Wendy Cooper

A new Science|Business report says Europe urgently needs to focus on energy market integration and flexibility

Germany’s ambitious Energiewende made it the world’s largest energy lab. But with CO2 emissions up and electricity prices rising, the programme’s value as a blueprint for others is limited, says Stephan Reimelt, president and CEO of GE Energy, Germany.

Institutional issues and a lack of system thinking are hampering progress toward resolving Europe’s renewable energy dilemma, says Mark O’Malley, professor of electrical engineering at University College Dublin. More comprehensive and objective analysis would help.

The successful integration of renewables could cut Europe’s energy bill by as much as €50 billion annually, says Goran Strbac, professor of electrical energy systems at Imperial College London. First, however, the market must start rewarding investment in flexible power generation, demand-side response and energy storage.