The clash with gas: Should it stay or should it go?

European policymakers currently face the challenge of a lifetime. In very uncertain times, they are tasked with securing the supply of energy and protecting disadvantaged consumers while maintaining momentum towards long-term climate goals. Fulfilling this mandate will require breaking Europe’s dependence on fossil gas — whether supplied by Russia or other sources. RAP outlines five principles to help decision-makers navigate the transition away from gas.

Hot takes on heat pumps

Heat pumps consistently make headlines these days. Numerous studies by respected experts underscore the importance of this clean technology to help Europe move away from fossil gas and reduce carbon emissions from home heating. RAP explains the importance of policy support for expanding global heat pump markets in recent articles in nature energy, in The New Statesman and, specifically about the German context, on our blog. Visit RAP’s Knowledge Center for more resources on heat pumps.

Metrics for efficient renewable heating and cooling in the Renewable Energy Directive

The Renewable Energy Directive, designed to help meet the EU’s ambitious 2030 and 2050 climate goals, sets targets for the growing use of renewables for heating and cooling in the buildings sector. As currently written, however, the Directive encourages inefficient uses of renewable energy in buildings to meet these goals. RAP authors recommend policy adjustments to remedy this misalignment of the Directive’s purpose and actual effect.

EV smart charging: A golden opportunity for distribution system operators

With more electric vehicles hitting European roads, energy companies are developing new smart tariffs and services to help consumers save money on charging. As a result, EV drivers benefit from being flexible about when they charge their cars. Distribution system operators, by contrast, are rarely able to capitalise on this consumer flexibility due to a lack of vital data about grid conditions. RAP explores how to bolster the potential of EVs as a robust power system resource.

The hype around green hydrogen for heating

Few topics currently divide energy experts and governments like hydrogen for home heating. The United States, the UK and Ireland have all spoken in superlatives of its promise. Such statements are impacting the politics of energy, however, as they encourage planning for unrealistic outcomes. Analysis by David Cebon of the University of Cambridge and RAP’s Richard Lowes cautions that hydrogen is an expensive and inefficient solution for residential heating that may delay progress on urgent emissions reductions.

FURTHER NOTES

• To get back into the swing of things after the summer break, catch up on the Watt Matters podcast. New episodes feature Marilyn Waite, head of the EU Climate Finance Fund; Chris Rosslowe, senior energy and climate data analyst at Ember; and Lee Beck, senior director for Europe at the Clean Air Task Force in the United States.

Listen here

• On 28 September, RAP’s Sophie Yule-Bennett joins the Electrification Academy to share five key actions for activating a powerhouse resource: household demand-side flexibility.

Register here

With electrification and other alternatives to fossil gas presenting uncertainties and new options, gas utilities in the United States will need to modernise their planning processes. RAP explains the current landscape for U.S. gas planning and offers principles and solutions for equitable, integrated and collaborative planning – insights that may also help policymakers in other regions.

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