This Commission Staff Working Document accompanies the Commission communication on the renewable energy progress report. It outlines the progress the European Union is making as regards the development of renewable energy.
Firstly, the Communication recalls the European policy framework for renewable energy: the importance of renewable energy for meeting our climate change and sustainability objectives, improving the security of our energy supply and developing an innovative European renewable energy industry to generate jobs and wealth for Europe.
This working document provides the background material and analysis supporting the results presented in the Communication. It also provides a summary of the detailed analysis undertaken for or by the Commission which explored the rate of progress and barriers to further growth in renewable energy and the impacts of biofuels in transport, as required under Directive 2003/30/EC.
More specifically, the particular areas dealt with in the report are as follows:
- electricity sector: support schemes; administrative barriers and grid access; guarantees of origin and the Member States’ progress towards the 2010 targets.
- transport sector: progress in the use of biofuels and other renewable fuels; support schemes; economic and environmental impacts.
- biomass sector: the availability and use of biomass as well as the barriers to the uptake of bioenergy.
Lastly, the report also presents a summary of the state of implementation of the 33 actions of the Biomass Action.