This report reviews the US Government's energy policy and analyses its implications for the energy trade worldwide and global environmental issues. Topics considered are: general energy policy; energy and the environment; energy efficiency; electricity production, nuclear power; oil, coal and gas; renewable energy; research and development. The report finds that US energy policy is in transition, with the National Energy Policy placing increased emphasis on domestic energy production and economic growth. The US has withdrawn from the Kyoto Protocol and plans to pursue its own approach to the climate change issue. Energy efficiency is an important complement to expanding energy supply, but insufficient to match rising demand. The power crisis in California has slowed progress on market reform. The challenge for the electricity market is to create a small number of regional markets operating under consistent regulatory regimes. The National Energy Policy promotes nuclear energy, but no specific policies are proposed to encourage the construction of new plants. The decision on the Yucca Mountain repository will be important for the future of nuclear power worldwide.
Focuses on electricity deregulation and on policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But gas supply depletion and the 1998 Auckland power failure are reminders of the fundamental importance of energy security. New Zealand is working towards ratifying the Kyoto Protocol by mid-2002, the only OECD country to make such a commitment outside the European Union.
Japan has ratified the Kyoto protocol and is implementing its 2002 climate change plan. The country has developed an impressive range of policies to address rising CO2 emissions from the energy sector. Some of the measures could be strengthened however, and made more cost-effective.
This annual publication reviews recent trends and developments in energy policies and markets in the 26 IEA member countries, as well as in major non-member countries, giving country-specific and cross-country analyses of key themes. The 30th anniversary edition of the compendium also contains two special chapters which i) assess policy and market trends in the three decades since the IEA's establishment and explore new challenges in the next 30 years; and ii) identifies common challenges from the in-depth reviews carried out over the past four years. Topics discussed include: energy efficiency, environmental aspects and climate change mitigation, the renewables sector, energy security issues, market reform, the nuclear energy industry, technology research and development.
This report reviews the US Government's energy policy and analyses its implications for the energy trade worldwide and global environmental issues. Topics considered are: general energy policy; energy and the environment; energy efficiency; electricity production, nuclear power; oil, coal and gas; renewable energy; research and development. The report finds that US energy policy is in transition, with the National Energy Policy placing increased emphasis on domestic energy production and economic growth. The US has withdrawn from the Kyoto Protocol and plans to pursue its own approach to the climate change issue. Energy efficiency is an important complement to expanding energy supply, but insufficient to match rising demand. The power crisis in California has slowed progress on market reform. The challenge for the electricity market is to create a small number of regional markets operating under consistent regulatory regimes. The National Energy Policy promotes nuclear energy, but no specific policies are proposed to encourage the construction of new plants. The decision on the Yucca Mountain repository will be important for the future of nuclear power worldwide.
This publication analyses energy policy and market trends in the member countries of the International Energy Agency (IEA), including: energy demand and supply changes over the last decade; fuel price trends for the past two years; progress in regulatory reform with an analysis of the electricity crisis in California; and actions taken by the IEA countries to meet their Kyoto targets. The publication presents summaries of the in-depth country reviews of Australia, Belgium, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Spain and Turkey carried out during 2000-01. Shorter reviews of policy developments in Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan and Switzerland are also included, as well as an overview of developments in non-member countries including Russia, Saudi Arabia, India and China. Key energy balances and energy statistics for all IEA countries are given.
This annual review analyses energy policy and market trends of the member countries of the International Energy Agency (IEA). It provides an overview of developments in energy security; energy market reform; climate change policies; renewables sector; technology, research and development. The publication presents summaries of the in-depth country reviews of Denmark, Germany, Greece, Korea, Norway, the UK and the United States carried out during 2001-02. Shorter standard reviews of Canada, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden are also included, as well as an overview of developments in non-member countries including China, India, Russia, Argentina and Brazil. Energy balances and key energy statistics for all IEA countries are given.
Greece is geographically isolated from other IEA Member countries. It produces little energy, almost all of it from lignite, which is the main source for electricity generation but which creates environmental problems.
Australia is rich in low-cost energy resources, especially coal. The country exports large amounts of coal, liquefied natural gas and uranium to the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
In the four years since the last in-depth Review, the Irish energy sector has seen a number of important developments, notably reform of the electricity and natural gas markets, and the move towards cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Market reform promises multiple economic benefits, although the government must ensure that the incumbent players do not enjoy undue advantages and that enough new competitors enter the market. Ireland's climate change policy is making progress. One uncertainty, however, involves the closure of the coal-fired Moneypoint plant. While this could provide 22% of the country's required emissions cuts, replacement generation capacity would be required. This could also make the country 80% dependent on natural gas for its electricity, leading to energy security concerns. Ireland should take steps to better integrate Kyoto mechanisms into its overall climate change strategy. Given the reluctance of new entrants to invest in power plants, Ireland faces a potential shortfall in electricity generating capacity by 2005. The government must encourage new plant construction without undermining the market reform process.
