Opacitate și discriminare în alocarea fondurilor europene pentru energie

Energy Policy Group

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February 28, 2023

Ministerului Agriculturii și Dezvoltării Rurale (MADR) a publicat recent pe pagina de internet un proiect de OUG privind „unele măsuri pentru realizarea investițiilor necesare dezvoltării infrastructurii energetice a României finanțate din fondurile alocate în cadrul capitolului REPowerEU”.

Proiectul, care a stârnit imediat consternare în piața de energie, reprezintă o tentativă de oficializare a unei practici decizionale la vârful politicii prin care fondurile europene pentru energie sunt controlate în mod netransparent și direcționate necompetitiv către unele mari companii de stat, cu încălcarea flagrantă a legislației naționale și europene privind concurența și ajutorul de stat, dar și a prevederilor de transparență și nediscriminare din ghidurile mecanismelor financiare europene.

Power sector decarbonisation in the South East European Union member states by 2040 (ENG)

Energy Policy Group

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February 17, 2023

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Power sector decarbonisation in the South East European Union member states by 2040 (ENG)

The goal of this study is to identify least-cost, Paris-compliant (United Nations, 2015) solutions for the decarbonisation of selected power markets while fitting national circumstances. The focus lies on techno-economical scenarios, which can then inform the policy debate. The geographical scope of the project is focused on EU countries in South East Europe, namely Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary and Romania. Results are available for each country individually, but will be shown in aggregate in this paper.

In this study three core scenarios were defined. They represent the implications of two different decarbonisation pathways compared to a baseline without a net-zero target for the power sector. The derived scenario architecture therefore allows to assess the general merit of the different energy strategies, particularly the benefits of different technological pathways, with a focus on the interplay between natural gas, hydrogen and storage.

• The “baseline scenario” represents a continuation of the current national plans & policies.
• The “gas lock-in” scenario represents decarbonisation of the power sector by 2040 while relying on natural gas for the transition.
• The “smart transition” scenario represents a decarbonization by 2040 while substituting natural gas as a transitional fuel with storage to the extent possible.

For each of the scenarios, a model-based assessment of different indicators of merit was conducted. Indicators include costs, distributional effects, CO2 emissions and necessary investments over the period until 2050.

Overall, the study results demonstrate that a decarbonisation of the power sector by 2040 is possible while saving costs compared to the fossil baseline scenario with no decarbonisation targets in place. Compared to the
baseline scenario, the energy transition scenarios cut cumulative CO2 emissions by 2050 in comparison to 2022 by half while reducing overall cumulative generation costs by 5% in the gas lock-in scenario and by 13% in the smart
transition scenario. Furthermore, total yearly emissions in the year 2030 can be reduced by 37% in the gas lock-in scenario and by 51% in the smart transition scenario as well as by 100% in the year 2040. Security of supply is ensured in all energy transition scenarios.

The baseline scenario, and to some extent the gas lock-in scenario invests heavily into natural gas, which proves a “dead end” in the long-term, leading to overall higher costs and potentially stranded assets. If capacity investments are hydrogen-ready and efficient storage technologies are deployed, cumulative natural gas demand in the power sector can be reduced by 15% while reducing overall costs by 13% (smart transition vs. gas lock-in).

Li-ion batteries are deployed in the smart transition scenario, helping to in- crease cost efficiency. Storage also helps to switch the RES mix from wind to more easily scalable PV which would allow to accelerate renewable energy expansion in the region.

In addition to short-term battery storage, long-term storage is a necessary enabler of deep decarbonisation to ensure security of supply. Based on the current technological outlook, hydrogen is of key importance here.

Combined H2-based generation capacities of the region range in between ~23-35 GW in 2050 in the two energy transition scenarios. The role of hydrogen in regards to volumes should not be overstated though, since generation shares on demand are limited to 6–9% of demand, implying overall relatively low actual hydrogen demand.

Other storage technologies like batteries can effectively reduce the need for H2 capacity and generation. Deploying batteries reduces demand for H2 capacities by 35% in 2050. Investments into H2 plants should therefore be considered carefully, not overestimating the future needs.

Gas makes up between 15% and 30% of energy consumption, in total ~330 TWh for all countries combined for 2020 (Eurostat, 2022). The power sector plays an important role here, especially for Greece where in that year it accounted for 65% of total consumption compared to 43% in Bulgaria, 27% in Hungary and 29% in Romania. Importantly, an overwhelming share of ~80% of gas imported in the region came from Russia in 2020.

