Between a rock and a hard place: energy and carbon in the new political cycle
At first glance, the EU’s 2024-29 policy cycle may appear focused on the technical implementation of the vast amount of climate legislation agreed under the Fit for 55 package. Yet beneath these technicalities lie important strategic choices. Chief among them is how to boost economic competitiveness while safeguarding climate credibility. Plans for a Clean Industrial […]
Understanding the barriers to recycling critical raw materials for the energy transition
Rising geopolitical tensions and the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have intensified concerns about securing access to the critical raw materials (CRMs) that are needed for the energy transition. A group of 17 elements referred to as rare earth elements (REEs) are among the CRMs for which security of supply is increasingly becoming a matter […]
Rapidly including the Western Balkans into the EU ETS is the only effective way to phase-out coal and exclude Russia
The Western Balkans power sector is close to collapse. Approximately two-thirds of the Western Balkans’ electricity is generated by lignite, most often by power plants that have operated for over 40 years. The carbon intensity of the region’s electricity sector is three times higher than that of the EU. Almost no power plant can run […]
The gender-blind assumptions of the EU’s green transition require a reality check
The European Green Deal is committed to ‘leaving no one behind’. However, as shown in a study for the European Parliament, co-authored by CEPS, the Fit for 55 package, a series of legislative measures to align EU legislation with the Green Deal, has paid scant attention to its intersectional and gendered repercussions. It seemingly delegates […]
In turbulent times, the EU must make up its mind on offshore wind in low and medium wind speed regions
In pursuing the EU’s strategic autonomy and industrial competitiveness, offshore wind’s significance cannot be overstated. President von der Leyen announcing the European Wind Power Package during her State of the European Union address has confirmed wind energy as a cornerstone of the EU’s upcoming comprehensive industrial policy, which itself is fortified by the Green Deal […]
In the time we have left, how can we realistically reform the EU’s electricity market?
EU climate policy has had a profound impact on the EU‘s electricity mix. Unprecedented levels of renewable energy have altered the parameters of the electricity market, giving rise to a debate around the merit of the market’s current design. The energy price crisis following the Russian invasion of Ukraine has created, in the second half […]
Exploring cost-effective support mechanisms for hydrogen mobility infrastructure
The European Union’s climate neutrality objective will require the progressive decarbonisation of the transport sector, including road. Targets and policies are lowering technology costs and accelerating the deployment of low-carbon vehicles. The rollout of a widespread and reliable refuelling and recharging infrastructure is a condition for these policies and technologies to succeed. In the context […]
The Revision of the Third Energy Package for Gas
The internal gas market needs to be decarbonised if the EU is to achieve its ambitious climate goals and achieve energy independence. This study takes a closer look at the proposed revision of the Third Energy Package for Gas. The report reflects on how the revision and the foreseen unbundling rules affect the transition to a […]
Is the European Green Deal gender-sensitive?
Under the European Green Deal’s bold EU climate and energy policies, every single EU citizen will be directly affected. As part of the commitment to ‘leave no one behind’, it is vital to mitigate and alleviate any excessive or undesirable outcomes that could disproportionately impact specific gender or social groups. On top of this, all […]
Electricity markets will need an overhaul, but not now
In the attempt to tackle increasingly disruptive energy prices, the European Union has been pushed into unchartered territory and has embarked on a series of unprecedented decisions. They include mandatory reduction targets for gas and electricity, an inframarginal revenues cap scheme, a ‘solidarity contribution’ of the fossil sector and new measures on regulated prices. The […]
Reform of the electricity market will not solve the EU’s energy crisis
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has repeatedly made the point that the design of the EU’s electricity market urgently needs reform to address the crisis. Several Member States seem to share that view. From this, one could get the impression that this will solve the EU’s energy woes. It will not. What’s wrong, if […]
Why gas price caps and consumer subsidies are both extremely costly and ultimately futile
The EU is facing an energy crisis. Russia’s de facto embargo on gas exports has sent spot prices on Europe’s exchanges to unprecedented levels. The prices paid by consumers have also increased, albeit much less so than the spot prices. Prices for households have doubled in many Member States, while gas spot prices on the […]