In response to the challenges caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the disruption of the global energy market, the European Commission has implemented the REPowerEU Plan to gradually end the import of Russian fossil fuels.
Launched in May 2022, REPowerEU enables the EU to save energy, diversify its energy sources, and produce clean energy.
At the beginning of 2024, the European Commission published the Union Database (UDB) Alignment for Biofuels and updated the Revised Renewable Energy Directive to regulate and develop the biofuel sector in line with the latest regulations and sustainability goals. The main reason for the European Commission’s significant legal regulations on “biofuels” is to address the energy market disruptions caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In this context, the European Commission developed the REPowerEU plan to respond to the global energy market disruptions caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
So, what exactly are the aims of the REPowerEU plan?
The objectives of the REPowerEU Plan include “Increasing energy savings,” “Encouraging citizens to change their energy consumption behaviors,” “Providing financial support for energy savings,” “Offering reduced VAT on alternative energy systems,” “Accelerating and supporting renewable investments,” “Requiring solar energy systems (such as rooftop solar panels) in new residential buildings by 2029,” and “Prioritizing energy savings and efficiency in transportation,” among others.
The measures in the REPowerEU Plan can address this goal through energy savings, diversification of energy sources, and the accelerated deployment of renewable energy to replace fossil fuels in homes, industry, and power generation.
The “REPowerEU” plan, expected to form a key part of the “green transition” process targeted by the EU in recent years, suggests that the European Commission will introduce many legal regulations, such as statutes, directives, or regulations on this issue in the future. On the other hand, on June 10, 2010, the European Commission also decided to support industry, governments, and NGOs to create approval plans for all types of biofuels, including those imported into the EU.
The green transition will strengthen economic growth, security, and climate action for Europe. The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is a structure at the center of the REPowerEU Plan that supports the coordinated planning and financing of cross-border and national infrastructure, as well as energy projects and reforms. The European Commission aims to make targeted changes in the RRF Regulation to integrate specific REPowerEU sections into the Member States’ existing recovery and resilience plans (RRPs), in addition to the many related reforms and investments already in RRPs.
Especially, energy savings are the fastest and cheapest way to address the current energy crisis and reduce bills. The Commission proposes raising the binding Energy Efficiency Target under the European Green Deal’s “Fit for 55” package from 9% to 13% to improve long-term energy efficiency measures. Therefore, the Commission also published an “EU Energy Savings Communication” today, which details short-term behavior changes that could reduce gas and oil demand by 5% and encourages Member States to launch specific communication campaigns targeting households and industry.
Increasing and accelerating renewable energy on a large scale in electricity generation, industry, buildings, and transportation will accelerate independence, boost the green transition, and reduce costs over time. The Commission proposes raising the 2030 target for renewable energy from 40% to 45% under the “Fit for 55” package.
In light of all these developments, when considering the situation in our country, it is evident that about 72% of our growing energy demand is met through imported sources, and 70% of our electricity is generated from fossil fuels, which cause environmental pollution.
Our country has significant potential for “biofuels” due to its climate and agricultural strength. To achieve the goal of increasing renewable energy sources, our country will also need a qualified workforce trained in this field.
Sources
Mehmet, Can, SEZGİN, “The EU Commission’s Plan to Break Russia’s Energy Dependence: REPowerEU,” Information Note; ikvden_repowereu_bilgi_notu.pdf
Derya, DAĞDELEN; “Evaluation of Global Biofuel Policies in Terms of the EU and Turkey,” EU Expertise Thesis, Ankara, 2015.
https://fortesmedia.com/future-of-biofuels-2024,4,en,2,1,104.html#details
https://www.abyesilmutabakati.com/yesil-mutabakat/repowereu-ab-enerji-tasarrufu-plani/
https://www.ikv.org.tr/images/files/ikvden_repowereu_bilgi_notu.pdf
https://www.isoyesilblog.com/avrupadan-yesil-gecisi-hizlandiracak-yeni-plan/
Energy – European Commission (europa.eu)
She graduated from Çankaya University Faculty of Law in 2005. In the same year, she completed her master’s degree in Constitutional Law at Çankaya University, Department of Public Law. Until 2011, she worked as an ODY-ÜDY Instructor at Vocational Training Centers affiliated with the Ministry of Transport. For approximately 15 years, she has been working as a legal expert at the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB). Initially, she was involved in Foreign Trade and International Logistics at TOBB and represented the United Nations for nearly seven years. She is currently serving as a legal expert in the SME Policies Directorate within the TOBB Department of Real Sector R&D and Implementation.
Meanwhile, she is working on completing her doctoral dissertation in Administrative Law at Gazi University, Department of Public Law-Administrative Law. After completing her thesis on TOBB, which is recognized by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) in Turkey, she plans to publish it as a book.
Additionally, since 2023, she has been writing columns in the London section of “DÜNDAR HUKUK” and “DÜNDAR LEGAL SERVICE CONSULTANCY,” which have established themselves internationally, particularly in the field of energy and renewable energy.