Renewable energies strategy in the EU
An inter-Parliamentary meeting on "Renewable energies in the EU" was held in the Canary Islands, Spain, in January 1998. Members of national Parliaments and the European Parliament, as well as representatives of the European Commission and European energy agencies and organizations, met to discuss the current and future status of renewable energies in the EU. The meeting was organized by the European Forum for Renewable Energy Sources (EUFORES), the Spanish agencies ITC, ITER and IDEA and the Canary Islands regional government, with support from the EU's ALTENER programme. Representatives of the European Commission's Energy Directorate-General (DG XVII) outlined various aspects of the EU's energy policies and the role of renewable energies within them. Major initiatives include the White Paper on Renewable Energy Sources, which calls for financial support totalling ECU 95 billion over 12 years across the EU. This campaign aims to establish a critical mass of renewable energy technology projects, with the Commission emphasizing that the potential benefits will far outweigh the costs. The current status of the various renewable energy technologies was outlined and an assessment of their future prospects under various scenarios was given. Also, the Commission's plans for research on renewable energies under the Fifth RTD Framework Programme were outlined by Prof. Jorma Routti, Director-General of the Commission's Science, Research and Development Directorate-General (DG XII). Other presentations during the meeting looked at national initiatives, the participation of industry and private finance, the liberalization of energy markets and the effects on employment of increasing the share of renewable energies. Outside the EU, strategies for increasing the use of renewable energies in developing countries and in the Central and Eastern European countries which are expected to join the EU in the next few years were discussed. The meeting moved on to discuss how best to increase the market penetration of renewable energy sources. The need for a coordinated approach, with action required at EU, national, regional and local levels was emphasized. Successful actions at national level to increase the use of renewable energies were outlined with possible wider applications noted. The meeting adopted a declaration which calls for renewable energies to be given sufficient prominence at EU level, in particular within the Fifth Framework Programme. In addition, it calls for the proposed budget for the ALTENER programme (ECU 22 million over two years) to be increased. Member States are urged to adopt measures and increase funding in support of renewable energies. Finally, the declaration urges the EU to take advantage of the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to introduce support for non-food crops such as biomass energy crops.