OEE: Europe needs diversified renewable energy supply

Reacting to the conclusions of the extraordinary Energy Council, renewable energy associations have urged Europe to prioritise the diversification of renewable energy supply.

The heads of seven renewable energy associations called upon Europe to provide a wider range of renewables that will deliver a cleaner energy system that protects citizens and businesses from future energy shocks.

According to Ocean Energy Europe (OEE), the recent increase in fossil gas prices shows how much European economic and social life depends upon a stable energy supply.

However, increasing the quantity alone to accelerate the transition to renewable energy sources is not enough, the association warned.

“Together with wind and solar PV, Europe can call upon geothermal, solar heat, wave, hydro, concentrated solar power and tidal energy. Collectively these renewable sources can provide decarbonised and balanced energy at any point in the day, season or year”, OEE said.

The associations suggested the following actions in order to deliver on 100% renewables future:

• The revised Renewables Directive needs a sub-target to incentivise national governments to roll out innovative and diverse renewable sources by 2030,
• The 2022-23 Horizon Europe Work Programme should prioritise diverse renewable energy technologies with the greatest potential for innovation and scale-up, and
• The European Commission needs to start modelling how a system of diverse renewables will operate, and to inform policy-making with these findings.

“Europe’s early focus on wind and PV has delivered beyond anyone’s wildest expectations. Today’s shock is a clear signal to double down and replicate these successes with all of Europe’s abundant renewable energy sources“, said Rémi Gruet, CEO of Ocean Energy Europe.

“The IEA’s Global Energy Review 2021 concluded that the share of renewables in global electricity generation jumped to 29% in 2020. We are here to deliver – fast and diversified”, added Dörte Fouquet, director of European Renewable Energies Federation.