Joan MacNaughton, President of the Energy Institute and a highly influential figure in the international energy policymaking world, calls on “the big CO2 emitters” in the world to take unilateral action to reduce CO2 emissions. Countries that refuse to get along, should be penalised through import duties or carbon taxes, suggests MacNaughton. The current talk about “adaptation” to climate change, says MacNaughton, is a “cop-out”. Energy Post … [Read more...]
Auto and oil companies present long-term plan for biofuels in Europe
A consortium of six major car manufacturers and oil companies in Europe - Volkswagen, Daimler, Honda, Neste Oil, OMV and Shell – has today published a “biofuel roadmap” for the EU to 2030. The roadmap, prepared by technical consultancy E4tech, may be seen as an atttempt by industry  to transcend the current deadlock between the European Parliament and EU Member States over new biofuels legislation, which is crippling biofuel investment. The … [Read more...]
Give Iran a chance to be tested
The interim-deal with Iran should be given a fair chance, argues Friedbert PflĂĽger, Director of the European Centre for Energy and Resource Security (EUCERS). The world economy would benefit if Iranian oil and gas exports could be restored. The climate would benefit if the massive flaring of gas in Iran and the prevailing energy inefficiency could be reduced and renewable energy investments stimulated. … [Read more...]
The battle over the world’s largest wealth fund – and what it means for the energy sector
A broad movement has emerged in Norway to get the country’s $720 billion sovereign wealth fund to invest in renewable energy. According to Terje Osmundsen, blogger and Senior Vice President of Scatec Solar, a globally leading solar power provider, such a change in strategy would have far-reaching effects on the global energy market. Not only directly, but also indirectly as Norway’s fund is seen as a model by other SWF’s. Meanwhile, pressure is … [Read more...]
World Energy Council: “We are looking in the wrong place”
“To deliver sustainable energy systems our focus must shift from the supply mix to demand efficiency.” This is the conclusion that Christoph Frei, Secretary-General of the World Energy Council (WEC), draws from the World Energy Scenarios recently published by WEC. According to this new report, “current technologies, policies, and innovation are not enough to meet climate goals”. Despite strong growth in renewables, fossil fuels will remain … [Read more...]
Interview Ambassador Wu: “An energy revolution is very much needed”
In a speech in Groningen at the Energy Convention 2013, Wu Jianmin, Executive Vice-Chairman of the influential China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy, a government-aligned think tank in Beijing, declared that China “very much needs an energy revolution”. China “depends too much on coal”, said Wu. But in an interview with Energy Post he added we should not expect miracles. “We can't get rid of the coal yet.” … [Read more...]
A likely way forward for global LNG and gas markets
US exports of LNG may be able to open up and integrate global gas markets, but only if there is enough gas – and if it gets to the market in time, writes Matteo Mazzoni of Italian research company NE Nomisma Energia. If not, it will find the window of opportunity closed by new pipelines and geopolitical arrangements. A look ahead at how world gas markets may develop. … [Read more...]
Egypt marches to a Saudi drummer
Saudi Arabia's foreign policy is primarily directed at two enemies: Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood. The Saudis, writes foreign policy analyst Felix Imonti, are now planning to merge numerous fighting units in and outside of Syria into an Army of Mohammed. But where to base it? The obvious choice, says Imonti, is Egypt, now that the pro-Saudi Egyptian army has ousted the Muslim Brotherood. … [Read more...]
The Mad Scientists at the Department of Energy’s National Laboratories
What energy innovation can we expect to come out of the United States in the coming years? Matthew Stepp, Senior Policy Analyst with the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) in Washington DC, takes us on a whirlwind tour of some of the most advanced American energy research going on. He visits five of the 17 National Laboratories of the US Department of Energy, where research is carried out on materials (e.g. for better … [Read more...]
Exclusive interview IEA-Director Maria van der Hoeven: “We cannot rule out new revolutions”
In its new World Energy Outlook (WEO), the IEA is cautious about the prospects of unconventional oil and gas outside the US. As regards shale gas, it notes that “uncertainty remains over the quality, the costs and public acceptance.” Yet in an interview with Energy Post, IEA Executive Director Maria van der Hoeven notes that “the gas is there. All geologists are agreed on that.” Moreover, “there may be other surprises in store, for example with … [Read more...]
The failure of Kyoto and the futility of European energy policy
The EU has been one of the front-runners on climate policy ever since the Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997. However, according to geologist and energy author Euan Mearns, who runs the blog Energy Matters and is a former editor of the famous "peak oil" website The Oil Drum, Kyoto has been an outright failure and current EU energy policy is futile and counterproductive. He wonders why EU governments "continue to pursue this futile course of … [Read more...]
Why an EU-US trade deal matters for the energy sector
This week the second round of negotiations for an EU-US free trade agreement is taking place. Energy has not been making headlines in the context of these talks, but a TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) will have far-reaching implications for the energy sector, e.g. with regard to oil sands, LNG and shale gas. NGO’s worry that the TTIP will give big business the chance to undermine Europe’s environmental legislation. Sonja van … [Read more...]
Why a carbon tax is a bad idea
With the EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) struggling and “carbon credit frauds” in the news, many analysts argue we should get rid of carbon trading and opt for carbon taxes instead. But according to Alex Trembath and Matthew Step, carbon taxes will do nothing to cut emissions because they don’t lead to innovation. “Steve Jobs didn’t develop the PC because the price of typewriters went up.” … [Read more...]
The future of the large German utilities: it’s already here
Energy Post reported recently that German utility RWE is “shedding its old business model and embracing the energy transition”. This is not surprising, writes solar industry pioneer Peter F. Varadi. In fact, says Varadi, the new strategy merely formalizes what is already happening in practice. (Photo: Tim Fuller) … [Read more...]
Peak Coal in China – or long, high plateau?
Recent reports predicting a "peak" in Chinese coal power consumption are misleading, Armond Cohen and Kexin Liu of the Clean Air Task Force (CAFT) point out. The amount of Chinese coal-fired power generation will "continue to skyrocket". The same goes for other parts of Southeast Asia. The only way to prevent climate disaster is by scaling up carbon capture and storage (CCS). (Photo from Shanxi province by Bert van Dijk) … [Read more...]
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