‘New Impulse 2015’ for Central Europe Energy Partners

‘New Impulse 2015’ for Central Europe Energy Partners

Central Europe Energy Partners (CEEP) has won the ‘New Impulse 2015’ title. It is an award for institutions that bring new quality into the economy, and provide the energy sector with fresh impulses to develop. The award’s jury underlined that CEEP effectively represents the interests of energy and energy-intensive companies from Central Europe, and strengthens the region’s energy security within the framework of a common European policy. Five years after its foundation, CEEP has managed to integrate Central European firms and institutions who share the need for a stable legal environment and the security of energy supplies. As a result, CEEP has become an indispensable partner for the European administration, in the process of creating new regulations, that affect the sector of raw materials and energy. The ‘New Impulse’ awards all companies, institutions, and people of our region – from Lithuania to Croatia – who wish to build a stronger, more resilient and more competitive Europe. A Europe, whose growth is based on strong fundaments, such as affordable energy sources, well-developed infrastructure and the free flow of resources in the whole continent. Thanks to CEEP, producers and consumers of energy from Central Europe speak in Brussels with ‘one voice’. Indeed, this voice is already strong, which has been proved by progress in work on the Energy Union, and support for the North–South Corridor from representatives of the European Commission. We stand a real chance of infrastructurally integrating the whole continent, diversifying domestic energy markets, enhancing our industry’s competitiveness, and providing Europe with strategic security. These aims demand a broad coalition at the EU level. I am glad that, thanks [...]
Economic and Legal Aspects of the  Implementation of the MARKET STABILITY RESERVE

Economic and Legal Aspects of the Implementation of the MARKET STABILITY RESERVE

CEEP Member's Position Paper The Polish Electricity Association, a Central Europe Energy Partners member, is of the opinion that the Market Stability Reserve will have significant economic consequences and faces serious legal question marks. Economic aspects Higher carbon prices due to the enforcement of the MSR will drive electricity prices up. High CO2 prices are not necessary to drive low-carbon investment. The carbon price by 2030 in a scenario with the MSR is estimated at 55 EUR/t versus ca. 35 EUR/t without the MSR – over 60% increase. Although the MSR proposal is volume-based, it is clear that its main objective is to increase carbon prices in order to stimulate investment in low-carbon technologies. However, such investments are already taking place today in Europe without high carbon prices. In 2012, there were over 20 GW of renewable capacity installed despite a fairly low carbon price due to support schemes. Higher energy prices for industry and households. The adoption of the MSR, therefore, will decrease competitiveness of European industry and income for households by increasing electricity prices, without further benefiting low-carbon development, which is taking place anyway through other instruments. This price increase will be most significant in MS with higher carbon intensity of power generation – Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Estonia. MSR’s main effect will be an increase of natural gas imports to Europe as it will mainly render gas-fired power plants more profitable than coal-fired installations fuelled mostly by domestic resources. We estimate that this increase by 2030 will be approximately 200 billion cubic meters – equivalent to 2 years of natural gas consumption for [...]