Scaling up the share of renewable energy in the European Union (EU) power mix to around 34% by 2030 from the current 27% target would be “cost effective and realisable”, according to analysis from the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena).

A new Irena study, commissioned by the European Commission, found that harnessing “additional potential” of a more ambitious wind and solar build-out in the EU27 would not only come close to meeting the 35% target put forward in November by the European Parliament Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, it would also have “significant economic value” associated with health and the environment.