Electricity
Baltics step closer to plugging into EU power grid, ending dependence on Russia
Three EU Baltic states on Thursday (13 May) took a big step toward accessing the bloc's power grid, a move intended to end energy dependence on Russia dating back to the Soviet era.
Energy security: Poland’s chief priority in the coal transition
The Turów coal mine and power plant complex is “strategic for ensuring the energy security of Poland,” says PGE, the state-owned enterprise at the centre of a dispute with the Czech Republic over the extension of mining operations there.
France trailing behind EU renewable energy goals
The European Union is expected to soon raise its renewable energy target for 2030, and France, which has already largely missed its 2020 goal, could have difficulties in meeting the new objective. EURACTIV France reports.
Greece confirms last coal plant will be shut in 2025
“We are saying goodbye to the coal age,” Greece’s energy state secretary told EURACTIV following last week's announcement that the country’s last lignite plant will be shut down in 2025, three years earlier than planned.
Pipe dream: alleviating energy poverty with hydrogen
Europe must not allow the push to tackle energy poverty to be derailed by the mirage of heating homes with hydrogen. Instead, the EU should focus on energy efficiency and financial support for poor households to switch to clean energy, write Jan Rosenow and Louise Sunderland.
Is the EU ETS getting it right?
The EU ETS is our main climate policy tool that allows for emission reductions and it has been a solid pillar of EU climate policy. One of the things we are constantly told is that you will be rewarded for...
MEP Canfin: The French hard line on nuclear is a dead end
The hard line defended by France over the inclusion of nuclear power in the green finance taxonomy is a dead end because there is no majority in favour of it at the EU level, warns lawmaker Pascal Canfin. Instead, the French MEP argues for including nuclear energy in the 'transition' category.
Gas overtakes lignite as Europe’s largest source of power emissions
Gas power plants overtook lignite in 2020 to become the EU's single largest source of power sector emissions, according to fresh analysis from energy think tank Ember.
Deployment of EU electric vehicle charging stations too slow, auditors say
The European Union's deployment of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles is not quick enough to meet the bloc's targets, EU auditors said on Tuesday (13 April).
Don’t weaken sustainability criteria for green hydrogen, renewable groups tell Commission
Europe should support high sustainability standards for clean hydrogen in its green finance rules, argue a group of 24 renewable energy companies and industry bodies in a letter sent to the European Commission on Wednesday (31 March).
Macron, Orban urge EU to ‘actively support’ nuclear power
A group of seven European leaders fronted by French President Emmanuel Macron has called on the European Commission to stop hindering nuclear power and consider ways of bringing atomic energy into the EU’s green finance rule book ahead of an EU summit on Thursday (25 March).
Europe has overtaken China on electric cars. Three roadblocks stand in the way
Europe had a strong head start in electric cars in 2020, but the roadblocks of weak regulation, road cap-and-trade system and – above all – detour into e-fuels all stand in the way of Europe's ambition on zero emissions mobility, writes Julia Poliscanova.
Greek power utility forges ahead with corporate green financing
Greece's Public Power Corp. (PPC), the country's biggest energy company, has surpassed expectations with its first-ever green bond. The energy utility also broke new ground at EU level by committing to pay investors a higher fee if it misses its climate goals, EURACTIV.gr reports.
EU taxonomy shutting the door to grid-powered hydrogen, critics say
A coalition of industrialists and electricity companies have expressed concerns about a draft emission threshold below which hydrogen would be considered “green” under the EU’s sustainable finance taxonomy.
LEAK: EU considers expanding role of gas in green finance
The European Commission is reconsidering the position of gas in its sustainable finance taxonomy by recognising the fossil fuel’s role in keeping the lights on during peak electricity demand, according to a leaked document seen by EURACTIV.
Unlocking electrification through rebalancing levies and taxes
The EU needs to look at rebalancing taxes and levies on electricity to match falls in its carbon intensity and incentivise people to transition to more environmentally friendly energy, writes Jan Rosenow.
New energy labels: the energy transition starts at home
As of 1 March, consumers will find new, revamped labels on dishwashers, washing machines, fridges and televisions. But to reach our climate ambitions, the European Commission must introduce A-G dedicated energy labels for all products responsible for high energy consumption, write Mélissa Zill and Jean-Pierre Schweitzer.
Texas power outage: lessons from the EU regulators’ perspective
The devastating events in Texas show the potential energy security risks of extreme weather, but also the benefit of the interconnected European energy grid, writes Christian Zinglersen.
Real-life drama: lessons for Europe from a Texas tragedy
The unprecedented freeze in Texas that left over a million people without heating has been seized upon for political gain, but there are lessons that Europe can learn from this, writes Michael Hogan.
Wind provided 16% of EU electricity in 2020, despite COVID delays
Wind energy provided 16.4% of EU and UK power in 2020, bringing the industry closer to its objective of producing 50% of the bloc's total electricity by 2050. But permitting issues, lockdowns and changing regulations threaten to slow down further deployment, the industry warns.
Leapfrogging gas: how geothermal could help eastern EU countries ditch fossil fuels
Geothermal energy could help central and eastern Europe break away from coal and gas, but it needs a quicker uptake and government backing to help meet renewable energy targets, advocates say.
Lawmakers call for ‘nuclear renaissance’ to support EU’s energy transition
Renewables will not be enough for Europe to meet its 2050 climate neutrality goal, says a coalition of centrist and conservative MEPs. Instead, the EU will need a nuclear renaissance to achieve it, they argue, referring to a fresh study on the EU’s climate policy.
Fleet electrification would cut road transport emissions by 50%, study finds
Electrifying public and private fleets would cut around half of all road emissions in Europe, providing a major boost for the EU’s climate goal and revolutionising clean mobility in Europe, according to a new report by industry group Eurelectric and Ernst & Young (EY).