Slovenia needs to consider promoting renewable energy, supporting energy efficiency - EC

Slovenia needs to consider measures to promote renewable energy, to support energy efficiency and sustainable transport, while developing its national recovery and resilience plan, the European Commission said.

These measures, which are based on Slovenia's final national energy and climate plan (NECP,) are indicative in nature and not meant to be exhaustive, the Commission said earlier this week in its assessment report on the country's final NECP for 2021-2030.

The measures to promote renewable energy should include removing administrative barriers and improving the regulatory framework, while the measures on supporting energy efficiency should be focused on building renovation and industrial processes, the Commission recommended.

At the same time, the measures to support sustainable transport should consider urban and inter-urban mobility, as well as transfers from road to rail.

According to the Commission, Slovenia’s national contribution to the 2030 EU-wide renewable energy target of 27% of gross final energy consumption is low in ambition since it is below the 37% target calculated based on the a special formula set out in the Governance Regulation.

In the NECP, Slovenia plans to produce at least 75% of its electricity supply from national sources by 2030, intending to maintain or improve the present reliability level of its electricity supply, the EC noted.

It added that while a total of 21 member states are either already coal-free, or have committed to phasing-out coal (including lignite and peat) by specific individual deadlines, Slovenia along with the Czech Republic, is still considering coal phase out.

In June 2019, the EC issued eleven recommendations on Slovenia’s draft national energy and climate plan, and has assessed that the final NECP has partially addressed most of the recommendations, including those on greenhouse gas emissions in non-ETS sectors; renewables; energy efficiency; research, innovation and competitiveness; regional cooperation; investment needs; energy subsidies; and just and fair transition and energy poverty.

At the same time, the recommendations on air quality, and internal energy market were not addressed.

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