Agreement on statistical transfers of renewable energy amounts between Lithuania and Luxembourg

The European Commission congratulates Lithuania and Luxembourg for the first ever cooperation agreement on the statistical transfer of renewable energy amounts as stipulated in the Renewable Energy Directive. The agreement signed today (26 October 2017) helps Luxembourg achieve its national renewable energy target for 2020 by receiving a statistical transfer of a specified amount of renewable energy produced in Lithuania. Lithuania reached its national renewable energy target for 2020 in 2015 and aims to further develop renewable energy in its economy.

This agreement shows that these cooperation mechanisms give EU Member States greater flexibility to reach their renewable energy targets, providing them with a useful tool to jointly develop renewable energy potential in a mutually advantageous way. In this way, countries with more cost-effective and abundant potential in renewable energy can help other countries reach their national targets, as well as help the EU as a whole achieve the 20% renewable energy target in 2020.

Director-General for Energy Dominique Ristori said:

I welcome this ground-breaking agreement between Lithuania and Luxembourg. It sets a good example for other Member States to take advantage of the cooperation possibilities established under the Renewable Energy Directive. Looking into the future, this shows that strengthened cooperation can help Europe tap renewable energy potential in more cost-effective ways, which is particularly important given Europe's more ambitious renewable energy target of at least 27% for 2030, as proposed in the Clean Energy Package.

This agreement between Lithuania and Luxembourg is the first time that two EU Member States have agreed on statistically transferring renewable energy amounts. The agreement stipulates that Lithuania will transfer 700 GWh, or more if needed, between 2018 and 2020, to help Luxembourg fulfil its 2020 national renewable energy target.

The possibility of statistical transfers was introduced in the Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC), which under Article 6 makes it possible for EU Member States to agree to statistically transfer a specified amount of energy from renewable sources from one Member State to another. The continuation of these cooperation mechanisms is expected in the Commission's proposed revision of the Renewable Energy Directive for the post-2020 period. Transfers become effective only after all Member States involved in the transfer have notified the European Commission.

The Renewable Directive (2009/28/EC) sets mandatory national targets for the share of renewable energy for each EU country, to be reached in 2020. The national targets are set with a view to achieving the EU 20% renewable energy target in 2020.

Lithuania's national renewable energy target is 23%. In 2015, Lithuania achieved a share of 25.75% of renewable energy in its gross final energy consumption.

Luxembourg's national renewable energy target is 11%. Luxembourg achieved a 5% renewable energy share in its gross final energy consumption in 2015. Luxembourg has stated in its national renewable energy action plan, and its latest renewable energy progress report, that it intends to use cooperation mechanisms on statistical transfer to reach its 2020 target.