New Insights Briefing from the Energy Transitions Commission

To build energy security Europe should accelerate the clean energy transition - Seite 2

Clear Win-Wins

Clearly desirable actions include:

• Massive acceleration of renewable energy (with a strong focus on building storage and flexibility), through revising volume commitments in 2030 and actively bringing forward new capacity. Including renewable electricity for green hydrogen production.
• Energy efficiency and productivity including insulation, heat pump electrification and industrial energy efficiency
• Other sources of electricity, including keeping existing nuclear going and utilising existing sustainable biomass sources where possible

Difficult tradeoffs

Alongside actions which reduce European reliance on gas, new sources of supply will also need to play a role, with potential for:

• Increased LNG imports
• Increased / maintained output from existing gas fields

But the risks that too much investment in these alternatives will lead to carbon lock-in must be recognised and managed, and new investments and contracts must be designed to minimise production related CO2 and methane emissions.

Clearly undesirable actions

Actions which could seriously delay or imperil the energy transition are unnecessary and undesirable. These include any dilution of 2030 emission reduction targets or of commitments to phase out coal generation, or any large scale new oil and gas developments.

Making Renewable Energy Deployment Possible

To deliver accelerated renewable electricity deployment between now and 2030, the EU and national governments should focus on 4 key actions:

• Increasing targets for RE deployment to create market certainty about the pace of growth
• Setting  clear programmes for RE auctions, supported by developments in power market design which can reduce consumer exposure to volatile gas prices
• Developing clear strategies to rapidly grow transmission and distribution networks, supported by policies to streamline and accelerate planning and permitting procedures .
• Accelerating the growth of demand for clean electricity, for instance via accelerated electrification of road transport.

Alongside the overall information brief, the ETC is also publishing 9  'ETC Explainer' briefs which provide further context on the situation on possible responses. ( see link below).