Energy & Environment
How the new EU Battery Fund can put Europe on the battery map
Est. 5minEurope is still running behind in the global scramble to secure the green supply chains of the future. China’s decades’ long planning and investment, and the US’s more recent surge of support, risk leaving our continent in the dust.
The changing dynamics of European electricity markets
Est. 4minThe recently adopted electricity market reform sees the state becoming a major financial intermediary in the European electricity sector, with implications for its approach to recovering costs
Political will and collaboration can revise plastics system
Est. 6minFor the first time, the European plastics industry is united to redesign the plastics system and achieve net zero emissions. Learn why ‘the Plastics Transition’ roadmap is being considered as a profound cultural shift for the plastics industry.
From 9 to 45 TWh: Urgent intervention for UHS needed for a cost-effective & swift energy transition
Est. 7minA recent study published in April 2024 by Artelys and Frontier Economics reveals that achieving the 2030 ambitions set by REPowerEU in a cost-effective way would require 45 TWh of Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS).
Low-carbon hydrogen definition: Commission’s last chance to leave a hydrogen legacy
Est. 5minAs the dust settles around EU election results and Brussels looks towards the EU's incoming leaders, one last policy hurdle sits on the desks of energy officials: a definition of low-carbon hydrogen.
Buildings decarbonisation can make or break the Green Deal
Est. 6minBuildings and transport are the two most crucial sectors to decarbonise to meet EU’s 2030 climate targets. However, they are also have the most directly affect on EU citizens in their daily lives, as the choice to undertake energy renovations …
Biodiversity problems, power sector solutions
Est. 6minThe European power sector's commitment to biodiversity is not just a moral obligation, but a pragmatic strategy for ensuring sustainable project development, lowering consenting risks and gaining more social acceptance.
Decarbonising district heating will require power-to-heat technology
Est. 10minPower-to-heat shows how renewable energy can also be used for heating. This technology may be one of the most preferred and useful options for decarbonising district heating systems in Poland.
Why backing Germany’s LNG investment is a roadblock – not a bridge to the future
Est. 5minThe European Commission's recent decision to greenlight €40 million in State aid for a new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal in Brunsbüttel, Germany is a short-sighted gamble riddled with environmental and legal concerns. Stéphanie Nieuwbourg is a legal expert at …
The New European Bauhaus – a paradigm shift
Est. 5minA recent critique of has ignited a discussion about whether the New European Bauhaus (NEB) is living up to its promises. With the NEB in its early stages, is it fair to write off this ambitious initiative?
The perils of relying on Russian transit for Azeri gas
Est. 5minA proposal to transit Azeri gas through Russia and subsequently to the EU raises significant strategic and security concerns, writes Sergiy Makogon.
Used cooking oil: there is a cobra in the room
Est. 4minThe European green oil industry is concerned about massive and potentially fraudulent imports of biofuels from Asia. This fraud consists of importing so-called “used cooking oil biofuels” which are in fact biofuels made from virgin palm oil.
E-fuels: as much import as necessary, as sustainably as possible
Est. 5minThis year's International E-Fuels Dialogue organised by the German Federal Ministry of Transport focused on the use of e-fuels in aviation. For e-fuels to be part of a globally just energy transition, the implementation of sustainability criteria should also be a priority.
The Hidden Key to Sustainable Buildings
Est. 6minRebuilding the EU for citizens was headline news this month, as European Parliament elections took place ahead of the appointment of new European commissioners. But a quietly overlooked proposal, known as the Construction Products Regulation (CPR), is set to bring home the benefits of the EU and its single market, for businesses and for voters.
Charting the Path to Climate Neutrality and Energy Resilience
Est. 5minWhile EU's next institutional cycle opens new perspectives, some objectives remain unchanged: Climate neutrality by 2050, security of supply and energy resilience. Renewable fuels are critical in meeting those objectives, but an EU strategy for liquid fuels is needed.
The New Council Conclusion on the 8th EAP: A new step towards a Water-Smart Strategy
Est. 6minOn Monday, the 17th of June, the Council adopted its conclusions on the mid-term review of the 8th environment action programme, paving the way forward to a green, just and inclusive transition for a sustainable Europe. The water community welcomes these conclusions as they stress out ‘the important regulating role of water cycles for ecosystems, human life and the functioning of the economy and our society’.
The European Green Deal has matured: the path forward
Est. 5minA European Green Deal 2.0 was always going to be a very different agenda, especially if the original European Green Deal succeeded.
Russia’s strategy: Bombing Ukraine into full blackout
Est. 5minThe consequences of Ukraine becoming uninhabitable in the coming winter are underestimated by Europe and the world, write Victoria Voytsitska and Olena Halushka.
Harnessing biosolutions for a sustainable and prosperous future: A call to action for the new European Parliament and upcoming Commission
Est. 5minWith the European Parliament elections concluded, 720 MEPs have been entrusted by European citizens to deliver on critical issues such as Co2 reductions, food security, job creation, and the overall well-being and security of Europeans in an increasingly unstable world
G7 cooperation with China on climate-aligned trade is vital
Est. 5minG7 countries should work with China to put in place climate-aligned trade policies needed to accelerate global climate action, by harnessing the power of international trade to promote innovation, reduce costs, and stimulate demand for green goods, write Matt Piotrowski and Joseph Dellatte.
Preventing Ukraine from falling into darkness
Est. 5minRussia is trying to strategically destroy Ukraine’s ability to supply its population and economy with electricity and heat. However a number of complimentary energy-side measures can minimize the risks.
The Brief – Make electric cars, not war
Est. 6minThe global liberal order has long been written off. It was naïve, the argument now goes, to think that trade would bind together countries’ interests and encourage cooperation over conflict. But Europe’s current China contortions suggest that global trade can still keep the peace.
MEPs need green hydrogen on their radar from day one
Est. 4minHow the EU addresses the climate crisis has been high up the political agenda in the approach to this week’s elections. But there are two sectors that continue to fly under the radar in the bloc’s pursuit of decarbonisation: shipping and aviation.
Green Deal or Industrial Deal? Why Grids Always Matter!
Est. 6minA well-established electricity infrastructure is not only key for the delivery of the Green Deal objectives but also a precondition for a competitive European industry. Given their relevance, grids must remain on top of the EU’s next strategic agenda.