Activities of Sylvia LIMMER related to 2019/2189(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on a comprehensive European approach to energy storage
Amendments (28)
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas Parliament, the European Council and the Commission have endorsed the objective of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the EU by 2050, in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement being endorsed by Parliament, the European Council and the Commission in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement, is uneconomical, technically impossible, and ecologically not sensible;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the transition toobjective of a climate- neutral economy requires an energy transition away from fossil fuels towards a renewable-based systemis invalidated, as a system based on renewable energy sources is economically, technically and environmentally not feasible; whereas many EU countries have coal and gas reserves that are used in state-of-the-art power stations to generate electricity and guarantee network stability, security of supply and environmental compatibility;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas most renewable electricitnergy sources, such as wind and solar, are intermittent and variabolatile; whereas the integration of variable renewable energy sources into the electricity system requires increased flexibility regarding supply and demandy are not suitable for a centralised alternating current grid, as they are neither controllable nor base-load capable, thus seriously endangering both security of supply and grid stability; whereas, in case the share of renewable energy sources, especially wind and solar energy, in the overall electricity supply increases, they can only be integrated into a previously smoothly functioning electricity grid at increasing, unacceptable expense; whereas this applies at least as long as no suitable electricity storage facilities with the necessary capacity are available; whereas even beyond this, the economic and commercial effort, the consumption of resources and the associated harmful effects on the environment call into questions the feasibility;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas gas infrastructures are already widely available;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls on the Member States to fully explore their energy storage potential, as far as is technically and economically possible; notes that the pumped water power capacity across the EU is approximately 2.6 TWh; notes for comparison, that in 2019, electricity generation in Germany was around 513 TWh;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Commission to develop a comprehensive strategy on energy storagefor a central AC-based grid with the necessary powerplant expansion in order to achieve greater grid stability, security of supply and economy;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Notes that electrical energy has to be generated the moment it is needed; notes that the central AC network must always be kept at a frequency of 50 Hz;
Amendment 91 #
4 b. Notes that for the foreseeable future, no economical -- and thus socially justifiable - storage methods for electrical power will be available;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines that thean energy transition to a climate-neutral economy must not endanger security of supply; stresses that reliable power supply and the energy transition must go hand in hanwithout corresponding economically justifiable and technically manageable energy storage is not feasible if security of supply, grid stability and economy are to be guaranteed;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Deeply regrets that infrastructure projects which are crucial to the energy transition often face strong resistance at local level; encouragesNotes that national and local laws must be respected and must not be ignored; calls on the Member States to actively encouragpromote public support at the local level, for instance through early public participationfrastructure projects, for example by involving the public at an early stage, and to take into account and include justified objections from the population in a democratic manner;
Amendment 134 #
7. Points out that most Member States require operators of storage facilities to pay network charges or energy taxes twice; is convinced that the abolishment of this burden would lead to more energy storage projects being deployed; calls on the Commission to prohibit the double taxation related to energy storage projects in its upcoming proposal for a revised Energy Taxation Directive; calls on the Member States to abolish any kind of double taxation or charges related to energy storage projectsnetwork charges are justified and must therefore continue to be paid for each use of the network;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Urgently calls for a revision of the TEN-E Regulation17 before the adoption of the next lis that the TEN-E Regulation17 must be revised and amended in the interests of projects of common interest (PCI); calls for the criteria for gnetwork stability, security of supply and the economic viability of electricity generanting PCI status to be aon; points out that the PCI list must also be adapted in ligned with the EU’s climate and sustainability goalscriteria of network stability, security of supply and economic efficiency; _________________ 17Regulation (EU) No 347/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2013 on guidelines for trans- European energy infrastructure and repealing Decision No 1364/2006/EC and amending Regulations (EC) No 713/2009, (EC) No 714/2009 and (EC) No 715/2009 (OJ L 115, 25.4.2013, p. 39).
