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The purpose of the paper is to analyse the economic and political factors that have shaped West European fuel-use in power generation since the 1960s. The historical analysis concludes that political and institutional constraints have had a huge impact on fuel choice, especially on the construction of new plants. The influence of politics has, however, changed over time -- away from direct intervention towards regulation of decentralised markets. Further, the prospects for reactivating large-scale projects have become limited, and, as a result, the refurbishing and increased utilisation of existing plants, as well as conversions of plants to new fuels, soared in the 1980s and the early 1990s. Uncertainty about future fuel prices, few technical improvements in new plants, siting problems and stringent environmental regulations for new plants explain this development. Finally, the short-run flexibility of the West European power sector has improved since the 1970s, something which has important implications for the electricity sectors and fuel markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the accommodation of renewable energy and privatisation of electric supply industry in Europe. It states that the energy accommodation would incur big costs, while the industry privatization would allow the industry to become competitive, diverse, and would prompt low electricity prices. The article also discusses consequences of the privatization, electric generation technologies, and electric supply network in Great Britain.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the current focus of supply chain management (SCM) research; it considers field level and societal constraints and consequently the potential for change. It details the underlying assumptions in the field, considering the dominant paradigms and stakeholders, and how this has shaped the research we have engaged in as a community of scholars. Design/methodology/approach: This is a reflective inquiry that seeks to deconstruct the dominant discourses and paradigms in SCM. It offers alternative avenues of inquiry to "traditional" research, considering how different questions, perspectives and approaches might yield different learning for the field. offering alternative avenues to traditional research. Findings: This is a call for collective action, for solidarity, for a re-imagining of what research in SCM could look like. Research activism is challenging and potentially risky but necessary for the research community to engage in, particularly in light of the global societal grand challenges. Change can take place in the SCM field through collective action and solidarity. Three levels of activism are explored here – acting to solve the grand challenges, acting to change the field and acting as individuals. Originality/value: This is a "speak-out" piece, which embraces and encourages reflexivity, new methods of doing and writing research as well as different perspectives, and especially a consideration for context and multiple players in the supply chain. The authors contend that it is urgent to re-appropriate our own agency as SCM researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a deregulated power market, where bilateral and pool contract may exist within the system, a mathematical methodology to reschedule these transactions, when this is required for dynamic related reasons, is important. In this paper, the impact of dynamic security-driven rescheduling has been examined in the context of an open-market environment. Making a system dynamically secure may require the redispatch of generators in an unbundled system and have an effect on pool prices and an impact on commercial competition between generators. Achieving a commercially transparent and technically justifiable approach, therefore, is very important. In this paper, a transient energy function approach has been used to calculate the stability margin of the system after clearing a typical fault. Redispatch is undertaken if this margin is inadequate and the apportionment of dispatch changes among generators is also made sensitive to price signals so as to allow an input by competing generators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the current state of market integration among European electricity day-ahead spot prices. In our empirical analysis we utilize a large sample of hourly spot prices of 25 European markets for the period 2010Jan01/01h- 2015Jun30/24h and combine it with other relevant data such as hourly interconnector capacities and the existence of market coupling. Firstly, empirical results from cointegration analysis indicate that market integration increased from 2010 to 2012 but then declined until 2015, despite the introduction of market coupling in many markets. Secondly, we empirically assess error correction after price shocks and reach the conclusion that markets' strength of the error correction mechanism is rather modest. In general, our findings suggest that the integration among European electricity markets has a large potential for improvements from additional capacity investments and further promotion of market coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the first time, we investigated species composition, phytoplankton community structure, and hydrochemical parameters in the artificial cooling reservoir of a major thermal power plant (TPP) in northeastern Europe located in the Pechora River basin (Komi Republic). Our research, conducted during June and August, revealed a total of 81 species of algae and cyanobacteria, with cyanobacteria predominating. Among these cyanobacteria and microalgae (Bacillariophyta and Chlorophyta), algae that serve as reliable indicators of water quality were identified. The assessment of water quality based on abundance and