Hans Korteweg, COGEN Europe, EURACTIV
Summary
The European energy sector stands in front of a gargantuan task of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Apart from the many technical challenges for achieving this ambitious goal, there is also a social and economic dimension to it. Policies must ensure that our lights will not go out, that energy poverty among citizens will not rise and that European industry remains competitive.
In its Strategic Long-Term Climate Vision “Clean Planet for All”, the European Commission outlined pathways how the European energy sector will need to gradually move towards carbon neutrality by 2050. Potential solutions being put forward by the Commission are a higher uptake of energy efficiency and renewable energy, as well as a greater role for electricity in heat and transport.
Yet, the Commission acknowledges that only an 80% reduction in greenhouse gases can by achieved by 2050 through additional but non-coordinated efforts in electrification, renewable energy, hydrogen, power-to-x-, demand side efficiency and further circular economy measures. Moreover, there is growing evidence that addressing energy systems in isolation from each other rather than in a coordinated manner is likely to also have a higher price tag for both consumers and the overall energy system.
Full Article
Continue Reading
#News#CHP#EmissionsReduction#NorthandCentralEurope