Call to boost energy security in Europe

A science-based report from academics across Europe is calling for more investment in renewable energy and grid technologies to protect the region’s energy security.

www.eenewspower.com/, Apr. 08, 2025 – 

"We are expecting the electricity system to become much more important in the years ahead," says William Gillet energy programme director of EASAC, the European Academies' Science Advisory Council. "The big message is that there is no security in Europe without energy security."

"EASAC brings together 28 national science academies for science-based advice for policy," said Gillet. "It's quite a mix of people involved."

"We need policy makers to coordinate and implement their policies, the challenge is to get them implemented, investing in technology production and investing in sustainable energy," he said. "There Europe has a global leadership. For affordability we need a massive effort for long term investment financing and this is not easy, but this evidence-based advice usually helps build investor confidence."

"The last few days in the US are quite shocking and you can't separate that from this discussion on energy security so holistic policy making is important."

The report calls for the expansion of European production of key sustainable energy technologies and systems such as solar cells, wind turbines and batteries. This not only increases security but also contributes to domestic value creation and stimulates economic growth.

It also calls on the EU to strengthen cyber security in the energy sector, and to require that cyber risk assessments are carried out at both operational and administrative levels. The EU Cyber Solidarity Act and the Cyber Resilience Act are steps in the right direction says the report, but the effective implementation with cyber-secure digitalisation of energy systems will be crucial.

There is also a need for new thinking on strategic resources, electrification, and energy market integration. The transition away from fossil fuels will lead to massive increases in the electrification of buildings, industry and transport, and this will inevitably require major increases in renewable energy supplies, and in the deployment of electrical end-use technologies.

Europe must therefore secure reliable supplies of critical raw materials including lithium, cobalt and the rare earths that are used in the manufacture of these technologies.

Equally important are investments in electricity infrastructure and grid flexibility, through storage, interconnectors and demand response with time dependent tariffs.

"What has been quite clear is that a lot of people woke up to the fact quite late that China had developed a strong supply chain in solar cells," said Prof Paula Kivimaa from Finland, Co-Chair of the EASAC working group. "This poses a dilemma. There is an initiative to boost production but we don't have enough capacity in Europe. The EU is frantically working to find the solutions to this."

"The Green Deal, followed by the recent Clean Industrial Deal, are Europe's best weapons in the fight to protect its sovereignty. Energy produced by wind and solar does not have to be imported. Every investment in sustainable energy is an investment in our security. In contrast, every euro we spend on energy imports is a euro lost from our defence capability."

"This whole issue of investment in Europe is really up in the air," said Gillet.

easac.eu/publications/details/security-of-sustainable-energy-supplies-1

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