Thus, any power sector strategy building on a “gas-bridge” could worsen the present dependencies in the future. Scenario results of this study show that a smart transition policy is effective in reducing gas demand of the region in the mid-term. Until 2030, gas consumption in the power sector can be reduced by 10%-20% and by up to 80% until 2035 compared to historic reference levels (Eurostat, 2022) in all countries by investing heavily into RES and storages and switching fuel to hydrogen. A continuation of the status quo (fossil baseline scenario) with no increased climate ambition on the other hand leads to a significant increase in gas demand by up to 60% in the 2030s. This could lead to an increased reliance on Russian gas imports, in contrast with current political efforts at the EU level to reduce dependence on Russian energy sources.

As current gas dependence and the role of gas in the power sector scenarios vary between the countries, the local perspective should be considered and instruments balanced carefully. In the case of Greece, a lignite phase-out in the early 2020s causes a temporarily higher gas demand in the power sector in all analysed scenarios. At the same time, dependence on Russian gas differs across countries. With Romania having an overall smaller dependence due to domestic production, and Greece having diversified import options with LNG, Bulgaria and Hungary are especially dependent.

In addition to energy efficiency and expansion of renewables, the approach to counteract gas shortage in the short and medium term, is based on three types of gas infrastructure projects. Firstly, gas pipelines which are not physically connected to Russia. Secondly, additional LNG import capacities to obtain gas from countries outside of Europe, such as FSRUs, where path-dependence is lower than in the case of onshore LNG terminals. Thirdly, expansion of gas production facilities, especially in Romania where big gas reserves are located. These projects will contribute towards providing any future gas demand less dependent on import from Russia.

The problem of gas dependence can be reduced by a decarbonisation of the power sector in the long-term. However, industry and residential heat demand make up large shares of the consumption profile of most countries. Additional policy efforts will be required to ensure security of supply while moving towards energy sovereignty. This also needs to be reflected in upcoming EU policy efforts in addition to current goals within the REPower framework.

Tranziția inteligentă: necesitatea revizuirii proiectelor de investiții asumate în sectorul energetic din România

Energy Policy Group

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February 3, 2023

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Obiectivele ambițioase ale UE trebuie reflectate în legislația națională a fiecărui stat membru. Recent, România a făcut demersuri în acest sens prin adoptarea Legii decarbonizării (Legea 334/2022), care prevede eliminarea cărbunelui din mixul energetic până în anul 2032 și prin schemele de ajutor de stat pentru producția de energie regenerabilă finanțate prin Planul Național de Redresare și Reziliență (PNRR).

Totuși, rămân o serie de politici adoptate la nivel național fie înainte, fie după asumarea pachetului “Fit for 55” la nivelul UE, care ar trebui reanalizate în vederea alinierii la obiectivele mai recente și mai ambițioase din punct de vedere climatic. De exemplu, proiectele de investiții în gaze naturale care nu au fost fundamentate pe baza unor studii de tipul cost-beneficiu precum:

implementarea unui program de peste 1 miliard de euro pentru racordarea populației la sistemul de distribuție al gazelor naturale (conform Programului de guvernare 2021-2027);
instalarea la CET Mintia (Deva) a unei centrale de producție de energie electrică de 1.700 MW pe bază de gaze naturale, capacitate nejustificat de mare;
amânarea eliminării cărbunelui până în anul 2032 (conform Legii 334/2022), față de ținta inițială a anului 2030, mai ambițioasă, din propunerea de Ordonanță de Guvern (mai 2022).

În lipsa unor revizuiri ale acestor politici naționale în sensul adaptării lor la țintele UE prin accelerarea procesului de decarbonizare și implicit a investițiilor în surse regenerabile de energie, tranziția României către neutralitatea climatică va fi mai costisitoare și mai dificil de atins.

Publicație bazată pe un studiu al European Climate Foundation.

Decarbonizarea sectorului de energie electrică în statele din Sud-Estul Uniunii Europene până în 2040

Energy Policy Group

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January 30, 2023

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Decarbonizarea sectorului de energie electrică în statele din Sud-Estul Uniunii Europene până în 2040

În prezentul studiu au fost definite trei scenarii de bază. Acestea reprezintă implicațiile a două abordări distincte de decarbonizare raportate la o situație de referință, însă fără un obiectiv privind neutralitatea climatică pentru sectorul de energie electrică. Prin urmare, arhitectura derivată a scenariului permite evaluarea avantajelor generice ale diferitelor strategii energetice, în special a beneficiilor diferitelor căi tehnologice, cu accent asupra interacțiunii dintre gaze naturale, hidrogen și tehnologiile de stocare.

