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Energy Policy Objectives in Belgium
- to phase-out the nuclear energy (between 2015 and 2025) - to reorganize the electricity and gas markets (in Flanders, electricity and gas markets are fully liberalized since July 2003) - to implement the Federal Plan for Sustainable Development, in the context of the "Law concerning the coordination of the federal policy on sustainable development" (May 5, 1997), a new version of the plan for 2004-2008 has been elaborated. - to implement the National Climate Plan 2002-2012, signed in 2002, by both the federal and regional governments responsible for environment, energy and transport, measures to be taken at either the federal or the regional levels. FLANDERS: - to encourage the efficient use of energy (to reduce the consumption of energy in the residential sector and to increase energy efficiency in industry and the service sector) - to provide the greatest energy services at adequate prices for all social groups, through regulation of electricity and gas markets - to augment energy production through the use of renewable energy WALLONIA: Walloon Plan for Sustainable Mastery of Energy (2003) - to reduce the final consumption by 6% by 2010 - to modify behavior through increased public consciousness of energy matters - to develop the renewable energy sector - to regulate electricity and gas markets, to discuss and evaluate policies - to encourage the efficient use of energy in buildings, industry and services - Decree of 1 March 2012 (Wallonia). The objective of the Walloon Government is to achieve 20% of renewable energy by 2020 and 100% by 2050. The Walloon government will require energy suppliers an higher annual percentage of green certificates. Currently it is 15.75% and gradually it will reach 30.4% in 2016 and 37.9% in 2020, an annual increase of 3.65%. BRUSSELS-CAPITAL: - to increase public awareness of the efficient use of energy - to establish a support system for renewable and other energy projects - to offer finance education and other support to the tertiary sector (as well as public authorities) - to develop administrative tools for building developers on the energy performance on buildings Source: Energy Market Price – Belgium Energy Statistics Report
read more... 13/06/2013
Coal India to invest in solar power
The largest coal company in the world, Coal India, has announced it intends to invest in solar power aiming to reduce energy bills and to cut costs. The company, which is responsible for more than 80 % of coal production in India, intends to install a 2MW plant at its Sampalbur coal plant in Odisha. The plant will have the potential to be scaled up to provide excess electricity to the grid.
read more... 10/06/2013
Britain’s hopes of a green future in electricity supply vanished
An attempt to include a goal to decarbonise the electricity production in the UK by 2030 was narrowly defeated in the House of Commons on Tuesday, to the dismay of green activists and businesses that had supported the objective as a way to stimulate investments in renewables and low carbon energy.
read more... 06/06/2013
OPEC to keep oil production target unchanged, with oil at $100
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which supplies about 40 percent of the world’s oil, decided to keep its production target unchanged for a third consecutive time, stating that crude prices at about $100 a barrel are relatively strong.
read more... 04/06/2013
Sweden prefers renewables to nuclear
Recently Sweden's energy minister, Anna-Karin Hatt, has announced that the government will not subsidize new nuclear power plants, favoring renewable investments. Electricity production in Sweden is dominated by nuclear power and renewables, which currently make about equal contributions to energy production- about 40%.
read more... 30/05/2013