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Event HighlightsPower Choices: Eurelectric Carbon-Neutrality Study Stimulates Lively Debate At European Parliament Event
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Event HighlightsPower Choices: Eurelectric Carbon-Neutrality Study Stimulates Lively Debate At European Parliament Event
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Dr Kyte responded to arguments from Mr Turmes and others that the model
was grossly underestimating the development of renewable energies and
failing even to make the EU 2020 targets for RES deployment. The Power
Choices scenario sees RES take a 19.1% share of total EU energy by 2020,
which translates to 95% of the 20% RES target - without taking into account
imports from non-EU countries - and sees RES claim over 50% of all power
investment and - at 38% - the largest share of generation by 2050. RES are
costed in the model and compete with other power sources in line with the
economic efficiency criterion, without favour or ideology, he stressed.
European Commission Director Jos Delbeke praised the study for
demonstrating that the 2050 carbon-neutrality target is feasible and
realistic. He pointed out that the EU lawmakers have decided on a relatively
simple approach to regulation of the power sector: setting up a framework to
discover a market price for emitted carbon dioxide and for a liberalised
electricity market, rather than "technical regulation" based on a command
and control approach. The steadily-reducing - by 1.74% per year - GHG
emissions cap will drive CO2 reductions through a market-based
system and "we should let the market decide on specific technology",
he argued. Mr Delbeke also underlined the 
Nick Campbell of BusinessEurope underlined the key takeaway: the study
shows that carbon neutral electricity is feasible in Europe by 2050 at
reasonable economic cost without neglecting energy supply security. However,
the global challenge of climate change could not be addressed by the EU
alone: non-EU companies must be brought on board to make comparable efforts
to reduce GHG emissions, he underlined.