Browse by: "2017"

Greece is currently implementing comprehensive energy sector reforms towards creating competitive energy markets. The reforms will reveal opportunities for investors and for transformation of the energy system, thereby providing sustainable outcomes for the environment and for Greek society. This International Energy Agency review highlights the areas that are critical to the success of Greece’s energy policy agenda.

Greece can use the economic recovery as an opportunity to get ahead with longer-term emissions reduction outcomes by pursuing initiatives that support sustainable increases in efficiency and by increasing the share of natural gas and renewable energy in the energy mix. A key part of this process will be to develop a national energy and climate plan for 2030 and beyond, as well as to incorporate climate objectives into integrated energy planning.

The country has seen an impressive increase in the share of renewables in electricity generation, even over-achieving the targets set for solar photovoltaics. Enhanced exploitation of its renewable energy potential could result in a more balanced energy mix and contribute to increasing energy security.

Greece should continue pursuing the implementation of ambitious energy efficiency policies, drawing on the evaluation of outcomes from past and current measures and on the lessons learned by other countries. This review also provides recommendations for further policy improvements that are intended to help guide the country towards a more secure and sustainable energy future.

Hungary’s new energy strategy, the National Energy Strategy to 2030, published in 2012, was a major step in formulating a long-term vision for government policy in the sector. The main objective of the strategy was to ensure a sustainable and secure energy sector while supporting the competitiveness of the economy.

Mindful of high energy costs and their impact on family incomes, the government initiated a policy of mandatory price cuts to reduce household energy bills. While the short-term impact has been a reduction in energy bills, in the long term, this policy may damage national competitiveness. Renewable energy production has increased significantly in the last decade but growth in the sector has slowed. Recent reforms and the introduction of a new support system for electricity from renewable sources could arrest this slowdown. On the other hand, measures that limit wind power developments are likely to have a negative impact on the sector.

Greenhouse gas emissions have declined as the economy has become less carbon-intensive. Nonetheless, the country could adopt more ambitious targets for emission reductions. Energy security has been strengthened and there have been a number of large investments in oil, electricity and natural gas infrastructure. Further investments are expected, notably the construction of two new nuclear power generating units.

This latest review of Hungary’s energy policies, the first since 2011, examines the current energy-policy landscape and makes recommendations for improvements. These recommendations are intended to guide the country towards a more secure and sustainable energy future.

Since the last in-depth review in 2009, Italy has made strong progress in the development and implementation of energy policy. The most notable improvement has been the publication of a comprehensive long-term energy strategy.

The adoption of the National Energy Strategy in 2013 sent a strong signal to stakeholders as to the government’s medium- and long-term objectives for the energy sector. It established clear goals: reduce energy costs, meet environmental targets, strengthen security of energy supply and foster sustainable economic growth. Nonetheless, the adoption of the Strategy is only a first step towards achieving the government’s ambitions. Monitoring implementation and maintaining momentum will present a challenge for the government.

Italy has experienced impressive growth in the renewable energy sector and has been successful in integrating large volumes of variable renewable generation. Containing costs is a priority, and policies need to focus on bringing deployment costs towards international benchmarks.

Italy has also continued to progress in terms of market liberalisation and infrastructure development, notably in the electricity market where transmission improvements between north and south, as well as market coupling, have resulted in price convergence throughout the country and wholesale prices tending towards those elsewhere in Europe. Development in the gas sector has been slower, and greater progress is needed if Italy is to be become a southern European gas hub. Furthermore, institutional arrangements within the energy sector remain complex and should be reformed and strengthened. Implementation of the National Energy Strategy provides a timely opportunity to address each of these challenges in a comprehensive way.

This review analyses the energy policy challenges facing Italy and provides recommendations for further policy improvements. It is intended to help guide the country towards a more secure and sustainable energy future.

Since the last IEA in-depth review in 2010, New Zealand has further developed its energy policy, as reflected in its energy strategy to 2021 and new rules for more competitive electricity markets.

With its unique resource base, New Zealand is a success story for the development of renewable energy, notably hydro and geothermal, without government subsidies. Geographically isolated, New Zealand has developed robust policies for security of supply. Outside of its largely low-carbon power sector, managing the economy’s energy intensity and greenhouse gas emissions while still remaining competitive and growing remains a challenge.

The IEA review highlights the areas that are critical to the success of the energy policy agenda in New Zealand.

To support sustainable growth in line with the Paris Agreement, the government should facilitate technology opportunities for renewable energy and energy efficiency, in buildings, industrial heat, transport and agriculture.

The government has ambitious plans to boost the share of electric vehicles and renewable energy. The country has a flexible power system, but future growth requires fine-tuning of market rules in favour of even more flexibility, demand response, smart and effective electricity retail and distribution.

While security of supply is well ensured by effective markets, an energy-constraint system can benefit from market-based risk managements tools, including a safety net for dry years as well as access to global LNG markets.

This review analyses the energy policy challenges facing New Zealand and provides recommendations to help guide the country towards a more secure, sustainable and affordable energy future.

As one of the world’s largest energy exporters, Norway advances the energy security of consuming countries. And at the same time, as a global advocate for climate change mitigation, Norway is committed to environmental sustainability and climate policy.

The latest review of Norway’s energy policies by the International Energy Agency finds that the country continues to manage its significant hydrocarbon resources and revenues in a sustainable way, and remains a reliable supplier of oil and gas. But as the world looks to cut its reliance on fossil fuels, Norway’s government should also consider measures to prepare for a future with lower oil and gas revenues.

