Activities of Eugenia RODRÍGUEZ PALOP related to 2021/0218(COD)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Directive 98/70/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the promotion of energy from renewable sources, and repealing Council Directive (EU) 2015/652
Amendments (14)
Amendment 16 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 2 a (new)
Recital 2 a (new)
(2a) 31 million people live in energy poverty, with rural areas being particularly affected. Renewable energy can contribute to eradicating energy poverty and thus strengthen the social component of the European Green Deal.
Amendment 22 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) There is a growing recognition of the need for alignment of bioenergy policies with the cascading principle of biomass use11 and that the development of the bio energy sector should respect the proximity principle, to ensure balanced regional development of the industry in which local populations retain control, with a view to ensuring fair access to the biomass raw material market for the development of innovative, high value- added bio-based solutions and a sustainable circular bioeconomy. When developing support schemes for bioenergy, Member States should therefore take into consideration the available sustainable supply of biomass for energy and non- energy uses and the maintenance of the national forest carbon sinks and ecosystems as well as the principles of the circular economy and the biomass cascading use, and the waste hierarchy established in Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council12 . For this, they should grant no support to the production of energy from saw logs, veener logs, stumps and roots and avoid promoting the use of quality roundwood for energy except in well-defined circumstances. In line with the cascading principle, woody biomass should be used according to its highest economic and environmental added value in the following order of priorities: 1) wood-based products, 2) extending their service life, 3) re-use, 4) recycling, 5) bio-energy and 6) disposal. Where no other use for woody biomass is economically viable or environmentally appropriate, energy recovery helps to reduce energy generation from non- renewable sources. Member States’ support schemes for bioenergy should therefore be directed to such feedstocks for which little market competition exists with the material sectors, and whose sourcing is considered positive for both climate and biodiversity, in order to avoid negative incentives for unsustainable bioenergy pathways, as identified in the JRC report ‘The use of woody biomass for energy production in the EU’13 . On the other hand, in defining the further implications of the cascading principle, it is necessary to recognise the national specificities which guide Member States in the design of their support schemesWaste prevention, reuse and recycling of waste should be the priority option. Member States should avoid creating support schemes which would be counter to targets on treatment of waste and which would lead to the inefficient use of recyclable waste. Moreover, in order to ensure a more efficient use of bioenergy, from 2026 on Member States should not give support anymore to electricity-only plants , unless the installations are in regions with a specific use status as regards their transition away from fossil fuels or if the installations use carbon capture and storage. __________________ 11 The cascading principle aims to achieve resource efficiency of biomass use through prioritising biomass material use to energy use wherever possible, increasing thus the amount of biomass available within the system. In line with the cascading principle, woody biomass should be used according to its highest economic and environmental added value in the following order of priorities: 1) wood-based products, 2) extending their service life, 3) re-use, 4) recycling, 5) bio-energy and 6) disposal. 12 Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives (OJ L 312, 22.11.2008, p. 3). 13 https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/reposit ory/handle/JRC122719
Amendment 28 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) The rapid growth and increasing cost-competitiveness of renewable electricity production can be used to satisfy a growing share of energy demand, for instance using heat pumps for space heating or low-temperature industrial processes, electric vehicles for transport, or electric furnaces in certain industries. Renewable electricity can also be used to produce synthetic fuels for consumption in hard-to-decarbonise transport sectors such as aviation and maritime transport. A framework for electrification needs to enable robust and efficient coordination and expand market mechanisms to match both supply and demand in space and time, stimulate investments in flexibility, and help integrate large shares of variable renewable generation. Member States should therefore ensure that the deployment of renewable electricity continues to increase at an adequate pace to meet growing demand. These objectives can be best achieved by promoting localized solutions suitable to emerging technologies in the renewable sector which will have the twin benefits of respecting the proximity principle and ensuring local control of energy supply. For this, Member States should establish a framework that includes market- compatible mechanisms to tackle remaining barriers to have secure and adequate electricity systems fit for a high level of renewable energy, as well as storage facilities, fully integrated into the electricity system. In particular, this framework shall tackle remaining barriers, including non-financial ones such as insufficient digital and human resources of authorities to process a growing number of permitting applications.
