Following three years of preparation, the Renewables Directive was published on 27 October, 2001, with a remit to promote an increase in the contribution of renewable energy sources.

In the draft directive, renewable energy sources (RES) were described as “renewable non-fossil sources (wind, solar, geothermal, wave, tidal, hydroelectric installations with a capacity below 10MW and bio-mass)…”. In the adopted text, however, landfill gas, sewage treatment plant gas, hydroelectric schemes and bio-gases are also included.