The European Union energy transition in the context of the Fit for 55 and REPowerEU strategies

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The aim is to present the conditions, assumptions and concept of the Fit for 55 and REPower EU strategies, and subsequently evaluate their progress. THE PROBLEM AND RESEARCH METHODS: The fundamental justification for the EU’s energy transformation, as the leader in this area so far, was climate protection. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the urgent need for increased energy security turned out to be. In seeking answers to the possibilities of implementing both tasks, the study used a number of research methods, including primarily critical literature analysis and descriptive statistics methods. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: Firstly, the essence of the modern energy transition and a review of the literature in this field are presented. Then, an attempt is made to address the dilemma: the EU energy transformation – progress or regression? The next part presents the importance of Fit for 55 and REPowerEU. Finally, the key energy figures and analyzed strategies progress were presented. THE RESEARCH RESULTS: In response to the events in Ukraine, the EU launched the REPowerEU plan to reduce dependence on Russian fuels by cutting energy consumption, diversifying supplies, and boosting clean energy production. It accelerates the Fit for 55 plan, which aims to cut CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. While the plan originally included a gradual shift from Russian hydrocarbons, the invasion has prompted the EU to fast-track decarbonization, though short-term energy security concerns may slow the energy transition. CONCLUSION, INNOVATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The analysis carried out made it possible to conclude that the war in Ukraine has not caused a retreat from the green energy transition, on the contrary, it has further motivated the EU to take several actions including decarbonization as defined in the Fit for 55 and REPowerEU strategies.