Energy Policy
Peering into the future fog of CO2 – how road maps can help
Published: 20th December 2011| By: David Buchan
The term ‘road map’ is proliferating in energy and climate policy to denote any policy or aspiration projected into the future. Connie Hedegaard, Europe’s environment commissioner, hailed the Durban conference agreement as a ‘road map’ to an eventual global climate deal. This contrasts with the far more detailed road maps that she and her European [...]
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BP, Russian billionaires, and the Kremlin: a Power Triangle that never was
Published: 23rd November 2011| By: Shamil Midkhatovich Yenikeyeff
In this Comment, Dr Shamil Yenikeyeff analyses the reasons for the collapse of BP’s Arctic partnership with the Russian state company Rosneft. He argues that the BP–Rosneft deal was inauspicious even before it was signed due to the history of the Kremlin’s reluctance to back BP plc in its often uneasy relations with the AAR [...]
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Return of the P-word: the Government’s Electricity White Paper
Published: 14th July 2011| By: Malcolm Keay
The Government has published its White Paper on Electricity Market Reform, which reintroduces the concept of central planning for the UK energy system. Malcolm Keay examines the proposals and their implications for electricity markets in this country; this may not be the last word in market reform ….
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Applying belt and braces to EU energy policy
Published: 11th July 2011| By: David Buchan
New proposed rules to save energy are encroaching on the Emissions Trading Scheme. David Buchan examines the growing tension inherent in Europe’s belt and braces approach of trying to combine increasing regulation of energy efficiency and renewables with the market mechanism of the ETS. The simple solution would be to reduce the supply of ETS [...]
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Resumption of Russian Gas Deliveries to Central and East European Countries on Humanitarian Grounds: A Proposal
Published: 1st January 2009| By: Jonathan Stern
The dispute between Russia and Ukraine is causing substantial suffering in central and east European countries which have few, if any, other sources of gas, and very limited opportunity to switch to other fuels. Jonathan Stern proposes the resumption of Russian gas deliveries to central and east European countries on humanitarian grounds.
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Europe’s complex climate compromise
Published: 1st December 2008| By: David Buchan
David Buchan argues the EU’s December 2008 agreement raises almost as many questions as it settles.
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To Cut or not to Cut: The Dilemma Facing OPEC
Published: 1st October 2008| By: Bassam Fattouh
Since the early 1970s, OPEC has been central to understanding the dynamics of oil prices. With the shift to the futures market for oil price determination, OPEC has also become important in understanding the changes in the shape of the futures curve and expectations about changes in long term oil prices. At this critical juncture, [...]
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Politicians and prices – the itch to intervene
Published: 1st July 2008| By: David Buchan
The temptation for EU governments to be seen to “do something” about rolling back energy prices has increased, is increasing and ought to be resisted, argues David Buchan.
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Europe, Emissions and Echternach – assessing Brussels’ January 2008 package
Published: 1st January 2008| By: David Buchan
The European Commission has proposed a very ambitious overhaul of its climate change policies. But the renewable energy target could prove a distracting sideshow to the main task of reducing emissions, argues David Buchan.
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Nuclear Power in the UK
Published: 1st October 2007| By: Malcolm Keay
The consultation process on nuclear power in the UK has ended and the Government is considering the way forward. This Comment, by Malcolm Keay, explores the difficult dilemma the Government is facing. On the one hand, nuclear power looks necessary for energy security and to meet climate change targets. On the other hand, nuclear does [...]
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