve. It also acknowledges the EU has to support the wind industry supply chain. Bring on this support: new renewables must be made in Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n On 31 May 2022, EU decision-makers and stakeholders attended the Renewable Hydrogen Summit in Brussels, organised by the Renewable Hydrogen Coalition<\/a> (RHC), to discuss the policies required to accelerate the renewable hydrogen uptake in Europe, and deliver the REPowerEU Plan.<\/p>\nHow will the REPowerEU Plan tackle the rising energy bill crisis?<\/h3>\n
Accelerating the rollout of renewables<\/h3>\n
How will this affect the current state of clean energy markets?<\/h5>\n
Effects on wind power<\/h4>\n
Effects on green hydrogen<\/h4>\n