Activities of Vicky FORD related to 2012/2259(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on current challenges and opportunities for renewable energy on the European internal energy market
Amendments (22)
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Points out that renewable energy is not being developed separately, but as part of the overall energy system; reiterates that funding needs to be allocated underinvestment is needed from private and public sources, such as the Connecting Europe programme, to finance the development of energy infrastructure and ICT-based smart grids so as to enable renewable energy to be incorporated more comprehensively andinto the energy market and to improve the stability of transfer systems;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Maintains that a transitional period is necessary in order to establish European support schemes; suggests that the Commission allow for the effects of the economic crisis and countries' lower credit ratings, as reflected in the cutbacks – and the degree of risk involved –Believes that national support schemes for renewable energy should gradually be phased out when the market viability and competitiveness has been achieved; notes the risks to those who invest in renewable energy investment; stress, and believes that twhe risks to those who invest in renewable energy havere there is a market failure, public finance can be used to be reduced by means of a clear long-term European strategy investment uncertainty and therefore leverage private financing for energy projects;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas one of the aims of European Union energy policy – in a spirit of solidarity among the Member States, as part of the creation of the single market and in accordance with the need to conserve and improve the environment – is to promote the development of new and renewable energy sourcesforms of energy;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas the completion of the internal energy market by 2014 should facilitate new and more market participants, including from of a growing number of SMEs producing renewable energy;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas, as things stand at present,ccording to estimates the EU is on track to achieve theits target of a 20% share for RES in the energy mix by 2020;
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. StressIs of the opinion that targeted research and development through existing instruments needs to be made more effective, and is concerned that R&D has been neglected in certain branches of the renewable energy sector, which has led to commercialisation difficulties; notes that research and development focusing on the efficient use of waste to produce electricity, gas, and heat arcan be important from the point of view of meeting energy efficiency targets; notes also that the transport sector is an extremely large consumer of fossil fuels and therefore research into improvements in energy efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions in transport will have a beneficial impact;
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Believes that there is a need to phase out subsidies which damage competition and also those that support environmentally harmful fossil fuels;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Notes the importance of ensuring that prices for consumers, both domestic and industrial, remain at affordable and internationally competitive levels;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that the Member States are currently acting independently in the promotion ofir support for RES, within administrative frameworks that differ widely, and that their potential for developing renewables is uneven on account of natural factors; believes that their varying systems of support must be able to accommodate changes in respective markets and be adapted accordingly in order to control their costs and pass on cost-efficiency gains to final consumers;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that levels of public and political acceptance of renewable energy differ and that the availability of public and private financing to promote RES varies widely; believes that carbon markets have a role to play in providing investors incentives to invest in RES;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Is concerned that, so far, only some of the renewables on the energy market are economically competitive, although certain other technologies are closing the gap with market prices; agrees with the Commission that all availablppropriate means must be used to bring the costs down and make RES economically competitive; believes that where market imperfections exist or where producers face limited opportunities to secure market based financing, access to more affordable investment capital for RES should be facilitated;
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Notes the importance of ensuring that prices for consumers, both domestic and industrial, remain at an affordable level;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. In order to allow for the gradual integration into the market, believes that national support schemes for RES should gradually be phased out when the market viability and competiveness of a specific RES has been achieved;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5 c. Believes there is a need to phase out subsidies that damage competition and also those that support environmentally harmful fossil fuels;
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes with concern that the cooperation mechanisms introduced by Directive 2009/28/EC have, to date, scarcely been used; points to the Commission's findings indicating that better use of the existing scope for cooperation would bring considerable benefits, such as boosting trade; welcomes the Commission's declared intention to draw up guidelines on cooperation within the EUhow to exploit the cooperation mechanisms, which should provide better information and reduced complexity in their use; calls on the Member States to subsequently make better use of the scope for cooperation and to developmechanisms and also increase communication between one another;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Emphasises that RES must be fully integratedmarket arrangements must facilitate the integration of RES into the European internal energy market in all the Member States without delay and; believes that in the long term theyRES must take on stabilising functions and tasks within the system so that have previously been performed by conventional energy sourcesall market actors can participate;
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Is convinced that ICT will in future play a more important role in energy provision and in the management of RES; calls on the Commission to bring forward without delay proposals for the development, promotion and standardisation of smart grids and meters as this will increasingly allow for the involvement of more market participants; emphasises that important factors in this regard include not only planning certainty on the providers' side but also acceptance on the part of consumers, as well as data protection;
Amendment 317 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Emphasises that the further development of RES will entail permanent landscape change in Europe; points out that the only way to win public acceptance of RES is through transparent planning, construction and licensing procedures with mandatory and timely public consultation, in which all the stakeholders are involved from the outset;
Amendment 377 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. IBelieves that targeted R&D through existing instruments needs to be made more effective and is concerned that R&D has been neglected in certain branches of the renewable energy sector, leading, in some cases, to commercial problem which has led to commercialisation difficulties; underscores the need for investment in the further development of existing technologies in order to sustain or achieve competitivityeness and also to ensure that their life-cycle remains sustainable;
Amendment 382 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23 a. Believes that the SET Plan offers the opportunity to continue to boost and develop new and emerging RES, such as marine energy and also to address the challenges of balancing, intelligent energy solutions and storage;
Amendment 453 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
Amendment 462 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Is convinced that only an EU-wide system for promoting RES will offer the most cost-effective framework in which their full potential can be realised; sees decisiveSees potential advantages in a technology- neutral Europeannational markets for renewables, in which producelectricity suppliers willould have an obligation to cover a pre- determined quota of their energy output from RES, and in which one of the ways of reaching that quota will be through the tradproportion of the electricity they supply from RES, reaching their obligation by presenting of certificates that can be traded on a market established for that purpose; notes the evidence of experience in the Member States that, in order to ensure quotas are met, heavy fines must be imposed for failure to meet them a combination of both incentives and penalties should be in place to ensure obligations are met;