• Scenariul de „referință” reprezintă o continuare a actualelor planuri și politici naționale.

• Scenariul de „dependență de gaze naturale” reprezintă decarbonizarea sectorului de energie electrică până în anul 2040, tranziția bazându-se, totodată, pe gaze naturale.

• Scenariul de „tranziție inteligentă reprezintă decarbonizarea sectorului de energie electrică până în anul 2040, înlocuind gaze naturale drept combustibil de tranziție cu stocarea energiei electrice, în măsura posibilităților.

Pentru fiecare dintre scenarii, a fost realizată o evaluare bazată pe modelări ale diferiților indicatori. Indicatorii includ costurile, efectele distributive, emisiile de CO2 și investițiile necesare până în anul 2050.

În ansamblu, rezultatele studiului demonstrează faptul că decarbonizarea sectorului de energie electrică până în anul 2040 este posibilă, ducând la economii de costuri în comparație cu scenariul de referință, care include combustibili fosili și nu vizează obiective de decarbonizare. Comparativ cu scenariul de referință, scenariile privind tranziția energetică reduc la jumătate emisiile cumulate de CO2 până în anul 2050 față de anul 2022, reducând, în același timp, cu 5% costurile totale de producție cumulate în scenariul de dependență de gaze naturale și cu 13% în scenariul de tranziție inteligentă. În plus, emisiile anuale totale în anul 2030 pot fi reduse cu 37% în scenariul de dependență de gaze naturale și cu 51% în scenariul de tranziție inteligentă, precum și cu 100% în 2040. Securitatea energetică este asigurată în toate scenariile de tranziție energetică.

Scenariul de referință și, într-o oarecare măsură, scenariul de dependență de gaze naturale presupun investiții masive în gaze naturale, ceea ce se dovedește a fi ineficient pe termen lung, întrucât conduce la costuri generale sporite și la posibile active blocate. În cazul în care investițiile în capacități noi sunt pregătite pentru hidrogen și sunt implementate tehnologii eficiente de stocare, cererea cumulată de gaze naturale în sectorul energiei electrice poate fi redusă cu 15%, cu impact asupra diminuării costurilor totale cu 13% (scenariul de tranziție inteligentă față de dependența de gaze naturale).

În scenariul de tranziție inteligentă sunt implementate bateriile Li-ion, care contribuie la creșterea eficienței din perspectiva costurilor. Mai mult, stocarea oferă flexibilitate, astfel ajută la trecerea de la energia eoliană la cea fotovoltaică, mai ușor scalabilă, ceea ce ar permite accelerarea extinderii energiei regenerabile în regiune.

Pe lângă stocarea pe termen scurt în baterii, stocarea pe termen lung este un factor necesar pentru decarbonizarea profundă, în vederea asigurării securității energetice. Pe baza perspectivelor tehnologice actuale, hidrogenul are o importanță majoră în acest domeniu. Capacitățile combinate de producție pe bază de H2 din regiune variază între ~23-35 GW în anul 2050 în cele două scenarii de tranziție energetică.

Totuși, rolul hidrogenului în ceea ce privește volumele nu ar trebui să fie supraestimat, deoarece cotele de producție în funcție de cerere sunt limitate la 6-9% din cerere, ceea ce presupune o cerere reală relativ scăzută de hidrogen.

Alte tehnologii de stocare, cum ar fi bateriile, pot reduce în mod eficient nevoia de capacități de H2 și de producție a acestuia. Instalarea capacităților de stocare prin baterii reduce cererea de capacități de H2 cu 35% până în anul 2050. De aceea, investițiile în centrale de H2 ar trebui să fie analizate cu atenție, fără a supraestima nevoile viitoare.

Gazele naturale reprezintă între 15% și 30% din consumul de energie, în total ~330 TWh pentru toate țările analizate la nivelul anului 2020 (Eurostat, 2022). Astfel, sectorul de energie electrică joacă un rol important, în special în cazul Greciei, unde acesta a reprezentat 65% din consumul total de gaze naturale, față de 43% în Bulgaria, 27% în Ungaria și 29% în România. Este important de remarcat faptul că, în anul 2020, o proporție covârșitoare de ~80% din gaze naturale importate în regiune proveneau din Rusia.

