European Hydrogen Association » EU Policy News

European Energy Regulators’ Public Consultation

tanya — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:20:25 +0000

At the heart of the 3rd Legislative Package is the development of EU-wide network codes on topic areas for the integration of EU electricity and gas markets, enabling cross-border trade and competition to develop across EU energy markets. Upon a request from the European Commission, ERGEG is using the so-called interim period until the Agency for Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) becomes fully operational to simulate the development of framework guidelines according to the provisions of the 3rd Package. ERGEG has therefore developed draft pilot framework guideline on electricity grid connection. This draft is accompanied by an initial impact assessment.

Grid connection covers all issues to establish and to maintain a physical connection between the transmission and / or distribution grid and the grid customers. Grid connection is used here as a synonym for network connection, which is the area for a network code according to Article 8.1.b of the Regulation (EC) 714/2009. In the context of this Initial Impact Assessment (IIA), grid connection requirements are considered as features and rules which the transmission and distribution grid operators, as well as the grid users have to meet, in order to maintain system security, availability and the proper functioning of the electricity market from a technical point of view.

ERGEG invites all interested parties to provide comments to the consultation paper (framework guidelines) – and in particular the 9 questions in the accompanying cover note. Any comments should be received by 24 September 2010 and should be sent by email to fg_pilot_electricity@ergeg.org.

EU posts consultation on Raw Materials Initiative

marieke — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 07:51:13 +0000

The European Commission published a consultation on the EU Raw Materials Initiative, that was launched in 2008, to facilitate the preparation of a new Communication which will not only report on progress made with the implementation of this initiative, but also indicate the way forward.The goal of this consultation is to gain an understanding of stakeholders’ views on both the implementation of the Initiative as well as gather opinions and suggestions on the potential avenues the Commission should explore in order to further progress and strengthen the Initiative. Ther consultation closes on September 19, 2010. More information can be downloaded here.

The Commission recently presented the outcome of study of an expert working group which was active between April 2009 and June 2010 under the umbrella of the Raw Materials Supply Group. The report observes that, as geological scarcity is not considered as an issue for determining criticality of raw materials within the time horizon of the study, e.g. ten years, global reserve figures are not reliable indicators of long term availability. Of greater relevant are changes in the geopolitical-economic framework that impact on the supply and demand of raw materials. These changes relate to the growing demand for raw materials, which in turn is driven by the growth of developing economies and new emerging technologies. Moreover, many emerging economies are pursuing industrial development strategies by means of trade, taxation and investment instruments aimed at reserving their resource base for their exclusive use. This trend has become apparent through an increasing number of government measures such as export taxes, quotas, subsidies etc. In some cases, the situation is further compounded by a high level of concentration of the production in a few countries.

European Commission puts ETS cap at 1.927 allowances for 2013

marieke — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 17:09:57 +0000

The European Commission announced on 9th July that the total amount of allowances under the EU Emission Trading Scheme will be capped at just under 1.927 billion allowances for 2013. The Commission said, however, that it would revise the cap this September to take into account the extension of the scheme’s scope post-2012. At present, it does not account for new sectors such as aluminium or gases like nitrous oxide, for instance. Further adjustments will be made later if new entrants join the market or if emissions-reduction projects planned under the Kyoto Protocol fail to produce credits for companies to offset their emissions with, according to the Commission. “Final figures for the 2013 cap may thus not be available before 2013,” the EU executive said.

The Commission shall adopt the benchmarks by 31 December 2010 under the Directive. This leaves very little time to the Commission to finalise its proposal as the Member States must vote on it in Comitology and the Parliament has a 3 month scrutiny period.

Main steps in the process include: Stakeholder consultations (both “bilateral” and “multilateral” consultations with industry sectors and NGOs) Informal technical working group meetings with Member States	(last meeting: 1 st July Still on-going
Commission proposal (delayed)	September 2010
Draft decision to Member States (expected)	September 2010
Adoption	December 2010

EU publishes list of critical raw materials.

marieke — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:22:47 +0000

The availibilty of raw materials that are an essential part of both high tech products and every-day consumer products, such as mobile phones, thin layer photovoltaics, Lithium-ion batteries, fibre optic cable, synthetic fuels, among others is increasingly under pressure according to a report, published on June 17, by an expert group chaired by the European Commission. In this first ever overview on the state of access to raw materials in the EU, the experts label a selection of 14 raw materials as “critical” out of 41 minerals and metals analysed. The growing demand for raw materials is driven by the growth of developing economies and new emerging technologies. The list was established in the framework of the 2008 EU Raw Materials Initiative¹ in close cooperation with Member States and stakeholders. The results of the report will be used for the drafting of a forthcoming communication on strategies to ensure access to raw materials which the Commission will publish in autumn 2010.

