Final conclusions and recommendations RESPOND

RESPOND will present its final conclusions and recommendations for developing a more economic efficient integration of large shares of intermittent electricity generation by Wind, photovoltaic and CHP in the European electricity supply systems in the EEM09 conference on 27-29 May 2009 in Leuven, Belgium.

The main topics addressed are:

• How can we optimally reduce expected system impacts caused by increasingly large shares of variable Wind, PV and CHP electricity generation?
• What are the best institutional and technical response options available?
• What changes in regulation and institutional frameworks are needed in Denmark, UK, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands?
• What is the optimal transition process (Regulatory roadmaps) of the power systems of five EU countries, Denmark, UK, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands to absorb 30% or more of variable RES-E in 2020.

RESPOND is concerned with developing technical and institutional solutions and the necessary regulatory and policy changes for securing more production of electricity by intermittent renewable energy sources, in particularly wind energy up to 2020. Solutions and regulation have been developed that are needed in all electricity market segments, i.e. generation; load balancing, trade, network management and consumer demand in five member states: United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands.

Client	European Commission, DG TREN IEE programme
Contact	Frits van Oostvoorn
Website	www.respond-project.eu

Summer Academy organised by ECN Policy Studies

On the 3rd and 4th of September 2009 the first ‘Summer School’ of ECN Policy Studies will take place in The Hague. This two-day workshop is designed for all officials dealing with decision-making, implementation and effects of renewable energy policy. The theme of the first edition is: ‘Renewable Energy: Facts, Fiction and Future’, containing the following subjects:

• Introduction and overview of renewable energy technologies and policy support measures.
• The Dutch and European renewable energy targets, causes and consequences.

The official language of the Summer School is Dutch. For further information please contact Tjasa Bole, telephone number +31 224 564833 or e-mail to Tjasa Bole.

Client	ECN
Contact	Tjasa Bole

Energy and Climate targets require firm additional policy

In the working programme Clean and Efficient of 2007 ambitious targets were formulated for 2020 with regard to climate policy: 30% reduction of greenhouse gases compared to 1990, a share of 20% renewable energy and annual energy savings of 2%. In the mean time, many activities from the working programme have been put into operation. By request of the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, the Environmental Assessment Agency and ECN have examined to what extent the targets for 2020 will be achieved with current policy. The effects of the additional coalition agreement have also been included. This agreement announces increased and more robust finance for renewable energy.

The study shows that the policy of the working programme will have substantial effect on greenhouse gas reductions, renewable energy and energy saving. Yet, this does not mean that the targets will be reached. The policy of the working programme Clean and Efficient mainly consists of grants, fiscal measures, standardization and covenants. Even further intensification of policy instruments does not result in the realization of the targets. This requires additional and possibly more obligatory policy instruments, for example in the built environment. Deployment of additional policy measures requires considerable technical, organizational and financial efforts from the government and from businesses and citizens. The target for greenhouse gas reduction could come within reach by lowering the European emission ceiling for participants in the emission trading system. The European Commission may decide in favour of such a lowering if worldwide agreement on far-reaching reductions for the period after 2012 is reached in Copenhagen in December 2009.

APPLES project

The majority of households in rural Africa are highly dependent on traditional biomass to meet their energy needs, and his is also true in South Africa, where accessible and affordable energy supplies remain unavailable for the majority of the poor rural population. The Alleviation of Poverty through the Provision of Local Energy Services (APPLES) project contributes to addressing the challenge of locally providing reliable and adequate energy products and services and raise awareness over energy issues. The Highflats Energy Centre (HEC) in the province of KwaZulu Natal is the direct outcome of the APPLES project. The HEC is organized as “a one-stop energy shop owned and operated by a community cooperative and organised as a community project”. The HEC was established after identifying energy related needs of the local communities, extensive involvement of the local authorities and engaging capacity building institutions to provide training necessary to overcome the lack of business management experience. During its initial phases of operation, the HEC has been receiving support from South Africa’s National Development Agency. However, in the long run, this venture has significant potential to become the main driver for improving the energy situation of the local communities and even provide support for small local enterprises. 

A CO2 trunk pipeline from the Netherlands to the Utsira formation

Let’s store all CO2 from North Western Europe in large geological storage capacity offshore Norway! This seemingly attractive idea was the rationale for a feasibility study for a CO2 trunk pipeline from the Netherlands to the Utsira formation. The study was coordinated by ECN and carried out in close cooperation with particularly Utrecht University as well as TNO and Gasunie. A cost-optimization exercise showed that from a Dutch national perspective an investment in a CO2 trunk pipeline towards Utsira may be cost-effective from 2040 onwards, at least if onshore capacity is exploited as well. If Belgian and German CO2 is transported an investment in such a trunk pipeline might be worthwhile ten years earlier. Adaptation of the London Protocol to allow for transboundary transport of CO2 is a prerequisite for the trunk pipeline. Finally, the study shows that public responsibility for routing and dimensioning of new CO2 infrastructures will depend on the prioritisation of offshore capacity.

Changing behaviour

Today many organisations in Europe are working on reducing our demand for energy. The results, however, are varying. CHANGING BEHAVIOUR is a project that explores the conditions for successful energy demand side programmes and projects in different European countries. It joins the forces of social scientist and various intermediary organizations such as energy agencies, energy consultancies and service companies, as well as non-governmental organizations. There are many best practice guidelines and cases in Europe, but still little attention as to what works where. CHANGING BEHAVIOUR aims to address this gap by developing a context-sensitive approach to energy demand management programmes. For this purpose, we:

• Set up an online database of 100 European demand-side programmes, including new kinds of programmes nested under a broader climate or sustainability heading.
• Conducted an extensive literature review and explored the factors influencing success and failure in a meta-analysis of previous European programmes
• Interviewed 25 energy intermediaries to identify what factors help and obstruct their work
• Organise workshops for dialogue among researchers and practitioners in different parts of Europe
• Host an online open innovation platform for co-development of innovative programme ideas
• Build and test a conceptual framework that aims to help energy saving programmes become more responsive to context, actors and timing.