Renewable & Green Energy, and Low Carbon Technology in Europe

The European Union countries are rated the second global leaders in developing and applying renewable energy. Renewable energy is important for combating global warming and it is vital that the EU reduces its dependence on foreign energy imports in order to do so. Countries are able to do this by meeting the targets they set out for themselves and by promoting renewable energy sources to their citizens.

Before the 2004 European Conference for Renewable Energy in Berlin the EU had only set targets up to the year 2010, therefore, this goal for 2020 proves the EU’s long-term commitment to the sector.

Renewable Energy  

Renewable energy sectors include: 

• Bioenergy (Biofuel)
• Geothermal – the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) promotes geothermal energy use in the EU
• Wind power – the EU is especially interested in implementing this in Germany, Spain, Denmark, Portugal and Ireland. EU members contribute approximately 75% of the world’s wind power and have generated over 25,000 jobs within the European Union
• Solar –including Photovoltaic solar power and solar heating and cooling
• Wave power – the first commercial wave farm worldwide is located in Povoa de Varzim, Portugal and other types of hydropower such as tides and damns are also used to create energy
• Hydrogen fuel – a programme for trialing battery powered vehicles is currently sponsored by the European Commission
• Anaerobic digestion – uses biodegradable waste to produce energy and reduce emission of landfill gas

The EU is the world’s leading importer of gas and oil and is currently importing 82% of its oil and 57% of its gas. Only 3% of the uranium used in European nuclear reactors was mined in Europe.

The five largest suppliers of nuclear materials to the EU are Russia, Canada, Australia, Nigeria and Kazakhstan; in 2009 they supplied more than 75% of its nuclear fuel.

The EU Energy Policy, approved by the European Council in October 2005, was produced to create a low-carbon economy, increase competition in the energy market, improve the security of the supply and employment prospects.

Key Proposals: 

• 20% (minimum) cut in greenhouse gas emissions, by 2020 from levels in 1990, from all primary energy sources
• A 50% cut in carbon emissions from all primary energy sources by 2050
• Energy use to include a minimum of 10% of biofuels by 2020
• Energy companies should separate their fuel supply and generation activities from their distribution networks to increase market competition
• Improving relations with Europe’s neighbouring countries, such as Russia
• European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) to develop technologies in areas including renewable energy, low-energy buildings, conservation of energy, 4^th generation nuclear power, clean coal and carbon capture
• To help Africa use low-carbon technologies by developing an African-Europe energy partnership, helping Europe develop as a sustainable energy supplier

In addition to these points, another key proposal states that the global temperature currently should not increase by 2 °C above pre-industrial levels, in order to keep global warming contained.

Funding the SET Plan

The Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development (FP) were created to fund initiatives created by the EU and encourage and support research. The seventh FP research programme (FP7) only reserved a small amount of funding for energy research, so it has been difficult to develop and improve the energy market.

The new target is to increase funding by placing the EU at the forefront of the low-carbon technologies market.

SET Plan Initiatives include:  

• Solar Europe Industry Initiative – large-scale demonstration for photovoltaics and concentrated solar power
• European Wind Initiative – development of large turbines as well as improving validation and demonstration systems
• European Industrial Biofuel Initiative – focusing on future biofuels using a general bio-energy use strategy 
• European CO₂ Capture, Transport and Storage Initiative – looks at system requirements and ensuring that there are no emission fossil power plants at an industrial scale
• European Electricity Grid Initiative – developing the Smart Grid electricity system, including the building of a European centre where research can be carried out into the European transmission network
• Sustainable Nuclear Fission Initiative – developing Generation IV reactor technologies

In 2006, the EU shared only 14.65% of renewable energies in gross electrical consumption. Even though some countries may have a high consumption rate, such as Austria which ranks top with a 62.89% usage of renewable energies, others use a miniscule amount, for example Estonia uses 1.91% of its share, Cyprus uses only 0.02% and Malta uses none at all.

Treaties have also been signed within the EU to encourage people to use renewable energy sources, such as the Amsterdam Treaty and the Maastricht Treaty, which promotes stable growth while protecting the environment.

Countries worldwide have promised to achieve global targets in the renewable energy industry. The Johannesburg Renewable Energy Coalition (JREC) aims to co-operate with various governments to promote the use of renewable energy sources by creating reasonable, yet ambitious, objectives. The coalition is working with a total of more than 80 member countries, including Brazil, South Africa, New Zealand and the EU.

Targets

Each country in the European Union has achieved individual goals when combating global warming:

• By the end of 2007, renewable energy was used to provide Germany with 14.88% of its electricity production
• Portugal launched the E4 Programme (Energy Efficiency and Endogenous Energies) in 2001, to promote a consistent approach to energy supply and demand. In Portugal, over 40% of all annual energy production comes from renewable energy