Energy Post

Daily reports on the European and Global energy transition

NEC commissions largest renewable energy storage system in Italy

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NEC Corporation has announced the commissioning of an Energy Storage System (ESS) for Enel Group subsidiary Enel Distribuzione, Italy's largest distribution system operator. The ESS can store two megawatt hours (2MWh) of renewable power for release into the grid as required, making it the largest in Italy and one of the largest in Europe*. The ESS has been connected to the Chiaravalle primary substation in the region of Calabria, where renewable … [Read more...]

ExxonMobil releases report on stranded carbon asset risks

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Climate activists are increasingly putting pressure on investors to withdraw investments from major fossil fuel companies, on the grounds that these companies' "carbon assets" are likely to be "stranded" in the future as the effects of climate change become too far-reaching for policymakers to ignore. In that event, the activists argue, the oil and other fossil fuel companies will not be allowed anymore to exploit their assets, which would leave … [Read more...]

Climate change: engineers more important than governments

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The incoming president of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), professor Geoff Maitland, is calling on engineers to take a leading role in the battle against climate change, and the transition to low carbon, renewable energies. Global energy consumption is expected to grow by over 50 percent by 2040 with fossil fuels continuing to dominate, providing up to 80 per cent of energy needs1. Over the same period, carbon dioxide … [Read more...]

World Energy Council study highlights need for integration of energy markets in Latin America and the Caribbean

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The Latin American and Caribbean region must optimise its energy supply options nationally and across the region in order to support the needs of its growing economies and increasing population, according to a new World Energy Council (WEC) report. The report, “World Energy Scenarios: Composing energy futures to 2050”, finds that meeting the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region’s growth in energy demand will be a significant … [Read more...]

NEC acquires grid energy storage business of A123 Energy Solutions

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NEC Corporation has acquired the A123 Energy Solutions business unit of A123 Systems.  According to NEC, this acquisition, for approximately USD $100 million, "strengthens the energy storage capability of NEC's smart energy business, a core segment of its Mid-term Management Plan's commitment to social infrastructure." NEC reports that "A123 Energy Solutions will be integrated into the NEC Group of companies and operated globally as a key … [Read more...]

American Wind Energy Assocation: Wind turbine technology played key role in wind energy’s record-breaking growth and cost decline

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American wind energy generation has outpaced the growth in new wind power capacity thanks to innovative technological advancements, reports the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). Over the past five years, U.S. wind energy capacity grew from 25,000 megawatts (MW) to over 61,000 MW, a 140 percent growth rate, yet electricity generated from these wind turbines grew at a rate of 200 percent, exceeding capacity growth and making wind energy … [Read more...]

“Egypt lost $10 billion in corrupt gas contracts”

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Egypt lost $10 billion in gas revenues from 2005-2011, according to a report by EIPR (Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights) and Platform London. Contracts signed during the Mubarak years allowed the export of billions of cubic metres of underpriced gas to Jordan, Spain and Israeli-occupied Palestine, according to the report.  EIPR and Platform London summarize the report, which is only available in Arabic, as follows: Some of the individuals … [Read more...]

What the Ukrainian crisis means for gas markets

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A new report by the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies discusses what the current Ukrainian crisis could mean for EU and global gas markets. According to the report, "The change of government in Kyiv, the Russian military action in Crimea, the diplomatic reaction by the western powers, and the perceived danger of war, clearly have implications for all economic relations between Russia, Ukraine and Europe, especially in the energy sphere. … [Read more...]

IHS: save Energiewende by replacing offshore wind with shale gas

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A new research report from international energy consultancy IHS "presents a path towards a rebalanced approach that could return the Energiewende to its original goal of providing a competitive transition to a low-carbon economy while generating substantial benefits to Germany’s gross domestic product (GDP), jobs, income, trade position and government revenues." According to IHS, "redeveloping the current Energiewende would reduce the cumulative … [Read more...]

European Renewable Energy Council forced into liquidation

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An Extraordinary General Assembly of the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) taking place in Brussels on 6th March decided the “voluntary” dissolution of the non-profit organisation after over a decade of existence. “Yesterday, EREC was forced to decide to go into liquidation mainly due to its high liabilities arising from its lease obligations for the three large office buildings which make up the Renewable Energy House, 63-67 rue … [Read more...]

IEA: Any country can reach high shares of wind, solar power cost-effectively

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A study released on 26 February by the International Energy Agency concludes that integrating high shares – i.e., 30 percent of annual electricity production or more – of wind and solar PV in power systems can come at little additional cost in the long term. However, costs depend on how flexible the system currently is and what strategy is adopted to develop system flexibility over the long term. Managing this transition will be more difficult … [Read more...]

US solar installations up 41% last year

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The U.S. installed 4,751 MW of solar PV in 2013, up 41% over 2012 and nearly 15 times the amount installed in 2008.That is the main outcome of the new US Solar Market Insight Report published by GTM Research. There is now a total of 12.1 GW of PV and 918 MW of CSP operating in the U.S., according to the new report. Other major findings: There were 140,000 individual solar installations in the U.S. in 2013, and a total of over 440,000 … [Read more...]

Fennovoima’s Finnish majority ownership confirmed

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Fennovoima’s owner Voimaosakeyhtiö SF has in its general meeting, held today on 28th February, made the final decision to participate in Fennovoima nuclear power plant construction. Voimaosakeyhtiö SF commits to own more than half of the power plant. Voimaosakeyhtiö SF aims at increasing the ownership share of Finnish companies in Fennovoima from the now confirmed 50.2 per cent to as close as possible to 66 per cent. Negotiations with … [Read more...]

European manufacturing CEO’s sign manifesto asking for lower energy prices

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On 27 February a Manifesto signed by 137 CEOs representing EU manufacturing industry was published by IFIEC Europe (International Federation of Industrial Energy Consumers). It calls upon Heads of State to adopt a set of measures to align the EU’s industry, energy & climate policies. “This initiative, representing more than 1 million direct jobs from various sectors and countries all over Europe is exceptional”, explains Fernand Felzinger, … [Read more...]

WWF: Action required now to ensure supply of critical materials for renewable energy infrastructure

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The growing demand for renewable energy could put pressure on the supply of critical materials required in the production of renewable energy infrastructure, says WWF in new report released on 18 February. The report, Critical Materials for the transition to a 100% sustainable energy future, says supply chain bottlenecks can be overcome by applying the right technologies. It is possible for renewable energy to fuel the world reliably while … [Read more...]