In this episode of Watt Matters, we make sense of the short and long-term measures that Brussels is proposing to alleviate Europe's energy price crisis and its impact on the EU's energy companies
In response to the energy price crisis, EU national governments have been grappling with finding the proper measures to reduce their energy demand and alleviate consumers and industry from high prices without harming the energy companies’ ability to continue investing.
However, a European problem requires a European response. For this reason, the European Commission has proposed several measures, such as ‘solidarity contributions’ from fossil fuel companies or caps on utility revenues. In turn, Brussels is now to propose a widespread reform of the EU’s electricity market.
In this episode of Watt Matters, we make sense of the short and long-term measures that Brussels is looking into, and the effect on energy utilities, with Marion Labatut, deputy director for European Affairs and Head of the Brussels office at French energy company EDF. Are these short-term taxes on energy companies effective? And what should an electricity market fit for the future look like?
Labatut draws from twelve years of professional experience in energy and climate policy for government entities, a trade association and the private sector. She previously served as Policy Director at Eurelectric, the Brussels-based European power sector trade body, where she occupied several managerial and expert roles over six years.
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Marion Labatut
Michaela Holl
Jan Rosenow
David Weston
Anna Gumbau
@WattMattersPod
FORESIGHT Climate & Energy
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Illustration: Masha Krasnova-Shabaeva. Art director: Trine Natskår.
Show notes:
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A review of the European Union’s fiscal rules in 2022 could open the door for massive public investments into the energy transition. A political fight over the direction of that amendment will dictate just how ambitious Europe can afford to be with its green policies
Without a European grid up to the task of not only meeting more demand for electricity, but also assimilating it from distributed renewables, green electrification of heating and transport is stymied from the start. Decarbonisation requires new infrastructure, yet the public is having none of it.
The European Union’s “Energy Efficiency First Principle” was designed to maximise the potential of energy sources and increase investor appetite but it has struggled to jump from principle to practice. But new rules and a shift in geopolitics look set to propel the efficiency maxim to top billing
The proposal from the European Commission for a European Climate Law means all companies must put decarbonisation at the heart of their business strategies, says Alexandre Perra, member of the board of French utility EDF
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