Set Of Plans Research Articles

The EU’s Geopolitical Awakening Following the Russian Invasion of Ukraine: How the Commission Shifted from a Regulatory Market-Based Approach to a Geopolitical Approach in Its External Energy Policy

The Ukraine invasion has been a watershed moment in EU-Russia gas relations, which has resulted in a shift in the European Commission’s (EC’s) approach towards Russia and European energy policy. Whilst the EC has traditionally followed a rule-based market approach in its external energy relations with Russia, there appears to have been a shift from the prevailing liberal market model to a more strategic and geopolitical approach focused on energy security.Although the EC has sometimes displayed tendencies of a realist nature, these realist elements in its external action have been exacerbated following the invasion of Ukraine. This article engages in a theoretical debate between the conceptualizations of the EU as a liberal actor versus the perception of the EU as a realist actor. Whilst there is literature to support both views, the debate can be further developed after the war in Ukraine. Since the invasion, the EC appears to have undertaken a more robust and coherent stance towards Russia in its commitment to decouple European economies from Russian gas to ensure EU energy security. The change in objectives illustrate a shift in the EU’s energy policy from the liberal paradigm of markets to geopolitics, as the new dynamics of EU-Russia energy relations, following the invasion of Ukraine.

Legal Principles for a European Green Energy Transition

The green energy transition has become a top priority for the European Union (EU) and its Member States. In line with the long-standing recognition of the need for climate change mitigation, recent years have seen a significant intensification of policies promoting this transition. Furthermore, recent global events, such as the pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, have further influenced EU energy policy. These developments have led to legislative action on many fronts to facilitate the transition towards net-zero, but also to enhance energy security and resilience. This Special Issue focuses on the legal principles governing the European green energy transition, also in the light of major recent developments. This foreword sets the stage by exploring the nature of legal principles in general and by discussing specifics of EU energy law principles. Further, this foreword suggests a differentiation between a) principles that enhance coherence within energy law by reflecting its core values, and b) principles that facilitate the green energy transition by ensuring that legal interpretation aligns with its objectives. Last, the foreword provides an introduction and a brief presentation of the Special Issue articles, which are organized around the abovementioned distinction, and invites readers to explore the articles further.

From an amplifier to a silencer: the Slovak EU presidency and energy policy

ABSTRACT Council Presidency is widely regarded as one of the most challenging responsibilities for EU countries, particularly for newcomers. Countries that joined the Union during the eastern enlargement in 2004 have presided over the EU at most twice, as the large number of members has made the presidency a sporadic occasion. This rarity elevates the significance for member states assuming the presidency, as they aspire to demonstrate their capability to lead the EU effectively during their six-month term. This paper examines the 2016 Slovak Council Presidency and why it changed its policy priorities. While energy policy was at first among Slovakia’s top priorities and made it into the draft Presidency programme, in the final programme – and the Presidency itself – energy issues lost their key position and became only part of the day-to-day agenda. We argue that the Slovak Presidency functioned as a silencer of national preferences and assumed the role of an honest broker acting as a neutral mediator with no own preferences. It also sought to avoid controversial topics, including those related to energy policy. The paper thus contributes to the discussion about the functions of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Rationalization of Energy Expenditure: Household Behavior in Poland

Background: The implementation of the EU climate and energy policy, along with changes in the legal environment, has led to a significant increase in energy prices in Poland. Consequently, energy expenditures are now a larger part of household budgets. These rising energy costs and the evolving legal landscape are compelling households to invest in energy-saving solutions and modify their energy consumption habits. This article aims to identify the activities of households in Poland regarding the rationalization of energy expenditures. It formulates the following research hypothesis: households invest in energy-saving appliances to rationalize energy expenditures and/or change their behaviors to reduce energy consumption. Methods: The paper is based on primary research conducted using an online questionnaire survey on a sample of 331 respondents in Poland in March and April 2023. Results: A classification tree algorithm was used to identify the level of investment activities and behavioral changes made by households to reduce energy expenditures. The authors found that low-income households and people who fear further energy price increases are the first of all to change their behaviors for more energy-efficient ones. Medium- and high-income households take investment measures. They replace household appliances with more energy-efficient ones and install heat pumps and photovoltaic panels. These investments are motivated by responsible consumption, environmental protection, cleanliness, and the ease of use of the appliances.

