Welcome class: 9 April 2024, 12-1pm CEST

Week 1: The Big Picture (10 – 16 April 2024)

In this week, we will explore the evolution of energy and climate policy in Europe as well as the different institutions and organizations that are involved in developing and implementing it. We will also look at the solidarity and subsidiarity principles and their implications for energy and climate policy. An introduction to energy taxation will be provided as well.

• Office hour, with Pippo Ranci (FSR) and Kaisa Huhta (FSR), moderated by Max Münchmeyer (FSR): 12 April 2024, 12-1 pm CEST
• Panel debate with Leigh Hancher (FSR), Elin Boasson (University of Oslo), Georg Zachmann (Bruegel), moderated by Torbjørg Jevnaker (FSR): 16 April 2024, 12-1 pm CEST

Topics: European Green Deal; EU energy policy and its pillars; EU treaties, institutions and legislation; subsidiarity and solidarity; EU emergency powers; EU agencies and organisations; energy taxation; Fit for 55 Package; REPowerEU Plan.

Week 2: EU Climate Policy (17 April – 23 April 2024)

In this week, we will give an overview of the different international climate agreements and explain how climate negotiations work and how they influence the EU’s climate and energy policy. Another topic of this week is the main decarbonization instruments used in the EU, such as the EU ETS, renewable energy and energy efficiency. We will also investigate other mechanisms foreseen by the Green Deal to ensure a smooth climate transition, such as a WTO-compatible EU carbon border adjustment mechanism.

• Office hour with Leigh Hancher (FSR), Simone Borghesi (FSR) and Theodoros Iliopoulos (Hasselt University), moderated by Max Münchmeyer (FSR): 19 April 2024, 12-1 pm CEST
• Panel debate with Marco Mensink (CEFIC), Luca De Carli (EC), Raffaele Piria (Ecologic Institute), Jan Cornillie (STG), moderated by Torbjørg Jevnaker (FSR): 23 April 2024, 12-1 pm CEST

Topics: International climate agreements and EU targets; EU Emission Trading System; carbon-border adjustment mechanisms and the World Trade Organization; renewable energy policy; energy efficiency policy.

Week 3: EU Security of Supply Policy (24 April – 30 April 2024)

In this week, we will focus on the EU energy security of supply policies for oil, natural gas and electricity. We will dive into the history of network planning in the EU, and discuss the upcoming challenges related to the integration of renewable energy, with a focus on offshore renewable energy and infrastructure, including new regulated networks such as for hydrogen or CO₂. We will also explain the concept of resource adequacy and the use of capacity remuneration mechanisms in Europe and their history.

• Office hour with Leigh Hancher (FSR), Alberto Pototschnig (FSR), and Sergio Ascari (FSR), moderated by Max Münchmeyer (FSR): 26 April 2024, 2- 3 pm CEST
• Panel debate with Carole Le Henaff (GIE), Dennis Hesseling (IEA), Madalina Ivanica (EC), Rodrigo Barbosa (ENTSO-E), moderated by Nicolò Rossetto (FSR): 30 April 2024, 12-1 pm CEST

Topics: Security of supply; gas imports and storage; network planning, TYNDP, TEN-E, offshore and distribution grids; resource adequacy and capacity mechanisms; new regulated networks; electro-mobility and infrastructure; solidarity; strategic autonomy; Green Deal Industrial Plan; critical raw materials; Net-Zero industry act.

Week 4: EU Energy Markets (1 May – 7 May 2024)

In this week, we will explain how the wholesale electricity and gas markets function in the EU and give an overview of the key legislation for their evolution. We will also look at the functioning of retail energy markets in the EU and the existing barriers related to unlocking demand-side participation. Finally, we will explore what a just energy transition means both in the EU and globally.

• Office hour with Ellen Beckstedde (FSR), Ilaria Conti (FSR), moderated by Max Münchmeyer (FSR): 3  May 2024, 12-1 pm CEST
• Panel debate with Mathieu Fransen (ACER), Catharina Sikow–Magny (EC), Andres Pinto-Bello (SmartEn), and Anaïs Faucher (Eurogas) , moderated Torbjørg Jevnaker (FSR): 7 May 2024, 12-1 pm  CEST

Topics: Electricity wholesale markets; gas wholesale markets; retail energy markets and new deal; just energy transition and energy poverty; price caps and other emergency interventions in energy markets.

