Transforming the European Energy System: Member States’ Prospects within the EU Framework

Posted: 20 Feb 2014 Last revised: 12 Mar 2015

See all articles by Brigitte Knopf

Brigitte Knopf

Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC)

Bjørn Bakken

SINTEF Energy Research

Samuel Carrara

CMCC - Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici

Amit Kanudia

KanORS

Ilkka Keppo

University College London

Tiina Koljonen

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland

Silvana Mima

Université Grenoble Alpes

Eva Schmid

Potsdam-Institut für Klimafolgenforschung (PIK)

Detlef P. van Vuuren

PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (Bilthoven)

Date Written: February 19, 2014

Abstract

The Energy Modeling Forum 28 (EMF28) performed a large-scale model comparison exercise to illustrate different technology pathways for cutting European greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. Focusing on selected countries (France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and UK), this paper first analyses climate and energy policy objectives and debates in the respective countries. It then compares EMF28 model results to the short-term projections of the National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAPs) and the long-term transformation pathway given in the European Commission’s “Energy Roadmap 2050”. It concludes that there is sufficient agreement with the NREAPs and national policies to accept the model results as conceivable scenarios. The scenarios suggest that in the future a variety of different national energy mixes will continue to reflect the different resource bases and preferences of individual Member States. In order to ensure a cost-efficient transformation, it is important to improve coordination between Member State policies and those at EU level.

Note: This is a pre-print version of the article by Brigitte Knopf et al, Clim. Change Econ. 04, 1340005 (2013).

Keywords: European climate and energy policy, National Renewable Action Plans (NREAPs), Environmental federalism, Mitigation scenarios

JEL Classification: Q2, Q4

Suggested Citation

Knopf, Brigitte and Bakken, Bjørn and Carrara, Samuel and Kanudia, Amit and Keppo, Ilkka and Koljonen, Tiina and Mima, Silvana and Schmid, Eva and van Vuuren, Detlef P., Transforming the European Energy System: Member States’ Prospects within the EU Framework (February 19, 2014). FEEM Working Paper No. 14.2014, CMCC Research Paper No. RP0219 , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2398274 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2398274

Brigitte Knopf (Contact Author)

Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) ( email )

Torgauer Straße 12-15
Berlin, 10829
Germany

Bjørn Bakken

SINTEF Energy Research ( email )

Kolbjørn Hejes vei 1A
Trondheim, NO-7034
Norway

Samuel Carrara

CMCC - Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici ( email )

via Augusto Imperatore, 16
Lecce, I-73100
Italy

Amit Kanudia

KanORS ( email )

Ilkka Keppo

University College London ( email )

Gower Street
London, WC1E 6BT
United Kingdom

Tiina Koljonen

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland ( email )

FIN-02044 VTT
Finland

Silvana Mima

Université Grenoble Alpes ( email )

France

Eva Schmid

Potsdam-Institut für Klimafolgenforschung (PIK) ( email )

Telegraphenberg
Potsdam, Brandenburg 14412
Germany

Detlef P. Van Vuuren

PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (Bilthoven)

Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9
Bilthoven, 3721 MA
Netherlands

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