The EU is closing in on finalising its 2030 renewable energy target after ministers from newly-elected governments in Spain and Italy joined a coalition of more progressive member states in pushing for higher ambitions.

EU ministers, meeting in Luxembourg on Monday for the bloc's Energy Council, debated a range of possible outcomes for setting new targets, which looks set to result in an improved EU-wide renewable energy goal for 2030 in the range of 30-33%, up from the 27% originally proposed as long ago as 2014.