The ‘Groninger’ Summer School on Regulating Sustainable Energy Markets

From 23 to 26 August 2011, the Honours-college of the University of Groningen and the Groningen Centre of Energy Law (prof. dr. Martha Roggenkamp) hosted and co-organized, in cooperation with the George Washington University Law School (prof. Lee Paddock) and the Law school Fundação Getulio Vargas in Rio de Janeiro (prof. Rômulo Sampaio), the first edition of the summer school on Regulating Sustainable Energy Markets in Groningen.

Six honours students of the University of Groningen participated in the programme together with six students from the George Washington University and five students from Law school Fundação Getulio Vargas in Rio de Janeiro.

The summer school introduced relevant topics relating to the regulation of sustainable energy markets, including an introduction to Energy law, greenhouse gas emissions trading, the use of biofuels and, finally, carbon capture and storage (‘CCS’). In the mornings there were lectures, as far as possible in a comparative perspective, provided by professors from the universities involved as well as guest lecturers. How regulation affects practice was illustrated by way of field trips that took place in the afternoon. The participants visited the KEMA Smart Grid Test Centre, the headoffice of NAM (Dutch Oil & Gas Company) in Assen, the construction site of RWE/Essent’s new power plant in the Eemshaven and NAM’s Underground Gas Storage in Norg.

At the end of the week the students were divided in three teams involving students from each university. Each team will be involved in a separate research project: emissions trading, carbon capture and storage or biofuels. The final result of their research will be presented at a joint meeting in Washington DC in May 2012.

All participants, students and staff, had a great time in Groningen. The Dutch students enjoyed the role as hosts and showed the foreign students around town during the evenings. New cross-border friendships were created and students are looking forward to start working on their joint research projects.

See also the website of the George Washington University.