The EU and European Investment Bank (EIB) have teamed up to launch a new investment programme for Europe – with energy, as well as transport, research, innovation and education, its key objects. A modest €21bn in public money is set to be multiplied up to a whopping €315bn in total investments over the next three years, pushing Europe toward that long-hoped for economic recovery. There is no dedicated share of the money for individual sectors or … [Read more...]
The Five Energy Labours of Juncker
The new team heading the European Commission in Brussels is lucky. Its predecessors closed two sensitive deals before the reshuffle: a European energy and climate strategy for 2030 and a gas winter package between Ukraine and Russia. On top of that, outgoing Energy Commissioner GĂĽnther Oettinger finished off a thick report on the way forward for a European energy market. The new Commission will follow up on these three dossiers, plus two more … [Read more...]
viEUws VIDEO: Brussels Briefing on Energy – All you need to know for November 2014
In this latest Brussels Briefing on Energy viEUws.eu, leading energy journalist Hughes Belin provides anoverview of the latest EU energy policy developments: … [Read more...]
Europe’s nuclear future may hinge on UK’s Hinkley deal
The fate of future nuclear power projects in Europe could hinge on whether government-backed guarantees for Britain’s Hinkley Point C power station survive an expected challenge from Austria in Europe’s highest court. Analysts agree that large nuclear undertakings have become too costly and risky for private investors alone. For this reason many EU countries are backing the UK’s support for nuclear power. Timothy Spence reports from Vienna. … [Read more...]
Carefully prepared Cañete dogged by conflict of interest
The candidate for EU Climate and Energy Commissioner, Miguel Arias Cañete from Spain, demonstrated an impressive grasp of his subject matter at his hearing at the European Parliament on Wednesday night in Brussels. But he failed to answer repeated questions about his brother-in-law’s involvement in two oil-related companies. Today, his future hangs in the balance as he becomes a hostage in a fight between the Parliament’s different political … [Read more...]
“Everything depends on how much more Europeans are ready to pay for alternative sources of gas”
When he passed through Brussels recently, Russian researcher Andrei Belyi gave Energy Post his analysis of the crisis between Moscow and Brussels. For him, it’s a lose-lose situation, because he doubts the European sanctions will make Russia change tack on Ukraine, even if they are costing Moscow influence at international level, especially in negotiations with China. At the same time he questions whether European are prepared to pay for … [Read more...]
Team Juncker: EU unveils new Energy Commissioner(s)
Slovenia’s ex-Prime Minister Alenka Bratušek and Spanish ex-minister Miguel Arias Cañete have been nominated to lead EU energy policy in a new European Commission due to take office on 1 November. Incoming Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced Bratušek as Vice President for Energy Union and Cañete as Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy – yes the two portfolios are being merged – on 10 September in Brussels. Cañete is expected … [Read more...]
Brussels sets dangerous precedent by clearing UK capacity market
The European Commission has given the green light to a proposed UK capacity market that aims to ensure enough electricity is available to cover consumption at peak times. This is the Commission’s first assessment of a capacity market under new EU guidelines on energy and environment state aid that entered force on 1 July. The Commission says the aid is justified because it will contribute to the UK’s security of supply “without distorting … [Read more...]
European Commission spits forth a 30% energy efficiency target
Europe should adopt a 30% energy efficiency target for 2030, the European Commission finally announced on 23 July – without specifying whether that target should be binding or not. That decision it left to European leaders when they meet on 23-24 October. There, they are set to decide on a 2030 climate and energy package for Europe. But certainly for energy efficiency, the path is far from clear and any legislative follow-up is at least three … [Read more...]
Get this: Germany does not have generous subsidies for renewables
In an otherwise well-written and informative article on the recent decision by the EU Court of Justice on renewables policy, Energy Post repeats the unfounded notion that Germany has generous subsidies. This is wrong – and the difference matters: the German system of feed-in tariffs favours small companies and cooperatives. Now, the EU wants to kill feed-in tariffs, ostensibly because of the cost – but what’s at stake is freedom. … [Read more...]
Heat pumps: waiting for the final push
As gas faces a reputational challenge from Ukraine, electric heat pumps are emerging as a promising alternative source of heating. Heat pumps can also make an important contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Oddly enough, although heating and cooling accounts for 45% of the EU’s final energy consumption there is no EU-wide heating and cooling strategy. Some countries such as UK and Italy are introducing support for individual … [Read more...]
Ten take-home messages from the new European Energy Security Strategy
On 28 May the European Commission published a new energy security strategy for the EU that sets out a long list of short-, medium- and long-term actions to reduce dependence on Russian gas. These range from regional “stress tests” for supply disruptions to new priority gas infrastructure projects to serious examination of centralised gas purchases. For many however, it is energy efficiency that will make or break this strategy. Sonja van Renssen … [Read more...]
EU climate policy “in line” with 2050 goal – but what does that mean?
EU leaders agreed last week that the EU’s emissions reduction target for 2030 will be “fully in line with the agreed ambitious EU objective for 2050”. Sounds impressive, but the problem is that there are different views on the meaning of earlier European Council agreements. Therefore it’s still not clear what the EU’s 2030 climate target will look like, write Oliver Geden and Severin Fischer of the influential German Institute for International … [Read more...]
Energy innovation is key to EU 2030 goals
A narrative centred on the opportunities of low-carbon innovation rather than the costs of tackling climate change could yet unite stakeholders in the debate over a 2030 EU climate and energy policy. Technological and non-technological innovation are needed for Europe to create a competitive, secure, low-carbon future. At its first event in Brussels, held in partnership with Shell, Energy Post explored what kind of a 2030 package would do most … [Read more...]
EU leaders fail to connect Ukraine crisis to climate and energy policy
Decisions on a new European climate and energy policy for 2030 are relegated to autumn as heads of state are caught up in the Ukraine crisis. At their spring summit in Brussels, EU leaders gave centre stage to energy dependence. First climate change, then competitiveness, now security of supply: the shifting priorities of member states show that a holistic vision and policy for climate and energy is there on paper but not in practice. Sonja van … [Read more...]