Week 5: EU Energy Innovation (8 May – 14 May 2024) 

In this week, we focus on energy innovation. This includes a deeper look onto the EU initiatives that are relevant for smart cities, including for buildings and mobility. We will explore challenges and opportunities related to different energy technologies and discuss how digitalisation is impacting the energy sector. Finally, we will provide insights on how green gases, and in particular hydrogen, will impact the energy sector and discuss the potential for their large-scale roll-out.

• Office hour with James Kneebone (FSR), Ronnie Belmans (FSR), Max Münchmeyer (FSR), moderated by Sofia Nicolai (FSR): 10 May 2024, 12-1 pm CEST
• Panel debate with Eva Henning (Eurogas), Anna Sobczak (EC), Diego Pavia (InnoEnergy), and Layla Sawyer (CurrENT), moderated by Nicolò Rossetto (FSR): 14 May 2024, 12-1 pm  CEST

Topics: Smart city initiatives from buildings to mobility; Strategic Energy Technology Plan; digital transformation; smart meter; EU Digitalisation of Energy Action Plan; clean molecules; hydrogen.

Week 6: EU Sustainable Finance (15 May – 21 May 2024)

In this week, we will give an overview of the key concepts within the world of sustainable finance and highlight the core elements of the EU Sustainable Finance Action Plan, its main objectives and building blocks. The wide universe of sustainable finance instruments, standards and principles will be presented, with a particular focus on green bonds. We will reflect critically on the issue of greenwashing and discuss the objectives and key elements of the main EU regulatory initiatives that address it. Experiences with the financing of carbon removal projects will be described as well. Finally, the European initiatives will be put into a global perspective.

• Office hour with Lucila De Almeida (FSR), Laura Iozzelli (STG), moderated by Giorgio Falchi (FBF): 17 May 2024, 2-3 pm CEST
• Panel debate with Lucia Alessi (EC), Gabor Gyura (FBF), Iancu Daramus (Sustainable investment specialist), Linda Zeilina (ISFC), moderated by Valerio Novembre (FBF): 21 May 2024, 12-1 pm CEST

Topics: ESG, green bonds and sustainability-linked bonds; greenwashing; EU Taxonomy Regulation; Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation; Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive; global climate finance architecture; financing of carbon offsets.

Week 7: EU Circular Economy (22 May – 28 May 2024)

In this week, we will investigate the European approach to the establishment of a more circular economy. The EU Circular Economy Action Plan and the legislative and non-legislative measures that derive form it will be introduced. A specific focus will then be given to two sectors where circularity is increasingly relevant: water and urban solid waste. Finally, we will look at methane emissions which result from human activities in the field of energy production, agriculture and waste management, and we will discuss the mitigation initiatives available.

• Office hour with Maria Olczak (OIES), Maria Salvetti (FSR), Lucila De Almeida (FSR), moderated by Sofia Nicolai (FSR): 24 May 2024, 12-1 pm CEST
• Panel debate with Stefano Verde (Hera), Elena Gallo (ARERA) and Theresa Mörsen (Zero Waste Europe), María Rincón Liévana (EC), moderated by Nicolò Rossetto (FSR): 28 May 2024, 12-1 pm CEST

Topics: EU Circular Economy Action Plan; water and sanitation services in the EU; urban solid waste management in Europe; methane emissions from fossil sources; methane emissions from biogenic sources; waste-to-energy; EU Methane Strategy.

Weeks 8-10: Mastery challenges

Deadline to submit the Mastery Challenge: 4 June 2024

Live session on the Mastery Challenge (1): 18 June 2024, 12-1 pm CEST

Live session on the Mastery Challenge (2): 21 June 2024, 12-1 pm CEST

On 11 December 2019, the European Commission presented the European Green Deal. In the words of Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission: “This is Europe’s man on the moon moment. Our goal is to reconcile the economy – the way we produce, the way we consume – with our planet and to make it work for our people.”

The European Green Deal is an action plan of the European Commission that consists of numerous policy initiatives with the objective to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. At the same time, it aims to boost the economy and improve people’s health and quality of life, while leaving nobody behind in the process. The proposed measures are spread over eight policy areas, including the energy and climate sectors.

