Europe finally has its instrument to accelerate the industrial deployment of low-carbon technologies. On Tuesday February 6, the Parliament, the Council and the Commission reached an agreement to adopt the “net zero industry law”, the industrial counterpart of the European Green Deal to achieve the ambition of a carbon neutral continent. by 2050. “This is our first response to the Inflation Reduction Act launched in the summer of 2022 by Joe Biden to finance the energy transition across the Atlantic”greets Christian Ehler, the conservative MEP (European People’s Party), rapporteur of the text for Parliament.
Brussels’ objective is to produce on its soil by 2030 at least 40% of the carbon-free technologies that Europe uses, whether wind turbines, solar panels, heat pumps, batteries, biomethane or electrolyzers necessary for the production of hydrogen. After intense lobbying from France, nuclear components were also included in the panel of technologies that could benefit from the advantages of this regulation. CO² capture and storage technology will also be supported. The environmental NGO network EEB criticizes this support for these two technologies deemed “expensive and slow” compared to renewable energies.
This new law should above all allow Member States to reduce the time taken to issue authorizations for the creation of factories or new zero-emission energy installations in certain zones predefined by the States. “On average, these deadlines should be divided by three”, assures a European source. A mirage for the EEB, which ensures that “This simplistic approach based on shorter authorization procedures and reduced public participation will result in additional pressure on EU communities and the environment”.
No specific funding
Another development, the introduction of an “embryo of European preference”, notes MEP Christophe Grudler, of the Renew Europe group. In 30% of calls for tenders placed by States and other public authorities, selection criteria other than price alone must be introduced. They will have to take into account, for example, the durability of equipment or “resilience” – ensure that we do not depend only on a supplier from a single country. These criteria are supposed to favor European industry to the detriment of Chinese imports in particular.
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