{"id":79576,"date":"2025-11-04T16:20:58","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T16:20:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grayling.com\/?p=79576"},"modified":"2025-11-04T16:20:58","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T16:20:58","slug":"national-governments-key-role-in-bringing-europes-renewable-future-to-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grayling.com\/es\/news-and-views\/national-governments-key-role-in-bringing-europes-renewable-future-to-life\/","title":{"rendered":"National governments\u2019 key role in bringing Europe\u2019s renewable future to life"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since 2019, the European Green Deal has set the course for Europe\u2019s climate ambitions, driving the continent toward becoming the world\u2019s first climate-neutral economy by 2050. The Fit-for-55 package<\/a> raised the stakes, demanding a 55% cut in emissions by 2030 and pushing industries to reinvent themselves.<\/p>\n

The next milestone \u2013 the 2023 revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (REDIII) \u2013 which commits the EU to sourcing at least 42.5% of its energy from renewables by 2030, is meant to turn ambition into measurable progress. However, the success of REDIII ultimately depends on national governments and communities, who decide where and how renewable projects are implemented.<\/p>\n

REDIII is not just another EU directive: It\u2019s the trigger for Europe\u2019s energy transition at the local level<\/strong>. And the clock is ticking: Member States had until 21 May 2025 to transpose REDIII at a national level, but, as of September 2025, only a few Member States have successfully done so.<\/p>\n

When energy security meets sustainability<\/strong><\/h5>\n

The 2022 war in Ukraine thrust energy sovereignty to the top of Europe\u2019s political agenda, forcing a fundamental rethink of the Commission\u2019s strategy. The question was no longer only how to decarbonise, but how to reconcile sustainability with security<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

That debate has only grown sharper after the 2024 European elections and amid persistent geopolitical tensions. Today, the link between energy security and resilience \u2013 anchored increasingly in local, homegrown sources \u2013 sits at the heart of Europe\u2019s energy narrative.<\/p>\n

As Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed in her 2025 State of the Union address<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are now on the path to energy independence. But energy bills are still a real source of anxiety for millions of Europeans [\u2026] It is time to get rid of dirty Russian fossil fuels. And we know what brings prices down: clean homegrown energy. We need to generate more homegrown renewables<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

A new phase in the transition<\/strong><\/h5>\n

For nearly 25 years, the EU has built a solid legislative and financial foundation for renewable energy. Now, the focus is shifting \u2013 success no longer rests solely with Brussels or national capitals. National governments and communities are increasingly the ones shaping where and how projects take root<\/strong>. With the rollout of RED III, responsibility is moving closer to home, empowering local actors to turn Europe\u2019s renewable ambitions into reality.<\/p>\n

Leading by example<\/strong><\/h5>\n

If REDIII requires governments to designate Renewable Acceleration Areas, where permitting will be faster and projects prioritised as being in the public interest, some countries are already going further.<\/p>\n

In Poland<\/strong>, for example, municipalities must adopt General Spatial Plans by 2026<\/strong>, mapping out areas for renewable energy projects. This shift transfers both responsibility and opportunity to the local level.<\/p>\n

Investors today are ready. They have the financing models, know-how, and tools to deliver large-scale projects. But technical capacity is no longer enough: success depends on forging genuine partnerships with local authorities and residents<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

New models are emerging to support this:<\/p>\n