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Incisive commentary from RAP experts
RAP experts keep their finger on the pulse of the energy sector and provide timely analysis of topics impacting stakeholders TODAY.
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February 21, 2017
Buildings Have Quietly Become the Most Strategic Energy Investment in Europe
- Edith Bayer
At the second State of the Energy Union conference, European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič noted the central role of local authorities and the business community in driving energy efficiency in Europe and underlined the Commission’s determination to harness… View Summary +
February 1, 2017
Beneficial Electrification: A Growth Opportunity
- Ken Colburn
In the first blog post in this series, we observed that rapid power sector transformation presents challenges but also opportunities for utilities. As older, inflexible resources are retired, cleaner, more distributed resources are being deployed by companies and customers… View Summary +
January 19, 2017
States will Decide Future of U.S. Energy
- Frederick Weston
With the coming change of administration in the U.S., speculation on the future of the Clean Power Plan (CPP) is running high. During the campaign, the president-elect made his views on climate change—it’s a hoax perpetrated by China—perfectly clear; and,… View Summary +
January 9, 2017
Beneficial Electrification: Opportunity Knocks for Utilities
- Ken Colburn
It is increasingly apparent that power sector transformation isn’t happening in the future; it’s occurring now. Already, resources are cleaner and more distributed, previously docile customers are actively seeking opportunities to save, consume, and even produce energy in new ways,… View Summary +
January 4, 2017
Emissions Performance Standard Could Improve Environmental Outcomes and Complement China’s Electricity Market Transition
- Christopher James
The electricity sector components of China’s 13th Five Year Plan reaffirm and strengthen previous commitments to establish electricity markets and to eliminate the generation quota system. The Chinese government has also committed to further reducing air pollution and… View Summary +
December 15, 2016
How Europe can Deliver on Energy Efficiency
- Jan Rosenow ,
- Edith Bayer
The European Commission’s recently released Clean Energy Package, has a 2030 target of 30 percent energy savings. An important policy instrument to deliver these are Energy Efficiency Obligation (EEO) schemes. According to new RAP research, not only are EEOs a… View Summary +
December 13, 2016
Retooling Regulation: Is Integrating Energy and Environmental Regulation Legal?
- Christopher James ,
- Ken Colburn
Broad state authority under the Clean Air Act means regulatory reforms would likely be permitted This is the third of RAP’s four-part series on the merits of greater integration of energy and environmental planning and regulation. The first piece… View Summary +
October 28, 2016
Germany Adopts “Efficiency First” Principle – Let’s Work to Make it a Reality
The German government recently published its Green Paper on Energy Efficiency and launched a consultation process inviting comments on the ideas put forward in the green book. RAP’s detailed response provides evidence and examples of the essential role that… View Summary +
October 6, 2016
Why the UK will Miss its Climate Targets Without a Step-Change in Building Energy Efficiency
- Jan Rosenow ,
- Pedro Guertler
The last 18 months have been a major set-back in the British policy landscape affecting carbon emissions from buildings: the trajectory to zero carbon new build has been paused; government support for Green Deal finance was withdrawn with no alternative… View Summary +
October 5, 2016
Wholesale Electricity Markets and Pricing in China: How is Reform Going?
Implementation of wholesale electricity markets is a major theme of China’s power sector reform effort, launched in early 2015. The central government has issued guidance documents on market design, and various Chinese provinces and regions have announced pilots for wholesale… View Summary +