PROVISIONAL DEAL ON RENEWABLE ENERGY DIRECTIVE (RED)
On the 30 March, the European Parliament and the Swedish Presidency of the Council reached a provisional deal on the Renewable energy Directive (RED). The negotiators agreed to increase the share of renewable energy in the EU's total energy consumption to 42.5% by 2030, with an additional 2.5% indicative top-up that could allow the target to reach 45%. The provisional agreement also includes sub-targets for the transport, industry, buildings, heating, and cooling sectors to speed up the integration of renewables in sectors where incorporation has been slower.
In the transport sector, Member States would be able to choose between a binding target of a 14.5% reduction of GHGs intensity in transport from the use of renewables by 2030 or a binding target of at least 29% share of renewables within the final consumption of energy in the transport sector by 2030. At the same time, a binding combined sub-target of 5.5% has been put in place for advanced biofuels and renewable fuels of non-biological origin in the share of renewable energies supplied to the transport sector. Within this target, there is a minimum requirement of 1% of renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs) in the share of renewable energies supplied to the transport sector in 2030.
The provisional agreement also includes accelerated permitting procedures for renewable energy projects to fast-track the deployment of renewable energies. The maximum period for national authorities to approve new renewable energy installations will be 18 months, if located in so-called “’renewables go-to areas’’ Outside such areas, the process should not exceed 27 months.
The provisional deal will now need to be endorsed by both COROPER I and the ENVI Committee. After their approval, the directive will need to be formally adopted by the Parliament and the Council before being published in the EU's Official Journal.
Source: Council of the EU, European Parliament