Trend Analysis of Cross-Border Electricity Trading in Pan-European Network

The long-term global target of facilitating energy security and optimizing resource utilization while supporting the transition to sustainable energy systems has led the pathway towards regional cooperation in the context of energy infrastructures and trading. Recent trends highlight the development of transnational energy grids, pipelines, and renewable energy projects, facilitating efficient distribution of electricity, gas, and other energy forms. These advancements offer benefits such as increased reliability of energy supply, cost savings through shared resources, and strengthened relationships between countries. However, challenges persist, including regulatory differences, geopolitical tensions, alignment of market rules as well as substantial investment requirements in infrastructure and technology. Addressing these challenges necessitates harmonized policies, robust legal frameworks, and cooperative international governance, which are crucial for effective cross-border energy trading. The aim of the work is to present the current landscape as well as analyze the latest trends and developments in the dynamic field of electricity interconnectors, providing insights into its trajectory and implications for the European internal energy market.

Social and spatial determinants of energy ageism: Calibrating social policy towards older people under the conditions of energy transition in Polish society

The article aims to identify the problems and challenges faced by senior citizens in the context of energy transition and also to develop a framework of social policy that would respond to senior citizens' concerns and is necessary for the effective implementation of the goals of the European Union's (EU) climate and energy policy. The authors focus on the analysis of the challenges of energy transition faced by older people who live in Poland in various types of buildings and use different sources of home heating. The article shows how various types of buildings constructed using different technologies and in different historical periods and located in various social and geographical spaces divide people in terms of class and also create challenges for older people related to home heating. The type of building and its place in the urban space may be a determinant of the energy poverty of its inhabitants, and the area where specific types of buildings are clustered together may affect the air quality in this part of a city. The authors suggest taking specific local and national actions as part of social policy towards older people during energy transition. The material was collected in the winter of 2024 using focus group interviews for eight groups of senior citizens differing in place of residence, type of building inhabited and source of home heating.

Transnational networks of energy communities as counterpower in the European Union renewable energy transition framework

Abstract This article explores the communicative process by which transnational networks of energy communities (ECs) in Europe build counterpower vis-a-vis the European Union (EU) institutional framework, with the purpose of effectively contributing to the shaping and management of the EU policy and regulatory framework for renewable energy transition. Such a process consists in the identification of obstacles to effective participation, the facilitation of access to information on EU regulation and policy frameworks, and the production of technical knowledge that reframes how renewable energy transition is understood as a field of political intervention. The impact of EC networks, and other networks of related community-led initiatives, on the EU energy policy framework is still relatively small when compared to centralized, large-scale providers of energy. It is constrained by how differently EU regulatory and policy packages address ‘techno-energetic systems’ in energy transition, as well as disparities in the transposition of EU legislation by Member States. Still, EC networks are building counterpower by facilitating bottom-up information and skill sharing, focusing on facilitating access to information on EU regulation and policy frameworks, as well as producing knowledge that frames the obstacles to effective participation of ECs in policymaking. It expands the understanding of renewable energy transition as a field of policy intervention beyond merely instrumental logic, centred on regulation and policy support to technological innovation, by mainstreaming a substantive logic based on a comprehensive socioecological framing that embeds energy transition in a multidimensional understanding of territorial development and governance.

Going beyond the Council as brake of EU energy policy: Analysing the internal process of the Council in the recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive

The Council is the voice of the member states' governments in the EU policymaking process and the institutional setting where member states can enforce their national interest. The literature on Council decision-making has previously mostly used expert interviews or voting patterns. Through a detailed examination of one specific legislative file in the recent ‘Fit for 55’ climate package in which subsidiarity and varying national conditions is central, this study focus on how disagreements between member states are resolved and how strategic word framing can aid in resolving political controversies in EU energy policy. This article analyses Council working group meeting notes and revisions of the recent recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, providing a unique look behind the curtains of negotiations between member states in the Council within a deliberative intergovernmental framework. A mix of quantitative and qualitative text analysis is applied to deliberations and legislative revisions. The findings show that a fragile consensus is reached despite disagreement through enabling of national flexibility in policy decisions, indicating that the Council determines the speed of European integration in the policy domain.

