The EWEA blog caught up with Emmanuelle Raoult, Chair of an EWEA 2012 session which delves into Europe’s progress on meeting the 20 percent renewable energy by 2020 target, to find out the current state of play:

What are National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAPs) and why are they important?

NREAPs are detailed roadmaps of how each EU Member State expects to reach its legally binding 2020 targets. These are essential for Europe’s energy future, and can deliver the strong and stable regulatory framework that is needed to develop renewable energy in Europe. Furthermore, NREAPs give the renewables industry ‘business case certainty’ — a key driver to attract investment in renewable energy. As wind energy projects are 20+ year investments, decreasing the risk of regulatory volatility is paramount to achieving an acceptable return on investment. NREAPs — if properly implemented — help reduce uncertainty.

Are we on track so far?

So far, as of mid-March 2012, only 15 Member States have provided their Progress Report; 12 reports are still expected to be delivered. However, according to the European Commission, 10 of the EU’s 27 Member States are likely to surpass their national targets, while a further 12 will meet their goals. Just five countries are predicted to miss their targets using domestic renewable energy sources alone.

What might stop EU countries from meeting plans set out in the NREAPs?

Financing is key for the development of renewable energies both in the run-up to 2020 and post-2020. There is an urgent need for action at EU level in order to fight instability — including the very damaging retroactive changes to renewable energy support schemes, which are currently taking place in a range of EU Member States.

via Will EU Countries Reach 2020 Renewable Energy Targets? | European Wind Energy Association.