Page 6 - European Energy Innovation - summer 2020 publication

6 Summer 2020 European Energy Innovation
EUROPEAN GREEN DEAL

There is no recovery without
the European Green Deal

By Ditte Juul-Jørgensen, Director-General, DG Energy, European Commission
The EU has pledged to
move to a climate-neutral If we look at Europe’s greenhouse and environment, but also kick start
economy by 2050. At the gas emissions, we see that energy the recovery from the coronavirus
same time, we have been generation, transmission and crisis. This so-called “Renovation
consumption are responsible for 75% Wave” should trigger economic

hit by a worldwide pandemic and a of the EU’s emissions. Together with activity, create jobs and support

severe economic crisis. In this time of European Member States and the small local companies, while reducing

uncertainty, Europe and the European European Parliament, we have already energy bills and improving people’s

Union must show leadership and help done a lot to make EU energy policy quality of life. A crucial aspect will be

Europeans on the road to recovery. In legislation fit for the new challenges. the inclusion of social housing in the

doing that, we need to learn from the Finalised in 2019, the Clean energy wave, to help address the challenge

past and embrace this opportunity to for all Europeans package addressed of energy poverty in the EU. Our latest

transform our economy and society the three main priorities of EU energy figures indicate that up to 50 million

with the help of the European Green policy: security of supply, affordability, people around the EU are not able

Deal for all Europeans. This means and sustainability. The European to properly heat their homes.

increasing investment, creating Green Deal aims to continue in this In this day and age, this is simply

jobs and innovating for sustainable path across all sectors and complete not acceptable.

solutions. There is no policy area the transformation of our energy

more suitable to start with than the system into one that is not only Energy efficiency is important, but so

energy field. carbon-neutral, but also, more cost is the source of our energy.

effective, energy efficient and secure. We need to increase the share of

At the same time, some sectors face renewable energy by making it easier

a larger transformation than others to incorporate renewables into our

and so we must ensure that we energy system. For this to succeed,

do not leave any person or region we must move towards an integrated

behind. We must make the transition energy system to build stronger

a fair and just process that everyone inter-linkage of the electricity,

is a part of. heating and cooling, transport, gas,

industry, and agricultural sectors. In

The principle of ‘Energy Efficiency addition, in order to further boost

First’ is at the heart of the European decarbonisation, we will present a

Green Deal. The cheapest and new strategy to support offshore

cleanest energy is the one we do renewable energy, addressing the

not use, so the more we can do to opportunities and challenges therein,

reduce energy consumption, the such as the impact on energy grids

better. This is also good news for and markets, the management of

consumers – saving energy will not maritime space and the industrial

only cut emissions, but also lower policy dimensions of offshore wind.

their energy bills.

Supporting renewable energy as

Our main thrust of action in this well as investing in big energy

area will be to improve the energy infrastructure projects that stimulate

efficiency of buildings. Buildings are the economy are necessary pre-

one of the main energy consumers in conditions for a climate-neutral

the EU, as well as being responsible energy system. We need to use this

for a large amount of GHG emissions. moment as much as possible to

Embracing renovation on a massive drive through structural change. If we

scale could not only help our climate make our energy systems greener,

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