Europe has been hit hard by two energy crises in four years, accelerating the breakthrough in clean energy.
2026-04-24 12:28:20
The second energy crisis in the past decade has struck Europe, prompting the EU to introduce a series of emergency measures to alleviate current energy supply pressures while simultaneously planning for a long-term transformation, attempting to completely break free from dependence on fossil fuels and safeguard its own energy security.
This crisis, coupled with geopolitical shocks, has made Europe realize once again that a clean energy transition is an urgent and inevitable choice.
The European Commission officially released several proposals on Wednesday (April 22), with the core objective of protecting Europeans from the impact of the fossil fuel crisis while accelerating the transition to clean energy from within the country.
The European Commission stated explicitly: "For the second time in less than five years, the people of Europe are paying the price for Europe's reliance on imported fossil fuels." It is understood that since the outbreak of hostilities in Iran at the end of February, the EU has spent an additional $28 billion (equivalent to €24 billion) on energy imports due to soaring energy prices, without receiving any additional energy supply. This predicament of "spending money without gaining anything" has further escalated Europe's energy anxiety.
The European Commission emphasized that the current geopolitical situation serves as a profound warning that accelerating the transition to a clean, safe, and affordable energy system is both a necessity for economic development and an inevitable requirement for national security.
In response to the current situation where Middle Eastern oil and fuel transportation is hampered by the Strait of Hormuz, the EU is accelerating coordination among member states to ensure a stable supply of aviation kerosene and diesel, and fully utilizing the production capacity of existing refineries. At the same time, the EU will establish a new fuel monitoring agency to track real-time data on the production, import, export, and stockpiling of transportation fuels within the region, anticipating potential shortages in advance. Once emergency reserves are released, fuel allocation can be quickly coordinated and distributed to avoid supply disruptions.
In addition, the policy focuses on providing assistance to families in difficulty and introduces special emergency plans to support industries most severely impacted by soaring energy prices, thereby mitigating the impact of the crisis.
This is Europe's second energy crisis in four years. In 2022, the disruption of Russian natural gas pipelines triggered a crisis in public costs and caused many energy-intensive industries in the EU to lose market competitiveness. The European Commission will also submit legislative proposals related to electricity grid charges and taxes, aiming to incentivize the expansion of domestic renewable energy generation by lowering electricity taxes and increasing the cost of fossil fuels, thus replacing some gas-fired power generation and alleviating the soaring cost of gas-fired electricity caused by the disruption of Qatar's liquefied natural gas supply in early March.
Faced with successive geopolitical shocks and a new round of wars, energy prices have surged again. The EU is determined to increase its investment in and accelerate the development of domestic clean energy to gradually replace oil, natural gas and fossil fuels for transportation.
The European Commission plans to release an Electrification Action Plan this summer, setting highly forward-looking electrification development goals and introducing supporting policies to break down various barriers to electrification transformation in the three major sectors of industry, transport, and construction.
The European Commission pointed out that it is crucial to increase investment in the clean energy transition now, which will not only reduce dependence on fossil fuels, but also enhance Europe's resilience to future energy crises. Member states that have made early plans for the transition have already benefited, with their electricity prices generally lower than the EU average.
EU Energy and Housing Commissioner Dan Jørgensen stated that the profound impact of this energy crisis is long-term, dynamic, and unpredictable. He emphasized, "Things are unpredictable, and we must be fully prepared to calmly respond to all kinds of emergencies." He revealed that the EU will further deepen energy supply coordination mechanisms, tap the potential of existing refining capacity, and re-examine regulations related to strategic reserves and emergency stockpiles to explore policy optimization opportunities. He also acknowledged that Europe urgently needs to increase investment, attract more private capital, upgrade power infrastructure, and improve energy interconnectivity, energy storage regulation, and flexible dispatch capabilities.
Jonsen stated that the Middle East crisis served as a wake-up call and a turning point for Europe, marking a complete break from its dependence on fossil fuels and a full transition towards clean energy self-sufficiency. He added, "Today, clean energy is synonymous with energy security, a point clearer than ever before. In the future, we can no longer rely on purchasing fossil fuels and burning them for energy, falling into a passive cycle of repeated procurement. Only by producing our own clean energy can we achieve long-term, stable development."
