CLG Europe relaunches the EU Electrification Statement. More than 70 leading businesses and business organisations across Europe and representing the entire energy value chain, are calling for urgent action to scale up the clean electrification of the EU. Signatories include including Ingka IKEA, Iberdrola, SSAB, EDF, Fortum, Danfoss, Volvo Cars, SAP and the We Mean Business Coalition. This call comes ahead of the release of the European Commission’s Electrification Action Plan.
Read the statement in full
In a context of geopolitical tensions and rising energy prices, the EU is under pressure to advance its clean energy transition. Leading companies and business organisations across the entire energy value chain issued a call today underlining the urgency of accelerating clean electrification in the EU. They consider this acceleration as a key element to deliver energy security and competitiveness.
Businesses are already developing solutions on the ground to boost the production and demand of electricity. Yet, some obstacles hamper progress. They include high upfront investment costs, lengthy permitting procedures and grid constraints.
The call comes before the publication of the Electrification Action Plan (EAP) which will aim to remove some of these barriers and set a target for electrification.
To unlock electrification at scale, signatories urge EU decision-makers to deliver bold, immediate and effective action, through the following five priorities:
- Strengthen EU industrial strategy for electrification and resilience through a more effective implementation of the Clean Industrial Deal, reflecting the changed geopolitical context and fossil fuel price volatility. Prioritise decarbonised, resilient domestic energy supply chains to enhance EU security and sovereignty.
- Set a clear 2040 electrification target of 50% of final energy use at EU level in the Electrification Action Plan, supported by key performance indicators including on the development of grids, to facilitate consistency within and across Member States.
- Introduce a 2040 energy efficiency goal with accompanying legislation to reduce fossil fuel consumption through increased efficiency, helping align demand growth with electrification and expanding electricity use.
- Ensure stable economic signals and targeted financing for electrification, including prioritising direct electrification in the next Multiannual Financial Framework. Expand innovative financing tools and pilot schemes, preserve the integrity of the EU ETS, and strengthen mechanisms such as PPAs through credit default guarantees.
- Prioritise digitalisation of electricity distribution networks to improve visibility of energy use, enhance flexibility and demand-side response, and enable efficient renewable integration. Strengthened digital systems should support a more resilient and investment-ready energy system, alongside continued need for additional fossil-free electricity generation capacity.
The statement brings together more than 70 leading businesses and business organisations, including Ingka IKEA, Iberdrola, SSAB, EDF, Fortum, Danfoss, Volvo Cars, SAP, as well as organisations such as the We Mean Business Coalition, The B Team, The Climate Group, France Renouvelables, E-mobility Europe and Energy Storage Europe.
Quotes
Carine de Boissezon, Chief Impact Officer, EDF
“If we want to succeed in reaching the net zero, we need to make sure that electrification is at the core of both industrial strategy and energy policy.”
María Mendiluce, CEO, We Mean Business Coalition
"Electrification is central to business competitiveness and energy security, but delivery is lagging. We must overcome barriers to investment, especially for grids and storage.”
Caspar Herzberg, CEO, Aveva
"Electrification is key to Europe's energy resilience and to its competitiveness in the global tech and industrial race. The EU Electrification Action Plan should recognise that grid digitalisation will be a key factor in enabling the bloc to reach an ambitious electrification target. The technology is already here: AVEVA works with network operators worldwide to leverage time-series data about grid operations, digital twins for real-time simulation and AI-powered predictive analytics to make optimal use of existing infrastructure, whilst also leveraging this data to better plan the next wave of infrastructure buildout."
Simon-Erik Ollus, EVP Corporate Customers and Markets, Fortum
“Fortum views electrification as the central pathway for decarbonizing society, enhancing EU competitiveness, and ensuring energy security. We advocate for accelerating electrification across industries, transportation, and heating by utilizing clean, carbon-neutral energy sources, supporting deeper market integration, and advancing infrastructure. Meeting the EU 2040 climate target will require a significant acceleration of electrification across the aforementioned sectors, therefore we support having an indicative EU electrification target.”
Gonzalo Sáenz de Miera, Director of Climate Change and Alliances, Iberdrola
“Clean electrification is the most effective route to strengthening energy security, fostering industrial competitiveness and reducing dependence on volatile fossil fuels.
To accelerate and realise the benefits of electrification, stable regulatory frameworks are required to unlock large-scale grid investment, along with a robust and stable ETS, coupled with a tax framework rooted in the ‘polluter pays’ principle. These conditions will contribute to providing the resilient infrastructure the European economy requires.”
Andrea Voigt, VP, Public Affairs and Sustainability, Danfoss
“Scaling up electrification is more essential than ever to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness, resilience, and industrial leadership. For Danfoss, it enables the deployment of readily available, high-efficiency solutions that reduce costs, improve performance, and support customers in their decarbonisation journey. To unlock this potential, the EU should set a clear 2040 electrification target, while accelerating grid investment and mobilising financing at scale.”
Helena Norrman, Executive Vice President and Head of Group Communications, SSAB
“At SSAB, electrification is at the core of our transformation. We are moving away from coal‑based production and blast furnaces to fossil‑free electricity in electric arc furnaces. But large‑scale electrification requires more than company commitment. It depends on an enabling framework at both EU and national level - covering grid access, permitting and a well‑functioning electricity market - without this, even committed projects risk being delayed.”
Romain Pardo, Senior Programme Manager, CLG Europe
“This is not the EU’s first rodeo when it comes to energy crises. The current situation should serve as a strong wake up call. An economy based on fossil fuels is no longer a viable option for citizens and businesses. More than a lifeline, businesses need a long term approach enabling them to produce and use affordable and reliable energy with modern and flexible infrastructure and clean technologies. Today more than 50 businesses and business organisations from across the EU, value chains and sectors are calling for the acceleration of electrification and energy efficiency guided by a target for electrification of final energy use in 2040 of 50 per cent at EU level allocated across Member States. This is not only a matter urgency, but a necessary step for a future proof and energy secure economy.”