China is leading the energy transition as the worldâs largest producer, exporter and installer of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles. It has a clear lead too in renewable energy patents, ahead of the U.S. and twice that of the EU. But it is also still heavily dependent on coal, the air pollution in its cities is legendary, and the economy is expected to quadruple by 2050. Against this background, Kaare Sandholt, Chief … [Read more...]
New tool to show whether companies’ climate strategy matches their public ambitions
By now weâre used to stats that show what would happen if everyone in the world had the same carbon footprint as a European, or an American, someone in China, or indeed anywhere. According to the consultancy right. based on science, they have now created a way of modelling the same projections, except for specific companies. The model also number-crunches a company's climate strategy to work out whether they are going to help or hinder the race … [Read more...]
The compelling case for carbon capture and storage
By 2040 60% of primary energy will still come from fossil fuels, says the IEA. That means Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) must be part of the technology mix to hold back climate change. Yet today there are only 18 CCS facilities in operation, with 25 in the pipeline. Weâll need at least 2,000 by 2040. Brad Page, CEO of the Global CCS Institute, lays out the reasons why we have no time to lose. The World Economic Forumâs meeting in Davos … [Read more...]
BIOFUEL: to burn or not to burn â Junckerâs palm oil conundrum
If youâd ask ordinary citizens, environmentalists, farmers, business leaders or scientists the answer would invariably be a resounding âof course we shouldnâtâ. However, it increasingly looks as if the EU executive is about to give the green light for another decade of uncontrolled palm oil burning by Europeâs diesel fleet. Not because itâs good for the climate or because Europeans want it â 70% are against â but because the Commission is afraid … [Read more...]
Battery manufacture must take a global leap forward to ensure a sustainable and just transition
The global battery market is surging. By 2040 the global energy storage market is projected to attract $620 billion of investment. Over the past decade, the rechargeable lithium-ion battery market doubled on average every three years. To cope with this growth, we need the development of a sustainable and low-carbon value chain for batteries in order to contribute to the implementation of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, says Martin BrudermĂźller, … [Read more...]
Too âlow-hanging fruitâ is not sweet enough (and eventually neither clean nor cheap)!
At a lunch debate organised by the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA) on âThe costs of a low level of ambition in greening the heating and cooling sectorâ and hosted by EUFORES President MEP Jeppe Kofod on 30 January, representatives from industry, civil society, the European Commission (EC) and MEPs from several countries and political groups (Jeppe Kofod, Bendt Bendtsen, Theresa Griffin, Jo Leinen, Gesine Meissner and Paul RĂźbig) … [Read more...]
The contribution of the Polish energy sector to the implementation of global climate policy
PKEE is the Polish Electricity Association. Poland is an active party to the UN Climate Convention. It implements commitments to reduce CO2 emissions and supports processes of global and international agreements. For the third time, Poland organizes the Conference of the Parties to the Convention â the first UNFCC Climate Summit in Poland was held in 2008 in PoznaĹ, the second in 2013 in Warsaw. In Poland, since 1990, CO2 emissions have been … [Read more...]
End of the road for the sale of Greeceâs dirty fuel of the past
Greeceâs economy was once powered by lignite. Today, continuing to invest in this most polluting fuel threatens to render Greeceâs energy market uncompetitive, writes Eleni Diamantopoulou and Simon Holmes. Greece is at an energy crossroads. Decisions taken by the Greek government and the European Commission in the coming weeks and months will decide whether Greece is locked into an anti-competitive lignite world until at least 2030, or whether … [Read more...]
EU ETS price contributing to gas demand
Whilst the top-level 40% 2030 emissions reduction target looks relatively safe, share from RES is definitely not. Carbon pricing, in its various forms, is working but, frankly, not in a predictable or even desirable way. A closer inspection of the market-driven EU ETS permit scheme illustrates how and why gas â especially American LNGÂ â is going strong, putting the 32% share of final energy consumption from renewables in doubt. … [Read more...]
Carbon taxes arenât working any more. Only ramping up policies and infrastructure can accelerate the transition
Anthony Patt and Johan Lilliestam of ETH Zurich make the case against carbon taxes. Climate policy is most effective when it helps people use alternative energy sources, rather than when it makes fossil energy more expensive. Fostering an energy system free of fossil fuels requires financial, infrastructure, and institutional support for specific technologies. That requires a different and much braver approach. Reducing or eliminating carbon … [Read more...]
What is the demand for EVs â really?
In on-trend California youâll find 10% of the entire worldâs EVs but to achieve their ambitious target of putting 5-million zero-emissions vehicles on the road by 2030 they require subsidies. However, a new report for the US National Bureau of Economic Research, finds the subsidies just save rich people money and don't drive the volume required from average consumers. In addition, by 2025, the scheme will have cost at least 5x more than forecast. … [Read more...]
UK nuclear plans are in tatters. But current incentives help gas, not wind and solar, step into the gap
The scrapping of plans for a new nuclear power station in Cumbria and the suspension of work on another in Anglesey have put the brakes on the UKâs nuclear future. But the government appears more keen to fill the gap with gas rather than renewables. David Toke of Aderdeen University criticises the current incentives and regulations and makes the case for wind and solar. … [Read more...]
A grassroots fightback against Trump and U.S. Oil & Gas is underway
As the 116th Congress commences, in the wake of dire reports from climate scientists, the debate over U.S. climate policies has taken a welcome turn towards bold solutions. Capitol Hill is alive once again with policy proposals that edge towards the scale required to address the crisis weâre in. A new study by Kelly Trout of Oil Change International, along with 17 partner organisations, makes it clear that managing a rapid and equitable decline … [Read more...]
Energy Efficiency gains must reduce our consumption, not just our bills
Energy Efficiencyâs role in the mix of tools we use to reduce carbon emissions is crucial. But Energy Efficiency gains can have a rebound effect: as your bills reduce, you have more money to spend on more energy. We need incentives and policies to reduce actual consumption, otherwise weâre making it harder to cut emissions, argues Parakram Pyakurel of Southampton Solent University, UK. … [Read more...]
Making deep decarbonisation a reality
While the final agreement of the Clean Energy Package represents a critical step forward for the energy industry, I have some bad news. There is still a lot more work to do. Whilst it might be tempting to think of the design of energy regulations and markets as a path from âbadâ to âgoodâ, this is not the case. It is a never-ending journey driven by changes in context, people and technology. Ten years ago, I helped produce the landmark … [Read more...]
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