Energy

Squeezed supply of Russian gas to some EU countries fell further today (3 February), the European Commission said, but added the situation had not reached emergency levels despite freezing temperatures gripping much of Europe.

EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard says global development challenges cannot be met if the world's economic powers do not rethink their growth model. In an exclusive interview with EurActiv, she also addresses controversial policies on emission charges for airlines and rejects calls for a price floor to sustain Europe's depressed carbon market.

The European Union's climate commissioner, Connie Hedegaard, has warned about expanding the use of biofuels as the EU executive finalises an assessment of the potentially damaging effects they may have over the earth's climate. She spoke to EurActiv as part of a wide-ranging exclusive interview on sustainability issues.

Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom has restricted supplies to Europe, its largest foreign market, to cover an increase in domestic demand caused by a cold snap. 

Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger has called for a pooling of national powers to set energy policy in Brussels after 2014, in an unscripted speech to European policymakers yesterday (31 January).

As political and societal will gathers to massively cut carbon emissions over the next years, the value of carbon-intensive oil and gas firms is likely to plummet, potentially leaving taxpayers with the burden for bailing them out, argues Matthew Ulterino.

There is no need for more environmental legislation in the case of shale gas exploration, at least until it reaches commercial scale, says a new study published by the European Commission.

Greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels such as palm oil, soybean and rapeseed are higher than those for fossil fuels when the effects of Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) are counted, according to leaked EU data seen by EurActiv.

EU rules designed to boost third-party participation in Russian pipelines shipping gas to Europe could trigger legal steps by Russia, the head of Gazprom said in an interview with a German newspaper published today (26 January).

Green groups and the energy industry have embraced many of the changes, but there are grumbles on both sides.

Lawyers acting on behalf of British anti-nuclear campaigners have submitted a complaint about atomic subsidies to the European Commission which, if upheld, could prevent the building of new nuclear reactors in the EU.

As the EU banned oil imports from Iran and imposed biting new sanctions yesterday (23 January), Europe’s foreign affairs chief called on Teheran to "return to the table" for more talks.

European Union envoys failed to agree details of a planned embargo on Iranian crude yesterday (19 January), but diplomats said governments still sought to finalise the ban at a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday.

Russian natural gas producer Gazprom has yielded to requests from several European companies for easier gas supply terms as it seeks to keep its market share in face of weakening fuel demand due to economic difficulties in the region.

Ukraine will not buy the amount of gas from Russia set out in a 2009 bilateral agreement which Kiev says is unfair, Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov has said, setting the tone for a new round of gas price talks.

Italians decidedly rejected nuclear power in a referendum last year, but that does not mean abandoning the study and research on atomic energy, Environment Minister Corrado Clini said in an interview with EurActiv Italy.

Italians decidedly rejected the use of existing nuclear power plants, but that does not mean abandoning the study and research on atomic energy, said Environment Minister Corrado Clini. Speaking to EurActiv Italy in an exclusive interview, Clini also addressed other issues related to EU environmental policy and cooperation with Brazil in advance of the Rio+20 Earth Summit.

EU countries are intensifying efforts to agree an oil boycott and muscular financial sanctions against Iran, which is sizing up the option of shutting down the Hormuz Strait as a response. 

Thousands of Bulgarians have protested against exploration for shale gas over fears it could poison underground water, trigger earthquakes and pose serious public health hazards.

Global investment in clean energy reached a new high of $260bn (€203bn) last year, despite the financial crisis and the anti-environment agenda of Republicans in the US Congress, a United Nations investors' summit was told on Thursday (12 January).