(Strasbourg / Berlin) – Last week, MEPs voted to increase the share of renewable energy in the EU's final energy consumption to 2030 percent by 45. In doing so, they adopted a proposal from the European Commission to revise the Renewable Energy Directive. Under current legislation, the EU is obliged to cover at least 2030 percent of its energy consumption from renewable energy sources by 32.
Higher quota for hydrogen in the transport sector
The directive also sets sub-targets for sectors such as transport, buildings and district heating and cooling. In the transport sector, the use of renewable energy should lead to a 16 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through a higher proportion of biofuels and a quota for “renewable fuels of non-biogenic origin such as hydrogen,” according to a statement from the plenary office.
Use for air and sea transport
The parliamentarians also affirm that hydrogen “can be used as a feedstock or energy source in industrial and chemical processes and in air and maritime transport,” “thereby decarbonizing sectors of the economy where direct electrification is not technically possible or uncompetitive”; In addition, “where it is necessary, for energy storage to balance the energy system,” which is why it “is of considerable importance in the integration of energy systems.”
In addition, it is “also important to promote research and innovation in the field of clean energy sources such as hydrogen in order to meet the increasing demand for alternative fuels and, above all, to bring energy onto the market whose production costs are lower than those of fossil fuels such as diesel. Heating oil or gasoline”.
“Renewable” only from renewable sources
“Renewable” is defined as hydrogen “produced in compliance with sustainability requirements by electrolysis of water (in an electrolyzer powered by electricity from renewable sources) or by reforming biogas or by biochemical conversion of biomass,” according to the document. Member States also provide for “a uniform system of guarantees of origin for hydrogen produced with electricity from renewable energy sources”. They should also establish a legal framework “that can include support measures for industry and promote the use of energy and hydrogen from renewable sources by industry”.
The MPs and the Czech Presidency will now begin negotiations on the draft legislation.
Photos
The European Parliament in Strasbourg © European Parliament / EP
Amendments by the European Parliament to the EU Commission's proposal “Renewable Energy Directive”
