Russia supplies 40% of natural gas consumed in the European Union (EU), including 100% of the gas for six EU members and over 50% for a further six EU nations, representing $400 billion annually. So, when war began between Russia and Ukraine it sparked an energy security crisis in the EU, which has been accused of de-facto funding the war through its fossil fuel purchases. In reaction, the EU released a plan last week to rapidly reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels. While the aim is to improve the energy independence of the bloc, the strategy promises to provide a boost for smart buildings, renewable energy, and the environment. “The new geopolitical and energy market realities require us to drastically accelerate our clean energy transition and increase Europe’s energy independence from unreliable suppliers and volatile fossil fuels. REPowerEU is the European Commission’s plan to make Europe independent from Russian fossil fuels well before 2030, in light of […]