s I recently argued on Diplomatic Courier, the European Union is heavily reliant on Russian gas and should take steps to boost renewable energy production to combat this reliance. Renewable energy can help reduce energy costs across Europe and is more efficient and environmentally friendly. However, making the shift toward renewables is no easy task. How might the EU transition to green alternative sources? And how will the EU benefit from investing in renewable alternatives?
There are several steps, which are already being widely discussed, that must be taken to achieve these goals. First, Europe must increase its renewable energy capacity, which will have the added benefit of creating job opportunities for building, installing, and maintaining this infrastructure. Secondly, when constructing new buildings and other infrastructure that use electricity, Europeans should ensure that they are more energy efficient. Less discussed but still critical is the need to educate current and future European generations about the effects of climate change to help them better understand the challenges the world faces. As students mature, it could encourage them to invest their time and resources into cleaner alternatives.
However, investing in renewable energy alternatives will take time. Aside from reducing carbon pollution and its other environmental impacts, transitioning to renewable energy alternatives would help strengthen Europe’s energy security, making heat and electricity more affordable for European households. It will not occur overnight nor will these options be readily available as Europe prepares for what is projected to be a “brutal, cold winter.”
However, additional challenges remain. Across the EU there is a lack of staff and a shortage of skilled workers ready and able to install renewable energy infrastructure. This had made implementing renewable energy sources difficult. Government bureaucracy also delays the installation of energy alternatives. According to the European Energy Bureau, the delays on projects and the time it takes for officials to make decisions has resulted in the premature termination of several projects. Finally, many Europeans are excluded from the “planning and ownership” of renewable energy sources. This, in addition to barriers caused by various permits and grid constraints, has resulted in a lack of support for renewables in communities across the continent.
How to Accelerate Europe’s Clean Energy Transition
Nonetheless, there is a dire need to accelerate the transition to green energy and important steps that can be taken to achieve this goal. The United Nations has made a push for renewable energy. According to the UN, there are many benefits to pursuing renewable energy alternatives. Making renewable energy technology a global public good will make it easier for governments and renewable energy constructors to cooperate while avoiding roadblocks with technological transfers. Removing barriers to intellectual property rights would allow governments to trade knowledge and experience with one another to enhance renewable energy technologies. Countries with greater technological capabilities could also assist other countries in need by helping establish reliable infrastructure required for these energy systems. Establishing renewable energy technology as a global public good could also help develop internationally accepted policies and practices related to renewable energy sources.
In some cases, the EU has started to take these measures. Between 2004 and 2020, the EU has more than doubled the share of energy coming from renewable energy—growing from approximately 9.6% to 22.1% of gross final energy consumption. The numbers are even more impressive when looking at the EU’s electrical consumption produced by renewable energy sources, which account for 37.5% of the total. In 2019, the EU announced the ambitious objective of becoming the “world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050.” However, more can be done.
Subsidizing renewable energy would also lead to sustainable economic growth, job opportunities, healthier lives, and a healthier planet. But how can these options be pursued?
One possibility would be for governments to implement carbon taxes and place caps on emissions to encourage the carbon footprint reduction. If a company pollutes above the allotted carbon footprint, it should be punished for its irresponsible behavior. Forcing companies to pay a tax or other penalty would encourage them to reduce their carbon emissions. To date, there are 20 countries in Europe that have a carbon tax and the EU is considering a member-wide tax on carbon with the hope that it will reduce emission rates across the continent. Similarly, providing incentives like tax breaks to companies below carbon thresholds could result in them to behave more responsibly. It could also encourage companies to adopt renewable energy sources at their facilities, which could result in a company-wide reduction in annual heat and electricity bills. According to energy research think tank Ember, pursuing renewable energy options and building the necessary infrastructure “could save the EU upwards of $1 trillion by 2035.”
To further reduce energy demand, many European countries are encouraging their citizens to take public transportation. Reducing the number of vehicles on the road will lead to a reduction in carbon emissions. The United Kingdom, France, and Germany are already looking to improve their transportation infrastructures by making them more readily accessible and safe.
Transitioning from fossil fuels and the use of gas to renewable energy would provide new opportunities to the workforce in Europe, increase Europe’s energy security, and protect the environment. It would also ease the effects of climate change. To ensure this strategy is met, governments can incentivize companies to invest in and construct renewable energy infrastructure. Using renewable energy will lead to a more secure Europe as it will not be overly reliant on one energy source. It would lower household costs for energy—making heat and electricity more affordable. But most important, it will help the EU on its path toward creating a cleaner environment. Combatting the effects of climate change will help make the world a better place.
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Europe Can Transition to Renewable Energy
Photo by Jeroen van de Water via Unsplash.
