Tag: european commission

Europe’s Fit-for-55 Target Review: Briefing

Europe’s Fit-for-55 Target Review: Briefing

March 9, 2023 | , ,

Europe’s energy landscape has unquestionably and fundamentally shifted in recent years, but policy discussions may lag behind that new reality. Final negotiations on the EU’s renewable energy target for 2030 are officially scheduled to take place at the trilogue discussions in March 2023. The European Commission and Parliament stand in favour of upping the ambition from 40% to 45% but a blocking minority of Council members are digging in their heels.

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Inflation Reduction Act and EU: Briefing

Inflation Reduction Act and EU: Briefing

December 14, 2022 | ,

This briefing titled “The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the EU” by E3G and adelphi analysis seeks to explain the political economy dynamics behind both the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and the European response. As the green transition reaches the implementation phase, trade conflicts are likely to continue, especially as countries try to maximise their share of new clean energy markets.

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Meeting REPowerEU Goals: IEA Report

Meeting REPowerEU Goals: IEA Report

December 7, 2022 | ,

Although the use of renewable energy does increase in all three of these sectors by 2027 in the main-case forecast, in none of them are levels consistent with the REPowerEU plan. Should government and industry overcome deployment challenges in the electricity, transport and heating and cooling sectors, REPowerEU goals appear to be within reach, at least in terms of renewable energy. 

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Proposal for emergency intervention to address high energy prices: European Commission

Proposal for emergency intervention to address high energy prices: European Commission

September 21, 2022 |

The EU is confronted with the effects of a severe mismatch between energy demand and supply, due largely to the continued weaponisation by Russia of its energy resources. To ease the increased pressure this puts on European households and businesses, the European Commission is now taking a next step in tackling this issue by proposing exceptional electricity demand reduction measures, which will help reduce the cost of electricity for consumers, and measures to redistribute the energy sector’s surplus revenues to final customers. 

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Carbon Neutrality in EU Energy System: Briefing

Carbon Neutrality in EU Energy System: Briefing

August 10, 2022 | ,

According to a recent European Parliamentary Research Service Cost of Non-Europe (CONE) report, ambitious and united European Union (EU) action in climate and energy policy could be very beneficial, bringing gains of up to 5.6% of gross domestic product (GDP), equal to €1 trillion additional GDP per year in 2050, compared to a continuation of the status quo.

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How the “just transition” is unfolding across Europe

How the “just transition” is unfolding across Europe

July 23, 2022 |

The energy crisis caused by the invasion of Ukraine has focused the attention of EU Member States and European institutions, forcing them to reevaluate energy security and the clean energy transition in the region. Where Europe gets its energy from and how much it pays for it is an increasingly pressing concern. Prioritizing a ‘just transition’ has been voiced by politicians at the highest level, including the European Commission’s Vice President Frans Timmermans.

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EC accepts $5.46 billion project to support hydrogen value chain

EC accepts $5.46 billion project to support hydrogen value chain

July 19, 2022 |

The European Commission (EC) has approved an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) to assist a range of hydrogen value chain initiatives. The IPCEI Hy2Tech project intends to aid in both the initial industrial deployment of hydrogen technology as well as its research and development. It was created and announced jointly by 15 member states of the European Union.

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“Fit for 55”: European Council agrees on higher targets for renewables and energy efficiency

“Fit for 55”: European Council agrees on higher targets for renewables and energy efficiency

June 30, 2022 |

The Council on June 27 adopted its negotiating positions (general approaches) on two legislative proposals that tackle the energy aspects of the EU’s climate transition under the ‘Fit for 55’ package: the renewable energies directive and the energy efficiency directive. The agreements pave the way for the Council to start negotiations with the European Parliament.

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Top Problems for Renewables in Europe: Briefing

Top Problems for Renewables in Europe: Briefing

June 28, 2022 | ,

While the draft REPowerEU strategy identifies environmental regulation as the main obstacle to the uptake and upscale of renewables in Europe, the real bottlenecks proved to lie elsewhere. European Environmental Bureau analyses in this policy briefing what are the real top 10 barriers to renewable energy, which are related to lack of skilled professionals, grid connections and resource allocation.

