By Jean-Pierre SCHAEKEN WILLEMAERS, former member of the executive committee of Tractebel Engineering, former Executive vice-president of Suez Tractebel EGI (Electricity and Gas International), member of the Thomas More Institute Advisory Board | Tribune N°32

The European Union has committed to cut GHG (GreenHouse Gases) emissions by 8% by 2012 and by 20% by 2020. To help meet those targets, a financial instrument in the form of a cap and trade scheme, known under the acronym “EU ETS” (EU Emission Trading System), was adopted at the Environment Council of October 13, 2003. It was then launched on January 1, 2005. Following a “testing period” (2005-2007), the second phase will come to an end this year (2008-2012).

The (...)

Is it reasonable to ask to the consumers to pay the massives subventions of the wind and photovoltaic energies? Article by Jean-Pierre SCHAEKEN WILLEMAERS, Member of the Advisory Board of the Thomas More Institute, published in La Libre Belgique on December 29th, 2011. Available in French.

L’objectif négocié par la Belgique, dans le cadre du protocole de Kyoto, est de réduire d’ici à 2012, les émissions de CO₂ de 7,5% par rapport à 1990. Dans ce cadre, la Flandre s’est engagée à réduire ses émissions de 6% et la Wallonie de 8% ce qui signifie pour cette dernière un effort important dans un environnement économique défavorable.

En outre, l’UE exige de la Belgique que, d’ici à 2020, la part des énergies (...)

By Jean-Pierre SCHAEKEN WILLEMAERS, former member of the executive committee of Tractebel Engineering, former Executive vice-president of Suez Tractebel EGI (Electricity and Gas International), member of the Thomas More Institute Advisory Board. Tribune N°31.

Wind power is the fastest growing of the European renewables. By the end of 2010, the European wind power installed capacity of 84,278 MW, produced 181 TWh of electricity, meeting 5,3% of overall EU electricity consumption (up from 4,8% in 2009 and 3,8% in 2007). In 2010, 9,883 MW of wind power were installed across Europe, with the EU accounting for 9,259 MW of the total, out of which 8,377 MW onshore and 883 offshore. 2010 was a record year for new power generation (...)

Thomas More Institute Meeting, on Monday, September 26th, 2011, 17h30-19h30 pm, Brussels (Renaissance Hotel). Debate in French.

Transport and electricity distribution enterprises have to face, in a critical financial and economic context, to management accommodations and difficult investment strategies, following political decisions taken without their opinions. The progressive decrease not coordinated to the European level and extremely unpredictable from a country to another, of nuclear capacity but also the scattering of the intermittent renewable electric energy production (wind-driven, photovoltaic) imply a strengthening of cross-border networks and network parts. Therefore, it is essential to reconsider their management.

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By Jean-Pierre SCHAEKEN WILLEMAERS, former member of the executive committee of Tractebel Engineering, former Executive vice-president of Suez Tractebel EGI (Electricity and Gas International), member of the Thomas More Institute Advisory Board. Tribune N°30.