Six countries have sent a letter to the European Commission calling for a 100 percent renewable energy scenario to be included in long-term climate projections. Climate and Energy Ministers from Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, and Spain have all signed the letter.
They addressed the letter to the Executive Vice-President Timmermans and the Commissioner for Energy Simson and began by thanking and congratulating the president of the EU, Ms. Von der Leyen for her work thus far regarding the EU 2050 climate objective.
By considering the addition of a 100% renewable long-term scenario it shows they will be taking the younger generation seriously:
Citizens all over Europe have shown that the serious risks of climate change are at the heart of their concerns. Especially the younger generation encourages us to move faster towards fully sustainable technologies. We believe these concerns have to be taken seriously and as leaders, we have the responsibility to show the younger generation that they are being heard.
In 2018, the EU rolled out eight different energy scenarios for 2050, five of which would achieve just over 80% greenhouse gas emission reductions, while forestry projects could bump that number up to 85%. Two out of the three remaining scenarios look at ways to possibly reach greenhouse gas neutrality and achieve net-zero emissions.
The letter states that this was an “important first step” and now after so many of the younger generations have taken to the streets, it’s time to add to the plan, most notably to achieve 100% renewables within the electricity sector.
EURACTIV reported that according to one of the diplomats that signed the letter, Ms. Von der Leyen made a verbal commitment to include the 100% renewable scenario in the 2050 energy projections during the December EU summit. Now they would like to get that commitment in writing, “We invite you to initiate this work as soon as possible,” stated the letter.
They are trying to make a push for this now knowing that the Commission is currently analyzing different cost-benefit scenarios regarding the European Climate Law.
Luxembourg’s Energy Minister, Claude Turmes recently told EURACTIV:
The Commission’s proposal for a climate law is a real disappointment. It lacks content. The least that the Commission can do is to model a ‘100% renewable energy’ scenario for Europe in 2050 so that we can compare the different options available to us transparently.
The letter also points out renewable energies are a competitive industry and it will provide a number of new job opportunities the more they push toward a 100% renewable scenario.
In closing, the letter welcomed the committee’s commitment to work on such a scenario and stated:
We trust such an exercise will be based on a robust modeling that includes up-to-date and comprehensive cost assumptions for all technologies.
Some countries have already decided this will be their own goal, such as Spain. While researchers from Finland have created their own climate model to reach 100% renewables that would involve a “super grid” connecting 20 independent European regions.
