Without a big increase in renewable use, the 27-member union stands little chance of meeting its target of cutting overall greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 per cent by 2020 compared with 1990 levels.
About 5 per cent of the UK's electricity generation comes from renewable sources at present. This is behind government projections, under which 6.7 per cent should come from renewables this year to meet Mr Blair's pledge of generating 10 per cent from renewables by 2010.
This article first appeared in the Ecologist March 2007