Ciarán Sunderland

Energy ministers prepare to give the grids package a political jolt - Contexte Brussels wants to integrate the EU power network — but its proposals require national operators to cede money and power. A 16 March Energy Council will show whether capitals can really get behind the ...

"Surrendering money is just as hard as surrendering power."

My state of play for @contexte.com on the Grids Package ahead of Monday's energy council.

www.contexte.com/eu/article/e...

a wooden puppet is pointing at someone with the words " i wouldn 't lie to you " above him ALT: a wooden puppet is pointing at someone with the words " i wouldn 't lie to you " above him

EDF dément réduire ses investissements dans l’hydroélectricité www.contexte.com/fr/actualite...

Extrait du non-paper belge que publie Contexte. "his non-paper outlines our concern regarding the implementation of the Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO) targets for industry under the Renewable Energy Directive III (REDIII). We propose a pragmatic and climate-effective approach to support the decarbonization of Europe’s energy-intensive industries while safeguarding industrial competitiveness. This concern is not isolated: it mirrors structural and geographic realities across the European Union. Our joint climate ambitions require deep decarbonization of industrial processes, especially in sectors such as steel, chemicals, refining, and basic materials while at the same time Europe’s competitiveness is at stake. Context In order to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, REDIII requires Member States to reach 42% renewable hydrogen (RFNBO) use in industry by 2030 and 60% by 2035. These targets underscore the central role that green hydrogen is expected to play in the Union’s decarbonisation pathway. While the efforts of early movers in renewable hydrogen are laudable, these targets present disproportionate challenges for countries where renewable resources (solar and wind) are structurally limited and local production of green hydrogen is currently uncompetitive. In addition, import of renewable... "

Document - Cinq États appellent à davantage prendre en compte l’hydrogène bas carbone dans les objectifs de la directive RED III www.contexte.com/fr/actualite...

Briefing of Thursday, 5 February 2026 - Contexte Deep information.

In today’s Context energy briefing:
💰Leaked EU draft calls to slash electricity taxes
✋EU climate chief responds to free allowance rumours
🇩🇪 Made in Europe, Berlin-style

www.contexte.com/briefing/202...

Briefing of Tuesday, 10 February 2026 - Contexte Deep information.

In today's Contexte energy briefing:
🌍 International credits for climate goals
🔅 Brussels kicks off its work on post-2030
🏛️ State utilities protest procurement burden
www.contexte.com/briefing/202...

Briefing of Tuesday, 27 January 2026 - Contexte Deep information.

In the Contexte energy briefing today:
🇺🇸 What's next for the EU-US energy deal?
☢️ The EU's Soviet-era nuclear reactors switch fuel
🌊 North Sea Summit pledges 15GW of yearly offshore wind
www.contexte.com/briefing/202...

L’avenir incertain des relations énergétiques transatlantiques - Contexte Depuis quelques mois, Donald Trump multiplie les menaces à l’encontre de l’UE et ne cesse de critiquer sa politique énergétique. À Bruxelles, où l’on vient de troquer le gaz russe pour le GNL américai...

À Bruxelles, où l’on vient de troquer le gaz 🇷🇺 pour le GNL 🇺🇸, l’inquiétude grandit quant au risque d’une nouvelle dépendance à un partenaire peu fiable.

✍️ @sunderjourno.bsky.social, adapté par Anna Martino

www.contexte.com/fr/article/e...

What’s next for the EU-US energy deal - Contexte After a painful breakup with Russia, Brussels is pivoting to a new energy partner. As transatlantic trade and security tensions mount, some see the rebound to US LNG as a source of stability — but the...

🇺🇸 🇪🇺 In the Trump era, is there stability in the energy relationship with the United States, and are all dependences the same?

www.contexte.com/eu/article/e...

What’s next for the EU-US energy deal - Contexte After a painful breakup with Russia, Brussels is pivoting to a new energy partner. As transatlantic trade and security tensions mount, some see the rebound to US LNG as a source of stability — but the...

What’s next for the EU-US energy deal - via @sunderjourno.bsky.social

www.contexte.com/eu/article/e...

What’s next for the EU-US energy deal - Contexte After a painful breakup with Russia, Brussels is pivoting to a new energy partner. As transatlantic trade and security tensions mount, some see the rebound to US LNG as a source of stability — but the...

🇺🇸 🇪🇺 In the Trump era, is there stability in the energy relationship with the United States, and are all dependences the same?

www.contexte.com/eu/article/e...

Présidence de RTE, le risque du « fait du prince »

Présidence de RTE, le risque du « fait du prince »

✍️ Thomas Chemel

1,000 shades of European preference

1,000 shades of European preference

✍️ Benjamin Milkoff

🇵🇹 Portugal has started voting in the first round of a presidential election in which a far-right candidate could for the first time make it to a run-off, but with the final result hard to call.
➡️ u.afp.com/SBoN

I don’t think people realise how awful it is in Ukraine right now. Yesterday my friend posted how it’s -9 and because of the power cuts - due to Russian attacks - she has no heating. This is in Kyiv. And this is the day after a mass missile & drone strike killed four people.

