WRITTEN QUESTION E-2636/99 by Hans-Peter Mayer (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Renewable energy sources ‐ the Commission's intentions.
C 330 E/30 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 21. 11. 2000 It does not, however, apply to concerns vehicle type approval giving access to the single market. environmental noise arising from traffic operations. The Commissionís work programme for the year 2000 foresees the development of a proposal for a framework directive on noise. (1) OJ L 296, 21. 11. 1996. (2) OJ L 163, 29. 6. 1999. (3) OJ L 350, 28. 12. 1998. (4) OJ L 350, 28. 12. 1998. (5) OJ L 42, 23. 2. 1970. (2000/C 330 E/032) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2636/99 by Hans-Peter Mayer (PPE-DE) to the Commission (12 January 2000) Subject: Renewable energy sources ü the Commissionís intentions In many Member States generating electricity from renewable energy sources attracts national support measures, e. g. under the German Law on feeding electricity from renewable energies into the public grid. At the request of the Council and Parliament the Commission has drafted a proposal for a directive on generating electricity from renewable sources. The draft says that if the share of electricity from renewable sources in a particular Member State amounts to 5 % of total electricity consumption, with effect from 2010 the internal electricity market should also be opened up to imported electricity generated from renewable energies from other Member States. There are two points to be made: 1. In Germany banks usually make loans for renewable energies for periods of 12 to 15 years. The cut- off point of 2010 would put a stop to these loans and would mean that small and medium-sized businesses specialising in renewable sources of energy would face financial difficulties. This would run entirely counter to the idea of support for renewable energy. 2. At the same time, the EU would be going against its intended reduction in CO2 emissions. What are the Commissionís views on this? Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (29 February 2000) Any Community action with respect to a proposal for a draft directive on electricity from renewable energy sources must have two aims firstly a significant increase in the level of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in all Member States, which constitutes a fundamental contribution to the achievement of commitments undertaken at Kyoto and the indicative objective of doubling the share of renewable energy from at present 6 % to 12 % of the gross inland energy consumption by 2010 as set out in the white paper on renewable energy sources, and secondly the progressive inclusion of electricity from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market. Numerous organisations representing the different renewable energy technologies have stressed the need for regulatory stability as this would reassure the potential investors and the financial institutions on the viability of the long term investments in plants generating electricity from renewable energy sources. A directive on the promotion of electricity from renewable energy sources would have to take account of the need to reinforce the regulatory stability concerning the Community legality of the support schemes applied in the Member States. The Commission will decide shortly on the future steps with respect to a possible proposal for a draft directive