the European Union
RAP works directly with European institutions and Member States to advance energy efficiency, renewable power and other low-carbon resources while assuring economic competitiveness and robust regional energy security.
RAP provides ongoing support to energy regulators and government agencies in their efforts to decarbonise the European power grid and meet the EU's ambitious goals for greenhouse gas reduction.
Featured Work
Making Germany’s “Energiewende” (Energy Transition) a Reality
Germany’s Energiewende represents a national commitment to meet aggressive economy-wide decarbonization targets and to transform the German power sector from a reliance on nuclear and coal to...
Learn MoreThe EU's Electricity Market Reform: Creating a Decarbonised, Reliable, and Affordable Power System
RAP is working with EU policymakers to design an optimal mix of policies and market rules that will attract the needed investment in zero and low-carbon resources to achieve 2050 carbon reduction targets.
Learn MoreRAP Signs Letter of Agreement with the Polish Energy Regulatory Office
Agreement – the Letter of Agreement (LoA) was signed on 1 June 2012 by Marek Woszczyk, President of the Energy Regulatory Office, and Richard Cowart, European Programmes Director of the Regulatory Assistance Project. The agreement for cooperation provides for assistance in preparing various stages of the planned changes, including in the area of quality-based regulation and support for investment in smart grids. Cooperation with the Energy Regulatory Office will consist, among other things, of presenting best practices for quality-based regulation – assistance in designing the process for implementing changes by identifying objectives and options for support mechanisms. RAP and URE will work on an evaluation system for the planned mechanisms, an implementation plan, as well as on the choice of a rational transition strategy and methodology for monitoring and controlling for the effects of the new mechanisms.
Learn MoreRAP's Cowart Addresses EU’s Energy Ministers
Richard Cowart was invited by the European Union’s Danish Presidency, as the only outside speaker, to address a special meeting of the EU’s Energy Ministers at the end of April 2012 in...
Learn MoreBeyond Capacity Markets: Delivering Capability Resources to Europe's Decarbonised Power System
Delivering a reliable power supply to consumers has always been a central objective of power market design and various solutions to this challenge have been adopted in Europe and elsewhere. In the...
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Roadmap 2050: Decarbonising Europe
In July 2008 the leaders of the EU and the G8 announced a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. The European Council set the objective for Europe at 80 to 95 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. The Roadmap 2050 study demonstrates to policymakers and businesses the feasibility of achieving 80 percent greenhouse gas emission reductions in Europe by 2050 using today’s technologies. A new accompanying study - “Power Perspectives 2030: On the Road to a Decarbonised Power Sector” - shows us what needs to be done by 2030 and helps policymakers and business alike to navigate the medium term path to a fully decarbonised power sector in the EU by 2050.
Learn MoreThe Challenge to Meet EU's 2020 Efficiency Goals
The EU has set a policy target of achieving 20 percent energy savings by 2020, thereby saving consumers money, increasing the security of supply, reducing emissions and creating jobs. The EU faces several challenges in meeting this goal, and is taking steps to meet it, including issuing the Energy Efficiency Action Plan 2011 and revising the End-Use Efficiency and Energy Services Directive .
Learn MoreEU Emissions Trading Scheme and an Optimal Mix of Climate Policies
The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) creates a framework for reducing EU-wide emissions by placing a price on emitting carbon. As the third phase of the ETS approaches, which will see auctioning of allowances from 2013, it has become increasingly clear that the price signal sent by the ETS will require other policies to drive the deep emissions reductions needed by 2050.
Learn MoreContact Our Team
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