The European energy transition: good intentions and bad calculations

This note proposes a rather critical presentation of the European objectives regarding energy by 2050 which are characterised by 20 pc of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions with respect to 1990, a 20 pc increase of energy efficiency, and a share of 20 pc for renewable energies in the European energy mix. The author outlines that the contribution to the reduction of world greenhouse gas emissions will be in fact very marginal, that the intermittency present in the European road-map for 2050 will be very expensive, and moreover inefficient in some cases (offshore wind energy). The author states that the risk is that Europe is committed in the construction of a climatic sort of 'Maginot Line' which will not stop the climate change it is supposed to avoid. Then, the author criticises the content of political speech and the lack of critical thinking of politicians. He states that we will enter an era of systemic vulnerability. He doubts that the objective of protection and defence of the consumer will be reached, and that measures in fact guarantee profit to the producers. He also states that the European Union Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is threatened, and that the European electric power market is downgraded to a role of residual adjustment. He considers that energy liberalisation in Europe has been perverted.