34 Amendments of Britta THOMSEN related to 2012/2103(INI)
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recognises the benefits to Member States of working together for an energy system transformation which must start now; endorses, therefore, the Commission's Energy Roadmap 2050 as the basis for proposing legislative and other initiatives on energy policy with a view to developing a policy framework for 2030, including milestones and targetsbased on legally binding targets (for greenhouse gas emissions, renewables and energy efficiency) ; notes that defining energy targets for 2050 assumes pan- European governance; pursues, within the spirit of the Union, a strategy that will allow Member States to cooperate and not feel repressed under the Roadmap;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the proposed strategies for 2030 and 2050 are not of a deterministic nature, but rather serve as a basis for constructive dialogueframework for developing more precise policy instruments aimed at reaching the objectives and binding targets, based on a constructive dialogue with all involved stakeholders on issues relating to industry, research and energy;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Highlights the importance of the EU's energy policy amidst the financial crisis; emphasises the role that energy could potentiallyan play in spurring growth and competitiveness in the EU; calls on the Commission to propose post-2020 strategies and to present a 2030 policy framework for European energy policy; encourages the Member States to step up their ongoing efforts to reach the current 2020 targets in the area of EU energy policylegislation to renew and extend the climate and energy package in order to ensure a stable European energy policy framework towards 2030 and 2040, with an emphasis on binding targets for energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions and renewable energy and by full integration of the no regrets options of the energy roadmap 2050; encourages the Member States to step up their ongoing efforts to reach the current 2020 targets in the area of EU energy policy; stresses in this regard that timely and full implementation of all provisions of the Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC is vital for achieving the EU´s binding target of at least 20% by 2020;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Urges the Commission to come forward with one specific scenario which guides the way towards 2050; stresses that this scenario should be based on the no- regrets options combining high energy efficiency, high renewables and a smart infrastructure; realizes that it is impossible to look into the future but stresses that a clear action plan and consensus among all the Member States is crucial to reach the goals of sustainability, security and competitiveness;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Stresses that this scenario towards 2050 needs to be detailed, outlining specific crucial projects and ambitious policy measures including intermediate and 2050 targets for energy efficiency, renewable energy and green house gas emissions; emphasizes the urgency in developing this scenario as the first steps need to be taken now;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that a clear policy and regulatory framework will stimulate the necessary investments for low-carbon energy investments; Emphasises in this regard the headline targets of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and calls for the continuation of such a policy approach post-2020; Underlines the importance of an energy strategy focused on increasing the EU's energy security and economic competitiveness through measures such as the diversification of supply routes and sources, and energy efficiency;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Recognises the conclusions reached in the Energy Roadmap that the transition of thtowards a sustainable energy sector on an EU-wide scale is technically and economically feasible, and couldwill be less costly in the long-run than a continuation of current policies under certain assumptions;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Regrets that the Commission omitted to present a scenario based on both high efficiency and high renewables, emphasising the needed synergies between renewables and energy efficiency; calls on the Commission include such a scenario in its modelling exercises;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Emphasizes that, when transforming the energy landscape, people take centre stage; therefore welcomes the inclusion of the social dimension in the Energy Roadmap; urges the Commission to elaborate further on this matter and propose measures for adjusting education and retraining enhancing a highly skilled workforce and boosting employment; asks to investigate consumer costs and benefits with special attention for energy poverty and protecting low-income households who are most affected by higher energy prices; stresses that all types of consumers and prosumers need to be included in the social dialogue and awareness campaigns should be carried out to generate the necessary behavioural changes;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Recognises that a higher share of renewable energy beyond 2020 is a key aspect of a more sustainable energy system; recognises, furthermore, that all of the decarbonisation scenarios explored in the Commission communication assume an increased share of renewable energy emphasises that a share of renewable energy of 45% in gross final energy consumption in 2030 can be obtained; for example by focussing more on energy efficiency and by setting the EU energy mix of around 30% in grosright targets, which would create the required certainty for investors final the energy consumption in 2030sector;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Stresses that improved energy efficiency and energy savings will play an essential role in the transformation of the energy system, and that meeting the 2020 objectives is an important basis for further progress up to 2050; recommendproposes, in this respect, that binding energy efficiency targets for 2030, 2040 and 2050 are put in place; recommends awareness raising campaigns and energy efficiency to be integrated into national educational curricula in the Member States;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Stresses the importance of a high level of energy efficiency for reaching energy security and the greenhouse gas reduction target, as well as the positive effects on EU competitiveness, industrial leadership, job creation, energy independence and energy prices; emphasizes the necessity of achieving the 20% energy efficiency target by 2020 and of setting binding intermediate targets for 2030, 2040 to reach 40% by 2050; recommends that, while aiming to augment energy efficiency, all steps and stakeholders of the supply and demand chain should be looked at (amongst others: production, transformation, transmission, distribution and consumption at all levels);
