With its 2050 Roadmaps the European Union is setting out a plan to meet the long-term target of reducing emissions by 80 to 95% by 2050 and is exploring routes towards a decarbonised energy system. All the scenarios of the European Commission indicate a growing share of renewables. A strong growth of renewable energy is described as a 'no regrets' option. A main challenge today is to ensure that strong growth in renewable energy continues after 2020 when the current renewables framework with binding targets expires.
What is needed at the EU, national and regional levels to accelerate a shift towards renewable energy sources throughout Europe? How can the German energy transition (“Energiewende”) be embedded within its European context? And what role can and should the subnational level play to enhance renewables development in Europe?
The focus of this roundtable discussion with a selected round of representatives from politics, industries and civil society organisations was to debate prospects for the European renewables policy after 2020. Key recommendations of the report A European Union for Renewable Energy – Policy Op-tions for Better Grids and Support Schemes were presented by the co-author of the report Sascha Müller-Kraenner (Ecologic Institute). The key issues of the report were debated in the add-on discussion.
Franz Untersteller, Minister of the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector, Baden-Württemberg, commented the paper and presented initiatives of Baden-Württemberg, the economic powerhouse in the South of Germany. He underlined the importance of the development of an integrated energy and climate protection law, which focuses on the implementation of a 50-80-90 formula: 50 percent energy efficiency, 80 percent renewables and 90 percent CO2 reduction.
Furthermore, the collaboration between German States and the European Union especially regarding support systems as well as challenges and opportunities for regional capacity markets in the EU were debated. The discussion at the table also comprised the development and possibilities of a European capacity market, the challenges of the implementation of the Renewables guideline in the EU Member States and the structure of EU support systems.
Other main speakers included Prof. Michael Köhler, Head of Cabinet, EU Energy Commissioner Oettinger, and Claude Turmes, Vice-Chair of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance in the European Parliament. Bastian Hermisson, Director of the Heinrich Böll Foundation’s EU Office, moderated the debate.