The UNECOM (Unbundling of Energy Companies) European research project was launched in 2007 by Jacobs University in Bremen, the Wirtschafts Universität in Vienna, the Ruhr-Universität in Bochum, Tilburg University and TU Delft. Next Generation Infrastructures is one of the four sponsors of the project, the aim of which is to study the effects of unbundling and the interrelations between them from as many different angles as possible. Microeconomists, business economists, legal experts and engineers are therefore coming together to find out whether the benefits of unbundling outweigh the costs and what approaches will and will not work.
The researchers have dozens of publications, articles and presentations to their credit. Workshops and seminars are organised for scientists, policy-makers and, of course, the energy sector, to enable people to meet and hold discussions. There is plenty of subject matter to discuss, as the studies show that by no means all the statutory measures are having the desired effect.
The German-Dutch-Austrian UNECOM study is not only concerned with the theoretical basis for unbundling policy; it also aims to identify the actual effects of unbundling. We shall not be able to measure the total effect on the European market until unbundling is a fait accompli in all the European countries.
By unbundling energy companies the European Union aims to take the next step in the liberalisation of the European energy market, so as to promote competition, secure energy supplies and encourage investment in infrastructure. The EU is in favour of separating the network completely from the generation and sale of energy, enabling suppliers to compete in the latter category.
Information on the study and the results can be found at www.unecom.de or pay a visit to the PhD defense of Eckart Ehlers.
