Carbon prices, Die Grüne & PPA investment: Energy Transition Weekly

You don’t need to look far to see the effects of the energy transition in Europe today.  

Today’s results from the German election – where the Green party made major gains and looks set to play a significant role in a governing coalition – show that decarbonisation has moved from the footnotes to the front pages of party manifestos.  

While exactly what role Die Grüne will play in any coalition – or the impact they will have on policy – remains to be seen, but the fact that the election was fought in the shadow of a landmark court decision on Germany’s emission targets shows how the landscape has changed. 

At the same time, we’ve seen record after record broken for European carbon prices, after a summer that saw the unveiling of the EU’s Fit for 55 legislation and record levels of renewable production. PPA volumes have increased to record levels, as major players continue to shift their investment towards renewable energy.   

If prior to 2021, it wasn’t clear that Europe’s Energy Transition was well underway, it’s undeniable at this stage. There will be challenges – a summer of high, volatile prices has got consumers and politicians understandably worried – but the energy transition seems unlikely to reverse itself at this stage.  

When Montel introduced the Energy Transition Weekly newsletter earlier this year, it was with exactly this in mind. Actors across the market needed a summary of the week’s events that focused on what mattered, whilst providing exclusive insights and commentary on major developments. “This is aimed at those readers who want an overview of everything that is happening in the environmental markets,” says Snjólfur Richard Sverrisson, Montel’s Editor-in-Chief. 

But this isn’t new territory for Montel either, he adds. “We've been reporting on carbon ever since the carbon market started in 2004-5. We've been reporting on guarantees of origin, right from the get-go really.” The aim, Richard says, was to focus existing resources and reporting: in particular with regards to PPAs and GOs, which he thinks will drive renewable growth in years to come.  
 
Laurence Walker, who edits ETW, adds that the aim of the newsletter is not to just cut-and-paste report press releases or existing news stories, but to act as an intelligent and considered review of what matters to Montel’s readership. Rather than publishing ‘greenwash’ or ‘renewable propaganda’, "It’s trying to take on board what's happening and what the impacts are on the markets now and in the near future,” he says. Accessibility and readability are his watchwords when putting together newsletter, which also contains exclusive content for subscribers, from interviews to weekly market commentaries and summaries.  

And even better, it’s available free for the first three weeks. We’ve introduced a dedicated webpage where you can find out more and register. It's never been a better time to start your trial.

Head to the Energy Transition Weekly page to start now!