Renewable energy and fossil fuel advocates have one thing in common â an unhealthy tendency to fall in love with a particular energy technology, writes Hal Harvey, founder and CEO of think tank Energy Innovation. Policymakers for their part often fall in love with particular policies. But according to Harvey, what matters is setting ambitious goals, adopting policies that reward performance and let the dynamics of the market work out how to get … [Read more...]
The five key characteristics of the future energy company
Energy markets are in the middle of a revolution, triggered by decarbonisation and innovation. History suggests that this is not a safe place to be, not even for the revolutionaries, but especially not for the âold guardâ. Stephen Woodhouse and Simon Bradbury of Pöyry Management Consulting investigate the key characteristics necessary for a successful future energy company. (This article was adapted from a new book, Innovation and Disruption at … [Read more...]
Study finds advanced nuclear reactors will have competitive costs
A new study of contemporary nuclear industry cost projections, previously unavailable to the public, provides new insight into a potential path breaking cost trend for the next generation of advanced nuclear plants, writes Dan Yurman, specialized nuclear energy reporter who runs the blog NeutronBytes. … [Read more...]
How electricity will be priced in the future
The rapid transformation of the electricity sector will make it necessary for utilities to adopt radically new pricing methods, writes Fereidoon Sioshansi, publisher of newsletter EEnergy Informer and editor of a new book, Innovation & Disruption at the Gridâs Edge. According to Sioshansi, existing volumetric tariffs will increasingly be replaced by fixed service fees. … [Read more...]
Nuclear and coal lobbies threaten to scupper renewables in South Africa
South Aricaâs state utility Eskom is undermining the development of renewable energy in South Africa, writes Professor Hartmut Winkler of the University of Johannesburg. According to Winkler, the countryâs coal and nuclear lobbies are behind the opposition to renewables. The struggle is part of a wider political confrontation over control of key parts of the South African economy. Courtesy The Conversation. … [Read more...]
The renewable energy auction revolution
Whatâs up with record low renewable energy prices? Policy innovation is key to harnessing renewable energy potential, writes Meredith Fowlie, Assistant Professor of Agriculture and Resource Economics at the University of California at Berkeley. Article courtesy Energy Institute Blog, Energy Institute at Haas School of Business. … [Read more...]
Petrol car ban wonât work without a huge investment in electric infrastructure
The UK government is proposing a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040, in a move that echoes a recent announcement in France. Setting this sort of media-friendly target is a positive and welcome response to the challenge of air pollution across UK cities, write Richard Brooks and Jason Begley of Coventry University. But delivering the infrastructure, research and development support and incentives to switch to greener cars … [Read more...]
Does the 2040 ban on new petrol and diesel cars mean the death of biofuels?
One question that arises from the announcement by the UK government that new diesel and petrol cars will be banned by 2040 is what it means for biofuels. According to Raffaella Ocone of Heriot-Watt University, co-author of a recent UK-government-funded report into the biofuels industry by the Royal Academy of Engineering, the 2040 ban could be viewed as an opportunity for the biofuels sector. Article courtesy The Conversation. … [Read more...]
Trends in electricity prices in Europe: expect more volatility
Electricity prices in Europe will become volatile, variable renewable energy will grow but will still be supplemented significantly by conventional power plants. These are of some of the main outcomes of the power price scenario EU Energy Outlook 2050, released by Energy Brainpool. One of the major question marks for the power sector will be the development of e-mobility, write Carlos Perez-Linkenheil and Simon GöĂ. … [Read more...]
Politically charged: do you know where your batteries come from?
People are excited about batteries, from electric cars to Teslaâs 129 megawatt-hour energy storage project  in South Australia. But one important issue is often overlooked: the raw materials needed to build this technology â where they come from and their environmental cost. Ben McLellan of Kyoto University takes a closer look at what goes into the lithium-ion battery. Article courtesy The Conversation. … [Read more...]
Not your daddy’s oil? Maybe not, but Millennials won’t work in it
Like many industries today, the oil industry is trying to sell its many job opportunities to the fastest growing portion of the global workforce: Millennials. But unlike any other industry, oil and gas is facing more challenges in persuading the environmentally-conscious Millennials that oil is "cool", writes Tsvetana Paraskova of Oilprice.com. âMany Milennials believe the sector is lacking in innovation, agility and creativity, as well as … [Read more...]
Legal challenge to Spainâs capacity market payments well-founded
Two Spanish NGOâs have started a court case against Spainâs capacity market scheme, which they say unnecessarily subsidizes operators of large power plants for billions of euros. Gerard Wynn, independent energy consultant, explains why their arguments are well-founded. According to Wynn, Spainâs capacity mechanism violates EU rules and should be scrapped as soon as possible. This article was first published on the blog of the Institute for Energy … [Read more...]
Europeâs growth rate in offshore wind must triple to get Paris goals into reach
To support the Paris Agreementâs goal of limiting temperature increase to 1.5°C, Europe will need a CO2-neutral electricity supply by 2045. A target we cannot meet unless we ramp up Europeâs offshore wind capacity, says Michiel MĂŒller from consultancy Ecofys, a Navigant company. The companyâs energy experts calculated that the current offshore wind installation rate would have to triple to get this goal within reach. They argue that an integrated … [Read more...]
The trillion dollar question: will renewables displace natural gas?
Bloombergâs renewable energy affiliate forecasts that wind and solar power will make major inroads into the global market share of natural gas within a decade. This is a crucially important question for major oil companies who are betting their future on gas, writes Managing Director of independent US-based consultancy GSW Strategy Group Geoffrey Styles. But according to Styles, it is likelier that coal, not gas, faces the biggest risk from the … [Read more...]
Carbon-pusher in Chief: Trumpâs fossil-fueled foreign policy
Donald Trumpâs efforts to promote fossil fuel consumption has become a defining theme of his foreign policy, writes Michael Klare, expert and author of many books on energy and foreign policy. Trumpâs words and actions make that all too clear â although the media and most commentators have so far failed to notice. Courtesy Tom Dispatch. … [Read more...]
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