In the four years since the last in-depth Review, the two most important developments in the Austrian energy sector have been market reform in the electricity and natural gas sectors, and the efforts made toward meeting the country's emissions reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol. Austria's security of supply is enhanced by extensive cross-border trading and recent efforts to diversify natural gas import supply sources. A regulatory framework now allows all customers to choose their natural gas and electricity suppliers. Austria has established an independent regulator and non-discriminatory third-party access rules. While reform of the gas sector is too recent to draw any meaningful conclusions, power sector reform has achieved mixed results. Industrial rates have fallen by up to 40% but residential rates have fallen little, if at all. Effective competition still faces obstacles including high system access charges and dominant incumbent suppliers who could wield market power and deter new entrants. Austria's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 13% remains a major challenge. Total greenhouse gas emissions increased nearly 2.5% from 1990 to 2000 with CO2 emissions rising 9% over the same period. The finalisation of a comprehensive climate change strategy in 2002 is an important step forward. Austria's planned use of Kyoto flexible mechanisms could cut the costs of its climate change efforts, although the macroeconomic effect of all emission reduction measures requires constant monitoring. The support scheme for renewable energy and combined production of heat and power could be rendered more cost-effective, if a degression scheme were employed to lower support levels gradually.
In pursuing its energy policy targets, namely energy security, environmental protection and economic efficiency, the Netherlands has shown great pragmatism, giving due attention to cost-effectiveness. The country is also to be commended for its sense of innovation, notably in creating and testing methodologies for the use of Kyoto flexible mechanisms, launching a sustainable energy initiative and for developing new analytical methods for energy security. While the Netherlands' large domestic natural gas reserves have made a substantial contribution to security of supply, the gradual depletion of the Groningen field, declining small field production and market liberalisation make it necessary to conduct a review of upstream gas policy. Competition has developed relatively well in the Dutch electricity and gas markets. To fully capture the benefits of market liberalisation however, many issues need to be addressed. They include increasing electricity and gas interconnection capacity and ensuring their fair allocation, as well as guaranteeing access to flexibility, short-term balancing and quality conversion facilities in the gas sector. Consumers need to be informed about the advantages of market opening, ways to access the market, possible risks and ways to protect against them. While the Dutch government's analysis shows that the country is on track to meet the Kyoto target, with greenhouse gas emissions having almost stabilised, some challenges still lie ahead. Curbing the rapid growth of energy demand in the transport sector will require strong new policies and measures.
The government of Portugal is to be commended for the successful introduction of natural gas into the energy mix. Natural gas will reduce Portugal's high dependence on imported oil and provide greater diversity of energy supply. The new underground storage facility at Carriço and the liquefied natural gas terminal at Sines will also enhance security of supply.
This 2004 edition of the International Energy Agency's periodic review of Luxembourg's energy policies and programmes provides a comprehensive overview of Luxembourg's policies related to energy markets, energy efficiency, and environmental impacts of energy usage. Separate chapters examine developments regarding, oil, natural gas, and electricity and renewables. The report finds substantial progress in opening markets to competition, fuel diversification, energy independence, and stability of electricity supply, and discusses the challenges Luxembourg will face in meeting its Kyoto commitments.
In the 1990s the UK's gas and electricity markets opened up to competition and real gas and electricity prices fell. Domestic natural gas replaced coal in the power industry, and carbon dioxide emissions and air pollution declined as a result. Increased oil and gas production on the UK continental shelf has contributed significantly to these developments. Central to the success of the energy sector however, was a readiness to adjust policies and regulatory measures when shortcomings became apparent. The last major adjustment was the introduction of the New Electricity Trading Rules in March 2001. These rules provided the decisive step towards a fully competitive power market. As a result, the UK is likely to meet its 12.5% greenhouse gas reduction target under the Kyoto Protocol. But the country has a national target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20% below 1990 levels by 2010. Meeting this target will require extra efforts. [from the IEA website]
This annual publication reviews recent trends and developments in energy policies and markets in the 26 IEA member countries, as well as in major non-member countries, giving country-specific and cross-country analyses of key themes. The 30th anniversary edition of the compendium also contains two special chapters which i) assess policy and market trends in the three decades since the IEA's establishment and explore new challenges in the next 30 years; and ii) identifies common challenges from the in-depth reviews carried out over the past four years. Topics discussed include: energy efficiency, environmental aspects and climate change mitigation, the renewables sector, energy security issues, market reform, the nuclear energy industry, technology research and development.