Amendment 187 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Agrees with the view in the Energy Roadmap 2050 that action is urgently needed as to what policy framework should follow after 2020 and encourages the European Commission, on the basis of the Roadmap and subsequent communications on the internal energy market and renewable energy, to come forward with a communication on a coherent policy framework for 2030 before the end of the current terms of the European Commission and the European Parliament;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10b. Agrees with the Commission that renewable heating and cooling is vital to decarbonisation; however, draws attention to the misleading conclusion of the "Roadmap", which considers the "electrification of heating" as a straightforward solution to decarbonise the EU economy; notes that readily available RES solutions (geothermal, biomass including biodegradable waste, solar thermal and hydro-/aerothermal) in combination with energy efficiency measures, including CHP and the utilization of (industrial) waste heat, have the potential to decarbonise the entire heat demand by 2050 in a more cost effective way, while addressing the problem of energy poverty which is mainly focused on heat in the EU's societies;
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Highlights the need to secure a sufficiently strong policy framework post 2020 for renewable energy technologies that have not yet reached grid parity designed with a view to converging and later phasing out subsidies;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11b. Believes that the investment model applied in Energy Roadmap 2050 tends to back-load new (RES) investments with most happening after 2030, thereby greatly underestimating the actual investment need prior to 2030 and exacerbating the risk of locking-in new high-carbon investments;
Amendment 241 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 c (new)
Paragraph 11 c (new)
11c. Underlines that early policy clarity on the post-2020 framework is essential to provide investor confidence, promote energy innovation which is key for ensuring the development of different technologies enabling the long-term cost- effective decarbonisation of the energy sector, and to generate new jobs and growth potentials; believes that dedicated renewable energy targets have proven to stimulate economic growth and international industrial leadership on global markets; therefore, calls on the Commission to propose a binding 45% renewable energy target for 2030, including an assessment of the economic, environmental and social benefits of a dedicated post-2020 renewable energy target;
Amendment 242 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 d (new)
Paragraph 11 d (new)
11d. Emphasises that the increasing penetration of renewables requires changes in policy to be made with a view to adapting markets to this reality and achieving greater market integration; highlights the need to adapt support schemes to the individual characteristics of national markets and technologies and phase them out once technologies and supply chains have matured and can compete market failures are resolved, and side-benefits properly taken into account; considers stable and reliable support schemes key to avoiding unsustainable market developments while recognising that sudden and retroactive changes are undermining investor confidence in the sector; awaits the Commission's guidelines on best-practices and experience gained with support schemes which will address stability, predictability and cost-effectiveness; calls on the Commission to provide clear guidance on avoiding sudden and retroactive changes;
Amendment 245 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 e (new)
Paragraph 11 e (new)
11e. Finds that the investment model applied in the Energy Roadmap 2050 rests on dubious assumptions such as decreasing oil prices, which deteriorate the business case for renewable energy investments and postpone, in particular, forecasted investments in renewable energy;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 f (new)
Paragraph 11 f (new)
11f. Believes that the investment model applied in Energy Roadmap 2050 tends to back-load new (RES) investments with most happening after 2030, thereby greatly underestimating the actual investment need prior to 2030 and exacerbating the risk of locking-in new high-carbon investments;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Highlights the new challenges, such as the need for flexible resources in the power system (e.g. flexible generation, storage, demand management), that will arise as the contribution of variable renewable generation increases; stresses the need to have sufficient capacity, as well as the need for new infrastructure and flexibility at the distribution level and the ability of prosumers and distribution service operators (DSOs) to contribute to a higher energy efficiency; stresses the need for a thorough assessment of the available capacity to ensure security of electricity supply; stresses, in this regard, that policy developments in Member States should not create new barriers to electricity- or gas- market integration;
Amendment 288 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Stresses that, since the current infrastructure is outdated, huge investments will be necessary in each scenario of the Commission's Communication on the Roadmap 2050; this will result in a rise in the energy prices until 2030 in each scenario; furthermore, the Commission states that the largest share of these increases are already happening in the reference scenario since they are linked to the replacement of the next 20 years old, already fully written-off generation capacity; emphasizes that, since all scenario's have similar costs, the positive economic, environmental and social effects connected to the high energy efficiency and the high renewable scenario should not be neglected;
Amendment 310 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Emphasizes the importance of the Connecting Europe Facility with a considerable amount reserved for transforming and further developing the energy infrastructure in the EU; stresses the importance of identifying and supporting crucial sustainable projects on a large as well as on a small scale;
Amendment 322 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Emphasizes that more attention needs be given to demand-side management; stresses that demand-side management, on an industrial as well as on a consumer scale, is a powerful tool for achieving a renewables based energy system, as it evens out high peaks in demand or supply and therefore reduces the needed amount of storage and back- up provisions;
