Europe Prioritizes Green Molecules for Industrial Survival, Energy Security
Europe is increasingly prioritizing green molecules like biofuels and green hydrogen for industrial survival and energy security, as discussed at a June 4 Euractiv event. A Moeve report suggests these could halve energy dependence by 2040 and replace 50% of fossil fuels by 2050. Experts emphasize urgent, coordinated action, infrastructure investment, and stable regulations to overcome cost and logistical hurdles.
Europe is increasingly viewing green molecules—second-generation biofuels and green hydrogen—as crucial for industrial survival and energy security, not just climate goals. This assessment emerged from a Euractiv event on June 4, where Spanish energy company Moeve presented a report highlighting their potential.
The report indicates that scaling these technologies could halve Europe’s energy dependence by 2040 and replace up to 50% of fossil fuel demand by 2050, contributing one-third of Europe’s energy mix and cutting CO₂ emissions by 22%. Moeve CEO Maarten Wetselaar emphasized the need for coordinated public and private sector action, stable regulations, infrastructure investment, and support to bridge initial cost gaps. He identified the Iberian Peninsula as a competitive location for production due to abundant solar and wind resources.
PwC’s Dirk Niemeier reinforced the urgency, noting that geopolitics has shifted the debate from climate to industrial base retention, citing German heavy industry relocating due to high power costs. He identified infrastructure as a critical bottleneck, especially for hydrogen, which requires entirely new supply chains. Kitti Nyitrai from the European Commission acknowledged Europe’s recurring energy crises, stressing accelerated renewable deployment and highlighting biomethane as a ready alternative to fossil gas.
Rosita Zilli of the European Energy Research Alliance affirmed direct electrification as a priority but deemed green molecules indispensable for hard-to-abate sectors like heavy transport and industry. She called for stable regulatory frameworks to mobilize private capital. Wetselaar countered cost concerns by comparing the green transition investment to the over €400 billion spent by European governments subsidizing fossil fuels during the energy crisis, arguing the transition is “totally doable economically” with political will. The European Commission’s proposed Industrial Accelerator Act aims to support this shift.