Europe’s electricity regime : Restoration or thorough transition
(2015) In International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management 5. p.57-68- Abstract
Concerns about climate change, diminishing social acceptance of traditional fuels, and technological innovations have led several countries to pursue energy transition strategies, typically by massive diffusion of renewable electricity supplies. The German ‘Energiewende’ has been successful so far in terms of deploying renewable power, mainly by applying particular feed-in tariffs, and by bundling public, academic, industrial and political support. So far though, only few EU member states proceed with a similar transition. In March 2014 CEOs of Europe’s major energy companies publicly opposed a fast and thorough transformation of electricity supplies to become fully renewable. In April 2014 the European Commission published new state... (More)
Concerns about climate change, diminishing social acceptance of traditional fuels, and technological innovations have led several countries to pursue energy transition strategies, typically by massive diffusion of renewable electricity supplies. The German ‘Energiewende’ has been successful so far in terms of deploying renewable power, mainly by applying particular feed-in tariffs, and by bundling public, academic, industrial and political support. So far though, only few EU member states proceed with a similar transition. In March 2014 CEOs of Europe’s major energy companies publicly opposed a fast and thorough transformation of electricity supplies to become fully renewable. In April 2014 the European Commission published new state aid guidelines, generally mandating renewable energy support mechanisms (premiums, tenders) of lesser performance than regularly adjusted, specific feed-in tariffs. The new guidelines are likely to be pernicious for the fast deployment of renewable electricity supplies. In light of these challenges, this position paper highlights two implications of power sector transitions. First, the engineering-economics theory of power generation systems needs fundamental revision, mainly since a growing share of power sources no longer function on command. Second, and based on the experience in Germany, the paper sketches out a strategy for a thorough transition of the power sector, which, in the end, also entails normative judgements. Deep changes in energy systems and associated ways of living require societal consensus building based on ethical considerations.
(Less)
- author
- organization
- publishing date
- 2015
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Electricity industry transition, Energiewende, EU energy state aid guidelines, Polluter pays principle, Renewable electricity support
- in
- International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management
- volume
- 5
- pages
- 12 pages
- publisher
- Aalborg Universitetsforlag
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:84994225835
- ISSN
- 2246-2929
- DOI
- 10.5278/ijsepm.2015.5.6
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- a54f99f4-01e2-4c43-ad47-6f24b621d0e5
- date added to LUP
- 2017-02-16 11:15:49
- date last changed
- 2022-03-16 20:12:27
@article{a54f99f4-01e2-4c43-ad47-6f24b621d0e5,
abstract = {{<p>Concerns about climate change, diminishing social acceptance of traditional fuels, and technological innovations have led several countries to pursue energy transition strategies, typically by massive diffusion of renewable electricity supplies. The German ‘Energiewende’ has been successful so far in terms of deploying renewable power, mainly by applying particular feed-in tariffs, and by bundling public, academic, industrial and political support. So far though, only few EU member states proceed with a similar transition. In March 2014 CEOs of Europe’s major energy companies publicly opposed a fast and thorough transformation of electricity supplies to become fully renewable. In April 2014 the European Commission published new state aid guidelines, generally mandating renewable energy support mechanisms (premiums, tenders) of lesser performance than regularly adjusted, specific feed-in tariffs. The new guidelines are likely to be pernicious for the fast deployment of renewable electricity supplies. In light of these challenges, this position paper highlights two implications of power sector transitions. First, the engineering-economics theory of power generation systems needs fundamental revision, mainly since a growing share of power sources no longer function on command. Second, and based on the experience in Germany, the paper sketches out a strategy for a thorough transition of the power sector, which, in the end, also entails normative judgements. Deep changes in energy systems and associated ways of living require societal consensus building based on ethical considerations.</p>}},
author = {{Verbruggen, Aviel and Di Nucci, Maria Rosaria and Fischedick, Manfred and Haas, Reinhard and Hvelplund, Frede and Lauber, Volkmar and Lorenzonis, Arturo and Mez, Lutz and Nilsson, Lars J. and Del Rio Gonzalez, Pablo and Schleich, Joachim and Toke, David}},
issn = {{2246-2929}},
keywords = {{Electricity industry transition; Energiewende; EU energy state aid guidelines; Polluter pays principle; Renewable electricity support}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{57--68}},
publisher = {{Aalborg Universitetsforlag}},
series = {{International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management}},
title = {{Europe’s electricity regime : Restoration or thorough transition}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.5278/ijsepm.2015.5.6}},
doi = {{10.5278/ijsepm.2015.5.6}},
volume = {{5}},
year = {{2015}},
}