The European Union is about to take a major step to reduce the burden of energy dependence and energy shortages in Russia.
The European Union plans to announce next week a plan to "digitize the energy system", investing 565 billion euros in infrastructure by the end of 2030, hoping to boost the development of renewable energy and end Russia's reliance on fossil fuels, sources said.
The plan includes:
Install solar panels on the roofs of all commercial and public buildings in the EU by 2027;
Install solar panels on the roofs of all new residential buildings in the EU by 2029;
Install 10 million heat pumps over the next 5 years;
Ensure 30 million zero-emission vehicles are on the road by the end of 2030.
The plan also mentions that the EU is committed to promoting the sharing mechanism of electricity data from 2024 and improving the flexibility of the EU energy market, such as allowing solar panels and electric vehicles to reconnect electricity data to the network.
The EU said in the plan that the current high energy prices will only increase the necessity and speed of EU action to ensure independence from Russia's fossil fuel imports and the security of strategic sovereignty in building a digital energy system.
The plan is the latest move by the EU to wean itself off Russian gas and accelerate the transition to renewable energy. With increasing demand for electricity, the EU region will need a more resilient energy network that can accommodate weather-prone solar and wind technologies and deliver power to areas where it is more needed.
The EU will set up a task force by March next year to facilitate energy data sharing between member states and companies. The group will also support transmission system operators in creating a "digital twin" of the grid to improve efficiency.
EU energy ministers will discuss on September 30 a proposal for a windfall tax on low-cost power producers to cut power demand at peak times.