Sustainable Development and Renewable Energy Policies in the European Union: Transformations and Impacts

The development of renewable energies in the EU is essential for sustainable development and energy security, having a significant impact on labor markets. Strategies and policies target the EU's objectives and commitments, financial incentives, regulations, innovations, research, in line with labor market opportunities. Reconversion of the workforce and transition to renewable energies are needed, as well as reskilling from traditional industries to green energy sectors. and reducing dependence on fossil energy sources contributes to energy security in the EU. Our proposals emphasize the importance of renewable energies in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the preservation of the environment, with a particular emphasis on the promotion of sustainable development. Ensuring energy security and sustainable development strategies necessitates multilateral cooperation in the development of renewable energies. To analyze the theme, we propose theoretical and practical approaches, correlating sustainable development theory, labor market theory and public policy theory, with practical applications in renewable energy sector strategies and policies and impact on labor markets. Keywords: renewable energies, labor markets, sustainable development, financial incentives, multilateral security

Advocating harder soft governance for the European Green Deal. Stakeholder perspectives on the revision of the EU governance regulation

The Governance Regulation is the central coordination instrument for the European Unions' energy and climate policy. The Regulation is scheduled for revision, as it is misaligned with the updated EU framework and exhibits implementation and enforcement deficits. Our analysis reviews 136 submissions of institutional stakeholders participating in the European Commission's public consultations on the Governance Regulation and interlinked sectoral legislation. Employing a combined quantitative and qualitative text analysis, we examine the most salient issues for different stakeholder groups. We focus on stakeholder demands that address the implementation and enforcement deficits by introducing harder soft governance elements. While we find broad support among stakeholder groups for a revision and the improvement of implementation, Public Authorities exhibit reluctance for further binding elements, with the exception of demands for more precise enforcement mechanisms. While the inclusion of harder soft governance is only of subsidiary interest for non-public stakeholders demands for stronger obligations (e.g. binding national targets), justifications and public participation can be identified. The analysis finally discusses how the further introduction of harder soft governance elements has the potential to advance the EU's energy and climate framework.

Power Through Pressure: How Interconnection Became Part of the EU's Overarching Climate and Energy Policy

AbstractInterconnection is important to attain several important EU climate and energy targets. Drawing on data from 56 stakeholder interviews, stakeholder event participation and document studies, this study enquires as to why electricity interconnection became a part of the EU's overarching climate and energy policy in 2014. The theoretical approaches liberal intergovernmentalism (LI) and the advocacy coalition framework (ACF) are tested complementarily. LI received support: member states, particularly Portugal and Spain, were essential for the outcome. These successfully played the veto card in the high‐level negotiations for the 2030 Climate and Energy Policy Framework, leading to the first inclusion of concrete interconnection targets in it and interconnection becoming a European Commission priority. ACF received partial support: a ‘green’ long‐term, multi‐level advocacy coalition consisting of the renewables industry, environmental organisations and others promoted a binding target for electricity interconnection. This ‘green’ advocacy coalition was instrumental in aiding Portugal and Spain.

