Europe moving towards low-carbon
European Commission released the Second Report on the State of the Energy Union concluding that Europe is continuing its energy transition towards a low-carbon energy system. Carbon emissions, energy efficiency and renewable energy are all on track to successfully reach 2020 targets. The Figure presented reveals shares of renewable energy in the EU when compared to the Renewable Energy Directive and the National Renewable Energy Action Plan (source: EC). However, a surge in renewables had a negative effect on Europe’s climate problems — the new market paradigm paired with low electricity prices pushed utilities to prefer coal over natural gas. The Report also pointed out new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals in Świnoujście (Poland), Dunkerque (France) and Pori (Finland) entered in operation and stressed the importance of local level support which EC sees crucial in the modernisation and decarbonisation process of the EU.
Source: European Commission
