Implementation of the RES Directive

The Target of 20% Renewable Energy by 2020

The Directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (2009/28/EC, RES Directive) sets the objective of reaching 20% of the EU’s energy consumption through renewable energy sources by 2020. It sets mandatory national targets for the overall share of RES in gross final consumption of energy, as well as a mandatory share of 10% RES in transport for each Member State.

EREC & Member States Predict Target Can Be Met

The EU can reach and overtake the 20% target by 2020, as demonstrated by the 27 EU Member States in their forecast documents, published at the beginning of 2010. EREC estimates that, following a business as usual (BAU) scenario, i.e. without the implementation of the RES Directive, the EU will already reach 18.3% by 2020 (see the graph below).

Figure 1: BAU towards 2020 (% share of RES in final energy consumption)

Source: EREC

* Business-as-usual (BAU) based on continuous growth assumption as 2005 to 2007

** EU-27 indicative trajectory as set out in Part B of Annex I of Directive (2009/28/EC)

The RES Directive Puts in Place the Legislative Framework to Reach 20% RES 2020

The RES Directive lays down a number of rules pertaining to administrative procedures, integration of RES in buildings, training and information, certification of installers, access to the electricity grid for RES, infrastructure development, sustainability criteria for biofuels and “cooperation mechanisms”. Cooperation mechanisms are a new feature whose goal is to allow Member States to achieve a proportion of their target abroad.

While Member States are just starting to explore the legal implications of the cooperation mechanisms, it is already clear that Member States intend to do the bulk of the work to reach their renewable targets through domestic actions.

National Renewable Energy Action Plans submitted by Member States

Member States had to submit to the European Commission by 30th June 2010 their National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAP), which set out how each Member State aims to achieve its national target and in the three sectors (electricity, heating and cooling, transport - see Annex I of the RES Directive).

As stipulated in the RES Directive, article 24, the European Commission has created an online Transparency Platform, which makes public information relevant to the implementation of the Directive (including the NREAPs).

In order to carry out the requirements of the RES Directive, a number of documents have subsequently to be issued, either by the European Commission or by the Member States themselves. A selection of these documents which pertain to all renewable energy technologies and which are directly linked to the implementation of the RES Directive are listed below:

December 2010	Member States have to transpose the Directive’s provisions into national law & communicate to the Commission how the Directive has been transposed
31^st December 2011	Member States start to report every 2 years (December 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021) on progress in reaching national objectives.
In 2012	The European Commission start to report every two years (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022) on progress made in reaching RES Directive’s objectives. It may propose corrective actions.
June 2013	Member States who are below the biannual milestones of the indicative trajectory have to submit an amended action plan by June of the following year.
31 December 2014	The European Commission has to report on the evaluation of implementation of the directive (notably on the cooperation mechanisms & review the greenhouse gas emissions threshold in article 17(2)).
2018	Report by the European Commission proposing a Renewable Energy Roadmap for the post-2020 period/may be accompanied by legislative proposals
2021	Report by the European Commission reviewing the application of this Directive: NREAPs, forecasts, cooperation mechanisms, support schemes, etc.

Check out the NREAPs submitted to the European Commission here.