Looser state aid rules aim to stoke clean tech demand

A European Commission draft sets out ways for governments to subsidize and boost clean-tech investments.

Denmark bets on exports to Germany to beat offshore wind doldrum

Denmark will go “all in” to rapidly scale up offshore wind, Energy Minister Lars Aagaard said on Friday.
The post Denmark bets on exports to Germany to beat offshore wind doldrum appeared first on Euractiv.

Whereโ€™s the Competitiveness Compass pointing?

The European Commission’s policy plans point to growth even as it tries to hold on to ambitious climate goals.

New Commission must remain focused on building up hydrogen value chain

There is no net zero scenario which does not include clean and sustainable hydrogen for hard to abate sectors, transport, and energy storage.
The post New Commission must remain focused on building up hydrogen value chain appeared first on Euractiv.

Hereโ€™s whatโ€™s new in the EU-Mercosur trade deal

POLITICO brings you the new elements of Europeโ€™s trade deal with South America struck last week.

Inside the floating 80s relic that wants to be Britainโ€™s energy future

POLITICO spent the afternoon on a soon-to-be-abandoned North Sea gas plant that’s hoping to ditch fossil fuels with government help.

Fueling the future: investing in research and innovation for a clean hydrogen value chain [Promoted content]

Hydrogen is the most abundant element on Earth, and we must scale up production of this zero-carbon fuel to meet climate targets. But there are several key factors that will be critical to further developing the hydrogen value chain that Europe needs.

EUโ€™s energy transition resilience needs action, gas infrastructure funding [Advocacy Lab Content]

Europe needs low-carbon hydrogen, but thereโ€™s also a push to develop renewable gases and to incentivise the right infrastructure. Energy resilience requires all options to be on the table.

US still committed to climate fight despite Trumpโ€™s win, says top climate diplomat at COP29

President-elect Donald Trumpโ€™s victory is roiling the opening day of the global climate talks.

Trumpโ€™s in. Hereโ€™s what it means for Europe.

From energy and trade to finance and defense, hereโ€™s how Donald Trumpโ€™s second presidency will impact EU policy.

โ€˜Made in Europeโ€™ Hydrogen is possible โ€“ in the North Sea

Renewable hydrogen made in Europe from the wind-swept waters of the North Sea offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a new pillar of European energy resilience, while also boosting Europeโ€™s industrial competitiveness.

EU shrugs off Trumpโ€™s threats to scrap green handouts

Trump may cut Europe out of Americaโ€™s subsidy splurge, but EU industries aren’t seeing many benefits yet anyway.

Business groups pitch โ€˜profoundโ€™ change in EU trade and industrial policy to shore up competitiveness

โ€œThe EU cannot win a subsidy race with the US and China,โ€ the groups says, as the EU currently โ€œlacks the fiscal firepower to outspend its global competitors.โ€

Renewable hydrogen projects win innovation grants, Germany requests rules delay to nurture sectoral growth [Advocacy Lab Content]

Renewable hydrogen projects were among the winners of a โ‚ฌ4.8 billion grant from the European Commissionโ€™s Innovation Fund, but Germany has requested market rules are adjusted for renewable hydrogen.

Pro-Ukraine pledges proving too contentious for EU-Gulf summit, leak shows

A draft joint statement seen by POLITICO shows Gulf states rejecting a unified call to cease aid for Russia and crack down on sanctions evasion.

Hydrogenโ€™s toxic secret worries a town in northern France

Green hydrogen is central to Europe’s energy transition, but it relies on potentially dangerous forever chemicals.

Berlinโ€™s clean industry wish-list: Kick nuclear out of EU financing

Laying out key priorities for the EU’s upcoming Clean Industrial Deal, German Economy State Secretary Sven Giegold on Monday (30 September) wants the Commission to prioritise renewable energy, taking a tough line on nuclear power and Franceโ€™s targets.

EU close to finalising low-carbon hydrogen definition

The European Commission is now close to finalising the long-awaited EU definition of low-carbon hydrogen after announcing a final four-month public consultation on Friday (27 September).ย 

UK energy policy: 20 people to lobby at Conservative conference

LONDON โ€” The Conservative Party โ€œgot trounced in the polls,โ€ ex-Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho admitted earlier this month. After 14 years controlling Westminsterโ€™s levers of power, voters dumped the Tories unceremoniously from office overnight in July. And yet โ€” the party is already regrouping, jumping on energy bills and cost-of-living as one basis for a [โ€ฆ]

Italyโ€™s Urso on 2035 zero CO2 emissions quest to get support for early review of cars rules

Italyโ€™s Minister for Enterprises Adolfo Urso will seek a broad alliance with other industry ministers on Thursday (26 September) to move the review of EUโ€™s Co2 reduction targets for cars forward but shield the blocโ€™s 2035 zero-Co2 emissions goal – as l…

Driving on empty: The German government has few options to help an ailing car industry

Economy Minister Robert Habeck will meet with carmakers โ€”ย but he has few weapons to stave off a car industry crisis.

