Energy: We need more Europe instead of 170 different national promotion schemes for renewables

Renewable energies in Europe ought to be promoted along the same critria all over the EU. This would render the support more efficient and save money. Such is the gist of a report adopted by the Energy Committee of the European Parliament today. "We have currently an incredible 170 different national promotion schemes for renewables. It was allright to have some start-up financing of new technologies at the time, but renewables have meanwhile become a large-scale technology. The very different national funding schemes in the Member States are unnecessary costly and distort the single market", says EPP MEP Herbert Reul who is the European Parliament Rapporteur on the future of renewables.

MEPs endorsed the call for a European scheme to render the promotion of renewables more efficient. "This is a long-term challenge, of course, but the geographic potential for renewables in Europe is so high, that it would be foolish not to exploit it. There is no doubt that its share will increase further. However, we need to be realistic and keep in mind energy prices and the competitiveness of business", said Reul.

The European Parliament Rapporteur welcomed the Committee's position on further goals for increasing the share of renewables. MEPs rejected amendments calling for a mandatory share of 40 to 45 per-cent of renewables in 2030. "I am happy that the Committee has taken up a reasonible approach. Up to 45 per-cent would have meant a sheer doubling of the share within ten years which is complete nonsense. Renewables is not only about wind power or solar panels, but also about infrastructure, networks and energy storage."