The EU is at the forefront in the field of renewable energy, and wind power in particular. Cumulative, more than 48,000 MW of wind power capacity had been installed by 2006, with Germany (21,000 MW), Spain (12,000 MW) and Denmark (3,000 MW) leading the way.
A breakthrough for wind power
Renewable energy plays an important part in the EU’s energy mix. Decisions made at European level concerning renewables and targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions have a major impact on all the member states' energy policies.
At a historic meeting of state and government leaders in Brussels on 8-9 March 2007, the EU set mandatory targets for the climate and renewable energy to combat global climate changes and limit the EU’s external vulnerability in regard to gas and oil imports:
- The 27 EU nations committed to achieving a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of at least 20 per cent before 2020 in comparison to 1990 levels. The EU also offered to increase its target for an emission reduction of 20 per cent to 30 per cent if countries such as the US, China and India also agreed to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases.
- The agreement also established a mandatory target of 20 per cent of the EU’s general energy consumption to be generated from renewable energy by 2020.
Both decisions can be seen as advantageous to wind power, which is expected to benefit from a market with mandatory targets “where wind power as a cost effective and mature technology is assumed to be an attractive option in many European national energy mixes,” as Peter C. Brun, Senior Vice President and Head of Vestas’ Government Relations unit stated in an article in Danish business daily Børsen in January 2007, when the Commission presented its energy and climate package.
In December 2007, the European Commission will put forward a formal proposal addressing how the targets of 20 per cent of renewable energy and greenhouse gases should be distributed between the EU member states and between these three sectors: Electricity, heating and transport.
Read more
The EU’s energy portal
The European Union’s energy portal
The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA)
EurActiv – Information portal on the EU