EU policy: Arthur Cox – evolution or revolution
Friday, February 10th, 2012Alan Bissett and David Trethowan emphasise the need for the main energy sectors to comply with EU law. The European energy market is the last large scale market which has not been widely harmonised to date. This is unsurprising due to the vastness of the market and its highly technical nature. The EU Third Energy Package, which is made up of a series of directives and regulations, forms a regulatory framework designed to reinvigorate the integration of the European energy markets for electricity...
Energy markets: Carson McDowell – competition in the sector
Friday, February 10th, 2012Dorit McCann outlines the local relevance of UK and EU judgements. UK and EU competition law prohibit two main types of anti-competitive activity: (i) arrangements between two or more undertakings which have the object or effect of preventing, restricting or distorting competition and which appreciably affect trade in the UK or the EU1; and (ii) abuse of a dominant position in a market by one or more undertakings2. Investigation and enforcement of competition law The Utility Regulator has concurrent...
Energy security: Ernst & Young – securing the future
Friday, February 10th, 2012Business is ready but the right political leadership is needed to transform energy. The island of Ireland has always been highly dependent on energy resources from the international markets. The Republic of Ireland (“ROI”) and Northern Ireland (“NI”) jointly import more than €7 billion of energy each year. This equates to more than €19 million per day leaving these shores, an amount that is likely to increase annually as global oil and gas prices continue to rise. These energy imports...
Energy infrastructure: Barclays – finance developments
Friday, February 10th, 2012Niall McInerney, Infrastructure and Structured Finance, Barclays Corporate, provides an insight into the investment opportunities and challenges that exist in the evolving electricity market: In 2007, the electricity market in Northern Ireland joined forces with its counterpart in the Republic of Ireland to form the Single Electricity Market (SEM). The SEM as a young dynamic market already faces a number of challenges, notably regulatory change driven by both local and European authorities. The...
Energy markets: SSE & Airricity – driving competition
Friday, February 10th, 2012With a market capitalisation of around £12 billion, and employing almost 20,000 staff, SSE plc is the broadest-based energy utility in the UK and Ireland. The company is also one of the most significant investors into Northern Ireland and is one of the major drivers of competition in the energy market to benefit the Northern Ireland economy and the consumer. SSE’s energy supply brand, Airtricity, is Northern Ireland’s fastest-growing electricity supply brand and now supplies over 80,000 home...
Renewable energy: Simple Power – small scale renewables
Friday, February 10th, 2012Simple Power CEO Paul Carson calls for action on planning, connections, financing and political leadership. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) recently launched a public consultation on proposed changes to the Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation (NIRO), which addresses Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) incentive payments for various renewable technologies in the region. As a local wind energy company which develops single wind turbines that feed directly into the...
