fbpx

Energy Post

The best thinkers on energy

Is offshore wind about to hit cost-competitiveness in the U.S.?

by

Offshore wind may seem like a pricey option, but it’s actually an extremely valuable investment, writes Mike O’Boyle of San Francisco-based think tank Energy Innovation. According to a new analysis, the market value of electricity generated by offshore wind will soon exceed its cost in New York and several New England states. … [Read more...]

Croatian LNG terminal: now or never?

by

If constructed, the planned Croatian LNG terminal could provide an alternative source of supply for Russian gas in Central and Eastern Europe. Yet without financial support from the region’s governments and diplomatic engagement of the US and the EU, it is unlikely to be realized anytime soon, writes David Koranyi of the Atlantic Council Global Energy Institute. … [Read more...]

We examined 885 European cities’ plans to tackle climate change – here’s what we found

by and

Cities are taking climate change threats seriously but more could be done according to a new study looking at the climate plans of 885 European cities. The role of governments in providing legal and regulatory frameworks and guidance is essential to ensure that cities are well prepared for climate change, write Oliver Heidrich of Newcastle University and Diana Reckien of the University of Twente. Courtesy: The Conversation  … [Read more...]

For Eastern Europe, controllable renewable power is a good alternative for new nuclear power

by , and

Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary are all planning to build new nuclear power plants. But according to a new study by Energy Brainpool, commissioned by Greenpeace Energy, they could also opt for controllable renewable power plants. These are cost-competitive with nuclear, at least as reliable, and also allow for energy independence, write Philipp Heidinger, Fabian Huneke and Simon Göß from Energy Brainpool. … [Read more...]

Did Trump just kill the OPEC deal?

by

As has been widely discussed in the aftermath of President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, the return of sanctions on Iran could disrupt oil shipments, with estimates ranging from essentially nothing to as much as 1 million barrels per day of Iranian supply going offline. But the decision also could put an end to the OPEC agreement, writes Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com. … [Read more...]

How the European Commission, European Court of Justice and Member States are scaring away investors in the energy sector

by

Both EU institutions and member states are actively undermining the investment climate in the energy sector, writes Alan Riley, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Statecraft in London. The European Commission is undermining investor protection by its determination to apply EU state aid law to arbitration awards. Member States are disrupting investor expectations through arbitrary political interventions in the energy sector. Worst of all, the … [Read more...]

Donald Trump versus OPEC

by

OPEC does have a role in today’s higher oil prices, but is this bad for the U.S., as Donald Trump is claiming? According to independent energy analyst Geoffrey Styles, in the new oil world, the U.S. economy may not be worse off with higher oil prices, even if consumers pay more at the pump.  … [Read more...]

Reducing the costs of nuclear energy in three steps

by

New nuclear plants shouldn’t have to be expensive, writes David Hess of  the World Nuclear Association. To reduce nuclear costs - and project times - three things need to happen: access to cheap financing should be facilitated, regulatory barriers should be lowered, and industry should improve its performance. … [Read more...]

German electricity market in 2017: records for battery storage and redispatch

by

Renewable energy generation is still on the rise in Germany, though at a much lower pace than in the years around 2010, writes Marius Buchmann of Jacobs University in a detailed overview of the German electricity market in 2017. Costs of the feed-in tariff are stagnating, notes Buchmann, but redispatch costs which grid operators incur to keep the system stable, reached a new record far above €1 billion. Courtesy of Buchmann’s blog Enerquire. … [Read more...]

The secret of the great American fracking bubble

by

While politicians and the mainstream media trumpet fracking as a great American energy revolution, it has in fact been a financial disaster, writes Justin Mikulka of DeSmog blog. The American shale oil and gas boom, he writes, may be "one of the largest money-losing endeavors in the nation's history". Courtesy DeSmog blog. … [Read more...]

How Volkswagen’s Dieselgate billions are helping to jump-start EV charging

by

Interstate high-speed charging corridors have emerged as popular options for spending the Volkswagen settlement fund in American states affected by the automaker’s emission scandal, writes Mike O’Boyle of think tank Energy Innovation. Coupled with public education and interstate planning, these corridors are a good use of these funds to decarbonize transportation, the author argues. … [Read more...]

India slashes plans for new nuclear reactors by two-thirds

by

India has decided to cut its planned nuclear power plant construction by two-thirds. This will further expand the country’s use of coal for electrical power generation, writes Dan Yurman, nuclear energy specialist and author of the Neutron Bytes blog. … [Read more...]

The Bosch solar complex: European companies should not give up on batteries just because they failed in solar

by

The decision of Bosch not to enter battery production may prove to be a historic mistake, writes Gerard Reid. Bosch was no doubt motivated by its failure in the solar power market, but according to Reid the battery market is very different. It is much more complex, involves much more technology and will be a critical pillar of the new economy. If Bosch and others don’t get over their solar complex, European industry may get seriously hurt.   … [Read more...]

How to ensure resilience in the grid of the future

by

A low-carbon world is an electrified world. But electricity has an Achilles heel: it is vulnerable. And will become more so as digitalization progresses and extreme weather increases, notes Mark Byrne of the Total Environment Centre in Australia. To reduce vulnerability, Byrne believes we need to create a system of enmeshed micro-grids. Keywords: “mutual interdependence”.   … [Read more...]

Poland’s love affair with coal: can the EU do anything about it?

by and

The Polish government’s strong commitment to coal goes against EU policy direction and against market conditions, write Anna Mikulska of the Baker Institute’s Center for Energy Studies and Eryk Kosinski of Adam Mickiewicz University. But coal has a special place in the nation’s collective heart. To wean Poland off coal will require EU support to coal-dependent regions and for alternative energy sources, the authors argue. … [Read more...]