Watch the video recording

With Denny Ellerman (Formerly MIT and EUI) and Ignacio Perez-Arriaga (MIT and Comillas). Chaired by Jean-Michel Glachant (FSR/EUI).

Moderator: Riccardo Galletta

The Florence School of Regulation – Climate- and the British Institute of Florence are glad to announce the lecture by Professor Lord Stern of Brentford that will take place on Friday 16 October at the European University Institute in San Domenico di Fiesole.

Professor Stern will deliver a lecture entitled “A world economy in profound structural change and the logic, urgency and promise of tackling climate change” based on his new book entitled “Why Are We Waiting? The Logic, Urgency and Promise of Tackling Climate Change” (MIT Press 2015). The book argues the urgency and importance of the transition to the low-carbon economy, and sets this in the context of a world in profound economic, geographical and technological transformation, showing the attractiveness of the alternative low-carbon path in terms of implications for cities, energy and land-use. Professor Stern will also assess where we are on the road to an international agreement at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris later this year.

Nicholas Stern is I.G. Patel Professor of Economics and Government and Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at LSE and President of the British Academy. Following his lecture in Florence, Professor Stern will conclude his Italian tour by presiding over a roundtable discussion in Milan as part of the programme of events for this year’s Expo on the theme of Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.

Watch the recording of the lecture.

On 21 October Professor Martin Weitzman delivered a lecture at the European University institute, Max Weber Programme, with the title Why is the Economics of Climate Change so Difficult and Controversial?

The lecture provided a general overview of the economics of climate change, with emphasis on why this particular application of economic analysis presents special — almost unique — challenges to the economics profession.  

On 22-23 October Professor Weitzman  gave a keynote speech at the FSR Climate Annual Conference.

Watch below the recording of the lecture and interview

This workshop focused on the role of carbon and energy taxes in climate change mitigation. It was organised in three sessions on the general framework, empirical analysis for the EU, and the assessment of obstacles to policy progress. The event was designed as a scoping meeting for future research activities of FSR Climate in this area and also to explore collaborative work with other academic and non-academic institutions operating in the field.

Continue reading “Energy/Carbon Taxation and Climate Policies: a Scoping meeting for FSR Climate”

This workshop aimed to provide a general overview of the role of energy policies for climate change mitigation. It was organised in three sessions on the general framework, research needs and gaps, and ex-post analysis of applications. The event was designed as a scoping meeting for future research activities of the FSR Climate Unit in this area and also to explore collaborative work with other academic and non-academic institutions operating in the field.

Continue reading “Energy Efficiency and Climate Policies: a Scoping meeting for FSR Climate”

Led by: Andris Piebalgs (former EU Commissioner)

Keynote adress by: Maroš Šefčovič (Vice-President, European Commission)

The Context

In the ‘Energy Union’ package of February 2015, the Juncker Commission stated that “ensuring security of supply” would be the first of its five objectives. The European Council welcomed this package and, in June 2015, requested the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini to “prepare an EU global strategy on foreign and security policy” for June 2016. Lately, the EU Commission re-confirmed the central role of security in its strategy with the release of the “Energy Security Package” published on 16^th February.

Beyond the EU, the revolution in oil and gas (prompted by US shale production and deepened by an enduring price crash) has created a new and particular landscape where our Energy Union has to position itself and grow. Simultaneously, the success of Paris COP 21 has also opened a new energy era at a global level. Therefore, the “External Dimension of the Energy Union” has now become a crucial issue at the core of European policy.

The Conference

This FSR Conference on the ‘External Dimension of the Energy Union’ will investigate the current scenario, with a particular focus on the role played by gas in EU external relations.

Following the keynote address from the Vice-President of the European Commission, Maroš Šefčovič, the conference will be divided into three sessions:

1. “The Global Challenges of the Security of Gas Supply”,
2. “The Internal Market: a Hostage or Saviour of the External Energy Policy?”,
3. “The Impact of the EU’s External Energy Policy on the EU Neighbourhood”.