species composition of indicator phytoplankton species revealed that the waters of the Pechorskoe Reservoir belong to the III class (β-mesosaprobic or moderately polluted). This indicates that water quality is satisfactory, and the reservoir retains the ability to self-purify. The power plant's discharges heat the surface layers, increasing plankton communities' diversity, abundance, and biomass. Such stable warming in the upper layers throughout the season, uncommon for natural water bodies in the north, results in a slight increase in the trophic status of the studied reservoir, supported by hydrochemical analysis. These results provide valuable information about ecosystem functioning under temperature increasing for predicting changes in the phototrophic biota of small northern reservoirs facing the impacts of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Electricity markets depend on upstream energy markets to supply the fuels needed for generation. Since these markets rely on networks, congestion in one can quickly produce changes in another. In this paper we develop a combined partial equilibrium market model which includes the interactions of natural gas and electricity networks. We apply the model to a stylized representation of Europe's electricity and natural gas markets to illustrate the upstream and downstream feedback effects which are not obvious on first sight. We find that both congestion and loop-flow effects in electricity markets impact prices and quantities in markets located far from the initial cause of the market changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal storage may be a particularly attractive approach in service sector buildings, particularly for space conditioning, since it can help to reduce the electricity costs taking advantage of variable electricity rates while helping the grid to overcome the intermittent output of renewable energy. The aim of this paper is to describe globally the thermal storage system, which will be coupled to the ground source heat pump (GSHP), which was installed in a public building in Coimbra within the European Project from FP7 - Ground-Med. This project aims to demonstrate a high seasonal performance factor for ground source heat pumps (GSHP) that will be installed in pilot buildings in southern Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The central aim of this paper is to present an intergovernmentalist evaluation of the prospects for the European Union (EU) member states to pursue a common energy security policy at the supranational level. Particularly, the analysis seeks to address the demands for a common EU stance concerning the issue of energy supply security. Thus, the paper leaves aside other cornerstones of a common EU energy policy, namely the issues of environmental protection and liberalization of the electricity and gas markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric power grids, which form an essential part of the critical infrastructure, are evolving into highly distributed, dynamic networks in order to address the climate change. This fundamental transition relies on extensive automation solutions based on communications and information technologies. Thus, it also gives rise to new attack points for malicious actors and consequently, increases the vulnerability of the electric energy system. This study presents a qualitative assessment of power grid cybersecurity through expert interviews across countries in Europe and the U.S. to gain understanding of the latest developments and trends in the cybersecurity of future electric energy systems. The horizon of the assessment is 10 years spanning until the early 2030s. Thereafter, the study identifies how and to which extent the risks identified to be most significant are understood and addressed in the latest research and industry publications aiming at identifying areas deserving specific further attention. The most significant threats based on the assessment are False Data Injection (FDI), Denial of Service (DoS) supply chain, and ransomware and malware attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In order to reduce carbon emissions, great efforts are required to optimise the processes and solve the main technical and economic problems which currently limit a large-scale diffusion of CCS (carbon capture and storage) technologies. In this paper, the main results of a techno-economic comparison between USCPC or USC plants (ultra supercritical pulverised coal combustion) with and without CCS are presented. In this study, a few related questions about the development of CCS and power generation technologies in SEE (South East Europe) are answered. The main questions considered are: (1) what are the current cost estimates for building a new entrant power plant with an installed CCS system compared to a typical USC power plant (2) what is the breakeven carbon-dioxide price to justify CCS investment for USCPC power plants. To answer these questions, a LCOE (levelised cost of electricity) model is built for the power plants in study, with assumptions best representing the current costs and technologies in the EU (European Union). Then, a sensitivity analysis of some of the key parameters of the LCOE to reveal their impact on the financial viability of the project is done. The technical model of the plant is implemented in the database of the SEE REM (South East Europe Regional Electricity Market) in order to evaluate its performance on the electricity market and results gained are analysed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The increase in PV (photovoltaic) capacities in Germany had since 2011 on some days already significant impacts on spot market prices at the German electricity exchange. The core objective of this paper is to investigate the possible effects of a further uptake of PV on the