Activities of Benedek JÁVOR related to 2016/2041(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Renewable energy progress report (A8-0196/2016 - Paloma López Bermejo)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on renewable energy progress report PDF (404 KB) DOC (190 KB)
Amendments (64)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 a (new)
Citation 19 a (new)
– having regard to the Paris Agreement made in December 2015 at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the UNFCCC
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas the progress demonstrates the merits of Union renewables policy based on national binding targets as repeatedly called for by the European Parliament, providing the long-term certainty to industry and investors that is necessary for the investment in generation capacity as well as in transmission and distribution infrastructure;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas in line with the COP 21 Paris Agreement the renewable energy directive needs to be adapted complying with the concluded goal of keeping global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre- industrial levels; whereas an economy based on 100 % renewables can only be reached by reducing our energy consumption, increased energy efficiency and the boost of renewable energy resources;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas the decisive development of renewable energy bears huge potential for sustainable economic development, innovation and job creation; whereas many renewable energy projects are owned by small, private companies and individuals;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas investment in renewables requires a long-term framework consistent with the EU’s 2050's climate commitments; arising from the Paris Climate Agreement; whereas Commission president Juncker committed to make the European Union 'the world number one in renewable energy'; whereas China has become the worldwide front-runner in investing in renewables, investments in Europe was down 21%, from € 54.61 billion ($ 62 billion) in 2014 to € 42.99 billion ($ 48.8 billion) in 2015, the lowest figure for nine years;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas public participation and supervision, regulatory clear policy guidelines atity and simplicity, and renewable support at local, regional, national and European level and the engagement of citizen, NGOs and social partners are key toand need to be strengthened further for the successful development of renewable energy;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas renewable energy offers an opportunity for greater energy democracy throughby empowering citizen to participate actively on equal footing with the other stakeholders in the energy market, to self- generate and self-consume, store and sell their own produced renewable energy, individually or in collective management, as well as through public investment and decentralised forms of energy production launched by cities, regions and local public authorities;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas biomass constitutes a significant part of the renewable energy mix, while there are no sufficient sustainability criteria to ensure that all the environmental concerns are fully considered;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 (new)
Paragraph -1 (new)
-1. Welcomes the commitment from the Commission to make the European Union 'the world number one in renewables'; urges the Commission to present an operational and workable strategy to this effect that should be based on a vivid domestic market for renewables, an innovation strategy coupled with a robust industrial policy and stronger support to export opportunities providing solutions for developing countries;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 a (new)
Paragraph -1 a (new)
-1a. Concurs with the Commission's REFIT analysis of the current renewable energy directive that the current combination of binding national targets, National Renewable Energy Plans and biennial monitoring has been a key driver for renewable energy capacity development in the EU Member States and has greatly contributed to increasing predictability for investors; calls on a strengthening of these mechanisms for the post-2020 period;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. EWhile noting that the EU as a whole is on track to meet its 2020 target, expresses its concern at the large number of countries (Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom) which may have to revisestrengthen their policies and tools to ensure they meet their 2020 objectives; notes that one Member State has already failed to achieve the 2013-2014 interimthe Netherlands has failed to reach its 2013- 2014 interim targets; regrets that retroactive regulatory changes in Spain led to a situation where barely no additional capacity was installed in 2015; deeply regrets the proposed changes of the regulatory framework pertaining to wind energy proposed by the Polish government; urges member states that are lagging behind to undertake additional measures to get back on track and even exceed their 2020 targets;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Stresses that renewable energy costs have significantly decreased in recent years making them increasingly competitive with conventional generation; whereas the access to capital is key, yet the cost of capital in the EU-28 has been diverging significantly resulting in a North West/ East South divide; notes that the existence of a variety of different policies for promoting renewable energy risks further widening the competitiveness gap among EU countries; points out the need to have an EU financial mechanism aimed at reducing high risk-derived capital costs of renewable energy projects;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Highlights the fact that the national regulation of electricity markets is a key factor in the diverging advance of renewables, different energy costs for familiehouseholds and for industry and different levels of energy dependency; stresses that most national regulations require fundamental changes to allow for cost- effective renewable energy investments;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Highlights the role ofat stable renewable support schemes tailored to national needs and circumstances play a key role in attracting long-term investment and consolidating the renewable sector; rejects the retroactive elimination of renewable support schemescondemns frequent and/or retroactive changes of renewable support schemes that alter the return on already made investments and undermine investors' legitimate expectations; and calls on the Commission to swiftly check the compatibility of national support schemes with State aid rules in order to avoid any unnecessary delay in their implementation;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on the Commission to challenge restrictive national policies designed to impeding the development of renewable energy and to rigorously put in place measures to ensure transparency, consistency and continuity for legal, financial and regulatory frameworks in order to strengthen investor confidence; calls on the Commission to always announce and widely consult stakeholders well ahead of any renewable support scheme adjustments';
