Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
energy package is progressing well: by the end of 2012 the EU countries overall
have reduced emissions by 18 % on 1990 levels and also with reference to the RES,
in 2011 around 13 % of the energy produced came from RES, a given upper 11.7 %
expected for 2011-2012, a higher figure than 11.7 % expected for 2011-2012. We
briefly recall that the crucial feature of the 2020 climate and energy package en-
acted in 2009 consists of binding measures for all EU member countries in terms of
RES share to curb emissions of GHG and get to the progressive decarbonization of
the EU. 2 It outlines the efforts distribution to which all EU member countries must
undertake to ensure RES goals within the package.
In order to ensure a better chance of success at the policy outlined in the COM
( 2014 )0015, the European Commission proposes the establishment of a regulatory
framework of governance, based on national plans for competitive, secure, and sus-
tainable energy. These plans, which will follow the guidelines that will be devel-
oped by the EU, must be prepared by individual member states through an iterative
process involving at least the neighboring states and be assessed by the European
Commission in terms of their ability to meet the energy and environmental EU ob-
jectives. The performance of the plans and the achievement of the objectives will
be examined by specific indicators as energy price differentials with competitors
outside the EU, diversification of supply sources, the development of smart grids
and interconnections, the level of interaction of European markets, the degree of
competition and concentration of national or regional energy markets, and techno-
logical development.
On the adequacy and appropriateness of the objectives proposed by the Europe-
an Commission in the 2030 framework, there has been opened a wide debate at both
national and European levels. On the one hand, the world of industry, particularly
the manufacturing industry, has complained that the definition of new targets for the
reduction of GHG could have an adverse effect on the price of energy in Europe,
increasing the cost differential with respect to the energy cost of other market areas.
In particular, it has been observed that in the USA also through the production of
shale gas, the cost of energy has been considerably lowered. An increase in the cost
of energy in Europe would therefore seriously harm the competitiveness of enter-
prises. Major utilities and energy operators have highlighted the need for a single
target on the reduction of GHG to support a technology-neutral approach between
the technologies with low CO 2 emissions. On the other hand, there are concerns
among stakeholders about the lack of binding target for RES at national levels. The
COM( 2014 )0015, avoiding to set a national target for the RES and in the absence
of a real governance of coordination for the achievement of the EU goal fixed to
27 % of gross energy consumption from RES, would seal a reversal of direction
compared to the previous 2020 climate and energy package, bringing instability and
regulatory perspective of the RES sector.
2 The 2020 climate and energy package, enacted in 2009, consists of a series of measures that
mainly concern the 20 % reduction of at least 20 % of GHG emissions resulting from energy con-
sumption in the EU compared to 1990 levels by 2020, the 20 % increase of energy produced from
RES by 2020; the 20 % improvement in energy efficiency.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search