A decade ago the EU started working towards a target of a 12% share of renewable energy in its overall mix by 2010. Although renewable energy consumption has increased by 55% since, its share is unlikely to exceed 10% by 2010. The EU therefore needs a step change to provide a credible long term vision of the future of renewable energy.
Following a debate on these proposals in the Spring European Council, the Commission will bring forward legislative proposals in 2007 to start the implementation of this Road map. The proposed package will include legally binding targets, allowing each Member State the freedom to determine the best renewable energy mix for its own circumstances. At the same time and in view of reaching the overall national target, Member States will be required to establish National Action Plans outlining their specific objectives and sectoral targets for each of the renewable energy sectors - electricity, biofuels and heating and cooling.
The Roadmap also emphasises the need for the coordinated development of biofuels throughout the EU. It is particularly important to define these targets now, as manufacturers will soon be designing future vehicles that will need to run on these fuels. While biofuels are more expensive than other forms of renewable energy today, they are the only way to significantly reduce oil dependence in the transport sector over the next 15 years. The Commission therefore proposes a binding minimum target for biofuels of 10% of transport petrol and diesel by 2020.
Furthermore, the Commission will also aim to remove unreasonable barriers to the integration of renewable energy sources into EU energy systems and develop and liberalise the internal electricity market, where greater transparency will also allow innovative new players to enter. It will co-operate with grid authorities, electricity regulators and the renewable industry to enable better integration of renewable energy sources into the power grid. Last but not least, it will foster better use of the Community's financial instruments, notably the structural and cohesion funds.
If the Commission's objectives are to be met, Member States will also need to change their policy to increase the use of renewable energy significantly and in all fields: electricity, transport and heating and cooling. Member States will be called upon to ensure rapid, fair and simple authorisation procedures for renewable energies, improve pre-planning mechanisms in which regions and municipalities have to assign suitable locations for the deployment of renewable energies and integrate renewable energies into their regional and local plans. Indeed, regional and local authorities can help reach the objectives set by this Road map considerably.
