Electricity
Energy poverty hinders EU push to end regulated electricity prices
The European Commission has renewed its push to phase out regulated electricity prices, arguing they distort the market and slow down the transition to clean energy. But faced with reluctance from EU countries, it has now tabled a compromise based on a common EU definition of energy poverty.
Solar PV sector hails EU deal on small-scale ‘citizen energy’
UPDATE: EU negotiators reached agreement Monday evening (12 November) on a legal framework for “citizen energy communities” in a deal solar PV manufacturers hailed as a victory for small-scale renewable energy production.
WindEurope: Regulated prices ‘can only slow the pace of the energy transition’
With growing shares of renewable energies added to the system, the dynamic pricing of electricity becomes even more important in order to provide flexibility on the demand side, says Pierre Tardieu. This is why regulated energy prices can only slow the pace of the energy transition, he argues.
Parliament rubber-stamps Europe’s 2030 clean energy laws
The European Parliament voted on Tuesday (13 November) a set of three clean energy laws for 2030, including binding targets for renewable energies, an indicative objective on energy savings and a separate text on the governance of the Energy Union.
Spain targets 100% renewable power by 2050
Spain’s government has published a new climate plan that targets a 100% renewable energy electricity system by 2050, with goals that outstrip those adopted by the EU and a ban on new gas and oil exploration.
Universal electricity access goal set to be missed, new report reveals
The international community is falling well short of providing the cash needed to ensure universal access to electricity by 2030, according to a report released Monday (12 November).
Electricity market must serve higher climate ambition
As negotiations on the EU’s new electricity market enter their crucial trialogue phase, the bloc faces a litmus test for the credibility of its climate ambition. With only two trialogues left, the fate of coal subsidies is still not sealed while COP24 is approaching, writes Joanna Flisowska.
Think-tank: Artificially low electricity prices ‘not good for EDF’ nor consumers
Artificially low energy prices in France are one of the reasons why former state monopoly EDF loses money, says Thomas Pellerin-Carlin. Moreover, regulated prices are useless to protect vulnerable consumers from energy poverty and “almost never leads to low energy bills,” he argues.
Electricity prices
Many European countries have placed limits on electricity prices, often justified by consumer concerns about rising energy bills, or to protect households from energy poverty. But regulated energy prices also thwart competition and hinder the deployment of clean energy solutions....
Row threatens to delay end to energy isolation of Crete, Cyprus
A long-awaited EU project that could put an end to the energy isolation of Cyprus and the Greek island of Crete is under threat due to a dispute between the parties involved. But the European Commission does not want to “point fingers” at anybody.
A strong EV benchmark can cut transport emissions and help modernise Europe’s electricity grid
Over a century ago, electric vehicles (EVs) were the best-selling cars on the market. Bringing them back on today’s roads will not only help to decarbonise transport, but the energy sector too, with wider benefits for society, argues Julia Hildermeier.
Regulated energy prices: The end of an era?
Many European countries have various types of limits on gas and electricity prices paid by consumers, a legacy inherited from the post-war period.
German coal plant exposed as Europe’s single worst air polluter
The Niederaussem coal plant and mine, operated by RWE, was singled out as Europe’s largest hotspot for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) pollution, according to a groundbreaking analysis of new satellite imagery. London’s polluted air, caused mainly by transport emissions, comes second.
Britain’s capacity market for electricity: Lessons for Europe
The UK’s market-wide capacity mechanism for electricity provides a solution to a supply problem that has yet to emerge, writes Phil Baker. A targeted strategic reserve is likely to be a more cost-reflective alternative, he argues.OpinionPromoted content
Regulatory flaws in the Clean Energy Package, part 1 – The bidding zones: Shaky foundations of complex machinery
The ambition behind the Clean Energy Package is to create a liquid, pan-European electricity market. However, the crucial tool - the appropriate representation of the grid in market processes - has been significantly blunted and remains flawed.
Power sector ‘concerned’ about new EU data privacy rules
A proposed ePrivacy regulation currently under discussion at EU level would hurt new business models in the clean energy sector, which are “almost all” based on the collection and treatment of data by home equipment and smart meters, warns an industry coalition.
Belgian reactors shutdown a test run for nuclear-free future
Belgium’s energy production is plunging as its nuclear reactors are taken offline for repairs, with the power shortfall this winter seen as a test of the country’s ability to cope when the reactors are phased out from 2022.
EU negotiators agree ‘dynamic pricing’ of electricity
Energy companies with more than 200,000 clients will be obliged to provide households with at least one offer comprising dynamic price contracts, under an EU-level agreement reached behind closed doors last week, EURACTIV.com has learned.
Three years ago, I was branded as an eco-terrorist, Polish Green local candidate says
Poles vote in local elections on Sunday (21 October), seen as a key test for the country’s nationalist governing party. Until very recently, energy transition was a political no-go in the coal-dependent country but the situation is evolving, a climate activist and Green local politician in the COP24 host city of Katowice told EURACTIV.com.
Will the EU electricity market protect Europeans from disconnection?
The EU has recognised access to energy as a human right. But whether it will enforce a disconnection safeguard remains to be seen, writes Guillaume Derivaux.
Transparency, a central bone of contention in EU power market overhaul
Whether it relates to electricity prices charged to customers, the calculation of grid availability across borders, or the EU’s law-making process itself, the quest for transparency has emerged as a cross-cutting theme in Europe’s ongoing power market reform.
Denmark to ban petrol and diesel car sales by 2030
Denmark announced on Tuesday (2 October) that it will ban the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines by 2030 and hopes to have 1 million electric and hybrid cars on the roads by then.
European public banks continue financing coal bonanza
The EIB and EBRD have been channelling billions of euros in public money to fossil fuels dependent companies, hampering the international community's efforts to tackle climate change, writes Anna Roggenbuck.
How building renovation and electrification of transport can help us reach the Paris goals
At first glance, buildings and transport may look like two unrelated subjects. But with the mass deployment of electric vehicles, managing the electricity consumption of cars when they recharge becomes critical to ensure grid stability, writes Harry Verhaar.