III - Developing next-generation green energy

Russia’s war in Ukraine has sent energy prices skyrocketing. As a result, the EU must look for new options to secure its energy supply. However, achieving energy independence should not come at the expense of our ambitious climate goals.

Transport and Mobility

Climate Change and Environment

Energy

With renewable energy, it doesn’t have to. Having a limited domestic supply of natural gas, Europe has long been at the mercy of imports. Prior to the war, imports from Russia accounted for an estimated 45 % of the EU’s total gas demand. Add to this the fact that fossil fuel-based energy accounts for over 75 % of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions, and one can quickly see the allure of renewables.

But the reality is that renewables account for just over 22 % of the EU’s current energy consumption – a long way from the REPowerEU initiative’s renewable energy target of 45 %by 2030.

Closing this gap will require innovative ideas and outside-the-box thinking, which is exactly what the projects highlighted in this chapter are doing.

Increasing the power of renewables

Take for example the BioSFerA project, whose sustainable biofuels could reduce aviation and maritime carbon emissions by as much as 40 %. Meanwhile, the BIPVBOOST and LIFE BIPV projects look to transform city skylines into renewable powerlines by integrating photovoltaics directly into a building’s roof, facade, windows and walls. Doing so could go a long way towards increasing the share of renewables in the electric grid.

Speaking of photovoltaics, in Italy, the TANGO project is building Europe’s biggest solar factory,which will soon produce next-generation solar panels offering a 15-fold increase in production capacity over standard panels – producing enough renewable energy to meet the annual energy needs of over 2 million households.

From source to switch

While projects such as ELWIND and N2OWF are building state-of-the-art offshore wind farms in the North and Baltic Seas, the FreShER and SATHScale projects are leveraging such emerging technologies as floating solar photovoltaic installations and wind turbines.

Not to forget about those hard-to-abate emissions, the CICERONE project is building a cross border value chain that will turn southern Europe’s sun into the green ammonia used by northern Europe’s industrial plants.

Although the innovations, technology and focus of these projects may differ, they all share the same goal of getting renewable energy up to the level needed to be both energy-independent and climate-neutral.