European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jørgensen on 4 June 2026 urged Europe to aim for becoming the world's first electro-continent, outlining plans to boost electrification across industry, transport, and buildings. Speaking at the Eurelectric Power Summit in Finland, Jørgensen said electricity currently accounts for just 23% of Europe's energy consumption, a figure that has stagnated while China and Japan approach 30%. He announced that the upcoming Electrification Action Plan will include an ambitious electrification target and focus on supporting lagging sectors.
over 500,000 electric cars registered in the EU in the first quarter of 2026, reducing oil consumption by two million barrels per year, and combined sales of residential heat pumps in France, Germany, and Poland surpassing 400,000 — a 25% increase year-on-year. He argued that consumers are already choosing electricity and that policy must follow their lead.
The Commissioner detailed concrete measures for industry, transport, and buildings. For industry, the plan will expand the use of e-boilers, electric drying technologies, and small-scale electric furnaces, and promote innovation to make new solutions commercially viable. For transport, it will advance vehicle-to-grid technologies, corporate fleet strategies, and new solutions for maritime and aviation. For buildings, it will support heat pumps, batteries, and smart meters, noting that heat pumps are up to five times more efficient than gas boilers and smart meters can save 10-15% on energy.
Jørgensen also stressed the need to combine electrification with clean energy. Currently over 70% of the EU's electricity mix comes from clean, homegrown sources. He cited a study showing that consumers in the five EU countries with the highest share of clean energy will save up to €8.5 billion more on electricity bills this year compared to those in the bottom five. He acknowledged that EU energy prices are on average two to three times higher than in the US and China, but noted that some member states pay competitive prices, indicating room for improvement.
To support these goals, Jørgensen said the Commission is helping member states speed up permitting for clean energy projects, and the Clean Energy Investment Strategy will de-risk projects and attract investors with EIB support. He also highlighted efforts to build a strong, interconnected European grid with storage and flexibility.
On digitalisation, Jørgensen noted that data centres in the EU consume enough electricity to power nearly 20 million households per year. He referenced a Strategic Roadmap for Digitalisation and AI in the energy system, presented earlier that week, which outlines how AI can make the energy system cleaner, more secure, and more competitive while addressing the energy demand of digital infrastructure. He praised Finland's use of waste heat from data centres for district heating as an example.
"Now is the time to electrify industry, vehicles, and buildings across Europe. Now is the time to push fossil fuels out of our energy system. Now is the time to bring Europe's power to life."
The speech contained concrete proposals including numerical targets (electrification target, clean energy share), specific technologies (e-boilers, heat pumps, vehicle-to-grid), and institutional measures (permitting simplification, investment strategy, digitalisation roadmap). The policy orientation is strongly pro-electrification, aiming to accelerate the shift from fossil fuels to electricity across all sectors, with a focus on clean energy and grid modernisation. The tone is ambitious and declarative, urging bold action without specifying exact timelines or budget figures.
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