Europe issues renewables progress warning

Europe is in danger of missing its 2020 renewables targets, the European Commission warned today as it set out a climate and energy strategy for 2030.

While progress has been made, with 12.7 per cent of energy EU-wide coming from renewable sources in 2010, the Commission said more efforts will be needed to reach the 20 per cent requirement.

The UK was one of the furthest EU member states from its target, being just over a fifth of the way to its 2020 goal by 2010. If it fails to meet the 15 per cent binding target, Brussels could impose fines.

Slow progress towards 2020 targets has not deterred the Commission from consulting on further targets for 2030. EU energy commissioner Günther Oettinger said a 2030 strategy was needed as soon as possible to secure investment. “The new framework must take into account the consequences of the economic crisis, but it must also be ambitious enough to meet the necessary long-term goal of cutting emissions 80-95% by 2050.”

Connie Hedegaard, EU Commissioner for Climate Action, added: ”We have targets for 2020, but for most investors 2020 is around the corner. It’s time to define the targets for 2030. The sooner we do that, the more certainty we get to our companies and our investors. And the more ambitious these targets are, the better for the climate.”

As well as a Green Paper on the overarching policy framework, the Commission has published a consultation on promoting carbon capture and storage. This has developed more slowly than anticipated in 2007, due to a slump in the carbon price undermining the economic case.