Presentatoin on Renewable Energies by Nina Hug, held at oikos Spring Meeting 2009 in Oslo, 27 March 2009

1. Renewable Energy Policy of the European
Union – How Europe converts to sustainable
energy supply and consumption
Workshop at the oikos Spring Meeting 2009
in Oslo
Nina Hug, oikos PhD Fellow 2008-2011
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2. Agenda
1 Why a renewable energy policy?
2 History of energy policy and EU targets
3 How to reach the targets?
4 Summary: how far reaches the EU’s arm?
5 International Context: the role of CDM
6 Further reading and tasks
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3. Why a renewable energy policy?
- reducing GHG emissions
- energy security
- knowledge based industry
- rural development
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4. History of Renewable Energy Policy in the EU
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Proposal
White RE-Directive progress Evaluation
new RE-
Paper report of support
21% share of directive
schemes
RE in with
electricity country
consumption targets
Directive RE Road map:
on bio- target of 20%
fuels share of RE in
energy
consumption
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5. EU Energy Targets
- 2010: 21% electricity from renewable sources
- 2010: 5,75% biofuels.
- 2020: 20% renewables in total energy consumption
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6. Excursus: What are Directives?
- Setting targets
- means to achieve the result left to member states
- Timetable for implementation
- no compliance EU-Commission can initiate legal action
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7. Progress in reaching the targets
share of total primary energy supply in 2006 (EU 27)
Renewable
Energy share:
7,4 %
Source: IEA
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8. Progress in reaching 2010 targets
in 2006
EU expects to reach a share of 19%
by 2010, missing the target by 2%
Source: EEA
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9. Sector-Objectives to meet the 2020 targets
- Renewable electricity: from 15% to 34%
- Role of wind energy: 12%
- Solar energy cost reduction by 50%
- Sustainable heating and cooling: double the amount
- Applying best practices (Sweden, Germany, Austria)
- Biofuels: share of 14%
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10. Support schemes for renewables
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11. Feed-in tariffs dominate the scene
support schemes for
onshore wind energy
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12. Harmonization of support schemes?
- 27 EU member : 27 different support schemes
- EU favors Quota: market freedom
- But: national schemes now well established
- Security for investors prevails over harmonization
 Recommendations to reduce administrative barriers
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13. How far reaches the EU‘s arm?
- Provide framework
- Setting inscentives
- Pressure by competition: lead markets
- Diffusion of policy: structure – agency divide
- The role of pioneers: e.g. ICLEI (local governments for
sustainability)
- Credibility in international negotiations
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14. The international context
• Kyoto targets EU-15: reduction by 8% for the period 2008-2012
• Kyoto-Mechanisms can be applied by member states
• One crucial mechanism is CDM
• What effects does this have on Renewable Energies in Europe and
worldwide?
• How is sustainability addressed with this mechanism?
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15. Clean Development Mechanism and Renewables
- earning carbon credits as a reward to investments in climate-friendly
projects abroad
- Businesses allowed to meet domestic GHG-reduction targets by
using CDM
- Project proposal includes
- where and how are emissions reduced?
- What would be future emissions in absence of the project
(baseline scenario)
- Validation by Designated Operational Entity (DOE)
- Executive Board of CDM decides on approval
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16. Conditions for sustainable CDM projects
- Invest in projects focussed on renewable energy sources
- Ensure technology-transfer and capacity building
- Move from individual technology unit approach to integrated
planning
- Meet sustainability criteria that go beyond „additionality“
Conclusion
- CDM could reduce costs for reaching GHG emission targets
- But: threatening leadership-role of EU in climate change: less
impetus to improve renewable energy technologies
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17. Group work and further reading
1. Policy: sustainability of CDM. A Development Mechanism that
cleans little?!
2. Reaching the 2020 targets: What can offshore wind energy
contribute – what are the main challenges?
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18. Your task
• Divide into 4-people groups and read the texts provided!
• Take a worksheet and write down your opinion to the question/
thesis!
• Exchange the worksheet with your neighbour and write a
commentary to his opinion. Circulate the worksheets until you get
your initial worksheet back.
• Write down your conclusion based on the commentaries you
received from your colleagues.
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