Fracking is a threat to the climate and the environment in the UK, says Professor Peter Strachan of Robert Gordon University. No, the climate benefits of domestically produced shale gas outweigh the risks, argues Stephen Tindale, co-founder of consultancy Climate Answers. The two men held a fascinating debate at the Houses of Parliament in London on 29 November hosted by the All-Parliamentary Group on Unconventional Oil and Gas. Ruth Hayhurst of … [Read more...]
South Africaâs new energy plan: postpone nuclear, phase out coal
The much awaited updated South African Integrated Resource Plan for electricity, released for comment on 22 November, has sparked strong emotions, writes Hartmut Winkler, Professor of Physics at the University of Johannesburg. In an article for The Conversation, Winkler discusses the main points of the plan and explains why the nuclear lobby in particular is unhappy. Courtesy of The Conversation. … [Read more...]
DNV GL on risks of renewables: âWe need new tests and standards to prevent major failuresâ
The transition to renewable energy is accompanied by the widespread use of power electronics, such as inverters, which require a whole new way of testing smart equipment, says Theo Bosma, Program Director Power Systems & Electrification at DNV GL, one of the largest technical consultancies in the world. According to Bosma, the new power electronics are not adequately tested at the moment. âNew technologies such as solar, wind, batteries and … [Read more...]
Why sharing solar is the next big thing in energy
The disruption and the opportunities being offered by solar PV and battery storage are likely to be accelerated massively by the introduction of new software such as the âblockchainâ system that has already taken root in financial systems, writes Giles Parkinson of the leading Australian energy website Reneweconomy. Courtesy: Reneweconomy.com. … [Read more...]
Why China’s new coal plants won’t stop it from meeting its climate goals
In a fascinating article, Collin Smith, graduate student at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center in China, explains why China has been building a large amount of new coal-fired capacity the past two years, despite its climate commitments and drive for renewable energy. He also explains why this capacity does not necessarily translate into more coal power production: the power plants are and will be heavily underutilised. There is a danger though that the … [Read more...]
India wants to become a solar superpower â but its plans donât add up
India aims to build 1 terrawatt of global solar power â four times the current worldwide total â and become a 100% electric vehicle nation by 2030. Those are great ambitions, but they still far short from what is needed for a true energy transformation away from coal, writes DĂ©nes Scala of Lancaster University. Courtesy of The Conversation. … [Read more...]
Reinventing Fire in China
Amory Lovinsâ Rocky Mountain Institute, backed by Chinese institutions and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, has published a stunning roadmap for an energy revolution in China. If its ideas are taken up, it could lead to a transformation of the largest energy economy in the world â and serve as a model for other developing nations to follow, writes Fereidoon Sioshansi, president of Menlo Energy Economics and publisher of the newsletter … [Read more...]
Why the future belongs to decentralised renewables, not centralised hydrogen and giga-scale nuclear
What the future of our energy system will look like continues to be a subject of heated debate. According to one well-established tradition, writes Professor John Mathews of Macquarie University in Australia, the route to decarbonisation will run via massive nuclear power systems to the hydrogen economy. But China and to some extent India are emerging as the principal practitioners of an alternative vision of energy growth, underpinning their … [Read more...]
Stephane Quere, Innovation Director Engie: âHydrogen is a big topic for usâ
Hydrogen, which can be used to store energy, produce electricity and fuel vehicles, is one of the innovation priorities for French energy giant Engie (âŹ70 billion revenue). This is a company that prides itself on its diversity however, explains Stephane Quere, Innovation Director at Engie, with activities stretching from Europe to Africa and Asia, and businesses from gas distribution to security systems. Some of the main priorities for Engie are … [Read more...]
IEA in the Age of Trump: policies will determine where we go from here
The most important message from the 2016 edition of the annual World Energy Outlook, the International Energy Agencyâs (IEA) flagship publication released today, is that âpolicies will determine where we go from hereâ. âParisâ has given the international energy sector âa new sense of directionâ, notes the IEA. But much stronger policies are needed to keep global warming limited to 2 degrees Celsius, it adds. Its message takes on extra importance … [Read more...]
Lumenaza creates regional electricity markets: âWe want to connect up all 1.4 million solar PV producers in Germany with consumers locallyâ
A new software platform in Germany lets utilities buy and sell âregional electricityâ by connecting up small producers with consumers. Start-up Lumenaza, founded three years ago, meets a growing demand for transparency, explains CEO and founder Christian Chudoba in an exclusive interview with Energy Post. Unlike a typical virtual power plant, Lumenaza targets tiny producers such as owners of rooftop solar. Its goal is to connect up all of … [Read more...]
We canât simply bet on renewable energy to stop global warming
Simply switching to renewables alone will not solve the climate change problem, writes Steffen Böhm, Professor in Organisation and Sustainability at the University of Exeter. We need to start removing carbon from the atmosphere. And we need to tackle the demand side. We cannot simply assume that relentless economic growth is compatible with a green future. Courtesy of The Conversation. … [Read more...]
Using clean cars as power plants: it can be done in the UAE
The combined engine capacity of the new cars we build in just one year is more than the entire electricity generation capacity in the world. If we power our cars with fuel cells, we can use them as clean power plants the 96% of the time we are not driving in them, generating all the electricity we need, at competitive costs, with zero emissions. Frank Wouters, Director of the EU-GCC Clean Energy Network, and Ad van Wijk, Professor Future Energy … [Read more...]
Why most âgreenâ electricity in Europe isnât green
Brussels is on course to deliver a big shake-up of the EUâs energy markets this December by trying to put consumers in the driving seat of the energy transition. Millions of consumers have already made the switch to âgreenâ electricity tariffs. Or so they think. But these tariffs are misleading and consumers are, in many cases, actually supporting fossil fuels or nuclear plants which are hidden behind a green façade, writes Jörg MĂŒhlenhoff, … [Read more...]
Hereâs how to build 100% clean renewable energy in the US before 2040
There really is a feasible way to build our way out of the climate crisis in time to avoid the worst effects of global warming, writes Tom Solomon of 350 New Mexico. We do it by rapidly replacing all fossil fuel-based energy with renewable energy built with current technology, installed in a smart grid. We pay for it without damaging the economy and actually save money vs. our current reliance on fossil fuels. The âside benefitsâ include cleaner … [Read more...]
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