This crisis, coupled with geopolitical shocks, has made Europe realize once again that a clean energy transition is an urgent and inevitable choice.
Amid the crisis: Europe once again pays the price for its dependence on fossil fuels.
The European Commission officially released several proposals on Wednesday (April 22), with the core objective of protecting Europeans from the impact of the fossil fuel crisis while accelerating the transition to clean energy from within the country.
The European Commission stated explicitly: "For the second time in less than five years, the people of Europe are paying the price for Europe's reliance on imported fossil fuels." It is understood that since the outbreak of hostilities in Iran at the end of February, the EU has spent an additional $28 billion (equivalent to €24 billion) on energy imports due to soaring energy prices, without receiving any additional energy supply. This predicament of "spending money without gaining anything" has further escalated Europe's energy anxiety.
The European Commission emphasized that the current geopolitical situation serves as a profound warning that accelerating the transition to a clean, safe, and affordable energy system is both a necessity for economic development and an inevitable requirement for national security.
Emergency Relief: Short-Term Measures to Stabilize Supply and Reduce Burden
In response to the current situation where Middle Eastern oil and fuel transportation is hampered by the Strait of Hormuz, the EU is accelerating coordination among member states to ensure a stable supply of aviation kerosene and diesel, and fully utilizing the production capacity of existing refineries. At the same time, the EU will establish a new fuel monitoring agency to track real-time data on the production, import, export, and stockpiling of transportation fuels within the region, anticipating potential shortages in advance. Once emergency reserves are released, fuel allocation can be quickly coordinated and distributed to avoid supply disruptions.
In addition, the policy focuses on providing assistance to families in difficulty and introduces special emergency plans to support industries most severely impacted by soaring energy prices, thereby mitigating the impact of the crisis.
This is Europe's second energy crisis in four years. In 2022, the disruption of Russian natural gas pipelines triggered a crisis in public costs and caused many energy-intensive industries in the EU to lose market competitiveness. The European Commission will also submit legislative proposals related to electricity grid charges and taxes, aiming to incentivize the expansion of domestic renewable energy generation by lowering electricity taxes and increasing the cost of fossil fuels, thus replacing some gas-fired power generation and alleviating the soaring cost of gas-fired electricity caused by the disruption of Qatar's liquefied natural gas supply in early March.
Breaking the deadlock in the long term: Investing more in clean energy and moving towards energy independence
Faced with successive geopolitical shocks and a new round of wars, energy prices have surged again. The EU is determined to increase its investment in and accelerate the development of domestic clean energy to gradually replace oil, natural gas and fossil fuels for transportation.
The European Commission plans to release an Electrification Action Plan this summer, setting highly forward-looking electrification development goals and introducing supporting policies to break down various barriers to electrification transformation in the three major sectors of industry, transport, and construction.
The European Commission pointed out that it is crucial to increase investment in the clean energy transition now, which will not only reduce dependence on fossil fuels, but also enhance Europe's resilience to future energy crises. Member states that have made early plans for the transition have already benefited, with their electricity prices generally lower than the EU average.
EU Energy and Housing Commissioner Dan Jørgensen stated that the profound impact of this energy crisis is long-term, dynamic, and unpredictable. He emphasized, "Things are unpredictable, and we must be fully prepared to calmly respond to all kinds of emergencies." He revealed that the EU will further deepen energy supply coordination mechanisms, tap the potential of existing refining capacity, and re-examine regulations related to strategic reserves and emergency stockpiles to explore policy optimization opportunities. He also acknowledged that Europe urgently needs to increase investment, attract more private capital, upgrade power infrastructure, and improve energy interconnectivity, energy storage regulation, and flexible dispatch capabilities.
Jonsen stated that the Middle East crisis served as a wake-up call and a turning point for Europe, marking a complete break from its dependence on fossil fuels and a full transition towards clean energy self-sufficiency. He added, "Today, clean energy is synonymous with energy security, a point clearer than ever before. In the future, we can no longer rely on purchasing fossil fuels and burning them for energy, falling into a passive cycle of repeated procurement. Only by producing our own clean energy can we achieve long-term, stable development."
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