The European Parliament has found a broad consensus for reducing the EU's dependency on fossil fuels by boosting the sector of renewable energy sources. In a parliamentary vote on 29 September 2005, MEPs restated their call for an ambitious mandatory target for the share of renewable energy in the EU's energy mix for the period after 2010. In a non-binding report, Parliament emphasises that a target of at least 25% by 2020 has been proven to be feasible. This would confirm the EU as the world leader in renewable energies, as well as combat climate change and boost innovation and job creation.
MEPs have called on the Commission to come up with new legislative initiatives in the area of renewables in order to put an end to market distortions penalising the production of renewable energy. These distortions stem from decades of subsidies for conventional energy sources such as coal and oil, according to MEPs.
The report gives a strategic overview on where renwable policies stand in Europe and suggests focusing on the following areas:
- Heating and cooling
The heating and cooling of buildings accounts for 40% of the total EU energy consumption. MEPs call for an approach that combines increased energy efficiency with the use of low density energies like the 'waste' energy from electricity production (cogeneration) or solar thermal collectors.
- Fair market access for renewables
The report criticises the fact that renewables are still not granted fair access to the electricity grids and that they face administrative barriers which hamper their growth. MEPs also call on member states to review subsidies to environmentally harmful conventional energies such as coal and nuclear. Moreover, the 'polluter pays' principle and an internalisation of external costs should be applied to all energy resources.
- Biomass
MEPs regret that the enormous potential of biomass has not been sufficiently exploited. They suggest the use of structural and cohesion funds to promote the use of biomass. Moreover, all unnecessary tax burdens for the users of biomass should be abolished.
- Research & Development
In order to boost European research in renewables R&D, the report calls for an increase of funding for RES and energy efficiency in the EU's 7th Reserach Framework Programme (FP7).
Parliament also adopted a resolution as a reaction to high oil prices. They call on Europe to diversify its energy sources and to promote energy efficiency and renewables, in order to make the EU "the least fossil-fuel dependent and most energy-efficient economy in the world by 2020".