In this training, we mostly focus on the Green Deal measures related to climate and energy policy, but we also provide an introduction to sustainable finance and circular economy. We aim to make it easier for a wider audience of stakeholders, professionals, and academics to enter into the ongoing processes launched by the EU Green Deal and the more recent Fit for 55 Package, and develop an understanding of the wide impact of the Green Deal on EU climate and energy policy.

This online training inherits the experience of three editions of the ‘EU Clean Energy Package’ and the ‘EU Energy Transition’ courses. For this year’s third edition of the training, we have updated the learning material according to changes resulting from the REPowerEU Plan and the ongoing negotiations on the legislative initiatives included in the Fit for 55 Package and the Hydrogen and Decarbonised Gas Market Package. In addition to the topics covered in the past edition, we also devote two weeks to two new topics: sustainable finance and circular economy.

Read the Technical Report “The EU Green Deal” (2022, edited by Leigh Hancher, Leonardo Meeus, Athir Nouicer, Valerie Reif) to dig in deeper on the fundamentals of energy and climate policy as reformulated in the EU Green Deal.

The course is given in English and developed for: 

• Broad target group of Adult learners 

• Energy policy experts and beginners 
• Everyone affected by the EU Green Deal, including: 
  • Officers of government agencies and regulatory bodies,
  • Employees of energy companies and utilities,
  • Academics and researchers,
  • Representatives and policy analysts of European associations and non-governmental organisations,
  • New actors in the energy and climate field.

The participants can take the course on three different levels: 

• 1) Investigator: learn to speak the language of the EU Green Deal and to understand the content of relevant legislation; 
• 2) Advocate: learn to discuss and debate the European energy & climate policy with colleagues and field specialists;
• 3) Master: learn to discuss, analyse and attempt to solve/improve a European level real life case.

The amount of time required to take this course depends on the aimed course level as well as the level of expertise in the subject prior to joining the course. For example: 

• Novice to Investigator: around 6 hours/week 
• Novice to Advocate: around 8 hours/week 
• Novice to Master: around 10 hours/week 
• Expert (Advocate level understanding of the topic) to Master: 5 hours/week 

At the end of this course, participants will be able to: 

• State the main goals the European Union pursues in the context of the Green Deal and recall the primary legislative and policy initiatives undertaken so far; 
• Describe the fundamental principles at the basis of European energy and climate policies and the key elements of the EU decision-making process in those policy areas; 
• Recognise the most relevant challenges the EU faces on its path towards a net-zero economy by 2050, including the ongoing war in Ukraine, and explain how those challenges shape the Union’s policy decisions; 
• Understand the role of finance and a more circular approach to the economy in achieving the European energy and climate goals; 
• Discuss the alternative options available to address some of the most crucial issues in today’s European energy and climate policy, such as how to decarbonise the energy mix and ensure that citizens and firms benefit from a secure supply of energy; 
• Critically assess the implications of different energy markets’ designs and policy interventions on the efficient allocation of resources and the provision of incentives to invest in new and more sustainable technologies and infrastructures; 
• Evaluate the role of digitalisation and new technologies such as power-to-gas in decarbonising the European energy sector over the coming years. 

At the end of the course, the participants can earn a Certificate of Attendance, a Certificate of Completion or a Certificate of Excellence, depending of their performance and engagement throughout the course.

Each year, the Florence School of Regulation – Energy and Climate (FSR Energy & Climate) awards scholarships for a wide variety of training courses targeting a broad audience of professionals and academics.

Applications will be assessed by a Selection Committee of FSR members on a yearly basis. The successful candidates will be informed after February 2024 and will be provided with all relevant information on how to enroll in the online course or residential training of their choice.

Send your application by 2 February 2025.

Find more information here

• General fee: 1300 €
• Students (with certificate of current studies**): 440 €
• Four free seats for Star Donors
• Two free seats for Major Donors
• One free seat for Associate Donors

Discounts 

Special offer for group enrolments: 10% discount from 5 participants from the same organisation

Contact: fsr.secretariat@eui.eu 

Cancellation policy 

Paid registration fee is non-refundable. However, registrant substitution may be made up to 20 days before the start date of the course. 

**Please kindly send your certificate of current studies with the stamp of your university to FSR secretariat (fsr.secretariat@eui.eu).
The start and end dates of your studies should also be clearly mentioned on the document. Please make sure that your period of studies fully covers the training course duration.