Commission is blind to renewables' potential, keeps Europe stuck on gas

18 February 2016
by greenpeace -- last modified 18 February 2016

The Commission published on 16 February a gas package proposal which fails to recognise that renewables and energy efficiency can secure Europe’s energy supply. It defies the commitments taken under the Paris climate agreement last December.

iri Jerabek, energy policy adviser at Greenpeace EU, said: “It’s like the Paris agreement never happened and the Commission is stuck on gas, dishing out a costly proposal that will keep Europe hooked on energy imports. It is high time Europe embraces the renewable energy transition. Only if it focuses on renewables and energy efficiency will Europe meet its climate targets and reduce its dependence on foreign energy supplies”.

A recent report by the European Court of Auditors on security of supply states that ‘the Commission has persistently overestimated gas demand (…), and needs to restore the credibility of the forecasts it uses’. As a 2014 Greenpeace analysis showed, strong EU efforts to deploy renewable energy and energy efficiency can lead to a 45 per cent share of renewables in 2030. This would help Europe avoid annual imports of about 90 billion cubic meters of gas by 2030.  

The Commission is likely to once again overstate future gas demand, if it ignores the contribution of renewable energy and energy efficiency in decarbonising Europe’s economy and securing energy supplies.

Natural gas will continue to play a role in the energy system, but must be strictly limited to prevent it from blocking the expansion of renewables. When implementing its gas package, the Commission must take into account that gas demand is shrinking and that renewable energy and energy efficiency are the priority to increase Europe’s security of supply, and fight global warming.

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