Piebalgs: EU plan key to energy foundation

BRUSSELS, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- A European plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase renewables and energy efficiency builds on a common plan, the European energy commissioner said.

The European Commission last week agreed on a plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, increase the use of renewable resources and increase its energy efficiency each by 20 percent by 2020.

Equating the structure of European energy policy to the construction of a home, European Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs said on his Web site that the foundations of the EU energy structure would be laid soon.

"The climate change and renewable energy measures that the Commission adopted in January 2008 will make it possible for us to reach our ceilings, to fulfill our 2020 objectives," he wrote. "In this area, as well, construction works advance well, and we hope to complete the structure by the end of this year."

Piebalgs said reaching beyond the European community to embrace infrastructure projects in neighboring regions will further boost energy security.

"Of course, the internal connections of the house would be useless if we don't have our links with energy suppliers," he wrote, continuing the analogy. "These infrastructures have to be in place to create the emergency mechanisms in case of supply crisis."

He welcomed the efforts of countries in the Caspian region and Central Asia as key energy partners, adding cooperation with Russia and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries cartel was still important for Europe.