The Group of the European People’s Party expressed support to an EU decision to label gas and nuclear energy as green, saying that gas can help facilitate the energy transition, though its use should not be extended without any limits.
“To reduce Europe’s CO2 emissions, we also need gas. Not for ever and everywhere, but for a transitional period and in certain situations. Gas is the cleanest fossil energy source and gas infrastructure can be used in the future to transport clean hydrogen – produced by renewable energy – which has a huge potential as an energy carrier in transport and industry. By using gas as a bridge technology, we can achieve CO2 reductions faster by moving away from, for example, coal without having to wait for fully carbon-free technologies to be widely available. In many parts of the EU, gas can help bridge the gap and help us get concrete results faster. And delivering concrete results is what counts for the EPP Group”, said Esther de Lange MEP, EPP Group Vice-Chair in charge of the so-called Green Deal.
Her statement comes after the European Commission last week proposed the inclusion of nuclear energy and fossil gas in the so-called ‘Taxonomy Regulation’ which sets out criteria that define green investments.
Malta is expected to request EU funding for a gas pipeline, which can also be converted for hydrogen use. “Work is already ongoing so that this pipeline is repurposed for hydrogen readiness, and we are carrying out studies to analyse the availability of hydrogen around us. Hydrogen is one of the sources of energy being promoted by the EU to reach carbon neutrality, and Malta cannot lose the opportunity to tap into this source,” Energy Minister Miriam Dalli was quoted as saying recently.
The EPP Group also acknowledges the role nuclear energy can play as a low-carbon technology in the national energy mix, provided sufficient provisions are made for the highest safety standards as well as for decommissioning, taking into account cross-border issues.
“The taxonomy rules are very important to direct private money and investments in the right direction for the Green Deal. By clearly defining the list of energy included, we offer much-needed clarity to investors”, stressed de Lange.
Oil (crude oil and petroleum products) continued to be the most significant energy source for the European economy, despite a long-term downward trend, while natural gas remained the second largest energy source, according to the latest Eurostat data, which includes figures up to 2019.
Oil use was again on the decline, after a slight increase in the period between 2014 and 2017, whereas a certain fluctuation is observed in natural gas, with levels back on the rise in 2019. The contribution of renewable energy sources shows a stable growth, having already surpassed solid fossil fuels in 2018 and gaining further ground in 2019. Solid fossil fuels decreased by 19.7 % in 2019 and reached the record lowest value since 1990.
