Dynamics of EU Renewable Energy Policy Integration

Description

This book provides a comprehensive account of EU's renewable energy policy development as it traces the agenda-shaping, policy formulation and decision-making phases of the EU's secondary legislation on renewable energy – that is the three successive directives of 2001 (RES-E), 2009 (RED), and 2018 (RED II). It also explores the EU's energy policymaking dynamics and assess integration outcomes of these three policymaking instances in the renewable energy field from a comparative perspective. Enriched with elite interviews with the Brussels policy community, and drawing on European integration and public policy literature, the proposed book will resonate with and offer relevant insights to students, scholars, stakeholders, and policymakers interested in EU energy policy, in particular, and European integration, in general. Preface and Acknowledgments Contents Abbreviations 1 Introduction: EU Renewable Energy Policy in Context 1.1 Book’s Purpose and Contribution 1.2 EU Renewable Energy Policy in Context: Historical and Institutional Background 1.3 Book Outline References 2 Analytical Framework 2.1 Reconceptualizing European Integration: Vertical and Horizontal Integration 2.2 3-D of European Integration: Structure, Agency, Contingency 2.3 Causal Paths to European Integration 2.3.1 Liberal Intergovernmental Path to Integration Outcome: Convergence of Preferences and a Lowest-Common-Denominator Outcome 2.3.2 Supranational Path to Integration Outcome: Supranational Entrepreneurship, Transnational Interests, and Existing EU Rules 2.3.3 Punctuated Equilibrium Path to Policy Outcomes: Integration as a “Window of Opportunity” Outcome 2.4 A Few Methodological Remarks References 3 EU Energy Policymaking: Actors and Processes 3.1 Overview of Actors and Processes 3.2 Convergence of Preferences Among Key Member States 3.3 European Commission’s Supranational Entrepreneurship 3.4 Transnational Interest Groups 3.5 Domain Specific Rules and Legal Basis 3.6 External Shocks References 4 The Emergence of EU Renewable Energy Policy: Unpacking Policymaking Dynamics of RES-E Directive 4.1 First Steps Towards EU Renewable Energy Policy 4.2 The European Commission as a Supranational Policy Entrepreneur 4.2.1 Setting an Agenda: Problem Definition and Policy Initiation 4.2.2 Formulating the Proposal: Not So Ambitious? 4.2.3 Mediating Negotiations: Framing Strategy and Mobilization of Stakeholders 4.3 Where Did Preferences of Key Member States Lie? 4.3.1 Domestic Context for Renewable Energy in Germany 4.3.2 Domestic Context for Renewable Energy in the UK 4.3.3 Domestic Context for Renewable Energy in France 4.3.4 The Convergence of Positions on Renewable Energy Targets and Support Schemes 4.4 Transnational Interest Groups Consolidate, or not? 4.4.1 Emergence of the Renewable Energy Industry 4.4.2 The Conventional Energy Sector 4.5 Rules: The Importance of Legal Basis and Pre-Existing Rules 4.5.1 Legal Basis 4.6 External Contingencies: Kyoto Protocol and Energy Dependence in the Rear Mirror 4.7 RES-E: A Successful Instance of Integration? 4.7.1 Vertical Integration 4.7.2 Horizontal Integration References 5 Consolidation of EU Renewable Energy Policy: Renewable Energy Directive (RED) 5.1 Post-RES-E Challenges and Ambitions 5.2 The European Commission as a Supranational Policy Entrepreneur 5.2.1 Shaping the Agenda: The Issue of Binding Targets 5.2.2 Formulating the Proposal: Ambitions Compromised Again? 5.2.3 Mediating Negotiations: Framing Battles 5.3 Towards the Convergence of Member State Preferences 5.3.1 Domestic Context and Germany’s Position on RED 5.3.2 Domestic Context and the UK’s Position on RED 5.3.3 Domestic Context and France’s Position on RED 5.3.4 Domestic Context and Poland’s Position on RED 5.3.5 The Convergence of Preferences/Positions on Renewable Energy Targets and Support Schemes 5.4 The Story of Transnational Interest Consolidation 5.4.1 Consolidation of the Renewable Energy Industry 5.4.2 The Conventional Energy Sector: Lacking Unity 5.5 Rules: The Importance of Legal Basis and Pre-Existing Domain-Specific Rules 5.5.1 Legal Basis 5.5.2 Pre-Existing Domain-Specific Rules 5.6 External Contingencies: After the Gas Dispute, Awaiting the Copenhagen Conference 5.6.1 Looking Forward to the Copenhagen Climate Talks 5.6.2 In the Wake of the Gas Dispute and Energy Supply Concerns 5.7 RED: Binding Ends, Flexible Means 5.7.1 Vertical Integration 5.7.2 Horizontal Integration References 6 Shaping EU Renewable Energy Policy Beyond 2020: REDII 6.1 Post-RED Challenges and Ambitions 6.2 The European Commission as a Supranational Policy Entrepreneur 6.2.1 Shaping the Agenda: The 2030 Framework for Climate and Energy Policy and the Issue of Targets 6.2.2 The Commission’s Indirect Approach to Harmonization of Support Schemes 6.2.3 Formulating the REDII Proposal 6.2.4 Negotiation Phase: Commission’s Framing and Mediation Strategies 6.2.5 Introducing Governance System in Energy Union: In Search of Harder Soft Governance 6.3 Preferences of Key Member States, Converging or Not? 6.3.1 Domestic Context and Germany’s Position on REDII 6.3.2 Domestic Context and the UK’s Position on REDII 6.3.3 Domestic Context and France’s Position on REDII 6.3.4 Domestic Context and Poland’s Position on REDII 6.3.5 Convergence of Preferences/Positions on REDII Targets and Support Schemes 6.4 What Happened to Transnational Interest Groups? 6.4.1 Energy Intensive Industries 6.4.2 Lack of Consolidation in RES Industry 6.4.3 Conventional Energy Sector 6.5 Rules: Legal Basis for the REDII and Pre-existing Domain-Specific Rules 6.5.1 Legal Basis 6.5.2 Pre-existing Domain-Specific Rules 6.6 External Contingencies: Paris Agreement, Financial Crisis and Crisis in Ukraine 6.6.1 Looking Forward to Paris Agreement 6.6.2 Financial Crisis in the Rear Mirror 6.6.3 The Crisis in Ukraine 6.7 REDII: Taking Stock of Renewable Energy Policy Integration 6.7.1 Vertical Integration 6.7.2 Horizontal Integration References 7 Dynamics of EU Energy Policy Integration: Insights from EU’s Renewable Energy Policy 7.1 Taking Stock of EU Renewable Energy Policymaking: RES-E, RED, and REDII in Comparative Perspective 7.2 Causal Path to Renewable Energy Policy Integration: Structure, Agency, Contingency 7.3 Looking Ahead: Insights for Scholars and Policymakers References Appendix List of Interviews Index