EU to try again for renewable energy deal after nuclear row

European Union countries will try again this week to pass a deal on new renewable energy targets, which have been stalled by concerns from France and other states that the law sidelines nuclear energy.

A group of countries including France lodged last-minute opposition to the EU’s law on more ambitious renewable energy goals last month, putting on hold a main pillar of the bloc’s plans to tackle climate change.

EU country diplomats will attempt to approve the law on Wednesday (14 June), according to an agenda for the meeting published late on Friday.

Paris has sought changes to the law to offer more favourable treatment of nuclear energy, and said the final deal puts at a disadvantage countries like France with large shares of nuclear power. Nuclear energy is low-carbon, but not renewable.

The EU law is designed to drive a rapid expansion of renewable energy sources like wind and solar. The deal negotiated this year offered some compromises, including lower renewable fuel targets for industry, in countries that have already used nuclear power to slash their use of fossil fuels.

Paris had said the rules still excluded low-carbon hydrogen produced from nuclear electricity.

cover photo:The EU law is designed to drive a rapid expansion of renewable energy sources like wind and solar. [John Morton / Flickr]