European leaders agreed new climate and energy targets for 2030 of “at least” 40% greenhouse gas emission reductions, 27% renewables and 27% energy efficiency at a summit in Brussels on 23 October. Central and Eastern European countries led by Poland succeeded in getting substantial financial concessions in return for signing up to the package. Stakeholder reaction ranged from bitter disappointment among NGOs and energy efficiency advocates to … [Read more...]
Understanding the Polish anti-climate crusade
However much the Polish Government says the EU can’t commit to higher emissions reduction without similar efforts by its other big economies, only naĂŻve western-European negotiators would believe this is the reason for Poland’s anti-climate position. The 2030 climate and energy package will be unwelcome in Poland as long as coal drives our politics, argue Marcin Stoczkiewicz and llona JÄ™drasik of the Polish NGO ClientEarth. … [Read more...]
Brussels gives first glimpse of what it means by “Energy Union”
Career diplomat Maroš Ĺ efÄŤoviÄŤ from Slovakia gave the first glimpse of what the EU's "Energy Union" may look like during his hearing at the European Parliament on Monday night for the post of Europe’s Vice President Energy Union. Ĺ efÄŤoviÄŤ believes in common purchasing of gas and the Southern Corridor (but opposes South Stream), regards the internal market as the backbone of the Energy Union, supports the UK’s state aid to the nuclear power plant … [Read more...]
Cleantech innovation in Europe: the pace is picking up
The pace of innovation in the European energy sector is stepping up. “Energy is no longer seen as a commodity that simply needs to be there. It is perceived as a challenge for which solutions need to be found”, says Elena Bou, Innovation Director of KIC InnoEnergy, a top European company in the field of sustainable energy innovation, in an interview with Energy Post. According to Bou, successful innovation begins with “asking the right … [Read more...]
Analysis: “EU can cut natural gas imports by half, achieve 49% carbon reductions”
By ramping up cost-effective investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency the European Union can cut its dependency on natural gas imports in half, according to a new analysis. Carbon reductions of 49% or more could be achieved below the 1990 level by 2030 – far more than currently proposed. The study Increasing the EU’s Energy Independence: A No-Regrets Strategy for Energy Security and Climate Change was written by international … [Read more...]
The great EU climate and energy test: European leaders need deal that will convince the world
On 23 October EU leaders will meet to agree the foundations of an EU climate and energy policy for 2030. They need to settle on four targets: greenhouse gas emission reductions, renewables, energy efficiency, and – the most recent addition – interconnections. But even more: they will have to convince markets and policymakers across the world that the EU has a credible climate and energy strategy to offer. Sonja van Renssen explains the ins and … [Read more...]
Solar power to the people
The spectacular global growth of solar PV is one of the big energy stories of today. And it may well become the energy story of the 21st Century. Where did the solar revolution “suddenly”come from? And where will it take us? One of the pioneers of the sector, Peter F. Varadi, co-founder of what was once the biggest solar PV producer in the world, Solarex, has written a unique history of his company and that of solar PV. He also looks ahead to … [Read more...]
Brussels reveals: public support for renewables hardly different from non-renewables
For the first time ever, the EU Commission has mapped out how much public money flows to the energy sector in Europe and where it goes. According to a new report prepared by consultancy Ecofys, Europe spent €113 billion on energy subsidies in 2012. Remarkably, public support for coal is equal to that of onshore wind and total support for renewables is not much higher than for non-renewables. Also remarkably, the estimated “levelised costs” for … [Read more...]
EU Commission issues interim report on energy subsidies and costs
The functioning of energy markets and the size and effect of government interventions has been the subject of debate for years. To date however, a consolidated dataset for government interventions in the power market of the European Union has been missing. This is why the European Commission has commissioned a study that aims at helping to close the knowledge gap by quantifying the extent of public interventions in energy markets in all 28 Member … [Read more...]
Energy storage: stormy growth but no one-size-fits-all solution
The debate over which energy storage technology will prove to be the best in the long-term is misguided, argues Chris Dalby of Oilprice.com. There will be no one-size-fits-all winner. He discusses some of the latest developments in energy storage, which show that different situations will lead to different solutions. … [Read more...]
Hinkley Point C: the EU energy market will not be the same after this
The European Commission has, to the outrage of many, given a historic green light to an unprecedented ÂŁ34 billion (€43 billion) state aid package for nuclear power in the UK, the first case of its kind in Europe. Energy Post’s Brussels correspondent Sonja van Renssen discusses the case .- and the many questions that it raises about the EU’s energy policy and the internal market. … [Read more...]
Italian EU Presidency falls down on energy policy
With a final decision on the 2030 framework for EU climate and energy policy approaching, and a highly unstable international energy situation, the Italian Presidency of the EU should focus squarely on energy. However, the Italian energy effort is vague, focused on the short term and fails to initiate the measures the EU and Italy need to solve the energy and climate crisis, writes energy journalist and economist Lorenzo Colantoni. … [Read more...]
Europe’s new VP for Energy Union shows little knowledge of energy
Slovenia’s Alenka Bratušek was condemned as vague, bland and ignorant of key energy issues at her hearing at the European Parliament on Monday afternoon. Bratušek, who from November is meant to lead Europe’s energy negotiations with Russia and take on a global climate deal, failed to convince MEPs she had the skills or integrity to become the EU’s new “Vice President for Energy Union”. … [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...]
IEA: Solar costs heading to 4c/kWh, rooftop solar “unbeatable”
The traditionally conservative International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts the cost of solar energy will fall to around 4c/kWh in coming decades as the sun becomes the largest source of power generation across the world. The latest “Solar Roadmap” published by the IEA on Monday shows that the speed with which solar is reaching “socket parity” has taken the world by surprise, writes Giles Parkinson of Reneweconomy.com.au. … [Read more...]
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