European Union and Renewable Energy
Department of Energy and Climate Change agreed with Member States to an EU-wide target of 20% renewable energy by 2020. The UK’s proposed share would be to achieve 15% of the UK’s energy from renewables. That is almost a tenfold increase in renewable energy consumption from where we are now. It will involve all of us in a revolution in how we use and generate energy. The opportunities are significant in the UK and beyond. The market for renewable energy technologies and investments will grow substantially.
France
Over 75% of French electricity comes from nuclear power plants. France is the largest net exporter of electricity in the world. Electricity exports generate over 3 billion euros of revenue a year for France. French electricity costs are among the lowest in Europe, A major factor in the low cost of electricity in France is the use of a single reactor design, which allows for economies of scale. French CO2 emissions are among the lowest in the developed world, with 10 tons of CO2 equivalents per person per year. Danish citizens emit an average of 14 tons of CO2 equivalents per person per year. Even Iceland, with its abundance of geothermal energy for heating, has higher per Capita emissions at 10.4 tons of CO2 equivalents per Capita.
Italy
Italy introduced an incentive scheme in 2007 for solar power to guarantee operators up to 0.49 euros/KWh produced for 20 years. Beside commissioning the world’s biggest rooftop photovoltaic power installation, covering 270,000 square meters, work on eight new PV plants has recently been completed.
Spain
In Spain green energy is regulated by the Orden ITC/1522/2007, which believes that renewable energy and high efficiency cogeneration is a priority for the Union and its member states for reasons of security and diversity of energy supply, and the protection of the environment and economy. Order ITC/1522/2007 states that the exploitation of renewable energy sources can provide a source of local employment, contribute to a secure energy supply, and help make compliance with the objectives within the Kyoto Protocol
Portugal
José Sócrates, the Portuguese Prime-minister said that Portugal is to become one of the largest producers and users of this type of energy in Europe by 2010, and that Portugal has a great potential to produce solar, water, waves, geothermic and wind energies. Already boasting the world’s largest photovoltaic farm, the power station is expected to have an installed capacity of 62MWp from a total of over 376,000 solar panels. Economics Minister, Manuel Pinho, expects Portugal to generate 31% of all its energy from clean sources by 2020, lifting its renewable electricity share from 20% in 2005 to 60% in 2020, and has passed its target for 2010.
EU Emissions Trading Scheme
The EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is a Europe wide scheme which aims to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and combat the serious threat of climate change. EU ETS puts a price on carbon that businesses use and creates a market for carbon. It has been in place since 2005 and is the first scheme of its kind in the world.
The UK is committed to building on the EU ETS as its main way of pricing carbon in the economy, to ensure emissions are effectively limited, and sees the EU ETS Review as an excellent opportunity to map out a long term policy framework and provide clear and convincing signals about the scheme. The key areas that need to be addressed to ensure EU ETS meets its potential are as follows:
- setting safe, stable and affordable emissions limits
- building a global carbon market
- expanding the scheme
