Thousands of Norwegians are currently waiting for their new electric car as car sellers cannot keep up with the surge in demand. This highlights both the success and the risks of the rapid electrification of Norway’s car fleet, write Steffen Kallbekken, HĂĄkon Sælen, Erlend Hermansen and Elisabeth Lannoo of the CICERO Center for International Climate Research. They discuss the lessons the EU, currently reviewing the Clean Vehicles Directive, can … [Read more...]
Archives for March 2018
As the energy potential of the Eastern Mediterranean grows, so does the potential for conflict
The United States and the European Union should play a more proactive role in defusing the growing tensions over energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean, writes David Koranyi of the Atlantic Council Global Energy Institute. … [Read more...]
The new EU electricity market design: more market – or more state?
As a new regulatory design for the EU electricity market is taking shape, there are grave concerns in the sector that the new rules will not advance the internal energy market very much. Or might even undermine it. Energy Post editor-in-chief Karel Beckman talked to a number of key players in the sector who will debate the proposed market design rules at an Energy Post event in Brussels on 20 March. … [Read more...]
How German Energiewende’s renewables integration points the way
The experience of the German Energiewende shows that increasing amounts of renewable energy on the power system, while at the same time reducing inflexible baseload generation, does not harm reliability write Michael Hogan, Camille Kadoch, Carl Linvill and Megan O’Reilly of the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP). American policymakers who are still skeptical can look across the Atlantic, to Germany, for a concrete example of a successful … [Read more...]
What’s behind Gazprom’s decision to cut off supply to Ukraine
Gazprom’s announcement that it would terminate gas supply to Ukraine has been a shock to many observers, but it is not as radical nor as surprising as it may seem, writes Anna Mikulska of the Center for Energy Studies at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. It will only become effective in 2019 and is consistent with the company’s earlier announcements and long-term plans. Nevertheless, Mikulska adds, there is reason for the EU to … [Read more...]
IEA predicts nightmare scenario for OPEC
Global oil demand will see robust growth in the next few years, much of which will be covered by the U.S., according to a new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Demand for OPEC oil will decline as it will be edged out of the market by non-OPEC supply, the IEA predicts.  Article courtesy Oilprice.com. … [Read more...]
A grand bargain with Gazprom?
Can Europe, including the Eastern part, continue to profit from cheap Russian gas without succumbing to Russian energy dominance? According to a new paper from the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (OIES), the EU should not shy away from “countervailing measures”. But these should preferably take the form of a “grand bargain” with Russia rather than a confrontation. … [Read more...]
Gazprom’s toughest competitors may be from… Russia
Much of Gazprom’s future prosperity depends on whether it can defend its position domestically, writes Anna Mikulska of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania and the Baker Institute’s Center for Energy Studies. Companies such as Russian Rosneft and Novatek have pushed for some time to weaken the company's export monopoly. … [Read more...]
‘Pro-nuclear environmentalists’ in denial about power/weapons connections
Claims by self-styled 'pro-nuclear environmentalists' that "nuclear energy prevents the spread of nuclear weapons" and "peace is furthered when a nation embraces nuclear power" do not withstand scrutiny, writes Jim Green, editor of the Nuclear Monitor newsletter. Green looks at the conclusions of some studies which, he says, downplay the troubling connections between nuclear power and weapons. Courtesy Nuclear Monitor. … [Read more...]
Katowice: A European coal capital goes green
This year the UN Climate Conference, COP24, will be held in Katowice, the heart of Polish coal mining. Critics wonder how negotiating an end to fossil fuels could be done successfully in an environment like this, but according to freelance reporter Richard Fuchs change is in the air in Katowice. Courtesy Energy Transition/Global Energiewende. … [Read more...]
California shows auction reserve prices could be good idea for the EU Emission Trading System
In California, the reserve price in auctions of emission allowances has proved successful in maintaining a minimum carbon price. This should encourage others, especially the EU, to introduce similar arrangements, writes climate change economist Adam Whitmore. The Californian experience does show the importance of political commitment and stability, Whitmore adds.  … [Read more...]
Why the next oil boom will be fueled by blockchain
In a globally connected economy, the impact of transitioning to blockchain technology will be profound and will likely turn any industry on its head, writes Meredith Taylor of Oilprice.com. Companies in the oil and gas industry, such as Shell, BP or Petroteq, are planning to utilize blockchain to transform energy trade and revolutionize supply chain management. Courtesy Oilprice.com. … [Read more...]