The EU Council of Ministers has approved the amendment to the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III). The target of increasing the share of renewable energy to at least 42.5 % across the EU by 2030 is now legally binding. Previously, the RED II target was only 32.5 % and has not been renewed since 2018. With the latest decision, the provisions of the Renewable Energy Directive and the EU climate protection package "Fit for 55" Consistently aligned.
Accelerated procedures through RED III
Das beschleunigte Genehmigungsverfahren für Wind- und Solarkraftwerke der Notfallverordnungen in Deutschland wird ab jetzt zum Standard. Solar- und Windparks sollten demnach maximal nach einem Jahr genehmigt werden und doppelte Umweltuntersuchungen oder Analysen werden überflüssig. Die Angleichung und Novellierung der EU-weit gültigen RED war dringend notwendig, da bis 2030 die CO₂-Emissionen ebenfalls um 55 % gesenkt werden sollen. Dabei spielt der beschleunigte Ausbau der Photovoltaics– und Windkraftanlagen eine entscheidende Rolle. Um alle Ziele erreichen zu können, muss nämlich ein Zubau von jährlich 100 Gigawatt an Erneuerbaren in der EU realisiert werden.
What is the "Renewable Energy Directive" (RED)?
In general, the European Union (EU) Renewable Energy Directive aims to increase the share of renewable energy in total energy consumption in the EU. It sets binding targets for the share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption. In addition, there are specific targets for the expansion of renewable energies in the transport sector and in the area of heating and cooling. RED also contains provisions on the promotion of renewable energies, energy efficiency and the sustainability of bioenergy and stipulates that member states must draw up national action plans to achieve their targets. It also promotes the expansion of renewable energy through measures such as feed-in tariffs, quota systems, tenders and grid access regulations and is an important instrument for supporting the energy transition and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the EU. Overall, RED promotes the use of renewable energy sources such as wind power, solar energy, biomass, hydropower and geothermal energy, thereby helping to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
What else has changed with RED III?
The amendment to the Renewable Energy Directive also provides for a doubling of the share of renewable energies in total energy consumption in the building and transport sectors and lays down further binding definitions and provisions: the handling of e-fuels, the explanation of the term "green hydrogen" and, for example, the use and evaluation of wood or biomass as energy sources. The sub-objectives in the legislation for the district heating and cooling industry were also further elaborated in the trilogue procedure between the EU Commission, Parliament and the European Council and adopted with RED III. Only the questions regarding the exclusion of hydropower plants from priority areas or their sustainability character and whether e-fuels from nuclear power can be counted towards the targets in the transport sector must now be further renegotiated.