Renewables: 2010 targets will be missed

According to the latest estimates, the EU will not meet its targets for power from renewables sources (21% in 2010) or the general target of a share of 12% renewables in total energy demand by 2010. Most probably the 25 Members States will reach a 19% share in power and at the most a 10% share in overall energy. Also the target of a 5.75% share of biofuels by 2010 is not likely to be met. The Commission suspects a biofuels share of 4.2% in 2010 to be the maximum possible to be achieved. These conclusions are drawn in the Roadmap for Renewable Energy and in a report on the progress of renewable electricity. Costs are one important reason for not meeting the targets, although in some cases the costs of renewable sources is declining fast. "In particular, the failure to systematically include external costs in market prices gives an economically unjustified advantage to fossil fuels compared with renewables", the Roadmap states. Also complexity, novelty and the decentralised nature of renewables are seen as obstacles. The picture in the EU is really differentiated, according to the Roadmap due to 'the absence of legally binding targets for renewable energies at EU level, the relatively weak EU regulatory framework for the use of renewables in the transport sector, and the complete absence of a legal framework in the heating and cooling sector'. While most of the Member States are lagging far behind, some show a lot of progress. In power, nine EU countries (Denmark, Germany, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Luxemburg, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands) are on track, with some of them reaching their targets early. Especially wind energy is ahead of schedule, while in recent years biomass electricity has been quickly catching up. In biofuels only two countries are on track (Germany and Sweden), while in the heating and cooling sector the potential is still far from exploited.