This book was written in the frame of the OPTRES project, which was supported by the European Commission within the framework of the Intelligent Energy for Europe programme. The consortium, consisting of six European partners, analysed the effectiveness as well as the economic efficiency of currently implemented support schemes for renew-able energies in the electricity sector (RES-E) in the enlarged European Union. The analysis gives recommendations for future improvements of the existing RES-E promotion measures. Furthermore the consortium carried out an extensive stakeholder consultation, focussing on the identification of existing market barriers to the development of renewable electricity in the EU. The effectiveness and efficiency of current and future RES-E support schemes were analysed with particular focus on a single European market for renewable electricity products. Current best practices were identified and an assessment made of the (future) costs of RES-E and the relevant support necessary to initiate stable growth. The main barriers to a higher RES-E deployment as perceived by market actors and stakeholders were assessed.

This report investigates the impacts and feasibility of increasing the share of renewables beyond the proposed target of 27% for 2030 through a review of recent studies assessing the future energy system in the EU. The authors examine the impact of selected modelling input factors and modelling approaches on the determination of the optimal share of renewables. This document has been commissioned by Policy Department A at the request of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) of the European Parliament.

Under the proposed renewables Directive, Member States would commit to delivering additional renewable energy so that collectively they would generate 20% of energy from renewable sources by 2020. The requirements for each Member State are linked to the GDP. The Proposal offers two options for inter-Member State cooperation, based upon the assumption that it may be advantageous to develop additional renewables in countries with good resource basis to meet the target in countries with higher GDP. Either Member States can transfer guarantees of origin for renewables between governments or they can implement a system for private international trade of guarantees of origin. The paper discusses the economic and legal implications for national support schemes and suggests to possible extensions to enhance legal certainty for investors. The Proposal also makes provision for national action plans to support Member States in the implementation of national frameworks. We discuss the interaction of GO trade with national support mechanisms for renewables and with international trading and transfers, and the importance of credible responses in the case of non-compliance.

Fabio Genoese, Research Fellow at CEPS, has co-authored a Policy Brief with the DIA-CORE project, carried out under the Intelligent Energy Europe programme of the European Union. In the context of the project, the authors are carrying out a broad, quantitative assessment of the relevance of factors framing the diffusion of renewable energy technologies in the EU. The analysis covers both economic and non-economic factors and places particular emphasis on the relationship between them. The assessment of framework factors (determinants), which may be barriers or drivers, draws upon an EU-wide survey conducted among stakeholders, whereas the policy performance indicators are based on an ex-post evaluation of the development of support payments, technology costs and the actual deployment of renewables from 2007 to 2014 in all 28 EU member states. This Policy Brief reports the initial findings of the survey based on responses received as of May 2014. It also presents the initial results of the assessment of policy performance indicators. The main objective of the DI-CORE project is to ensure a continuous assessment of the existing policy mechanisms and to establish a fruitful stakeholder dialogue on future policy needs for renewable electricity (RES-E), heating & cooling (RES-H) and transport (RES-T). Thus, DIA-CORE seeks to facilitate convergence in RES support across the EU and to enhance investments, cooperation and coordination.--