Ember’s four key asks for the new EU Energy Commissioner | Ember

Ember’s four key asks for the new EU Energy Commissioner

18 Sep 2024
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Our recommendations focus on key enablers for the decarbonisation of the EU economy, which is essential to drive down energy prices and bolster security through lowered dependence on imported fossil fuels, thus strengthening the EU’s geopolitical position on the global stage. We consider existing policy and identify four critical actions for the Energy Commissioner aligned with the political priorities for the next mandate

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“Smart Electrification” Action Plan

Electrification will enable the EU to harness its own energy resources and reduce reliance on imported fuels, creating an autonomously powered economy. Ember’s analysis shows that, with electrification and the support of clean flexibility, homegrown energy sources can increasingly meet EU energy needs, reaching 85% in 2040 up from 41% in 2019. To achieve this, a clear electrification roadmap for the EU is urgently needed.

ACTION: A “Smart Electrification” Action Plan published within the first 100 days, developed in close alignment with the Clean Industrial Deal. This would include:

  • Actions to resolve unfair biases holding back electrification and to create favourable economic conditions to unlock its potential – shifting current fossil fuel subsidies and tax benefits towards clean electrification technologies such as heat pumps and electric vehicles (EV);
  • Measures to further encourage investments in batteries, innovative energy storage solutions and demand-side flexibility enablers (e.g. smart heating and cooling systems, industrial processes and EV charging). These technologies should also be priorities in the Clean Industrial Deal to secure the value chain, skilled workers and circularity, ultimately benefitting the local economy and jobs.
  • An EU strategy and guidelines to ensure citizens and businesses are empowered and incentivised to unlock the untapped potential of demand-side flexibility across the EU.

The “Future Grids” Task Force

The importance of power grids “cannot be overstated”. The EU cannot benefit from abundant clean homegrown power without stronger cross-border connections and modern grids. The last two years saw huge progress on grid policy in response to urgent stress signals in the form of congestion, renewables curtailment and long grid connection queues. The recently developed EU grid policy framework – a composite of various policy documents – is extensive and its effective implementation should be the priority.

ACTION: A dedicated task force, reporting directly to the Energy Commissioner, created within the Commission to efficiently deliver on its existing grid-related provisions, with the following tasks:

  • Develop a clear roadmap for the execution of all actions assigned to the Commission by existing policy;
  • Coordinate actions across relevant DGs, such as DG GROW;
    Support and monitor the implementation of national policies for grids and the measures to unlock the full potential of existing grids, including the removal of barriers to energy storage;
  • Enable key infrastructure projects through strategic steering, facilitating regional cooperation, and acting as a mediator between Member States and financing entities such as the EIB and EBRD;
  • Provide progress updates at the annual Copenhagen Infrastructure Forum.

Ember also recommends a one-stop-shop is established at EU level to improve access to finance for grid investments, and a technical toolbox is developed to support the digitalisation of distribution grids.

 

Joint DG ENER-DG AGRI “Strategy for Agri-PV”

Agri-PV – the combined use of land for food production and solar power – can open up new areas for renewable deployment while increasing food security and supporting farmers with additional revenue streams. Its potential can be unlocked through the alignment of energy policy and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and taking forward the recommendations of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture.

ACTION: A strategy for agri-PV developed jointly by DG ENER and DG AGRI. This would include:

  • Guidelines for national governments to introduce legislation on agri-PV or adapt existing legislation to more effectively unlock its full potential;
  • Guidelines on including agri-PV in CAP priorities (agri-PV on marginal land, agri-PV investment subsidies, national agri-PV capacity targets, R&D and pilot projects support).

EU as a Global Leader in Open Energy Data and Modelling

In an increasingly fractured world, policy-makers and investors require reliable, transparent data to make informed and cost-effective decisions, and instil trust in both the process and outcomes. Open data ensures accountability and enforceability because “only what gets measured gets done”. Monitoring data on key infrastructure bottlenecks guides effective policy actions.

ACTION: In the first 100 days, the Commissioner initiates the transition to open energy data and system models to guide urgent and critical investment and policy decisions. This could entail the creation of a new Agency or assigning new responsibilities to existing EU bodies to:

  • Adopt a coordinated approach across the EU to asset registration for higher and timely visibility of renewable, storage and flexibility assets;
  • Ensure Eurostat and EU bodies that maintain data transparency platforms (such as ACER or ENTSO-E) gather, standardise and disclose additional, granular energy data in a more timely and consistent manner, using open data standards. Key data concerns: capacity and utilisation of storage and demand side flexibility, grid capacities and connection queues, renewable curtailment, renewable and grid infrastructure permitting times;
  • Ensure the Commission makes available in a consistent and regular manner energy and climate data from NECPs, NECP progress reports and other national planning documents, as well as its own impact assessments;
  • Create a roadmap for EU institutions to transition from proprietary energy system models to open source models fit for an electrified energy system with high shares of renewables and wider deployment of clean flexibility. Such models should be used for impact assessments of new policies and system planning.

Supporting material

Acknowledgements

Header image

Aerial view of an alternator and propeller of a wind turbine with on background coal electricity power plants

Credit: Theirry Grun / Alamy Stock Photo

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