Tag: energy

Investments in information and communication technologies (ICT) are set to double by 2020 across the European Union, to match consumers' ever-growing hunger for online services. But this also comes at a cost for the environment in terms of electricity consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. The European Commission is now openly asking itself whether the industry should be regulated.

Fuel consumption could be halved in 20 years' time if the right policies are put in place, despite an expected doubling in the number of cars in circulation worldwide, according to the International Energy Agency.

The meaningful energy labelling of household heating boilers is being gutted behind the scenes, green campaigners have warned, saying this could undermine the EU's 2020 target to cut energy consumption by 20%.

Industry is waiting for national energy regulators in each member state to decide how to distribute the costs involved in the roll-out of smart meters, which could fall on consumers, depending on each market's 'peculiarities', John Harris, of smart metering company Landis+Gyr, told EurActiv.

The European Commission is likely to draw a benchmark report on the costs and benefits of smart meters by mid-2013 and urge member states to inform it as soon as possible of their assessments and roll-out plans.

The European Commission wants to enforce the EU's single energy market laws "as a matter of priority", according to a draft communication that states the EU Executive's determination to create a barrier-free market-place, which has angered dominant gas supplier Russia.

European biofuel mandates are unlikely to deliver a significant reduction and could even increase greenhouse gas emissions unless land use factors are considered, says a study by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT).

Russia told impoverished Moldova yesterday (12 September) to choose between low-priced gas from Russia and its pledge to adopt European energy liberalisation measures opposed by Moscow, which is girding for a conflict with Europe over natural gas.

The EU tightened the energy efficiency thumbscrew by one notch yesterday (11 September), when the European Parliament plenary threw its weight behind the new Energy Efficiency Directive, negotiated before the summer break with EU member states.

Russia's Atomstroyexport is seeking €1 billion in compensation following Bulgaria’s decision to shelve plans for building the Belene nuclear power station near the River Danube. Dnevnik, EurActiv's partner publication in Bulgaria, reports.

The British government has no intention of raising VAT on energy efficiency products from 5% to 20%, bypassing a ruling of the European Commission that urged London to bring its legislation into line or be sued in the EU Court of Justice. Some MEPs are joining the UK in its cause, calling the Commission's ruling "complete nonsense".

A leading British academic has called for accelerated research into futuristic geo-engineering and a worldwide nuclear power station "binge" to avoid runaway global warming.

Tough new regulations could be slapped on the shale gas industry if the EU acts upon legislative and environmental failings identified in its most comprehensive analysis yet of the sector, due to be released today [7 September].

The European Commission has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into the import of Chinese solar panels and key components such as solar cells and solar wafers, a Commission statement said on Thursday (6 September).

The European Commission is investigating the Russian energy giant Gazprom for allegedly hindering competition in Central and Eastern European gas markets, in breach of EU antitrust rules. 

Chancellor Angela Merkel says Germany has no interest in starting a trade war with Beijing over solar exports to Europe, but stressed in recent remarks that China must take action to address distortions to fair competition in the sector.

Hungary's plan to nationalise E.ON is the latest instance of the Orbán administration's efforts to consolidate control over the country's energy and utilities sector. The operation is expected to cost nearly €2 billion at a time of challenging economic problems for the country, writes Stratfor.

A struggling German solar business has been bought by a South Korean firm as the appetite of Asian companies for their western rivals shows no sign of letting up.

Russia’s Gazprom and the Bulgarian government have reached a deal under which Bulgaria will commit to the developing the South Stream pipeline while simultaneously signing a long-term pricing agreement for Russian natural gas.

The UK has created a €20 million fund for small and medium businesses to help them switch to low-carbon technologies. 

EU countries must be consistent in the energy-efficiency measures they implement, because a fragmented Europe could lose ground in the competition with other global players such as China, GE's Horst-Tore Land says in an interview with EurActiv.

Hungary expects “a big debate” with the European Union over its plans to transform energy distribution in the household sector into a "non-profit activity", the country’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said today (22 August). In Brussels, the European Commission declined to comment, saying it learnt of the plans from the press.

The Nabucco West project still has a chance of winning the contest to transport gas from Azerbaijan to European countries, even after a rival consortium signed a funding deal, an executive of the country's state oil firm said.

Belgium’s nuclear regulator has questioned the safety of the Electrabel-operated Doel 3 reactor due to cracks in the pressure vessels that have already forced the shutdown of a similar unit at the Tihange nuclear plant.