Solar Photovoltaic Energy Policy in Europe: Losing Sight of What is Right

Summary:

Europe has set ambitious but drastic targets in order to fight climate change. The 20-20-20 objectives demonstrate this. By 2020, emissions are to be reduced by 20%, the share of renewable energy sources (RES) in energy consumption is targeted to rise to 20%, and energy efficiency is planned to increase by 20% in comparison to the 1990 levels in Europe. In order for Europe to reach these objectives, national targets for each Member State have been set. While not yet officially binding, the 2050 Roadmap of the Commission is focused on achieving even stronger reductions, namely a reduction of 80% in emissions compared to 1990 levels. The 2020 objectives account for less than half of these 2050 objectives.

Consequently, Member States are currently under pressure to formulate efforts seriously to comply with their national and European targets as part of the objective of sustainability. European countries have increased capacity of renewables: hydroelectric power, wind power, biomass and solar energy are increasingly produced. As part of the planned renewable electricity capacities for 2020, solar photovoltaic panels (PVs) are the third largest installed RES source, after hydroelectric capacity and wind capacity.

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