Energy ministers Sara Aagesen of Spain, Maria da Graça Carvalho of Portugal and Lex Delles of Luxembourg made the request in a letter to EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen. The letter comes ahead of a meeting of EU energy ministers in Dublin on Tuesday.
“We need clarity on the target we must set — for the year 2040 — an energy target that is both ambitious and realistic,” Aagesen told reporters.
Hormuz Exposes Europe’s Fossil Fuel Vulnerability
The letter explicitly cites the disruption caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as proof of Europe’s vulnerability to fossil fuel dependence. “Because of geopolitical uncertainties, and as the consequences of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz show, we must act quickly to reduce” that dependence, the ministers wrote, according to Bloomberg News, which obtained a copy of the letter.
European consumers and businesses are already facing higher energy and fuel prices in the wake of the disruption. The three governments argued that the coming years will be “crucial for European industries and businesses, which urgently need lower energy prices to remain competitive on global markets.”
2040 Framework: Renewables Only or ‘Clean Energy’?
The EU currently aims to raise the share of renewables in its overall energy consumption to 42.5% by 2030. The bloc is now debating whether its 2040 goal should focus specifically on renewables or adopt a broader ‘clean energy’ framework that would also cover nuclear power.
Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg want a renewables-specific framework, backed by measures to strengthen power grids, expand energy storage and accelerate digitalisation. “The European renewable energy target for 2040 must send a clear signal to investors and markets,” the ministers wrote.
Windfall Profits and Oil Taxes
Beyond the 2040 goal, Aagesen said Spain and five other EU member states have proposed measures to recover the windfall profits generated by soaring energy prices. She added that Spain would support a permanent tax on oil and gas companies to fund climate resilience efforts across the continent.
These proposals set the stage for what could become a heated debate among EU members, pitting those who want to keep expanding renewables aggressively against those favouring a technology-neutral approach that keeps nuclear in the energy mix.
