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How to tax renewable energy firms for windfall profits from high wholesale electricity prices

January 9, 2023 by IEA

Should windfall taxes be imposed on renewable energy firms that have benefitted from the current high electricity prices caused by the increases in oil, gas and coal prices triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? If so, how, and how much? The IEA has conducted a study of the EU to try to uncover who has (and hasn’t) made extraordinary profits, and how much. Up front they say this is difficult to do as the majority of installed renewable … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Renewables Tagged With: CFD, electricity, Europe, FIP, FIT, Greece, Hungary, hydro, IEA, investment, Italy, profits, renewables, Romania, Russia, solar, spain, taxes, Ukraine, wind, windfall

Distribution Grid Digitalisation – benefits, policy, cost & funding

December 14, 2022 by Gridspertise

About a third of European grids are over 40 years old. A rapid physical overhaul would be impossible, so the addition of a layer of digital technologies is the key to preparing them for the distributed and intermittent generation from renewable sources, the increased electricity demand from transportation, heat pumps and other sectors, and for ensuring energy efficiency at all levels. It’s why the EC expects about €584bn of investment in Europe’s … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Grids Tagged With: DER, Digitalisation, efficiency, Enel, EU, Europe, EVs, grids, Gridspertise, HeatPumps, investment, Italy, SmartMeters, solar, spain

Europe’s decoupling of electricity and gas prices: the crisis is temporary, so why do it?

September 30, 2022 by Simona Benedettini and Carlo Stagnaro

The debate is intensifying over how to decouple power prices from the extraordinarily high natural gas prices in Europe. Simona Benedettini and Carlo Stagnaro warn that the current problem of high prices is not caused by the mis-functioning of electricity markets, but by the exceptional trend in gas prices. So should the markets be re-designed at all? Will we lose the benefits of the current design, one being the reliable profits that renewables … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Oil, Gas & Coal, Policies, Renewables Tagged With: caps, decoupling, EC, electricity, EU, Europe, gas, Greece, Italy, markets, Portugal, power, prices, Russia, spain, subsidies, Ukraine

EU Solar has avoided 20bcm of gas imports and saved €29bn

September 26, 2022 by Paweł Czyżak

Solar generation in the EU has avoided the import of 20bcm of gas that would have cost €29bn, explains Paweł Czyżak at Ember, writing for Carbon Brief. The new solar power added since 2021 alone avoided €6bn of gas imports. Record EU solar generation increased by 28% in the summer of 2022, compared with the same period a year earlier. And it’s growing very quickly, with a consistent 15% year-on-year increases in installed solar capacity – from … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Renewables Tagged With: costs, EU, gas, Germany, imports, Netherlands, Poland, renewables, solar, spain, Ukraine

As spot market electricity prices break all records, what is the prediction for winter?

September 13, 2022 by Simon Göss

Spot market prices for electricity have been breaking all records, as European leaders and their ministers intensify their discussions on how to deal with the crisis. Simon Göss at cr.hub, writing for Energy Brainpool, starts by explaining how the markets work, noting that price rises are indeed being driven by fossil prices and not CO2 certificates. Göss looks at how prices have climbed in Germany, France, the Baltics and Spain, and how the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Oil, Gas & Coal, Policies Tagged With: baltics, coal, demand, electricity, EU, Europe, France, gas, Germany, imports, LNG, markets, Nuclear, prices, Russia, spain, Ukraine, winter

Our Hydrogen future: 27 authors imagine the world in 2030-2050

February 15, 2022 by Erik Rakhou

Here’s something very different for our readers today, and an opportunity for you to register for our Webinar and Q&A on Wednesday Feb 16th at 09:00 CET (register here). It’s to mark the book launch of “Touching Hydrogen Future”, where 27 energy experts from around the world have written a chapter each. They are fictional accounts of what our world could like in the near future. The countries covered are the Netherlands (2029), Denmark … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Hydrogen Tagged With: australia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Denmark, electrolysers, France, Germany, Greece, hydrogen, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, pathways, Peru, Romania, Russia, scenarios, SouthAfrica, spain, Sweden, transition, turkey, UAE, UK, Ukraine, Uruguay, US, Uzbekistan

Buildings: France and Flanders lead on decarbonising new builds

January 20, 2022 by Clare Taylor

Buildings are responsible for 36% of total EU carbon emissions. So, since the start of 2021 European legislation requires all new buildings to be ‘nearly zero energy’. The frontrunners are France and Flanders in Belgium, according to a new report from the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE), writes Clare Taylor. Both jurisdictions have plans for phasing out fossil fuels in new buildings within five years. Taylor explains how Flanders … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buildings, Energy Tagged With: Belgium, biogas, buildings, construction, DistrictHeating, efficiency, embodied, emissions, Flanders, France, Germany, HeatPumps, HVAC, Italy, JustTransition, Poland, renewables, solar, spain

Concern over auto job losses as Europe transitions to EVs

October 22, 2021 by Benjamin Wehrmann and Sören Amelang

The state premier of Lower Saxony, home of Volkswagen, says he would not tolerate a large-scale reduction in staff at Germany’s largest carmaker. There is talk of axing 30,000 VW jobs nationwide, though messages have been mixed. Benjamin Wehrmann and Sören Amelang at Clean Energy Wire look at the latest news, then summarise the implications of the EV transition for the auto industry across Europe. Highlights include the observation that a Tesla … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Transport and energy Tagged With: Czech Republic, EU, EVs, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, jobs, Poland, Romania, spain, suppliers, Tesla, transport, UK, VW

