Austrian Government putting the agreement on legislation on renewable energy at risk, EREC

10 December 2008

The Austrian Government has been accused of going back on the Austrian national objective of 34 per cent of renewable energy share in final energy consumption by 2020and undermining the agreement on the RES Directive reached by the Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission, according to the European Renewable Energy Council, the umbrella organisation of the major European renewable energy industry.

As one of the most dynamic and rapidly growing European industry sectors with an annual turnover of more than €40bn and more than 400 000 employees, many of them in Austria, the European Renewable Energy Industry urges the Austrian government not to block an approval of the most ambitious piece of legislation on renewable energy in the world.

Christine Lins, Secretary General, EREC, said, ‘I cannot understand the position of the Austrian Government to question the national target of 34 per cent of renewable energy share in final energy consumption at this point in time when the negotiations on the Renewable Energy Directive are finalised. The binding national renewable energy objectives are on the table since nearly a year and all other EU Member States have given their agreement. It is unimaginable that Austria is blocking this “new green deal” for Europe.’

According to EREC, the position is even more surprising in view of the fact that the previous Austrian coalition announced a target of 45 per cent it its coalition agreement. Furthermore, the Austrian Renewable Energy Associations recently launched a position paper indicating that a 34 per cent renewable energy share in final energy consumption is easily reachable and that the industry can effectively deliver much more than 34 per cent.

The European and Austrian Renewable Energy Industry urge the Austrian Government not to block a swift adoption of the energy and climate package which is now more than ever a necessity and an opportunity for Austria and for the EU as a whole.

‘It is unacceptable that Austria is questioning the closed deal between the Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission. Austria was always a forerunner-country for renewable energy deployment, the current attitude of the Austrian Government risks to undermine the future renewable energy policy of the whole European Union and puts the growth of the most prosperous economic sector of Europe at risk. We have negotiated long enough, now it is time to take action and to adopt the Renewable Energy Directive which will create many economic opportunities for all EU
Member States,’ added Lins.

EREC is the umbrella organisation of the major European renewable energy industry, trade and research associations active in the field of photovoltaics, small hydropower, solar thermal, bioenergy, ocean and marine, geothermal, wind energy, solar thermal electricity and biofuels.

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Tags: renewable energy

This story was published on Wednesday, December 10th, 2008 at 12:02 pm and is filed under Europe, energy efficiency, policy. You can follow any responses to article entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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