Higher solar ambition can lower bioenergy in REPowerEU

This briefing argues that the EU's REPowerEU renewable energy targets for 2030 can be achieved without increasing bioenergy use if solar power deployment is increased by approximately 100 GW. It suggests that the industry's potential to reach 840 GW of solar by 2030 makes this a credible alternative, provided national policy bottlenecks are removed. Additionally, the document notes that higher energy efficiency targets (14.5% vs 13%) could further reduce gross bioenergy consumption by 14%.

• The REPowerEU plan intends to replace 18 billion cubic metres (bcm) of fossil gas with bioenergy—1 bcm in the power sector via biomass and 17 bcm in households, industry, and agriculture via 'sustainable biomethane'—which represents an additional 15 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe) over the Fit for 55 proposal.
• To maintain the 45% renewable energy target by 2030 while avoiding the planned increase in bioenergy, the EU would need to deploy approximately 100 GW of additional solar power, representing a 17% increase over the REPowerEU proposal.
• The proposed 100 GW increase in solar capacity is considered credible because Solar Power Europe indicates the industry could potentially deploy up to 840 GW by 2030, which is 248 GW (42%) more than the current REPowerEU target, though this requires national policy changes to resolve permitting and other bottlenecks.
• Bioenergy consumption could be reduced below the levels assumed in the Fit for 55 package through increased energy efficiency and faster electrification of heat. For instance, raising the 2030 energy efficiency target to 14.5% (from the 13% in REPowerEU) would result in a 14% reduction in gross bioenergy consumption in the EU by 2030.

APA

Ember (2022). Higher solar ambition can lower bioenergy in REPowerEU. https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/higher-solar-ambition-can-lower-bioenergy-in-repowereu

Chicago

Ember. Higher solar ambition can lower bioenergy in REPowerEU. 2022. https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/higher-solar-ambition-can-lower-bioenergy-in-repowereu.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Ember |title=Higher solar ambition can lower bioenergy in REPowerEU |date=28 November 2022 |url=https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/higher-solar-ambition-can-lower-bioenergy-in-repowereu |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ember2022higher, author = {{Ember}}, title = {{Higher solar ambition can lower bioenergy in REPowerEU}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2022}, month = nov, url = {https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/higher-solar-ambition-can-lower-bioenergy-in-repowereu}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }