Bioenergy Europe welcomes the adoption of the report on the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) delivered at the meeting of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) in the European Parliament.
The ITRE – report on the RED revision shows clear improvements on the Commission's proposal and Bioenergy Europe is pleased to see that Parliament has found a fair compromise that aims for higher climate and energy ambitions, while allowing industrial operators to be effective and competitive. on the market.
However, the committee decided not to vote on provisions related to sustainability criteria for biomass due to ENVI's exclusive jurisdiction over these sections.
It added: “We welcome the ITRE Committee's higher ambitions and the recognition that more needs to be done to accelerate our climate action and reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels.
“The higher targets for renewable energy of 45 percent in 2030, coupled with the higher sub-targets of renewable energy in industry of 1,9 percentage points (pp) and district heating of 2,3 pp. annual increases are desperately needed.”
This legislation also aims to expand the number of installers of renewable heat and prevent bottlenecks in this area. While Bioenergy Europe said it was pleased with the overall outcome of the ITRE vote, it said more investment, especially in renewable heating solutions, must be unlocked to achieve the common Green Deal targets: “This is essential as heating accounts for around half of Europe's energy consumption, and so any changes to European energy policy must aim to decarbonise heating.”
“Bioenergy already plays a key role in the EU's energy mix, accounting for almost 60 percent of all renewable energy sources and almost 18 percent of heating alone.
“In addition to a trade surplus, bioheat technologies are mostly manufactured in Europe and have a strong local component, with more than 50.000 companies (mainly family-owned and small and medium-sized enterprises) directly contributing to the EU's industrial competitiveness,” a spokesperson said.
“Investing in these technologies not only delivers clear benefits for combating climate change, but also generates significant added value and benefits for local development. Right now, when Europe's energy security is under threat, indigenous bioenergy can successfully replace fossil fuels.
“It is disappointing that the ITRE committee did not have the opportunity to discuss the sustainability criteria for biomass. Many of the provisions adopted by the ENVI Committee will have significant implications for the renewable energy sector. While we understand the allocation of powers within different committees, we hope that when the proposal is put to the vote in plenary this fall, these ongoing concerns that have not been addressed today will be resolved.”
Source: Bioenergyeurope.org