Germanyโ€™s rude economic awakeningย 

After a spate of bad news involving giants like Volkswagen and Intel, the mood in Germany has turned gloomy.

Europeโ€™s new normal: High energy bills, fading industry and one chance to fix it

German manufacturers are being strangled. The EU is feeling the pinch. Mario Draghi on Monday warned the EU may be staring at โ€˜slow agony.โ€™

French industry fears inertia on key energy, climate dossiers

Untreated dossiers like hydrogen, nuclear energy, and carbon capture are piling up on the desks of absent ministers, as France remains without a government since the July elections. Industry fears this governmental paralysis puts the country’s energy a…

Empowering the EUโ€™s road transport industry

The EUโ€™s road transport sector faces critical challenges. The IRU’s roadmap urges policymakers to enact supportive legislation to ensure the EU’s economic and environmental goals are met.

EU imposes restrictions on former climate official over his new gas role

The European Commission approved Diederik Samsom’s job with a gas network operator, albeit under “clear conditions.”

Teresa Ribera faces nuclear hurdle to running EU green policy

Nuclear-friendly lawmakers and countries like France don’t want the EU’s potential next green chief to thwart an atomic revival.

In the hydrogen battlefield, Europe tries to stay ahead of China

Terrified Beijing may come to dominate yet another clean tech market, the EU aims to impose regulations โ€” and is looking to Japan for help.

Natural hydrogen: European interest heats up, France leading the way

Potentially massive quantities of naturally produced hydrogen were discovered in France last year. Since then, prospectors across Europe have been on the lookout for more deposits and are calling for greater public support for their efforts.

Trump vs. Bidenโ€™s historic climate agenda

President Joe Biden may no longer be on the 2024 ballot โ€” but his legacy is. And former President Donald Trump would have multiple tools to thwart his ambitions on energy, infrastructure and climate change.

Italy to present hydrogen corridor plan in autumn, may involve Switzerland

Italy will host an event in the autumn to present a network to transport hydrogen from the southern Mediterranean to northern Europe, its energy minister told Reuters on Wednesday, saying Switzerland could also be involved.

Spanish hydrogen experience qualifies Teresa Ribera for the climate job in the next EU Commission

Teresa Ribera, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge of Spain understands the advantages of a multi-modal energy system encompassing renewable gases like hydrogen.

EU auditors slam โ€˜politically drivenโ€™ 2030 hydrogen targets

The European Court of Auditors has criticised the European Commission for setting unachievable hydrogen production and import targets for 2030, while praising its swift adoption of the market rulebook, in a new report published on Wednesday (17 July).

The crucial role of carbon capture in UKโ€™s net-zero journey

As the UK races to meet ambitious climate targets, Equinorโ€™s carbon capture solutions could revitalize industrial regions while dramatically reducing CO2 emissions.

From 9 to 45 TWh: Urgent intervention for UHS needed for a cost-effective & swift energy transition [Promoted content]

A recent study published in April 2024 by Artelys and Frontier Economics reveals that achieving the 2030 ambitions set by REPowerEU in a cost-effective way would require 45 TWh of Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS).

Low-carbon hydrogen definition: Commissionโ€™s last chance to leave a hydrogen legacy

As the dust settles around EU election results and Brussels looks towards the EU’s incoming leaders, one last policy hurdle sits on the desks of energy officials: a definition of low-carbon hydrogen.

Labourโ€™s top policy priorities

A deep dive into what Keir Starmer’s government will tackle in their first 100 days and then in their first year.

Von der Leyen urged to shield EU hydrogen industry, with focus on electrolyser producers

The designated European Commission president is being heavily lobbied by the European hydrogen industry to ringfence the EUโ€™s upcoming โ‚ฌ1.2 billion hydrogen subsidy auction to favour EU producers.

Former EU climate official admits โ€˜errorโ€™ in taking gas firm job without permission

Green Deal architect Diederik Samsom says he regrets failing to tell the European Commission he was going to work for Gasunie.

EU Green Deal author gets job for gas network

Diederik Samsom, a former top aide to Frans Timmermans, will join Gasunie supervisory board next month.

The New Council Conclusion on the 8th EAP: A new step towards a Water-Smart Strategy [Promoted content]

On Monday, the 17th of June, the Council adopted its conclusions on the mid-term review of the 8th environment action programme, paving the way forward to a green, just and inclusive transition for a sustainable Europe. The water community welcomes the…

MEPs need green hydrogen on their radar from day one

How the EU addresses the climate crisis has been high up the political agenda in the approach to this weekโ€™s elections. But there are two sectors that continue to fly under the radar in the blocโ€™s pursuit of decarbonisation: shipping and aviation.

Over-reliance on gas delays G7 transition to net-zero power

G7 countries have only 10 years left to act on their commitment to reach net-zero emissions power systems.

Labourโ€™s election policy positions, tracked

Absolutely everything you need to know about what the opposition party is promising ahead of the July 4 election.

French green industry secures multi-billion euro support in one week

Between Thursday 23 May and Tuesday 28 May more than โ‚ฌ5.3 billion of funding for French industry was announced by government and commercial investors, boosting the country’s drive to revitalise and decarbonise its industrial base.

