Energy shock within 10 years?

The UK’s Energy Secretary said recently in the Financial Times that the UK is “very likely” to experience an oil shock similar to the crises of the 1970s in the next decade.

In Ireland, a report published last week warned that the country’s GDP could fall “by as much as 7.5% if the world were to experience a sudden oil or gas price rise.” It notes that Ireland is more vulnerable to such a shock than the US, UK or the rest of Europe.

In the EU, the average dependency on foreign energy supplies is about 53.8%. However, in some countries, this rises to as much as 100% (Cyprus and Malta) and it’s in the 90% bracket for Luxembourg and Ireland.

Clean Energy Ministerial

Ministers from 24 governments launched new initiatives to accelerate the global transition to clean energy in the Clean Energy Ministerial
Some of them are:
-Appliances: The Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment (SEAD) initiative aims to transform the global market for energy-using equipment and appliances, such as televisions and lighting. SEAD will help governments overcome market barriers to capture a significant portion of global appliance efficiency energy savings.
SEAD addresses both ends of the efficiency spectrum: helping “pull” super-efficient devices into the market through cooperation on measures like manufacturer incentives and research and development investments and helping “push” inefficient devices off the market by bolstering national policies like minimum efficiency standards. Specific efforts include the development of “toolkits” for policymakers seeking to enhance national appliance efficiency programs and launching new Global Efficiency Awards, which will recognize the very best super-efficient appliances sold (and under development) in global markets.
-Buildings and Industry: The Global Superior Energy Performance (GSEP) Partnership will help large buildings and industrial facilities – which account for almost 60 percent of global energy use – measure and reduce their energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions over time, incentivizing positive change with an internationally-recognized certification program. GSEP participants will share tools, trainings and best practices for tracking and accelerating energy performance improvements, both within their sector and across industry sectors. As part of the program, eight companies representing over $600 billion in annual sales and one university will pilot the program.
-Smart Grid: The International Smart Grid Action Network (ISGAN) will help accelerate the development and deployment of smart electricity grids around the world through high-level government dialogue, sharing best-practices, technical assistance, peer review and project coordination, where appropriate. Smart grid technologies will promote the growth of renewable energy, help consumers and businesses to better measure and manage their energy use, improve the reliability of the electrical system, and speed the introduction of fuel-saving electric vehicles. ISGAN complements the Global Smart Grid Federation, an ‘association of associations’ composed of leading smart grid stakeholder organizations from around the world, which was also announced at the Ministerial.

Energy priorities during the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

The energy priorities during the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU are:
-Preparing the Energy Action Plan;
-A blueprint for a European Energy Infrastructure Plan;
-A benchmark report on measures how to make the energy policy more consumer-friendly with a special attention to vulnerable consumers;
-Finalising the European Energy Programme for Recovery (EEPR) review;
-Energy Efficiency: An Indispensable Tool for Decarbonising European society;
-Evolving by 2050 not only towards a low-carbon economy, but towards a low-carbon society.

Events scheduled under the Belgian Presidency:
-An Informal Energy Council "Fuelling a Secure, Low-Carbon and Affordable Energy Future for Europe" taking place in Brussels, 6-7 September, that will try to discuss how to make energy policy more consumer-friendly and how to build a modern and integrated european energy grid.
-The Conference on the Energy Challenges for European Industry in Spa, 16-17 September;
-The Atomium Culture High-Level Workshop "A low-carbon society by 2050" in Brussels, 19-20 October
-The Biomass Conference in Brussels, 29 November.

EU proposes to end coal subsidies by 2014

Mines in Spain, Germany (Ruhr) and Romania (Jiu Valleu) rely on subsidies to be explored economically. The EU proposes to end coal subsidies by 2014. Why not ending coal subsidies sooner?

"Ending coal subsidies in 2010 would have "dire" social and economic consequences. It would also be worse for the environment because indigenous coal would probably be replaced by imported coal rather than other alternatives, says the Commission."

Poland produces more than half the EU's hard coal without subsidies.

China has become the most energy consuming country

According to the IEA, China became the largest consumer of energy in the world in 2009.

“In the 2000, the US consumed twice as much energy as China, now China consumes more than the US.”

However, on a per capita basis, the US still uses far more energy than China and remains less efficient than Europe.

China will determine how energy is used on a global scale – from the types of cars manufactured to the kinds of power plants built.

Source:
Finantial Times

Municipalities, schools and others can start producing electricity (in Portuguese)

Autarquias e IPSS incentivadas a produzir electricidade
09.07.2010
Lurdes Ferreira

As autarquias, as IPSS, as escolas e os mercados abastecedores podem passar também a ser produtores de electricidade e vendê-la à rede, segundo o pacote de medidas aprovado ontem em Conselho de Ministros, que estabeleceu também que a grande e média indústria deixa de ter tarifa eléctrica regulada em 2011.

As novas entidades produtoras de electricidade, com acesso a um regime bonificado de tarifas, passam a funcionar no regime de miniprodução descentralizada, que terá até 2020, uma quota de produção de 500 MW, o equivalente a onze centrais fotovoltaicas da Amareleja. As autarquias, que já recebem rendas pela concessão das suas redes à EDP Distribuição, poderão passar também a injectar energia na rede. O Governo tem dois meses para aprovar o diploma que vai estabelecer o regime jurídico de acesso a esta nova actividade e o regime remuneratório, cuja bonificação depende da associação a medidas de eficiência energética.

Na microprodução, a alteração que se espera de maior significado refere-se à agilização dos processos de registo junto do sistema informático online da Direcção-Geral de Energia, com o Governo a prometer agora que o registo passa a ser aberto até que se atinja o tecto de potência destinado a cada ano e que é aumentado de 10MW para 25 MW.

O interesse público das entidades candidatas e as medidas de eficiência energética associada passam ainda a ser critérios para o acesso ao regime de incentivos à microprodução. Entre as entidades estão as que prestem serviços de carácter social nas áreas da saúde, educação, solidariedade, protecção social, defesa, segurança, outros serviços do Estado e também autarquias.

A produção descentralizada de energia está prevista na Estratégia Nacional de Energia 2020 como um dos meios para atingir a meta de energias renováveis.

O impacto mais imediato do pacote de estímulo ao sector da energia, visando cumprir as disposições das directivas europeias sobre a matéria, prende-se com a extinção das tarifas eléctricas reguladas para a muito alta, alta, média e baixa tensão especial a partir de 1 de Janeiro de 2011. Actualmente já cerca de 85 por cento do consumo no mercado liberalizado é a da responsabilidade dos muito grandes, grandes e médios consumidores industriais.

A medida traduz-se, na prática, pelo fim da possibilidade de as empresas destes escalões de consumo poderem transitar entre o mercado regulado e o liberalizado consoante os preços, acabando a tarifa regulada. Hoje, apenas uma pequena parte da indústria permanece com tarifas reguladas, não passando dos cinco por cento do total. Todos os restantes consumidores - domésticos e pequenas empresas - continuam a ter acesso à tarifa fixada pela ERSE.

Para o Governo, esta medida "afigura-se simultaneamente favorável para os consumidores e para o desenvolvimento do mercado, tornando-o mais aberto e competitivo".

Na produção e utilização de biocombustíveis, será criado um sistema de emissão de títulos de biocombustível, baseado no princípio do mercado de carbono, e com valorização adicional para quem produza biocombustível a partir de resíduos e detritos ou matéria-prima com origem lenhosa. É também introduzido um sistema de comércio de títulos de biocombustível entre quem tenha disponibilidade de títulos e quem precise deles para cumprir as metas de incorporação ditadas pela directiva europeia.

From:
Ecosfera, Público