Transformacja sektora energetycznego Unii Europejskiej

S Such geoeconomic and geopolitical factors as Russian armed aggression against Ukraine caused the energy crisis in the European Union (EU), exposing the EU’s vulnerabilities due to its overdependence on Russian fossil fuel imports. As a consequence of gas supply disruptions, substantial rises in energy prices and heightened safety concerns, the EU's energy policies have been thoroughly reassessed. Therefore, the article aims to examine the profound ramifications of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine on European energy markets and elucidate the strategies articulated in European Commission initiatives intended to reduce reliance on Russian fossil fuels. Within this framework, the REPowerEU plan is especially beneficial for the rapid diversification and increased integration of renewable energy sources. These initiatives have the potential to result in a structural transformation of the EU's energy landscape, necessitating coordinated regulatory initiatives, infrastructure advancements, and cooperative energy diplomacy. Current research reveals the potential for economic expansion, strengthened industrial primacy and progress towards achieving climate neutrality by 2050 through the environmentally sustainable metamorphosis of Europe's energy framework. The results of this scientific research can also be used for the further implementation of the strategy of achieving sustainable development of the EU member states in the context of the development of clean energy, which will allow meeting the needs of the population of these countries in the near future without endangering future generations.

Energy transition in Poland and Spain against changes in the EU energy and climate policy

The European Union climate policy and the subsequent energy transition are expected to cause fundamental changes in individual EU countries, their economies, and industrial sectors. Furthermore, in order to achieve them, high financial outlays are essential. The main purpose of the article is to present a comparative analysis of the pace, directions, and main factors of the energy transition in Poland and Spain against the changes in the EU energy and climate policy. In particular, the subject of the study is the changes in the fuel structure of electricity generation (energy mix) and the changes in the concentration of energy generation. The analysis concentrates on Poland and Spain against the background of the group of EU27 countries. The study adopted a long-term perspective (1990–2020). The methodology used taxonomic measures of variability of structures and measures of concentration, as well as measures of descriptive and mathematical statistics. The result of the research proves that the EU common climate and energy policy has explicitly accelerated changes in the energy mix, both in the EU27 and in the studied countries, including those traditionally based on coal. The concentration analysis demonstrated an increase in diversification resulting in a significant increase in the share of renewable and low-carbon sources. The taxonomic analysis additionally proved that there was a parallel process towards making the energy mix of the studied countries more similar to the EU27. The limitation of the research is the adopted triangulation arrangement of the studied structures (EU27, EU15, countries that accessed the EU after 2004), enforced in this pilot research, but possible to expand the field of perception in subsequent research. What serves as a proof of the originality of the study is the fulfilment of research gaps in the long-term study of the degree of changes in the concentration of the energy mix structure of EU countries, and especially the study of the degree of intensity of its similarity. The application value of the study is its use in the energy policies of countries traditionally based on coal for the indication of the taken position, the goals, and ways to achieve them based on the experience of other countries.

The evolution of the European Union’s energy policy

The main objective of this article is to present the evolution of the EU energy policy with particular reference to its legal conditions. It will present the directions of the changes in the EU legal regulations in recent decades in order. Central to this is an attempt to answer the question of whether the European Union’s ambitious goal to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, as proclaimed in the European Green Deal, should be viewed in terms of a continuation of the EU’s earlier energy policy, or perhaps more in terms of a kind of “revolution”, imposing the introduction of systemic changes in the energy sector of the Member States.

Perspectives on challenges to bioenergy use in the EU

AbstractDespite bioenergy playing an important role in producing a significant amount of renewable energy in the EU, there are several differing views of its future role, as illustrated in the European Parliament and society more generally. The aim of this paper is to investigate the barriers to advancing bioenergy use and prospects for the future of bioenergy in the EU. Whereas previous studies have focused on specific aspects of EU bioenergy, such as market structure, technological considerations, and individual forms of bioenergy, this study provides results from a survey analyzing several factors that are inhibiting overall bioenergy development throughout the EU. The results show that, in general, the growth of bioenergy use in the EU can be expected to continue, although there are many issues that need to be addressed by society and through policy implementation. The most important of these issues include the relationship between the future role of the fossil fuel using industry and bioenergy, addressing the inadequate and currently confusing level of policy support, and responding to the perception of low public acceptance, reflected by pressure from some nongovernmental organizations to reduce the use of bioenergy. The study shows that biomass is not always the best option in economic terms, and other options such as heat pumps powered by green electricity or natural gas can be more financially attractive. To ensure the continuing development of the bioenergy field in the EU, it is important to increase local policy support for bioenergy, decrease imports of fossil fuels from non‐EU countries, increase investment in the bioenergy sector, and engage in effective and fact‐based education about, and promotion of, bioenergy.

