European Commission analysing higher 45% renewable energy

The European Commission is assessing whether the European Union could achieve a higher target of a 45per cent share of renewable energy by 2030, instead of its proposed 40per cent, to accelerate its shift from Russian fossil fuels following the invasion of Ukraine.

“We are working on it full speed to take account, first of all the proposal of going from 40per cent to 45per cent, but also in the context of higher energy prices,” Mechthild Woersdoerfer, deputy director-general of the Commission’s energy department, told a meeting of EU lawmakers on Wednesday.

Russia is the EU’s top gas supplier, and the 40per cent renewable energy goal for 2030 was proposed by the Commission last year.

The EU got 22per cent of its gross final energy consumption from renewables like wind, solar and biomass in 2020. The share varies widely between EU countries, ranging from more than 50per cent in Sweden to below 10per cent in Luxembourg.

The new target will depend on EU countries and the European Parliament, which are negotiating it as part of a major package of climate change laws to cut EU emissions faster.

A 45per cent renewable goal already has support from the EU assembly’s lead negotiator and renewable industry groups such as SolarPower Europe - although industry has urged Brussels to do more to unblock years-long permitting delays.

Markus Pieper, Parliament’s lead lawmaker, said the new analysis was needed urgently so it could inform the ongoing negotiations, and urged the Commission not to wait until after the summer.