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls Parliament’s target of 85 % of financing for non-fossil energy under the energy chapter of Horizon 2020; calls for public national investments of this kind to be exempted from deficit rules, since they are essential for providing long-term geopolitical security;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Underlines the need for an integrated approach to public investments and credit in technical improvement, grid adaptation, storage, demand-side management, energy efficiency and new forms ofinnovative renewable energy production to avoid potential bottlenecksllow the further development of renewable energy sources, on a path towards a EU 100% renewable, energy efficiency based economy, fossil and nuclear free European energy system by 2050 at the latest; recalls the importance of cohesion policy funds in this context;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Urges the strengthening of transparency and public participation, with particular regard to social partners,civil society, NGOs and social partners, at an early stage in the development of future national plans for renewable energy; regrets the current lack of information regarding the implementation of Renewable Energy Directive provisions and stresses the need for more detailed Member States' biennial reports; calls on the Commission to strengthen its role in monitoring and supporting the progress of renewable energies; calls on the Commission to enhance the transparency over the use of its enforcement power;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Considers the contribution of consumers engaging in renewable self- generation as key to target fulfilment as well as to making the Energy Union truly citizen-centric; notes that in the most successful energy transition countries like Germany or Denmark, a large share of the existing renewable capacity is owned by citizen, cooperatives, local communities and authorities;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Stresses the importance of local administrations and associationmovements, like the Covenant of Mayors, in the implementation of a renewables-based model of energy consumptionSmart Cities and Communities or the 100% RES communities, which allow sharing of knowledge and best practice on local bottom up and spatial planning of the energy transition, access to financial support and the implementation of renewables-based projects; advocates the strengthening of the local and regional level across all stages of the energy policy decision-making process;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes the changes in working conditions in thHighlights the enormous job creation potential in the renewable energy sectors; stresses that action is needed to ensure labour standards are not lowered as a result of energy transcalls for just transition roadmaps to be developed by local and regional governments, so they can manage change for the benefit of workers and communities guaranteeing that those green jobs will be decent, fairly paid with good working conditions;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Calls on the Member States to fully implement the RES-Directive and asks the Commission to propose new measures, if needed, to reach the 20% target by 2020;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Reiterates Parliament’sStresses that the RES targets must be set in line with the climate target of 1.5°C as agreed by 195 countries in Paris, December 2015; calls for an EU 2030 binding targets of a 30 45% share of renewable energy consumption and 40 % in energy savings for 2030, translated into national binding targets; asks the Commission to develop at least a high renewables (45%) / high energy efficiency (40%) 2030 targets scenario in view of the upcoming legislative proposal for the Renewable Energy Directive; calls on the Commission to make sure that its revised Renewable Energy Directive is fully in line with the 1.5°C climate objective;
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Calls for an urgent, ambitious upward revision of the 2030 renewable energy targets established by the Council, at least in line with the Paris agreement;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses that the targets already agreed for 2020 must be taken as the minimum baseline when revising the Renewables Energy Directive after that date, excepting those cases where regional best practices can provide a more ambitious baseline;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. StressNotes that Member States should justify the use ofhave hardly used so far the provisions for statistical transfers and the development of cooperation mechanisms to meet their targets on the basis of feasibility constraints with regard to developing renewables, so as to ensure that national targets are actually binding; underlines the importance of regional cooperation between member states, as it would be beneficial to system optimisation and enhance cost-saving; accordingly member states shall be provided with strong incentives and required to include joint projects in their NREAPs; calls on the Commission to provide member states with further information, cost benefit analysis and guidance, such as templates for cooperation mechanisms agreements;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Highlights the need to define a regulatory strategy that allows for the monitoring of Member States’ commitments while allowing for full democratic control and scrutiny of energy policies; stresses that the Commission should have enhanced oversight also beyond 2020 endowed with adequate tools for an effective and timely monitoring and the possibility to intervene in case of counterproductive measures; believes that such monitoring will only be possible, if the Commission determines national benchmarks for Member States to which their progress in renewable deployment can be compared;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Points to the importance of single binding templates for national energy and climate plans to ensure comparability, transparency and predictability for investors; believes that trajectories and policy planning for each member state must continue to be broken down by sector, technology and source;
