“We need to reduce our dependence on Russia for energy as soon as possible. I’m convinced that we can do it,” said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the presentation of the “REPowerEU” project in Brussels. They want to tackle the issue on three levels: reduce energy demand, diversify energy imports – and ultimately accelerate the switch to renewable energies.
These measures will require additional investments of 210 billion euros over the next five years, according to Dutch Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans. At the same time, he pointed out that the imports of fossil fuels from Russia alone currently amount to 100 billion euros annually.
Greatly increase the share of renewable energies
“More than ever” it is necessary for Europe to become “master of its own destiny”, according to Timmermans. In order to achieve more independence, the EU wants to increase its own climate targets again: by 2030, the target for energy efficiency is to be raised from nine percent to 13 percent. In the case of renewable energies, the aim is now to achieve a share of 45 percent by 2030 – not 40 as before.
Plans for the EU energy transition
ORF correspondent Robert Zikmund analyzes the EU’s plans to accelerate the energy transition
This is to be made easier, among other things, by accelerated approval procedures. According to Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson, wind farms would need up to nine years for approval, “time that we don’t have.” Von der Leyen spoke of a procedure that should only last a year.
Solar energy is to be doubled in three years
In addition, they want to focus much more on solar energy. By 2025, i.e. in just three years, the current capacity is to be expanded to 320 gigawatts – and thus double the output. By 2030, solar power plants should be able to generate a total of 600 gigawatts.
The goals, which they themselves describe as ambitious, are to be achieved through a large-scale photovoltaic offensive. Solar panels on roofs are to become mandatory for newly built commercial and public buildings by 2025. Later, the initiative will also be extended to residential buildings, it was said at the presentation in Brussels.
Saving energy and new import countries
Timmermans also pointed out that the cheapest energy is that which is not used in the first place. To this end, the EU wants to comprehensively reduce energy consumption. In the short term, savings of around five percent in gas and oil requirements are expected – for which the EU is particularly dependent on Russia.
In addition, they want to rely more on joint energy purchases – and secure deliveries from other countries. On the one hand, the EU wants to strengthen cooperation with countries like Qatar and Australia, but at the same time also wants to examine whether it could work more closely with African sub-Saharan countries like Nigeria and Senegal, according to documents from the EU Commission.
Investments in infrastructure are also proposed
In addition, investments are to be made in infrastructure – in electricity grids, but also in gas and oil pipelines. Countries like Hungary, which are particularly dependent on Russian oil, are to receive a total of up to two billion euros to get rid of it. Apart from that, the agency also proposed allowing nuclear and coal-fired power plants to generate electricity to run longer.
The Commission does not want to give up its goals from the “Fit for 55” climate package: Timmermans is “convinced” that the new plans “will not hinder the 55 percent target”. Many of the proposed measures still need to be negotiated with EU countries and the European Parliament.
Gewessler: “Many important measures”
Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) sees “many important measures for the expansion of renewable energies in Europe” in the package presented. Any support for the energy transition “is good – from more investments to faster processes,” said the minister. “Especially when it comes to processes, fast processes can also be good and environmentally friendly processes.” The proposals of the EU Commission would now be examined “well”.
“We will consistently reduce our dependence on Russian fossil energy so that we don’t continue to fill Putin’s war chest,” said the ÖVP-EU MPs Angelika Winzig, Othmar Karas and Barbara Thaler in a broadcast. The head of the SPÖ delegation, Andreas Schieder, also welcomed the EU Commission’s proposal. Claudia Gamon, MEP for NEOS, pointed out that faster approvals of such projects require the determination of the EU states – which she misses in the Austrian government.
In line with the new EU plans, new commitments were also made on Wednesday for a huge offshore wind farm in the North Sea. Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark want to build at least 150 gigawatts of wind capacity in the North Sea by 2050 to create a “green power plant” for Europe. That would be enough to supply 230 million European households with electricity, said Danish Economy Minister Simon Kollerup.
Still no progress on oil embargo
Regardless of the new plans, the EU wants to continue to launch the sixth package of sanctions against Russia – including the oil embargo that has stalled, against which Hungary in particular has been fighting for almost two weeks. Most recently, Hungary had demanded between 15 and 18 billion euros to agree to the package – a demand that the diplomats rejected, as the news site Politico reported on Tuesday.
“We all want to find a solution to Hungary’s economic woes, but this scale is simply out of the question,” the site quoted an EU diplomat as saying. Another country reportedly said Hungary’s move was “immoral” – not the kind of negotiations to be conducted in times of war. An early agreement, which the EU foreign ministers were hoping for, is therefore likely to be rather unlikely.