Energy our kids won’t have to pay for

Two MEPs debate alternative solutions to the EU's energy problems

With changing consumption patterns and volume the European Union inevitably faces a hard challenge addressing sustainability, safety of supply and the import depend-ence of the energy industry. Despite the significant efforts to improve energy efficiency, to enhance the energy economy of sectoral policies to mitigate the increas-ing dependence on specific energy sources and to provide a more balanced supply of domestic production and of imports, these efforts have not been able to turn the alarming trends that shaped the goals and directions of European energy policy.

It seems that efficiency measures cannot offset the projected growth of energy demand of about 15% in the next 20 years while dependence on energy imports is expected to rise to 70% of the total energy consumption. Though meeting our commitments to mitigating global warming remains a demanding task according to these figures, the effect of the recent Russia-Ukraine gas dispute on the security of the natural gas supply in the yearly peak demand period must remind us that resolving some of the import dependence issues needs urgent action on the Community level.

Energy experts and decision-makers alike therefore need to look into all aspects of diversification of energy supply: diversification of energy sources, geographical regions of imports, structure and scales of 'energy suppliers'. When assessing alternatives, time-frames should be taken into account. Alternative sources requiring large-scale infrastructure development or R&D might only be broadly available in the long term. Other options such as distributed generation or some renewable energy sources (RES) seem to have a dynamic potential for market penetration, but might be limited in total volume by natural or other factors or constrained to specific sectors or applications.

As all RES reduce import dependence and help overcome global warming, the extension of capacities and usage of all kinds of RES should be encouraged throughout the European Union. Specific renewable sources, however, are in various stages of market penetration, techno-logical maturity and economic viability, have different scope for utilisation and require differentiated treatment. The renewable energy industry is proving to be one of the most dynamic elements of the energy sector creating many new employment opportunities.

Wind provides a success story. Wind power now possesses a mature market allowing a short development cycle, thus a significant improvement in technical and financial efficiency. As a result wind power offers an increasingly attractive investment option under current market regulations. The growth of installed capacities reaching a total of 34,600 megawatts in 2004 outperformed all expectations in Europe providing an example of how viable RES might become in the market. While wind power generation should be encouraged it does not require further specific measures. Load balancing, generation and demand peeks, transparent and uniform criteria to access to the grid though are still to be addressed to remove hindrances.

Most analysts agree, however, that biomass is seriously lagging behind expectations. This should clearly be a focus area not only of energy policy, but of the CAP as well as efforts to strengthen SMEs. Biomass is still regarded as the renewable energy source with the highest untapped potential in Europe. It cannot be over-looked when trying to meet our goals in energy and climate policies. Providing sound and long-term income for rural population and a new energy service industry by small- and medium-sized companies operating close to agricultural sources, biomass can supply all significant 'consumers': electricity generation, transportation and space-heating. It is also necessary to broaden both active and passive use of solar energy for space heating and hot water, considering it might be affected by both natural gas supply availability and gas price fluctuations. Photovoltaics might be instrumental in remote areas but broader penetration needs Community assistance in R&D and deployment. More location-specific RES, such as geothermal energy and small- scale hydropower need at least as favour-able treatment as other renewables, but should be utilised with proper precautions with regard to their effects on habitats and the environment.

• Hungarian centre-right MEP András Gyürk is a member of the European Parliament's committee on industry, research and energy.

As worldwide energy demand grows and world market prices rise, searching for a sustainable energy strategy has become increasingly important.

To achieve a safe and secure energy future, three key challenges have to be met: climate change, declining fossil resources, and the risks of nuclear power generation.

To reduce our dependency on expensive imported fossil resources and reduce CO2 emissions, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources have to be increased in both the public and the private sector.

In Europe the potential for energy savings is the biggest resource and has to be the priority in all efforts to secure Europe's energy supply. Within the EU, about 40% of energy is used in the building sector - mainly oil and gas. Improvements in insulation and central heating systems and applying up-to-date technologies for new construction projects as well as for the renovation of old houses will strongly contribute to a more efficient use of scarce resources.

Furthermore, there is a wide scope for efficiency measures when it comes to electricity generation and use. Today, fossil fuel power stations operate at efficiency levels of 35% (coal) to 60% (modern gas power stations). Elevating these efficiency levels through co-generation would both reduce dependency from foreign imports and emissions of green house gases.

In the transport sector, ambitious, binding standards for fuel consumption of cars and planes have to be fixed as well. At the same time public transport needs to be promoted.

While reducing overall energy consumption, the share of renewable resources has to be increased. Binding targets for the member states as well as a focus on sustainable energy research are important measures to reach these goals. European energy policy has to augment the overall share for renewable energy to 25% by 2020.

The possibilities in the renewables sector are wide-ranging. Energy generation from biomass and geo-thermic sources, wind, the sun, and tides and waves can all contribute to Europe's future energy mix. Already the EU's renewables industry holds the technology leadership in the world as well as providing jobs for more than 250,000 people. The EU has to make sure that this leading role can be kept.

In order to attain the 25% share, the huge potential of wind power, especially offshore wind in the North Sea, has to be used. Over the last 15 years, the cost of wind power has halved, making this technology more and more competitive. In the English Channel, where the prospects for energy generation are good, large offshore wind parks will be built.

Solar power has to be bolstered, especially in southern countries where the conditions are appropriate. But also for decentralised energy generation and heating it will play an important part, as solar cells set up on rooftops can cut dramatically the need for any further external energy supply.

The EU has to strengthen all these technologies for the purpose of lowering greenhouse gas emissions, diminishing import-dependency and simultaneously creating jobs. This emphasis has to be reflected also in the EU's research budget. Two-thirds of the non-nuclear energy research budget should be devoted to the fields of renewables and efficiency.

Professor Ian Lowe, President of the Australian Conservation Foundation said: "If nuclear power is the answer, it must have been a pretty stupid question."

Whatever nuclear industries, US or Russian Presidents and British Prime Ministers might say, nuclear power generation is quite far from being safe and clean. And neither is it the solution to climate change. The risks of accidents, nuclear transports, proliferation, pollution and waste storage have not been resolved.

Unfortunately, European Parliament recently decided to bolster research in the field of nuclear instead of devoting the financial resources to renewables and efficiency measures. Wasting hundreds of millions of euro for research in the field of fusion constricts the EU's sustainability and its capacity to put reasonable emphasis on the field of energy. Nuclear fusion will not contribute to the European energy mix for decades to come and thus cannot be a solution to any of the problems Europe is facing today.

• German Green MEP Rebecca Harms is a member of the Parliament's industry, research and energy committee.

Two MEPs debate alternative solutions to the EU's energy problems