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To meet the EU’s targets for expanding renewable energy sources by 2030, significantly more wind turbines need to be installed by the end of the decade.
To this end, the European Commission is presenting a so-called wind energy package this Tuesday. The Commission wants to give new impetus to wind energy with various measures at different levels and policy areas.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen calls the international community’s wind industry “a European success story” but is currently facing “a unique mix of challenges”. In fact, the EU is lagging behind the global equation when it comes to wind energy expansion, as shown in an analysis published in August by think tank Ember: While 10 percent more was generated globally from January to June compared to the same period Last year the increase in EU countries was only 5 percent.
The wind industry association WindEurope speaks of a “huge crisis” in the wind energy sector. By 2030, renewable energy sources are expected to account for 42.5 percent of total energy consumption in the EU. According to WindEurope, this requires 420 gigawatts of installed wind power, according to spokesperson Christoph Zipf. Currently, just over 200 gigawatts have been installed.
According to WindEurope, turbine manufacturers are struggling with high raw material prices and inflation, spokesperson Zipf said. Another concern is that more and more producers from abroad, especially from China, are entering the European market.
The lengthy approval process for wind turbines and wind farms also hinders expansion, says Linda Kalcher of the Brussels think tank Strategic Perspectives. There are several years between the application and construction of wind turbines throughout Europe. “Due to long approval processes, the calculated costs can no longer be achieved,” she says.
The Brussels government wants to start at various points. To speed up approval processes, it plans an online tool that will support member states in the approval process. This is evident from a draft of the action plan that is available to the German news agency. According to the design, the tool aims to provide answers to frequently asked practical questions from the states related to the implementation of the revised approval rules. In general, procedures should be significantly more digitalized according to the design.
Auction procedures also need to be changed. Zipf of the trade association sees the greatest leverage here. Until now, the project developer who offers the lowest price at the auction is usually allowed to build a wind farm. According to the Commission’s draft, other factors should also be taken into account in the future, such as sustainability, protection of the environment and the seabed and delivery capacity. The Commission wants to make other criteria, such as cybersecurity, mandatory.
The Commission’s package is not a new law, so there are no new obligations for the states. Kalcher still believes that this is the right and important step: the Commission is stepping on the toes of national governments when it comes to faster approval procedures and is not giving up.
Sarah Brown, energy expert at think tank Ember, sees it the same way. Although the problem lies at Member State level, it is very important that the European Commission sets the direction and has an overarching plan and goal. These types of strategies can be a “really valuable stopgap while things are being implemented.”
(SDA)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
