Producing electricity from biomass is one of the most controversial and least understood forms of renewable energy. In this three part series, we first explored myths and facts about biopower. In this second installment we’ll try to make sense of a seemingly simple question – is biopower good for cutting our carbon emissions? It is anything but simple. This series first appeared on the Energy Transition blog, at energytransition.org. … [Read more...]
Trump on the wrong side of energy history
His most recent energy appointments show that president Trump insists on moving the U.S. away from clean energy. This goes against the global trend and will put this Administration on the wrong side of energy history, writes Allan Hoffman, a former official at the U.S. Department of Energy and contributor to a new handbook on the history and future of solar power. … [Read more...]
Tobacco and climate change liability: there are more similarities than you might think
While there are some important differences between liability for the damage of smoking and the damage caused by climate change, from a legal perspective there are also many significant similarities, write Martin Olszynski, Sharon Mascher (both at the University of Calgary) and Meinhard Doelle (Dalhousie University). Automakers and fossil fuel energy companies may want to start warning the public more explicitly about the risks of fossil fuel … [Read more...]
How the Internet of Things can fight climate change
The Internet of Things could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% in 2030 if its potential is fully used, writes Kevin Williams, CEO of startup Wise Distributed Energy in California. … [Read more...]
The drivers behind flattening CO2 emissions
CO2 emissions have stopped growing – thanks to renewable energy, some say, but according to David Hone, Chief Climate Change Advisor of Shell, there are other factors at play as well, such as coal-to-gas substitution and limited demand growth. … [Read more...]
Climate change is not democratic: inaction equals annihilation of the poor
There’s a tendency to believe that the effects of climate change will be felt more or less democratically around the globe. In reality, writes energy and foreign policy specialist Michael Klare, the harshest effects will fall on the poorest and most marginalized people. They will suffer mass annihilation – unless we take action. Courtesy of Tomdispatch. … [Read more...]
China’s new Silk Road: is it black or green?
The expansive internationalization of China’s energy role has led many to believe that while China is "greening" its own economy, it is at the same time exporting it's fossil-fuel-based energy system abroad. John Mathews, Professor of Management at Macquarie University, Australia and Hao Tan, Senior Lecturer at the University of Newcastle, Australia, provide a detailed assessment of China's energy exports and come to a largely different … [Read more...]
It is time to tax carbon
Low-carbon technologies will transform the energy system, but not fast enough to limit global warming, writes Gerard Reid, founding partner of Alexa Capital, financial analyst and co-founder of the Energy and Carbon blog. According to Reid, what is needed is to shift the still massive investment in oil and gas onto alternative energy sources. That can only be done through a carbon tax. … [Read more...]
10 things you should know about the Clean Power Plan
The Trump Administration has taken action to revoke the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan – one of the major ways in which the U.S. government is implementing its pledge under the Paris Climate Agreement. According to Tomas Carbonell of the U.S.-based NGO Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Trump’s action has little public support. … [Read more...]
Alternative numbers: 6 ways Trump’s energy plan doesn’t add up
The Trump administration claims that its America First Energy Plan will generate $50 trillion in revenues for American society. According to Jeremy Proville and Jonathan Camuzeaux of EDF Energy Exchange this is an “alternative fact” for which the evidence is totally lacking. … [Read more...]
Why the International Energy Agency still gets it wrong on fossil fuels
The IEA (International Energy Agency) has produced a remarkable and alarming report, together with IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency), warning that “unprecedented” and “unparalleled” efforts are necessary “immediately” and “across all countries” to stave off climate disaster. Yet it still sees a significant role for fossil fuels in 2050. How is this possible? Greg Muttitt, Senior Advisor at NGO Oil Change International, argues that the … [Read more...]
Trump slams brakes on Obama’s climate plan, but there’s still a long road ahead
Badly looking for a political win that would both fulfill some campaign promises to his political base and satisfy the demands of rank-and-file Republicans in Congress, President Trump on March 28 signed an Energy Independence and Economic Growth Executive Order. According to Henrik Selin, Associate Professor in the Frederick S Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, the order is just an opening salvo in what is destined to become a … [Read more...]
California wants to go even greener – in defiance of Trump
While Donald Trump is turning back the clock on climate and renewable energy policy, politicians in California vow to maintain their ambitious "green" policies, writes Fereidoon Sioshansi, president of Menlo Energy Economics and publisher of the newsletter EEnergy Informer. State  lawmakers have even introduced new bills that go much further, requiring all new buildings to be equipped with solar power, and taking the State to 100% renewables. … [Read more...]
How not to squander $130 trillion – a proposal to put carbon money in wealth funds
The proceeds from carbon pricing should be used to establish wealth funds from which current and future citizens can benefit, proposes energy and climate change economist Adam Whitmore. As all people have equal rights to the atmosphere, all should benefit from the use of this unique resource. … [Read more...]
Donald Trump’s China First, Russia Second, America Third foreign policy
By letting his foreign policy be governed by a simplistic “America First” principle, Donald Trump is achieving the exact opposite of what he intends. His way of putting America First, is enabling China and Russia to position themselves as the paramount nations on the world stage, writes energy and foreign policy specialist Michael Klare. Courtesy of Tomdispatch. … [Read more...]
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