Among the eminent speakers contributing to this event: Dmytro Vovk (Chairman of NERC Ukraine), Andrei Kortunov (Director General of Russian International Affairs Council), Mechthild Wörsdörfer (Director of DG Energy, European Commission), Walter Boltz (Vice-Chair of ACER), Stephan Kamphues, (President of ENTSOG) and Janez Kopač (Director of the Energy Community Secretariat).

Participation in this event is by invitation only.

Download the programme

After the successful Luncheon debate last January, the FSR is pleased to announce a second edition of the Open debate on Hydropower rights, which will be kindly hosted by the European Parliament in Brussels, on 15^th March 2016.

The recently published FSR report on ‘Regimes for granting the right to use hydropower in Europe’  will be presented by the authors and commented upon by high-level representatives of the European Parliament and Commission.

An interactive “open debate” with the wider audience will be encouraged: attendees from EU institutions, NRAs, industry and academia, as well as with any other relevant stakeholder are welcome to join the event.

Please register no later than 6^th March. No request for registration will be accepted after this date.

Further information on the discussion theme

Over the last decade, the EU Commission has launched several investigations in different countries (e. g. France, Spain, Italy, and Portugal) regarding the compatibility of hydropower rights with European laws and regulations. Nevertheless, a few regimes (i.e. Austria or Sweden), despite not being grounded on competitive process, were excluded from the inquiry.

Although hydro is key to EU energy transition, two complications can be identified:

1. Member States have totally different and non-harmonised frameworks,
2. The EU Commission has three diverging voices on this topic: competition, environment, and “only last” energy.

The report aims to provide a balanced benchmark of hydropower concession regimes, by analysing and comparing 14 countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, the UK, Greece, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland) and regions when appropriate (cantons in Switzerland or Lands/States in Germany).

Watch the recording

Jean-Michel’s interview with Patrizia Toia

Download the draft programme

Download the flyer of the Research Report

Download the full version of the Research Report

The FSR Training on the Regulation and Integration of Renewable Energy provides a comprehensive view of the role and potential of renewable energy as the key element to a sustainable, competitive and secure power industry of the future as well as the regulatory and market mechanisms needed to achieve the implementation goals.

Get specialist insight into:

• What is renewable energy for industry stakeholders and the technical impacts for the integration
• The European regulatory framework for renewable energy
• Costs and macro/micro-economic impacts of renewable energy
• The European electricity target model in a renewable energy future
• Investing in renewable energy in Europe

The course is directed by Mario Ragwitz (Fraunhofer ISI, Germany) and conducted by Mario Ragwitz, Alberto Pototschnig, Leonardo Meeus and specialists from renowned renewable energy companies.

Read all the information about the course

Register here

Deadline for Registration: 6 May 2016

Watch the live stream here!

Tweet your questions to @fsr_energy, they will be addressed by the panelists during the event!

  Tweets by @FSR_Energy

The newly published FSR report on ‘Regimes for granting the right to use hydropower in Europe’ will be presented by the authors and debated with a high-level panel with representatives of EU institutions, National Regulatory Authorities, industry and academia, as well as with any other relevant stakeholder attending this event. The Luncheon debate will also be live-streamed. Further information on the discussion theme Over the last decade, the EU Commission launched several investigations in different countries (e. g. France, Spain, Italy, and Portugal) on the compatibility of hydropower rights with European laws and regulations. Nevertheless, a few regimes (i.e. Austria or Sweden), despite not being grounded on competitive process, were excluded from the inquiry. Although hydro is key to EU energy transition, two complications can be identified:

-Member States have totally different and non-harmonised frameworks,

-The EU Commission has three diverging voices on this topic: competition, environment, and “only last” energy.

The report aims to provide a balanced benchmark of hydropower concession regimes, by analysing and comparing 14 countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Great-Britain, Greece, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland) and regions when appropriate (cantons in Switzerland or Lands/States in Germany). Download the programme Download the flyer of the Research Report

The Florence School of Regulation EU Energy Law & Policy Workshop hosted by Linklaters LLP took place on 5 February 2016 in Berlin. The workshop was designed to discuss the most relevant EU legal and policy issues currently facing the energy sector and to promote the sharing of experience and best practice.

