This comprehensive volume of the Elgar Encyclopedia of Environmental Law provides an overview of the major elements of energy law from a global perspective. Based on an in-depth analysis of the energy chain, it offers insight into the impacts of climate change and environmental issues on energy law and the energy sector. This timely reference work highlights the need for modern energy law to consider environmental impacts and promote the use of clean energy sources, whilst also safeguarding a reliable and affordable energy supply.
This book was originally published by Claeys and Casteels, now formally part of Edward Elgar Publishing. At the end of 2018 the EU agreed a wholesale overhaul of EU electricity laws with the 'Electricity Market Design' package. The aim of this package is to bring EU electricity law up to date, taking account of its aim to become completely decarbonised by 2050, and to deal with the rapidly increasing level of intermittent renewable electricity in the network. The share of electricity produced by renewable energy sources is expected to grow to more than 50% in 2030. With this in mind, the electricity market design framework has been modernised to deal with intermittency, with new provisions on storage, capacity mechanisms (introducing a new emissions limit for power plants eligible to receive subsidies) and demand response. In addition, the role of consumers in the future electricity market has been re-thought and incorporated in the Electricity Market Design, providing the right incentives for consumers to become more active and to contribute to keeping the electricity system stable, as well as new consumer rights. In order to increase the resilience of the EU electricity system, each EU country is in the future required to define Risk Preparedness plans to be ready to respond to unexpected situations, working closely with neighbouring member states. The new rules will be supported by a stronger role for the ACER Agency, which coordinates work among national energy regulators, providing additional powers and responsibilities, and thus ensuring that decisions are taken for making best use of an integrated EU energy market to the benefit of all EU citizens. This new volume, written by all the key Commission officials responsible for drafting, negotiating and now implementing this major new piece of legislation is essential reading for all those involved in the regulation and development of Europe's electricity industry.
Bridging theory and practice, this book offers insights into how Europe has experienced the evolution of modern electricity markets from the end of the 1990s to the present day. It explores defining moments in the process, including the four waves of European legislative packages, landmark court cases, and the impact of climate strikes and marches.
Capacity remuneration mechanisms (or simply capacity mechanisms) have become a fact of life in member states' energy markets and are one of the hottest topics in the wider European regulatory debate. Concerned about the security of electricity supply, national governments are implementing subsidy schemes to encourage investment in conventional power generation capacity, alongside already heavily subsidized renewable energy sources. With the increasingly connected European electricity markets, the introduction of a capacity mechanism in one country not only tends to distort its national market but may also have unforeseeable consequences for neighbouring electricity markets. As these mechanisms are adopted by member states with limited supra-national coordination as well as consideration for the cross-border impact, they tend to cause serious market distortions and put the future of the European internal electricity market at risk. This second edition will take stock of how capacity mechanisms have actually worked so far and consider the consequences they have for the European internal electricity market. It will include a detailed overview of national capacity mechanisms, their implications for the EU internal market, and will outline the nature of market failures which are likely to occur in the European electricity markets. This edition is intended to serve as a point of reference for regulators and policy-makers on how to design optimal capacity mechanisms in Europe. It will be an invaluable resource for anyone interested in energy market design, regulation, and competition issues.
The EU has embarked upon a fundamental change in the direction of its energy policy, with the agreement by the European Council of the 20-20-20 targets, all by 2020. The new legislative framework presently being finalized to put this in practice will have profound effects on all those active in the energy industry. Achieving a 20% share of renewables in the EU's energy mix will require massive investments and an increase by roughly ten times the level of wind and solar energy presently installed in Europe today. This all creates huge challenges and opportunities for EU businesses. A full understanding of support schemes, obligations, and planning requirements is vital for both the industry and its advisors. This volume provides a complete working guide to the new EU legislation. It includes: the economic, environmental, and energy security rationale underpinning the new proposals * national renewable targets, levels, and enforcements mechanism * the trading of renewable energy credits and guarantees of origin * biofuels: obligations, sustainability, and the Fuel Quality Directive * grid access rules/priority access in practice * the EU's electricity grid: how will it need to evolve to incorporate the new renewable electricity.
This authoritative Research Handbook presents, for the first time, a comprehensive overview of the most important research and latest trends in EU energy law and policy. It offers high-quality original contributions that provide state-of-the-art research in this rapidly evolving area, situated in the broader context of international economic law and governance.
Many states – including European Union (EU) Member States – subsidise energy producers in order to guarantee the uninterrupted availability of affordable electricity. This book presents the first in-depth examination of how these so-called capacity mechanisms are addressed in EU law and how they affect the functioning of the EU energy markets. Focusing on the existing legal framework as well as the new provisions of the Clean Energy for All Europeans package for capacity mechanisms, the author addresses and analyses such aspects as the following: the structure and functioning of the EU electricity markets; EU’s competence to address security of supply and Member States’ margin of discretion; sector-specific rules for security of supply; legal conditions for subsidising generation adequacy; capacity remuneration under the EU State aid regime; free movement rules that address generation adequacy measures; balancing different interests of EU energy law in the context of generation adequacy; and the requirement of proportionality in State intervention to ensure generation adequacy. The analysis draws on relevant sources of EU law (treaties, regulations and directives) as well as the case law of the European Court of Justice and the General Court, together with soft law instruments such as Commission guidelines. Scholarly sources include not only legal literature but also work on energy policy, energy engineering and energy economics. As a detailed analysis of how capacity mechanisms address issues arising in the context of the enegy transition – and how the system of EU law applicable to capacity mechanisms should be interpreted to further the objectives of EU energy law – the book will help policymakers and legislators in Member States to understand the changing legal setting for capacity mechanisms. Lawyers, academics and other professionals who deal with EU electricity markets in the EU and beyond are sure to welcome its detailed description and analysis.
This book examines the current state of economic regulation of renewable electricity and explores the possibilities for future harmonized EU regulation.
This book re-conceptualizes energy justice as a unifying agenda for scholars and practitioners working on the issues faced in the trilemna of energy security, poverty and climate change. McCauley argues that justice should be central to the rebalancing of the global energy system and also provides an assessment of the key injustices in our global energy systems of production and consumption. Energy Justice develops a new innovative analytical framework underpinned by principles of justice designed for investigating unfairness and inequalities in energy availability, accessibility and sustainability. It applies this framework to fossil fuel and alternative low carbon energy systems with reference to multiple case studies throughout the world. McCauley also presents an energy justice roadmap that inspires new solutions to the energy trilemna. This includes how we redistribute the benefits and burdens of energy developments, how to engage the new energy ‘prosumer’ and how to recognise the unrepresented. This book will appeal to academics and students interested in issues of security and justice within global energy decision-making.
