About: energy policy

What’s in the German coal commission’s final report?

With negotiations having lasted eight months and the outcome already postponed once, the German Commission on Growth, Structural Change and Employment (the so-called “coal commission”), has presented its final report. What's in it? EURACTIV Germany reports.

German ‘dirty deal’ on brown coal criticised

Germany is set to create an emergency pool of reserve power using its brown coal power stations. Reaction has been mixed to the proposal. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Auditors find that German nuclear providers can afford phase-out

A German government-initiated "stress test" of nuclear power providers' capacity to pay for the country's nuclear phase-out has been released. The verdict is positive, but not entirely certain. EURACTIV's partner Tagesspiegel reports.

Fossil fuel divestment on the agenda at Greens conference

Environmental protestors have met in Paris to discuss how they can undermine the energy industry's investment plans in fossil fuels. Their goal: the drastic reduction of CO2 emissions. EURACTIV's partner Tagesspiegel reports.

Germany’s CO2 emissions decrease for the first time in 3 years

Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks spoke of a trend reversal, as overall greenhouse gas emissions were observed decreasing again for the first time in 3 years. But in the agriculture and transport sectors, the trend is quite the opposite. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Berlin fracking bill criticised ahead of UN climate talks

For months, the German government has been working on a bill that would legalise fracking. But environment and health advocates warn that it sends the wrong message ahead of the UN Climate Conference in Paris. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Can Europe get over its renewable energy midlife crisis?

Barak Obama did not come back from his Indian state visit with an ambitious climate policy deal similar to the one he brought back from China in November last year. Many might be disappointed, writes Julian Popov.

Chemical industry guarded about its European future

The European chemical sector has issued a “very serious” warning about its slumping competitiveness, but refuses to be alarmist just yet, saying shareholders should not worry, that big industrial groups are now global, and less exposed to Europe.

IEA: Sub-Saharan Africa will produce more gas than Russia

Sub-Saharan Africa will outstrip Russia as a global gas supplier by 2040, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), spurring European Union efforts to wean itself off its Russian gas addiction by investing in the region’s development.

Analysts: Weimar Triangle key for Poland’s new role in EU

SPECIAL REPORT: Warsaw needs to articulate more clearly its expectations and policy interests in the context of the Weimar Triangle, a format grouping three large members of the EU, France, Poland and Germany, in order to maximise its political leverage in the Union and beyond, analysts told the EURACTIV network.

Energy Community reform: What will the EU push for?

Ahead of the ministerial meeting in the Western Balkans on the EU energy reform, Dragana Mileusnic calls for the adoption and the implementation of the new energy rules as soon as possible. A clear and speedy EU message will benefit not only the people but it will also ensure security of energy supply in the whole region.

Energy not climate policy is what matters in preserving the environment

Policymakers should stop talking about “climate policy”. It is energy policy that matters to preserve the global climate, argues Eberhard Rhein.

Businesses tell Barroso to reshape EU energy policy

The powerful employers’ group BusinessEurope has called on European Commission President José Manuel Barroso to radically shift the EU's energy policy away from climate change mitigation towards cost-competitiveness and security of supply.

Oettinger defends European vision on energy

Germany's Günther Oettinger, who has been nominated for the European Commission's energy portfolio, sought to prove his European credentials at his confirmation hearing by outlining plans to enforce energy solidarity and spelling an end to bilateral energy deals with suppliers such as Russia.

EU energy regulators’ seat goes to Ljubljana

The EU's new Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) will be located in Ljubljana, Slovenia, ministers decided yesterday evening (6 December).

EU-US summit yields energy cooperation

The EU and US have held the first meeting of a new transatlantic Energy Council, after the US President Barack Obama and EU leaders had agreed to establish the new energy forum for cooperation during a summit on Tuesday.

Solar energy from the Sahara: When will it be feasible?

"The EU and its North African partner countries should […] establish the regulatory basis necessary for the development of solar energy in view of offering a reliable and long-term framework for potential investors from both sides of the Mediterranean," writes Eberhard Rhein, a lecturer at the Mediterranean Academy for Diplomatic Studies in Malta, in a June post on Blogactiv.

Sweden seeks to steer EU onto energy-efficient path

Sweden plans to step up Europe's energy-efficiency legislation as it takes over the rotating six-month EU presidency at the beginning of July.

Power sector points to high cost of low-carbon economy

Power industry representatives debating options to finance clean energy policy on Tuesday (26 May) banked on carbon capture and storage and wind energy in the long run and gas in the short term, as the economic crisis increases the cost of investment in greener energy to reach the EU's climate goals.

Oil prices take centre stage at G8 meeting

G8 energy ministers meeting in Rome on 24-25 May called for continued investment in oil and discussed energy policies that will help weather the financial storm.

MEP: Parliament will stop Barroso’s stimulus plan

The European Parliament will mobilise a majority against Commission President José Manuel Barroso's five billion euro stimulus plan, Claude Turmes, vice-president of the Green / European Free Alliance Group in the European Parliament, told EURACTIV in an interview.

MEP: Parliament will stop Barroso’s stimulus plan

The European Parliament will mobilise a majority against Commission President's José Manuel Barroso's five billion euro stimulus plan, Claude Turmes, vice-president of the Greens / European Free Alliance Group in the European Parliament, told EURACTIV in an interview.

Barroso’s stimulus plan revamped at Nabucco’s expense

A Commission plan to spend five billion euro on clean energy and broadband Internet infrastructure projects has been redrafted. According to the new version, seen by EURACTIV, a number of countries will obtain more funding, at the expense of the EU's flagship Nabucco pipeline project.

Commission’s ‘smart projects’ plan divides the Union

A recent plan by the European Commission to allocate five billion euro of so-called "unspent EU money" to clean energy and broadband projects antagonised the bloc's foreign ministers yesterday (23 February) and embarrassed its initiators too, EURACTIV has learned.