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Planned revision of EU renewables law opens door to geothermal
(EurActiv, 31 May 2021) A leak of the planned revision for Europe’s key renewable energy legislation bodes well for geothermal energy, but it still does not go far enough to support a full rollout of the technology, according to the industry.
The European Commission is revising the renewable energy directive – last updated in 2018 – to bring it in line with its more ambitious climate agenda. That includes updating the targets for the amount of renewables in the EU’s energy mix to meet Europe’s new climate ambition.
It also includes a focus on heating and cooling, which is responsible for half of the energy Europeans consume. Many renewables, like solar power and wind energy, focus on electricity production, but geothermal, which utilises underground heat for energy, is also a key player in renewable heating and cooling.
However, the technology is expensive to install because of exploration and drilling costs.
“Nothing will change unless policymakers remove the barriers,” said SanjeevKumar, head of policy at the European Geothermal Energy Council, an industry association.
“It’s great that the Commission is seeking to address these,” he told EURACTIV.
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EurActiv, 31 May 2021: Planned revision of EU renewables law opens door to geothermal