The workshop was divided into 3 sessions. The opening session considered climate policy after COP 21, and examined the implications of the agreement and the future of the EU ETS.

The second session focused on the latest issues facing the EU security of gas supply, in which a representative from the Commission discussed the recent developments at EU level and the issue of gas storage. This was examined alongside pipelines and the EU security of supply, especially as it relates to the Baumgarten case, and complemented by the respective views of a gas storage operator.

The third, and final, session considered the challenges of defining regions in the context of the Energy Union, from both an industrial and academic perspective. In particular, the issue of price control areas was examined in relation to the Germany- Austria border.

The sessions were complemented by a keynote speech on market coupling and the power trading regions of Europe.

Download the programme 

Please find the slides of some of the presentations from the workshop below

COP 21: Taking Stock, Looking Ahead 

COP 21: A Comment 

The Future of the EU ETS 

Pipelines and the EU Security of Gas Supply with a focus on Baumgarten 

An Industry Perspective on Gas Storage 

Market Coupling and the Power Trading Regions in Europe 

The optimal definition of bidding zones in Europe

Watch the recording!

EU power transmission industry is facing a revolution – or a tsunami. This challenging threat is for three simultaneous shake-up(s):

• Achieving the EU single market
• Decarbonising “à la COP21”
• Disruptive wave of digitalisation and high-tech innovation

The EU power transmission enters a brand new world which has not been foreseen by the former three ‘’single energy market” packages.

Join the FSR online debate to discuss where the European power system and transmission networks are going to and what are the biggest challenges and alternatives for the EU power regulation and governance.

Moderator:

• Jean-Michel Glachant (Florence School of Regulation)

Panel:

• Daniel Dobbeni (Founding president of ENTSO-E & Chairman of GO15)
• Jorge Vasconcelos (Former regulator of Portugal, co-founder of CEER & Advisor to FSR)
• Bente Hagem (Statnett & ENTSO-E)

Following the FSR Research Report on the future role of electricity TSOs, our 5-page policy brief highlights the main constraints which are likely to be faced in the upcoming years. 

Download the policy brief

FSR Regulatory Policy Workshop Series 2015-2016

Watch the Highlights!

Appropriate gas transmission tariff structures are indispensable to stimulate competition in the Internal Gas Market (IGM). According to the EU Regulation No 715/2009, in order to encourage gas trade’s fluidity, network users should be given the freedom to book entry and exit capacity autonomously, instead of following contractual paths.

The revised and updated Gas Target Model (GTM) released by the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) in January 2015 interprets these requirements for a well-functioning and transparent wholesale gas market as implying a liquid spot market and, crucially, a liquid wholesale forward and/or futures market, so that cost-effective wholesale market risk management is possible. In the GTM, Member States are also asked to assess whether their national gas markets will meet specific quality targets by 2017. If this is not likely to happen, some structural reforms are recommended, including the merger of two or more adjacent markets by unifying their virtual trading points, balancing zones and in some cases also the respective entry-exit system.

This would have at least two main repercussions on tariffs: several entry/exit points would disappear and consequently TSOs would lose part of their direct revenues. In both cases incomes will have to be redistributed and reallocated. The aim of this workshop is therefore to analyse in detail the implications of this merging and evaluate which transmission charging system would be the most appropriate if entry-exit areas were to become much larger than at present. The interrelation between gas transmission charging and congestion management will also be explored.

Session I will aim to find the most suitable approach to gas transmission tariffs in case of wider entry-exit areas; while Session II will investigate the charging and revenue recovery and the related implications.

This workshop is open exclusively to National Regulators, representatives from public bodies and FSR donors. Special registration requests must be submitted to the Coordinator of this workshop, Ilaria Conti, by e-mail or phone (+39 055 4685 961).

Download the programme