-
Renewables 2020
…renewable markets, especially electricity-generating technologies, have already shown their resilience to the crisis. Renewables 2020 provides detailed analysis and forecasts through 2025 of the impact of Covid-19 on renewables in the electricity heat and transport sectors. Executive summary Renewables’ resilience is driven by the electricity sector In sharp contrast to all other fuels, renewables used for generating electricity will grow by almost 7% in 2020. Global energy demand is set to decline 5% – but long-term contracts, priority access to the grid and continuous installation of new plants are all underpinning strong growth in renewable electricity. This more…
-
France 2021
…the country’s nuclear fleet is ageing, and overall emissions are rising because energy consumption across the economy as a whole remains dominated by fossil fuels, notably in transport. Maintaining low-carbon power generation as a base for further decarbonisation and electrification requires timely decisions on the future electricity mix and accelerated investments. France’s economic recovery plan from the Covid-19 crisis and its 2030 investment plan will help accelerate its energy transition by driving progress in sustainable mobility, building retrofits and hydrogen. This report includes a series of recommendations to support France’s efforts to tackle these challenges…
-
Energy Policies of IEA Countries: France 2016 Review
France has a significantly low-carbon electricity mix, owing to the key role of nuclear energy. However, much of France’s nuclear fleet is reaching the end of its lifetime. Against this background, France has started an ambitious energy transition: it is a world leader in designing a governance framework with a national low-carbon strategy, carbon budgets, a carbon price trajectory and plans for energy investment. France plans to reduce the share of nuclear to 50% in the electricity mix by 2025. While some nuclear reactors may continue long-term operation under safe conditions, maintaining security of supply and…
-
Portugal 2026
Energy Policy Review Government action plays a pivotal role in ensuring secure and sustainable energy transitions. Energy policy is critical not just for the energy sector but also for meeting environmental, economic and social goals. Governments need to respond to their country’s specific needs, adapt to regional contexts and help address global challenges. In this context, the International Energy Agency (IEA) conducts Energy Policy Reviews to support governments in developing more impactful energy and climate policies.This Energy Policy Review was prepared in partnership between the Government of Portugal and the IEA. It draws on the IEA’s extensive…
-
Conditions and requirements for the technical feasibility of a power system with a high share of renewables in France towards 2050
…there is a general scientific consensus that technological solutions to maintain power system strength – and hence system stability – without conventional generation exist in several cases. Specific difficulties are expected in the case of a system with a significant share of distributed solar PV. Further assessment of the impacts of distributed PV on the distribution network is needed as well as their implications for electricity security. System adequacy – i.e. the ability of a power system to cope with load at all times – can be ensured even in a system mainly based on variable renewables such as wind and solar PV…
-
Portugal 2021
…policy development and encourages the exchange of best practices and experiences to help drive secure and affordable energy transitions.
Portugal’s energy and climate policies push for carbon neutrality, primarily through broad electrification of energy demand and a rapid expansion of renewable electricity generation, along with increased energy efficiency. There is a strong focus on reducing energy import dependency and maintaining affordable access to energy. In the longer-term Portugal is aiming for hydrogen to play a major role in achieving carbon neutrality.
Portugal has made notable progress on decarbonising electricity generation and on electrification of building energy demand, however…
-
Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Portugal 2006 Review
…these three objectives, include the liberalisation of the electricity, gas and fuel markets; creation of a competitive structural framework; growth of renewable energy supply; promotion of energy efficiency; an efficient and environmentally sound public supply of energy; reorganisation of the energy sector tax and incentive systems; energy perspective and innovation; and communication, awareness and assessment of national energy strategy. The new strategy provides for the restructuring of the energy sector, by expanding the scope of activity of the principal operating companies, for there to be more than one relevant integrated operator in the electricity and natural gas sectors. It also…
-
Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Portugal 2016 Review
…on meeting national and European energy policy objectives, as Portugal seeks also to lower investment costs and greater national competitiveness. The new strategy includes proposals to reinforce interconnections with transnational European electricity and natural gas networks, and measures to promote economic and environmental sustainability. The strategy should accommodate regular independent reviews and monitoring tools to examine implementation of energy policy to ensure that it remains relevant and cost-effective. Following the economic crisis, Portugal was left with a substantial tariff deficit as retail electricity tariffs were set below costs, including subsidies to renewables. Portugal’s plan to address the tariff…
-
Energy Policies of IEA Countries: France 2000
…French energy policy is also based on a strong public service tradition, a notion that leads it to address market failures as well as to pursue social, regional and territorial objectives. France is on the way towards instituting regulatory reform to comply with the EU directives on electricity and gas. This reform will have a major influence on the traditional utilities Électricité de France (EDF) and Gaz de France (GDF) that dominate the markets. Introducing competition while meeting public service concerns is a challenge for the French government. For example, full geographical uniformity of tariffs – a public service obligation – creates…
-
Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Portugal 2004
Energy Policy Review Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Portugal 2004 The International Energy Agency's comprehensive review of Portugal's energy policies and programmes for 2004. The report finds that while security of gas supply has received a lot of attention in Portugal, progress towards compliance with the IEA emergency stock rules should be carefully monitored. Another concern is that energy demand is growing faster than the economy. The political initiative to establish an Iberian electricity market with Spain could increase competition in Portugal but implementation is behind schedule.