DISPUTE OVER NUCLEAR POWER
Agreement on renewables expansion wobbles
One of the most important pieces of legislation in the EU to achieve climate goals is likely to wobble: A formal vote on the Renewable Energy Directive was unexpectedly postponed Wednesday, a spokesman for the Swedish presidency confirmed. The directive stipulates that at least 42.5 percent of energy should come from renewables by 2030. The background is likely to be a dispute over the future role of nuclear power.
Online since today, 4:17 p.m.
Similar to the dispute led by Germany over the phasing out of combustion engines, the directive on the expansion of renewable energies from electricity, wind and water is likely to be thwarted in the final meters: Negotiators from the 27 EU member states, the European Parliament and the Commission had actually agreed on the expansion targets at the end of March. The corresponding directive (RED III) was negotiated for almost two years.
An imminent confirmation of the deal by the EU states - actually a formality - has now been put on hold for the time being. Some EU states, led by nuclear country France, are unhappy with the agreement on renewables reached with the EU Parliament in March, a person familiar with the matter said Wednesday. The exact demands are still unclear, he said.
Negotiators from the EU Parliament and Council of Ministers agreed in March that the directive would allow countries like France to count hydrogen produced from nuclear power toward their renewables target for the industry, but only if it does not jeopardize their overall efforts to expand wind and solar power. However, this gives nuclear power a relatively small role in the EU law. In addition to France, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Romania reportedly opposed it.
Spokesman: "Further talks are needed"
The vote was taken off the agenda of the meeting of EU ambassadors, a spokesman for the Swedish presidency confirmed: "Further talks are necessary," the spokesman said. A spokesman for the Permanent Representation of France to the EU would not confirm to ORF that France had asked the Swedish Council Presidency to remove the Renewable Energy Directive from the agenda. However, France still sees some open points in the topic.
Meanwhile, criticism came from the Austrian climate protection ministry: "The renewed attempt to block the new directive for renewable energies in Europe by the nuclear lobby led by France endangers our common climate goals," it said in a statement. "This approach of blocking ready-negotiated legislation at the last second is not in line with the way we work together in the EU," the ministry said.
Dispute reminiscent of debate over combustion car phase-out
The delay is reminiscent of the dispute over the phasing out of the internal combustion engine earlier this year. Germany, with Austria's support, had pushed at the last minute to include e-fuels in the regulation. After a few weeks, a solution was finally found with the EU Commission. France was outraged by the move at the time. Experts warned that Germany had set a "dangerous precedent".
So far, the EU target for renewable energy expansion has been 32 percent. Through voluntary initiatives or joint projects, the share of renewable energies is to increase from 42.5 to 45 percent if possible. In 2021, the EU obtained 22 percent of its energy from electricity, wind, water and other alternative sources. However, this share varies greatly from country to country.
Important part of the "Fit for 55" climate package
The use of renewable energies is very important for the EU because, on the one hand, it must significantly reduce its CO2 emissions by 2030. On the other hand, it wants to become independent of fossil fuels from Russia after Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year. The new, ambitious targets now require major investments, for example in the expansion of wind and solar parks.
In the course of the negotiations, Austria lobbied for wood and other types of biomass to also be considered renewable. The specific CO2 emissions from burning wood are higher than those from fossil fuels such as oil and gas. However, if only as much wood is burned as can grow again, the use is CO2-neutral, since wood binds exactly as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during growth as is later released during combustion.
The directive is part of the EU Commission's "Fit for 55" climate package. It aims to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared with 1990 levels. In this way, it is intended to contribute to the overall goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2050.
kale, ORF.at, from Brussels/Agencies
Source (ORF.at)
Online since today, 4:17 p.m.
Similar to the dispute led by Germany over the phasing out of combustion engines, the directive on the expansion of renewable energies from electricity, wind and water is likely to be thwarted in the final meters: Negotiators from the 27 EU member states, the European Parliament and the Commission had actually agreed on the expansion targets at the end of March. The corresponding directive (RED III) was negotiated for almost two years.
An imminent confirmation of the deal by the EU states - actually a formality - has now been put on hold for the time being. Some EU states, led by nuclear country France, are unhappy with the agreement on renewables reached with the EU Parliament in March, a person familiar with the matter said Wednesday. The exact demands are still unclear, he said.
Negotiators from the EU Parliament and Council of Ministers agreed in March that the directive would allow countries like France to count hydrogen produced from nuclear power toward their renewables target for the industry, but only if it does not jeopardize their overall efforts to expand wind and solar power. However, this gives nuclear power a relatively small role in the EU law. In addition to France, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Romania reportedly opposed it.
Spokesman: "Further talks are needed"
The vote was taken off the agenda of the meeting of EU ambassadors, a spokesman for the Swedish presidency confirmed: "Further talks are necessary," the spokesman said. A spokesman for the Permanent Representation of France to the EU would not confirm to ORF that France had asked the Swedish Council Presidency to remove the Renewable Energy Directive from the agenda. However, France still sees some open points in the topic.
Meanwhile, criticism came from the Austrian climate protection ministry: "The renewed attempt to block the new directive for renewable energies in Europe by the nuclear lobby led by France endangers our common climate goals," it said in a statement. "This approach of blocking ready-negotiated legislation at the last second is not in line with the way we work together in the EU," the ministry said.
Dispute reminiscent of debate over combustion car phase-out
The delay is reminiscent of the dispute over the phasing out of the internal combustion engine earlier this year. Germany, with Austria's support, had pushed at the last minute to include e-fuels in the regulation. After a few weeks, a solution was finally found with the EU Commission. France was outraged by the move at the time. Experts warned that Germany had set a "dangerous precedent".
So far, the EU target for renewable energy expansion has been 32 percent. Through voluntary initiatives or joint projects, the share of renewable energies is to increase from 42.5 to 45 percent if possible. In 2021, the EU obtained 22 percent of its energy from electricity, wind, water and other alternative sources. However, this share varies greatly from country to country.
Important part of the "Fit for 55" climate package
The use of renewable energies is very important for the EU because, on the one hand, it must significantly reduce its CO2 emissions by 2030. On the other hand, it wants to become independent of fossil fuels from Russia after Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year. The new, ambitious targets now require major investments, for example in the expansion of wind and solar parks.
In the course of the negotiations, Austria lobbied for wood and other types of biomass to also be considered renewable. The specific CO2 emissions from burning wood are higher than those from fossil fuels such as oil and gas. However, if only as much wood is burned as can grow again, the use is CO2-neutral, since wood binds exactly as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during growth as is later released during combustion.
The directive is part of the EU Commission's "Fit for 55" climate package. It aims to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared with 1990 levels. In this way, it is intended to contribute to the overall goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2050.
kale, ORF.at, from Brussels/Agencies
Source (ORF.at)
