Ten strategic technologies for net zero. EU states adopt mandate and include nuclear power

Brussels – Nuclear fission and alternative fuels on the list of strategic net-zero-emission technologies. Member States have today (Dec. 7) adopted the position of the EU Council on the ‘Net-Zero Industry Act’, the regulation proposed last March 16 by the European Commission to develop a zero-emission industry as a central pillar of the Industrial Plan for the Green Deal. A ‘Made in Europe’ response to the massive nearly $370 billion green subsidy plan launched by the U.S. administration to boost investment in clean technologies.

The proposal consists of fast-track permits, strategic plans to decarbonize European industry by 2030, and a list of key technologies with which to achieve it. Member states at the EU Council maintained the targets set by the European Commission’s proposal, namely the indicative benchmark of achieving 40 percent of production to cover the EU’s needs in strategic technology products such as solar photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, batteries and heat pumps, and a specific target for carbon capture and storage of CO2, with an annual injection capacity of at least 50 million tons of CO2 to be achieved by 2030.

From eight to ten strategic technologies for net-zero

While the main objectives of the proposal remained unchanged, the EU Council changed its approach on the list of strategic technologies. The European Commission’s proposal identified eight ‘strategic’ net-zero technologies (as distinct from simple net-zero technologies) to be granted accelerated permitting timeframes and to which investments should be channeled (specifically: solar photovoltaic and thermal technologies; onshore wind and offshore renewables; batteries and storage; heat pumps and geothermal energy; hydrogen electrolysers and fuel cells; biogas and biomethane; carbon capture and storage; and grid technologies).

The EU Council position increases the list from eight to ten, including nuclear and sustainable alternative fuels. In addition, the mandate expands the list of non-strategic net-zero technologies to include biotechnology solutions for climate and energy, to other nuclear technologies and transformative industrial technologies for energy-intensive industries.

According to the Council’s position, strategic zero-emission technologies will benefit from streamlined and realistic permitting procedures and additional investment support, while meeting EU and international obligations. In addition, the overall approach requires member states to designate specific areas to accelerate emission-free production – called ‘net-zero acceleration areas’ – to identify synergies among strategic projects or their clusters, test innovative net-zero technologies, facilitate permitting processes.

The text adopted today by the Council represents the Member States’ negotiating mandate for negotiations with the European Parliament, which adopted the his position in plenary last Nov. 21. Eunews learns that the three-way negotiation between Parliament and the Council, mediated by the European Commission, is expected to begin as early as next week, on December 12, with the idea of continuing in January and February.