Norway’s large hydropower generation is another valuable energy asset particularly at a time when European electricity markets are integrating and variable renewable energy generation is growing. More cross-border connections are coming online and will help realise the full potential of hydropower for balancing variations in demand and supply in the regional market. This will also improve electricity security in Norway in times of low hydropower availability. This review looks at how market-based investments in low-carbon generating capacity can be encouraged by changes in taxation and subsidy systems.

In order to meet its ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, this review finds that Norway needs to step up efforts at home. The IEA encourages the government to spell out more in detail how the emissions reduction targets will be met. There is a major potential to do so in transportation, oil and gas production and manufacturing. In this context, a high level of public spending on energy RD&D and strong efforts to develop carbon capture and storage are very welcome.

Coal dominates the power sector of Poland, where it is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions as well as a major employer. Whether coal continues to fuel the economy over the longer term will be one of the central issues addressed in an update to Poland’s long-term energy strategy, which is expected in 2017.

The country’s new energy plan will prioritise long-term energy security, placing a strong emphasis on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, increasing energy efficiency and decarbonising the transport system. Nuclear power could play a significant role in the country’s energy supply. While the country has experienced strong growth in renewable energy over the past decade, the future looks uncertain.

Given these possible changes, the new energy strategy will require significant investments to reduce the share of carbon-intensive power plants and increase the share of low-carbon energy. While Polish energy infrastructure has been modernised, further investments are needed to strengthen integration with neighbouring markets.

In this context, this latest IEA review of the energy policies of Poland examines the present landscape and makes recommendations for further improvements – recommendations that are intended to guide the country towards a more secure and sustainable energy future.

The global energy system is moving closer to a historic transformation.  This year’s edition of the International Energy Agency (IEA)’s comprehensive publication on energy technology focuses on the opportunities and challenges of scaling and accelerating the deployment of clean energy technologies. This includes looking at more ambitious scenarios than the IEA has produced before.

Improvements in technology continue to modify the outlook for the energy sector, driving changes in business models, energy demand and supply patterns as well as regulatory approaches. Energy security, air quality, climate change and economic competitiveness are increasingly being factored in by decision makers. Energy Technology Perspectives 2017 (ETP 2017) details these trends as well as the technological advances that will shape energy security and environmental sustainability for decades to come.

For the first time, ETP 2017 looks at how far clean energy technologies could move the energy sector towards higher climate change ambitions if technological innovations were pushed to their maximum practical limits. The analysis shows that, while policy support would be needed beyond anything seen to date, such a push could result in greenhouse gas emission levels that are consistent with the mid-point of the target temperature range of the global Paris Agreement on climate change. The analysis also indicates that regardless of the pathway chosen for the energy sector transformation, policy action is needed to ensure that multiple economic, security and other benefits to the accelerated deployment of clean energy technologies are realised through a systematic and co-ordinated approach.

ETP 2017 also features the  annual IEA Tracking Clean Energy Progress report, which shows that the current progress in clean energy technology development and deployment remains sub-optimal. It highlights that progress has been substantial where policies have provided clear signals on the value of technology innovation. But many technology areas still suffer from a lack of financial and policy support.

This statistical report is designed to help understand what drives final energy use in IEA member countries in order to improve and track national energy efficiency policies.

It provides the first comprehensive selection of data that the IEA has been collecting each year after its member states recognised in 2009 the need to better monitor energy efficiency policies.

The report includes country-specific analysis of end uses across the largest sectors – residential, services, industry and transport. It answers questions such as:

• What are the largest drivers for energy use trends in each country?
• Was energy saved because of efficiency progress over time?
• How much energy is used for space heating, appliances or cooking?
• What are the most energy-intensive industries?

Improving energy efficiency is a critical step for governments to take to move towards a sustainable energy system. This report highlights the key role of end-use energy data and indicators in monitoring progress in energy efficiency around the world.

The report, building on a policy dialogue with a range of stakeholders in Korea, analyses how economic policy instruments under the responsibility of the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport can be adjusted to contribute to water policy objectives. It also investigates how Smart Water Management Korea, an initiative by K-water that combines information and communication technology with water technology, can be harnessed to better contribute to water management in the country. Finally, it identifies some of the limitations of prevalent water allocation regimes which need to be addressed to make the best use of available water resources.

Since 1965, the Korean Government has invested heavily in quantitative development strategies to meet water needs, and despite highly variable water availability, this has allowed for and facilitated rapid urbanisation and economic growth. However, several long-term trends are expected to affect the capacity of the current water management system to adequately respond to current and future water risks, such as rapid ageing of the population, fiscal consolidation and climate change. These call for a renewed emphasis on water use efficiency.

The OECD's Task Force on Tax Crimes and Other Crimes (TFTC) has a mandate to improve co-operation between tax and law enforcement agencies, including anti-corruption and anti-money laundering authorities, to counter financial crimes more effectively. The TFTC's work is carried out in connection with the OECD's Oslo Dialogue, a whole of government approach to tackling tax crimes and other financial crimes.

Fighting Tax Crime – The Ten Global Principles sets out the 10 essential principles for effectively fighting tax crimes. It covers the legal, institutional, administrative, and operational aspects necessary for putting in place an efficient system for fighting tax crimes and other financial crimes. It draws on the insights and experience of jurisdictions around the world.

The purpose is to allow jurisdictions to benchmark their legal and operational framework, and identify areas where improvements can be made. Future work in this area will include adding country specific details, covering a wide range of countries.