Power system blueprint

Decarbonising the power sector to meet climate goals is one of the most complex challenges of our lifetime. Compounding the pressure on decision-makers is urgency: climate neutrality by 2050 requires a zero-emissions power sector by the mid-2030s. With that in mind, RAP has developed a power system blueprint based on six key principles for developing the necessary, interrelated regulatory solutions to achieve a clean, reliable, equitable and affordable European power system. Each blueprint component dives deeper into the relevant data, issues, barriers and recommendations.

The joy of flex: Household demand-side flexibility as a power system resource

The headlines dominating Europe’s energy news focus on the interrelated issues of fossil gas dependency, skyrocketing prices and climate goals. While renewable energy sources gain much of the attention, often overlooked customer-side resources are a powerhouse. Households that adjust how and when they draw electricity from the grid bring tremendous value to the power system through reliability, reduced cost and decarbonisation. RAP offers a five-point action plan to scale up household flexibility in Europe.

Electrifying last-mile delivery: A total cost of ownership study

Europe’s increases in online shopping and delivery in recent years show no signs of waning. Fortunately, battery-electric trucks for last-mile delivery will soon be cheaper to use than diesel trucks. The International Council on Clean Transportation and RAP analysed the vehicle costs, the energy and network costs to charge the trucks, and the availability of purchase premiums for six major European cities. In some scenarios, electric and diesel trucks will reach price parity this year.

Boosting the EU energy savings obligation

The European Parliament and Council of the European Union are currently negotiating the European Commission’s proposed recast of the Energy Efficiency Directive, part of the ‘Fit for 55’ legislative package. The pivotal Article 8 of this Directive requires Member States to deliver energy savings through national energy efficiency policy measures. RAP explores how this article can be aligned with the goals of climate neutrality, energy security and equity.

FURTHER NOTES

• Catch the two June episodes of the Watt Matters podcast: The first features Monique Goyens of European consumer organisation BEUC. Later in the month, we invited Paula Glover of the Alliance to Save Energy, Melanie Slade from the International Energy Agency and Andrea Voigt of Danfoss.

Listen here

• Watch our webinar with Agora Energiewende and Crux Alliance partners: Shaping the Fit for 55 package to drive a climate-compatible heat pump market.

Watch here

The global energy transition tasks policymakers and regulators with ensuring that the move from fossil fuels to lower-carbon resources does not threaten energy security, system reliability or affordability. In a May webinar, RAP’s U.S. programme explored clean heat standards, which require heating fuel suppliers to make emissions reductions, as a tool to enable a lower-carbon future.

Watch here 

Source: Belgium ‘fully prepared’ for Russian gas cut, government says, Euractiv