BRUSSELS — The European Union on Wednesday presented two energy strategies at giving the EU the lead globally in the energy sector.

The EU strategies for energy system integration and hydrogen, adopted Wednesday, will pave the way towards a more efficient and interconnected energy sector in Europe’s, said the European Commission press release.

“The current energy system (in Europe) is becoming a relic of the past, too wasteful, too rigid to be fit for a sustainable future,” European Commission’s Executive Vice President Frans Timmermans told a press conference.

He noted that from 2020 to 2024, the EU would support the installation of at least six gigawatts of renewable hydrogen electrolysers in the EU, and the production of up to one million tons of renewable hydrogen.

“From 2025 to 2030, hydrogen needs to become an intrinsic part of our integrated energy system, with at least 40 gigawatts of renewable hydrogen electrolysers and the production of up to ten million tons of renewable hydrogen in the EU,” he said.

“We want to stay ahead because the rest of the world is quickly catching up,” he said and referred to the announcement of new energy facility that’s going to be built in Saudi Arabia.

“They are talking about gigawatts, not megawatts in terms of production,” he said about the plans in Saudi Arabia.

On her part, EU Commissioner for energy Kadri Simson told the press conference “with 75% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions coming from energy, we need a paradigm shift to reach out 2030 and 2050 targets.”

“Hydrogen will play a key role in this, as falling renewable energy prices and continuous innovation make it a viable solution for a climate-neutral economy,” she added. — KUNA