Policy

The EU takes the leading role in the field of political initiatives in the wind energy sector. Every year the EU proposes new initiatives, recommendations and legally binding political mechanisms which, it is hoped, will enable the long-term development of the wind energy sector and the maintenance of energy/environmental security.

A 20 percent of renewables target by 2020 had been agreed at the EU level in 2007 - but broken down into 27 differentiated legally binding national targets. During 2008, the European Parliament and Council debated and made some amendments to this agreement. In the end, however, key principles of the initial proposal have been retained. The 20 percent overall EU renewables target, the option for Member States of using flexibility mechanisms to help reach national targets, and the streamlining of administrative procedures remained the key principles of the new (2009) Directive.

The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive is a breakthrough piece of legislation that will turn Europe into the leader of the energy revolution the world needs. The EU has, for the first time, an overall 20 percent renewable energy target for 2020, and each of the 27 Member States has its own legally binding target for the same year.

It should be noted that the 20 percent EU target is not legally enforceable, which is why the Commission proposed differentiated individual national targets.

The Member States are given an ‘indicative trajectory' to follow in the run-up to 2020. By 2011-12, they should be 20 percent of the way towards the target (compared to 2005); by 2013-14, 30 percent; by 2015-16, 45 percent and by 2017-18 65 percent.

At a basic level the Directive legally obliges each EU Member State to do two things: ensure that its 2020 target is met and introduce appropriate measures by autumn 2010 - and outline them in a National Renewable Energy Action Plan - designed to ensure that it meets its interim trajectory before the end of June 2010.

The appropriate measures include ensuring that grid-related measures and administrative and planning procedures are sufficient to achieve the target.

A key aspect of the Directive is that each Member State will have to produce a National Action Plan to be submitted to the European Commission by 30 June 2010. In particular the National Action Plans will set out for each individual EU country: overall targets for the shares of energy from renewable sources in each sector, the measures to be taken to achieve these national overall targets and the measures to be taken to implement the requirements relating to administrative procedures and access to, and operation of, electricity grids.

The main aspects of National Action Plans are wind power‘s contribution to the electricity target, the improvement of administrative procedures, grid issues, overall quality of National Action Plans and their timely presentation.

Considering these international commitments it becomes very clear that the development of renewable energy sources in Lithuania is rather slow.

This situation is determined by a fairly low degree of support for renewable energy from the national authorities. The decentralization of the energy sector, managing the interests of monopolies, the development of renewable energy legislation and the simplification of bureaucratic procedures would be the main tools for solving the existing problems.

External links:
Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources
European Commission
European Wind Energy Association
Global Wind Energy Council