Renewables still key to Europe’s post-crisis energy mix

Medium-term strategy should stay focused on expansion of clean energy, say speakers at Energy Intelligence Forum

Europe should keep its focus on the buildout of renewables in the medium term, despite the short-term need to rely on fossil fuels to keep the lights on as imports of Russian gas dwindle, executives and analysts told this week’s Energy Intelligence Forum. “Energy transition and energy security go hand in hand because we do not have the fossil base to explore anymore,” said Maarten Wetselaar, CEO of Spanish oil and gas company Cepsa. “So even regardless of where you sit ideologically, Europe needs green hydrogen, biofuels, wind and solar because that is what it has in order to achieve that goal.” However, gas is likely to continue to play a role in the coming decades to make sure the “energy