Astfel, orice strategie din sectorul de energie electrică bazată pe o “tranziție prin intermediul gazelor naturalelor (gas-bridge)” ar putea agrava pe viitor dependența actuală de gaze naturale. Rezultatele scenariilor din acest studiu arată că o politică de tranziție inteligentă este eficientă în reducerea cererii de gaze naturale din regiune pe termen mediu. Până în anul 2030, consumul de gaze naturale din sectorul de energie electrică poate fi redus în toate statele analizate cu 10%-20% și cu până la 80% până în 2035, în comparație cu nivelurile de referință istorice (Eurostat, 2022), prin investiții masive în surse regenerabile de energie (SRE) și în capacități de stocare și prin trecerea la hidrogen. Pe de altă parte, menținerea politicilor actuale (scenariul de referință pe bază de combustibili fosili) fără obiective ambițioase în domeniul schimbărilor climatice va conduce la o creștere semnificativă a cererii de gaze naturale, cu până la 60% în anii 2030. Acest lucru ar putea duce la o dependență sporită de importurile de gaze naturale rusești, în contrast cu eforturile recente ale politicilor asumate la nivelul UE de a reduce dependența de sursele de energie din Rusia.

Instrumentele și politicile propuse în vederea decarbonizării sectorului de energie electrică trebuie echilibrate în funcție de particularitățile naționale, deoarece gradul de dependeță de gaze naturale și rolul acestora în scenariile din sectorul energiei electrice variază de la o țară la alta. În cazul Greciei, o retragere progresivă a lignitului la începutul anilor 2020 determină o creștere temporară a cererii de gaze naturale în sectorul energiei electrice în toate scenariile analizate. Totodată, dependența de gazul natural rusesc diferă de la o țară la alta. Pe de o parte, România are, per ansamblu, un grad de dependență mai redus datorită producției interne, iar Grecia are opțiuni de import diversificate prin GNL, pe de altă parte Bulgaria și Ungaria au un grad ridicat de dependență.

Pe lângă eficiența energetică și extinderea surselor regenerabile de energie, abordarea pentru a preveni deficitul de gaze naturale pe termen scurt și mediu se bazează pe trei tipuri de proiecte de infrastructură de gaze naturale. În primul rând, gazoductele care nu sunt conectate fizic la Rusia. În al doilea rând, capacități suplimentare de import de GNL pentru a importa gaze naturale din țări din afara Europei, cum ar fi unitățile flotante de stocare și regazeificare (FSRU), în cazul cărora dependența de traseu este mai redusă decât în cazul terminalelor GNL terestre. În al treilea rând, extinderea unităților de producție a gaze naturale, în special în România, unde se află rezerve mari de gaze naturale. Aceste proiecte vor contribui la asigurarea unei cereri viitoare de gaze naturale mai puțin dependente de importurile din Rusia.

Problema dependenței de gaze naturale poate fi redusă prin decarbonizarea sectorului de energie electrică pe termen lung. Însă cererea de energie termică din industrie și din sectorul rezidențial reprezintă o pondere mare din profilul de consum al majorității țărilor analizate. Astfel, vor fi necesare eforturi politice suplimentare pentru a asigura securitatea energetică și, totodată, progresul către suveranitatea energetică. Acest lucru trebuie să se reflecte și în demersurile viitoare ale politicilor UE, pe lângă obiectivele actuale din cadrul REPower.

Dezvoltarea energiei eoliene offshore în România până în anul 2030

Energy Policy Group

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January 17, 2023

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Studiul EPG a fost lansat pe data de 10 ianuarie 2023, într-un eveniment care a reunit peste 60 de persoane, cu reprezentanți ai Parlamentului României, ai Autorității Naționale pentru Reglementare în domeniul Energiei (ANRE), ai Operatorului Național de Transport (Transelectrica), alături de reprezentanți ai mediului de business, ai societății civile și ai mass-media.

