According to EURELECTRIC organization that gathers EU electric power companies, including Polish PGE, introducing 550 gram limit for capacity market support may have crucial, unintentional economic and systemic consequences. Polish Committee of Electric Power (PKEE) had earlier come to similar conclusions.
European companies together against 550 gram limit
– European companies invest billions in renewable sources and additional kay solution for energy transformation – reminded Kristin Ruby, EURELECTRIC general secretary. – If this limit is introduced towards existing installations, it will harm the transformation efforts – he added.
550 gram/kWh emission limit is a solution that intends to limit capacity market support for the most environmentally harmful power plants. It excludes support for coal energy. EURELECTRIC is also against such solution.
Costs and investment risk
According to organization’s report, 550g will not help reduct emissions, because this is done by EU ETS emission trade system. It will though bring additional 50 billion euro costs until 2040. Introducing the regulations will also harm the development of heat and power plants in Europe. It may force part of units to an earlier withdrawal from the system until the next decade. At the same time, it will raise dependence to gas by 40 per cent, which is a threat to Eastern Europe. Additionally, it will force the companies to new investments in conventional sources, which will harm renewable energy projects.
Support for PKEE applications
The report will be presented at a press conference on the 26th of September in Brussels. PKEE made similar conclusions. The report realized on behalf of its request confirms that introducing the regulation criticized by Poles will bring additional costs to electric power consumers.
Eurelectric/Wojciech Jakóbik