Energy prices in Europe are too high because the market for electricity is not yet functioning on an EU level, Michael Köhler, Head of Cabinet for Günther Oettinger, European Commissioner for energy, said at a public debate hosted by EWEA.
But to secure a functioning EU single market for electricity, the continent needs a Europe-wide electricity grid, he said on Thursday 22 September.
In the EU quarter of Brussels, discussions are ongoing about the EU budget for 2012 – and for the years up to 2020. But how does it all work? The latest Wind Directions finds out.
Just how much money is it?
An overall EU budget is decided for a seven-year period known as a “multi-annual financial framework”, or MFF. At the moment the EU is in an MFF running from 2007 to 2013. The overall budget for those seven years is €976 billion. continue reading »
Despite persistent problems associated with the global economic crisis and a government fiscal policy deeply paralyzed along partisan lines, the US continues to express great interest in developing its offshore wind industry.
The latest proof of America’s faith in the rapidly-emerging offshore sector occurred earlier this month when Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced €31 million for projects that are expected to speed technical innovations, lower costs, and shorten the timeline for deploying offshore wind energy systems.
It was standing room only in the Brussels Press Club for the EWEA Public Debate. Over 125 people came to hear the four expert speakers and questions put to them on the topic “Energy Infrastructure – the next great European project?”.
The big news of the night came from Michael Köhler, Head of Cabinet of Commissioner Oettinger in the European Commission. He announced that in the first half of 2012 the Commission will release two communications affecting the whole electricity sector. The first will be about further supporting renewables and the issue of different support schemes in different EU member states. The second, intriguingly, will be about market integration, but Köhler refused to comment further on the issue when questioned.
Today sees the launch of the Free Movement of Electricity website, along with a Facebook page – all on the same day as the beginning of a concentrated effort to bring attention to the vital need for freedom for electricity in the European Union.
The movement is being coordinated by EWEA, Europacable and EURELECTRIC, in partnership with (in alphabetical order); AEBIOM, Business Europe, E3G, European Climate Foundation, European Copper Institute, EGEC, EPIA, EREC, ESTELA, Friends of the Supergrid, GWEC and Lewiatan. Each one of these partners brings their network of supporters and considerable talents to the table, ensuring that the message of free movement of electricity is spread far and wide.
