Competitiveness of the Renewable Energy Sector

CEPS, in cooperation with COWI, prepared a large study on the competitiveness of the renewable energy sector for DG ENER of the European Commission. The study features two parts.
Part 1 – Competitiveness of the heating and cooling industry and services. The first part of the study of focuses on the competitiveness of renewable heating and cooling sector. It covers four segments representing 93% of the European renewable heating and cooling industry: biogas, biomass, heat pumps and solar-thermal. The study assesses the competitiveness of each segment and measures their impacts on the EU economy in terms of job creation and turnover. In addition, it includes four case studies that examine the impact of local conditions on the deployment of different technological solutions. Finally, this part of the study provides an overview of the 2030 plans of the EU Member States including their heating and cooling targets and supporting policies, based on the draft National Energy and Climate Plans.
Part 2 – Competitiveness of corporate sourcing of renewable energy . The second part of the study looks at the impact of corporate sourcing of renewable energy on the competitiveness of the European industry. European companies rely on renewables to meet their energy needs for three main reasons: i) strengthening their competitive advantage and increasing their demand, as consumers’ choices are increasingly driven by sustainability considerations; ii) attracting more capital, as investors are growingly concerned about the environmental footprint of their investments; and iii) improving their cost competitiveness, as renewables may reduce energy costs. At the same time, EU companies face some barriers when trying to source renewables. Many barriers are addressed by the new ‘Clean Energy for All Europeans’ package; others will require additional measures. The report also estimates the potential impacts of corporate sourcing of renewables on the EU economy. Should EU-based industrial and commercial companies commit to source renewable electricity to meet 30% of their total demand of electricity by 2030, the EU renewable energy sector could generate more than €750 billion in gross added value and above 220,000 new jobs.