Activities of Chris MACMANUS related to 2022/0160(COD)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive (EU) 2018/2001 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources, Directive 2010/31/EU on the energy performance of buildings and Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency
Amendments (12)
Amendment 26 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council18 sets a binding Union target to reach a share of at least 32 % of energy from renewable sources in the Union's gross final consumption of energy by 2030. Under the Climate Target Plan19 , the share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption would need to increase to 40% by 2030 in order to achieve the Union’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction target20 . In this context, the Commission proposed in July 2021, as part of the package delivering on the European Green Deal, to double the share of renewable energy in the energy mix in 2030 compared to 2020, to reach at least 40%. The REPowerEU Communication21 outlined a plan to make the EU independent from Russian fossil fuels well before the end of this decade. The Communication foresees front-loading of wind and solar energy, increasing the average deployment rate as well as additional renewable energy capacity by 2030 to accommodate for higher production of renewable hydrogen. It also invited the co-legislators to consider a higher or earlier target for renewable energy. In this context, it is appropriate to increase the Union renewable energy target up to 45to at least 50% in order to significantly accelerate the current pace of deployment of renewable energy, thereby speeding up the phase-out of EU’s dependence by increasing the availability of affordable, secure and sustainable energy in the Union. _________________ 18 Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (OJ L 328, 21.12.2018, p. 82). 19 Communication from the Commission COM(2020) 562 final of 17.9.2020, Stepping up Europe’s 2030 climate ambition Investing in a climate-neutral future for the benefit of our people. 20 Point 3 of the Communication from the Commission COM(2020) 562 21 REPowerEU: Joint European Action for more affordable, secure and sustainable energy, COM(2022) 108 final (“REPower EU Communication”).
Amendment 38 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) The provisions of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters23 (‘the Aarhus Convention’)¨ regarding access to information, public participation in decision-making, and access to justice in environmental matters, in particular the provisions relating to public participation and to access to justice remain applicable, where relevant. It follows that Member State plans on the designation of renewables go-to areas should be subject to public consultation. _________________ 23 Council Decision 2005/370/EC of 17 February 2005 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of the Convention on access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters (OJ L 124, 17.5.2005, p. 1).
Amendment 40 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) The designation of renewables go- to areas should allow renewable energy plants, their grid connection as well as co- located energy storage facilities located in these areas to benefit from predictability and streamlined administrative procedures. In particular, projects located in renewable go-to areas should benefit from accelerated administrative procedures, including a tacit agreement in case of a lack of response by the competent authority on an administrative step by the established deadline, unless the specific project is subject to an environmental impact assessment. These projects should also benefit from clearly delimited deadlines and legal certainty as regards the expected outcome of the procedure. Following the application for projects in a renewables go- to area, Member States should carry out a fast screening of such applications with the aim to identify if any of such projects is highly likely to give rise to significant unforeseen adverse effects in view of the environmental sensitivity of the geographic area where they are located that were not identified during the environmental assessment of the plan or plans designating renewables go-to areas carried out in accordance with Directive 2001/42/EC. All projects located in renewables go-to areas should be deemed approved at the end of such screening process. Only if Member States have clear evidence to consider that a specific project is highly likely to give rise to such significant unforeseen adverse effects, Member States should, after motivating such decision, subject such project to an environmental assessment in accordance with Directive 2011/92/EC and, where relevant, Directive 92/43/EEC25 . Given the need to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy sources, such assessment should be carried out within six months. _________________ 25 Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the convervation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (OJ L 206, 22.7.1992).
Amendment 46 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) In addition to installing new renewable energy plants, repowering existing renewable energy plants has a significant potential to contribute to the achievement of the renewable energy targets. Since, usually, the existing renewable energy plants have been installed in sites with significant renewable energy resource potential, repowering can ensure the continued use of these sites while reducing the need to designate new sites for renewable energy projects. Repowering includes further benefits such as the existing grid connection, a likely higher degree of public acceptance and knowledge of environmental impacts. The repowering of renewable energy projects entails changes to or the extension of existing projects to different degrees. The permit-granting process, including environmental assessments and screening, for the repowering of renewable energy projects should be limited to the potential impacts resulting from the change or extension compared to the original project, including cumulative impacts.
Amendment 61 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall collectively ensure that the share of energy from renewable sources in the Union’s gross final consumption of energy in 2030 is at least 450%.
Amendment 66 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 15b – paragraph 3
Article 15b – paragraph 3
(3) Member States shall favour multiple uses of the areas identified as a result of the obligation in paragraph 1. This shall include the use of land for multiple forms of renewable energy generation where geographic specificities permit.
Amendment 69 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 15c – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 15c – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
By [2 years after the entry into force], Member States shall adopt a plan or plans designating, within the areas referred to in Article 15b(1), renewables go-to areas for one or more types of renewable energy sources. The development of the plans shall be open to public consultation. In that plan or plans, Member States shall:
Amendment 81 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 16a – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
Article 16a – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
For the purpose of such screening, the project developer shall provide information on the characteristics of the project, on its compliance with the rules and measures identified according to Article 15c (1), points (b) and (c), for the specific go-to area, on any additional measures adopted by the project and how these measures address environmental impacts. All such information provided by the project developer shall be made publicly accessible online by the competent authorities. Regional authorities, civil society, researchers and local representative organisations shall be facilitated to raise any concern of significant unforeseen adverse effects which the project could provoke, and those concerns shall be considered by the competent national authorities during the screening. Such screening shall be finalised within 30 days from the date of submission of the applications for new renewable energy plants, with the exception of applications for installations with an electrical capacity of less than 150 kW. For such installations and for new applications for the repowering of plants, the screening phase shall be finalized within 15 days.
Amendment 82 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 16a – paragraph 6
Article 16a – paragraph 6
(6) In the permit-granting process of the applications referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, the lack of reply of the relevant administrative bodies within the established deadline shall result in the specific administrative steps to be considered as approved, except in those cases where the specific project is subject to an environmental impact assessment in accordance with paragraph 5. All resulting decisions will be publicly available.
Amendment 83 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 8
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 8
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 16b – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 16b – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Member States shall facilitate the repowering of projects located outside go- to areas by ensuring that, if an environmental assessment for a project is required under the Union environmental legislation, such assessment shall be limited to the potential impacts stemming from the change or extension compared to the original project, including cumulative impacts.
Amendment 87 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Directive 2010/31/EU
Article 9a – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 9a – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) by 31 December 2026, on all new public and commercial buildings with useful floor area larger than 250 square meters, including all new public buildings intended for residential use;
Amendment 90 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Directive 2010/31/EU
Article 9a – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 9a – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) by 31 December 20297, on all new residential buildings.