“I am looking forward to seeing pilot projects for floating solar cells, wind kites, run-of-river power plants or other projects we cannot imagine yet,” said German EPP MEP Markus Pieper after the European Parliament voted last week to achieve a Renewable Energy Directive III agreement with a large majority – 470 lawmakers voted in favour, 120 against and 40 abstained-.
A huge input for Airborne Wind Energy which allows tapping into unexploited wind resources at high altitudes (up to 800m), thus increasing considerably the technical accessible renewable resource potential onshore and offshore worldwide and at the same time, AWE reduces the need for material by up to 90% compared to established wind turbines as tethered crosswind-flying kites.
This is the third reform of this law that raises the share of renewables in the EU’s final energy consumption to 42.5% by 2030 where Member States should strive to achieve 45%. MEPs also secured that Member States set an indicative target for innovative renewable energy technology of at least 5% of newly installed renewable energy capacity where Airborne Wind Energy can make an important contribution by complementing other renewables.
Now the ball is in the Council’s court in order to come the Renewable Energy Directive III into a law.