This book is a guide for understanding the EU renewable energy policy as one of the most ambitious attempts world-wide to facilitate a transition towards more sustainable energy systems. It contains key case studies for understanding how member states have shaped the EU renewable energy policy, how the EU has affected the policies of its member states and how renewable energy policies have diffused horizontally. An analysis of the external dimension of the EU renewable energy policy is also included.

This Handbook provides the most comprehensive account of energy governance in Europe, examining both energy governance at the European level and the development of energy policy in 30 European countries. Authored by leading scholars, the first part of the book offers a broad overview of the topics of energy research, including theories of energy transitions, strategies and norms of energy policy, governance instruments in the field, and challenges of energy governance. In the second part, it examines the internal and external dimensions of energy governance in the European Union. The third part presents in-depth country studies, which investigate national trajectories of energy policy, including an analysis of the policy instruments and coordination mechanisms for energy transitions. It closes with a comparative analysis of national energy governance. This book is a definitive resource for scholars in energy and climate research as well as decision makers in national governments and EU institutions.

'This book analyses a highly important topic. It is based on a comprehensive and empirically rich assessment of European energy policy, including both internal and external determinants. Its encompassing approach and the thoughtful combination of different analytical perspectives makes the book an important and fresh contribution to the field.' Christoph Knill, University of Konstanz, Germany 'Energy was one of the founding pillars of European integration, while environmental concerns have become an identity sign of today's European Union energy policy. However, notwithstanding the obvious links between both issues, little attention has been devoted to the complex relationship between the EU's environmental performance and the Europeanization of its energy policy. This book, carefully edited by Morata and Solorio, has come to fill this gap becoming a "must" to understand the interactions between these two fundamental drivers of EU policies.' José María Marín-Quemada, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, and Member of the Governing Council of the Spanish Central Bank, Spain This path-breaking book explores the new European energy policy, highlighting the significance of environmental policy concerns, instruments, and objectives vis-à-vis competing security and market dimensions in order to achieve an all-embracing EU energy policy perspective for the future. While the past years have witnessed unprecedented development of EU energy policy, the understanding of this process has lagged behind. Alongside the scarce literature on this emergent policy, there is also a gap regarding the attention paid to its different components. The study stems from the perception of a mismatch between the valuable debate that certain dimensions of energy policy namely, energy security and the market and competition framework have triggered and the neglect of its environmental and climate change dimensions. European Energy Policy will prove to be insightful for academics and postgraduate students interested in European integration, political science, international relations, public policy and environmental science. Energy stakeholders and governmental policymakers will also find plenty of invaluable information in this enriching resource.

This broad-ranging text provides an analysis and assessment of the European Union's energy policy. It examines the components of the internal energy market alongside energy policy and politics on the international stage, and in doing so outlines the increasing importance of this global issue.

The EU has embarked upon a fundamental change in the direction of its energy policy, with the agreement by the European Council of the 20-20-20 targets, all by 2020. The new legislative framework presently being finalized to put this in practice will have profound effects on all those active in the energy industry. Achieving a 20% share of renewables in the EU's energy mix will require massive investments and an increase by roughly ten times the level of wind and solar energy presently installed in Europe today. This all creates huge challenges and opportunities for EU businesses. A full understanding of support schemes, obligations, and planning requirements is vital for both the industry and its advisors. This volume provides a complete working guide to the new EU legislation. It includes: the economic, environmental, and energy security rationale underpinning the new proposals * national renewable targets, levels, and enforcements mechanism * the trading of renewable energy credits and guarantees of origin * biofuels: obligations, sustainability, and the Fuel Quality Directive * grid access rules/priority access in practice * the EU's electricity grid: how will it need to evolve to incorporate the new renewable electricity.

The discussion about energy perspectives beyond 2020, up to 2030 and eventually 2050 has started. There seems to be a verbal consensus on the necessity of ambitious climate change mitigation policies, without a convincing perspective of the necessary policy decisions to be reached in due time. Methods to achieve greenhouse gas reduction as well as