
Updated NDCs: World committing to 0.5% emissions cuts by 2030. It should be 45%
IEA’s “accelerated case” becoming the norm? Global Wind + Solar to overtake Gas and Coal by 2024
17 GtCO2 avoided, $5tn saved: Rising U.S. car fuel efficiency since 1975
China’s Solar Paradox: why invest today when prices keep dropping?
Wind power predictions doubled by factoring in far-future design improvements
The latest national climate pledges, submitted over the new year, show that the world is nowhere near meeting our emissions reductions goals. Analysis of the 48 updated “nationally determined contributions” (NDCs) submitted so far (everyone must submit by the end of this year), covering nations responsible for 29% of global emissions, shows we will have 0.5% lower emissions in 2030 compared to 2010. That’s way off the target 45% reduction needed. … [Read more...]
The IEA’s 2019 “accelerated case” for renewables is turning into this year’s “main case”. It predicts that Wind and Solar capacity combined will overtake both Gas and Coal globally by 2024. Josh Gabbatiss at Carbon Brief summarises the IEA’s Renewables 2020 report. Within five years, renewables will constitute 1/3 of all electricity generation, equivalent to the combined demand of China and the EU. Virtually all global growth in electricity … [Read more...]
Since the 1970s, fuel-economy improvements in U.S. “light-duty” vehicles, with a contribution from rising gasoline prices, have saved 17bn tonnes of CO2, according to a new study reviewed by Josh Gabbatiss at Carbon Brief. That makes rising fuel efficiency’s impact on emissions reductions second only to that of coal-to-gas. New cars, vans and light trucks get about twice as many miles to the gallon as 1975 models. The amount of gasoline therefore … [Read more...]
Josh Gabbatiss at Carbon Brief reviews a paper published in Nature Energy, showing how grid parity is already achievable today, subsidy-free, across all China’s 344 biggest cities. Consequently, China is already reducing solar subsidies and realigning policy to de-emphasise scale and re-focus on quality. So far, so good. But China now joins those developed nations where cheaper solar has thrown up another problem: why spend now when it’ll be … [Read more...]
Existing studies estimate all Europe’s potential total maximum annual generation from wind is between 16 and 21 petawatt hours (PWh), already over five times Europe’s existing electricity total from all sources (3.6PWh). A new study doubles that figure to 34.3PWh. The study claims to improve on the accuracy of two factors used in making these predictions, explains Josh Gabbatiss at Carbon Brief. Firstly, it uses what it believes are realistic … [Read more...]
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