Today (Sept 17) the EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, presented her proposed College of Commissioners for the next EU cycle. The College of Commissioners is composed of nominated representatives from each of the 27 member states, and each Commissioner covers a specific policy portfolio. These Commissioner-Designates must be confirmed by the European Parliament before officially taking office (expected December 2024).
Key Commissioner-Designates most relevant for solar and energy:
- Teresa Ribera Rodríguez (Spain), Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition. Biography here.
- Henna Virkkunen (Finland), Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy. Biography here.
- Stéphane Séjourné (France), Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy. Biography here.
- Maroš Šefčovič (Slovakia), Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security; Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency. Biography here.
- Wopke Hoekstra (Netherlands), Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth. Biography here.
- Dan Jørgensen (Denmark), Commissioner for Energy and Housing. Biography here.
You can read the Mission Letters' - the Commissioner-Designates' mandates - here.
SolarPower Europe has issued a reaction to the proposed College of Commissioners, as well as relevant Mission Letters.
Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe (she/her) said:
"President von der Leyen has proposed a strong team around the delivery of a Green Deal that strengthens EU competitiveness.
Commissioner-Designate Jørgensen's portfolio, combining energy and housing, makes perfect sense. Addressing energy poverty and delivering affordable housing goes hand-in-hand. Solar on social housing, for example, is low-hanging fruit to decarbonise our grid and ensure no-one is left behind.
We're thrilled to see the reference to an Electrification Action Plan within Commissioner-Designate Jørgensen's Mission Letter. Together with the emphasis on renewables, energy storage, and energy system integration - including flexibility - the letter sets a solid foundation to build an electrified, competitive Europe. Flexible, renewable electrification can cut day-ahead power prices by 25% by 2030 and 33% by 2040.
The next Commission must be focussed on implementing and financing the solid 2030 frameworks set by the previous mandate, and land on ambitious goals for 2040. We look forward to seeing this team confirmed during the parliamentary hearings."
Notes
- SolarPower Europe is the current Chair of the Electrification Alliance, which is calling for an Electrification Action Plan within the first 100 days of the new European Commission. Discover the Electrification Alliance and the #100daystoElectrify campaign.
- New modelling shows that more renewables, electrification and flexibility can boost European competitiveness, slashing average day-ahead energy prices by 25% by 2030, and by 33% by 2040. Discover Mission Solar 2040.
- The EU Joint Research Centre warns that Europe needs to double its energy system flexibility by 2030 and increase by sevenfold by 2050.
What is Flexibility?
Flexibility is the ability of a consumer, electricity generator, or any other technology (like storage) to adjust how they feed in electricity to the grid, or consume electricity from the grid in response to grid needs or solar availability. Flexibility means less investment is needed for slow-to-build grid infrastructure. We also need to focus on the efficient and smart operation of grids with smart electrified resources. In real life that looks like a solar power plant coupled with battery storage, or a smart charging station that charges a car when rooftop solar PV is producing abundantly.
While we need to ramp up battery and heat storage, we should ensure flexibility from the demand side too. We can follow the example of nuclear countries who employ flexibility from the demand side to manage inherently inflexible nuclear production. Since it's hard to switch nuclear on and off, consumers are encouraged to spread out their demand for electricity. Time-of-Use' tariffs make it cheaper to use nuclear electricity at night, incentivising electricity consumption at night, when demand is typically lower.
Discover the #LetsFlex campaign
What is Electrification?
Electrification means building an energy system on the principal of electricity - rather than combustion. So induction cookers rather than gas hobs, and vehicles that run on electricity, rather than diesel and other fossil fuels. Today, 24% of Europe's energy system is electrified. We should reach at least 60% electrification in the EU by 2050 to achieve climate neutrality.
Discover the Electrification Alliance
