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Study on energy prices and costs for the European Commission

The project

Enerdata – in partnership with Trinomics, Cambridge Econometrics and Ludwig Bölkow Systemtechnik – was selected by the Directorate-General for Energy (DG ENER) of the European Commission to perform a study on energy prices, costs, and subsidies in Europe.

The study aimed to evaluate the role of competition in the formation of wholesale and retail prices, assess the impact of energy bills on household budgets, and analyse the competitiveness of European industries and power generation in the global market. The project was conducted over several years to capitalise upon results and deepen the analysis.

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Strategic stakes 

Responsible for the EU’s energy policy, DG ENER strives to guarantee secure, sustainable, and competitively priced energy in Europe.

To shape efficient policies, DG ENER sought to gather a better understanding of the key factors affecting the cost of energy, and how they influence investments in the energy sector as well as industrial competitiveness (especially in energy-intensive industries). In addition, DG ENER intended to assess the externalities borne by society that are not included in the market cost of energy. Finally, another objective was to comprehend how energy costs and prices can be used as tools to curb wasteful consumption and steer the energy transition.

The objective of the study was not only for internal purposes – supporting DG ENER’s analysis for policy and regulatory purposes – but also to increase public transparency on energy prices and costs, and support European market integration.