Bertrand Piccard, the man who flew around the world in a solar-powered airplane, will be taking another trip around the world. This time he will show governments 1,000 innovations that together will make it possible to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by half. “I want to show that it is possible and profitable for countries to be much more ambitious in their climate policies”, says Piccard, who considers this the second … [Read more...]
In the growing wave of climate litigation, could the automobile industry be next?
The oil industry is increasingly the focus of climate change litigation, writes Martin Olszynski, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Calgary. Carmakers have so far not been targeted, but Olszynski thinks that could change – especially if they continue to urge lawmakers to relax environmental standards and promote the sales of light trucks and SUVs. … [Read more...]
Solar power alone won’t solve energy or climate needs
Recent reports that solar capacity will soon exceed nuclear capacity reveal an important fact. They also hide a crucial distinction needed to understand the context of energy production, and use and consequences of choices among supply options for the future, writes Jatin Nathwani of the University of Waterloo. Courtesy The Conversation. … [Read more...]
Chinese slowdown may end nuclear’s last hope for growth
This year has been catastrophic for nuclear power, and just when it seemed the situation couldn't get any worse for the industry, it did, writes Jim Green, editor of Nuclear Monitor: there are clear signs of a nuclear slow-down in China, the only country with a large nuclear new-build program. According to Green, if this program stalls, nuclear power looks headed for an irreversible decline. Courtesy Nuclear Monitor. … [Read more...]
The Clean Growth Strategy puts faith in energy efficiency – here’s how to do it
The UK government’s new Clean Growth Strategy gives quite a lot of priority to energy efficiency. That’s good news, write Jan Rosenow and Richard Cowart of the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP). What’s needed next is to develop the policies that actually deliver the goods. This can be done by following the principle of Efficiency First. … [Read more...]
Underestimating the contribution of solar PV risks damaging policy making
The continuing lack of realism in projections for solar PV - by the IEA and others - risks damaging policy making by misdirecting effort in developing low carbon technologies, writes climate change economist Adam Whitmore. … [Read more...]
European business angels are rediscovering cleantech
Private investors often lack knowledge about the latest trends in cleantech, says Candace Johnson, president of the European Business Angel Network (EBAN) in an interview with Energy Post. But they are catching up quickly. EBAN has started a partnership with sustainable energy accelerator InnoEnergy to learn more about what is happening in the cleantech sector. “Business angels have more patience than venture capitalists”, notes Johnson. “We … [Read more...]
Britain’s switch to low-carbon energy could give a £21 billion boost to the economy
The UK’s transition to a low-carbon economy will lead to new markets being created which could generate up to ÂŁ21 billion in value annually for utilities, according to new research from Stephen Hall of the University of Leeds and Jeffrey Hardy of Imperial College London. Their research, which focuses on the effects of energy policy on the creation of new markets, can help companies plan for the future. Courtesy The Conversation. … [Read more...]
Dutch coalition accord: the Netherlands goes for climate leadership in Europe
While the U.S. government is abandoning Obama’s Clean Power Plan and taking the U.S. back to the age of fossil fuels, the new Dutch government has presented an unexpectedly ambitious climate and energy policy. The Netherlands will adopt a Climate Law and a minimum CO2 price and it wants to persuade the EU to increase its CO2-reduction ambition from the current 40% in 2030 to 55%. It also intends to close all its coal-fired power stations by 2030 … [Read more...]
The spectacular success of the German Energiewende- and what needs to be done next
While a government is being formed in Berlin, which will have important implications for the future of the Energiewende, author and scholar Professor John Mathews of Macquarie University in Australia, looks back on what Germany has achieved so far with its unique energy policy and concludes that it has been a spectacular success, whatever its detractors may say. But he also has some advice to offer: the German government, he writes, should be … [Read more...]
How Paris and Vienna are struggling to become the clean cities of the future
The success of the clean energy transition will depend to a large extent on the actions of local and regional authorities. Sustainability officers from Paris, Sabine Romon, and Vienna, Bernd Vogl, explain what clean energy goals they have set themselves and how they are planning to achieve them. “The thing to start with is the infrastructure”, says Vogl. “The first task is to work on our public buildings”, says Romon, who warns that Paris' ban on … [Read more...]
EU must take regionalisation of electricity markets a step further
The European Commission has proposed to set up Regional Operational Centers (ROCs), which is a welcome step in the further integration of the EU internal electricity market, writes Philip Baker of the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP). However, according to Baker, the proposal does not go far enough: more regional coordination is needed if consumers are to reap the benefits of market integration. … [Read more...]
Brussels opponents of Nord Stream 2, why do we hear so little about Ukraine?
One reason why Nord Stream 2 is opposed in EU circles is because it undermines the position of Ukraine as gas transit country. The problem is that Ukraine’s gas sector is notoriously corrupt – and recent news indicates the government is making no progress at all on “reform”. Meanwhile, the European Commission’s attempt to get a “mandate” from the European Council (the Member States) to negotiate with Russia about the pipeline, seems bound to … [Read more...]
America’s electric vehicle future, part 2: EV price, oil cost, fuel economy drive adoption
Due to declining electric vehicle (EV) costs, growth in charging station access, and increased familiarity and acceptance by the public, EVs will play an ever-greater role in the U.S. transportation sector, writes Jeffrey Rissman of Energy Innovation, a San Fransisco-based energy and environmental policy think tank.  In part one of our analysis, we reported EVs are likely to represent at least 65% of sales in 2050, and with strong technology cost … [Read more...]
America’s electric vehicle future, part 1: 65-75% light-duty sales by 2050
Rapid battery cost declines, rising commitment from major automakers, strong policy support from state and local governments, and low operational costs (including discounted charging tariffs from utilities) have put electric vehicles (EVs) on track to pass gasoline-powered vehicles, writes Jeffrey Rissman of Energy Innovation, a San Fransisco-based energy and environmental policy think tank. Indeed, U.S. EV sales have grown an average of 32% … [Read more...]
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