Amendment 32 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8 a (new)
Recital 8 a (new)
(8a) The installation of renewable energy projects on rural land and on agricultural land in general should be governed by the principles of proportionality, complementarity and compensation. Member States should ensure the orderly deployment of renewable projects in order to avoid the loss of agricultural land, and encourage the development and use of appropriate technologies that render renewable energy production compatible with agricultural and livestock production.
Amendment 37 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Buildings have a large untapped potential to contribute effectively to the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the Union. The decarbonisation of heating and cooling in this sector through an increased share in production and use of renewable energy will be needed to meet the ambition set in the Climate Target Plan to achieve the Union objective of climate neutrality. However, progress on the use of renewables for heating and cooling has been stagnant in the last decade, largely relying on increased use of biomass. Without the establishment of targets to increase the production and use of renewable energy in buildings, there will be no ability to track progress and identify bottlenecks in the uptake of renewables. Furthermore, the creation of targets will provide a long-term signal to investors, including for the period immediately after 2030. This will complement obligations related to energy efficiency and the energy performance of buildings. Therefore, indicative targets for the use of renewable energy in buildings should be set to guide and incentivise Member States’ efforts to exploit the potential of using and producing renewable energy in buildings, encourage the development of and integration of technologies which produce affordable renewable energy to combat energy poverty while providing certainty for investors and local level engagement.
Amendment 40 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) Infrastructure development for district heating and cooling networks should be stepped up and steered towards harnessing a wider range of renewable heat and cold sources in an efficient and flexible way in order to increase the deployment of renewable energy and deepen energy system integration. It is therefore appropriate to update the list of renewable energy sources that district heating and cooling networks should increasingly accommodate and require the integration of thermal energy storage as a source of flexibility, greater energy efficiency and more cost-effective operation. Encourages the development of energy initiatives in line with the ideals of the circular economy where farmers and landowners would be incentivized to create district heating schemes using farm waste and by- products.
Amendment 41 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) With more than 30 million electric vehicles expected in the Union by 2030 it is necessary to ensure that they can fully contribute to the system integration of renewable electricity, and thus allow reaching higher shares of renewable electricity in a cost-optimal manner. The potential of electric vehicles to absorb renewable electricity at times when it is abundant and feed it back into a grid when there is scarcity has to be fully utilised. It is therefore appropriate to introduce specific measures on electric vehicles, including those used in the agricultural sector, and information about renewable energy and how and when to access it which complement those in Directive (EU) 2014/94 of the European Parliament and of the Council l6 and the [proposed Regulation concerning batteries and waste batteries, repealing Directive 2006/66/EC and amending Regulation (EU) No 2019/1020]. It is also necessary to increase investment in and the technological development of engines used in agricultural machinery for their various purposes, allowing for a combination of different energy sources. Measures and programmes should also be promoted to facilitate access to this type of machinery, with specific programmes for renewing agricultural vehicles and regard being had to energy efficiency. It is essential, moreover, that Member States review their rules on the classification of agricultural machinery on the basis of energy efficiency in order to adapt said machinery to current developments in available technology. __________________ 16 Directive 2014/94/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure (OJ L 307, 28.10.2014, p. 1)
Amendment 42 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) With more than 30 million electric vehicles expected in the Union by 2030 it is necessary to ensure that they can fully contribute to the system integration of renewable electricity, and thus allow reaching higher shares of renewable electricity in a cost-optimal manner. The potential of electric vehicles to absorb renewable electricity at times when it is abundant and feed it back into a grid when there is scarcity has to be fully utilised. Stresses the importance of supporting new start-ups by introducing "smart grids" and developing special instruments, such as tax breaks in the transport sector, to incentivize farmers and rural CO-OPs to enter the market. It is therefore appropriate to introduce specific measures on electric vehicles and information about renewable energy and how and when to access it which complement those in Directive (EU) 2014/94 of the European Parliament and of the Council16 and the [proposed Regulation concerning batteries and waste batteries, repealing Directive 2006/66/EC and amending Regulation (EU) No 2019/1020]. __________________ 16 Directive 2014/94/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure (OJ L 307, 28.10.2014, p. 1)
Amendment 45 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) Recharging points where electric vehicles typically park for extended periods of time, such as where people park for reasons of residence or employment, are highly relevant to energy system integration, therefore smart charging functionalities need to be ensured. In this regard, the operation of non-publicly accessible normal charging infrastructure is particularly important for the integration of electric vehicles in the electricity system as it is located where electric vehicles are parked repeatedly for long periods of time, such as in buildings with restricted access, on farm parking for electric agricultural vehicles, employee parking or parking facilities rented out to natural or legal persons. In addition, specific initiatives and plans should be promoted to extend the network of recharging points in rural areas, especially in the most remote and mountainous areas, and to encourage the development of innovation projects that take advantage of the potential of existing agricultural heritage infrastructures to install recharging points.
