Europe wants your views on state aid for energy companies
The European Commission is inviting comments on a proposal for revised state aid guidelines for assessing public support projects in the field of energy and the environment.
This revision is part of a broader initiative to modernise EU state aid rules. The commission proposes to extend the scope of the existing guidelines beyond the environmental field into the energy area and to clarify and simplify the assessment of state aid measures.
Comments can be submitted until February 14, 2014.
MEP Marian Harkin is urging everybody with an interest in wind and other renewable energy developments to respond to that invitation, and to submit views on a proposal for revised state aid guidelines for the energy and environment sectors.
“The European Commission has made it clear that it wishes to avoid any waste of taxpayers’ money as well as ensuring there is no distortion of competition in the EU internal market,” she said.
The problem is that in recent years the financing of renewables – in Ireland’s case mainly wind energy – has led to an increase in electricity prices.
“The EU commission is now of the view that this cannot continue indefinitely and that renewable energy production should be nearly at the stage where it can finance itself.
“In recent months we have heard announcements from the UK and German governments that they will cut the subsidies available for wind power in particular. This will have significant implications for the Irish wind sector and, in particular, the export of wind energy.
“All interested stakeholders should make a submission as the final commission proposals will have a significant effect on the cost of producing wind energy in Ireland and consequently on the development of this sector in Ireland.”
Ms Harkin can explain more: