The big question in the energy sector today is whether the world will move to a zero-carbon policy in which fossil fuels have no place, or a world in which natural gas is part of the solution, says Robert Johnston, CEO of US-based consulting firm Eurasia Group, in an interview with World Energy Focus. Johnston advises companies to “take a seat at the policy table and advocate for gas” to counter “growing demands to exclude natural gas”. … [Read more...]
Archives for February 2016
Corporate interest in green energy requires new thinking from electric utilities
Corporate America is going green, writes Dennis Wamsted. Electricity companies had better take notice: they can offer their customers what they ask for - or watch them contract for it on their own. … [Read more...]
Europe’s energy investment crisis: “the EU energy market needs a makeover”
Europe’s electricity market, which has some of the highest renewable energy shares in the world, is suffering from a profound investment crisis. Sonja van Renssen spoke with top experts from government, business and academia about the causes and possible solutions. Conclusion: “tinkering around the edges” won’t do - “a complete makeover” of Europe’s market design is needed. Courtesy of World Energy Focus. … [Read more...]
What comes after solar PV? BIPV
The time of ugly solar panels is over. Make way for building-integrated photovoltaics. Fereidoon Sioshansi, president of Menlo Energy Economics and publisher of the newsletter EEnergy Informer, notes that BIPV not only look stunningly better, they also reduce costs. They can even lead to energy-producing buildings. … [Read more...]
Four trends to watch in US renewable energy finance in the US
Dan Scripps of Advanced Energy Perspectives, describes the four major trends taking place in renewable energy finance in the US. Green Banks are scaling up, Yieldcos are shaping, green philanthropy is on the rise and energy efficiency investments are picking up. … [Read more...]
Why the next generation of nuclear energy technology innovation won’t be like the last one
Changes are taking place in the industrial world that will shape the future of the nuclear industry. The US nuclear industry is in many ways still rooted in the past, writes Dan Yurman on his blog Neutron Bytes. He discusses a number of ways in which the industry could connect up to what is called “the Fourth Industrial Revolution”. … [Read more...]
viEUws video: Brussels Briefing on Energy for February 2016
In this latest Brussels Briefing on Energy, journalist Hughes Belin introduces the European Commission's "winter package" on energy security. This is the first real test of the European Energy Union. He describes two sensitive legislative proposals to give the Commission more scrutiny powers over intergovernmental agreements on energy and to improve gas security of supply through more reverse flows, a regional approach and a new solidarity … [Read more...]
Biofuels are back on the EU agenda
Biofuels are returning to the political agenda in Europe as EU policymakers start to shape a strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transport after 2020. Biofuels producers continue to argue that they are an essential part of the solution, even as the low oil price puts an end to several cutting-edge projects, the European Commission prepares to publish a new report about indirect land-use change (ILUC) and some stakeholders urge a … [Read more...]
EU insists energy security is about more than gas
“When it comes to energy security in the long term, there is no better antidote than focusing on sustainable energy,” said EU Climate and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete at the launch of a new EU energy security master plan in Brussels on 16 February. The Commission defended its proposals – which focus on safeguarding gas supplies – as an aid to moving Europe along to a low-carbon economy as well as preparing it for possible supply … [Read more...]
High time for a Western oil strategy
This is an ideal time for Western governments to put in place a strategy to ensure that oil will no longer lead us into war, writes Frank Vogl, co-founder of Transparency International. But a “Clean Trade Act” as advocated by Leif Weinar in his impressive new book on oil dictatorships won’t work. Better to proceed on a case-by-case basis. Courtesy The Globalist. … [Read more...]
How Russia can make Nord Stream-2 acceptable to the EU
The financial viability of Gazprom’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline may be threatened if the EU imposes restrictions on its use, as many EU Member States advocate. According to Danila Bochkarev, Senior Fellow, EastWest Institute in Brussels, the Russian government could circumvent this hurdle if it allows independent Russia gas producers, such as Novatek and Rosneft, to use 50% of its capacity. Such a move, not unlikely, could usher in a new Russian gas … [Read more...]
A health check for the oil majors: not dead yet
Market watchers are announcing the demise of the oil majors. Not for the first time. According to Jilles van den Beukel, former geoscientist with Shell, the oil companies are indeed seeing their world shrinking. But they are not dead yet: their reason for being – the world’s demand for oil and gas – is still there. … [Read more...]
The moral case for fossil fuels? Let them eat solar panels!
In the wake of the Paris climate accord, there has been much discussion of the so-called ‘moral case’ for fossil fuels, particularly in countries such as India. But according to professor John Mathews of Macquarie University in Australia, rolling out renewable energy in developing countries should be the real legacy of the Paris climate agreement. Renewables offer them the best chance to break into manufacturing value chains. … [Read more...]
Behavioural change could deliver half of industry energy saving potential
Expert studies show that there is still vast untapped energy efficiency potential of up to 25% in European heavy industry. Moreover around half of that, or 10-15%, could be delivered through behavioural change at zero capital cost. So far, the EU has mandated energy audits for large companies, but not application of their results. Energy Post looks at how a new heating and cooling strategy due on 16 February and a review of the EU’s energy … [Read more...]
How far can renewables go? Pretty darn far
This is part 4 of a series looking at the economic trends of new energy technologies by the famous author and thinker Ramez Naam. Part 1 looked at how cheap solar can get (very cheap indeed). Part 2 looked at the declining cost and rising reliability of wind power. Part 3 looked at how cheap energy storage can get (pretty darn cheap). Now Naam discusses how far renewables can go. … [Read more...]