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directives, external

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template,
external

EU Directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources

This Directive is part of the European climate and energy package. Political agreement on this package was reached at the European Council in December 2008 after a year of negotiations. The EU Directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources sets ambitious, binding targets for the EU: a 20% share of renewables in final energy consumption and a minimum 10% share of renewables in the transport sector by 2020.

The Directive prescribes binding national overall targets for the member states, ranging from 10% for Malta to 49% for Sweden. Germany's target is an 18% share in total final energy consumption. According to the Directive, national support instruments are the primary means for achieving these national targets. However, it also provides for the option of flexible target achievement. This means that a member state can achieve its target in part through projects in other member states or through direct transfer of amounts of energy from renewable sources from another member state. This approach promotes the cost-efficient, potential-based expansion of renewable energies in the EU. Member states must produce a forecast document by 31 December 2009 on the expected use of flexible cooperation mechanisms. The German government published its forecast document on 21 December 2009.

Sustainability criteria for the production of biomass for use as an energy source are introduced for the first time with this Directive, initially only for biofuels and bioliquids. The Directive prescribes that member states draw up a national action plans on the implementation of their targets by 30 June 2010 and notify the European Commission of progress made in the framework of a broad range of further reporting and notification obligations. Member states must use the template published by the European Commission on 30 June 2009 to elaborate their national action plans. On 4 August 2010 the Federal government adopted a renewable energy action plan.

All documents relating to this Directive are available and can be downloaded at the transparency platform set up by the European Commission specifically for this Directive.

This Directive introduces the first ever Europe-wide regulation covering all areas of renewable energies - electricity, heating/cooling and transport. The existing EU instruments to promote renewable energies - the Electricity Directive 2001/77/EC and the Biofuels Directive 2003/30/EC - will be repealed on 1 January 2012 and replaced by this new, comprehensive Directive.

Member states must implement the Directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources by 5 December 2010.