Energy |

Energy

Our energy-dependent world needs a common vision for its energy future. A shift towards renewable energy sources will increase security of supply, foster economic competitiveness and facilitate sustainability. In order to convince governments, businesses and European citizens to support this shift, it is necessary to demonstrate the practical feasibility of energy autonomy based on renewables.

Stopping Russian aggression means rejecting its fossil fuel exports – and, ultimately, switching to renewables

Article

Three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Paul Hockenos compares the efforts of the EU and the US in view of weaning from Russian fossil fuels. On the ground, Ukraine’s transition to distributed renewables already rhymes with resilience against the aggressor.

Paul Hockenos

Green Hydrogen: The Future of the Global Energy Transition?

Explainer

What is green hydrogen, and how is it produced? How can it decarbonize industries and transportation? What are its main challenges? How does it compare to blue hydrogen? What impact will it have on the energy transition?

Karin Jensen

The social impact of energy communities: ten benefits they bring

LISTICLE

Energy communities are a collaborative model that constitutes the perfect vessel for directly involving citizens and local communities in renewable energy facilities. As energy communities can have a strong social impact, they play an important role in society - beyond clean energy production. Here are ten examples of economic, social and environmental benefits of energy communities!

Óscar Güell Elías

The climate crisis and the war in Ukraine's common denominator: fossil fuels dependence

Commentary

The consequences of the war in Ukraine are palpable even in Bratislava, over a thousand kilometres from the border. Ukrainian is heard more often on the streets, cars with Ukrainian number plates are appearing on the roads, the windows of shops and apartments are festooned with Ukrainian flags, and the city is alive with marches and initiatives in support of Ukraine. The only thing that has remained unaffected is the flow of oil and gas from Russia to Slovakia, and our payments for it.

Dorota Osvaldová

Away from Russian gas: Germany and Europe must swap their dependencies on fossil fuels for green energy partnerships

Analysis

As Germany moves away from Russian energy imports, new dependencies on fossil energies must be avoided. The potential alternative from energy-saving, renewables and European cooperation offers excellent opportunities in the short, medium and long terms. But this will require new, green energy partnerships built on a new foundation of values.

Sascha Müller-Kraenner, Constantin Zerger

Energy Union – What’s Best for Poland and Europe? - Expert Conference Summary Report

Energy security was the underlying idea behind the Energy Union which originally merely sought to reduce dependence on natural gas supplies from Russia. Over time, however, the Energy Union gradually evolved to become a way to boost European competitiveness, provide an impulse for innovation, contribute to climate policy, as well as ensure sustainable socio-economic modernisation. Energy was the foundation of the European Community – will Energy Union emerge as a driver of European cooperation in the spirit of solidarity, strengthening the European Union as a whole?

Katarzyna Ugryn

Power market integration and renewable energy sources should be at the heart of Energy Union

The Baltic Sea region can be the role model for the rest of Europe and provide an example of how to deliver a truly regional renewable energy onto the power market. This is what the was agreed among the participants of the policy breakfast organised in the European Parliament on the 1st December following the publication of the European Commission’s winter package.

All articles

Publications

Water Atlas 2025

The English edition of the Water Atlas, published by Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, presents the complexity and urgency of global water issues in a visually compelling, accessible format. It provides facts, trends, case studies, and political context to inform public discourse and shape policy. From the unequal distribution of water and industrial pollution to climate-linked water insecurity and geopolitical tensions, the Atlas aims to sharpen understanding and support action toward more sustainable and equitable water governance.

Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung

Energy Communities and the Legacy of Post-Socialism

The energy and climate crisis is real, and the big fossil fuel companies are dictating the rules of the game. Global warming and Russia's aggression in Ukraine have accelerated the search for safer, cheaper, and greener energy. One option is energy provided by energy communities. In post-communist countries, however, cooperatives have a distinctly negative connotation. The belief that energy should come from big government agencies or fossil fuel companies has created a perception that energy prices are beyond our control. But is this statement true? We explore this and many other questions in the following report.

Bartłomiej Kupiec, Julia Potrzebowska, Ervin Kaçiu

The 100% Renewable Energy Action Plan for the European Commission 2024-2029

Policy recommendations

The climate crisis and energy price explosion have made it clear: the EU cannot afford its dependency on fossil fuels anymore. How to deal with these enormous challenges? Our 100% Renewable Action Plan for the European Commission 2024-2029 describes what needs to happen to harvest the benefits of renewables.

Julian Schwartzkopff