Effective Regional Energy Policy Cooperation in South East Europe: A Proposal. CEPS Background Briefing Paper, 2 July 2015

Key Points. The implementation of regional energy policy cooperation initiatives is a priority of both the Energy Union and the so-called 2030 Energy and Climate Framework. The Energy Union proposal has singled out south east Europe as one area in which to act. This report identifies the seven key elements that need to be addressed to bring existing and planned regional energy policy cooperation initiatives in south east Europe to life: i) a sound geographical definition, ii) a governance structure, iii) voluntary participation, iv) exchange of information and best practice, v) the development of an external dimension, vi) regional infrastructure planning and development and vii) streamlining the financing instruments across the region. The study finds that significant progress has been made in many areas, and makes concrete proposals to unlock the full potential of coordination in those areas where there is limited progress. These proposals have been tested in discussions in the region.

Low-cost batteries will not disrupt (all) energy utilities. CEPS Commentary, 5 October 2015

With the launch last April of an affordable lithium-ion home battery – the Powerwall – Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk is betting that batteries are going to become a mass market. This may very well become reality, but this commentary argues that one should not jump to the conclusion that this is the end of energy utilities. Similar to solar panels, batteries have high upfront costs. The massive deployment of solar was driven by dedicated policy support, in many cases without any kind of cost or volume control. There is no such thing for batteries. In the absence of financing programmes, the author finds that high upfront costs provide an unfavourable starting point for a disruptive development. But he notes that the fact that self-consumption of stored solar energy will soon pay for consumers represents a paradigm shift in the power industry, which should be seen as an opportunity, at least for first-movers.

The uncertain future of the coal energy industry in Germany. OSW COMMENTARY #188, 2015-10-20

Germany’s current energy strategy, known as the “energy transition”, or Energiewende, involves an accelerated withdrawal from the use of nuclear power plants and the development of renewable energy sources (RES). According to the government’s plans, the share of RES in electricity production will gradually increase from its present rate of 26% to 80% in 2050. Greenhouse gas emissions are expected to fall by 80–95% by 2050 when compared to 1990 levels. However, coal power plants still predominate in Germany’s energy mix – they produced 44% of electricity in 2014 (26% from lignite and 18% from hard coal). This makes it difficult to meet the emission reduction objectives, lignite combustion causes the highest levels of greenhouse gas emissions. In order to reach the emission reduction goals, the government launched the process of accelerating the reduction of coal consumption. On 2 July, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy published a plan to reform the German energy market which will be implemented during the present term of government. Emission reduction from coal power plants is the most important issue. This problem has been extensively discussed over the past year and has transformed into a conflict between the government and the coal lobby. The dispute reached its peak when lignite miners took to the streets in Berlin. As the government admits, in order to reach the long-term emission reduction objectives, it is necessary to completely liquidate the coal energy industry in Germany. This is expected to take place within 25 to 30 years. However, since the decision to decommission nuclear power plants was passed, the German ecological movement and the Green Party have shifted their attention to coal power plants, demanding that these be decommissioned by 2030 at the latest.

The Importance of Being Earnest: The green economy and sustainable development in China. Asia Policy Brief 2012/02, November 2012

China's past economic development model has not been sustainable, at least in environmental terms. In recent years, the Chinese government has dedicated considerable time, planning energy, policy and rhetoric to "green" issues. However, there is a risk that this trend will be stalled by struggles related to pending economic problems and the upcoming leadership transition. Consequently, the international community should acknowledge China’s achievements in terms of environmental policy and cooperation as one way of serving the global public interest.

Modeling and validation of the thermal behavior of buildings for the development of demand response methods

The representation of the thermal behaviour of the building is achieved through a relatively simple dynamic model that takes into account the effects due to the thermal mass of the building components. The model of a intra-floor apartment has been built in the Matlab-Simulink environment and considers the heat transmission through the external envelope, wall and windows, the internal thermal masses, (i.e. furniture, internal wall and floor slabs) and the sun gain due to opaque and see-through surfaces of the external envelope. The simulations results for the entire year have been compared and the model validated, with the one obtained with the dynamic building simulation software Energyplus.

Automotive energy efficiency program. Presented papers.

Transportation Department, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Systems Development and Technology, Washington, D.C.

Development and experimental evaluation of a steel tube vehicle impact attenuation system. Final report.

Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Wethersfield

Division of Isotopes Development and contractor publications /

"November 1964."

Accidents and unscheduled events associated with non-nuclear energy resource and technology /

Mode of access: Internet.

Federal interagency energy-environment R & D program /

Mode of access: Internet.

Energy conservation through source reduction /

"November 1978."

DOE/EPA/NSF/ONR joint program on bioremediation : interagency announcement of opportunity : Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research jointly announce the availability of 1996 grants for research.

Mode of access: Internet.

Use of solar energy to heat anaerobic digesters : part I, technical and economic feasibility study : part II, economic feasibility throughout the United States /

Mode of access: Internet.

Adsorption of energy-related organic pollutants : a literature review /

Mode of access: Internet.

Sorption properties of sediments and energy-related pollutants /

Mode of access: Internet.