Commentary

Photo: osebni arhiv

Energy Issues Monitor 2020

The Energy Issues Monitor is a report which highlights the issues that policymakers, CEOs, and experts face on a global, regional, and national level. This survey-based document has been published by the World Energy Council (WEC) every year since 2009. The related survey includes 42 energy issues (and 4 digitalisation-specific issues), which provide insight into how energy leaders from all over...

Photo: Gazprom

Gas War Is Essentially Over

February 26, 2020 | Franc Žlahtič and Dejan Koletnik
Energy policy | Gases

After more than fifteen years of tactics employed in the gas industry by the Russian Federation (Russia), the EU, former Soviet states on the edge of Europe, as well as the United States, the situation is now finally settling down. In the time of conflict, relations between countries were, at times, strained to the point of emergency....

Photo: Vladimir Habjan, Naš stik

Data, Climate Change, and Policies

February 5, 2020 | Mojca Drevenšek
Energy policy | CO2 emissions | Economy | Ecology

The last week of January was all about data, climate change, and the related policies. These topics dominated the conversation in Slovenia and globally....

Photo: Roman Peklaj

Home Is Where the Heat Is

February 3, 2020 | Anton Buijs
Heating | Gases

Consumers’ preferences must be considered as the EU strives to become a leader in tackling climate change, while the new European Commission is devising a Green Deal for Europe. The role of consumers in decarbonising the heating sector is especially important as the new EU legislative cycle begins....

Photo: Energetska skupnost

Coal Regions – A Test of Government Quality

January 6, 2020 | Janez Kopač, Director, Energy Community Secretariat
Electricity | Coal | Energy policy

Nothing is more constant than change: of technologies, people, markets, and weather. In itself, such constructive destruction allows for constant adaptation to new conditions. It is only in mining towns that time somehow seems to stop. Business as usual continues, and the industry usually offers decent salaries. However, if a mine closes, time implodes, and the town dies out. As no responsible...

Photo: Siniša Kanižaj

The Transformation of Coal Regions as an Opportunity for Countries with a Vision

Coal accounts for nearly a quarter of the total electricity production in Europe, which, importantly, translates to over 240,000 jobs in 41 regions and 12 EU member states. We can therefore see the dilemma of the European Union it light of its commitment to cut its CO2 emissions by at least 40% by 2030. As part of this commitment, it is relying on the replacement of fossil fuels with low-carbon...

Photo: Renjith Krishnan via FreeDigitalPhotos

Barriers to Energy Efficiency Investments: Can Displaying Energy Cost Information Help Speed Up Adoption of Energy Efficiency?

December 9, 2019 | Edin Lakić and Andrej F. Gubina
Renewables | Energy policy | Economy

The CONSumer Energy Efficiency Decision (CONSEED) research project explored how households and firms make decisions in relation to their energy-consuming investments. In particular it examined how providing monetary information on energy use at the point of sale can influence choice. In general, our findings suggest that adding monetary information to existing energy efficiency labels, e.g. in the...

Photo: Vladimir Habjan, Naš stik

Open Education or How to Empower Citizens to Contribute to the Energy Transition

October 23, 2019 | Mojca Drevenšek
Energy policy | New technologies

Citizens have a central role in the energy transition. These words are often spoken by decision makers, policy makers, and energy industry representatives. However, does this really apply to all citizens – also to those who do not know where the energy for their daily needs comes from, how much of it is used and for which purposes, and who is paid to provide it? What about the citizens who are...

Photo: ACER

When is the Best Time in a Calendar Year to Purchase Electricity?

September 2, 2019 | Andrej Janša, OPTIŠTROM
Electricity | Economy

Interviews with energy managers of large production companies reveal a number of alarming facts, resulting from an inefficient education system, excessive workload for the given timeframe, the specific and complex nature of electricity as a traded good, and the low relative cost of energy in relation to other company costs, although in absolute terms, considering the volatility of the electricity...

Photo: www.pixabay.com

No Technology Comes ‘Climate Shadowless’…

August 22, 2019 | Alenka Lena Klopčič
Energy policy | Ecology

It is more than great to hear about symbolic steps, such as the recent award given to currently probably one of the most well-known children in the world Greta Thunberg, who – together with the Fridays for Future movement of school children – has been honoured with Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award for 2019. But does this make us think? I mean really think?...