Energetica India nº91 July August 2020

trolyzers in the EU, and the production of up to one million tonnes of renewable hydrogen. Then from 2025 to 2030, hy- drogen will need to become an intrinsic part of the EU’s integrated energy sys- tem, with at least 40 gigawatts of re- newable hydrogen electrolyzers and the production of up to ten million tonnes of renewable hydrogen in the EU. Finally, from 2030 to 2050, renewable hydrogen technologies should reach maturity and be deployed at large scale across all hard-to-decarbonize sectors. E nergetica I ndia : The COVID-19 pan- demic outbreak has disrupted global renewables growth. How it has im- pacted the EU renewables sector. What steps are being considered to convert this adversity into an oppor- tunity? K adri S imson : The EU’s plans for eco- nomic recovery are fully compatible with a green and sustainable recovery. We calculate that meeting the existing 2030 climate and energy targets can add 1% of GDP and create almost 1 million new green jobs. The European Green Deal will help kick-start Europe’s economy quickly, through a wide range of tools and initiatives, tailored to national and regional needs. Specifically, on the 8th of July, the Com - mission presented a comprehensive strategy for facilitating Energy System Integration. This will encourage differ- ent sectors in the energy system to work more closely together, embracing new technologies and innovation and there- by boosting industrial competitiveness and renewables uptake. This initiative was accompanied by the already men- tioned strategy on hydrogen – identify- ing the way forward for this important technology to decarbonize our econo- my. Also, we will soon present a mas- sive renovation wave of our buildings and upgrade the energy infrastructure. Buildings are one of the most energy-in- efficient sectors in the economy. This is particularly relevant in the context of the recovery, given the labor-intensive nature of the sector, the relative ease with which projects can be launched, and the potential for providing savings in household energy bills by improving energy efficiency and lowering energy consumption. A key element of our pro-renewables economic recovery push will be our offshore energy strategy we will be pre- senting in September this year. We aim to expand offshore wind farms in Europe and to work out an international and Eu- ropean framework for the construction of wind farms. E nergetica I ndia : What is the EU strat- egy on energy system integration? How does it aim to encourage smart sector integration? K adri S imson : The EU’s Strategy for En- ergy System Integration aims to improve our energy framework and make it fit for the green energy transition. The current system, where energy consumption in transport, industry, gas, and buildings occurs in ‘silos’ - each with separate value chains, rules, infrastructure, plan- ning, and operations - cannot deliver cli- mate neutrality by 2050 in a cost-efficient way. That is why we need to create new links between all the different sectors, planning and operating the system as a whole, linking different energy carriers, infrastructures, and consumer sectors. This connected and flexible system will be more efficient, incorporate more re - newables, and reduce costs for society. Our strategy is based on three pillars. First, the system will become more ‘cir- cular’, with energy efficiency at its core. The strategy identifies concrete actions to apply the ‘energy efficiency first’ prin - ciple in practice and to use local energy sources more effectively in our buildings or communities. Second, steps will be taken to reach greater direct electrifica - tion of end-use sectors. As the power sector has the highest share of renew- ables, we will increasingly use electrici- ty where possible: for example, for heat pumps in buildings, electric vehicles in transport or electric furnaces in cer- tain industries. A network of one million electric vehicle charging points will be among the visible results, along with the expansion of solar and wind power. Third, for those sectors where electrifi - cation is difficult, the strategy promotes clean fuels, including renewable hydro- gen and sustainable biofuels and bio- gas. E nergetica I ndia : What are the plans of the European Commission in regard to renewable energy while aiming to meet the EU National Energy and Cli- mate Plans 2021-2030? K adri S imson : In order to reach the EU’s binding energy and climate targets for 2030, we have established a system of how each country intends to fulfill its cli - mate goals in the next 10 years, starting from 2021. The concept is called the na- tional energy and climate plan (NECP). Each Member State needs to specify its 10-year plans for reducing emissions, increasing the take-up of renewables, improving energy efficiency (including in buildings), expanding cross-border infrastructure/interconnections, ensur- ing markets are fit for new technologies, and boosting research and innovation. Member States submitted their final plans in early 2020, and the Commis- sion is now analyzing them and will soon present a detailed assessment of the cumulative impact of all the plans. By highlighting the direction of travel at the EU level – and providing regular prog- ress reports as we move forward - the NECPs are expected to provide a boost for investment in renewables and help us reach our 2030 renewables target (32%). The NECPs are of key impor- tance in driving the clean energy tran- sition. They can lock in Member State commitments and avoid slippage as we move forward. Moreover, the NECPs will form a key building block as the EU looks to increase our ambition under the European Green Deal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. 24 energetica INDIA- July-Aug_2020 INTERVIEW