European Commission envisages 80 per cent renewable energy by 2050

16 November 2009

The European Commission has announced the possibility for 80 per cent of power in the Eurozone to come from renewable power sources by 2050. A large number of the 550 regulators, scientists and industry representatives gathered in Brussels for the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC)’s third annual European Renewable Energy Policy conference agreed that renewable energy would be the main source of European power by 2050.

Peter Vis, deputy head of the Swedish cabinet, said, ‘I am confident that the policy framework of renewable energy targets, carbon pricing and funding for R&D will lead to the development of a tremendously significant new energy sector.’

Christopher Jones, director for new and renewable energy source at the European Commission, predicted that the share of renewable power sources in Europe’s energy mix could reach 80 per cent by 2050. The European renewable energy industry contains over 450,000 jobs, and has an annual turnover of €45bn.

Professor Arthouros Zervis, president, EREC, said, ‘I am convinced that the new Renewable Energy Directive with its national binding targets for each of the 27-EU Member States will enable Europe to reach even more than the minimum target of 20 per cent by 2020.

‘Renewable energy is the competitive advantage of Europe and the key to a sustainable 21st century economy. We have to make renewable energy the mainstream source of our energy system,’ he added.

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Tags: energy efficiency

This story was published on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 7:49 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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