The current energy crisis, amplified by Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, has underlined the need to reduce EU dependence on Russian fossil fuels and to diversify and secure the EU’s energy supply by focusing on greener alternatives, such as renewables. In addition, the EU wants to lead the green transition to counter the climate crisis.

Deciding on new EU renewable energy targets for 2030

Europe’s ambitious climate efforts are set out in the Fit for 55 climate package. The EU’s goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 55% by 2030, and become climate neutral by 2050. Parliament will agree its position on the update of the EU’s renewable energy directive in September. The update aims to raise the share of renewables in the EU’s energy mix from the current target of 32% by 2030. In July 2022, Parliament's energy committee called for the target to be raised to 45%.

The European Commission’s REPowerEU plan, presented in May 2022, stresses the need to accelerate the clean energy transition and phase out energy imports from Russia by scaling up the share of renewables in power generation, industry, buildings and transport to 45% by 2030.

Increasing the share of renewables across sectors in the EU

The Commission is also proposing updated targets in the following sectors:

• Buildings - 49% of renewables use by 2030.
  
• Heating and cooling - the existing indicative 1.1 percentage point annual increase becomes binding on EU countries,
  
• District heating and cooling - an indicative 2.1 percentage point annual increase in the use of renewables and waste heat and cold (an increase from the current 1.0 point increase)
  
• Industry - a new benchmark of a 1 percentage point annual increase in renewables use

MEPs back the Commission’s buildings target but want to raise the annual increase for heating and cooling to 2.3 points. . They also want a more ambitious 1.9 point target for industry,

MEPs want EU countries to:

• Develop at least two cross-border projects for the expansion of green electricity by 2025
• Ensure at least 5% of newly installed renewable energy capacity comes from innovative renewable energy technology

EU measures to promote cleaner energy also address the issue of the energy efficiency of buildings, household appliances and energy poverty.

Renewable goals at national level

The table shows how EU countries met the 2020 renewable energy goals.

Share of energy from renewable sources (in % of gross final energy consumption)

Ref.: 20171124STO88813
www.europarl.europa.eu