The European Union recently introduced new legislation
promoting the use of renewable energy, covering both the industrial
and transportation sectors. The new legislative framework sets
legally binding targets for member states' use of renewable
energy but allows each state to tailor the incentives for new
investment and activity in the renewable sector.
New EC policy
On 23 April 2009, the European Parliament and the Council
adopted Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy
from renewable sources and amending and subsequently repealing
Directives 2001/77/EC and 2003/30/EC (the "Renewable
Directive").
The Renewable Directive establishes a common framework for the
promotion of energy from renewable sources. It sets mandatory
national targets for the overall share of energy from renewable
sources in the gross energy balance as well as in transport. It
lays down rules relating to statistical transfers between member
states, joint projects between
