Initial outline of Climate Law leaves room for fossil fuels in energy mix says trade body

WindEurope has called on the European Union to chart a path to a 100% renewables future in its forthcoming Climate Law.

The trade body said even the most ambitious decarbonisation scenarios set out in an earlier communication of the legislation are not based on the headline target.

The Climate Law strives for net-zero emissions, opening a backdoor technologies such as carbon capture and storage, meaning fossil fuels will remain a part of the energy system, WindEurope argues.

The organisation is calling for a 100% renewable energy long term scenario which achieves the Climate Law’s objective of climate neutrality based on renewable energies only.

WindEurope chief policy officer Pierre Tardieu said: “Beating climate change is about driving renewables-based electrification in road transport, buildings and most of industry. And scaling up renewable hydrogen in hard to abate sectors.

“Clearly opting for a 100% renewables scenario would avoid stranded investments down the road. A 100% renewables scenario must be the start of our conversation on how we deliver climate neutrality cost effectively.”

The Governments of Spain, Denmark, Luxembourg, Austria, Lithuania and Ireland have also called on the European Commission to include a 100% renewables scenario as part of the impact assessment for the EU Climate law.