Europe’s energy companies have made real progress on cyber security in many ways. But actions speak louder than words, and cyber security needs to be a core component of any utility’s strategy, argues Michael John.
With its updated Renewable Energy Directive, the EU has sent a clear signal that citizens and communities are key to the energy transition’s success. The next step is to empower these groups to access the market and use their untapped potential, writes Emily Rochon.
Without energy storage, the EU target for renewable energy cannot be reached. And that can only succeed if the incentives for investment are set correctly and if “ownership unbundling” rules in the EU energy market are strictly enforced, writes Dr. Hans Wolf von Koeller.
The European Union inched forward on Monday (11 June) in redefining the role of ACER, the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators. But more discussions still lie ahead, with some EU countries worried about “unlimited competences” granted to the agency.
The EU has an opportunity to take forward-looking action and shape exactly what kind of market we want when it comes to flexible electricity consumption offers, argues Angeliki Malizou.
In contrast with many EU countries, Greece’s decarbonisation process is lagging behind. A growing number of voices are now calling for an up-to-date energy transition roadmap focusing on renewable energy and green gas.
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.
