European Union News - Energy

The European Parliament endorsed a new EU energy efficiency directive that includes measures such as renovating public buildings, energy-saving schemes for utilities, and energy audits for all large firms. Furthermore, energy companies covered by the directive will have to achieve a "cumulative end-use energy savings target" by 2020.

The Joint Research Centre published a report which shows that following extraction of unconventional gas in the US, greater supplies of liquefied natural gas have become available at global level, indirectly influencing EU gas prices. The study also suggests that future shale gas production in Europe could help the EU maintain its dependency on energy imports at around 50% of its total energy needs.

Per capita CO2 emissions in China reach EU levels in 2011, according to what it was reported by the Joint Research Centre. In particular, in China, the world’s most populous country, average emissions of CO2 increased by 9% to 7.2 tonnes per capita. In the European Union, CO2 emissions dropped by 3% to 7.5 tonnes per capita. The United States remain one of the largest emitters of CO2, with 17.3 tonnes per capita.

A team of researchers funded in part with EU funds have discovered that energy produced from the planet's oceans can increase twofold when novel methods for predicting wave power are used. In particular, they developed a way to accurately predict the power of the next wave to extract more energy than double what is generated today. Even though, researchers believe that more subsidies are needed in this field to continue the research.

Fusion for Energy has released its fourth annual report, detailing the the activities carried out over year 2011. The report highlights the main construction works carried out over the year which have boosted the projects, as well as the agreements put in place with other projects, the budgetary and administrative elements of its functioning and the improvements in F4E's governance.

The European Commission announced the launching of a Smart Cities and Communities European Innovation Partnership (SCC) with the aim at boosting the development of smart technologies in cities. According to the Commission, smart urban technologies can make a major contribution to tackling many urban challenges.

The European Commission confirmed that 30 scientists supported by the EU funding were involved in the discovery of the Higgs Boson or so-called 'God Particle'. The sub-atomic particle, which experts believe is the basis for all matter in the Universe, was identified at CERN, the European nuclear research facility in Geneva, Switzerland.

MEPs approved a plan that has as main objective to attract private investment in transport, energy and information technology network projects. The scheme, that will be managed by the European Investment Bank (EIB), will allocate €230 million in guarantees to back the private issuance of "project bonds".

The contribution of renewable energy up to 12.4% of energy consumption in the EU in 2010 according to Eurostat. In addition, highest share of renewables were recorded in Sweden, Latvia, Finland, Austria and Portugal. The figures has been published in the framework of the EU Sustainable Energy Week that will take place until 22 of June.

Negotiators from the Council and MEPs reached a provisional agreement on the proposed energy efficiency directive. Under the agreement, Member States will set themselves indicative national targets and save energy in specific ways, such as renovating buildings and stipulating the size of energy savings to be delivered by utilities.