Tag: electricity supply

Germany's decision to go non-nuclear, which has infuriated its neighbours, might one day appear as a blessing in disguise, says Eberhard Rhein.

The world's biggest aluminium producer, Alcoa, has halted production at its Italian plants in Sardinia and Veneto after the European Commission ordered the company to pay back what it considers as preferential electricity tariffs.

The electricity industry's call for subsidies to build new grid interconnections was dismissed as a misguided, 'one-size-fits-all' solution to creating an integrated EU energy market during a conference in Brussels yesterday (6 July).

A move by national electricity operators to set up a joint coordination centre to develop daily grid availability forecasts was applauded by the European Commission, which hopes similar collaboration will be repeated elsewhere in Europe.

The Green Group in the European Parliament is calling for renewable energies to be given a similar status to that given to coal or nuclear in the past under the Euratom or Coal and Steel Community Treaties, saying this is necessary to create a "paradigm shift" in favour of green energies.

The liberalisation of EU electricity markets is part of a wider move towards a common energy policy - EurActiv takes a closer look at the liberalisation drive, including power trading and challenges specific to the electricity sector.

With the price of crude oil hitting $100 per barrel, European citizens must prepare for large increases in gas and electricity bills in the coming weeks, with major companies in the UK and France already announcing plans to raise prices by as much as 27%.

Members of Parliament backed proposals from the Commission to split up large integrated energy firms such as France's EDF and Germany's E.ON, saying that this would be the best way to create an efficient internal market for gas and electricity.

Speaking to EurActiv.fr, MEP Anne Laperrouze (ALDE/UDF) highlights the problems posed by the liberalisation of energy markets, and insists that the Union must maintain European 'energy champions'.

The European Commission has slapped a record 750 million euro fine on a group of heavy power-gear suppliers, including Germany's Siemens AG, in a bid to secure genuine competition in EU electricity markets.

Researchers at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL) look at worldwide liberalisation initiatives in the electricity industry and comparatively assess the potential for further development of the European Internal Electricity Market (IEM).

National energy regulators from the 25 EU member states have launched a public consultation to improve information and transparency on electricity markets for large industrial consumers.

The Parliament has voted to triple funds allocated to gas and electricity transmission projects to cater for an expanding European energy market after enlargement. Neighbouring countries including Russia and Turkey are also part of the plans.

In its general approach to the proposals on the security of electricity supply, the Energy Council has reduced the Commission's power in decisions on infrastructure investments.