Greenhouse gas emission benchmarks are widely implemented as a policy tool, as more countries move to implement carbon pricing mechanisms for industrial emissions. In particular, benchmarks are used to determine the level of free allowance allocation in emission trading schemes, which are distributed as a measure to prevent carbon leakage.

Basic materials such as steel, cement or aluminium are important inputs to our economies. However their production is responsible for the dominant share of industrial emissions and 16% of European greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).

This report assesses how production and emission volumes, energy and CO2 efficiency and competitiveness of companies in the Energy Intensive Industries have evolved prior and during the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS).

The paper assesses the demand for rural electricity services and contrasts it with the technology options available for rural electrification. Decentralised Distributed Generation can be economically viable as reflected by case studies reported in