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses the importance of public consultation and participation in the planning of new energy infrastructure projects, in particular as regards new interconnecparticipation from an early stage in boosting environmentally-friendly renewable energy projects while taking account of local conditions;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Notes the gap between available skills and the changes in labour market demands adapted to the development of renewablesUnderlines that active education/training and skills strategies are fundamental in the transition to a sustainable, resource-efficient economy; stresses the importance of social partners and public authorities in developing skill schemes and training programmes to ensure that the adjustment to new technologies and patterns of energy production is a source of quality jobs;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Highlights the need for adequate and sufficient financing both at EU level, inter alia by applying conditionality in existing funds - Horizon2020, Structural and Cohesion Funds, European Fund for Strategic Investment and by comprehensively de-risking investments to incentivize a broad use of renewable energy sources;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Calls on the Member States to provide tailor-made instruments, support schemes and financial mechanisms according to technology and market maturity, size, technology-specific risk- profile enabling the next generation of RES progressing down their learning curve;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 c (new)
Paragraph 15 c (new)
15c. Citizen and Community Energy;
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 d (new)
Paragraph 15 d (new)
15d. Believes that local authorities, communities, households and individuals should form the backbone of the energy transition and should be actively supported to help them become energy producers and suppliers on an equal footing with other players in the energy market; in this context calls for a common comprehensive definition of the concept of 'prosumer' at EU level;
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 e (new)
Paragraph 15 e (new)
15e. Considers it of major importance to establish a basic right to self-generation and self-consumption as well as the right to store and sell excess electricity at a fair price;
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 f (new)
Paragraph 15 f (new)
15f. Member States shall on the basis of public participation develop a Citizen and Community Energy strategy describing in their national action plans how they will promote small and medium-sized renewable energy projects and energy cooperatives and intend to factor them in in their legislative framework, support policies and market accessibility;
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 g (new)
Paragraph 15 g (new)
15g. Calls for the introduction of a new Citizen and Community Energy chapter under the revised Renewable Energy Directive to address the main market and administrative barriers and provide a more conducive investment environment for self-generation and self-consumption of renewable energy;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 h (new)
Paragraph 15 h (new)
15h. Notes that appropriate licencing and administrative procedures are not yet in place for all technologies in all countries; requests member states to supress administrative and market barriers to new self-generation capacity, and to replace lengthy authorisation procedures with a simple notification requirement and to put in place efficient one-stop-shops for project permits, grid access and support with financial and technical expertise as well as guaranteeing prosumers´ access to alternative dispute resolution- mechanisms; in this line urges the Commission to ensure full implementation and full continuity beyond 2020 of article 13 (administrative procedures) and 16 (access and operation of the grids) of the current Renewable Energy Directive;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Highlights the need for a differential treatment between micro, small and large producers; stresses the importance of ensuring financial and administrative facilities for ‘prosumers’ (house: while auctions are a good way to ensure cost-reflective deployment of new capacity; member states shoulds, micro and sma make full businesses, cooperatives, public administrations and non- commercial entities that engage in energy production)e of de minimis exemptions under the European Energy and Environment State Aid Guidelines, so that small and medium-sized projects continue benefiting from dynamic feed in tariffs exempting them from complex auctioning processes;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Stresses the importance of public participation from an early stage in boosting environmentally-friendly renewable energy projects while taking account of local conditions;
Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Stresses the need to strike a balance between the developmentfor targeted measures for low-income consumers guaranteeing that they have access to the benefits of crentralised and decentralised energy production that ensures that consumers that cannot afford to become ‘prosumers’ are not discriminated against; stresses the need to provide technical and administrative facilities for the collective management of energy productionewable energy generation; emphasises that energy poverty affects one in four EU citizens, particularly in Eastern-Central and Mediterranean Europe, thus targeted measures, well- designed, dedicated financial mechanisms together with information, advisory services should be made available for low- income, vulnerable consumers to help them to reduce their energy use, diversify their energy sources and achieve household level energy autonomy as a strategic, long-term solution to energy poverty;
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Stresses the need for a favourable framework for tenants and those living in multi-dwelling buildings, to enable them to also benefit from self-generation and energy efficiency measures;
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Stresses the environmental, economic and social benefits of an integrated approach on energy and the need to promote synergies between and within the electricity, the heating and cooling and the transport sectors; further calls on the Commission to assess how flexible sources of renewable energy can complement variable energy sources and how this should be taken into account in energy planning as well as in the design of support schemes;
Amendment 241 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Calls for an integrated approach in energy policy encompassing grid development and regulation, storage, demand side management, energy efficiency improvements together with increasing the share of renewable energy sources, highlights the need to avoid locking-in technologies non-compatible with decarbonisation;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)
Paragraph 18 b (new)
18b. Stresses the need for further increased and long-term investment in smart distribution systems to effectively integrate renewable energy systems into electricity grids; urges Member States to take a harmonised approach to smart grid investment with the view of completing the internal energy market;
Amendment 247 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 c (new)
Paragraph 18 c (new)
