The heads of seven renewable energy associations have called upon the EU to prioritise the diversification of renewable energy supply as a matter of urgency.
A wider range of renewables will deliver a cleaner energy system that protects citizens and businesses from future energy shocks, said the associations which represent wave, tidal, geothermal and other alternatives to wind and solar PV.
The revised Renewables Directive needs a sub-target to incentivise national governments to roll out innovative and diverse renewable sources by 2030, the associations stated.
The 2022-23 Horizon Europe Work Programme should prioritise diverse renewable energy technologies with the greatest potential for innovation and scale-up, they added, and also urged the European Commission to start modelling how a system of diverse renewables will operate, and to inform policy-making with these findings.
“Europe’s early focus on wind and PV has delivered beyond anyone’s wildest expectations.
“Today’s shock is a clear signal to double down and replicate these successes with all of Europe’s abundant renewable energy sources,” said Remi Gruet (pictured), CEO of Ocean Energy Europe.
“The decarbonisation challenge is huge and multi-faceted. ‘Silver bullet’ or simple fixes will always be tempting … but only a diversity of renewable sources will provide the ultimate solution,” said Marcel Bial, secretary general of the European Solar Thermal Electricity Association.
Philippe Dumas, secretary general of the European Geothermal Energy Council, added: “100% renewable energy system is possible only with the combination of all renewable energy sources.
“This is the only low cost, employment-rich, energy secure and sustainable solution pathway to meeting the EU’s 2030 and 2050 targets.”