EU: 40% Renewable Energy by 2030

The EU Council has agreed on a binding target of 40 percent of energy from renewable sources in the overall energy mix by 2030.

This happened at a meeting of energy ministers from member states in Luxembourg.

The current target at EU level is at least 32%. To collectively achieve the new goal, Member States will need to increase their national contribution, as set out in their integrated national energy and climate plans, which will be updated in 2023 and 2024 to achieve the new goal collectively.

An agreement was also reached to reduce final energy consumption by 36% and primary energy consumption by 39% by 2030.

At least 49% of the energy in buildings must come from renewable sources.

In the field of transport sub-objectives, the Council introduced the possibility for Member States to choose between the following two options:

• Binding target for reducing the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions in transport by 13% by 2030;

• Binding target for at least 29% of energy from renewable sources within the final energy consumption in the transport sector by 2030.

At the same time, the ministers discussed security of gas supplies amid Russian aggression in Ukraine. Currently, 12 EU countries are affected by the reduced supplies to Gazprom, said EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson. Europe's gas exports to Europe are now half that of a year ago.

However, a positive trend is observed in the filling of gas storage facilities in the EU. They are currently full 56 percent of their capacity, which is above the historical average.

However, the current preparations and instruments for solidarity in the event of a crisis are not enough if all EU members are affected by the suspension of supplies for a longer...