In a noteworthy article for Foreign Policy magazine, US Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus reveals how the US military is cutting its dependence on fossil fuels and making a great push for “advanced biofuels”. It is doing this for fear of falling behind in the “eco-arms race”. Will the US military's program provide the boost the second-generation biofuels so badly needs? Photo: Exercise of the Green Fleet of the US Navy … [Read more...]
How solar and EVs will kill the fossil fuel dinosaurs
Stanford University energy expert Tony Seba predicts that by 2030, solar power will make the fossil fuel-based utilities redundant while electric vehicles will put the oil companies out of business. “Utilities as we know them are over. They are the land line telephone companies of 20, 30 years ago”, he says in an interview with Giles Parkinson, founder and editor of the path-breaking Australian website RenewEconomy. Photo: dinosaur footprints by … [Read more...]
The new Dutch disease (and a cure)
The Dutch government has presented a National Energy Accord for Sustainable Growth that seemingly represents a new national consensus on energy and climate policy. However, the Accord, which was negotiated by a wide range of civil society groups, environmental organisations, business lobbies and trade unions, has not been signed yet, and is still quite vague. Perhaps more important for “sustainable growth” prospects in the Netherlands is the news … [Read more...]
Is the EU done picking clean energy winners?
How far is the EU preparing to move away from its current energy R&D strategy of picking technological winners? In a new policy paper earlier this year, the European Commission outlined its vision for a fresh approach to innovation that takes the energy system as its starting point and focuses on system outcomes, not individual technologies. This is the R&D dimension of the EU’s current battle for a 2030 climate and energy policy. Sonja … [Read more...]
Integrating energy and climate policy for low-carbon growth in Europe
Europe’s efforts to control emissions are failing, yet the necessary technologies are already here – decarbonising the power system and then using it to run more of our economy is the key, say Johannes Meier, CEO of the European Climate Foundation, and Arne Mogren, Director of the European Climate Foundation’s Power Programme and Member of the Energy Roadmap 2050 ad hoc Advisory Group. Photo: Avedøre power plant, Denmark (by Martin Nicolaj … [Read more...]