The Czech government follows the example of the German RWE-Innogy to legitimize the split of CEZ into nuclear and non-nuclear parts. Jan Ondrich takes a look.
Author: Jan Ondřich
How can the Czech Republic pay for new nuclear?
Plans for a new nuclear power plant in Czech Republic are currently on the brink of collapse. Jan Ondřich explains the remaining options.
How persistent is lignite in the energy mix?
Recent revival of the European carbon market has brought some optimism to those, who would like to see lignite disappear from the European energy mix altogether.
When will battery storage take off?
Energy industry professionals and commentators agree that industrial-scale battery storage will play a pivotal role in future energy systems. But will the battery business take off, just like solar PV, or will batteries remain a great opportunity which will never materialize? Jan Ondřich takes a look.
Will power prices ever support new nuclear build?
Although some have argued that new nuclear is necessary for the power mix, Jan Ondřich disagrees. He takes a look at the numbers and finds that in the next 30 years, there’s no way that nuclear can compete with a mix of solar, wind, and gas.
Competition economics to the rescue
New nuclear: we know now it’s much more expensive than other options. But Central and Eastern European countries are investing in new projects (and the costs will be subsidized by tax payers). Policymakers argue that on the European grid, these prices make sense–but Jan Ondrich thinks otherwise.
Why haven’t Central and Eastern European policy makers embraced the Energiewende?
Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries have been known for negating most policies which in the short run require some level of altruism and sense of responsibility, from climate change to immigration issues. When Germany embarked upon its revolutionary and transformative energy policy which became known as Energiewende, CEE political leaders were quick to condemn and ridicule the policy. Jan Ondrich explains.
What does EU power market reform mean for Central and Eastern Europe power markets?
The current market fails to generate pricing signals allowing full cost recovery of power generation. The European Commission decided to introduce a set of measures to ensure generation adequacy and supply security. The measures are further detailed in network codes, explains Jan Ondřich.
E.ON split spells trouble for Central and Eastern European energy players
The split of German utility E.ON into a “good” and a “bad” part has worrying implications for the larger utilities in Central and Eastern Europe. Jan Ondrich explains.
How to reform EU power markets: is a capacity market necessary?
The idea of a European capacity market has been occupying people’s minds for quite some time. Jan Ondřich takes a look at the feasibility and design and finds that Europe must solve other – more pressing – energy market issues first.