Eurelectric: Electricity sector seeks to reconcile climate action and efforts to rebuild biodiversity

BRUSSELS, June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 81 % of EU habitats are severely deteriorated by unsustainable activities. This alarming reality is intrinsically linked to climate change: according to world leading climate and biodiversity experts, greenhouse emissions will become the leading driver for ecological loss and agricultural disruptions. Another future is possible says "Power Plant", a new report released today.

Kristian Ruby, Secretary General of Eurelectric, said:

"Climate change and biodiversity loss can be tackled simultaneously. Our industry can reduce the ecological loss and go even further: restore nature. This is also a call to remove barriers to speed and scale up the deployment of renewable power plants."

Integrated renewable energy projects, which restore degraded ecosystems and remove CO₂ emissions, bring multiple benefits, including:

• Reviving landscape in degraded areas, like peatlands and coal mines;
• Revegetating desertified land, through solar shading;
• Allowing sustainable food and energy production, by deploying agri-photovoltaics above crops.

Kristian Ruby added:

"Electrification, supported by renewables and clean power, can break the degradation cycle, and contribute to biodiversity regeneration. We need transformative efforts at a scale never been attempted before."

Around 500 GW of new renewable capacity is needed, equal to half of existing European generation capacity, to cut EU emissions by 55% by 2030. Yet, average permitting times reach four to six years. This prevents Europe from efficiently tackling the twin climate and biodiversity crises.

Power Plant was developed with a path-breaking methodology, to define a new approach combining renewables with regenerative biodiversity. Consulting academia and civil society, it was developed with internationally acclaimed firm EFFEKT, specialised in sustainable architecture and spatial planning.

Using satellite and engineered imagery, Power Plant elaborates cross-cutting recommendations mitigating climate change, while ensuring biodiversity and energy security.

We call on the European Commission to prioritise projects simultaneously addressing these challenges by:

1.  Accelerating permitting for integrated, net positive projects, and developing low-impact spatial planning assessment.

2.  Encouraging integrated energy and agricultural production through changes in the Common Agricultural Policy.

3.  Establishing economic rewards or incentives to accelerate investments in integrated projects.  

4.  Increasing public support for renewables by encouraging co-ownership, publicising benefits and providing early information.

Note to Editors:

Eurelectric represents the interests of the European electricity industry. With members in over 30 European countries, we speak for more than 3,500 companies in generation, distribution and supply.