ENSURING ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF SETTLEMENTS IN UKRAINE AND EU COUNTRIES: LEGAL, ECONOMIC AND MANAGERIAL ASPECTS

The study examines energy and energy-related environmental policies in the international context and their impact on the economy and businesses in the context of energy efficiency. The focus is on Ukraine's integration into the European energy market and the legislative features of energy policy. The purpose of the article is to determine the content and features of the administrative and legal regime for the use of solar energy facilities in Ukraine in the light of ensuring the requirements for the viability of human settlements. The tasks of the article were to determine the EU energy efficiency policy, its economic and regulatory justification, which can be adapted to the needs of meeting the energy needs of Ukraine in the crisis conditions of war, and to determine the strategy for the development of energy efficiency of settlements in post-war conditions. The study used general scientific and special methods, the main of which were: abstract-logical, deductive, inductive, historical, modelling and forecasting, methods of system structural, system and functional analysis, economic-statistical (grouping, comparison, etc.). As a result, the authors conclude that the reason for this is its clear advantages over traditional sources, which are difficult to refute. In some countries, the government is implementing complex public programmes with huge financial investments for gradual replacement, but so far the results remain insignificant. Ensuring an adequate level of energy efficiency in Ukraine requires the activation of processes of harmonization of the current national legislation with the standards of the EU energy and climate policy, which is connected with: amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine in order to create conditions for attracting investors to the market of energy services; further processes of decentralization of the energy system and the spread of alternative, independently separated energy subsystems and energy resource traders; formation of artificial raw materials as sources of thermal energy.

Econometric Analysis of the Influence of Factors on the Share of Energy From Renewable Sources in the EU

The use of renewable energy is at the core of EU energy policy, reducing dependence on fossil fuels imported from non-EU countries, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and decoupling energy costs from oil prices. Currently, 22.5% of energy consumed in the EU comes from renewable sources. This increase over 2021 is due to strong growth in solar energy. This share is also increasing due to the consumption of non-renewable energy sources in 2022. According to expert forecasts, the share of renewable energy sources in Europe will continue to grow. Achieving the 42.5% target by 2030 will require a deep transformation of the European energy system. The very strong climate and energy policies pursued in the EU for about a dozen years and aimed at limiting emissions of harmful substances into the environment have led to a gradual abandonment of traditional energy sources. Increasing demand for energy while reducing its supply from traditional sources means that in order not to make the economy too dependent on energy imports, the dynamic development of renewable energy is necessary. The EU is therefore taking very extensive operational and strategic actions to use other sources for production, such as wind, solar energy, mechanical water energy, biomass and geothermal energy, as well as tidal waves, ocean heat, wave energy and sea currents. In this study, we assess the impact of energy, economic and environmental factors on the share of renewable energy in the EU. The aim of these studies was to identify the energy, economic and environmental indicators that have the greatest impact on the share of energy from renewable sources in the European Union. The study was conducted using the Statgraphics Centurion software package. The source data for the study was data from the official Eurostat website for the period from 2012 to 2022. The results of this study show that changes in gross domestic product in market prices per capita have a positive impact, as do changes in greenhouse gas emissions per capita negatively affect the share of energy from renewable sources in the EU in the period 2012-2022. This may most likely be due to the fact that EU countries are more likely to invest in renewable energy as they can afford to invest in the development of expensive renewable energy technologies and support subsidies for the promotion and regulation of renewable energy. The negative impact of per capita greenhouse gas emissions on renewable energy development is due to the high share of coal in the EU energy mix, meaning that coal not only has negative environmental impacts, but also negative environmental impacts. development of renewable energy.

