Brussels pulls out all the stops to develop renewable energies in Europe

The European Union must achieve the objective of 42% renewable energy in the consumption of all Europeans by 2030. Today we are only at 22%. The calculation is quick: we need to multiply our efforts almost by two in six years to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55%. Unrealistic or too ambitious? The time for questions is over, we have to get there, Brussels decides to pull out all the stops.

In this European plan, Brussels proposes a list of 166 cross-border infrastructure projects adapted to the development and transport of carbon-free energy between the 27 member countries. Brussels estimates that nearly 600 billion euros will be needed (584 billion precisely, according to the Commission’s computers) to finance the necessary investments between now and 2030.

A costly search

More than half of the projects (85) concern the transport of electricity, in particular to connect offshore wind farms together. But also the construction of so-called “intelligent” networks (smart grids) which will make it possible to calculate and adjust flows. electricity in real time. This is a significant technological challenge because the electricity produced is very difficult, if not impossible, to store like hydrocarbons (oil and gas), hence the impossibility of replacing fossil fuels with renewables overnight. We must therefore adapt the infrastructures and networks capable of managing the situation of energy produced according to the elements: when there is sun for solar, when there is wind for wind, et cetera.

Research is making great strides but the studies and tests remain very expensive. More decentralization, digitalization, interconnection, flexibility, these electron highways will have to be hypersecure to avoid cyberattacks in particular. Exciting challenges but which require heavy investments to be shared between States. A financial pooling which itself is still largely to be built.