Concluziile discuțiilor vizează pașii pe care România ar trebui să îi urmeze în perioada 2023-2024 pentru a atinge obiectivul de instalare a 3GW de capacități de energie eoliană offshore până în anul 2030, respectiv:

adoptarea Legii Offshore. Cadrul legislativ și de reglementare pentru energia eoliană offshore reprezintă un pilon esențial în decizia de investiții în astfel de proiecte;
adoptarea Planului de amenajare a spațiului maritim. Acesta are un rol major în identificare zonelor optime pentru realizarea proiectelor de investiții în energie eoliană offshore;
realizarea unui acord de parteneriat cu Bulgaria. Planificarea și cooperarea regională dintre România și Bulgaria pot stimula dezvoltarea energiei eoliene offshore din Marea Neagră și implicit economiile de scară;
adoptarea cadrului de reglementare al contractelor pentru diferență (CfD). Acesta are un rol important în atragerea investitorilor în proiecte de asemenea anvergură;
o cooperare între ministerelor responsabile, respectiv: Ministerul Energiei (politici energetice), Ministerul Transporturilor (Portul Constanța), Ministerul Dezvoltării Regionale (Planul de amenajare al spațiului maritim), Ministerul Mediului și Ministerul Economiei (politica industrială asociată dezvoltării proiectelor de energie eoliană);

Offshore wind – the enabler of Romania’s decarbonisation

Energy Policy Group

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January 5, 2023

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Offshore wind power plays a key role in Europe’s pathways to reducing dependency on fossil fuel imports and decarbonisation by 2050, in a moment when EU’s energy security interests and climate objectives are fully aligned. The same goes for Romania, with a modelling exercise indicating that 15GW of offshore wind capacities need to be developed in Romania’s Black Sea exclusive economic area (EEA) by 2050, in order to achieve climate neutrality. This would become the country’s largest source of electricity production, with more than 40% of total, in some scenarios.

Offshore wind farms take between five to 10 years to be developed, with an EU-average of seven years. This means that there is a good chance for Romania to connect its first wind offshore capacity to the grid before 2030. This could change Romania’s current status of net electricity importer, as well as provide significant additional clean energy needed to decarbonise sectors such as industry, transport, and heating and cooling.

This report builds on the results of the first EPG study that estimated the technical potential of offshore wind in the Black Sea, proposing innovative solutions for overcoming grid-related challenges. Backed by EU instruments, joint regional planning and joint development between Romania and Bulgaria, offshore wind in the Black Sea can kickstart and achieve the needed economies of scale to make offshore wind a major enabler of decarbonisation in Romania and Southeast Europe.

To address the grid challenges that both Romania and Bulgaria face in deploying their offshore wind potential, a Romanian-Bulgarian (RO-BG) energy island would be an efficient and scalable solution to unlock large-scale offshore wind deployment, as well as bring valuable interconnection capacity with other Black Sea countries (such as Turkey, Georgia, as well as Azerbaijan, further east), drastically improving energy security and contributing to the regional price stability. This would also bolster the offshore wind potential of the entire Black Sea Basin. Indeed, the recently announced underwater HVDC cable to be built by Romania, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Hungary will be a steppingstone in the process.

In a realistic scenario for 2030, the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) for fixed offshore wind power in the Romanian region of the Black Sea will be €71/MWh, while for the later development of floating offshore wind the LCOE would be €94/MWh. In the case of a joint project between Romania and Bulgaria, including in the LCOE the costs of an HVDC connection to the Constanța Sud station, as indicated in the reference scenario for fixed offshore wind, would bring the total cost to €79/MWh for a 3GW installed capacity. Adding an artificial RO-BG Energy Island would bring the LCOE to €85/MWh, assuming the capital investment for the energy island is split equally between the two countries. The total CAPEX costs allocated to Romania in a RO-BG Energy Island project, including the 3GW offshore wind farms, would be €8.4 billion (€810 million representing Romania’s share of the RO-BG energy island), while the resulting annual energy production is estimated at 9.8TWh.

Apart from the importance for energy supply and resilience, offshore wind deployment brings socio-economic benefits by creating jobs in the manufacturing, construction, and operation and maintenance (O&M) of projects, with a multiplying effect on other sectors – including a significant concentration in the Port of Constanța. Per GW of installed power, offshore wind in Europe generates €2.1 billion. Consequently, 3GW of installed offshore wind power in Romania would generate €6.3 billion, 2.6% of GDP (2021). This could also contribute to a total of 22,000 new FTE employees (20,000 in the capital phase and 1,800 for O&M), with 15,500 in direct new jobs at local level, assuming that Romania would attract investors in manufacturing of wind-turbine components and in construction, installation and balance of plant, respectively.

