Electricity
EU green finance advisors slam Brussels over nuclear, fossil gas
The group of experts advising the European Commission on green finance has criticised plans by Brussels to label gas and nuclear power as a “transitional” source of energy under the EU’s sustainable finance taxonomy.
Germany leads Europe with target to reach 100% clean power by 2035
Germany’s surprise commitment to decarbonise its electricity by 2035 is a sign of things to come, writes Charles Moore. It is only a matter of time before more countries join Germany, the UK, the US, and Canada, which have set their sights on 100% clean power, he argues.
Nuclear exit to unleash wind power in Northern Germany
The shutdown of the last nuclear power plant in Schleswig-Holstein will unclog the electricity grid and unleash wind power in the northern German state, according to its environment minister Jan Philipp Albrecht, reports Clean Energy Wire.
Saxonian minister-president tells miners to protest against 2030 coal exit
The German coal states are victims of political whiplash: the country’s planned coal exit date went from 2038 to “ideally” 2030 within months. But their economic transition away from the coal industry is far from complete, say some.
Nascent hydrogen market needs low-carbon nuclear power: EU official
As Europe rediscovers the merits of nuclear power as a low-carbon source of electricity, policymakers in Brussels are now looking to leverage the non-stop generation of atomic energy to ramp up the production of low-carbon hydrogen.
Next German government aims for coal exit in 2030
The new German government has agreed to pull forward the country's coal exit, "ideally" to 2030 from 2038, and rapidly speed up the rollout of renewables, reported CLEW.
Five EU countries form anti-nuclear alliance at COP26
In face of a French-led push to revive nuclear power in Europe, a group of five EU countries led by Germany have banded together to urge the European Commission to keep nuclear out of the EU's green finance taxonomy.
Wind power proponents target biodiversity NGO in Germany
Conflicts between nature conservationists and renewable energy supporters have slowed down the expansion of wind power in Germany over the past years, reports Clean Energy Wire (CLEW). The recent flare-up comes as coalition negotiations are ongoing.
EU’s buildings directive should give EV owners the right to a smart plug
Smart EV charging receives little attention in the debate around the energy performance of buildings. However, with a ‘right to plug’, buildings can spearhead the transition towards clean mobility, write Luka De Bruyckere and Jaap Burger.
Global energy crunch shows need for renewables and green savings
Now is no time to go easy on fossil fuels. It is the moment to deploy more clean sources of energy and to consume less of it, writes Harry Verhaar.
EU climate and infrastructure agency eyes end of fossil fuel projects
The director of CINEA, a recently-established EU agency managing €55 billion in EU funding for clean energy and transport, told EURACTIV about the challenge of ending fossil fuel projects entirely, saying coal and natural gas assets “are not simply going to go away” and need to be managed during the transition.
Nine EU countries reject Franco-Spanish push for electricity reforms
Nine EU states, including Germany, on Monday (25 October) rejected a French-led bid to reform Europe's wholesale energy markets as prices soar.
Eastern countries win carbon market ‘study’ at EU summit
The European Commission was instructed to “study” trading behaviour on the EU carbon market and crack down on potential abuse on energy markets after hours of tense debate at a summit on Thursday (21 October) where EU leaders haggled over rising energy prices.
Germany slashes green electricity levy by almost 43%, with abolishment in sight
Germany will lower its infamous renewable electricity surcharge to the lowest point ever in 2022 amid signs that the next government may be preparing to abolish the tax entirely.
Special Edition: EU capitals get ready for heated energy talks
EURACTIV’s partners across Europe analysed the mood in the bloc’s capitals as Europe could be heading into a harsh winter for its energy-poor population that many see as the make-or-break moment for the European Commission’s European Green Deal.
Intellectuals urge Germany to keep nuclear plants online
“Dear Germany, please keep your nuclear reactors online,” 25 leading foreign and domestic writers, journalists, and intellectuals wrote in a joint letter, warning that dropping nuclear power would only increase Germany's carbon emissions.
10 EU countries back nuclear power in EU green finance taxonomy
“Nuclear power must be part of the solution” to the climate crisis and the rise in energy prices, according to a group of 10 EU countries led by France and Poland who signed a joint opinion article published across major European newspapers on Monday (11 October).
Germany’s SPD pushes for inclusion of gas in EU green finance taxonomy
The role of gas in the energy transition should be reflected in the EU’s green finance taxonomy, according to the economy and energy spokesperson of Germany's social democratic SPD party, which is expected to lead the next German government coalition.
Spanish electricity windfall tax requires a re-think
The 'windfall charge' imposed on Spain’s four largest electricity companies risks having far more negative consequences than the infamous 2013 law that retroactively changed the country's green energy subsidies, argues Christopher Jones.
Spanish energy tax threatens EU’s green hydrogen plans, industry warns
As energy prices soar across Europe, the chairman of electricity giant Iberdrola warned of short-sighted measures in Spain that are threatening the expansion of renewable electricity needed for the production of green hydrogen.
EU climate chief hints that ETS will be left out of ‘toolbox’ to tackle rising energy prices
“Playing around with the emissions trading scheme” would only have a “very small” impact on the current energy price crunch, EU climate chief Frans Timmermans said on Wednesday (6 October) as he walked into a meeting of EU environment ministers in Luxembourg.
The only quick-fix to Europe’s energy price crisis is saving energy
Faced with rising energy prices, the only thing Europe can quickly do to prevent a potentially difficult winter is to actively promote energy conservation in both the residential and industrial sectors, write Simone Tagliapietra and Georg Zachmann.
France, Spain urge pan-European response to energy price surge
France and Spain on Monday (4 October) called for a coordinated European response to the surge in global energy prices to protect Europe's poorest citizens, the competitiveness of its businesses and its 2050 plan to cut greenhouse emissions.