EU Energy Securitisation: Ukraine's Place in the European Energy System

This article focuses on the investigation of the European Union's securitisation policy in the energy sector, in particular, the provision of energy carriers to the Union, which was developed in response to Russia's energy wars of 2006–2007 and 2008–2009 against Ukraine and indirectly against the European Union. The theory of securitisation, formulated by S. Ozkan, B. Buzan and other researchers, focuses not so much on eliminating the consequences of crises as on creating a system of securitisation for the relevant industries with increased stress resistance, diversification of economic and technological ties with partners and strengthening the social orientation of their functioning. The algorithmization of this policy and the changes that led to the institutional response to Russian aggression in the energy sector are investigated. The research is based on the approach of sociological (neo)institutionalism, which allows explaining political processes in terms of not only economic benefits, but also their importance for the development of other spheres of public life and international cooperation. This approach is based on the notion that, first, the institutional environment in which a particular institution operates provides it with the necessary resources, as well as legitimates and regulates its activities. As a result, sociological institutionalism emphasises the role of norms, rules, and culture, influencing the self-identification of actors associated with this institution, as well as defining „friends” and „foes” in the overall institutional structure. It is shown that changes in the EU energy policy are dictated not only by economic or technological considerations, but also by the requirement to meet the needs of the population and economy of the EU member states. At the same time, Ukraine's inclusion in the EU's common securitisation system is in the economic, political, and social interests of Ukraine, which, both under the Association Agreement and in the event of its accession to the EU, will have the status of an acceptor country. The article considers possible options for the EU and Ukraine to establish Ukraine as the EU's eastern securitizer and their respective consequences for both parties.

Introduction National Energy and Climate Plans in perspective: How can we strike a balance between the desirable and the sustainable?

This contribution constitutes an introduction to the special issue of EPEE dedicated to the examination of four updates of the integrated National Energy-Climate Plan (NECP) which follows the other special issue published in 2019 (EPEE, no 1/2019) when the first version of the Plans for 2030 has been prepared. The NECP-2023 differ from the NECP-2019 signifi- cantly, first of all because the EU in the meantime has raised the targets for 2030 significantly following the approval of the "Climate law" in 2021, which commits the EU to reaching the goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in 2050. But, in addition to the change in the tar- gets, the entire framework of energy-climate policy has changed profoundly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine which brought the issue of security of energy supplies (particularly gas) in Europe back to the foreground. First, this introduction, to allow the reader to understand how the EU came to decide the com- mon objectives and those of the Member States (MS) and how the NECPs examined in the special issue are structured, traces the history of the last 60 years of the European energy and climate policy. The next section summarizes the assessment that the European Commission made of the provisional update of the NECPs which was presented by the MS in the second half of 2023. Finally, some salient points highlighted by the experts who examined the NECPs of France and Germany, Italy and Spain are reported.

Directive 2023/1791 EED: A Step Closer to Mandatory Green Public Procurement Criteria Through Sectorial Legislation

The European Union’s Directive 2023/1791 EED is a critical step in the European Union’s trajectory towards climate neutrality by 2050, instituting enforceable Green Public Procurement criteria. This article delves into the Directive’s implementation complexities, scrutinising its potential to navigate the EU energy policy evolution and foster sustainability in public procurement. Notably, Article 7 and Annex IV of the Directive demonstrate a clear shift by mandating high energy efficiency performance standards across various sectors, signifying a move from discretionary to compulsory Green Public Procurement criteria. Despite its robust policy stance, the Directive faces practical impediments, including diverse Member States compliance levels and the need to balance regulatory directives with market dynamics. While the Directive aims to position public authorities at the forefront of sustainable procurement, catalysing market transformation, it walks a delicate line between legislative ambition and actionable enforcement. The variability in economic and technological capacities among Member States could hinder uniform application. By introducing a framework that allows for enforceable, adaptive, and technology-sensitive specifications, the Directive could bridge the gap between policy and practice, optimising its impact on energy consumption and environmental sustainability. However, addressing potential ambiguities in interpretation, the economic burden on public entities, and institutional inertia remains critical for its rigorous and effective implementation. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of Directive 2023/1791, situating it within the EU’s broader energy policy framework, and critically evaluates its potential to truly change the Union’s approach to energy efficiency and Green Public Procurement.