With companies in the UK (Cuadrilla Resources, Third Energy) getting ready to frack for shale gas, the debate over whether this can be done safely has once again flared up. According to Professor Richard Davies of Newcastle University it is possible to manage and reduce risks, but it is an illusion to believe fracking can ever be completely safe. Courtesy The Conversation. … [Read more...]
Archives for July 2017
Startup spotters Freerk Bisschop (Rockstart) and Evert Jaap Lugt (Yes!Delft): “Smart meters are already obsolete”
Freerk Bisschop, Director Smart Energy at Rockstart, and Evert Jaap Lugt, Managing Director at Yes!Delft, talk about what they look for in contenders for the New Energy Challenge â and for their own startup programs. They also spotlight some of the trends going on in energy innovation and call on established industry and policymakers to get more involved with startups. âEverything is changing so fast. Things like smart meters are already based on … [Read more...]
The surprising New Energy side of Shell
âWith Shell Technology Ventures we position ourselves strategically in many places, so that we can experience first-hand where the energy ecosystem is going, and create options for the futureâ. An interview with Geert van de Wouw, Managing Director of Shellâs venture capital unit, part of the companyâs New Energies division, shows the fascinating new side of the old oil company. Quietly, Shell is getting ready to become a major player in a wide … [Read more...]
Can renewables avoid the fate of nuclear power?
Not so long ago, nuclear power was seen as âthe new energyâ that would drown the world in cheap electricity. It didnât turn out that way. Now the same promise is made for renewables. Andreas de Vries looks at went wrong in the nuclear case and warns that the renewables sector could be in for a disappointment if it does not avoid making the same mistakes. … [Read more...]
Is energy âdominanceâ the right goal for U.S. policy?
In recent weeks, a new energy buzzword has taken flight from Washington, D.C., making stops in Alaska, North Dakota, Texas, Utah and more: âAmerican energy dominance.â But according to Daniel Raimi, senior research associate at the University of Michigan, this goal is unrealistic and it distracts from the goals that should be shaping U.S. energy policy. Courtesy The Conversation. … [Read more...]
Is the U.S. close to achieving energy dominance?
If you hadnât heard, the Trump Administration declared last week to be âEnergy Weekâ, a week during which the President and his senior officials were focusing on the theme of âU.S. Energy Dominance.â Not âenergy independenceâ or âenergy securityâ, both themes past presidential administrations have focused upon. David Blackmon looks at what this means. Article courtesy Oilprice.com. … [Read more...]