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Ensuring Resilient and Sustainable Energy Security in Europe

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      Europe’s Energy Future: Between Urgency and Ambition

      Europe stands at a decisive turning point in its energy future. Confronted with competitiveness challenges, geopolitical pressures, and the necessity of strategic autonomy, the European Union must accelerate its adaptation to ensure a secure, sustainable, and competitive energy system. Three major axes emerge: energy independence, technological innovation, and investment in infrastructure.

      The war in Ukraine has starkly exposed Europe’s energy vulnerabilities. For decades, Europe relied on fossil fuel imports, particularly Russian gas, which accounted for nearly 45% of European consumption before the conflict. This excessive dependence left the continent exposed to geopolitical shocks, forcing the EU to urgently rethink its energy supply.

      The REPowerEU plan, launched in May 2022, marked a turning point. By diversifying its energy sources—particularly through increased imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG), a strategy fortunately prepared since 2016, and expanding infrastructure—Europe managed to reduce its dependence on Russian gas much faster than expected. But this is only the first step. The challenge now is to ensure that these short-term adjustments fit into a sustainable and coherent energy strategy.

      Europe’s ambition is clear: to reach 45% renewable energy by 2030. Solar and wind power will play a central role, with the goal of installing more than 320 GW of solar capacity by 2025 and 600 GW by 2030. However, innovation is not limited to energy production.

      Europe must also invest massively in energy efficiency and smart grid management. Currently, 42.5% of distribution infrastructure is over 40 years old. A major modernization effort is needed to integrate renewable energy, improve grid resilience, and reduce energy waste. Without investments in these critical infrastructures, the green energy produced risks being underutilized.

      Nuclear energy, as well as new technologies, including small modular reactors (SMRs) and green hydrogen, could also play a key role in achieving true technological neutrality. However, these solutions require funding and a pragmatic approach that avoids regulatory deadlocks.

      While the energy transition is an ecological necessity, it is also a matter of economic competitiveness. Today, European businesses pay three to five times more for electricity than their North American counterparts. This energy disparity weakens European industry against competitors like the United States and China, where massive subsidies support business competitiveness.

      In February 2025, the EU launched the Action Plan for Affordable Energy. This program aims to lower energy costs, attract investment, and ensure greater resilience against crises. But to be effective, this policy must be accompanied by a truly integrated European energy market, with harmonized taxation and coherent regulation among member states.

      Europe can no longer afford to wait. To succeed in its energy transition, it must:

      1. Invest massively in infrastructure: €584 billion will be needed by 2030 to modernize electrical grids.

      2. Develop technological sovereignty: Currently, 80% of solar panels installed in Europe are manufactured in China. It is urgent to bring the production of strategic equipment back to Europe.

      3. Strengthen education and energy efficiency: Raising awareness among citizens and businesses about optimizing their consumption is a priority.

      Europe stands at a historic crossroads. The energy transition is underway, but it must be accelerated. With China and the United States advancing rapidly in energy and technology, the Old Continent must stop being a spectator and reclaim its role as a key player in shaping its future. The time for compromise is over—bold decisions must be made.

