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DG Environment director of strategy,Robin Miege, said that although shale gas could be  a “game-changer” in the United States, condition in Europe were rather different although with Europe’s energy prices over twice the US levels, unconventional fossil fuels are climbing higher up the European policy agenda. The results of the public consultation on Europe’s shale gas prospects, which were presented by the Commission’s environment directorate on 7 June, showed that over half of the respondents were favourable to the development of shale gas in Europe. According to Mr. Miege , potential benefits of European shale gas production are mostly diversification of the EU’s energy mix, energy security, with possibilities in re-negotiating with gas suppliers, but “the effect on prices is not necessarily going to be major”. A majority of respondents to the public consultation indadicated that the main potential benefits of shale gas were indeed decreasing the EU’s energy import dependency costing 1 bln a day, and strengthening the EU’s negotiating position with external suppliers. Over 50% of those questioned also believed that shale gas would make energy cheaper for consumers. However, numerous analyses of the potential impacts are more cautious. Unconventional gas production costs in Europe are likely to be [...]

The EHA attended a high level conference organseed by the Egmont institute for international relations “Beyond the 2020 horizon: Moving towards a common EU energy policy”. According EU president van Rompuy  global energy demand will rise by 30% by 2025 and the EU risks to become the only area in the world to depend almost entirely on oil and gas imports. He also referred to the recent remarks of EC president Barroso that a 20% increase in energy efficiency wouls close 1000 coal power plants. Baringa consultancy reported that current projections for renewable energy are well below the planned and required trajectory overal and for all technologies except PV. Acceleration of investments is likely to lead to increase in costs rather than benefitting form experience curve. Lately the European Energy Policy focus on the triangle with decarbonisation on the top and  affordability and security of supply at the bottom has reversed to affordability and and security of supply at the top and decarbonisation at the bottom.  At the meeting European energy companeis commented on the EU’s energy policy for 2030; Edison suggested to include wind energy lifetime cost consiidrations. Siemens indicated that without storage no balanced grid is possible by 2030 recommended a [...]

The 14th EHA Annual General Meeting will tak place on June 28, from 11:00 till 15:30 at our new premises at the House of the European Cities, Municipalities and Regions at Square de Meeûs 1 (1 st floor), 1000 Brussels. The meeting will take place during the EU Sustainable Energy Week that sees a broad program of events this year. We are looking forward to discuss the EHA’s contribution to Europe’s ambition to develop sustainable alternative fuel infrastructure linked to clean power. The EU director for New Energy technologies, innovation and clean coal and responsible for the new SET Plan, Ms. Andreea Strachinescu, has confirmed her presence at the meeting. The latest EU Communication Energy Technologies and Innovation (COM2013/253) includes a reference to the development of integrated roadmaps of different clean energy solutions executed by national action plans.  In combination with the EU ambition in building a sustainable alternative fuel infrastructure (Clean Power for Transport (COM 2013/17), including the first article dedicated to hydrogen in the EU Directive history, these developments point to an increasing role of EHA national hydrogen associations in ensuring the involvement of key national stakeholders including SME.