NoC179/4 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 16.7.92
II
(PreparatoryActs)
COMMISSION
ProposalforaCouncilDecisionconcerningthepromotionofrenewableenergysourcesinthe
Community—(Altenerprogramme)
(92/C179/04)
COM(92)180final
(SubmittedbytheCommissionon20May1992)
THECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,Whereas,underArticle130roftheTreaty,actionbythe
Communityrelatingtotheenvironmentshouldimprove
thequalityoftheenvironmentandensureaprudentand
rationalutilizationofnaturalresources,objectiveswhich
arefurtheredbytheuseofrenewableenergysources;
Whereasthedevelopmentofrenewableenergysources
canmakeasignificantcontributiontothereductionof
pollutingemissionsarisingfromtheconsumptionof
fossilfuels;HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropean
EconomicCommunity,andinparticularArticle130s
thereof,
HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission,
HavingregardtotheopinionoftheEuropean
Parliament,
HavingregardtotheopinionoftheEconomicand
SocialCommittee,
Whereason29October1990theCouncilsetthe
objectiveofstabilizingCO2emissionsintheyear2000at
their1990levels;Whereasthedevelopmentofrenewableenergysources
contributestothereductionofgreenhousegasesandthe
dangerofglobalwarming;whereas,therefore,wide­
ranginginternationalcooperationisdesirableinorderto
obtainsignificantresults;
Whereason9June1988theCounciladoptedarecom­
mendationconfirmingindetailitsdesiretopursuea
policyofdevelopingtheexploitationofrenewable
energysourcesintheCommunity(2);
Whereas,whenreviewingtheprogressmadetowards
achievingtheenergyobjectivesfor1995(J),theCouncil
statedinitsconclusionsof8November1988thatit
attributesparticularimportancetonewandrenewable
energysourcesforfutureenergysupplies;Whereasinitscommunication totheCouncilconcerning
aCommunitystrategytolimitcarbondioxideemissions
andtoimproveenergyefficiency(')theCommission
indicatedtheactiontheCommunityshouldtaketolimit
CO2emissions;
Whereason13December1991theCouncilinvitedthe
Commissiontoputforwardformalproposalsfor
measuresaspartofaCommunitystrategy;
WhereastheobjectiveofstabilizingCO2emissions
cannotbeachievedwithoutasignificantincreaseinthe
contributionofrenewableenergysourcestQwardsthe
energybalance;Whereasthepromotionandwideruseofrenewable
energysourcesthroughouttheCommunityarelikelyto
strengthenitseconomicandsocialcohesion,ascalledfor
byArticle130aoftheTreaty;
OOJNoL160,9.6.1988,p.46.
(3)OJNoC241,25.9.1986,p.1. (')SEC(91)1744final,14.10.1991.

16.7.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC179/5
—sectoralactions,asreferredtoinAnnexII; Whereas,tothisend,itisnecessarytosetCommunity
objectivesandmakeprovisionforresourcestofurther
theattainmentofsuchobjectives,takingintoaccountthe
particularconditionsineachMemberState,(c)measurestofosterthecreationofaninformation
networkaimedatpromotingbettercoordination
betweennational,Communityandinternationalacti­
vitiesthroughtheestablishmentofappropriatemeans
forexchanginginformation,andatevaluatingthe
impactofthevariousactionsprovidedforinthis
Article;HASADOPTEDTHISDECISION :
Article1
MemberStatesshallendeavourtocontributeintheir
energyandenvironmentpoliciestothelimitationof
carbondioxideemissionsbyachievingtheobjectives
relatingtorenewableenergysourcessetoutinthetable
inAnnexI.(d)industrialpilotactionsrelatingtoenergyfrom
biomass,andinparticulartheproductionofbiofuels
andbiogasandtheuseofshort-rotation coppices
andC4plants.
Article4
1.Allcostsrelatingtotheactionsreferredtoin
Article3(a)shallbebornebytheCommunity .Article2
1.TheCommunityshallsupportaseriesofactionsto
promoterenewableenergysourceswithinthecontextof
theAltenerprogramme(specificactionsforgreater
penetrationforrenewableenergysources),hereinafter
referredtoas'theprogramme'. 2.ThelevelofCommunityfundingfortheactions
referredtoinArticle3(b)and(c)shallbebetween30
and50%oftheirtotalcost.
2.Theprogrammeshalllastfiveyears.
Inexceptionalcasesdulyjustifiedtothecommittee
referredtoinArticle6(2),Communityfundingmay
exceedthe50%limit,whilenotexceeding60%. 3.Thebudgetauthorityshalldeterminetheappropri­
ationsavailableforeachfinancialyear,takinginto
accounttheprinciplesofsoundmanagementreferredto
inArticle2oftheFinancialRegulationapplicabletothe
generalbudgetoftheEuropeanCommunities . 3.ThelevelpfCommunityfundingfortheactions
referredtoinArticle3(d)shallnotexceed30%oftheir
totalcost.
Article3
Fourcategoriesofactionsonrenewableenergysources
shallbefinancedundertheprogramme,namely:4.Thebalanceofthefundingoftheactionsreferred
toinArticle3(b),(c)and(d)maybemadeupfrom
eitherpublicorprivatesourcesorfromacombinationof
thetwo.
(a)studiesandtechnicalevaluationsfordefining
technicalstandardsorspecifications ;
Article5
1.TheCommissionshallestablishguidelinesforthe
supportmeasuresreferredtoinArticle3(b),(c)and(d)
eachyear,inconsultationwiththecommitteereferredto
inArticle6(2).(b)measurestosupporttheMemberStates'initiatives
forextendingorcreatinginfrastructures concerned
withrenewableenergysources.Theseinitiativesshall
include:
—trainingandinformationactivitieswithregardto
renewableenergysourcesatalevelascloseas
possibletooperatorsandthefinalconsumersof
energy,2.TheproposedinitiativesreferredtoinArticle3(b)
andthelistofnational,regionalorlocalbodieswhich
aretoimplementtheseprojectsshallbesubmitted
annuallybytheMemberStatestotheCommission ,