Quiz - Jouez à Bioguess, le cadeau de Noël de Contexte

Quiz - Jouez à Bioguess, le cadeau de Noël de Contexte

✍️ Yann Guégan

🇷🇺While waiting on the final trilogue of the Russian gas ban, I thought I would share the latest Belgian insult to Italian cuisine.

After the Brothers of Italy carbonara crusade in the European Parliament, I hope they don't see what's on sale in Schuman metro station 🍝

Brussels in shock as ex-EU diplomat Mogherini arrested in tender-rigging probe | Euractiv Authorities make arrests in Brussels and Bruges in the latest scandal to engulf the EU

Huge news in Brussels today. Predecessor to Kallas & Borrell + one of the top EU power brokers detained

Belgian police arrested the EU’s former top diplomat Federica Mogherini and senior Commission official Stefano Sannino as part a sweeping fraud investigation

www.euractiv.com/news/exclusi...

🇷🇺While waiting on the final trilogue of the Russian gas ban, I thought I would share the latest Belgian insult to Italian cuisine.

After the Brothers of Italy carbonara crusade in the European Parliament, I hope they don't see what's on sale in Schuman metro station 🍝

⚛️ Nuclear ⚛️ The EU SMR Alliance has “suspended” US member "Project Quantum" (Last Energy) from its list of 9 supported projects.
Some MEPs had questioned the presence of non-EU candidates. US NuScale remains on the list.
webgate.ec.europa.eu/circabc-ewpp...

COP30: A disappointing summit for the EU - Contexte Brussels clearly didn’t get what it wanted from the COP30 summit in Brazil, which ended on 22 November with a bare-bones deal that fails to raise climate ambitions. In the inevitable postmortem, obser...

Two bangers published today by @energy.contexte.com:

🇧🇷 COP30: A post mortem of a disappointing summit. @genicotd.bsky.social & @vrg.bsky.social, from Belém, unpick why the EU — diverted by internal squabbles and colliding with a BRIC wall — failed to deliver.

www.contexte.com/eu/article/e...

Christmas come early: What’s in the EU’s grids package - Contexte A December package of measures to boost European energy networks is generating considerable excitement in the Brussels bubble. Contexte breaks down what to expect — including proposals for faster grid...

🎄 What's in the EU's grid reforms?

Energy stakeholders hope the surprise package, festively due on 10 December, will include better planning, an end to connection queues ... and not too much coal.

@sunderjourno.bsky.social & @mariettethom.bsky.social explain all

www.contexte.com/eu/article/e...

❗ Scoop — Commission calls to scrap first-come, first-served principle for grid connections in bid to cut queues

🕵‍♀️ Contexte published a draft European Commission notice on electricity grid connections, intended as part of a forthcoming European Grids Package.

Protests are starting to grow among parts of the steel industry towards the Industrial Accelerator Act.

More in Contexte ⤵️

lnkd.in/eJ4Wcih4

Russian gas ban: What MEPs and member states agree on, and what they don’t - Contexte A June Commission proposal to outlaw EU imports of Russian gas is designed to stop funding Moscow’s war machine and cut dependence on an unreliable supplier. It’s received broad support from MEPs and ...

The EU is close to agreeing an ambitious plan to ban all Russian gas imports within years.

Close - but not quite.

@sunderjourno.bsky.social unpicks what’s left to debate, in lightning talks over the next few weeks:
www.contexte.com/eu/article/e...

Document - Émissions des voitures : la France et l’Espagne prennent fait et cause pour le « zéro émission » en 2035

Document - Émissions des voitures : la France et l’Espagne prennent fait et cause pour le « zéro émission » en 2035

✍️ Benjamin Milkoff et Isabelle Smets

Brussels fights to save its 2040 climate targets, as capitals push back

Brussels fights to save its 2040 climate targets, as capitals push back

✍️ Damien Genicot

Brussels fights to save its 2040 climate targets, as capitals push back - Contexte First seen as a mere staging post on the path to climate neutrality, the EU’s objective to legislate for 90% emissions cuts by 2040 has now become a major political headache. Pushback from member stat...

EU leaders gather in Brussels today to discuss the bloc's climate goals.

@genicotd.bsky.social lifts the lid on talks that will range from cars to nuclear.

No paywall, it's as free as ETS allowances in sectors subject to carbon leakage: www.contexte.com/eu/article/e...

a black and white photo of a man holding a microphone and saying " i 'm very very " ALT: a black and white photo of a man holding a microphone and saying " i 'm very very "

Les prix de l’énergie préoccupent toujours les Vingt-Sept www.contexte.com/fr/actualite...

a man is taking a picture of himself with a cell phone and the words `` guess who 's back ... back again '' . ALT: a man is taking a picture of himself with a cell phone and the words `` guess who 's back ... back again '' .

Le retour de la Crim pour liquider le VNU www.contexte.com/fr/actualite...

Today EU energy ministers backed the Russian gas ban in Luxembourg.

Two weeks ago, @energy.contexte.com reporting on the REPowerEU prohibition set out the positions of the most influential and active EU member states.

Check it out 👀