Background
2008 is set to be a pivotal year for the industry, inspired in no small part by a groundbreaking speech made recently by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. In it, he tabled ambitious proposals to fight climate change and promote renewable energy in line with EU commitments - commitments that will present major new opportunities for the region.
"The European Commission will move to turn the European Union's commitments into concrete action," president Barroso said. "Tackling climate change is crucial to safeguard the future of our planet. The time has come to seize the opportunities with confidence, and with both hands."
There is a stronger global consensus driving our sector, and Power and Energy Solutions is proud to represent, reflect and reinforce the values of the industry.
The earlier we as a continent move, the greater the opportunity to use our skills and technology to boost innovation and growth will be. Renewable energy technologies already account for a turnover of 20 billion Euros and have already created 300,000 jobs.
Beyond the usual technology and grid safety concerns, the financing of renewables is set to remain a much-debated topic in 2008, with the Commission expected to put forward details about how the EU will be able to finance its 'strategic energy technologies' soon.
At present, there are wide discrepancies between member states in terms of how renewable energies are financed. Germany and Spain, for example, have seen a boom in solar and wind installations, which both benefit from state support through guaranteed feed-in tariffs. The UK, on the other hand, has not provided renewables manufacturers and consumers with these kinds of incentives, leading to a significantly lower level of renewable energy development in that country.
The Commission, as part of its 23 January proposals, widened the scope of what is permissible under EU State aid rules in terms of subsidising renewable energies. Which may initially seem like good news for us as an industry, but there are concerns that we may become 'subsidy addicted'.
Moving forward, there needs to be more debate. And Power and Energy Solutions is committed to bringing you the latest news and comment from leading industry figures and internationally-respected associations across Europe.
Originally established in tandem with the Sustainable Energy Europe 2005-2008 campaign, it remains the aim of Power and Energy Solutions to keep readers at the forefront of new policy and targets throughout this watershed year - and beyond.