German cabinet approves carbon capture and hydrogen plans

BERLIN, May 29 (Reuters) – Germany’s cabinet approved on Wednesday a draft bill to allow carbon dioxide capture and storage for some industrial sectors as Europe’s biggest economy aims to become carbon neutral by 2045 while keeping heavy industries, go…

Definition of โ€˜low-carbonโ€™ hydrogen will be โ€˜toughโ€™ says key EU lawmaker

Senior socialist EU lawmaker Jens Geier says the EUโ€™s newest set of low-carbon hydrogen standards will be challenging, and Brussels will need to prepare industry-specific support programmes.ย 

Franco-German lawmakers want to revive energy cooperation between the EU powerhouses

The Franco-German parliamentary assembly is set to adopt a declaration advising Paris and Berlin to mend their differences in energy policy and begin moving on hydrogen and geothermal.

TotalEnergies pivot casts doubt on Europeโ€™s โ‚ฌ28bn hydrogen truck bet

Long-haul trucking is considered one of the hardest activities to decarbonise.ย Industry experts differ on whether the solution is hydrogen trucks โ€“ which are less efficient but have greater range – or battery electric trucks, which will be cheaper to r…

Bidenโ€™s biggest challenge: How do you even spend $1.6 trillion?

Congress gave Biden a historic sum to green the economy, revive manufacturing and fix crumbling infrastructure. But most of it is unspent.

Spain, Portugal take home most of โ‚ฌ720m EU hydrogen award

The European Commission announced on Tuesday (30 April) the winners of its first auction to allocate subsidies for hydrogen production, with most of the โ‚ฌ720 million awarded going to projects in the Iberian peninsula.

Italy can do without Russian gas, says energy minister

Rome has no reason to oppose EU sanctions targeting Russian LNG, Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin says.

Azerbaijan president: COP29 wonโ€™t stop us investing in โ€˜god-givenโ€™ gas

President Ilham Aliyev used a Berlin climate speech to push for major foreign investments to boost its natural gas exports to Europe.

More cash, less screen time: 5 policy takeaways from Macronโ€™s Sorbonne speech

Here’s what you need to know about the French president’s wide-ranging address on Thursday.

EUโ€™s 2050 net zero goals at risk as EV rollout faces setbacks

By Julia Payne BRUSSELS, April 22 (Reuters) – The EU needs to rethink its policies to make a 2035 ban on new petrol car sales feasible as electric vehicles (EVs) remain unaffordable and alternative fuel options are not credible, the EU’s external audit…

Industry bosses to EU: Help us level up in the global green tech race

As elections near, industry bosses argue the EU needs to create the right conditions to build a competitive green economy.

Shift to hydrogen networks: EU Parliament adopts laws for new gas era

The European Parliament adopted a new set of laws on Thursday (11 April) to transition Europe’s gas markets and infrastructure to hydrogen and pave the way for the eventual creation of an independent hydrogen grid development body.

Press release – MEPs approve reforms for a more sustainable and resilient EU gas market

On Thursday, MEPs adopted plans to facilitate the uptake of renewable and low-carbon gases, including hydrogen, into the EU gas market.Committee on Industry, Research and Energy Source : ยฉ European Union, 2024 – EP

Carbon pricing crucial to deliver on greening transport, Volvo boss says

The implementation of the EUโ€™s carbon pricing scheme for road transport is crucial to drive the business case for electric and hydrogen trucks, Martin Lundstedt, CEO of the Volvo Group, told Euractiv in an interview.

Europeโ€™s new energy risk: Trading Russia for America

The EU replaced Russian energy with U.S. supplies after Moscow launched a war. Now people are wondering: Is Europe too dependent on America?

With Theresa Mayโ€™s exit, UK Conservatives face green leadership vacuum

Environmentally minded Tories fear losing influence after the general election.

EU snubs dying solar manufacturers as China poised to swallow market

The industry asked the European Commission for urgent help to keep factories open as layoffs begin.

Romania bets on long shot โ€˜baby nukesโ€™ as coal cliff edge looms

Romania is leading EU efforts on small-scale reactors that could make the bloc a clean tech leader. But so far, they remain unproven.

Will hydrogen overtake batteries in the race for zero-emission cars?

In part six of our series exploring myths surrounding EVs, we weigh up what will be the power of the futureDo electric cars really produce fewer carbon emissions?Are electric cars too expensive?Hydrogen is a beguiling substance: the lightest element. W…

Labour slash green spending pledge in major U-turn

UK opposition party’s pledge to spend ยฃ28 billion a year on a cleaner economy ditched after months of dithering.

30 Things Joe Biden Did as President You Might Have Missed

Drone armies, expanded overtime pay and over-the-counter birth control pills are just some of the new things Biden has ushered in as president that you might not have heard about.

German steelmaker states signal support for US-EU industry alliance

An alliance of German steelmaking states have put their weight behind a global sustainable steel club that the US hopes will reduce China’s ability to undercut European and American markets, and welcomed the support for the industryโ€™s green transition.