Setting up the proper legislative and fiscal frameworks for offshore wind developments is of critical importance, especially at present, at the beginning of massive deployments of offshore wind capacity worldwide. An EU-led conversation on the future of Black Sea offshore deployment would facilitate the process for the two member states (Romania and Bulgaria), as well as for non-EU partners. It would also promote the discussion and investment in energy islands, as well as potential long-distance interconnections. This report proposes a blend between a centralised, state-led model and an open-door, investors-led process for site-developing, aiming to capitalise on the mentioned advantages, while diminishing the downsides and associated risks for investors. As a prerequisite and as a rule for successful planning and development, a consistent and continuous dialogue between state authorities and private investors is paramount, already from the early stages.

[CLOSED] EPG is looking for a Researcher / Senior Researcher on Industrial Decarbonisation

Careers

Energy Policy Group

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December 23, 2022

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CLOSED CALL

The Energy Policy Group (EPG) is a Bucharest-based non-profit, independent think-tank specialising in energy and climate policy, market analytics and decarbonisation strategy, grounded in 2014. EPG is committed to promoting long-term decarbonisation policies and actions across all economic sectors. Through publications and public events, EPG disseminates knowledge about the green transition and provides well-documented input to stakeholders and decision-makers. Its publications are freely available as research reports, opinion papers, and policy briefs. EPG’s conferences, roundtables and workshops provide a platform for informed discussion and expert analysis. EPG’s funding comes mainly from research grants, but also from sponsorships and membership fees.

The new research position will support the Clean Economy program, one of our two main research programs. EPG has a range of ongoing projects, including renewable energy, industrial transition, climate technologies, carbon pricing and social acceptability of climate policies. The Clean Economy program is currently focused on the decarbonisation of heavy industry, energy efficiency in buildings and social acceptance of innovative climate technologies.

The selected candidate will join our team of researchers. The candidate is expected to contribute to our research outputs, as well as to the broader strategic thinking of EPG.

The position is offered for a one-year fixed-term contract, with possibility of extension to an indefinite-term contract. The level of the position will be decided based on the qualifications of the successful candidate. EPG welcomes applications from a diversity of backgrounds irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or disability.

Tasks

Managing research activities and leading research efforts in the field of industrial decarbonisation, with a particular focus on steel, cement and chemicals
Producing analysis in support of our research outputs and strategic thinking
Participating in international research teams as part of our research grants
Monitoring key policy developments at national and EU levels

Actively participate in the design and organisation of events, deliver presentations and engage with key stakeholders
Building a broad and relevant network of key stakeholders
Writing op-eds and commentaries
Assisting the application process for new research proposals
Supporting our overall activity at the office, including supporting applications for funding for their area of research and, where necessary, review EPG publications related to their work area

Background and experience

Undergraduate degree in public policy or economics, or engineering or other relevant technical degree.
Postgraduate qualification in a field related to industrial, climate or energy policy, economics or engineering.
Minimum 2 years of work experience in the energy sector and/or climate policy (Researcher) or 5 years (Senior Researcher) is required.
Demonstrable knowledge of the issue of industrial emissions, the EU ETS, as well as energy and climate policies both at EU and national level. A good understanding of the Romanian industry represents an advantage.
Ability for critical thinking, summarising complex research, drafting reports, and communicating effectively in writing.

Demonstrable presentation skills.
Ability to work in a diverse team of experts.
Track record of stakeholder engagement and access to a network of relevant experts
Previous involvement in the organisation of workshops and events, including experience with moderating roundtables and workshops.
Experience in international research grants is an advantage.

Excellent command of English and Romanian, both orally and in writing.

Personal profile

You are dedicated and committed to conducting research and formulating policy solutions for the decarbonisation of the Romanian and EU economy.

You understand the need for reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and are passionate about contributing to climate change mitigation efforts.

You are intellectually curious and able to engage in multidisciplinary research.

You have great analytical abilities, you can deal with complex information, and can communicate in a concise, yet nuanced manner.

You are willing to participate in the dissemination of EPG’s work.

You are a keen team-player, but also capable of organising your own work.

What EPG offers

Full-time employment for a fixed one-year contract, with possibility of further extension to an indefinite-term contract. 23 days of legal holiday entitlement and a flexible work environment which can accommodate remote working. Opportunity to progress in your career path and gain valuable knowledge and insights on energy and climate policy. EPG also encourages the participation of its employees in training and education programmes in relevant areas.

Salary range (net salary): €1400-1900 (Senior Researcher), €1000-1400 (Researcher), based on relevant experience.

