12 May 2015: G7 energy ministers and their representatives, as well as European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Cañete, convened to discuss ways to enhance sustainable energy security, including through energy efficiency, renewable energy and innovative technologies. Arias Cañete stressed the importance of a stable and predictable policy framework in this regard. The meeting took place from 11-12 May 2015 in Hamburg, Germany.

Ministers and the Commissioner also discussed Ukraine, underscoring that energy disputes should be solved through dialogue, transparency and cooperation. Ministers agreed that renewable energy, energy efficiency and domestically-produced energy ensure that energy systems are more resistant to the risk that energy resources can be used as a political tool.

At the conclusion of the conference, ministers agreed to the ‘G7 Hamburg Initiative for Sustainable Energy Security,’ which aims to strengthen collective energy security and further initiatives to improve sustainable energy security, taking into account recent market developments.

The communiqué identifies a number of areas for joint action, including: secure energy systems, particularly related to transparent, liquid and competitive gas markets; energy security and resilience; and cybersecurity of the energy sector. It also includes sections on: supporting the most vulnerable countries, including Ukraine; energy efficiency; and energy resources and innovative energy technologies.

The initiative calls on the International Energy Agency (IEA) to build on its work, in collaboration with the EC and others, by providing advice on options to strengthen the resilience and flexibility of gas markets, including aspects of emergency response, contractual agreements, gas storage facilities, indigenous gas resources and infrastructure projects. Ministers also agreed to continue exchanging and working on energy vulnerability assessments, particularly regarding the security of supply in the electricity sector and its interdependencies, including cross-border flows, acceptable risk levels for supply interruptions, demand response and infrastructure. Furthermore, they requested IEA in cooperation with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to evaluate the most effective options to ensure electricity security, including through increasing system flexibility to integrate variable generation.

Ministers also committed to work to improve cybersecurity of the energy sector, including through clarifying definitions and methodologies for identifying cyber threats, promoting best practices, and investing in cybersecurity capabilities and capacity.

Furthermore, they agreed to: conduct an analysis of main energy efficiency measures and their implementation in G7 countries; and consider establishing energy-related product databases that enhance transparency in product energy efficiency.

Finally, the document highlights the commitment to: work with each other and with other like-minded countries to increase the transparency of global spending on clean energy research, development and demonstration; and to further reduce costs of offshore wind energy by exchanging best practices among relevant initiatives. [EC News Story] [G7 Hamburg Initiative for Sustainable Energy Security]