“When it comes to energy security in the long term, there is no better antidote than focusing on sustainable energy,” said EU Climate and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete at the launch of a new EU energy security master plan in Brussels on 16 February. The Commission defended its proposals – which focus on safeguarding gas supplies – as an aid to moving Europe along to a low-carbon economy as well as preparing it for possible supply … [Read more...]
High time for a Western oil strategy
This is an ideal time for Western governments to put in place a strategy to ensure that oil will no longer lead us into war, writes Frank Vogl, co-founder of Transparency International. But a “Clean Trade Act” as advocated by Leif Weinar in his impressive new book on oil dictatorships won’t work. Better to proceed on a case-by-case basis. Courtesy The Globalist. … [Read more...]
How Russia can make Nord Stream-2 acceptable to the EU
The financial viability of Gazprom’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline may be threatened if the EU imposes restrictions on its use, as many EU Member States advocate. According to Danila Bochkarev, Senior Fellow, EastWest Institute in Brussels, the Russian government could circumvent this hurdle if it allows independent Russia gas producers, such as Novatek and Rosneft, to use 50% of its capacity. Such a move, not unlikely, could usher in a new Russian gas … [Read more...]
Behavioural change could deliver half of industry energy saving potential
Expert studies show that there is still vast untapped energy efficiency potential of up to 25% in European heavy industry. Moreover around half of that, or 10-15%, could be delivered through behavioural change at zero capital cost. So far, the EU has mandated energy audits for large companies, but not application of their results. Energy Post looks at how a new heating and cooling strategy due on 16 February and a review of the EU’s energy … [Read more...]
Cost of capital for renewables varies hugely across EU
It is much more expensive to undertake onshore wind projects in some European countries than others, according to the first-ever study of these costs for the entire EU-28. The EU-funded “Diacore” project finds moreover that market actors single out the design and reliability of renewable support schemes as the single biggest risk (after generic country risk) driving up the cost of capital. Best practice policy design could cut support costs for … [Read more...]
Carbon capture and storage comeback must focus on industry not energy
Since the Paris climate agreement and its ambitious resolve to keep global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial temperatures, a number of influential publications have been declaring the death of carbon capture and storage (CCS). But critics fail to make a distinction between CCS for power plants and for industrial manufacturing, writes Charles Digges of the Norwegian NGO Bellona. CCS is the only way to substantially reduce industrial emissions. … [Read more...]
Renewable energy demand in Europe reaches record levels
The demand for renewable electricity in Europe based on Guarantees of Origin (GO) validated by the European EECS standard continued to grow in 2015. The growth is up more than 8% from 2014 and surpassed 340 TWh, reports ECOZH, a Norwegian renewable energy supplier. … [Read more...]
Why it’s so difficult to reduce CO2 emissions
There are a number of factors that make it systematically difficult to reduce CO2 emissions, writes Jilles van den Beukel, a geophysicist and former geoscientist for Shell. He argues that we should not approach the climate problem dogmatically but keep all options on the table, including drastic changes in lifestyle and geoengineering solutions. … [Read more...]
EXCLUSIVE: EU paints challenging picture of Europe’s nuclear future
In a leaked draft document obtained by Energy Post, the European Commission outlines the investments in the EU nuclear industry that it believes are needed out to 2050. The document, originally announced for last year, but off the table again for February, paints a challenging picture for the European nuclear industry. €450-550 billion will have to be spent on new plants and lifetime extensions, costs of decommissioning and waste management are … [Read more...]
Record increase renewables in Europe, but emissions stay level
2015 saw a record 2.5% increase in renewables generation in Europe, which now makes up 29% of total European electricity supply,reports UK think tank Sandbag. However, as a result of lower output from hydropower and nuclear power stations, the amount of fossil fuel generation barely changed. CO2-emissions from the power sector fell only 0.5% after a 7.5% fall in 2014, but according to Sandbag this year will see a rapid fall again. … [Read more...]
Whatever happened to electricity market liberalisation?
In the EU, and the UK in particular, the liberalisation of the electricity market is rapidly being reversed and replaced by old-fashioned command-and-control policies, writes Carlo Stagnaro, Senior Fellow of the Italian free market think tank Istituto Bruno Leoni. One of the main reasons for this reversal are interventionist climate policies. According to Stagnaro, who has a new book out on energy liberalisation, this trend will lead to … [Read more...]
EU takes on gas in first battle for European Energy Union
The European Commission is heading for a full-on confrontation with Member States with a new set of proposals on gas security of supply: Â a fresh attempt by Brussels to impose a truly European policy. According to leaked drafts obtained by Energy Post, the Commission will demand more oversight on gas deals with foreign countries and suppliers, and look to replace national gas policies with regional ones. There will also be a first-ever LNG and … [Read more...]
viEUws VIDEO: Top 5 EU energy priorities for next 6 months
In this special briefing, energy journalist Hughes Belin picks out the top 5 energy issues that will be discussed by the European institutions in the next six months, under the Dutch EU Presidency. 1. Gas supply: In February, the Commission is due to launch a review of the regulation on security of gas supply and of its sister regulation on security of electricity supply. The Commission will also review the EU’s information exchange mechanism … [Read more...]
How realistic is the UK government’s promise to phase out coal?
The conservative UK government boosted its climate credentials last year with its promise that all coal plants will be shut down by 2025. However, notes Mike Parr of consultancy PWR, this ignores certain inconvenient facts that will make delivery of this promise unlikely. … [Read more...]
Gasland EU: upcoming energy security package is all about gas
The European Commission’s first big energy initiative in 2016 will be a “winter package” on energy security, due in February. This will revise EU legislation on security of supply for gas and electricity, propose to give the Commission a greater role in international gas buying deals and set out new strategies for LNG and energy storage, and heating and cooling. Sonja van Renssen explains what’s at stake. … [Read more...]
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