RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN EUROPE

For almost two decades now, the Commission of the European Communities has been carrying out multi-annual and shared-cost research programmes on renewable energy sources with particular focus on solar, wind and biomass. The principal long-term objectives of the Commission programmes are to contribute to reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, diversifying Europe's energy mix, improving security of energy_supply, strengthening the technological base of European industry and assisting the development of less favoured regions and countries. Their purpose is to guide, balance and complete the individual programmes carried out by the twelve Member States and to allow everybody in the Community to participate to the widest possible extent. At the onset, the emphasis was on exploring the potential contribution of renewable energies in the aftermath of the first oil crisis. Today, these programmes have reached maturity. A number of important achievements have brought Europe on the forefront of world research and European industry has consolidated its market position in many important fields. This article provides a general description of the European research and development programmes in renewable energies over the past two decades along with their most important achievements. Furthermore, it presents the results of the latest European strategic assessments and describes the. themes, plans and political background for renewable energy R&D in the Community up to the end of this century.