prices in electricity markets. We analyze two major effects: (i) the direct impact of PV at specific times of the year when PV shifts the supply curve of conventional electricity virtually out of the market, leading to temporarily very low market prices close to Zero; (ii) the indirect impact of PV (and wind) on the costs at which fossil capacities are offered at times when renewable energy sources are scarce. The major effects of these developments on the electricity markets will be: (i) a much higher price volatility from hour-to-hour and day-to-day; (ii) higher prices for electricity from fossil capacities and storage technologies for balancing the intermittent renewable generation; and (iii) growth of balancing markets and intensified competition at the level of decentralized balancing organizations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Elevators and escalators have received little attention from an energy efficiency perspective in the past. To close this gap, this paper analyses energy efficiency potentials and suggests policy measures for the European elevator and escalator market. As a precondition, the electrical energy demand of elevators and escalators in the European market is analyzed, based on expert estimations and the results of a monitoring campaign. The estimated current demand is compared to scenarios where the implementation of best available technology for the relevant equipment is assumed and the savings potentials thereof are calculated. The results indicate that considerable technical efficiency potentials exist for elevators (more than 60%) and escalators (around 30%). However, various specific barriers impede the diffusion of these energy-efficient technologies. They include issues like a lack of awareness and relevant information as well as split-incentive problems. The technological analysis is therefore complemented by an investigation of how to overcome these barriers, leading to a set of recommendations on how to improve energy efficiency in the elevator and escalator market. Suitable measures could be implementing standardized methods for electricity measurement, introducing a labeling system and including elevators and escalators in the legislative framework. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The paper considers the European approaches to assessment of the buildings' energy efficiency. We scrutinize their advantages and disadvantages. Specifically, we investigate the feasibility of one of the approaches by employing the example of NTUU "KPI" educational buildings and define principal obstacles that hinder the utilization and can also lead to misinterpretation of the results obtained. We propose possible ways of specification of existing methods and attempt to adapt them to the Ukrainian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The paper provides an overview of the generation of electricity in 10 countries in South East Europe during 1995–2004. Using the latest available statistics, we explore the potential of the nascent integration of the electricity markets in South East Europe. We conduct a cross-country analysis of electricity production based on different types of fuel used. The region has a low level of gasification combined with few nuclear power generation facilities, while some countries heavily rely on hydro electric generation. Differences in countries'' resource endowment and the possibility of intertemporal substitution between electricity generated from various fuels could stimulate a regional trade in electricity. As an alternative to nationally independent energy policy, regional trade could displace a proportion of the substantial investment in generation facilities required to avert serious supply shortages. Finally, we consider the environmental impact of electricity generation, and identify some of the key trade-offs between different policy objectives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Conventional generators in power grids are steadily substituted with new renewable sources of electric power. The latter are connected to the grid via inverters and as such have little, if any rotational inertia. The resulting reduction of total inertia raises important issues of power grid stability, especially over short-time scales. With the motivation in mind to investigate how inertia reduction influences the transient dynamics following a fault in a large-scale electric power grid, we have constructed a model of the high voltage synchronous grid of continental Europe. To assess grid stability and resilience against disturbance, we numerically investigate frequency deviations as well as rates of change of frequency (RoCoF) following abrupt power losses. The magnitude of RoCoF's and frequency deviations strongly depend on the fault location, and we find the largest effects for faults located on the support of the slowest mode—the Fiedler mode—of the network Laplacian matrix. This mode essentially vanishes over Belgium, Eastern France, Western Germany, northern Italy and Switzerland. Buses inside these regions are only weakly affected by faults occuring outside. Conversely, faults inside these regions have only a local effect and disturb only weakly outside buses. Following this observation, we reduce rotational inertia through three different procedures by either (i) reducing inertia on the Fiedler mode, (ii) reducing inertia homogeneously and (iii) reducing inertia outside the Fiedler mode. We find that procedure (iii) has little effect on disturbance propagation, while procedure (i) leads to the strongest increase of RoCoF and frequency deviations. This shows that, beyond absorbing frequency disturbances following nearby faults, inertia also mitigates frequency disturbances from distant power losses, provided both the fault and the inertia are located on the support of the slowest