Eight Member States of the European Union (EU) – Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Austria, Poland, Greece, Spain and Luxembourg addressed the EU Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton and the EU Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson calling for attaching importance to the renewable energy resources (RES) industry in the EU recovery plan.
The crisis caused by Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the European economy and a major recovery plan for the European Union is under way to boost growth and employment. In this plan, RES and advanced technologies should play an important role not only in achieving the common climate objectives identified in the European Green Deal and in the Industrial Strategy but should become a catalyst for economic recovery.
“RES technologies produced and installed by local entrepreneurs would not only contribute to the development of the sector and foster the achievement of the green objectives but would also ensure more affordable prices and greater energy independence. This would create both new jobs and provide green energy at home,” emphasises the Minister of Economics Jānis Vitenbergs.
It is strategically important to ensure the production of RES as well as components of storage facilities in Europe, thereby bringing considerable economic benefits to EU citizens. Therefore, in the letter, ministers call for the inclusion of solar and wind energy production and storage technologies in the EU’s list of strategic value chains, increasing investment in these sectors, stimulating a competitive green energy industry with high added value. The EU is expected to invest more than two trillion euro in solar and wind energy over the next 30 years. At the same time, this will contribute to industrial development and job creation, create potential for the export of modern technologies, reduce the risks of delays in energy infrastructure projects and contribute to the security of energy supply in the Member States of the European Union.
As regards the promotion of wind energy, the letter stresses that the EU should accelerate the development of the energy potential of offshore wind by developing floating offshore wind power plant technology with high value-added. On the other hand, in the field of solar energy, the EU should focus on producing quality solar energy modules and on integrating solar energy into industry.
Cooperation between the RES sectors and other technologies, including digitalisation, will contribute to more efficient use of resources, the development of new technologies and industries, and will create new jobs, cause innovation development and overall economic growth.
In order to promote European green growth, the European Commission is encouraged to establish a Renewable Energy Industry Alliance by including representatives from all RES sectors in the Industrial Forum. It is also encouraged to include wind and solar energies in Europe’s strategic value chains, providing also specific support measures, including by giving priority to EU investment allocation between both existing and future calls for EU programmes. It is important that support mechanisms aim to promote the development of RES technologies.
Taking these aspects into account in the economic recovery plan will contribute to sustainable economic development and will benefit the economy in the long term. In view of the overall objectives of the EU Green Deal and the opportunities created by digitalisation, the economic recovery plan should address the whole stimulation of the RES ecosystem. Greener energy at lower prices is needed, which would reduce the costs of energy intensive industry and make Europe the most environmentally friendly region in the world.
Common settings and commitments will ensure progress towards a more climate-neutral Europe. In the context of economic recovery, strong Green Deal and digitalisation policy directions need to be followed, which will not only create clear indications for entrepreneurs but more specifically clear indications for entrepreneurs about policy direction and transparency.