Russia's invasion of Ukraine resulted in the deterioration of the energy security of the European Union, which led to the adoption of fundamental steps by EU leaders. In order to reduce the EU's dependence on Russian fossil fuels, leaders in March 2022 decided on a series of measures that include strategic, technological and economic changes.

Key measures for EU energy independence:

1. Reduction of dependence on fossil fuels: The EU is committed to reducing the consumption of fossil fuels through the increased use of alternative energies, thereby also contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions.

2. Diversification of supplies and routes: Diversification of energy sources is planned, including different routes for transporting energy, reducing dependence on a single supplier or region. This also includes increasing imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from other countries.

3. Development of the hydrogen market: New investments are planned to support the production and use of hydrogen as a key energy carrier that could replace traditional fossil fuels, especially in industry and transport.

4. Acceleration of the development of renewable energy sources: Acceleration of the introduction of wind, solar and other renewable energies in order to achieve energy independence and support ecological transformation.

5. Improving grid interconnection: Strengthening grid interconnection infrastructure to ensure a smooth flow of energy between countries and improve the resilience of energy systems to outages.

6. Improving energy efficiency and supporting the circular economy: Efforts to increase efficiency in the use of energy, minimizing its losses and supporting circular economy models to reduce waste.

REPowerEU Plan:

The European Commission was tasked with creating the REPowerEU plan, which was presented on 18 May 2022. This plan is the basis of the EU's strategic energy response and includes:

– Energy saving: Support of projects and initiatives aimed at reducing energy consumption.

– Supporting the transition to clean energy: Stimulating the economy to use and produce renewable resources.

– Diversification of energy supplies: Securing new and diverse energy suppliers for the European market.

– A sensible mix of investments and reforms: A combination of public and private investments together with legislative adjustments to support implementation steps.

In line with the initiatives set out in the "Fit for 55" package, the REPowerEU plan also aims to achieve a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and meet climate neutrality targets by 2050, in line with the European Green Deal.

Implementation of the REPowerEU plan in the Member States:

EU Member States are integrating special chapters in their National Recovery and Resilience Plans, funded through the NextGenerationEU instrument, aimed at:

– Improvement of energy infrastructure: Modernization and construction of facilities to satisfy the necessary gas supplies, including the increase of LNG imports.

– Increasing the energy efficiency of buildings: Effectively improving the thermal properties of buildings and reducing energy consumption.

– Decarbonization of industry: Promotion of sustainable production and reduction of CO2 emissions.

– Increasing the production and use of sustainable biomethane and hydrogen: Deploying renewable energies and reducing fossil hydrogen.

– Tackling energy poverty and reducing energy demand: Helping households and businesses to adapt and optimize energy consumption.

Funding of the REPowerEU plan:

The cost of Russia's transition away from fossil fuels by 2027 requires investments of €210 billion from the public and private sectors. The main resource is the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism, supported by loans and grants. Additional funding comes from the sale of ETS emission allowances and the innovation fund, with the possibility of transferring funds from cohesion policy and the post-Brexit adaptation reserve to target priorities related to the implementation of the REPowerEU plan.

This strategic approach is intended to ensure energy security, self-reliance and ecological interconnection of European countries, thereby stimulating long-term sustainability within the entire Union. (CO2 AI )