Renewable energy

The global energy challenges of today are huge: today, about 78% of the global energy demand (some 500 EJ/year) is satisfied through coal, oil and gas. At the same time, oil is expected to peak between 2020 and 2030.

Together with the issues around security of supply and climate change a fundamental transition of our energy system to a decarbonised energy system is required. This calls for a number of energy challenges:

• Provide access to modern energy for the poor
• Reduce dependence on imported oil and gas
• Mitigate climate change
• Stimulate sustainable economic growth through innovation
• Design a stable and long-term policy framework for exploitation and innovation
• Make use of specific regional advantages.

ECN Policy studies aims to make a significant contribution to this energy transition, where we are seeking to obtain synergy with economic development and innovation. 

More information on the various Renewable energy themes of  ECN Policy Studies:

• Biomass and biofuels
• Wind energy
• Solar Energy
• Other Renewable energy options
• Renewable energy cost studies
• The Dutch Subsidy scheme on renewable Energy (SDE)
• Policy schemes and scenarios for Renewable energy.

Ongoing and recent projects

ECN Policy Studies is and has been involved in many projects in which several aspects of renewable energy are studied: 

• National Renewable Energy Action Plans. Data report and database on published NREAP documents
• RES-H Policy. Renewable heating and cooling in European Member States
• AIRE. Accelerated Implementation of a Renewable Electricity supply in the Netherlands
• EurObserv'ER. Barometer on Renewable Energy
• RES2020. Monitoring and Evaluation of the RES directives implementation in EU27 and policy recommendations for 2020
• Review quota obligation systems
• SUSPLAN. PLANning for SUStainability
• BIOREF-INTEG. Development of advanced biorefinery schemes to be integrated into existing industrial (fuel producing) complexes.

Earlier projects
See also the Dutch pages for information about typical Dutch projects.

Tools

• Cost Offshore Wind
  Cost of offshore wind, depending on site and technology
• Biotrans
  Use of biofuels in transportation sector EU-27
• Budget Estimates
  Estimates of SDE-budgets
• Biomass Allocation
  Optimal use of biomass
• RESolve-E
  Projection of sustainable electricity in the EU-27

More information

For more information please contact Paul van den Oosterkamp.