      Editor-in-Chief 

      Laurent ULMANN

      TABLE OF CONTENTS
      • Enhancing energy security in Europe, diversifying energy sources, and reducing dependence on Russian fossil fuels
        Paulina Hennig-Kloska, Polish Minister of Climate and Environment
      • The New Energy Union: cleaner, cheaper, and more connected
        Dan Jørgensen, Commissioner for Energy and Housing
      • Energy Security in the Baltics: from synchronization to critical energy infrastructure protection model of the EU
        Žygimantas Vaičiūnas, Lithuanian Minister for Energy
      • Strengthening Energy Security and Regional Cooperation
        Lukáš Vlček, Minister for Industry and Trade, Czech Repub
      • The Crucial Role of Renewable Energies in EU Energy Security
        Maria da Graça Carvalho, Portuguese Minister of Energy and Environment
      • Strategies for Energy Diversification and Carbon Neutrality Strengthening Highly Strategic Energy Sectors
        Marc Ferracci, French Minister for Industry and Energy
      • Strengthening the Security of Critical Energy Infrastructure Against Cyber and Hybrid Threats
        Julijus Grubliauskas, Energy Security Team Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber Division, International Staff, NATO Headquarters (Brussels, BE)
      • The Energy Sovereignty in the Data Age
        Emmanuel Lempert, Vice-President, Head of Government Affairs for France, Middle East, and Africa at SAP
      • Three lessons to build European energy security for the 21st century
        Thomas PELLERIN-CARLIN, MEP (S&D Group – France), ITRE Member
      • Europe’s pathway to decarbonization and industrial competitiveness
        Catherine MacGregor, CEO of ENGIE
      • Reducing Energy Costs in Europe: An Imperative for Competitiveness
        Ivan Verougstraete, MEP (Renew Europe group – Belgium), Vice-Chair ITRE Committee
      • Can Europe strengthen its energy security while advancing decarbonization and competitiveness?
        François-Régis Mouton de Lostalot-Lassalle, Managing Director, IOGP Europe
      • Renewables are key to Europe’s energy security. So why does Europe seem determined to make people hate them?
        Dario Tamburrano, MEP (GUE/NGL Group – Italy)
      • Strengthening the Energy Security of the European Union through the Electrification of Infrastructures and Key Sectors
        Nicolás González Casares, MEP (S&D Group – Spain)
      • Ensuring Sustainable and Resilient Energy Security in Europe
        Sandrine Meunier, CEO of NaTran
      • Enhancing Energy Supply Security in Europe: Greece’s Strategic Role as a Key Energy Hub
        Dimitris Tsiodras, Member of the European Parliament (EPP, ITRE Committee)
      • Ensuring Europe’s energy independence in the face of geopolitical crises: bringing clean and affordable energy to people and businesses
        Bruno Tobback, MEP (S&D Group – Belgium)
      • Europe’s energy future is running out of time
        Nelson Lage, President of ADENE – Portuguese Energy Agency
      • Power Generation Autonomy and Grid Resiliency Hold Key to EU Energy Security
        Philippe Piron, CEO, Electrification Systems, GE Vernova
      • Current and future contributions of nuclear energy to energy security
        Christophe Grudler, MEP (Renew Europe – MoDem)
      • REPowerEU: A European path to energy security and strategic autonomy
        Prof. Dr. Andrea Wechsler, MEP (EPP Group – Germany)
      • The potential of nuclear fusion as a sustainable solution for global energy security
        Pietro Barabaschi, Director-General, ITER
        Laban Coblentz, Head of Communication, ITER
      • Reducing the energy dependence of European industries while accelerating their transition to decarbonized practices
        Giogio Gori, MEP (S&D Group – Italy)
      • Electricity grids – enabler of the energy transition
        Anna Stürgkh, MEP (Renew Europe Group – Austria)
      • Scaling homegrown clean technologies is integral to Europe’s energy sovereignty
        Diego Pavia, CEO at InnoEnergy (Europe’s most active clean tech investor)
        Sonya Twohig, ENTSO-E Secretary-General
      • Connecting European Grids – Supporting Energy Security
        Zbyněk Boldiš, President ENTSO-E
      • Europe’s energy security: the strategic role of electricity
        Christian Buchel, President of UFE
      • Interconnection of European Energy Networks, Foundation of Energy Security
        Jens Geier, MEP (S&D Group – Germany)
      • Hydrogen Valleys: Europe’s Pathway to Sustainable Competitiveness
        Mirela Atanasiu, Head of Unit Operations and Communication, Clean Hydrogen Partnership
      • Grid, Baby, Grid: Why Ireland and Europe Must Expand and Modernise Their Electricity Infrastructure Now
        Seán Kelly, MEP for Ireland and Leader of Fine Gael in the European Parliament. Kelly sits on the European Parliament’s Committees on Industry, Research & Energy (ITRE) and is currently the EPP’s Lead Negotiator for the Report “Electricity grids: the backbone of the EU energy system”
      • Moving from weakness to competitive advantage: high energy prices paving the way to the era of European electrification (2025-2030)
        Suzana Carp, Co-Founder of Cleantech for CEE.