The European Commission is launching a public consultation on the reform of the European Union’s electricity market design to better protect consumers from excessive price volatility, support their access to secure energy from clean sources, and make the market more resilient. The current system has delivered an efficient, well-integrated market for many years, allowing the EU […]
Start of electricity trade between Ukraine and the EU
The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity announced that electricity trade between Ukraine and the EU will start this week, on 30 June. I welcome this development that follows the successful emergency synchronisation of the Ukrainian and Moldovan grids with the European Continental Grid in March. This is the next step in integrating […]
EU will import 58% of its energy by 2020
By 2020, 58% of the energy consumed in the EU will be imported, while its own production will cover only 42% of demand. The EU’s energy mix by 2020 will consist of 35% oil and oil derivatives, 24% natural gas, 17% renewables, 13% nuclear energy and 11% solid fossil fuels. Russia is the main supplier […]
Greenhouses join plants in the energy conversion business
Until recently, there were opaque photovoltaic panels, and there was transparent glass. Innovative nanomaterials bring photovoltaics and transparency together in greenhouse panels that convert the sun’s light into electricity, while augmenting plant photosynthesis. Meeting the world’s growing food and energy demands while mitigating climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Agriculture […]
Evolution of electriciy prices
The price of electricity continues to rise in Europe. The cause of this phenomenon stems from several supply and demand factors, one of the most important of which is the shortage of natural gas and the sudden reactivation of demand, linked to a reduced supply of CO2 emission allowances. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen […]
The CJEU rules that the financing regime of the social discount rate for electricity companies in Spain is unfair
The CJEU has decided that the criterion chosen by the national legislator to distinguish between the companies that must assume, to a greater or lesser extent, the cost of the social bonus is not objectively justified. The financing regime of the social bonus results in more than 99% of the cost of this bonus falling […]
Power-to-gas system enables massive storage of renewable energy
Power-to-gas (P2G) is bringing fresh momentum to the renewables field, providing a powerful approach to convert renewable power into ‘green’ hydrogen and methane. An EU-funded project developed flexible P2G technology that offers the renewables sector an array of possible lucrative use cases. Currently, the renewable generation capacity is estimated at around 20 %, but according […]
New electricity rules enters into force
On 1 January 2020, the Electricity Regulation EU/2019/943 entered into force. An important part of the new electricity market design, agreed under the Clean energy for all European’s package, the regulation establishes the fundamental principles for an efficient electricity market. It allows better integration of national markets and increased capacity for cross-border trade, generating lower prices. It […]
Slight rise in electricity prices, gas prices stable
In the first half of 2019, average household electricity prices in the European Union (EU) increased slightly compared with the first half of 2018 (€20 per 100 kWh), standing at €21 per 100 kWh. Average gas prices in the EU were stable and stood at €6 per 100 kWh in the first half of 2019. […]