Today the BDF Report Energy Perspectives for the Baltic Sea Region is available.
The Report has been initiated by Baltic Development Forum, prepared by Ea Energianalyse and sponsored mainly by the Nordic Council of Ministers. Preface by Mr. Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Energy.
Neighborhood cooperation makes a difference! The countries around the Baltic Sea will all benefit from stronger energy cooperation, documents a new report from Baltic Development Forum and Ea Energy Analyses. The role of regions in implementing the energy and climate targets is a significant contribution to the COP 15 Agenda.
The Baltic Sea Region is well placed to become a model region in Europe and even globally for meeting the triple challenges of renewed growth, security of energy supply and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The Region has all the needed renewable and efficient technologies to become a low-emission region with sustainable growth and secure energy supplies in 2030.
The solution to reduce the economic costs is setting regional energy targets for renewable energies instead of national targets when complying with the EU targets for renewable energy in 2020. This is one of the main conclusions in a new report on Sustainable Energy Scenarios for the Baltic Sea Region. The report is the result of the study that Baltic Development Forum and Ea Energy Analysis have advanced during the last 18 months. It clarifies the strengths of the Region and the opportunities for shaping coordinated regional energy policies and solutions.
The report shows that:
- New inter-connectors and regional development of energy markets will ensure the most efficient use of the available energy resources and energy infrastructure in the Baltic Sea Region.
- Joint planning for wind farms will entail many benefits and provide the best utilisation of electricity grids.
- Biomass used as a regional resource on an integrated biomass market for energy purposes will make the whole region better off.
- Many old power plants in the Region with low efficiency should be replaced with new technology in order to ripe all the benefits.
The report concludes that technologies available today can meet the targets for reducing CO2 emissions and increasing the share of renewable sources. There is no need for technological leaps.
The results of the study have been presented for and discussed with politicians, authorities and private stakeholders in the Region in order to anchor the different energy scenarios, results and recommendations. The next step in the process would be for the governments to agree on a common agenda.
The aim of the report is to serve as a point of reference in such as process and in the further discussions on energy planning in the Baltic Sea Region, not least in the framework of Nordic and Baltic energy cooperation, the Nordic Council of Ministers as well as initiatives under the up-coming EU strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.
The report will form the basis for the regional energy discussions at the Baltic Development Forum Summit, 5-6 October in Stockholm. Here the role of regions in the energy and climate debate will be stressed as a significant contribution to the COP 15 Agenda. And it will provide an input to the Nordic Council’s 61st session on 27-29 October in Stockholm.
For further information please contact:
Hans Brask, Director, Baltic Development Forum
Phone +45-60 21 85 81, email: hb@bdforum.org
Anders Kofoed-Wiuff, Ea Energy Analyses
Phone +45 60 39 17 03, email: akw@eaea.dk
Kaare Sandholt, Ea Energy Analyses
Phone +45 60 39 17 00, email: ks@eaea.dk