Sustainable Energy Law Notebook

Her følger pressemeldingen fra OED om overgangsordningen for elsertifikatmarkedet (26.11.2009) . Den innholder blant annet at: " Overgangsordningen omfatter alle kraftverk med byggestart etter 7.9.2009. I tillegg omfattes vannkraftverk med byggestart etter 1.1.2004, og installert effekt inntil 1 MW (mikro- og minikraftverk), av overgangsordningen. Det antas at volumet for mikro- og minikraftverk utgjør mindre enn 0,3 TWh. Overgangsordningen gir en rett til å delta i det felles elsertifikatmarkedet når det starter opp. Antall driftsår fram til oppstartstidspunkt for sertifikatmarkedet trekkes fra antall år anleggene ordinært kan få sertifikater. De anleggene som faller inn under ordningen og eventuelt mottar investeringsstøtte må betale tilbake denne dersom de ønsker å delta i elsertifikatmarkedet. Det vil i praksis gjelde vindkraftverk og biokraftverk. Nærmere kriterier for overgangsordningen vil bli bestemt i lov og forskrift ."

On 7 December 2009 opens the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( COP.15 ) (supreme body of the Convention) and the 5th Meeting of the Parties to its Kyoto Protocol ( CMP5 ) (supreme body of the Protocol): the so-called COP15/CMP5. Parallel meetings will also be held for the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice ( SBSTA ) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation ( SBI ). Here is the logo and the website managed by Denmark as hosting country. The UNFCCC website remains of course the main source of information. I will report during the next weeks on the energy related issues raised during the COP/CMP, and relevant events. Some websites and documents of interest: Key EU objectives for the COP/CMP : MEMO/09/534 .

The International Energy Agency (IEA) released on 10 November its 2009 edition of the World Energy Outlook (WEO). All the elements of the sustainable energy paradigm as it is discussed today are present. Similarly, the WEO underlines the same urgency to act towards a energy transition, energy being at the heart of the climate problem and the solution. Some new issues appear, which are summarised below. The effects of the financial crisis - They were "dramatic", and will continue to impact the energy markets for a few years. But all financial and monetary stimulus plans included measures to promote clean energy. Indeed, the WEO argues that the financial crisis opened " an unprecedented, yet relatively narrow, window of opportunity " in favour of low carbon technologies. The recession helped reduce GHG emissions. The question is to know whether it will last. Energy investments - The 2008 WEO already stressed the importance of energy investments. In 2009, the WEO re...

What is embodied energy ? Qu'est-ce que l'énergie grise ? Hva er grå energi ? Short definition - Embodied energy relates to the total quantity of energy which is necessary to the production, transport, manufacturing, and further transport of a good until the place of consumption. Embodied energy can be calculated for any good, from electronic devices, household appliances, car or construction materials. It can be described as the energy counterpart of life cycle analysis resulting in life cycle energy analysis. Where the embodied energy for the production of a certain good or the functioning of certain plants is so high that it overcomes the benefits of the resulting product, one can talk about energy cannibalism . Orientate customers - If embodied energy information is disclosed on the packaging, customers will be able to make their own assessment and orientate their consumption choice towards a less energy demanding product. The same reasoning already apply to the food sec...