The expert group considers that 14 raw mineral materials are critical for the European Union: Antimony, Beryllium, Cobalt, Fluorspar, Gallium, Germanium, Graphite, Indium, Magnesium, Niobium, PGMs (Platinum Group Metals), Rare earths, Tantalum and Tungsten. Forecasts indicate that demand might more than triple for a series of critical raw materials by 2030 compared with the 2006 level.

For the critical raw materials, their high supply risk is mainly due to the fact that a high share of the worldwide production mainly comes from a handful of countries: China (antimony, fluorspar, gallium, germanium, graphite, indium, magnesium, rare earths, tungsten), Russia (PGM), the Democratic Republic of Congo (cobalt, tantalum) and Brazil (niobium and tantalum). This production concentration, in many cases, is compounded by low substitutability and low recycling rates.
The main driving emerging technologies for the critical raw materials are antimony tin oxide and micro capacitors for Antimony, Lithium-ion batteries and synthetic fuels for Cobalt, thin layer photovoltaics, IC, WLED for Gallium, fibre optic cable for and IR optical technologies for Germanium, displays and thin layer photovoltaics for Indium, Fuel cells and catalysts for, Platinum (PGM), catalysts and seawater desalination for Palladium (PGM), micro capacitors and ferroalloys for Niobium, permanent magnets and laser technology for Neodymium (rare earth), and micro capacitors and medical technology for Tantalum.

Third JTI Call for proposals is out.

marieke — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 06:42:43 +0000

The Official Journal of the EU , announced in its June 18 , 2010 issue the publication of the third Call for proposals of the Joint Undertaking for Fuel Cell and Hydrogen. Call information has been published on the Cordis website. A little over € 89 mln is available for Transport, hydrogen production and stationary applications as well as early markets. The Deadline for proposals is October 13, 2010.

EC launches publication on European Industrial Initiatives on Energy

marieke — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:17:05 +0000

The European Commission published an overview of the European Industrial Initiaitves that are being established under the EU Strategic Energy Technology Plan ( SET-Plan). The core idea behind the SET Plan is to make low-carbon technologies more affordable and competitive. The EU’s approach focuses on the European Industrial Initiatives (EII). Industry-led, the EIIs aim to strengthen industrial participation in energy research and demonstration, boost innovation and accelerate deployment of low-carbon energy technologies. EIIs target sectors in which working at EU level adds most value, and technologies for which the barriers, the scale of the investment and the risk involved can be better tackled collectively. The Joint Undertaking for Fuel Cells and Hydrogen was the first Initiative approved under the SET Plan. The spanish presidnecy unveiled three new EII’s on June 3. The publication can be downloaded here.

EC Communications analysis costs and benefits of 30% CO2 reduction target

marieke — Wed, 26 May 2010 13:36:10 +0000

On May 26 the the European Commission presented an analysis of the costs, benefits and options for moving beyond the EU’s greenhouse gas reduction target for 2020 from 20% below 1990 levels to 30% once the conditions are met. At present these conditions have not been met. This communication follows the Commission’s Communication on “How to reinvigorate international climate negotiations” and the Council’s request to present an assessment on the impacts of a conditional move to a 30% emissions cut. The measures taken to support energy-intensive industries against the risk of carbon leakage are also examined as required under the ETS (Emissions Trading System) Directive. The Communication shows that the reduction in EU emissions as a consequence of the economic crisis, together with a drop in carbon prices, has changed the estimations two years ago when the revised ETS was presented. Therefore in light of the new data, an analysis of the implications of the different levels of ambition as a motor for modernising the EU economy and creating new jobs by promoting innovation in low-carbon technologies is provided. This analysis encompasses the efforts required in the main different sectors to reduce greenhouse gas emissions beyond 20%, up to 30%, looking also at the impacts of these efforts and the potential policy options to achieve them. The current context of constrained public finances and economic contraction is also fully taken into account when assessing possible alternatives.