Amendment 351 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Believes that unconventional gas has a role toUrges the Commission to come forward with a regulatory framework regarding unconventional gas, based on their recent assessments and taking into account all environmental, economic, social and health aspects, as well as calculations on total-life cycle costs, lock- in effects, land use and hazards of fracking in proximity to critical installations; stresses that, to determine the role that unconventional gas could play in the future EU energy mix, and calls on the Commission and the Member States toshould take the developresults of the assessments surrounding unconventional gas into account when formulating the future energy outlook scenarios;
Amendment 370 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Underlines the importance ofNotes that Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) could play a role on the road to 2050 and decarbonisation; however, is concerned about unresolved problems such as non-specified delays in development, high cost prices and environmental risks; stresses that CCS oughtis unlikely to be ready by 2030 if fossil fuels are to remain significant in the energy mixfor commercial deployment before 2030 and therefore recommends cautiousness when accounting for CO2 reductions attributed to CCS in the scenarios; highlights that CCS is alsomight be an important option for the decarbonisation of several heavy industries and could, combined with biomass, deliver ‘'carbon negative’' values;
Amendment 393 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Is of opinion that, in a sustainable energy landscape and the path towards it, there is no place for hazardous or heavily polluting energy sources, especially in the long term; therefore stresses that no EU funds shall be granted to the construction of new coal or nuclear plants;
Amendment 408 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Stresses the need to ensure the energy security of the EU through, primarily achieved by promoting energy savings and renewable energy, which will, together with other alternative sources of energy and to, reduce import dependency; highlights, therefore, the emerging importance ofnotes the emerging interest regarding the exploration of oil and gas fields in the Mediterranean Sea and the Arctic; believes that there is an urgent need to develop an EU policy on oil and gas drilling at sea, with an emphasis on environmental hazards and including delineation of exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of EU Member States and relevant third countries in accordance with the UNCLOS Convention, to which all EU Member States and the EU as such are signatories;
Amendment 438 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Recognises that the ETS is the principal – though not the only – instrument for reducing industrial emissions and promoting investment in safe and sustainable low carbon technologies; notes that further improvement of the ETS is necessary; notes that any structural changes to the ETS would require a careful assessment of environmental, economic and social effects as well as on the impact on electricity prices and on the competitiveness of energy-intensive industries; calls on the Commission and the Member States to facilitate the development of innovative, safe and sustainable technological solutions by European industries;
Amendment 446 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Calls on the EU to continue to play an active role in the international negotiations on the global climate deal; takes the opinion that climate diplomacy should come under the umbrella of the European External Action Service (EEAS); stresses that the EU needs to know what the consequences of a failure to conclude a global climate change agreement would be but emphasizes that the EU needs to act on climate change in any case to safe costs, create benefits for the environment, job opportunities and front runner advantages for the industry;
Amendment 463 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Believes that prices play a crucial role in energy-related investment and energy production; notes that the different Member States' policies to promote renewable energy show both successes and problemchallenges; takes the opinion that the recent relatively high prices of fossil fuels promote the development of renewable energy; notes, however, that in some Member States the promotion of renewable energy by means of financial support could lead to high energy prices, though being subsidised since decades, have led to increased energy prices, thus increasing the need for developing and deploying domestic sustainable resources; notes, however, that in some Member States the promotion of renewable energy by means of financial support could lead to an increase of energy prices; underlines, however, that this should be compared to the overall benefits linked to the deployment of renewable energy, including the avoided CO2 costs, the revenues generated on the power market and the positive impact of the merit-order- effect on reducing wholesale electricity prices; regrets that this benefit is often not passed to consumers and strongly calls on market actors to do so;
Amendment 478 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Believes that, while energy bills in Europe have risen in recent years, this development has given rise to a ‘'smart’', common sense-based approach to energy efficiency and energy savings; stresses the importance of accompanying this natural yet insufficient change in behaviour with the right policy actions and financial support to enhance further energy savings, believes, regardless, that the role of ICT technologies is increasingly important for energy; highlights, in this context, the role of smart meters inneed to define the role of demand response programmes aimed at consumer benefits providing consumersthem with data on energy consumption in households and businesses;
Amendment 495 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. CHighlights the decrease in costs of renewable energy, partly created by technological improvements through advanced research and development; stresses the importance of continuing to support research and development for renewable energy, by, amongst others, earmarking a higher share for renewable energy research in the amount of 3% of public GDP reserved for research and by carrying out the SET plan; calls on the Commission to ensure that Horizon 2020 and the European Innovation Partnerships under the Innovation Union prioritise the need to develop all types ofsafe and sustainable low carbon technologies in order to spur EU competitiveness, promote job opportunities and bring about a change in consumer behaviour;
Amendment 507 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Paragraph 33 a (new)
33a. Asks the EC to assist in establishing SET Plan European Industrial Initiatives for renewable energy technologies that are currently not included, namely the renewable heating and cooling technologies platform;