27 Plans for 2027: Turning the Electrification Action Plan into National Action
With the aim of structurally reducing the European economy’s dependence on fossil fuel imports and accelerating the energy transition, the European Commission has opted for electrification.
With the adoption of the Action Plan for Electrification on July 17, 2026, the European Union has set a goal of doubling the share of electricity in its energy mix by 2040 and thus permanently replacing the combustion of fossil fuels with the consumption of European electricity in all sectors where this is technically feasible.
Now that the continent has a common path forward, it is up to European capitals to adopt their own integrated electrification plans and lead their respective economies through this transformation. These plans should include three main elements:
- A clear target for the share of electricity in energy consumption, aligned with climate targets, to serve as a strategic objective in planning energy generation, transmission, and consumption capacities
- A series of incentives for electrification, securing investments by businesses and households and rebalancing price signals in favor of future-oriented solutions
- A policy for the planning, operation, and connection of electricity grids that enables the acceleration of the electrification of end uses, in line with the target.
The adoption of national plans should make it possible to align climate, energy, and industrial policies—as well as the resources allocated to them—with the overarching goal of European energy sovereignty.
Governments must seize this window of political opportunity and can already draw some lessons from the French and Swedish plans, despite their partial implementation.
Titre
Key takeaways :
The proposed Electrification Action Plan makes electrification strategic but a significant share of the levers for change remains in the hands of national governments.
Only France and Sweden, which share a similar electricity mix, have adopted their own electrification plan.
All 27 Member States should adopt national electrification action plans by 2027.
Boosting electrification requires 1) creating visibility, 2) making electrification the most attractive investment decision, and 3) facilitating grid connections.
Available in:
Themes and regions
ISBN / ISSN
Share
This page contains only a summary of our work. If you would like to have access to all the information from our research on the subject, you can download the full version in PDF format.
27 Plans for 2027: Turning the Electrification Action Plan into National Action
Center for Energy & Climate
Ifri's Energy and Climate Center carries out activities and research on the geopolitical and geoeconomic issues of energy transitions such as energy security, competitiveness, control of value chains, and acceptability. Specialized in the study of European energy/climate policies as well as energy markets in Europe and around the world, its work also focuses on the energy and climate strategies of major powers such as the United States, China or India. It offers recognized expertise, enriched by international collaborations and events, particularly in Paris and Brussels.
Solar Radiation Management: A Climate Tool with Geopolitical Implications
The Paris Agreement (2015) aims to keep global warming below 2 °C, preferably 1.5 °C, above pre-industrial levels. Mitigation (reducing greenhouse gas emissions) remains the core tool for reaching net carbon neutrality by mid-century. However, a temperature overshoot is anticipated. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) forecasts that the 1.5 °C threshold will be exceeded in the coming years, with warming potentially peaking between 2.2 °C and 3.6 °C this century. Against this backdrop, three trends characterize the climate policy debate.
China’s Hydrogen Economy Five Years On
China’s hydrogen sector is not new. It is the world’s largest industrial hydrogen system, rooted in ammonia, methanol, refining, coal chemicals and by-product gas streams.
How to Make European e-SAF Production under RefuelEU Aviation Fly?
Three and a half years before the scheduled entry into force of the European regulation ReFuelEU Aviation (RFEUA), which requires aviation fuel suppliers at Union airports to offer a sustainable synthetic alternative (e-SAF), no sizeable commercial production unit (greater than 10,000 tons per year) is active within Europe yet, nor has it even passed the Final Investment Decision (FID). Is a major step in the European Union (EU) plans for decarbonizing air transport at risk of not happening, or at least being postponed for several years? Is Europe losing its bet to create a market for e-SAF? Under what conditions can this bet still be won? Could sovereignty and energy security preoccupations unlock necessary public support and help to overcome economic, financial, logistical or administrative obstacles?
The European Biomethane Sector at a Critical Juncture: Stronger Policy Alignment Will Matter
The European biomethane sector is at a critical juncture.