The EU electricity sector must rely on all technologies compatible with the decarbonisation trajectory

Given the current dramatic geopolitical situation, the EU must rethink its energy positioning. We must ensure our security of supply and limit the rise in energy costs while fighting climate change. The EU must therefore accelerate the roll-out of all clean energy technologies while stepping up its energy savings efforts.

In this context, we, the signatories of this Declaration, call for a European climate legislation that recognises the role of every low-carbon technology and adopts a technology-neutral approach to achieving EU’s decarbonisation. Resilience is built with an ambitious decarbonisation strategy based on diverse low-carbon energy sources.

The current situation reinforces the need for Europe to rethink its leniency towards its energy dependence: Europe must therefore diversify its energy supplies with clean energy. The European Commission’s Communication “Stepping up Europe’s 2030 climate ambition” published in 2020, already showed that most ambitious decarbonisation scenarios have all an important common feature: they all include a broad range of technologies, combining variable renewable technologies and dispatchable technologies as well as a strong electrification for energy uses. Scenarios also recall that the future energy system will need more storage capacities and flexibility. Unfortunately, the ongoing discourse within the Fit for 55 negotiations, where policy makers pick winning technologies, does not reflect these needs, and risks hampering many important investments.

Diversifying energy supplies will also limit rising energy costs.  Alongside with energy savings, it is the best way to ensure the transition remains affordable for customers and society. It is therefore essential that market players can invest in all relevant technologies in line with the decarbonisation target.