Swedish energy policy combines strong government involvement with the judicious use of market forces, as exemplified by high energy taxes intended to shape supply and consumption patterns, and one of the world's most liberalised electricity markets. This dual approach has generally worked well, giving Sweden a reliable, low-cost and environmentally sound energy supply. Sweden must now resolve the future of its nuclear power plants, which provide nearly 50% of the country's electricity. This issue has been debated for more than 25 years and the lingering uncertainty undermines investment and other decisions in the energy sector. The government must work with stakeholders to find a credible solution. Sweden uses energy taxes and a renewable certificate system to curb greenhouse gas emissions. While both instruments are effective, care must be taken in their implementation. Energy taxes are already high and further increases might have only a minimal effect on behaviour. The cost of reaching the country's ambitious renewables target must also be closely monitored While Sweden is a successful model of electricity market reform, it faces challenges such as tightening supply-demand balance throughout the Nordic market, concentration of ownership and the emergent constraints on the Nordic transmission network, notably for interconnectors. These challenges need to be addressed in concert with other Nordic countries.
This is the 4th edition of this publication which analyses trends and developments in the renewable and waste energy markets in OECD member states, as well as selected data on non-OECD countries. Data covers production, trade, transformation to electricity and heat, final consumption and installed generating capacity from renewable and waste energy sources. By IEA definition, renewable energy sources include combustible renewables and waste (solid biomass, charcoal, renewable municipal solid waste, gas from biomass and liquid biomass), hydro, solar, wind and tidal energy. Findings include that, during 2003, 13.3 per cent of world total primary energy supply was produced from renewable energy sources.
This comprehensive reference book contains information on current trends in the world coal market covering prices, demand, trade, supply and production capacity, as well as detailed country specific data on OECD and key non-OECD coal producing and consuming countries. It also contains data for coal-fired power stations in coal consuming countries and coal ports in exporting and importing countries, as well as a summary of environmental policies as they affect coal consumption, including particulate, sulphur dioxide, and nitrous oxide emission limits for new and existing boilers in OECD countries.
The SwissEnergy Programme constitutes the core of Swiss energy policy for the 2001 to 2010 period, with targets for saving fuel and electricity, use of renewables and climate change mitigation. Switzerland is to be commended for rigorously monitoring its policies and measures, but particular emphasis should be placed on ensuring their cost-effectiveness.
Since the IEA last reviewed Germany's energy policies in 2007, the country has taken two fundamental policy decisions that will guide its energy policy in coming decades. In September 2010, the federal government adopted the Energy Concept, a comprehensive new strategy for a long-term integrated energy pathway to 2050. Following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident in March 2011, Germany decided to accelerate the phase-out of nuclear power by 2022 starting with the immediate closure of the eight oldest plants. This decision resulted in the adoption of a new suite of policy measures, determined renewable energy as the cornerstone of future energy supply, a set of policy instruments commonly known as the Energiewende. In order to achieve the ambitious energy transformation set out in the Energiewende, by 2030 half of all electricity supply will come from renewable energy sources; Germany must continue to develop cost-effective market-based approaches which will support the forecast growth of variable renewable generation. Furthermore, the costs and benefits need to be allocated in a fair and transparent way among all market participants, especially households. Renewable energy capacity must expand alongside the timely development of the transmission and distribution networks. In addition, a stable regulatory system is necessary to ensure long-term finance to network operators. Furthermore, close monitoring of Germany's ability to meet electricity demand at peak times should continue in the medium term. Energy policy decisions in Germany inevitably have an impact beyond the country's borders and must be taken within the context of a broader European energy policy framework and in close consultation with its neighbours. This review analyses the energy-policy challenges facing Germany and provides recommendations for further policy improvements. It is intended to help guide the country towards a more secure and sustainable energy future.
The government decided in 2003 to restructure the energy sector. Natural gas is becoming a major part of the energy supply, reducing the country's reliance on oil (which was 62 per cent of energy consumption, well above the 41 per cent IEA average). Market liberalisation in both the gas and electricity sectors is reviewed, and the moves to create a common Iberian market with Spain are discussed. Energy demand continues grow faster than GDP, and the scope for much greater energy efficiency is clear.
The International Energy Agency's 2001 review of the Czech Republic's energy policies and programmes. It finds that in its transition from a centrally planned economy to a market economy, the Czech Republic has thoroughly reformed its energy policies and regulatory framework and restructured its energy sector. The country established a new energy regulator in 2001 and adopted a schedule for opening its electricity and gas markets to competition. The effective introduction of competition, however, will depend on regulatory details still to be defined and the privatisation of the state energy co.
This reference book includes data on current developments in oil supply and demand. The first part of this publication contains key data on world production, trade, prices and consumption of major oil product groups, with time series back to the early 1970s. The second part gives a more detailed and comprehensive picture of oil supply, demand, trade, production and consumption by end-user for each OECD country individually and for the OECD regions.Trade data are reported extensively by origin and destination.
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