European Union negotiators reached a deal on scaling up renewable energy this decade, and provided a small role for nuclear in one of the last pillars of the bloc’s landmark green plan.
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(Bloomberg) — European Union negotiators reached a deal on scaling up renewable energy this decade, and provided a small role for nuclear in one of the last pillars of the bloc’s landmark green plan.
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The European Parliament and the bloc’s 27 member states agreed to raise the 2030 renewable target to 42.5% of total energy consumption, from 32%, after negotiating through the night. That fell short of the 45% proposed by the European Commission, but the two sides agreed a further 2.5% would be “aspirational.”
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“Renewables are key to Europe’s climate neutrality goal and will enable us to secure our long-term energy sovereignty,” said Kadri Simson, energy commissioner. “With this deal we are giving investors certainty and affirm the EU’s role as the global leader in renewables deployment, and frontrunner of the clean energy transition.”
The role of nuclear power proved to be the major issue going into the final round of talks, with France making a last-minute push to gain some recognition for a technology they see as almost on a par with wind and solar. France won some concessions, allowing its key nuclear sector to play a role in producing the hydrogen needed to decarbonize heavy industry.
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The deal, seen by Bloomberg, allows for countries like France to reduce their green hydrogen targets in industry by a fifth by 2030 if they mainly use nuclear power — rather than fossil fuels — for producing the rest of their hydrogen and stay on track to meet their overall renewable goals.
The agreement — which still needs to be officially ratified by both sides — means the EU has successfully put in place the final element of the bloc’s green deal proposals, which range from an overhaul of the bloc’s carbon market to decarbonizing the transport sector and boosting natural carbon sinks.
Later regulation on boosting the energy efficiency of buildings, methane and low-carbon gases still need to be approved.
(Updates with details throughout.)
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