Almost ten years after the implementation of the Third Energy Package, the risk of backtracking on liberalisation looks very real as policymakers seem increasingly frustrated at having “given away” power to the market, writes Luca Franza.
The integration of European gas markets has made strides over the last fifteen years, bolstering energy security in Eastern EU countries as a result, says Jonathan Stern. But the collapse of Dutch production means Russia will probably remain at the centre of the game for years to come, he cautions.
The Clean Energy for All European Package is supposed to turn consumers into 'prosumers', allowing them to participate in energy communities. However, doing that will require a change in perception, starting with national governments, writes Dirk Vansintjan.
Unregulated electricity prices – and equal access to the grid for both large and small producers – are the only way to ensure higher share of renewables in the long run, says Latvian MEP Krišjānis Kariņš.
EU efforts to increase energy efficiency are now entering the sharp end of the legislative process, as trilateral talks ramp up. Nadezda Kokotovic explains what role industry should play in energy saving.
There is a simple truth about EU climate policy: If it does not put energy efficiency first, it will not meet its objectives cost-effectively. And if it does not try to do that, it may not meet them at all, writes Adrian Joyce.
An all-German deal to split Innogy between RWE and E.ON looks set to create a template for European utilities M&A that includes the demise of the integrated model, no more big cross-border deals and a quest for emerging market growth.
In January this year, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) of the United States unanimously rejected proposals by the Trump administration that would have allowed coal subsidies under the guise of energy "resilience". This is exactly the principle that should now guide EU legislators, writes Joanna Flisowska.
The European Commission has proposed to extend EU internal energy market rules to cover offshore gas pipelines. But the legal services of the Council – representing EU member states – has opposed the EU executive's legislative proposal.
Bulgarian Prime Mininster Boyko Borissov said yesterday (27 February) he would not resign over an unfolding scandal involving the sale of CEZ Bulgaria to an obscure company, saying the sale was a plot to topple him while he was in Brussels for an EU summit last week.
There is a vast potential for green gas in Europe, generated from sustainable resources such as biomass and organic waste, some of which can directly be injected into the grid or take the shape of hydrogen, writes Claude Turmes.
To achieve ambitious climate goals in line with the Paris Agreement, cities will need to implement major changes to their energy systems by 2030. The good news is that the transformation in the energy sector is making such ambitious programmes much more feasible and European cities are in the forefront, writes Eric Woods.
EXCLUSIVE / Households, schools and hospitals that decide to place solar panels on their rooftop could be exposed to the same responsibilities as big energy utilities under new EU electricity market rules currently being drafted in the European Parliament, EURACTIV.com has learned.
There seems to be rising momentum to connect the dots between energy efficiency, fuel poverty and the EU's broader 2030 objectives, writes Sorcha Edwards.
The investment case for low-carbon energy is strong: increased economic growth and jobs, reduced transition risks, and the most cost-effective pathway to realising the goals of the Paris Agreement. Why, then, are EU energy ministers so reluctant to provide the legislative framework required to shift the trillions? writes Stephanie Pfeifer.
When the European Commission tabled its Winter Package of clean energy laws in November 2016, there was a smell of revolution in the air, with Brussels pitching a future where citizens would be empowered to generate their own electricity, consume it locally and sell it back to the grid.
A coalition comprising some of the world’s biggest companies has urged EU energy ministers to back a 35% target for renewable energy when they meet in Brussels next Monday (18 December).
EXCLUSIVE / A flagship objective to link up 15% of Europe’s electricity networks by 2030 could be scrapped altogether from EU legislation as a number of member states resist a command-and-control approach to energy policy, EURACTIV.com has learned.
Digital technologies like blockchain and artificial intelligence bring “total revolution” in the electricity industry, allowing energy communities to proliferate, says Laurent Schmitt. Utilities should not resist the change but embrace it to become “community enablers”, he told EURACTIV in an interview.
A partisan divide has emerged in the European Parliament over proposals to beef up the governance of the Energy Union, with conservative and centre-right lawmakers rejecting what they described as an “outdated”, “inflexible” approach supported by the Greens and left-wing parties.
A seamless pan-European energy market is still a long way off, but decisive steps can be taken now with stronger regional cooperation and the introduction of cross-border bidding zones for electricity, policymakers and industry experts argue.
The clean energy transition requires first and foremost bridging energy and digital economy. The single energy market and the digital single market must go hand-in-hand, argues Dominique Ristori.
Lawmakers will vote on Thursday (7 December) on a new energy regime that is meant to ensure the European Union meets its Paris Agreement goals. But much disagreement remains.
The growing electrification of the economy, driven by renewables, requires additional power networks to cope with the expected surge in demand for electric vehicles and consumer-centred services. EURACTIV explores the implications in this Special Report.
