WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1996/97 by Dietrich ELCHLEPP to the Commission. Renewable energy - subsidies and monitoring of use of funds
Date: 1997-06-09
Institutions: ELCHLEPP, European Parliament
Subjects: EU financing, EU programme, biomass, energy production, investment aid, regional aid, renewable energy

C 82/24

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

17. 3. 98

(98/C 82/32)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1996/97

by Dietrich Elchlepp (PSE) to the Commission

(9 June 1997)

Subject: Renewable energy › subsidies and monitoring of use of funds

How much funding has been provided to subsidize renewable energy from regional and agricultural funds,

1.
and to which projects has it been allocated?

2.
Does the Commission monitor whether the relevant plans in the EU Member States exploit all the potential
for regenerative energy production, for example from biomass? Does the Commission know whether the funding
is earmarked and if not, why not?

3.
Is it true that the Theseus solar energy production project on Crete, which was originally planned with EU
assistance,  is  now  being  replaced  with  purely  conventional  power  stations  (diesel-fired  gas  turbines,  diesel
generators  with  heavy  oil  or  steam-driven  power  stations,  heavy-oil-fired)  on  the  islands  of  Chania  and
Atherinolakos?

How can this be reconciled with the wish expressed by Greek politicians and the Commission to turn Crete into a
model for renewable energy technologies?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission

(16 September 1997)

In the rural development framework, investment aid for renewable energy comes under the (cid:145)enhancement
1.
of endogenous potential(cid:146) measure. In this context, funding is provided for several projects for the production of
biodiesel  from  rape  seeds  and  bioethanol  from  wheat  or  sugar  beet,  and  for  the  utilisation  of  wood  and  the
gasification of biodegradable waste, including manure and abattoir waste. It is difficult to indicate the precise
amount of funding provided, as the individual projects under the programmes approved are not identified.

With respect to the regional funds, the promotion of renewable energy sources is part of the specific programmes
for each of the Objective 1 Member States. Financing for renewable energy sources is relevant in the following
Member States (for the period 1994-1999) out of a total of 3000 MECU for energy:

›  Greece: 75.3 MECU representing 8.7% of the energy programme;

›  Spain: a total of 84.42 MECU of which 26 MECU from the regional programmes and 56.43 MECU from a

global grant of the energy sub-programme;

› 

Ireland: 8.6 MECU accounting for 27% of the energy sub-programme;

›  Portugal: a total of 172.85 MECU of which 70 MECU account for 21.7% of the energy sub-programme;
12.95 MECU from the Madeira programme; 68.4 MECU from the Azores programme and 21.5 MECU from
the REGIS II C.1 for the Azores.

In  the  previous  programming  period,  from  1989  to  1993,  the  Community  initiative  Valoren  contributed
293.75 MECU to the enhancement of endogenous energy potential, out of a total of 2 331 MECU granted in the
area of energy.

2.
The Commission co-finances national and regional planning projects concerning renewable energy. In this
context, it makes sure that all the possibilities for producing energy from renewable sources, including biomass,
are  analysed.  The  Member  States  are  responsible  for  deciding  upon  such  plans  and  for  the  implementation
arrangements. Specific information campaigns are conducted concerning the use of biomass for energy purposes
›  crops,  forest  waste,  liquid  biofuels  and  waste  ›  to  encourage  the  Member  States  to  take  account  of  the
possibilities available in this area and to take the necessary measures.

No, the Theseus project concerns the installation of an innovative 52 megawatt solar-energy power station,

3.
the proposed site of which is at Fragokastello in the Prefecture of Chania (Crete).

This project, which is being funded under the Thermie programme (TE-235-96), is currently in the planning stage
which will determine the exact dimensions and location of the plant in accordance with solar and meteorological
data and with Crete’s regional energy planning.