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European Green Bond Regulation

European Green Bond Regulation

June 15, 2022 |

Currently, the green bond market is mainly organised through market-based and industry group standards. While these voluntary standards provided a basis for the development of the green bond market, the European Commission aims to provide issuers and investors with a more extensive and uniform regulatory framework with the introduction of a European green bond standard.

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The new norm: ESG disclosures and science-based targets

The new norm: ESG disclosures and science-based targets

April 29, 2022 |

Increased public financing is required to de-risk private investment and support the development of new infrastructure. Reforms to improve transparency of climate-related data will help underpin efforts to incorporate climate risks into financial regulatory frameworks and develop transition risk modelling among financial institutions, helping to align capital allocation decisions.

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Enel Green Power to set up a 3 GW solar panel factory in Italy

Enel Green Power to set up a 3 GW solar panel factory in Italy

April 5, 2022 |

Enel Green Power (EGP), an Italian renewable energy company, has secured a grant agreement with the European Commission to build a solar panel gigafactory. The facility will be developed in EGP’s 3Sun solar panel factory in Catania, Sicily, and will be known as the Italian PV GigaFactory (TANGO). The EGP will invest $659 million in the capacity expansion, with almost $129 million from EU funding.

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REPowerEU: Joint European action for more affordable, secure and sustainable energy

REPowerEU: Joint European action for more affordable, secure and sustainable energy

March 9, 2022 |

The European Commission has proposed an outline of a plan to make Europe independent from Russian fossil fuels well before 2030, starting with gas, in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This plan also outlines a series of measures to respond to rising energy prices in Europe and to replenish gas stocks for next winter. Europe has been facing increased energy prices for several months, but now uncertainty on supply is exacerbating the problem. REPowerEU will seek to diversify gas supplies, speed up the roll-out of renewable gases and replace gas in heating and power generation.

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European Commission approves ‘greening’ of gas and nuclear

European Commission approves ‘greening’ of gas and nuclear

February 4, 2022 |

The European Commission has presented a Taxonomy Complementary Climate Delegated Act on climate change mitigation and adaptation covering certain gas and nuclear activities. The objective is to step up the transition, by drawing on all possible solutions to help us reach our climate goals. Taking account of scientific advice and current technological progress, the Commission considers that there is a role for private investment in gas and nuclear activities in the transition.

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Mapping European projects, Energy citizenship and energy poverty

Mapping European projects, Energy citizenship and energy poverty

January 20, 2022 | ,

Energy citizenship represents a way not only to address energy poverty and vulnerability, but also to promote energy justice. However, its potential is still under-researched. This mapping exercise by Joint Research Centre (European Commission) contributes to the recent emerging literature on energy citizenship by looking at the best practices offered by European projects.

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EC Adopts Fifth PCI List: Working towards EU’s net zero climate goals

EC Adopts Fifth PCI List: Working towards EU’s net zero climate goals

January 19, 2022 |

In November 2021, the EC adopted the fifth list of PCIs, which are critical infrastructure projects for achieving the European Union’s (EU) long-term climate-neutrality goals. The key advantages for the projects approved under the list include streamlined permit granting procedures, faster and better streamlined environmental assessment, a single national competent authority (one-stop-shop) coordinating all permit granting procedures, and eligibility for financial assistance under the CEF in the form of grants and innovative financial instruments.

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Sectors benefitting from Revised EU Guidelines on State Aid for Climate, Environmental Protection and Energy

Sectors benefitting from Revised EU Guidelines on State Aid for Climate, Environmental Protection and Energy

January 12, 2022 |

On 1 January 2022, the revised Guidelines of the European Commission on State aid for climate, environmental protection and energy (CEEAG) entered into force, extending the scope of the previous Guidelines to new areas in order to achieve the goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2050. The CEEAG adapt the conditions which must be met and the processes which must be followed for the Commission to consider state support compatible with EU State aid rules.

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The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism – Trendsetter, or doomed to fail?

The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism – Trendsetter, or doomed to fail?

December 16, 2021 | ,

As part of its efforts to tackle climate change, the European Commission has proposed the introduction of a new carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) which aims to address the issue of “carbon leakage” – this involves EU companies moving carbon-intensive production to other countries to take advantage of lower standards or EU companies importing cheaper, more carbon-intensive products.

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