Ursula von der Leyen stated that it is necessary to double investment in clean, affordable, and domestically sourced energy, covering renewable sources, nuclear, biomethane, and other neutral technologies, with the aim of ensuring energy independence.
In her sixth State of the European Union (EU) address before the Members of the European Parliament, she affirmed that achieving this autonomy requires electrifying Europe. The established goal is to double the share of electricity in the energy mix by 2040.
The head of the European Commission emphasized that with these measures, the EU would have the possibility of reducing its annual costs of fossil fuel imports by 260 billion euros. However, she stressed the need to ensure that all generated electricity is available.
Von der Leyen also mentioned that there are 480 gigawatts of renewable capacity awaiting grid connection, which justifies the urgency of the package dedicated to electrical grids. She concluded her appeal to the European Parliament, urging faster investment, accelerated grid connections, and the development of storage systems, so that the European future is an electric future.