Development and Application of a Methodology to Identify Projects of Energy Community Interest

Projects of Energy Community Interest” (PECIs) is a label attached to those projects which have the highest positive impact in the largest possible number of Contracting Parties. The assessment of one hundred projects submitted as candidates, and final selection of 35 PECIs was achieved in a collaborative process undertaken by the same Task Force that contributed to the preparation of the Energy Strategy. Chaired by the European Commission, the Task Force was facilitated by the Energy Community Secretariat and benefited from technical assistance of a Consultant sponsored from the Energy Community budget.

Az Európai Unió kibővítésének hatása a lisszaboni stratégia hatékonyságára. Tapasztalatok az Európa 2020 stratégia tervezéséhez (The effects of EU enlargement on the effectiveness of the Lisbon strategy - conclusion for the Europe 2020 strategy)

A tanulmány azt vizsgálja, hogy a lisszaboni stratégia utódja, az Európa 2020 stratégia esetén indokolt lehet-e a régi és az új tagállamok eltérő kezelése. Mindehhez elsősorban a lisszaboni stratégia tapasztalatait, illetve a tagállamok teljesítményét tekinti át. Arra következtetésre jutottunk, hogy a kutatás-fejlesztés valamint a környezeti fenntarthatósági szempontot tükröző energiaintenzitási mutató esetében kiemelten szükséges a stratégia finomhangolása. A K+F célkitűzés csak hosszú távon releváns a felzárkózó országok számára, rövid távon elsősorban a kohéziót hatékonyabban támogató beruházásélénkítésre kell helyezni a hangsúlyt. A differenciált megközelítés a foglalkoztatási területre is igaz. E terület sajátossága azonban, hogy a tagállamok közötti törésvonal itt nem az EU15-ök és az EU12-ek között húzódik, hanem megfigyelhető a jól ismert észak-dél törésvonal is. A foglalkoztatás terén tehát a déli tagállamok differenciált kezelése is indokolt lehet. / === / The paper asks whether the differential treatment of EU member states would be warranted in case the successor of the Lisbon Strategy, the Europe 2020 Strategy. It examines the performance of member states in the past decade, and arrives to the conclusion that some "fine-tuning" would be required in case of the new strategy, especially in the fields of R&D and energy intensity. R&D is only relevant for the new member states in the longer run, in the short run however policies promoting cohesion seem more important. Differential treatment would also be required in issues related to employment, but here the main divide is not between the old and new member states, but rather between the northern and southern ones.

Social acceptance of renewable energy: Some examples from Europe and Developing Africa

Current energy systems are in most instances not fully working sustainably. The provision and use of energy only consider limited resources, risk potential or financial constraints on a limited scale. Furthermore, the knowledge and benefits are only available for a minor group of the population or are outright neglected. The availability of different resources for energy purposes determines economic development, as well as the status of the society and the environment. The access to energy grids has an impact on socio-economic living standards of communities. This not fully developed system is causing climate change with all its related outcomes. This investigation takes into consideration different views on renewable energy systems — such as international discussions about biomass use for energy production, “fuel versus food”, biogas use — and attempts to compare major prospects of social acceptance of renewable energy in Europe and Africa. Can all obstacles to the use of renewable energy be so profound that the overall strategy of reducing anthropogenic causes of climate change be seriously affected?

Social acceptance of renewable energy: Some examples from Europe and Developing Africa

Current energy systems are in most instances not fully working sustainably. The provision and use of energy only consider limited resources, risk potential or financial constraints on a limited scale. Furthermore, the knowledge and benefits are only available for a minor group of the population or are outright neglected. The availability of different resources for energy purposes determines economic development, as well as the status of the society and the environment. The access to energy grids has an impact on socio-economic living standards of communities. This not fully developed system is causing climate change with all its related outcomes. This investigation takes into consideration different views on renewable energy systems — such as international discussions about biomass use for energy production, “fuel versus food”, biogas use — and attempts to compare major prospects of social acceptance of renewable energy in Europe and Africa. Can all obstacles to the use of renewable energy be so profound that the overall strategy of reducing anthropogenic causes of climate change be seriously affected?

Winners and Losers in the Liberalized Energy Retail Sector in Hungary:A Co-evolutionary Approach

This paper examines the recent history of the Hungarian energy trading market in a co-evolutionary framework. Hungary is characterized by a mixed ownership structure with mainly multinational incumbents in energy retail and distribution, while the wholesale is dominantly owned by state-owned companies. The legal framework also has dual characteristics, with free-market regulation for industrial consumers and a regulated price regime for households. Our research method follows a longitudinal approach from the period of market liberalization in 2008 until 2013. We identified strong relationship between the individual and sector performance of the trading companies and the current political ideology and institutional regime.