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes with concern that approval procedures at national level take considerably longer than the maximum periods for PCI projects provided for by the TEN-E Regulation; calls on the Commission to address this issue in its upcoming review through an effective enforcement mechanismthat national and local legal framework conditions and approval procedures are justified and must be strictly observed;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Regrets the lack of market deployment of research projects under Horizon 2020, and welcomes the planned greater focus on close-to-market activities under Horizon Europe, in particular through the creation of the European Innovation Council; calls for greater uselaunches of marketable research projects which also take into account scientific, engineering and economic aspects; regrets the unilateral and ideological awarding of pre-commercial procurementsearch projects;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes that that there is only an indirect reference to energy storage projects in the Guidelines on State aid for environmental protection and energy 2014-2020; notes, furthermore, that astonishingly few State aid measures for storage projects have been notifiedState aid measures for electricity storage should be avoided, which constitute inadequate interventions in the pasmarket;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls on the Commission to take into account the important role of storage in the energy transition when reviewing the State aid guidelines; calls on the Commission to make sure that the new guidelines take into account the efficiency and the contribution to grid stability of different storage technologies, so that inefficient funding is avoidedrefrain from State aid and market-distorting interventions; points out that State aid is usually creating inefficient financing;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Acknowledges the high potential of green hydrogen for energy storage and as feedstock for energy-intensive industriesRecognises that the conversion of electricity to hydrogen involves high losses, i.e. low conversion efficiencies, and is therefore highly uneconomic;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls on the Commission to conducarry out a comprehensive analysis of the costs of retrofitting the gas infrastructure for the use of green hydrogenenvironmentally friendly hydrogen; calls on the Commission to define the term 'environmentally friendly hydrogen' in terms of hydrogen production, efficiency, required infrastructure and quantitative availability;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Is convinced that the batteries will play a crucial role in ensuring a stable electricity supplycurrently available and those that will continue to be available in the foreseeable future are not justifiable in quantitative, economic and environmental terms, as they do not guarantee a stable power supply, require an enormous consumption of natural resources and also generate toxic waste at the end of their lifecycle;
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Is concerned that the EU has a very lowimited battery manufacturing capacity; welcomes, therefore,points out, that the European Battery Alliance and the Strategic Action Plan on Batteries; calls for continuous support for them and for the implementation of the Strategic Action Plan on Batteries to be strengthened; welcomes, in this respect, the Commission’s announcement that it will propose legislation on batteries in support of the Strategic Action Plan and the circular economy; calls, in this regard, for life cycle analysis of batteis a multi-billion-taxpayer subsidy for the production of lithium-ion batteries, which requires large quantities of materials that are mined under extremely polluting environmental conditions and which, because of their difficult accessibility, create additional dependencies on non-EU countries;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Is concerned abouthat the EU’s heavy dependence on imports of raw materials for battery production; is convinced that enhanced recycling schemes for batteries could deliver a significant share of the raw materials required for battery production within the EUproduction of batteries is a waste of valuable raw materials; notes that recycling cannot be the solution to the problem in a market with rapidly growing demand artificially created by EU regulations and EU subsidies; is concerned that the recycling and disposal process encourages the production of large amounts of toxic and hazardous waste;
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Acknowledges the potential for used electric vehicle batteries to be reused for energy storage in private homes or in larger battery units; is concerned that the classification of usedat batteries have a short lifespan; notes that spent batteries should be disposed of in the most environmentally friendly way possible; points out that the idea of re-using spent batteries has waste in the Batteries Directive, independent of reuse, canto be clearly rejected because the aging process has reduced the power density to such an extent that their further use is act as a barrier to such rebest highly inefficient and as a rule, even dangerouse;
Amendment 288 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20 a. Calls on the Commission to carefully assess the risks to which the European system would be exposed in the event of over-reliance on short-term storage systems only;
Amendment 292 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Notes that pumped storage plays a crucial role in energy storage; is concerned that the EU is not exploiting the full potential of this carbon-neutral and highly efficient way of storing energy; has become uneconomical in the course of energy system transformation as a result of state market-distorting subsidies and the resulting price development on futures and spot markets; notes that pumped storage power plants make special demands on topographical, geographical and hydrological conditions (in addition to acceptance by the population, especially with regard to environmental damage), which are in economically justifiable quantities only available in a few EU countries;
Amendment 297 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Considers that the MembTakes the view that pumped- storage power Sstates should seek further ways to enhance pumped storage capacity; calls on the Member States to remove any administrative obstacles that are delaying these projects and to provide regulatory support for innovative approaches in this field; calls on the Commission to prioritise the necessary energy transition, to conduct a comprehensive review of the relevant legislation and to propose changes where necessaryions pose particular challenges in terms of topographical, geographical and hydrological conditions(in addition to acceptance by the population, particularly with regard to environmental damage), which are only available in economically justifiable proportions in a few EU countries; points out that the construction of a new pumped-storage power station is a massive and cost-intensive intervention in the ecology, and is currently not economically viable; stresses that under the above conditions, the potential for further pumped-storage power stations appears to have been largely exhausted; takes the view that national and local legislation must be complied with;
Amendment 312 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. CPoints out that thermal storage should be considered separately from electricity storage; considers district heating to be a very efficient tool for energy storage andinstrument for heating residential heatbuildings in densely populated areas; callpoints onut the Commission and the Member States to support and develop district heating networkat district heating networks are fed with hot water, which is generated as waste heat in the production of electricity in large nuclear, coal and gas-fired power plants; points out that district heating is extremely useful as it increases the efficiency of fossil-fuelled power stations and nuclear power plants;
Amendment 335 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Believes that home batteries, domestic heat storage, vehicle-to-grid technology and demand response help to cut consumption peaks, provide flexibility and are playing an increasingly important role in ensuring that the energy grid is efficient and integratedthe so-called load control in the electricity grid as an instrument for the allocation of electricity means nothing other than a measure of a centrally planned economy, managing the electricity shortage brought about by the so called energy transition, and should therefore be rejected in any form;