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The road to 2050 should be fossil gas pipelines free
All scenarios prepared by transmission grid operators feature very high shares of gas in Europe’s future energy mix. Does that make any sense at all? No, says Wendel Trio.
Climate emergency requires real action now, not building new LNG terminals and gas pipelines
With the so-called fourth PCI List of energy infrastructure projects now approved in the European Parliament, the battle for a future-proof EU energy policy continues, write MEPs Jutta Paulus and Marie Toussaint.
Ombudsman opens inquiry into EU Commission’s gas stance
The EU Ombudsman announced on Thursday (13 February) it has opened an inquiry into the European Commission’s catalogue of priority energy projects, after green activists lodged a complaint about the inclusion of new gas infrastructure on the list.
Parliament backs EU list of energy projects, ignoring Greens
The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday (12 February) against a motion to reject a proposed list of priority energy projects, ignoring the demands of Greens and leftists who warned against funding new gas infrastructure that risks being stranded as Europe moves to a zero-carbon economy.
MEPs urge reviewing EU list of energy projects in light of Green Deal
Members of the European Parliament have written to the European Commission, voicing concern that EU spending on LNG and other gas projects “may not be in line with the Union’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement”.
‘Don’t waste your money on American LNG’: Mark Ruffalo in the European Parliament
Speaking in Brussels on Wednesday (5 February), Hollywood star Mark Ruffalo spoke out against a proposed EU list of energy infrastructure projects that will be voted on next week in the European Parliament.
EU clarifies fossil fuel stance: ‘No lock-in into natural gas’
When European Union leaders signed off on a pledge to reach “climate neutrality” by 2050, they also eventually rang the death knell of the natural gas industry as we know it.
Billions to be wasted on ‘unnecessary’ gas projects, study says
Europe does not need new gas infrastructure to safeguard security of supply, according to a new study by industry consultants Artelys, which warns that there is a risk of €29 billion being wasted on 32 mostly “unnecessary” gas projects.
EU continues to support France-Spain gas link, despite setback
The gas interconnector between France and Spain remains a project of common European interest eligible for EU funding, the European Commission has said, despite a decision by French and Spanish regulators who rejected a key section of the planned pipeline.
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.
Four priorities for a future-oriented Connecting Europe Facility
Swift implementation of the EU’s energy and climate commitments is only possible if the next EU budget gives a clear signal to invest in a transition to a low-carbon economy, write Lisa Fischer and Elisa Giannelli.
Building energy infrastructure is not a zero-sum game
Full electrification does not mean decarbonisation, writes Marco Alverà. Infrastructure which carries natural gas today will be needed in future to carry increasing amounts of biomethane, green hydrogen as well as to store energy more efficiently than power lines or batteries, he argues.
Study for EU questions France-Spain gas pipe plan
A report prepared for the European Commission has questioned the economic viability of plans to build a gas pipeline connecting Spain and France, designed in part to help reduce Europe’s reliance on Russian piped gas, five sources told Reuters.
Croatia to unveil results of LNG tender in late May
Croatia will reveal on 28 May the results of a tender to use the capacity of a planned liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal, according to the company in charge of the project. The results may well determine the viability of the project, which has been in the making for over a decade.
The EU must stop funding gas infrastructure projects with taxpayer money
It is time for the EU to stop investing public money in additional gas-infrastructure, says S&D vice-president Kathleen Van Brempt.
Croatia’s gas import dreams continue to prove controversial
Croatia’s long-held plan to import liquified natural gas and become an EU energy hub has moved forward this year. But problems persist, even after a government-appointed committee said an LNG terminal would have no negative impact on the environment or economy of the island of Krk. EURACTIV reports from Croatia.
EU budget: Where’s the climate and environment?
Discussions on the EU's post-2020 accounts have begun. But it seems like climate, energy and the environment itself have already been forgotten in the talks, warns Damien Demailly.
MEPs take big step towards energy market reform
MEPs have decided to impose strict rules on mechanisms often used as coal power subsidies and to support small-scale renewable energy producers. But the European Parliament now faces the fight of its life to convince member states of its ambitious position.
The future of gas is not fossil but green
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.
EU bank approves largest ever energy loan, for TAP pipeline
The European Investment Bank on Tuesday (6 February) approved its largest ever single loan to an energy project: the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). The €1.5 billion grant will be used to bring gas from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.
11 member states smash 2020 renewables targets early
Eleven EU countries have already met their 2020 renewable energy goals ahead of schedule while the bloc as a whole has reached 17%, just shy of the overall target with two years to go, according to new data from Eurostat.
How Central Asian energy complements the Southern Gas Corridor
Practical access to Central Asian gas, which would arrive via the twin projects of the White Stream and the Trans-Caspian Pipeline, is finally coming at just the right time to complete the Southern Gas Corridor, writes Robert M. Cutler.
EU’s energy project list denounced by unimpressed MEPs
A proposed list of priority energy projects drawn up by the European Commission is coming under intense scrutiny by MEPs, some of whom accuse the EU executive of focusing too heavily on fossil fuel projects. The most critical voices plan to launch a landmark objection to the list.