How to apply

The deadline for applications is January 20^th, 2023 EOD. Interviews will be conducted before the end of January. Successful candidates are expected to start as soon as possible. Complete applications in English should be emailed to office@epg-thinktank.org, mentioning the position you are applying for (Researcher or Senior Researcher) and your name. The email should contain a single pdf file with:

A CV maximum of 2 pages

A cover letter of maximum one page outlining your interest and motivation for applying
A list of maximum one page with your personal publications

Incomplete application will not be considered. You must have the right to work in the EU.

Candidates selected for an interview will be asked to provide a written sample in English of no more than 20 pages.

Unfortunately, we will not be able to reply to every candidate. If you have not received a reply within two weeks of the application deadline, you should consider you application unsuccessful.

The interplay between energy poverty and energy security within the energy trilemma
framework

Energy Policy Group

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December 21, 2022

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The interplay between energy poverty and energy security within the energy trilemma<br>framework

A plea for more integrative approaches

This research paper draws on the framework of the energy trilemma (security, poverty and sustainability) to explore both the conceptual kinship and the practical implications of the relationship between energy security and energy poverty. Given the fragile equilibrium between the three mentioned policy goals, the paper aims to provide some insights to better understand their interplay.The main contribution resides in stressing the interdependence between and co-evolution of energy security and energy poverty, and why successful policy efforts should have an integrative approach, rather than “one at a time” mindset.

The first two sections of this paper review the existing literature on energy poverty and energy security, respectively. The subsequent section aims to bridge the gap in the academic literature by highlighting how the two notions correspond to a micro and a macro dimension of a similar challenge, namely energy welfare, thus calling for concerted action on both levels; it also analyses their interplay from an energy transition and climate change perspective, as well as from a consumer welfare standpoint. The final section explores Romania’s positioning along the security-poverty axis and the country’s recent developments as part of a wider and similar geopolitical context.

The impact of the proposed EU ETS 2 and the Social Climate Fund on emissions and welfare: evidence from literature and a new simulation model

Energy Policy Group

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December 15, 2022

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The European Union is soon deciding on a separate Emissions Trading System for the buildings and road transport sectors (ETS2) and a Social Climate Fund (SCF) to mitigate its potential negative impact on households.

Under ETS2, suppliers of fuels for buildings and road transport will have to purchase emissions allowances, with the total number of allowances available gradually decreasing over time. This would expose households to a carbon price and incentivise them to seek lower carbon alternatives.

To mitigate the potential impact on lower income households, a €27 billion SCF has been proposed, mainly to finance temporary income support measures and sustainable interventions to reduce emissions for heating and road transport, such as building renovations, public transport and others.

Though this paper, we examine the literature for evidence on the effectiveness and economic and welfare impact of carbon pricing with revenue redistribution. We find that emissions reduction is moderate, unless carbon prices are high, while the economic and welfare impacts depend on the redistribution mechanism. With targeted redistribution, the policy tends to be progressive, helping reduce energy poverty and emissions at the same time. To add to the evidence base, we also present a modelling exercise of a theoretical carbon tax levied on all consumption goods.

This project is part of the European Climate Initiative (EUKI). EUKI is a project financing instrument by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). The EUKI competition for project ideas is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. It is the overarching goal of the EUKI to foster climate cooperation within the European Union (EU) in order to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. For more details, please visit: www.euki.de.

Let’s talk about COP27

Energy Policy Group

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December 13, 2022

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Barely emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic, this year the world was turned upside-down into a new geopolitical reality by the first war in Europe in decades. Within this new reality and the ensuing global crisis, COP27 was seen by some as an “oasis of diplomacy”, to quote US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm – a space where countries could come together to act on the global challenge that is climate change. But while countries did come together in some landmark agreements, they left Sharm-el-Sheikh without much progress on actual action to mitigate climate change.

The Conference of Parties (COP) is the yearly gathering of parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the world’s biggest diplomatic effort on climate change. Its path to date has been anything but steady, with landmark commitments such as the Paris Agreement being followed by messy discussions on implementation – all this while scientific reports on the disastrous state of the climate have been increasing in urgency. Last year’s COP26 in Glasgow set the tone for a “new normal” in which a few significant agreements were accompanied by a stark lack of practical commitments to implement them. Under this year’s energy crisis and a related dash for fossil fuels, achieving practical commitments on mitigating climate change was ever-more challenging at COP27.