Wind energy at heart of EU smart growth strategy

Smart growth and sustainable growth are two of the  three priorities put forward by the European Commission for  the development of Europe’s economy until 2020. These are  intended to be implemented through seven ‘flagship  initiatives’ of which one is ‘resource efficient Europe’. Here  the European Commission states that it will work:
• To complete the internal energy market  and implement the strategic energy technologies (SET) plan,  promoting renewable sources of energy in the single market  would also be a priority.
• To present an initiative to upgrade  Europe’s networks, including Trans European Energy Networks,  towards a European supergrid, smart grids and  interconnections in particular of renewable energy sources to  the grid (with support of structural funds and EIB).   A truly integrated European energy market and an  upgraded grid would be a massive boost for wind energy, said  EWEA Chief Operating Officer Bruce Douglas. Moving towards a  supergrid with a clear focus on interconnecting renewable  energy sources is exactly the commitment Europe needs. It will  benefit the European consumer, as well as generate much-needed  jobs.    The strategy document claims that the integration  of the European energy market can add an extra 0.6%  to  0.8% GDP and that meeting the EU’s objective of 20% of  renewable sources of energy alone has the potential to create  more than 600,000 jobs in the EU.