Directive 2001/77/EC is a
European Union Directive for promoting
renewable energy
Renewable energy (also called green energy) is energy made from renewable resource, renewable natural resources that are replenished on a human lifetime, human timescale. The most widely used renewable energy types are solar energy, wind pow ...
use in
electricity generation
Electricity generation is the process of generating electric power from sources of primary energy. For electric utility, utilities in the electric power industry, it is the stage prior to its Electricity delivery, delivery (Electric power transm ...
. It is popularly known as the RES Directive.
The directive, which took effect in October 2001, sets national indicative targets for renewable energy production from individual member states. As the name implies, the EU does not strictly enforce these targets. However, The
European Commission
The European Commission (EC) is the primary Executive (government), executive arm of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with a number of European Commissioner, members of the Commission (directorial system, informall ...
monitors the progress of the
member states of the European Union
The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are party to the EU's founding treaties, and thereby subject to the privileges and obligations of membership. They have agreed by the treaties to share their o ...
– and will, if necessary, propose mandatory targets for those who miss their goals.
These objectives contribute toward achieving the overall indicative EU targets, which are listed in the white paper on renewable sources of energy. Regulators want a 12% share of gross renewable
domestic energy consumption by 2010 and a 20% share by 2020.
The directive was superseded by
Directive 2009/28/EC, published on 23 April 2009.
National targets
The following table lists the indicative targets for each of the 15 original member states, and for comparison the share of renewable electricity in 1997 as well.
See also
*
Energy policy of the European Union
The energy policy of the European Union focuses on energy security, Sustainable energy, sustainability, and integrating the energy markets of member states. An increasingly important part of it is climate policy. A key energy policy adopted in ...
External links
Text of the directive"Renewable energy: the promotion of electricity from renewable energy sources" – from the official “Summaries of EU legislation” website
{{Energy in Europe
2001 in law
2001 in the European Union
Electric power in the European Union
European Union energy law
Energy policies and initiatives of the European Union
European Union directives
Renewable energy in the European Union
Renewable energy policy