DG Energy Newsletter

Most of the clean energy technologies that will help EU reach its decarbonisation targets by 2050 need to be scaled up significantly in the coming years. Some are still not yet on the market. What opportunities and challenges lie ahead? And what solutions will help keep EU as a front-runner in the global energy and climate transition?

To mark the 2-year anniversary of the REPowerEU Plan, a web-based report takes stock of the progress made since its adoption.

Almost two years since the adoption of the REPowerEU Plan, the Commission is providing additional support to Member States to further accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and reduce Russian fossil fuel imports.

The call is open until 22 October 2024 to projects included on the recently approved list of Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) and Projects of Mutual Interest (PMIs) - the first list adopted under the revised TEN-E Regulation.

The 7 selected projects were the winners of an oversubscribed auction which attracted 132 bids in total. Together, the winning bidders plan to produce 1.58 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen over ten years, avoiding more than 10 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.

During an official visit to Kyiv on 6 May, Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson discussed with Ukraine's Energy Minister German Galushchenko their cooperation to strengthen the resilience of the Ukrainian energy system and preparations for the next heating season.

European Commissioner, Kadri Simson, and HRH the Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia, Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, held bilateral meetings in the margins of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh. They discussed energy and clean tech cooperation to strengthen bilateral ties and advance the goals of the Paris Agreement and of the UAE Consensus reached at COP28 last year.

The Commission published on 26 April its assessments of the draft updated National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) of Bulgaria and Poland, with recommendations on where these 2 countries should raise their ambitions in line with the agreed EU targets for 2030.

Co-chaired by Ditte Juul Jørgensen, European Commission Director-General for Energy, and Ambassador Nozipho Mxakato-Diseko of South Africa, the panel will guide governments and other stakeholders active in the extractive industries, by addressing issues relating to equity, transparency, investment, sustainability and human rights.

First 10 manufacturers commit to the EU Code of Conduct which aims to ensure interoperability of home appliances. This would contribute to a greater demand-side flexibility of households and help achieve a more stable and optimised power grid.

This new initiative brings together EU countries, Financial Institutions and the Commission, at the highest-level, to create a long-term, viable funding framework for energy efficiency investments.

The Commission has adopted new EU rules to reduce the energy consumption and facilitate repair of local space heaters (both electric and those fuelled with gaseous or liquid fuels), such as electric radiators, towel rails, infra-red radiant heaters, electric underfloor heaters and gas stoves.

The Commission adopted on 18 April a Recommendation on clinical audits of medical radiological practices that will help to deliver safe and high-quality diagnostic and therapeutic radiological procedures to patients in the EU.

The EU Building Stock Observatory (BSO) has undergone its most substantial upgrade since its inception in 2016, with the new version launched by the Commission. It offers an improved user interface and better data availability.

As the EU’s flagship initiative for funding environmental and climate actions, LIFE supports innovative, impactful projects with demonstrable impacts and best practices which can be replicated and scaled up elsewhere in Europe.

Electricity and gas bills decreased in the second half of 2023, after the increase which started before the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and skyrocketed through 2022.

Since 2022, the EU have sped up its deployment of renewables and improved its gas energy security aiming to phase out Russian gas. More than 130 GW of new renewable energy has been deployed, which corresponds to gas savings of 24 billion cubic meters.

The European Hydrogen Bank is the first financial instrument entirely dedicated to accelerating the development of a hydrogen value chain in Europe. Want to find out more? Our new video will be out next week!