Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg have asked the European Union to set a specific renewable-energy target for 2040, as Brussels prepares policies that will shape the bloc’s energy strategy after 2030.
The proposal has opened a debate among Member States over how the next European energy target should be framed. While the three countries back a renewables-focused target, other governments argue for a broader clean energy framework that also includes nuclear power.
Renewable energy for 2040 enters the EU debate
The European Union currently aims to raise the share of renewable energy in total energy consumption to 42.5% by 2030. However, there is still no equivalent target for 2040.
Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg asked the European Commission to move toward that new framework in a letter to EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen dated September 25.
The three countries argue that renewables are available, competitive technologies that can be deployed at scale across the bloc. They also say that setting a long-term target would provide greater clarity for investors.
Investors need clear signals.
said Spain’s Energy Minister Sara Aagesen, explaining Spain’s position.
Energy security gains weight in Europe’s strategy
The request also links the growth of renewables to the need to reduce Europe’s exposure to imported fossil fuels.
According to the letter, heavy reliance on these sources can increase the vulnerability of European economies and consumers to geopolitical events and disruptions to international supply routes.
The approach is particularly relevant amid higher energy and fuel prices stemming from the conflict in the Middle East and disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz.
As a result, security of supply is once again taking center stage in discussions on the energy policy the EU will pursue over the next decade.
Nuclear power divides positions among Member States
However, not all European governments support a target dedicated exclusively to renewables. Countries that use or promote nuclear power, including France and Sweden, argue for a broader clean-energy target.
This alternative would allow nuclear generation to be counted alongside other low-emissions sources within the 2040 energy framework.
We must certainly consider nuclear power as part of the solution.
said Finland’s Climate Minister Sari Multala during a meeting of EU energy ministers.
The issue reflects divisions within the bloc. Some Member States support nuclear expansion as a tool to cut emissions and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, while others, such as Austria and Luxembourg, maintain their opposition over safety and waste-management concerns.
Brussels prepares its post-2030 energy policy
The European Commission must now define how it will incorporate these positions into policies designed to guide the EU’s energy system after 2030.
The debate comes as European consumers and businesses face higher energy costs. Against this backdrop, Spain and five other Member States have also asked the Commission to examine measures related to windfall profits earned by companies due to high energy prices.
The discussion over the 2040 target will determine whether the EU’s next energy benchmark will be dedicated specifically to renewable energy or whether it will adopt a broader framework that includes other low-emissions technologies.
Source: Reuters
Source: Shutterstock