October 2, 2022
Renewable energy can help reduce energy costs across Europe and is more efficient and environmentally friendly. We know how to get there, but the trick is in accelerating the pace of change. Mark Temnycky discusses some tools for acceleration.
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s I recently argued on Diplomatic Courier, the European Union is heavily reliant on Russian gas and should take steps to boost renewable energy production to combat this reliance. Renewable energy can help reduce energy costs across Europe and is more efficient and environmentally friendly. However, making the shift toward renewables is no easy task. How might the EU transition to green alternative sources? And how will the EU benefit from investing in renewable alternatives?
There are several steps, which are already being widely discussed, that must be taken to achieve these goals. First, Europe must increase its renewable energy capacity, which will have the added benefit of creating job opportunities for building, installing, and maintaining this infrastructure. Secondly, when constructing new buildings and other infrastructure that use electricity, Europeans should ensure that they are more energy efficient. Less discussed but still critical is the need to educate current and future European generations about the effects of climate change to help them better understand the challenges the world faces. As students mature, it could encourage them to invest their time and resources into cleaner alternatives.
However, investing in renewable energy alternatives will take time. Aside from reducing carbon pollution and its other environmental impacts, transitioning to renewable energy alternatives would help strengthen Europe’s energy security, making heat and electricity more affordable for European households. It will not occur overnight nor will these options be readily available as Europe prepares for what is projected to be a “brutal, cold winter.”
However, additional challenges remain. Across the EU there is a lack of staff and a shortage of skilled workers ready and able to install renewable energy infrastructure. This had made implementing renewable energy sources difficult. Government bureaucracy also delays the installation of energy alternatives. According to the European Energy Bureau, the delays on projects and the time it takes for officials to make decisions has resulted in the premature termination of several projects. Finally, many Europeans are excluded from the “planning and ownership” of renewable energy sources. This, in addition to barriers caused by various permits and grid constraints, has resulted in a lack of support for renewables in communities across the continent.
How to Accelerate Europe’s Clean Energy Transition
Nonetheless, there is a dire need to accelerate the transition to green energy and important steps that can be taken to achieve this goal. The United Nations has made a push for renewable energy. According to the UN, there are many benefits to pursuing renewable energy alternatives. Making renewable energy technology a global public good will make it easier for governments and renewable energy constructors to cooperate while avoiding roadblocks with technological transfers. Removing barriers to intellectual property rights would allow governments to trade knowledge and experience with one another to enhance renewable energy technologies. Countries with greater technological capabilities could also assist other countries in need by helping establish reliable infrastructure required for these energy systems. Establishing renewable energy technology as a global public good could also help develop internationally accepted policies and practices related to renewable energy sources.
In some cases, the EU has started to take these measures. Between 2004 and 2020, the EU has more than doubled the share of energy coming from renewable energy—growing from approximately 9.6% to 22.1% of gross final energy consumption. The numbers are even more impressive when looking at the EU’s electrical consumption produced by renewable energy sources, which account for 37.5% of the total. In 2019, the EU announced the ambitious objective of becoming the “world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050.” However, more can be done.
Subsidizing renewable energy would also lead to sustainable economic growth, job opportunities, healthier lives, and a healthier planet. But how can these options be pursued?
One possibility would be for governments to implement carbon taxes and place caps on emissions to encourage the carbon footprint reduction. If a company pollutes above the allotted carbon footprint, it should be punished for its irresponsible behavior. Forcing companies to pay a tax or other penalty would encourage them to reduce their carbon emissions. To date, there are 20 countries in Europe that have a carbon tax and the EU is considering a member-wide tax on carbon with the hope that it will reduce emission rates across the continent. Similarly, providing incentives like tax breaks to companies below carbon thresholds could result in them to behave more responsibly. It could also encourage companies to adopt renewable energy sources at their facilities, which could result in a company-wide reduction in annual heat and electricity bills. According to energy research think tank Ember, pursuing renewable energy options and building the necessary infrastructure “could save the EU upwards of $1 trillion by 2035.”
To further reduce energy demand, many European countries are encouraging their citizens to take public transportation. Reducing the number of vehicles on the road will lead to a reduction in carbon emissions. The United Kingdom, France, and Germany are already looking to improve their transportation infrastructures by making them more readily accessible and safe.
Transitioning from fossil fuels and the use of gas to renewable energy would provide new opportunities to the workforce in Europe, increase Europe’s energy security, and protect the environment. It would also ease the effects of climate change. To ensure this strategy is met, governments can incentivize companies to invest in and construct renewable energy infrastructure. Using renewable energy will lead to a more secure Europe as it will not be overly reliant on one energy source. It would lower household costs for energy—making heat and electricity more affordable. But most important, it will help the EU on its path toward creating a cleaner environment. Combatting the effects of climate change will help make the world a better place.
