Due to its geological, climatic and hydrological features, Europe has access to all forms of renewable energy sources, even if their distribution varies widely by region.For instance, the member and candidate states located in or near the Earth’s sunbelt could cover nearly half of the EU’s electricity needs using their electricity from solar thermal plants. However, so far only a tenth of the potentially available wind energy, water power, solar thermics, photovoltaics, geothermics and biomass energy is used to produce electricity. This is due in part to a lack of cooperation between the member states.

Pooling Strengths

The projected European Community for Renewable Energy (ERENE) is intended to pool strengths and resources within the EU, optimizing the development and exploitation of renewable energies. The long-term goal is to completely cover European electricity needs using renewable energies, and to end dependency on fossil fuels and electricity from nuclear reactors. The main tasks of the planned community include the development of a European electricity grid, the establishment of an internal European market for renewable energies, the promotion of research and development, and the cooperation with countries in the Mediterranean region due to their enormous potential for thermic solar energy.

What Needs to Be Done?

• Development of a Europe-wide electricity grid
• Establishment of an internal European market for renewable energies
• Promotion of transnational research
• Construction of pilot plants for producing and
• Distributing energies from renewable sources
• Cooperation with Mediterranean countries due to their enormous solar energy potential

Integration Project of the Future

Following the common internal market and the common currency, ERENE could prove to be Europe’s next major integration project. The European Union needs feasible European projects and ambitious goals if it is to maintain its political momentum. Not only will ERENE make a relevant contribution to global climate protection, it will catapult the European economy onto a sustainable course that will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs. What is at stake is nothing less than a new Industrial Revolution centring around an immense increase in resource efficiency and an 80 – 90 percent decrease in CO2 emissions by the member states.

Realising ERENE

In a study commissioned by the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Michaele Schreyer and Lutz Mez formulate the proposal for a European Community for Renewable Energy. The Heinrich Böll Foundation is now presenting this project in Germany and other EU member states in order to initiate a Europe-wide debate on the possibilities for realising a ‘European Community for Renewable Energy’. In addition, we plan to form an alliance with other organizations in order to persuade political decision-makers and the general public in the EU member states and the European Union of ERENE.