The EU Continues its Energy Transition: Accelerating the Deployment of Renewable Energies

On Tuesday 12 September, the European Parliament marked a major turning point by voting in favour of accelerating the deployment of renewable energies, thereby meeting the objectives of the Green Pact and the REPowerEU plan.

This update of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), already approved by MEPs and the Council, aims to increase the share of renewable energy in the EU's final energy consumption to 42.5% by 2030, while Member States are encouraged to aim for 45%. The legislation will also speed up permitting procedures for new renewable energy installations, such as solar panels and wind turbines, as well as for the adaptation of existing installations. From now on, national authorities will have to approve new installations in just 12 months, if they are located in zones favourable to the development of renewable energies, or in 24 months outside these zones.

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Markus Pieper, the MEP in charge of the dossier, said: "In our quest for greater energy independence and a reduction in CO2 emissions, we have increased our targets for renewable energies. This directive is proof that Brussels can be both unbureaucratic and pragmatic. We have designated renewable energies as being of overriding public interest, which has streamlined their approval process. We are focusing on wind power, photovoltaics, hydropower, geothermal energy and tidal currents. Biomass from wood will continue to be classified as renewable energy. Under the 'tacit agreement' principle, investments will be deemed approved in the absence of any feedback from the authorities. The future is vast, nothing is impossible. We now urgently need an EU electricity market design and an immediate switch to hydrogen for a greener transition".

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In the transport sector, the aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 14.5% by 2030 through the deployment of renewable energies. This means increasing the share of advanced biofuels and more ambitious quotas for renewable fuels of non-biological origin, such as hydrogen.

MEPs also insisted that Member States set an indicative target of at least 5% of innovative renewable energy technologies among newly installed renewable energy capacity, while establishing a binding framework for cross-border energy projects. They called for stricter criteria for the use of biomass to ensure that the EU does not subsidise unsustainable practices, and that biomass harvesting is done in a way that prevents negative impacts on soil quality and biodiversity. A significant step towards a cleaner, more sustainable energy future for the European Union.