On 14 December the electricity transmission system operators (PSE, AST, Elering, AST, Litgrid) of the Baltic countries and Poland, signed the grant agreement with the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) for the funding of the second phase of the Baltic synchronisation project. € 719.7 million, provided from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), will ensure the smooth implementation of infrastructure projects, allowing Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to start operating in synchronous mode with Poland and other continental European countries by the end of 2025. The Coordinating Committee of CEF agreed to support the key second stage projects of the Synchronisation Project with the maximum possible intensity of 75%. The major share, € 493 million, is reserved for the construction of the Harmony Link interconnector between Lithuania and Poland, while € 166.5 million will be allocated to finance the installation of synchronous condensers in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The remaining part is awarded for the modernization and development of the internal transmission grid in Poland, required for the integration of the Harmony Link interconnection. By signing the grant agreement, TSOs from the Baltics and Poland receive almost three-quarters, of this year's total CEF budget for energy projects, which is € 979.6 million. Including the previous € 323 million EU support for the first stage of synchronisation, the programme has already exceeded € 1 billion in attracted EU funding. The first phase, which is currently being implemented, focuses on strengthening local grids of the three Baltic countries. The total sum stands as a record amount of support among all EU-funded energy projects. The Synchronisation Project is important for the full integration [...]
The fifth edition of Central European Day of Energy took place virtually on 2 December and it focused on offshore wind development in Central Europe, particularly in the Baltic, Black and Adriatic Seas. The event hosted Mme Commissioner Kadri Simson, the Lithuanian Minister for Energy – Mr. Zigmuntas Vaiciunas, the Deputy Minister for Climate and Environment, Mr Adam Guibourgé-Czetwertyński and Jerzy Buzek, former Chief of the European Parliament as keynote speakers, together with a number of key energy experts from the European Commission and the industry sector. The discussion concentrated on the role of offshore wind installations in the energy transition challenge. Presentations: Joachim Balke, Head of Unit, Networks and Regional initiatives, DG Energy, EC Hando Sutter, CEO of Eesti Energia Øyvind Vessia, Vice President, Head of Regulatory Affairs of Ørsted Liutauras Varanavičius, Chief Strategist of LITGRID Gheorghe Visan, Energy Markets and Commercial Director of Transelectrica If you were not able to join us or you would like to revisit, you will be able to watch a recording of [...]
Today, as part of the European Green Deal, the European Commission is launching the EU Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy, proposing to increase offshore wind capacity in Europe from the current level of 12 GW to at least 60 GW by 2030 and to 300 GW by 2050. This Strategy gives Europe a strategic direction for the ambitious deployment of offshore renewable energy technologies in the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the North Sea, as well as the Atlantic Ocean. Tapping into the technological and physical potential of European Seas is crucial for Europe. European Seas hold a major opportunity to ramp up renewable power generation. The Strategy however emphasized the need to take a comprehensive approach, tapping into a wider spectrum of uses, supporting indirect electrification through hydrogen and synthetic fuels and decarbonized gases through energy system integration. As presented today by the Commission, this ambitious growth Strategy will require nearly €800 billion of investments in order to reach Europe’s full potential. In an attempt to fulfil this potential, the European Commission will focus on: providing a clear and supportive legal framework; helping to mobilize all relevant funds to support the sector's development; and ensuring a strengthened supply chain. The Strategy also proposes a framework for long-term offshore grid planning under the revision of TEN-E Regulation (expected to be delivered later this year). Earlier work on the Strategy can be found here, where the Commission presented a roadmap and launched public consultations. More can be found on the official website for EU Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy. Sources: European Commission, Politico [...]
On 27 October, Central European Energy Partners (CEEP) together with the European Roundtable on Climate Change and Sustainable Transition (ERCST) organised an event on the EU ETS funding mechniams. During this meeting, we discussed the state of play of the funding mechanisms and their operationalisation, including how the beneficiary MSs intend to use the Modernisation Fund. It was also an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss the role of the funds in delivering upon the enhanced 2030 climate targets and whether their current composition, including the size is sufficient. More than 130 persons participated in the event. Please stay tuned, our report on the EU ETS funding mechanism will be published in the second week of November. Draft Agenda ERCST and CEEP presentation Find out more and watch our video summary of the workshop below. [...]
In the view of upcoming Central Europe Day of Energy conference where we will discuss the Offshore Wind potential in Europe, CEEP presents the first policy paper which discusses the transmission system costs associated with Variable RES – one of the key factors which needs to be addressed in planning an efficient energy transition towards a climate neutral economy. In this paper we present different types of system costs, the reasons behind their occurrence, and the impact these costs have on electricity retail prices in Europe. To depict the impact of currently neglected costs on the competitiveness of energy sources, we have drawn up a comparison of total levelized costs of electricity generation (T-LCOE) for technologies available in 2020 and 2050, including system and environmental costs. Download Paper [...]
The CEEP’s Board of Directors has appointed Mr Mariusz Kawnik as its new Executive Director. Mr Kawnik will replace Maciej Jakubik, whose four-year term ends in October. Prior to joining CEEP, Mr Kawnik held various positions in the Polish public administration and energy companies in Warsaw and Brussels. Mr Kawnik started his career in 2007 in the Polish Ministry of Economy, working in the Department of Energy. In 2011, during the Polish Presidency of the EU Council, he served as an energy attaché in the Polish Permanent Representation to the EU. Following his return to Poland, Mr Kawnik was appointed Head of Unit for International Affairs in the Oil and Gas Department of the Ministry of Economy. In 2016, Mr Kawnik joined the Polish Oil and Gas Company, where he worked as the Director for Regulatory and International Affairs. Mr Kawnik holds a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Łódź, Poland. ‘For the past 10 years, CEEP has played an important role in promoting the Central European point of view on the EU energy policy in Brussels. Tackling climate change will require an unprecedent transition towards clean energy sources and technologies. Our region is ready to work closely with the EU to face this challenge. The companies associated in CEEP have already achieved remarkable success in introducing innovative solutions aimed at becoming more climate friendly. CEEP intends to show that Central Europe’s energy sector is fully participating in the EU’s effort to reach a climate-neutral economy by [...]
We represent the widely understood Central Europe energy sector (electricity generation, distribution and transmission, renewables, gas, oil, heat generation and distribution, chemical industries, etc.), universities and scientific institutions.
