The integrated assessment of RES cooperation between the EU and its neighbours
International Journal of Energy Sector Management
ISSN: 1750-6220
Article publication date: 5 September 2016
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is to provide estimation results for feasibility of renewable energy source (RES) deployment in Turkey, the Western Balkans and North Africa. From these results, the potential for cooperation in renewables production between the countries and the European Union (EU) is assessed and evaluated, in a mid- (2030) and long-term (up to 2040) perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors focus on the quantitative assessments undertaken on the extent to which RES cooperation can create mutual benefits, identifying costs and benefits for both sides, but in particular with respect to RES target achievement (2020 and 2030) at EU level. The potentials for RES generation in Turkey, North Africa and the Western Balkans are calculated under different policy pathways, taking into account different levels of economic and non-economic barriers that could occur.
Findings
Overall, the authors found that increasing RES deployment in the three analysed regions and initiating or intensifying cooperation with EU28 Member States leads to mutual benefits. Concretely, these benefits become apparent in terms of the EU Member States importing renewable energy sources for electricity with a good resource quality and adding on to their targets for RES deployment. At the same time, substantial savings occur for the EU, in turn leading to income and investments in the cooperating regions.
Originality/value
The assessment underlying this paper is the first of its kind to the authors’ knowledge that opens up the geographical spread in comparison to merely assessing cooperation between Europe and the Middle East and North Africa. Furthermore, the multitude of policy parameters analysed provides detailed and robust insights concerning a broad variety of different possible scenarios.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The framework for this assessment is provided by the IEE project BETTER. The authors hereby gratefully acknowledge the funding received by this project. The authors furthermore want to thank all further members of the BETTER consortium for their invaluable inputs.
Citation
Welisch, M., Resch, G. and Ortner, A. (2016), "The integrated assessment of RES cooperation between the EU and its neighbours", International Journal of Energy Sector Management, Vol. 10 No. 3, pp. 427-447. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJESM-01-2015-0004
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited