Difference between revisions of "Energy as a commons?"

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* flexibility through information of residential energy use
 
* flexibility through information of residential energy use
 
* intelligent and flexible grids instead of linear distribution
 
* intelligent and flexible grids instead of linear distribution
=== The societal dimension ===
+
==== The societal dimension ====
 
* consumers become co-producers
 
* consumers become co-producers
 
* "energy literacy" goes up
 
* "energy literacy" goes up

Revision as of 18:43, 29 May 2017

Energy as a commons? With paradigms new markets and opportunities arising with digitalising in the energy sector and democratising means of production and distribution, how can regulation be designed in such a way that energy systems these markets are equitable and ensure participation across society?


The Past: Distributing energy the traditional way

  • The traditional power grid
  • production - transmission - distribution - consumer
  • Electricity takes over other forms of energy (electric cars etc.)
  • Russia-EU relations etc. increase uncertainty
  • Current European Energy facilities will have to be modernised soon
  • Energy trading taking over
  • More and more people are installing solar panels on their own

The Future: Smart grids - an outlook to what is possible

The economic dimension

  • more efficiency through smart grids
  • flexibility through information of residential energy use
  • intelligent and flexible grids instead of linear distribution

The societal dimension

  • consumers become co-producers
  • "energy literacy" goes up
  • decentralisation through empowerment of citizens

The technological dimension

  • both electricity and information are exchanged
  • ensuring interoperability in smart power grids
  • reporting energy usage to increase efficiency

The environmental dimension

  • pushing decarbonisation
  • Consumers more likely to install renewable sources of energy (e.g. solar panels)
  • consumers have a greater influence on the amount of renewable energy used in Europe

The Present: Obstacles to be adressed

The economic dimension

  • more efficiency through smart grids
  • flexibility through information of residential energy use
  • intelligent and flexible grids instead of linear distribution

The societal dimension

  • Energy illiteracy: In the current system, the user is a passive consumer, always dependent on utility companies, ignorant of how the energy system works

The technological dimension

  • both electricity and information are exchanged
  • ensuring interoperability in smart power grids
  • reporting energy usage to increase efficiency

The environmental dimension

  • pushing decarbonisation
  • Consumers more likely to install renewable sources of energy (e.g. solar panels)
  • consumers have a greater influence on the amount of renewable energy used in Europe


How can consumers be turned into prosumers? How will power grids, distributed energy etc. be regulated? Should renewable energy sources be in the focus?

The Actors: Who is involved

  • EU Commission & DG on Energy
  • Member States’ energy ministries and distribution systems
  • Connecting Europe Facility
  • EU citizens as “prosumers”

Measures in Place: What has been done

What are sources of knowledge EU citizens to look into at the moment? What are microgrids and how do they work?

Clean Energy Package

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-16-3986_en.htm http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-16-3961_en.htm https://ec.europa.eu/commission/priorities/energy-union-and-climate_en

SET-Plan

The European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) aims to accelerate the development and deployment of low-carbon technologies. It seeks to improve new technologies and bring down costs by coordinating national research efforts and helping to finance projects.

TEN-E

The Trans-European Energy Networks (TEN-E) – are programmes set up by the EU for the implementation of the European Single Market. The Trans-European Networks aim at "linking island, landlocked and peripheral regions with the central regions of the community”.

A final outlook

Links for further Research

References