Brussels proposes increased participation of nuclear and coal plants to reduce gas until 2030

The European Commission proposed this Wednesday: increase the share of coal-fired power stations and the nuclear in the energy mix as part of the REPower EU package of measures, which aims to: reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels by two-thirds this year to eliminate imports from Moscow by the end of the decade.

“Today we are taking our ambition to another level to ensure that we let’s get independent from Russian fossil fuels as soon as possible,” said Ursula von der Leyen, president of the community director, during the detailed presentation of the European plan.

For example, the plan presented by the Community Executive proposes to reduce the participation of gas-fired power plants in the energy mix by replacing them with energy from coal, which would increase participation to 100 terawatt hours (tWh), 5% more than it is now. , and by nuclear power, up to 44 TWh.

It would, as community sources have explained, be a temporary measure that is not expected to last more than 15 years, although deviates from the marked line rather to reduce the share of coal-fired power plants in the energy mix in order to achieve the target of putting carbon at the heart of the EU by 2050.

Brussels has indicated that to implement the REPower EU plan, the European Union will need an additional EUR 210 billion in investments until 2027 to increases the share of renewable energy diversification of energy supply from short-term suppliers and promote energy efficiency to cut with Russia’s energy dependence.

The plan presented by the Community Executive proposes to increase the contribution of renewables to the energy mix, such that it proposes to increase its participation from the 40% currently set for 2030 to 45%, representing 1,236 GW of clean energy for 2030 compared to the 1067 originally proposed in the Fit for 55 package.

“REPower EU will help us save more energy, accelerate the phase-out of fossil fuels and launch investments on a new scale,” said von der Leyen, adding that it will accelerate the transition to clean energy.

In the long term, the Community Executive wants to de solar and wind energy produce 66% of the system’s electricity by 2050, doubling the rate from the current 33%. Within this framework, the target is that wind energy represents 31% of the EU’s energy production capacity and the majority, 35%, comes from solar energy.

Of the funding needed, according to community sources, between EUR 1,500 and EUR 2,000 million will be used for the construction of oil pipelines in the EU countries most dependent on Russian crude oil, and another EUR 10,000 million for gas and gas infrastructure that can be liquefied naturally. is made.

The largest part will be used to promote the penetration of renewable energy sources, up to €113 billion, of which €27 billion will be invested in hydrogen infrastructure. By the end of the decade, another 29 billion euros will be invested in improving electricity distribution networks, 56 billion in energy efficiency systems, 41 billion in promoting industry adaptation to reduce fossil fuel consumption and 37 billion in stimulating the production of biomethane.

In this context, Brussels will propose an instrument for joint gas purchases at community level, which follows the model applied to the joint procurement of vaccines during Covid-19, for which it has opened the door for the participation of non-Community countries such as Ukraine, Moldova or Georgia.

With this joint procurement platform, it aims to improve the EU’s negotiating position with suppliers and avoid direct competition between Member States, although sources in the community have explained that it is a tool that does not guarantee a reduction in gas prices in the electricity market.