APPENDIX 3: CALL FOR EVIDENCE
The Internal Market Sub-Committee (Sub-Committee
B) of the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Union
is undertaking an inquiry into some of the issues raised by the
European Commission's "20 20 by 2020: Europe's climate change
opportunity" Communication[45].
On 23 January 2008 the Commission published a package
of proposed Directives together with the 20 20 by 2020 Communication.
The Communication commits the EU to achieving a 20% reduction
in greenhouse gas emissions and a 20% share of renewable energies
in EU energy consumption by 2020. The latter target is covered
in more depth in the proposed Directive on the promotion of the
use of energy from renewable sources[46].
Sub-Committee B's inquiry will seek evidence on the
renewable energies target and its place within EU energy policies
in general, issues related to grid access and the role of state
support schemes in encouraging renewable energy generation. This
inquiry will not investigate the emissions reduction target, carbon
capture and storage or the 10% transport bio fuels target.
General Questions:
How achievable are both the EU's general 20% and
the UK's national 15% renewable energies target?
How coherent are these proposals in the context of
the EU's energy policies in general and the Third Energy Package
in particular?
To what extent are these targets capable of improving
the EU's security of energy supplies?
Grid Access:
How effective has the existing legislation (2001/77/EC)
been in encouraging grid access for renewable energy generators?
To what extent does grid access remain a significant
barrier to increased consumption of renewable energies? Is it
consistently a problem across all Member States?
How does Use of System charging affect grid access
for renewable energy generators? How far can the different levels
of renewable energies take-up in different Member States be attributed
to Use of System charging and cost sharing rules?
What impact do the various systems of reinforcement
planning and work have on encouraging renewable generation? How
important is the issue of constraint in increasing Member States'
renewable generation?
To what extent is further co-ordination of National
Regulatory Authorities needed?
How far do current regulations inhibit access to
the grid?
Support Schemes:
At what level should the EU be involved in harmonising
or regulating support schemes offered by Member States to encourage
renewable energy generation?
What impact have the various schemes in operation
across the Member States had on encouraging renewable energy?
How have these schemes affected take-up both by producers and
commercial and domestic consumers?
Will cross-border renewables markets be genuinely
affected by the existence of a variety of support schemes? Is
necessary investment hampered by lack of market harmonisation?
To what extent would the enhanced use of Guarantees
of Origin certificates require the harmonisation of support schemes?
45 COM(2008)30 final. Back
46
COM(2008)19 final. Back
| 
