Transport & Surroundings and client group BEUC name on the European Fee to require that hydrogen targets are coupled with extra renewable electrical energy to keep away from growing electrical energy costs.

The European Fee is at the moment finalising its delegated act on Renewable Fuels of Non Organic Origin (hydrogen and e-fuels). Each teams are fearful that the draft now beneath dialogue might result in a state of affairs the place the manufacturing of those new “inexperienced” fuels would put the continent’s decarbonisation efforts in danger and dramatically enhance customers’ power payments.

Because the EU is present process an unprecedented power value disaster, EU decision-makers are at the moment discussing numerous coverage measures to assist shield households whereas placing us on monitor to fulfill our local weather targets.

This strategy of prioritising the options that defend customers towards value volatility whereas contributing to our local weather targets must be utilized constantly. This is the reason the most recent developments within the drafting of the delegated act on Renewable Fuels of Non-Organic Origin (RFNBO) are so worrying. This delegated act is meant to set standards for the manufacturing of recent renewable fuels, like hydrogen or e-fuels which might be wanted to decarbonise the commercial sectors, similar to metal or cement, the place emissions are onerous to abate. Science is obvious that to be really sustainable, these fuels have to be produced utilizing renewable power. If not, they are going to be even worse than the fuels they’re supposed to switch.

Subsequently, each teams say that prime targets for “inexperienced” e-fuels should go hand-in-hand with extra provide of renewables. If this situation wouldn’t be met, the danger is that these fuels might be produced in giant quantities via costly and polluting gas-fired energy crops. This is able to not solely be unsustainable and at odds with our local weather aims, however it could additionally put an enormous pressure on European power markets and possibly result in customers electrical energy payments skyrocketing.

To match the anticipated demand of e-fuels in 2030, it’s certainly estimated that Europe will want 500 TWh of extra electrical energy manufacturing, the equal of including the annual consumption of France to our electrical energy demand. If this enhance of the demand isn’t matched with extra renewable capability, it’s unavoidable that electrical energy costs will go up exponentially and worsen the difficulties of European households.

Letter to EU Fee.

Initially printed on Transport & Surroundings. 

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