First statements from industry and associations about the unexpected agreement of the EU-spring-summit on binding targets for renewable energies varied from hilarious praise via incredulous recognition to encouraged and sceptical appeals that the major part of the way is still ahead.
Those who voiced their joy and consent mainly argued that such an ambitious highest level commitment really is a big step towards mainstreaming and breakthrough of renewable energies in Europe - which is certainly true.
Those who underlined their scepticism argued that the necessary target sharing and the comprehensive legal framework to be established for electricity, heating and cooling and transport fuels would lead to a very difficult and highly time-consuming procedure among the different services of the European commission and the 27 member states, some of which had always been and still are extremely reluctant to commit to any real support for renewables, because they believe they can build their energy future on coal and/or nuclear.
Less than three month after the summit, it seems that reality may be even worse than critics had foreseen: DG TREN and DG ENVI just agreed to combine the renewables directives and the renewables target sharing with the decision process on the "burden sharing" for the -20% and -30%-greenhouse-gas reduction target - and to postpone the whole package until October. Lobbyist from the incumbent industry immediately started recycling their studies and papers claiming that renewables are to expensive, are not yet mature and/or that a harmonized support system for renewable energies be needed - an "MBI" of course, a so called "market based instrument", which for these lobbyists comprises quota and certificate systems, whereas it excludes feed-in tariffs.
These lobbyists either ignore or - rather - deny the inexistence of a single European energy market into which a Europe-wide renewables support system could be fitted. They live in a permanent state of denial, ignoring that in 17 out of 27 member states and in some 20 states and countries all over the world feed-in systems are the most successful, efficient and cost effective instruments for market introduction of renewable electricity, including Denmark, Spain and Germany, stable European and world leaders in renewable electricity. And they seem to be completely ignorant about possible designs of support systems for heating and cooling and for biofuels.
Given all their demonstrated ignorance about successful, efficient and cost effective support for different forms of renewable energies, there seems to be one thing they are fully aware of. In countries with successful support for renewables like in Germany and elsewhere, small and medium producers have grown and are still growing rapidly, taking some 1.5% of the incumbent industry's market share each year. This is why they want a change of support systems towards schemes which are more favourable for them, this is why their sole mission seems to be a shift towards green certificates or quotas, which could help re-establish their market dominance.
Due to huge upfront cost in certificate and quota systems, SME would hardly be able to compete with big utilities. This is why big utilities prefer certificates to all attempts to level the playing for all energy producers, enabling new market entrants to grow. And, on the other side of the coin, this is why EREF, the voice of independent producers of energy from renewable sources, will need to double efforts in support of the successful feed-in systems in Germany, Spain and an increasing number of countries and states worldwide.
What is at stake now?
For the months to come, it will be crucial to convince the European commission to table a proposal - underpinned by sector targets - with ambitious binding national targets, providing all the necessary instruments for the Commission, like interim targets and regular reports, to enforce the directive; and to abstain from any attempt to open the door for a Europe-wide quota or certificate system by gradually shifting national obligations from production targets (which we have now) to consumption targets.
To achieve such an enabling framework despite strong lobby pressure from the incumbent industry, we will - together with our allies in the European Parliament and in all the national and European associations - work hard to strengthen broad political support for renewable energies in Europe.