The share of renewable generation in Europe’s power system is rising fast, but interconnection is not keeping up. Join us on May 19, 2020 to discuss this and related issues. More wind and solar makes the supply of electricity much more dependent on the weather. Nobody wants to build capacity only to switch it off when there’s too much heading onto the local grid. This could put an extra strain on delivering the Green Deal. One solution is to … [Read more...]
Decarbonisation of Transport: Options and Challenges – free Brussels debate and report launch
Decarbonisation of transport remains one of the most challenging aspects of the transition to a sustainable energy system. Focussing on road transport, the European Academies' Science Advisory Council (EASAC)'s upcoming report contains detailed recommendations for actions on the part of all major stakeholders. The report will be officially launched at what promises to be a fascinating event featuring a high-level panel discussion with speakers … [Read more...]
Driving energy efficiency investment beyond 2020
With rising GDP, the European Union is once again at risk of missing the 2020 targets for energy efficiency, and yet more ambitious targets for 2030 lie ahead. Regulation, especially for energy efficiency in buildings, is already driving demand, according to the European Investment Bank, with commercial banks acting as aggregators. Peter Sweatman, rapporteur of the Energy Efficiency Financial Institutions Group is optimistic on the future … [Read more...]
Online condition monitoring: making sense of sensors in the age of the Smart Grid
Grid operators across Europe are experiencing higher maintenance and reinforcement costs than ever before and, without significant increases in funding, are realising that they must fundamentally change the way that their assets are operated, maintained and replaced. This means running assets closer to their operational limits, performing predictive rather than corrective maintenance and replacing assets as close to the end of their useful life … [Read more...]
Too “low-hanging fruit” is not sweet enough (and eventually neither clean nor cheap)!
At a lunch debate organised by the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA) on “The costs of a low level of ambition in greening the heating and cooling sector” and hosted by EUFORES President MEP Jeppe Kofod on 30 January, representatives from industry, civil society, the European Commission (EC) and MEPs from several countries and political groups (Jeppe Kofod, Bendt Bendtsen, Theresa Griffin, Jo Leinen, Gesine Meissner and Paul RĂĽbig) … [Read more...]
Ukrainian Gas E&P Forum in London
Last month the Ukrainian government announced that it is conducting international hydrocarbon licencing rounds through concession auctions and PSA tenders. 30 onshore oil & gas blocks are being put up for sale via online auctions. The first round of 10 blocks, covering 1, 120 square miles in 6 regions, was announced last month and the auctions will take place on 6th March; Production Sharing Agreements for 12 onshore blocks, covering … [Read more...]
How can gas contribute to the achievement of EU climate targets
What role is there for gas in the European energy system over the next decades? Some believe the EU must give priority to coal-to-gas switching. Others see no role for natural gas at all in the long run and argue that EU policy must promote only “renewable” gas. An Energy Post panel debate in Brussels, sponsored by Nord Stream 2, saw conflicting views sound off against each other. Meanwhile, a new “Gas for Climate” initiative proposes a 10% … [Read more...]
The fight over power networks in the EU: will national TSOs become subordinate to regional organisations?
The EU is discussing how far and how fast it can take regional cooperation among Transmission System Operators (TSOs). The European Commission and Parliament want to give entities for regional cooperation more independence and power, while Member States and TSOs want ultimate power to remain at national level. An upcoming conference on 16 October led by ENTSO-E (representing European TSOs) and Coreso (a regional entity) – and supported by Energy … [Read more...]
VIDEO: Energy Post in partnership with Shell – Putting innovation at the heart of 2030
PUTTING INNOVATION AT THE HEART OF 2030 Can the new EU 2030 climate and energy proposals drive European innovation and competitive edge? And what can be done to ensure this opportunity becomes Europe’s reality? New independent energy publication Energy Post, in partnership with Shell, is pleased to welcome the European Commission’s new Director-General for Energy, Dominique Ristori , to join us for debate about “Putting innovation at the … [Read more...]