There are only seven years left to meet some of the climate goals set by the European Commission if it wants to reduce pollutant emissions by at least 55% compared to 1990 values. And yesterday another of the most important legislations to achieve- yes: the states and the Eurochamber agreed to increase to 42.5% the share of renewables in total energy consumption, practically doubling the annual percentage. In addition, following the demands of France, the role of hydrogen of nuclear origin is partially recognized.
The agreement reached, which still needs to be ratified by the countries and the Parliament, is a review of the Renewable Energy directive and which in its current form, according to the European Commission, was not enough to meet the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement. Nor is it enough to commit to increasing the use of clean energies and thus reaching climate neutrality by 2050.
The talks were expected to be tense between the institutions and also very long. After all night of negotiations, the agreement was reached after eight in the morning. With the pact, a goal of 32% to 42.5% in the consumption of renewables is passed, although with the commitment to reach 45%, one of the main milestones of the battery of measures that make up the Fit for 55 plan.
The negotiations were prolonged mainly because a group of countries led by France asked for a more relevant role for hydrogen obtained with nuclear energy, known as pink hydrogen. It was opposed by Spain or Germany, among other countries. The decision taken will affect its use in the decarbonisation of industry, a sector which for the first time is included in the renewable energy directive. In the agreement, it is established that the use of clean energy in the industry must increase by 1.6% per year, with the binding objective that 42% of the hydrogen used comes from renewable fuels non-biological origin by 2030 and 60% by 2035. “A very high percentage”, admitted the negotiator on behalf of the Eurochamber, the German of the European People’s Party, Markus Pieper.
However, with the aim of finding a balance between those countries that requested more weight of nuclear-derived hydrogen and those that rejected it, Member States who wish to do so will be able to reduce this industry contribution if they comply with the national target for the use of renewables, and yet pink hydrogen will only be able to represent a maximum of 23% of consumption by 2030 and 20% in 2035.
Pieper, in any case, was skeptical about the fact that any country can reach a percentage of renewables higher than 40% in such a short time in order to be able to make use of pink hydrogen. “The pressure from some countries to use nuclear energy has not failed, but its use will be very restricted”, he warned.
In the transport sector, greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by 14.5% between now and 2030, or at least 29% of the energy consumed by the sector must be of renewable origin. 5.5% of its consumption may be biofuels or synthetic hydrocarbons.
An indicative target for the use of renewables in buildings, heating and cooling has also been included. At least 49% of the energy consumed must be clean.
