EWEA: IEA Report on EU Climate Change, Energy Portfolio Presents Efficient, Sustainable, Affordable Future
September 19, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
The International Energy Agency's (IEA) recent report on the European Union (EU) climate change and energy portfolio recognizes that the EU 27 member states have chosen a more efficient, sustainable and affordable future, said the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA).
IEA called the EU a world leader in beginning to mitigate the effects of global warming through ambitious proposals on climate change and energy policies.
The agency also said that the way Europe produces and uses energy will be transformed if the proposed regulations are successfully implemented.
The EWEA believes the IEA comments show how non-polluting, renewable energy sources such as wind power can be an important part of that transformation.
EWEA also commended IEA for fully supporting efforts to liberalize energy markets by making access to existing transmission grids easier, more transparent and cheaper for wind-farm operators. IEA said that the European Council has agreed to adopt the proposals by the end of 2008.
IEA said the EU must greatly increase its overall R&D funding in order to effectively deal with the environmental and energy problems the world is facing. The agency called for R&D funding for non-nuclear energy, which includes wind power, to be increased significantly.
According to EWEA, wind power in Europe and around the world is now a proven technology that can deliver a local, reliable, affordable, environmentally-friendly source of electricity.
Source: European Wind Energy Association (EWEA).