Recently, as a legislative proposal to the European Parliament, the European Commission (hereinafter referred to as the "EU") announced the latest RePowerEU action plan - "European Joint Action on Affordable, Safe and Sustainable Energy" (hereinafter referred to as the "Action Plan"). The Action Plan builds on the version released on March 8 and adds new measures to address the impact of the current complex situation on global energy markets. The European Union has said it wants to speed up the breakaway from dependence on Russian oil, gas and coal. Last year, the EU's total energy imports from Russia amounted to 99 billion euros, accounting for 62% of its purchases of Russian imports, of which oil was the most important product, followed by natural gas and coal.
Plan to strengthen EU climate targets
Although many of the EU's recent measures are more like a "last resort", they have actually promoted the EU's sustainable development process and objectively strengthened the EU's 2030 climate goals. The Action Plan is based on the EU Green Act "Fit for 55" and continues to include encouraging energy conservation and speeding up the approval process for renewable energy projects. In addition to this, there is a new initiative to increase solar power installations across the EU.
The Action Plan released this time also sets targets for renewable energy, increases the EU's 2030 renewable energy development target from 40% to 45% of energy supply, and accelerates the approval process for renewable energy projects. It means that the EU's installed renewable energy capacity in 2030 is expected to increase from the current 511 million kilowatts to 1236 million kilowatts. The "Action Plan" also pointed out that by 2030, the EU's photovoltaic installed capacity will increase to 600 million kilowatts.
The Action Plan calls for further strengthening of energy efficiency targets. The previous target was to reduce the total energy consumption of the EU as a whole by 9% in 2030 (compared to 2020), and the Action Plan proposes to raise the target to 13%. The "Action Plan" also specifically added a hydrogen energy development target, requiring the EU's internal hydrogen production based on renewable energy to reach 10 million tons by 2030, while importing 10 million tons of green hydrogen. The Action Plan states that behavioral changes can reduce oil and gas demand by 5% in the short term, and calls on member states to strengthen energy-saving advocacy for households and industry.
Build Beihai into a "Green Power Center"
On the same day (May 18) that the "Action Plan" was released, two other noteworthy events on climate change occurred in the international community.
First, Denmark, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands jointly announced at the "North Sea Offshore Wind Power Summit" that they would build the North Sea into a "green power center" in Europe, and promised to increase the installed offshore wind power capacity of these countries to 150 million kilowatts by 2050; In 2030, the total installed capacity will reach 65 million kilowatts. The countries have also pledged to build a new "energy island" to better connect offshore wind and onshore power grids. European Union Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson commented on the North Sea Summit: "The North Sea is an ideal place to lead the rapid expansion of offshore wind power capacity, and as the birthplace of offshore wind power technology - Denmark has opened this new chapter. With the "Action Plan" , and all the declarations signed at the North Sea Summit will contribute to the EU's comprehensive energy transition."
Second, at the press conference of the World Meteorological Organization's "State of the Climate Report", UN Secretary-General Guterres pointed out: "The impact of the recent superposition of various factors on energy prices has once again sounded the alarm, only the future of renewable energy will be used. A sustainable future." Guterres proposes the following key actions to initiate the renewable energy transition. He said: "First, technologies such as energy storage systems must be treated as globally necessary public goods and easily accessible. Second, the supply of key components and raw materials for renewable energy technologies must be guaranteed, and the scale of supply must be expanded and increased. Channels. Third, to level the playing field for renewable energy, governments must build frameworks and reform institutions. Fourth, governments must end price subsidies for fossil fuels. Fifth, private and public sectors must expand renewable energy The investment in renewable energy should reach at least $4 trillion per year.”
In early April, EU countries reached a decision to stop importing Russian coal from August 10, after the EU imports 4 billion euros worth of coal from Russia every year. To meet current energy needs, some EU countries (Greece, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Germany, Italy) have mentioned delaying the coal withdrawal process. But more people believe that if the EU green bill can be implemented, a short-term increase in coal consumption will not undermine the EU's climate ambitions.
The EU has no plans to ban imports of Russian natural gas. However, the EU will cut Russian gas imports by two-thirds by the end of this year, according to a plan released by the EU on March 8.
So has the EU set a timetable for the complete phase-out of gas? The answer is clearly no, although the EU has made it clear that gas has no future in Europe. However, the specific timing of the EU's complete phase-out of natural gas has not yet been announced. In 2021, the European Union had recommended that member states end all long-term gas deals by 2049 at the latest, a year before they achieve "climate neutrality".
The EU has recently emphasized the role of promoting renewable energy development goals in replacing imported natural gas. According to the climate targets set by the "Fit For 55" package, EU gas consumption is expected to decrease rapidly by 2030, by about 32% to 37%.
In addition, EU countries are also working on timetables at the national level. On April 19, the Danish government laid out a roadmap to wean itself off Russian gas imports - although this will temporarily increase North Sea gas extraction. In addition, Denmark plans to quadruple its onshore wind and solar power generation by 2030, and proposes to become a net exporter of green energy by the end of the century. As a member of the Beyond Oil and Gas alliance, Denmark has pledged to get rid of oil and gas by 2050.
