Agreement in Brussels on increasing the use of renewable energies
Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel has welcomed the agreement in Brussels on increasing the use of renewable energies. "This is a key element of the summit meeting of heads of state and government on 11/12 December, where the EU's climate package was decided on. This agreement is an important signal for international climate protection policy. The European Union reaffirms its ambitious expansion targets adopted last year under Germany's Presidency: a 20 percent share of renewables in EU final energy consumption by 2020. In addition to improving energy efficiency, a massive increase in renewable energy use is the second element of our twin-track climate protection strategy", commented Minister Gabriel.
"Germany has to increase its share of renewables to 18 percent. This is challenging, but achievable with the instruments already adopted. The Directive also includes the sustainability criteria for the use of biomass we have long been calling for. On the whole we were able to assert our position on all crucial points, thus ensuring that Europe continues to be a pioneer in the expansion of renewable energies. The agreement provides stable framework conditions for the expansion of renewables in Europe - thus creating the prospect of hundreds of thousands of new jobs. Today 250,000 people already work in the renewables sector in Germany", noted Minister Gabriel.
The new EU Renewable Energy Directive implements the decision of the European Council of March 2007 to increase the share of renewables in EU final energy consumption from 8.5 percent in 2005 to 20 percent by 2020. All Member States are prescribed concrete targets based on the starting situation, existing potential and economic strength. Germany's target is an increase from almost 6 percent in the reference year 2005 to 18 percent in 2020. The Member States are obliged to present national action plans to the Commission outlining how they intend to reach these targets.
The Directive also gives Member States the necessary flexibility to make the best possible use of their different potential through effective national support systems. Moreover, so-called flexible cooperation mechanisms will be introduced: Member States have the opportunity to fund investments in other Member States and to credit this to their own national targets. This creates incentives to make use of cost-effective potential in other countries: wind energy in coastal regions, bioenergy in agrarian countries and solar energy in sunny countries.
With the flexible instruments Germany was able, with the support of the majority of Member States, to push through a fundamental change to the original Commission proposal. This was geared towards the EU-wide launch of trading in certificates for renewable energies. Such trading would have led to uncertainty for investments, to competition for the highest subsidies in Europe and to increasing electricity prices due to unfair windfall profits.
The Directive prescribes that investments in countries outside of the EU can also be credited to the national expansion target. This creates a concrete foundation for implementing the "Solar Plan" in the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean. The Solar Plan aims to tap the huge potential of solar energy in North Africa.
Moreover, sustainability criteria for producing biomass for use as an energy source will be introduced at EU level for the first time. They will also apply to the use of biofuels. The sustainability criteria for biomass used for energy production only regulate liquid bioenergy sources as a first step, but next year they will also apply to gaseous and solid bioenergies. The sustainability criteria cover the following areas: greenhouse gas savings that liquid bioenergies must achieve as a minimum in comparison with fossil energy sources, criteria for conserving natural habitats and social criteria. "Here the EU is drawing on the sustainability criteria that the German government already developed a year ago for fuels", commented Minister Gabriel. "Nevertheless, the criteria represent a compromise reached among the 27 Member States. Germany would have wished for more stringent requirements. I will therefore advocate making the most of the available leeway during implementation in the interest of nature conservation and, for example, tightening requirements regarding financial support."
The new EU Directive also aims to increase the share of renewables in the transport sector to 10 percent by the year 2020. By incorporating electric vehicles powered by renewable energies it will be possible to trigger the development of a key technology of the future. However, Germany was critical to the last of the fact that the crediting of biofuels to the 10 percent target will be irrespective of their contribution to climate protection.