NoC179/6 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 16.7.92
whichshalldecideonthelevelandconditionsof
Communityfundingaccordingtotheprocedurereferred
toinArticle7.TheCommissionshallsigncontracts
relatingtothesesupportmeasureswiththosebodies.TheCommission shalltaketheutmostaccountofthe
opiniondeliveredbythecommittee.Itshallinformthe
committeeofthemannerinwhichitsopinionhasbeen
takenintoaccount.
Article6
1.TheCommission shallberesponsibleforthe
implementation oftheprogramme .
2.TheCommissionshallbeassistedbyanadvisory
committee,hereinafterreferredtoas'thecommittee',
composedoftherepresentatives oftheMemberStates
andchairedbytherepresentativeoftheCommission .Article8
1.Duringthethirdyearoftheprogramme,the
CommissionshallpresentareporttotheEuropean
ParliamentandtotheCouncilonthebasisoftheresults
achieved.Thereportshallbeaccompaniedbyproposals
foranyamendmentswhichmaybenecessaryinthelight
oftheseresults.
2.Ontheexpiryoftheprogramme,theCommission
shallassesstheresultsobtained,theapplicationofthis
DecisionandthecoherenceofnationalandCommunity
actions.ItshallpresentareportthereontotheEuropean
ParliamentandtotheCouncil.
Article9
ThisDecisionshallapplyfrom1January1993to
31December1997.Article7
AsregardsthemeasuresreferredtoinArticle3(b),(c)
and(d),therepresentative oftheCommissionshall
submittothecommitteeadraftofthemeasurestobe
taken.Thecommitteeshalldeliveritsopiniononthe
draft,withinatimelimitwhichthechairmanmaylay
downaccordingtotheurgencyofthematter,if
necessarybytakingavote.
Theopinionshallberecordedintheminutes;in
addition,eachMemberStateshallhavetherighttoask
tohaveitspositionrecordedintheminutes.Article10
ThisDecisionisaddressedtotheMemberStates.
ANNEXI
Objectivesforreducingcarbondioxideemissionsbydevelopingrenewableenergysources
Areductionof180milliontonnesincarbondioxideemissionscanbeachievedin2005by:
A.increasingrenewableenergysources'contributiontothecoverageoftotalenergydemandfromnearly4%in
1991to8%in2005.
Toachievethisobjective,theproductionofrenewableenergysourcesshouldriseformnearly
43milliontonnesin1991toapproximately 109milliontonnesin2005;
B.treblingtheproductionofelectricityfromrenewableenergysources(excludinglargehydroelectricpower
stations).
Toachievethisobjective,thecapacityandelectricityproductionofallpowerstations(excluding
hydroelectricpowerstationsabove10MW)usingrenewableenergysourcesshouldrisefrom8GW
and25TWhin1991to27GWand80TWhin2005;

16.7.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC179/7
C.securingforbiofuelsamarketshareof5%oftotalfuelconsumptionbymotorvehicles.
Theproductionin2005of11milliontonnesofbiofuelsonanagriculturalareaofapproximately
7millionhectareswillbenecessaryinordertoachievethisobjective.
NB:IntheenergybalancesonwhichtheformulationofobjectiveAaboveisbasedtheelectricity
producedfromthevariousalternativesourcesisaccountedforinaccordancewiththeconventionsof
theStatisticalOfficeoftheEuropeanCommunities .
ANNEXII
Illustrative,non-restrictive listofsectoralactions,asreferredtointhesecondindentofArticle3(b)
1.Pilotactionsaimedatintroducinga'guaranteeofsolarresults'inthemarketforsolarcollectorsand
solarwaterheaters.
2.Pilotactionsrelatingtovehiclefleetsaimedatintroducingbiofuelsinplaceofpetroleumproductsinthe
transportsector.
3.Pilotstudiesonintegratedresourceplanninganddemand-sidemanagement .
4.Pilotprojectsonthird-partyfinancingwithintheframeworkoftheEuropeannetworkforthird-party
financing(withoutdirectCommunityfunding).
5.Guaranteeoffinancialrisks,inparticularthosearisingfromthegeologicaluncertaintiessurroundingthe
developmentofgeothermalresources.
6.Establishmentoflocalplansforthedevelopmentofrenewableenergysources.
7.Establishmentanddevelopmentofinfrastructures intheMemberStatesforofferinginvestorsassistance
withthedrawingupofpre-feasibilitystudies.