Amendment 48 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 21 a (new)
Recital 21 a (new)
(21a) Member States should promote the necessary spatial planning instruments that classify agricultural soils and identify soils of high agricultural value on the basis of their edaphological characteristics. In their policies for the development and promotion of renewable energies, Member States should ensure the purpose of these soils is preserved for agricultural and livestock use.
Amendment 61 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 31
Recital 31
(31) The Union’s renewable energy policy aims to contribute to achieving the climate change mitigation objectives of the European Union in terms of the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In the pursuit of this goal, it is essential to also contribute to wider environmental objectives, and in particular the prevention of biodiversity loss, which is negatively impacted by the indirect land use change associated to the production of certain biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels. Contributing to these climate and environmental objectives constitutes a deep and longstanding intergenerational concern for Union citizens and the Union legislator. As a consequence, the changes in the way the transport target is calculated should not affect the limits established on how to account toward that target certain fuels produced from food and feed crops on the one hand and high indirect land-use change-risk fuels on the other hand. In addition, in order not to create an incentive to use biofuels and biogas produced from food and feed crops in transport, Member States should continue tonot be able to choose whether count them or not towards the transport target. If they do not count them, they may reduce the greenhouse gas intensity reduction target accordingly, assuming that food and feed crop-based biofuels save 50% greenhouse gas emissions, which corresponds to the typical values set out in an annex to this Directive for the greenhouse gas emission savings of the most relevant production pathways of food and feed crop-based biofuels as well as the minimum savings threshold applying to most installations producing such biofuels.
Amendment 64 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 32
Recital 32
(32) Expressing the transport target as a greenhouse gas intensity reduction target makes it unnecessary to use multipliers to promote certain renewable energy sources. This is because different renewable energy sources save different amounts of greenhouse gas emissions and, therefore, contribute differently to a target. Renewable electricity should be considered to have zero emissions, meaning it saves 100%can have lower emissions compared to electricity produced from fossil fuels if the principles of the circular economy are complied with. This will create an incentive for the use of renewable electricity since renewable fuels and recycled carbon fuels are unlikely to achieve such a high percentage of savings. Electrification relying on renewable energy sources would therefore become the most efficient way to decarbonise road transport. In addition, in order to promote the use of advanced biofuels and biogas and renewable fuels of non-biological origin in the aviation and maritime modes, which are difficult to electrify, it is appropriate to keep the multiplier for those fuels supplied in those modes when counted towards the specific targets set for those fuels.
Amendment 73 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 36
Recital 36
(36) Directive (EU) 2018/2001 strengthened the bioenergy sustainability and greenhouse gas savings framework by setting criteria for all end-use sectors. It set out specific rules for biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels produced from forest biomass, requiring the sustainability of harvesting operations and the accounting of land-use change emissions. To achieve an enhanced protection of especially biodiverse and carbon-rich habitats, such as primary forests, highly biodiverse forests, grasslands and peat lands, exclusions and limitations to source forest biomass from those areas should be introduced, in line with the approach for biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels produced from agricultural biomass. In addition, the greenhouse gas emission saving criteria should also apply to existing biomass-based installations to ensure that bioenergy production in all such installations leads to greenhouse gas emission reductions compared to energy produced from fossil fuels. The promotion of energy from renewable sources should be based on the principles of the circular economy and be fully part of the building of a sustainable bioeconomy, in particular with respect to forest and agricultural biomass. These principles aim to achieve the utmost resource efficiency, where the value of products, bio based materials and other resources is maintained in the economy, and the generation of waste minimised. Policies should therefore take into account these principles and promote the keeping of bio based raw materials in the economy for as long as possible by supporting the production of long lived products and only support recovery for energy purposes at the end of the lifecycle of these resources.
Amendment 183 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 12 – point d
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 12 – point d
When adopting and implementing those measures, Member States shall ensure their accessibility to all consumers, in particular those in low-income or vulnerable households, especially in rural areas, who would not otherwise possess sufficient up- front capital to benefit.