Vested interests are frustrating the spread of demand response solutions in several EU countries, most of all in Germany, says a senior expert from a leading demand response service provider. According to this expert, established utilities fear demand response solutions because they compete with their own power plants that have traditionally offered flexibility. However, utilities are also increasingly developing their own demand response skills, … [Read more...]
Four reasons Jeremy Corbyn’s innovative energy policy is no 80s throwback
What would be the energy policy of a UK Labour government under Jeremy Corbyn, its newly elected leader? Citing Corbyn’s recently published manifesto, Protecting Our Planet, Stephen Hall, Research Fellow at the University of Leeds, argues that it would be anything but a throwback to the past. On the contrary, it meets the issues of today in innovative and practical ways. … [Read more...]
The Urgenda judgment: a “victory” for the climate that is likely to backfire
The Dutch government has decided to appeal the widely publicised “Urgenda” ruling from the district court in The Hague, ordering the Netherlands to step up its climate change actions. According to Lucas Bergkamp, Partner at Hunton & Williams and Emeritus Professor of International Environmental Liability Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam, there are good reasons why we should hope that the court of appeals will overturn the ruling. According … [Read more...]
How are YOU dealing with the energy transition?
In a new blog hosted by Energy Post, POWER TALK, Ph.D-researcher Hendrik Steringa reports on his quest to find out how energy companies are dealing with the energy transition. He conducts in-depth interviews with company professionals as well as with the people they have to deal with: policymakers, NGO's, academics, lobbyists. What do they really think? What are their real strategies? You can participate in this project too! … [Read more...]
Big energy companies take control of Dutch wind energy association NWEA
In January this year the Guardian reported that big European energy companies like Total, Iberdrola, EON and Enel, are increasingly taking control of renewable energy lobby groups like the European wind energy association EWEA. In the Netherlands a similar process is taking place in Dutch wind energy association NWEA. Hendrik Steringa spoke with a senior professional in the Dutch wind energy sector who explains what is going on – and what the … [Read more...]
Top 5 EU energy priorities for rest of 2015
In this video for viEUws – the EU Policy Broadcaster – Hughes Belin introduces the top 5 energy issues that will be discussed by the EU institutions under the Luxembourg EU Presidency (Luxembourg took over the rotating 6-month presidency in July). … [Read more...]
The EU’s climate strategy for Paris: recipe for another failure?
The European Commission has proposed a strategy for the Paris climate talks that includes the aim of achieving a “Paris Protocol”. According to Susanne Dröge and Oliver Geden of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin, this strategy does not take into account the new global context of the negotiations. They urge the EU to drop the word “protocol”, consider how to align the international process with internal EU … [Read more...]
EU kicks off final phase of controversial carbon market reform
On 15 July, the European Commission unveiled its long-awaited proposals for a deep and meaningful reform of Europe’s carbon market from 2021-30. It neatly turns into law political decisions by EU heads of state and government last October. NGOs have lambasted it for lack of ambition while industry is screaming blue murder about a declining pot of free carbon allowances. Welcome to the start of a two-year battle that is probably the last chance … [Read more...]
RWE sets up its lignite plants for a taxpayer bail-out
German utility RWE has kept uneconomic lignite plants open with the explicit intention of securing a public bail-out, argue Julian Schwartzkopff, Chris Littlecott and Sabrina Schulz at E3G. It would apear the energy giant has taken a bet on being “too big to fail” that might just pay off: RWE is set to be the biggest beneficiary of a new 2.7GW capacity reserve in Germany which will pay lignite plants for going on standby. The alternative, a … [Read more...]
Europe’s gas demand is falling. Doesn’t anybody notice?
Gas demand has consistently been overestimated by EU bodies in recent years, write Dave Jones of Sandbag and Jonathan Gaventa and Manon Dufour of E3G. Even today, with gas demand at its lowest since 1995, the possibility of lower future demand is hardly taken into account. As a result, the EU‘s energy security strategy, focused on sourcing more gas, may be misguided. In addition, infrastructure investment may be wasted. Time for a reality check. … [Read more...]
All at sea! UK government is putting future offshore wind at risk
The UK's energy security will increasingly depend on large scale offshore wind power, write Ian Broadbent and Peter Strachan. But while energy secretary Amber Rudd talked the sector up in a recent speech, she revealed feeble ambition. Worse, with its premature cutbacks on onshore wind, and its obsession with nuclear power, the government is undermining confidence among investors. … [Read more...]
EU electricity market redesign: a protean moment
The EU is on the verge of a full redesign of its electricity market. Market rules need to be updated to the reality of a much more decentralised system where renewables and the consumer are king. This is the essential next step in the European energy transition. It is an opportunity for policymakers to shape the future. What will they do? Based on leaked documents and conversations with Brussels insiders, Sonja van Renssen explains what choices … [Read more...]
Lignite in Europe: fighting back renewables
With an output of 350 million tonnes, four EU countries – Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Greece – account for over a third of the world’s lignite production. Renewable energies have cut into their profitability, but lignite producers are fighting back with increased deliveries and exports to third-party customers. In addition, they avoid CO2 penalties under the EU Emission Trading Scheme by building plants below the 20 MW threshold. … [Read more...]
On the road: EU goes for efficient and electric, ponders biofuels
The European Commission’s strategy for decarbonising the road transport sector is finally taking shape: Brussels wants efficiency first, electrification second. But it doesn't know what to do about biofuels. “There is no appetite for [new] targets”, says Commission Director Marie Donnelly. Sonja van Renssen takes us on the bumpy road to a climate-friendly European transport sector. … [Read more...]
Dimitri Pescia, Agora Energiewende: “No more baseload in 2030, no case for new nuclear in Europe”
There will be no more baseload power in Germany in 2030 and possibly not anywhere in Europe. There is no business case for new nuclear power in Europe. Renewables, not thermal power, should get capacity payments - and be responsible for balancing. These are some of the explosive messages from a new report from the influential German think tank Agora Energiewende, which represents government, industry and NGO's. In an exclusive interview with … [Read more...]
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