Europe discusses 2040 target on renewable energy amid dispute over nuclear energy

Europe has a clear figure for what it wants to achieve in renewable energy by the end of the decade, but the picture after 2030 is still open. As the European Commission prepares to formulate energy policies for the next phase, Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg have pushed a new demand: setting a standalone European renewable energy target for 2040, giving governments and investors a longer view for planning.

The disagreement within the European Union centers on the nature of the goal that will guide energy policy after 2030. Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg are pushing towards an independent goal that clearly defines the share of renewable energy, while other countries prefer a broader goal under It is called “clean energy”, which allows nuclear energy to be counted alongside renewable sources within the path of reducing emissions and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

2040 enters the energy agenda

The current European framework obliges EU countries to work to reach the share of renewable energy to no less than 42.5% of the energy mix by 2030, with an ambition to reach 45%. The European Commission confirms that this goal includes expanding the use of renewable sources across electricity, heating, cooling, transportation and industry.

As the end of the decade approaches, the Commission has already begun preparing the framework that will guide renewable energy policy after 2030, and during 2026 it opened consultations on the new phase. Here comes the move by Madrid, Lisbon and Luxembourg to push towards setting a special number for the year 2040.

In a letter dated September 25, addressed to European Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen, the three countries said renewables represented proven and competitive solutions that could be deployed on a large scale within the EU.

Investors want to see further

Spain justifies its position by the need to give investors clear signals about the direction of the market after 2030, as Spanish Energy Minister Sara Agesen said that investors need clarity, a point related to the nature of the energy sector itself; Wind and solar projects, grids and associated infrastructure require investments spanning years, and thus long-term policies influence companies’ decisions about the timing and size of projects.

This trend intersects with the seventh goal Sustainable development, concerned with clean and affordable energy, as expanding sustainable energy infrastructure depends on investment flows and policies that give projects some degree of planning capacity.

But determining the next European target will also depend on the definition of energy that will fall within it, which is the point at which disagreement begins between member states.

Energy security imposes itself

Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg also link their call to the risks associated with dependence on imported fossil fuels, and the three countries’ speech pointed to geopolitical turmoil and the repercussions of closing the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that high dependence on fossil fuels makes economies and citizens more vulnerable to supply and price shocks. The call came in conjunction with rising energy and fuel costs for consumers Europeans against the backdrop of the American-Israeli war with Iran.

The proposed renewable energy target thus carries a dimension beyond reducing emissions; The countries supporting it also link it to reducing exposure to fluctuations in global fuel markets and enhancing security of supplies within Europe.

In the face of current pressures, Agesen said that Spain and five other countries have asked the European Union to study measures to deal with the exceptional profits made by companies as a result of high energy prices.

To read more about the relationship between conflicts and supplies, read: In light of the effects of wars and escalating crises… How do major countries seek to enhance energy security? .

Where is the nuclear dispute located?

The proposal presented by the three countries faces a different vision within the European Union, as countries including France, Sweden and Finland support setting a broader goal called “clean energy”, a framework that includes renewable energy sources such as sun and wind, and also includes low-carbon sources such as nuclear energy.

With this vision, countries can count electricity produced from nuclear plants alongside renewable energy as part of their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports. Finnish Climate Minister Sari Multala confirmed this trend by saying that her country sees nuclear energy as part of the solution.

This proposal reveals the essence of the dispute; Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg are pushing towards an energy target Specifically renewable, while the other camp prefers a broader goal that allows nuclear to be included in the calculations of the transition in the energy sector.

The difficulty of reaching a unified position increases due to the differences in countries’ policies towards nuclear energy. Some governments see it as a tool to reduce emissions and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, while countries such as Austria and Luxembourg oppose it due to concerns about safety and nuclear waste. This is why the European Union does not currently set a unified target for the expansion of nuclear energy.

Europe writes the post-2030 era

The European Commission is currently working on developing a framework for renewable energy after 2030 in parallel with other files that include energy efficiency and modernizing governance rules. The Commission says that achieving the Union’s long-term goals requires accelerating the growth of renewable sources and improving their integration into… Energy systems and infrastructure.

Here the discussion meets the thirteenth goal of sustainable development on climate action; The choices that will determine the European energy mix over the next decade will reflect on the path to reducing emissions, and at the same time will affect investment, prices and security of supply. The request of Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg remains a proposal under discussion, and has not yet turned into an approved European target for 2040.

The Earth Guards Foundation highlights the importance of this debate in its connection to a long period of investment and infrastructure decisions. Europe’s choice of its goal after 2030 will determine the amount of space it gives to renewable energy within its future mix, the way it balances climate goals with energy security, and the differences in the options of member states.