EU needs unity for energy

Fractures in solidarity among EU member states are getting in the way of broader developments in the energy sector, an official said. Last year, the European Union unveiled a road map that calls for the "decarbonizing" of the regional economy by 2050. The European Commission said more use of nuclear energy, a decentralized network and a major increase in the use of renewable energy are among the measures needed to meet the ambitious 2050 target. EU Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger told the European Parliament that national projects were moving ahead of bloc-wide ambitions. "Actions by a few member states are far from enough," he said. He noted there are "huge" challenges ahead as the European community looks to decarbonize its economy and none of those challenges is expected to go away. Economic forecasts for 2012 predict the European economy will struggle to recover from recession, an economic calamity expected to impact the broader global market. "It will be essential that we find new ways to tap into the potentials of energy efficiency, in order to decarbonize our economy," Oettinger said.