18c. Stresses that priority access to the grid and priority dispatch for renewable energy as stipulated in the current Renewable Energy Directive should be maintained and reinforced; calls for a post-2020 regulatory framework that ensures proper compensation of renewable electricity curtailment;
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Notes the Commission’'s strategy to increase demand-response mechanisms; stresses that this should notincreased demand-response should contribute to create aning additional financial burdengains for citizens;
Amendment 260 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Highlights that stability in energy prices is necessarydynamic prices should be elaborated in order to induce the adequate demand responses from consumers and to incentivise energy savings and self- generation; recommends the Commission to further analyse their impact on various consumer groups;
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Stresses that certain consumers (such as energy-poor households) have rigid consumption patterns and may bshould be offered adequate social guarantees avoiding that they are negatively affected by enhanced price- based efficiency mechanisms;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Considers that the indirect taxation on energy should be closely linked to green energy policies and should take into account its distributional, social and economic effects, with automatic compensatory measures for vulnerable families and sectors;
Amendment 281 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Notes that consumers currently hardly contribute to the intended construction of new renewable energy generation capacities when they opt for electricity tariffs that are marketed with a fuel mix disclosing 100% renewable energy sources; calls for an accurate, reliable and transparent tracking mechanism so that 'green' claims are tied to measurable criteria regarding additional environmental benefits;
Amendment 285 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Regrets the lack of progress and low targets set for renewable use in heating and cooling considering that heating and cooling sector account for half of the EU´s final energy consumption and therefore plays a key role in achieving the EU objectives on climate and renewable energy resources; highlights the need to avoid locking-in technologies non- compatible with decarbonisation and hence urges the phasing-out of subsidies for fossil-based heating technology;
Amendment 290 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Welcomes the Commission´s heating and cooling strategy communication emphasising the need for phasing-out fossil fuels that are still accounting for 75% in the sector and fully replacing them with energy efficiency –our first energy fuel – measures and renewables;
Amendment 293 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24b. Notes that biomass is the most widely used renewable energy for heating today, representing some 90% of all renewable heating; especially in Central-Eastern Europe it plays a key role in enhancing energy security in a sustainable manner;
Amendment 294 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 c (new)
Paragraph 24 c (new)
24c. Urges the European Commission to extend beyond 2020 the requirements to increase the share of renewables in 'Nearly Zero Energy Buildings' in line with and complementing the provisions of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive; mandatory minimum share of renewables shall apply to existing buildings as well;
Amendment 301 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Stresses the need to facilitate a transition towards energy efficient renewable heating devices, while ensuring adequate financial support and enhanced information and assistance for energy- poor citizens;
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Emphasises the need to renovate and enhance the performance of district heating and cooling systems, as district heating and cooling networks can use and store electricity powered by renewables and then distribute it to buildings and industrial sites, boosting the level of renewable heating and cooling;
Amendment 304 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Highlights the potential of collective energy systems for renewable heating and coolingprosumer groups involving households, micro and small businesses, cooperatives and local authorities for establishing collective energy systems that provide cost-efficient renewable heating and cooling as well as the many synergies between energy efficiency and renewable energy;
Amendment 306 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Stresses that using electric space heaters as a main heating system is well known to be expensive for the user and at the price per kWh for heat output, especially when the housing is poorly insulated. It leads to a high energy bill for the householder and increase energy poverty; calls on Member States to ban the use of electric space heaters as a main heating system;
Amendment 314 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Notes the failure of the biofuel-based renewable strategy forrenewable target for transport; calls on Member States to increase efforts to deploy sustainable decarbonisation measures for the transport sector such as demand reduction, a modal shift towards more sustainable modes, better efficiency and electrification, such as electrified trainsport, tramways, electric bicycles and shared e- cars;
Amendment 331 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Draws attention to the need to limituse biofuel land-use to areas where they do not compete with feedstock production and to develop next-generation biofuels using biomass or waste that do not compete with other agricultural producs that meet the EU sustainability requirements and to gradually phase out the use of food crops for biofuels, and to develop next-generation biofuels using e.g. woody biomass, agricultural residues or waste, while ensuring consistency with the waste hierarchy and cascading use principles; asks for a revision of the sustainability criteria for biofuels and bioliquids as set out in the Renewable Energy Directive, and their extension to solid and gaseous biomass; highlights that sound, proportionate and simple bioenergy sustainability criteria must necessarily be part of the future Renewable Energy Directive;
Amendment 340 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Stresses the need for a shift from liberalisation to sustainable mobility regulation, including sustainable logistic systems, mobility management and sustainable urban policies that minimise overall energy consumption in transport; encouraging more active travel models, developing and implementing Smart Cities-solutions and supporting urban eco-mobility and adapted urban planning;
Amendment 343 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Emphasises that a larger modal share of walking, cycling, car-sharing and car-pooling, combined with public transport systems, are crucial for reducing and avoiding EU oil dependency and thereby reducing GHG emissions;