Transforming The European Energy System

This open access book analyzes the transition toward a low-carbon energy system in Europe under the aspects of flexibility and technological progress. By covering the main energy sectors – including the industry, residential, tertiary and transport sector as well as the heating and electricity sector – the analysis assesses flexibility requirements in a cross-sectoral energy system with high shares of renewable energies. The contributing authors – all European energy experts – apply models and tools from various research fields, including techno-economic learning, fundamental energy system modeling, and environmental and social life cycle as well as health impact assessment, to develop an innovative and comprehensive energy models system (EMS). Moreover, the contributions examine renewable penetrations and their contributions to climate change mitigation, and the impacts of available technologies on the energy system. Given its scope, the book appeals to researchers studying energy systems and markets, professionals and policymakers of the energy industry and readers interested in the transformation to a low-carbon energy system in Europe.

Master's Thesis from the year 2012 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Environmental Policy, grade: 1,0, University of Copenhagen, course: International Law & Economics, language: English, abstract: The European Union aspires to be a frontrunner in the transition towards a low-carbon economy. Its energy policy aims at reconciling climate and environmental objectives, with concerns over security of supply and competitive markets. The restructuring and modernisation of the European energy system is driven by a continuous liberalisation regime in conjunction with the promotion of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. The implications of this strategy are manifold, whereof the modernisation and upgrade of the electricity grid is increasingly recognized to be the quintessential prerequisite to meet tomorrow's energy challenges. The emergence of the Smart Grid has enthused industry and policy makers alike, as it has the potential to be the enabler for a future low-carbon electricity system by facilitating demand-side efficiency, increasing the shares of renewables and distributed energy generation, and enabling electrification of transport. The European Commission views the Smart Grid as the backbone of Europe's future energy infrastructure advancing the development of green energy, while making the system more stable through information and communication technologies. The deployment of Smart Grid implies a technological transformation that will have a deep impact on the whole electricity value chain. The thesis explores the effects of this transition process with regard to energy market liberalisation, Smart Grid deployment and energy market integration. We scrutinize the relationship of these three variables, by considering Smart Grids as a function of liberalisation, liberalisation as a function of Smart Grid deployment and last but not least market integration as a function of liberalisation and Smart Grid deployment. [...]

Our planetary limits demand a radical transition from the energy-intensive economic model based on the extraction of finite resources, which has been dominant since the first industrial revolution, to a model that is both sustainable and equitable. Unfortunately however, energy transformation in Europe has, after a promising start, fallen hostage to austerity and to the main philosophy underpinning the crisis management policies in which overall competitiveness is reduced to the much narrower concept of cost-competitiveness. Regulatory uncertainty, design failures built into incentive systems, and unjust distribution of the costs, have also contributed to the reversal of progress in energy transformation currently observable across Europe. In this book three country case studies highlight the different facets of these conflicts, while additional light is thrown on the situation by an account of the lack of progress in achieving energy efficiency. By way of conclusion, a mapping of the main conflicts and obstacles to progress will be of help in formulating policy recommendations. Ambitious climate and energy policy targets should be regarded not as a burden on the economy but rather as investment targets able to pave the way to higher employment and sustainable growth. It is high time for this perception to be recognised and implemented in the context of Europe’s new Investment Plan, thereby enabling clean energy investment to come to form its central pillar. A shift in this direction will require an overhaul of the regulatory and incentive systems to ensure that the need for just burden-sharing is adequately taken into account.

A sustainable European energy system, mitigating climate change and solving a number of other key environmental problems, will require massive reliance on renewable energy sources combined with a sharp increase in energy productivity. Considering that most of the technologies necessary for such a development are already available, today's most important questions are: How can these technologies be integrated into the European energy system? What are the costs and benefits of such a strategy? What are the major bottlenecks and obstacles to such a development? What measures are necessary to support this development? In the book a "sustainable scenario" and a "fair-market scenario" are developed as a means to demonstrate that concepts for a sustainable future European energy supply are feasible.

This book addresses the interactions between Germany’s energy transition and the EU’s energy policy framework. It seeks to analyze the manifold connections between the prospects of the proclaimed “Energy Union” and the future of Germany’s energy transition, and identifies relevant lessons for the transformation at the EU level that can be learned from the case of Germany, as a first-mover of transforming energy systems towards renewables. The various repercussions (political, economic and systemic) from the national transition are explored within the EU context as it responds to the German transition, taking into account both existing frictions and potential synergies between predominantly national sustainability policies and the EU’s push towards harmonized policies within a common market. The book’s overall aim is to identify the most critical issues, in order to avoid pitfalls and capitalize on opportunities.

This book outlines the legal regime underpinning the European Energy Union, which provides secure, sustainable and affordable energy.

Energy has always been a potential positive European cooperation and integration factor. Providing zero-carbon power to homes and businesses across the EU will require an open market in electricity, underpinned by both upgraded and new transnational transmission networks. Building this network in time to meet the 2050 challenge will require action now. 'Supergrid' is a European project that will not only integrate the energy markets, but will further contribute to the EU's integration process. Moreover, a European Supergrid will allow Europe to transform its present energy system - still mainly based on fossil fuels - to one that is sustainable, since it will not only be able to optimize all generation (energy mixes) of the Member States, but will integrate all renewable energy sources that Europe wishes to exploit. By doing so, Europe increases its security of supply while diminishing its external dependency, creates new skilled employment opportunities, and gives greater impulse to the new technologies where European companies are currently world leaders. This book will show that the above could be implemented today if there was the political will do so, followed by the implementation of the necessary regulatory instruments. The book will lead readers through the period when the idea of a European Supergrid was just a vision, to the reality of the technological developments that make it possible to have such a transformed energy system in the near future. Europe can afford a transformed energy system. Investing in all these new technologies that can limit global warming to 2 degree C has, of course, a cost, but the cost of doing nothing would be much higher - and not only in terms of money. (Series: European Energy Studies - Vol. 7) Subject: European Law, Energy Law]