Clean transport in Europe: key trends to watch out for

October 11, 2021 by Thomas Earl

T&E’s quarterly trends series gives a snapshot of the key developments that will define the future of clean transport in Europe. And what Europe does – given it wants to lead this field – should influence what happens worldwide. T&E’s Thomas Earl brings attention to four issues. First, proven progress in this major sector makes it a contender for a significant role in Europe’s new industrial strategy. It ranges from battery and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Transport and energy Tagged With: batteries, carmakers, charging, Czech, EU, Europe, EVs, France, Germany, Italy, LNG, manufacturing, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, spain, subsidies, transport, trucks, UK

Fit for 55: Does squeeze on gas make coal exit harder? Event summary + video

May 26, 2021 by Matthew James

On May 18, 2021, Energy Post hosted an expert panel with the European Commission, E3G, CERRE and PKEE (the Polish Electricity Association, who also sponsored the discussion). It looked at some of the key EU support mechanisms offered to countries/companies transitioning away from coal, including the EU ETS' Modernisation Fund, the Just Transition Fund  and also how State Aid Guidelines (EEAG) contribute. We asked Stefaan Vergote (Senior Advisor … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Events, Expert Panel Tagged With: biomass, CarbonPrice, CEE, coal, Czechia, EEAG, EU, EUETS, gas, Germany, grids, Hungary, jobs, lignite, MMF, ModernisationFund, NRRP, Nuclear, Poland, Slovakia, spain, UK

Coal exit: EU policy revisions must face both tech and socioeconomic obstacles

April 20, 2021 by Pieter de Pous

By 2030, the EU must cut its emissions by at least 55% compared to 1990 levels. Agreeing on the target was hard enough. Much harder will be agreeing on the design of the rules, regulations and financial support needed to achieve it. Pieter de Pous at E3G scopes out the major decline already experienced by coal - the worst emitting energy source - before looking at the challenges faced by heavy coal users in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Oil, Gas & Coal Tagged With: CarbonPrice, CEE, coal, Czechia, EEAG, EU, EUETS, Germany, grids, Hungary, lignite, ModernisationFund, Poland, Slovakia, spain, UK

Coal regions are ideally suited for utility-scale Wind, Solar and jobs

December 14, 2020 by Elif Gündüzyeli and Jörg Mühlenhoff

Over 15% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU come from coal-fired energy generation. 18 EU countries still use coal for electricity production. The argument goes that the phasing out of coal threatens the livelihoods of coal workers and their regional economy. But it should be the opposite, argue Elif Gündüzyeli and Jörg Mühlenhoff at CAN Europe. Coal regions are ideally suited for new gigawatt-scale wind and solar. They already have the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Oil, Gas & Coal, Renewables Tagged With: coal, electricity, Germany, infrastructure, jobs, JustTransition, Poland, Romania, rooftopsolar, solar, spain, wind

Global Coal Database: Covid lockdown may accelerate phase-out

July 22, 2020 by Chris Littlecott and Leo Roberts

E3G has created a database to track coal’s phase-out across the globe. Though much has been achieved, dating back to 2010, it’s still not on target. Chris Littlecott and Leo Roberts at E3G look at the data from different territories. The OECD and EU28 have made very good progress: 71% of these countries are pursuing coal phase-out, with 58% on track to be coal free by 2030. The article points at successes in the US, the UK, Spain and Germany … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Oil, Gas & Coal Tagged With: China, coal, Covid, emissions, EU, Germany, Japan, OECD, spain, turkey, UK, US

EU needs clear European Green and Solidarity Pact by September

April 24, 2020 by Marc-Antoine Eyl-Mazzega

Stark predictions around the unprecedented economic challenges facing Europe (and the world) are starting to take shape. The possible solutions must keep pace with them. Here, Marc-Antoine Eyl-Mazzega at the IFRI Centre for Energy & Climate lays out those challenges and robust policy answers that can keep us on a net-zero emissions track while stimulating economies, creating jobs, and maintaining social justice. It’s no surprise that there is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Investment, Policies Tagged With: coronabonds, Coronavirus, ETS, EU, Europe, Germany, GreenDeal, Italy, JustTransition, oil, solar, SolidarityPact, spain, stimulus

Utilities can help their central banks, “loaning” electricity during the slump

April 3, 2020 by Catherine Wolfram

The coronavirus slump is forcing governments around the world to inject large amounts of cash into the hands of consumers and businesses, until this is all over. In the U.S. it’s $2tn. Catherine Wolfram at the Haas School of Business suggests a way to cut that bill, easing the pressure on central bankers. Utilities (electricity, water, gas) should allow customers to defer payment (instead of using valuable bailout money to pay the utilities). The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Policies Tagged With: Coronavirus, electricity, Italy, policies, regulators, spain, US, utilities

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      Wind (and Solar) need their own Financial Transmission Rights to hedge their unique congestion risks

      The U.S. should support the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

      Utah: 140MW Geothermal bid can beat the cost and performance of the proposed Nuclear SMR

      Make Hydrogen in developing nations: share prosperity while meeting our climate goals

      Smart Glasses: experts can monitor and advise on power plant inspections anywhere in the world

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