Competitiveness Council of the EU confirms hydrogen vehicles as ultra-low-carbon mobility option

marieke — Tue, 25 May 2010 13:26:23 +0000

The EU Competitiveness Council on May 25, 2010 indicated in its conclusions on the EU Clean and Energy Efficient Vehicles Strategy that “hydrogen vehicles remain a valid ultra-low-carbon mobility option in the mediumterm perspective, as affordability of the car and of the fuel is achieved; also NOTES that hydrogen vehicles and electric vehicles are mutually complementary”. It also referred to hydrogen vehicles, together with electric batterty vehicles as a highly promising ultra-low-carbonpower-train technologies, as they have the potential, according to the Council, to:
a. address the challenges of climate change and fossil fuel dependency;
b. cut local air pollution and noise from transport and contribute to improving the air quality, in particular in cities and urban zones;
c. enable synergies with smart grids and therefore promote renewable sources of energy and offer a possibility of energy storage;
d. offer an opportunity to revitalise the industrial fabric in Europe by fostering innovation,growth and jobs;
e. offer, in particular if combined with electricity generated from safe and sustainable sources of energy, including renewables, a superior well-to-wheel energy efficiency and can therefore contribute significantly to the objective of transport decarbonisation.The Council also stressed the need to focus on research excellence in order to ensure that alternative power-trains receive targeted research financing, including innovative energy storage and conversion technologies, such as batteries, fuel cells and the necessary respective infrastructure.
Last but not least the Council ”calls on the Commission to consult Member States and stakeholders and to rapidly come up with guidelines on potential financial incentives for consumers to buy greenvehicles in order to stimulate the market uptake of clean and energy-efficient vehicles, without giving preference to any particular technology as well as exploring the potential ofpublic procurement and of grouped purchases for large vehicle fleets within the existing legal framework for public procurement. Non-financial incentives, at national or regional level, could also be explored by the relevant actors.”

More info on the Council conclusions can be found here.

Implementing measures published of EU Regulation on homologation of H2 vehicles

marieke — Tue, 18 May 2010 15:04:59 +0000

On May 18, 2010 the European Union published the implementing Regulation (EC) No 79/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on type-approval of hydrogen-powered motor vehicles that includes measures regarding hydrogen propulsion, hydrogen components and hydrogen systems and for the installation of such components and systems. Regulation (2009/79) allows car manufacturers to apply for the EC whole-vehicle type-approval of hydrogen-powered vehicles on a voluntary basis. The regulation also provides for harmonised rules on hydrogen tanks, including for liquid hydrogen, is necessary in order to ensure that hydrogen vehicles can be refuelled throughout the EU in a safe and reliable manner. The implementing regulation can be downloaded here.

Germany wants 1 million electric cars by 2020

lana — Mon, 03 May 2010 07:12:25 +0000

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and top executives of the country’s main carmakers and energy companies have met in Berlin to launch a new initiative to develop electric vehicles.

The so-called “national platform for electric mobility” being started Monday 3^rd of May comes after Merkel pledged to have one million electric vehicles on the road within the next decade.
Merkel says there needs to be greater independence from natural resources. She is pushing sustainable technologies that will help limit the effects of climate change.
The National Electric Mobility Platform creates seven working groups for technological cooperation between industry and government, which is due to present an interim report by the end of 2010.
Sources said “The automobile industry will be investing a likely 20 billion Euros per year in research and development over the next several years, a significant portion of which will be into electric mobility, fuel efficient vehicles and other energy-saving measures”.
“We will be dealing intensively with all of the technological, energy and industrial questions in order to make the electric mobility sector and the German auto sector ready for the future,” Economy Minister Rainer Bruederle said.
The earliest introduction of electric vehicles for mass production by German manufacturers – including BMW, Volkswagen and Daimler – is expected to be around 2013, whereas Japan’s Nissan and other car manufacturers are bringing electric models on to the market by late 2010.
“We still have no fully developed and price-competitive mass production vehicle available,” Transport Minister Peter Ramsauer told the Berliner Zeitung newspaper. Discussion of government incentives will centre around measures such as free parking in inner cities for electric vehicles and the possibility of such cars using bus lanes. Other questions will focus on how to bring electric vehicles within reach of ordinary consumers.
The German government has already given development funding to some 190 electric mobility projects, mostly in the private sector, totaling more than 100 million Euros.
BMW AG’s chief executive Norbert Reithofer says Germany is well positioned to become a technology leader in that market.
He says: “To make this happen, our leaders in politics and industry have to be pulling in the same direction.”

For more information click here