The European Commission is preparing to overhaul the EU’s renewable-energy framework after 2030, shifting the focus from deployment alone to grids, storage and investment.
A draft impact assessment says the current framework is no longer sufficient to meet the EU’s 2040 goal of cutting net greenhouse-gas emissions by 90% from 1990 levels. A revised renewable-energy proposal is expected by the end of the year as the bloc works toward climate neutrality by 2050.
Follow THE FUTURE on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and Telegram
Renewable Targets Outpace Deployment
Renewables accounted for 26.2% of final energy consumption in the EU in 2025. Current national plans would raise that share to about 41% by 2030, below the binding target of 42.5%.
The Commission also warns that even 41% could be difficult to achieve given current progress. Rather than introducing another wave of mandatory measures, Brussels is focusing on implementing rules already in place.
Grid Congestion Limits Renewable Growth
The bigger constraint is increasingly the ability to deliver renewable electricity. Renewables generated nearly 50% of EU electricity in 2025, but grid congestion, limited storage and inflexible demand are contributing to negative prices and renewable curtailment.
More than 10 TWh of renewable electricity went unused in 2024 because of grid congestion and insufficient cross-border capacity. Redispatch, which involves replacing unavailable low-cost renewable power with more expensive generation, cost about €4.3 billion that year and could reach €26 billion annually by 2030 without intervention.
A European Court of Auditors review also found that renewable-capacity gains under REPowerEU remained “negligible” compared with the Commission’s 103 GW objective, while highlighting weak grid infrastructure and cross-border connections.
Brussels Shifts Toward Grids And Flexibility
The Commission is now looking to pair new renewable capacity with stronger grids, storage and flexible demand. Proposed measures include monitoring curtailment, clearer rules for renewable-and-storage projects and stronger incentives for flexibility.
Electric vehicles and smart charging could also play a larger role in balancing the electricity system.
Veerle Dossche, renewable energy program manager at Climate Action Now Europe, said a binding post-2030 renewable target would need to be supported by national contributions, clear trajectories and compliance mechanisms.
Parliament Pushes For More Centralized Grid Planning
The European Parliament’s industry committee has backed a draft report on future EU power-grid governance, with a plenary vote expected next week before negotiations with the Council.
The proposed framework would give the Commission a stronger role in identifying major bottlenecks, strategic corridors and future infrastructure needs. Supporters say greater coordination could also help narrow electricity-price differences across EU regions.
Several member states, however, oppose what they view as excessive centralization and a potential loss of national control over energy infrastructure.
A separate legislative file covering grid-permitting rules is already advancing, with formal talks expected in October.
