Coffee to go? - No, Permit-to-go!
Yesterday, EREF Director Doerte Fouquet participated as panellist in the debate on the Renewable Energy Directive III (RED III) at the Portugal Renewable Energy Summit 2024, organised by APREN - Associação Portuguesa de Energias Renováveis at the Grand Auditorium of Culturgest in Lisbon. The conference fostered insightful discussions on accelerating renewable energy deployment in Portugal and across the EU.
Dörte reiterated the importance of enforcing the renewables targets, a matter EREF has long advocated for. After the Commission decided to move away from binding national targets in the RED, it is now essential that Member States take the targets in their NECPs seriously. The Commission must enforce these targets, with infringement procedures as a last resort.
Achieving these targets is not just a possibility but a necessity – and requires the promotion of all renewable energy sources. For example, Dörte underscored that the uptake of green hydrogen could be accelerated if existing renewable energy plants are also incentivised to participate in its production and bio-hydrogen is recognised, like in Germany. While wind and solar power are fundamental to renewable electricity generation, she stressed the importance of all energy transition drivers like small hydropower, already providing < 7% of Europe's electricity.
Despite significant progress, barriers to renewables deployment remain at the local, regional, national, and EU level. Dörte called for better coordination and a pragmatic approach, avoiding 'reinventing the wheel' and instead promoting collective action. She emphasised the need for early community involvement, a functioning database to reduce administrative burdens, and permitting exemptions for citizen-led and SME projects. Digitalisation and clear standards should streamline processes, enabling a "Permit-to-Go" system for renewable energy projects. Unlike a coffee to go, this approach would have a lasting positive impact on decarbonisation!
Dörte also highlighted the importance of better using already existing flexibility options to ensure energy grid stability. The energy market design should adapt to the integration of renewables rather than forcing renewables to adapt to outdated systems. Innovative examples, such as the new Energy Law in Prague enabling seamless energy sharing among up to eleven units, demonstrate efficient ways of renewables integration.
Looking forward, Dörte stressed the importance of transposing EU legislation and gathering comprehensive data to share best practices across Member States. In this regard, EREF stands ready to collaborate with partners to accelerate knowledge sharing and drive the energy transition forward.
Thank you to Pedro Amaral Jorge and the APREN team for organizing this insightful event. And also many thanks to fellow speakers, Jan Osenberg,
Patrick Clerens and Viktoriya Kerelska.
#RenewableEnergy #EnergyTransition #REDIII