We, large energy consumers, renewable energy producers, energy flexibility, storage, and grid technology providers, supply chain, and civil society organisations, are writing to express our serious concern with the delays and uncertainty regarding the final adoption of the Renewable Energy Directive.
As you know, the revised Renewable Energy Directive will be central to the delivery of our energy security and climate objectives as set out in REPowerEU, Europe’s energy response to the Ukraine war.
While we welcome the overall political agreement reached back in March, the embedded target will remain purely academic in the absence of delivery measures.
We are extremely concerned that the adoption of these measures is held up by a disagreement within Council on exemptions regarding a sub-target for the use of renewable fuels of non-biological origin. This disagreement is delaying the implementation of provisions, in particular on permitting, that are indispensable to the accelerated development of renewables. According to the International Energy Agency, renewable energy auctions in Europe went undersubscribed by 14 GW in the last year, largely due to slow and cumbersome permitting.
Every day that passes without a final Renewable Energy Directive slows the deployment of renewables projects that are badly needed to deliver globally competitive and home-grown energy to European businesses and families.
We therefore urge you to ensure the final adoption of the Renewable Energy Directive which your Presidency has skilfully steered to this point.
We trust you share our sense of urgency as we work to ensure Europe gets the most out of renewables to address the energy crisis and stay the course on climate action.