Preparing the new EU renewable energy framework post-2030
In just 13 years, the share of renewables in the European Union has more than doubled, reaching an annual growth rate of over 3% recently. And the results are visible. In 2024, green energy supplied 48% of the EU’s total energy production, and 47.5% in 2025, confirming itself for two consecutive years as the Block’s main source of electricity. Too bad it’s not enough. The rate of diffusion and national commitments are still misaligned with the 2040 climate targets.
This was highlighted by the European Commission at the launch of a new public consultation. The topic? Future EU legislation on renewable energy. Although the RED III Directive is still relatively “fresh off the press” – and many Member States are behind in its transposition – the European Executive does not intend to waste time. And given the new shift towards European competitiveness, it is now engaged in finding a balance between climate objectives, energy security, and protection of the industrial sector. “This – explains the Commission on its website – includes defining a framework for renewable energy for the period after 2030”.
EU 2040 Climate Target: obstacles to overcome
The stated goal is to adopt a legislative proposal by the end of 2026 that finalizes the EU 2040 renewable energy targets. But the first step, as always, is to gather contributions from citizens and stakeholders, which will feed into the preparatory work.
“The strategic framework for renewable energy for the next decade will aim to ensure reliable, affordable, and domestically produced energy for European citizens and industry, while ensuring that renewable energy contributes to achieving the EU’s 2040 climate objective efficiently and sustainably.”
This will necessarily require overcoming some structural problems: from limited grid capacities and poor electric system flexibility to the stagnation in transport electrification; from high upfront costs for green heating and cooling to the simplification of authorization procedures, which are still too slow; from locally opposed projects to the lack of competitiveness in terms of prices for some renewable energy source fuels.
Market challenges and biomass use
Not to mention an increasingly pressing problem: new investments in renewables are discouraged by the increasing hours when prices are low or negative on electricity markets. But the Commission also warns about the effects that the development of the bioeconomy in the EU could have on biomass for energy uses.
“The potential for streamlining rules and measures should also be assessed across different priority sectors. The framework should also take into account the decline of the EU’s carbon sink, as indicated in the 2025 report on progress in EU climate action, and examine options to ensure more efficient and targeted use of sustainable biomass for energy. Among the strategic options considered: shifting the focus to EU-level support, monitoring, and guidance; differentiating between mature technologies, already cost-competitive, and emerging technologies and fuels, which require more targeted regulatory incentives; streamlining and improving the current framework, Member State measures, and obligations of economic operators.”
The phase of submitting contributions is open until April 16, and the public consultation until June 12, 2026.