The EU’s electric dreams

The European Commission’s response to the Middle East crisis is to double down on its transition strategy, with plans for a new target on electrification

The response of policymakers in Brussels to the second major energy crisis to confront them in four years has confirmed one thing above all: The EU is more determined than ever to lead the transition from fossil fuels to an electrified economy powered by renewables. The European Commission, left in a spin by the impact of the Middle East crisis on energy costs and security, has more than doubled down on its existing transition plans, with a new strategy containing an exhaustive list of measures designed to maximise the deployment of renewables and clean fuels, and to accelerate the electrification of everything—from cars to industrial processes and household heating. An EU electrification ac