A Regional Strategy for Energy Efficiency — with special reference to the Co-Operation between Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein

Abstract

Although the project of a single European Market is strongly and controversially debated cross-border co-operation is still a fledgling. Although the European utilities all feed into the trans-european grid the EEC-member-states have not yet established regional policymaking processes which would enable them to steer the co-operation. There is a wide gap between the proposals of the Commission in Brussels and the “alternative” concept of ‘Think global, act local”. There is another gap between the socio-technical systems -connected by one grid — concerning the way and means by which to incorporate “externalities”. The Governments of Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein are set for bridging these gaps. They have started various projects under the guidance of an agreement by the respective Ministers for energy, Jens Bilgrav-Nielsen and Günther Jansen. It is supposed to be a bridge between two energy systems, which could hardly be more different: Denmark has opted against nuclear power whereas Schleswig-Holstein is heavily (up to 80%) relying on electricity generated in three nuclear plants but is set for phasing out nuclear energy within two legislative terms.