modes of the grid Laplacian. These results for our model of the European transmission grid are corroborated by numerical investigations on the ERCOT transmission grid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EU Regulation 2009/72/EC concerning common rules for internal market in electricity calls upon 80% of EU electricity consumers to be equipped with smart metering systems by 2020, provided that a positive economic assessment of all long-term costs and benefits to the market and the individual consumer is guaranteed. Understanding the impact that smart metering systems may have on the electricity stakeholders (consumers, distribution system operators, energy suppliers and the society at large) is important for faster and effective deployment of such systems and of the innovative services they offer. For this purpose, in this paper an agent-based model is developed, where the electricity consumer behaviour due to different smart metering policies is simulated. Consumers are modelled as household agents having dynamic preferences on types of electricity contracts offered by the supplier. Development of preferences depends on personal values, memory and attitudes, as well as the degree of interaction in a social network structure. We are interested in exploring possible diffusion rates of smart metering enabled services under different policy interventions and the impact of this technological diffusion on individual and societal performance indicators. In four simulation experiments and three intervention policies we observe the diffusion of energy services and individual and societal performance indicators (electricity savings, CO2 emissions savings, social welfare, consumers' comfort change), as well as consumers' satisfaction. From these results and based on expert validation, we conclude that providing the consumer with more options does not necessarily lead to higher consumer's satisfaction, or better societal performance. A good policy should be centred on effective ways to tackle consumers concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an analysis of the topological structure and static tolerance to errors and attacks of the September 2003 actualization of the Union for the Coordination of Transport of Electricity (UCTE) power grid, involving thirty-three different networks. Though every power grid studied has exponential degree distribution and most of them lack typical small-world topology, they display patterns of reaction to node loss similar to those observed in scale-free networks. We have found that the node removal behavior can be logarithmically related to the power grid size. This logarithmic behavior would suggest that, though size favors fragility, growth can reduce it. We conclude that, with the ever-growing demand for power and reliability, actual planning strategies to increase transmission systems would have to take into account this relative increase in vulnerability with size, in order to facilitate and improve the power grid design and functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploitation of lignite in continuous surface mines requires removing masses of overburden, which are hauled to a dumpsite. There are some technological arrangements where the overburden is transported several dozen meters down to a spreader operating on a lower located dumping level. Depending on an angle of a declined transportation route, there is a possibility to convert the potential gravitational energy of conveyed down overburden masses into electric energy. To recover the maximum percentage of stored energy, an energy-effective and fully loaded belt conveyor should work in a generator mode. Due to the implementation of such a solution, a lignite continuous surface mine, which is a great electric energy consumer, can obtain the status of an electricity prosumer and reduce its environmental impact, in particular demonstrating significant savings in primary energy consumption. Though lignite surface mining is phasing out in Europe, the recuperative, overburden conveyors for downhill transport match up the targets of sustainable mining, understood as getting the maximum benefits from the exploited natural resources. According to the analyzed case study, an investment into the installation of regenerative inverters for the electric power supply of the declined overburden conveyor would pay off within 3–4 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the applications of electron cyclotron resonant heating (ECRH) in Europe. Generation of high power levels with different types of fusion devices; Use of the technology in magnetic toroidal confinement to predict the energy deposition profile; Efficacy of ECRH in the provision of reliable microwave sources.

A large scale program to develop a conceptual design for a demonstration fusion power plant (DEMO) has been initiated in Europe. Central elements are the baseline design points, which are developed by system codes. The assessment of the credibility of these design points is often hampered by missing information. The main physics and technology content of the central European system codes have been published (Kovari et al 2014 Fusion Eng. Des. 89 3054–69, 2016 Fusion Eng. Des. 104 9–20, Reux et al 2015 Nucl. Fusion55 073011). In addition, this publication discusses key input parameters for the pulsed and conservative design option and provides justifications for the parameter choices. In this context several DEMO physics gaps are identified, which need to be addressed in the future to reduce the uncertainty in predicting the performance of the device. Also the sensitivities of net electric power and pulse duration to variations of the input parameters are investigated. The most extreme sensitivity is found for the elongation ( corresponds to ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]