The EU 2020 Renewable Energy Directive

By Jessica Bejerea

The Problem

• Dependency on imports

• Dependency on limited fossil fuels

• The impact of fossil fuels on the environment

• Obligations under Kyoto Protocol

• Only 8.5% of the energy produced by the EU 27 comes from renewable energy sources

The Problem

“The challenges of transforming Europe’s energy system remain urgent and daunting: the EU currently imports approx. 55% of its energy – and might reach 70% in the next 20 to 30 years. In 2030 the EU will be importing 84% of its gas, 59% of its coal and 94% of its oil. In these circumstances, it is obvious that the challenge to satisfy our energy needs is big.”

- The European Renewable Energy Council, “RE-Thinking 2050: A 100% Renewable Energy Vision for the European Union”

In 2009 The EU Issued a Directive That Promotes the use of Energy from Renewable SourcesPurposes• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and comply with the

Kyoto Protocol

• Promote energy security

• Promote technological development and innovation

• Create job opportunities and regional development, especially in rural and isolated areas

The EU’s 2020 Directive Has Three Primary Objectives

• Reduce GHGs 20% below 1990 levels• Reduce emissions by 20% by improving

energy efficiency, and• Increase the share of energy derived from

renewables to 20%

How it Will be Accomplished

• Each of the 27 EU States is assigned a series of individualized progressive “targets” starting with 2011

• Each State must submit a National Renewable Energy Action Plan by June 2010

• Statistical Transfers• Joint projects between member States and with

third countries

How it Will be Accomplished

• Guarantees of origin• Access to the electricity grid for energy from

renewable sources• Sustainability criteria for biofuels and

bioliquids

EU Renewable Energy Targets Are Similar in Principle to Renewable Portfolio Standards in the US• 28 US states have binding standards

• 5 states have non-binding standards (ND, SD, UT, VA, and VT)

• Maine (40% by 2017) and California (33% by 2030) have the most stringent requirements

• Illinois– 25% by 2025

– Eligible Renewable: Solar Thermal Electric, Photovoltaics, Landfill Gas, Wind, Biomass, Hydroelectric, Biodiesel

– Investor Owned Electric Utilities: 75% of the standard must come from wind

– Alternative retail electric suppliers: 60% of the standard must come from wind

EU 27 in 2005

Percentage of energy derived from renewable energy sources in 2005

EU 27 in 2020

Percentage of energy to be derived from renewable energy sources in 2020

2007 Share of Technologies of the Overall Renewable Electricity Portfolio for Each Member State

*Hydro does not include pumped storage.

State Action Plans

• States must identify the percentage of renewable energy that it will procure from three sectors:• Transport

• Electricity*

• Heating and cooling

• States must identify the technology mix that they will use to meet their targets

• The plans must also include a list of activities that the member state will implement to meet its target

• If a member state fails to meet an indicative trajectory target it must submit an amended action plan

*excludes electricity produced in pumped storage units from water that has previously been pumped uphill.

State Action Plans: Analysis*

• 45% of the renewable energy target will be met by the electricity sector• 41% to be derived from wind

• 29% onshore (approximately)

• 12% offshore (approximately)

• 31% from hydropower

• 18% from biomass

• 9% from solar energy (mostly Solar photovoltaic)

Combined data for 21 countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Slovenia and the United Kingdom.

State Action Plans: Analysis*

• 43% of the mandate will be met in the heating and cooling sector• 80% to be derived from biomass

• 12% will be met in the transportation sector• 66% Biodiesel

• 22% Bioethanol

• 10% renewable electricity

*Combined data for 21 countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Slovenia and the United Kingdom.

Further Analysis

• Estimated that 10 Member States will exceed their 2020 targets

• Five Member States anticipate a deficit

• Overall, EU will exceed the 20% renewable energy mandate by more than 0.3 percentage points

Specific State Action Plans

• United Kingdom• Germany• Spain

State Action Plans: United Kingdom

• 15% 2020 target• Current sectoral targets: • 30% electricity

• 12% heating/cooling, and

• 10% transportation

• How the UK will attain its target• Obtain financial support for renewable energy

• Remove barriers to delivery of renewable energy

• Develop and invest in new technologies

State Action Plans: United Kingdom

• Obtain financial support for renewable energy• Includes a system of feed-in tariffs in electricity

• Renewable Obligation Certificates and

• UK will potentially establish a Green Investment Bank to help fund the introduction of renewable energy

• Remove barriers to delivery• Make the grid “smarter” in part by rolling out smart

meters

State Action Plans: United Kingdom

• Develop new technologies• develop an offshore electricity grid

• encouraging the development and commercialization of marine energy (tidal and wave) over the coming decade

• network of marine energy parks

State Action Plans: United Kingdom

State Action Plans: Germany

• 18% 2020 target• Current sectoral targets: • 38.6% electricity

• 15.5% heating/cooling, and

• 13.2% transportation

• Combined -> 19.6%

• Estimated 1.6% renewable energy surplus can be used in cooperative projects or statistical transfer

State Action Plans: Germany

Germany will develop solar energy to help meet its 2020 renewable energy targets for the electricity sector

State Action Plans: Germany

• Heating and cooling • 2005 – 94% biomass

• By 2020 the mix will become diversified• 79% biomass

• 9% Solar thermal energy

• 8% heat pumps

State Action Plans: Spain

• 20% 2020 target

• 8.7% in 2005

• Current sectoral targets: • 40% electricity;

• 18.9% heating/cooling; and

• 13.6% transportation

• 22.7% renewable energy surplus that can be used in cooperative projects or statistical transfer

State Action Plans: Spain

• Planned projects include• Invest in R&D for innovation in energy storage

systems.

• Develop marine technologies to increase the potential of marine renewable energies, and remove barriers to developing marine energy projects

• Adopt a smart grid system of transmission and distribution

• Establish international interconnections with France and Portugal

The EU Pledged to Increase Their Targets If Other Developed Countries Agree to Reduce Emissions• Each objective would increase to 30%• The additional reduction would come from

improved demand-side efficiency and a reduction of carbon-intensive supply-side investments

If They Succeed …

• The EU community would serve as a renewable energy role model for other countries

• The European Renewable Energy Council: 100% renewables by 2050!

EREC 100% by 2050

• How to get to 100%– Full liberalization of the energy market

– Use smart grids

– Hybrid energy solutions

– Virtual power plants

– Eliminate all subsidies for fossil and nuclear energy

– EU wide carbon tax

– Transportation: shift from oil to hydrogen and electricity with almost complete reliance on renewable electricity by 2050

Europe in 2050?