European electricity sector committed to clean energy transition

Europe’s electricity sector is eager to play a role in delivering clean energy for all Europeans, making electricity a central carrier for the continent’s low carbon economy, according to the pan-European Union of the Electric Industry, EURELECTRIC.

A 23 March meeting of EURELECTRIC’s board of directors saw the electricity sector agree to a joint position on the EU’s Clean Energy Package. The package is intended to keep the EU competitive as the clean energy transition changes global energy markets.

As EURELECTRIC’s Board of Directors said in a recent statement: “The European electricity sector believes that achieving the decarbonisation objectives agreed in the Paris Agreement is essential to guarantee the long-term sustainability of the global economy. EURELECTRIC’s members are committed to delivering a carbon neutral power supply in Europe by 2050, and to ensuring a competitively priced and reliable electricity supply throughout the integrated European energy market.”

Crucially, this dedication to a carbon neutral power supply has seen EURELECTRIC announce its intention to stop investing in new-build, coal fired power stations after 2020.

“The power sector is determined to lead the energy transition and back our commitment to the low carbon economy with concrete action,” said EURELECTRIC President and CEO of the Portuguese energy group EDP, António Mexia.

“With power supply becoming increasingly clean, electric technologies are an obvious choice for replacing fossil fuel based systems for instance in the transport sector to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” he continued.

EURELECTRIC Secretary General Kristian Ruby urged policy makers to adopt a balanced, market based approach to the clean energy transition.

“The challenge for policy makers in the next two years will be to target the political instruments, ensure that they are complementary and advance decarbonisation and electrification at the same time" said Ruby, at a press event.