EU Needs to Target Renewable Energies -Commissioner

EU energy commissioner says the bloc is unable to replace Russian gas imports entirely. May. 2, 2022.

Published 2 May 2022

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The European Union needs to speed up the deployment of renewable energy sources, EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson has said.

The official made her statements since, despite the measures taken, the European Union (EU) has not managed to completely substitute Russian gas imports with fossil fuel supplies from other countries.

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Following the EU energy council extraordinary meeting, the commissioner said: "We cannot simply replace 155 bcm of Russian gas with fossil gas from other suppliers. It is neither sustainable nor affordable. So we need to speed the deployment of renewable energy".

For his part, Irish Minister for the Environment, Climate, and Communications, Eaamon Ryan, said the EU must strengthen the efficiency of its gas supplies instead of concentrating on ensuring additional supplies.

In this regard, the Irish Minister said that "a lot of our attention has been on how we could get additional gas supplies. And that's understandable, and that's appropriate, but that's limited. What we also need to do is push efficiency in the use of gas".

Hungary opposes ban on Europe’s import of Russian energy resources
"We should not introduce sanctions from which we will suffer in the first instance.
Hungary is against introduction of a ban on Russian oil and gas supplies to the European Union. pic.twitter.com/aWGeG1Fw9b
— Alan (@Alan39982121) May 2, 2022

Last February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched its special military operation following Kiev's failure to comply with the Minsk Agreements and Russia's eventual recognition of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics.

Since then, the West and its European allies have imposed a wide range of illegal sanctions against Russian companies and the oil and gas sector. Moscow has established a new scheme for making payments for Russian gas supplies in response to such moves, requiring those who have imposed sanctions on the country to pay in rubles.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the European Union is resolved to wean itself off dependence on Russian gas and accused Moscow of using energy as a political tool.