EU Parliament: 45% target for renewable energy consumption approved

At its plenary session in Strasbourg, the European Parliament has given its final approval to measures promoting the use of renewable energy. “Renewables will have to make up 42.5% of the EU’s energy consumption by 2030, with the aim of achieving 45%”. The measures are in line with the Green Deal and REPowerEU plans, the European Parliament announced in a statement, pointing out that the legislation was adopted with 470 votes to 120, with 40 abstentions. The update of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), already agreed upon between MEPs and Council, provides for streamlined “procedures to grant permits for new renewable energy power plants, such as solar panels or wind turbines, or to adapt existing ones”. National authorities “should take no longer than 12 months” to approve new renewable energy installations in “renewables go-to areas”. Outside these areas, the process should not exceed 24 months. In the transport sector, renewables deployment should lead to a 14.5% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, by using a greater share of biofuels and hydrogen. MEPs call on EU countries to “set an indicative target for innovative renewable energy technology of at least 5% of newly installed renewable energy capacity, as well as a binding framework for cross-border energy projects”. Biomass harvesting should not have negative impacts on soil quality and biodiversity.
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