The German Bioethanol Industry Association (Bundesverband der deutschen Bioethanolwirtschaft - BDBe) commissioned a scholarly study to investigate claims that biofuels have been the main culprit behind rising agricultural prices and land-use conflicts. The public debate of the pros and cons of biofuels is dominated by issues related to the impact of biofuel production on the prices of agricultural commodities, food security and natural … [Read more...]
Russian energy sector will cease to be engine of growth
The contribution of the energy sector to Russian GDP will decrease by nearly 50% over the coming decades. Although energy will continue to provide an important foundation to the Russian economy, it will cease to be an engine of growth. That is the main conclusion of Global and Russian Energy Outlook to 2040, recently published the Energy Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Analytical Centre of the Government of Russia. … [Read more...]
Report on best practices in “green growth”
A new report was launched by the Green Growth Best Practice (GGBP) initiative which pulls together the many tangible benefits that governments and communities are realizing through the adoption of green growth policies. The report, Green Growth in Practice: Lessons from Country Experiences, is the result of a collaborative partnership between the Climate & Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), the European Climate Foundation (ECF) and the … [Read more...]
EU Court upholds national renewable subsidy schemes in surprise decision
In a rare event, the EU Court of Justice has overturned the opinion of its own Advocate-General to rule that member states are not obliged to open up their national renewable subsidy schemes to producers in other countries. The decision was welcomed by renewables producers and member states such as Germany, which have generous subsidies in place. But it was lambasted by others, such as RECS International, an organisation of market players, … [Read more...]
Why Brussels is reluctant to adopt an energy efficiency target that’s good for the EU economy
Within weeks, the European Commission will propose an energy efficiency target for Europe for 2030 that is substantially lower than what many stakeholders and policymakers believe is feasible. It will even be lower than what the Commission’s own impact assessment concludes is beneficial for the economy. And it will probably be non-binding although the impact assessment says a binding target would be more effective. Why this reluctance from … [Read more...]
EU Court of Justice: national support schemes for renewables compatible with EU law
The Swedish support scheme promoting green energy production in the national territory is compatible with EU law. Member States are not required to support the production of renewable energy in other EU States. The Renewable Energy Directive  allows Member States to support the production of green energy. Under that directive, Member States which grant benefits to producers  are not required to support the use of green energy produced in … [Read more...]
Why the US has not made more progress in moving to a renewable energy future – a personal view
In 1978 a monumental multi-departmental study was submitted to President Carter concluding that “solar energy could make a significant contribution to U.S. energy supply by the end of this century”. The study, backed by 30 federal departments, stated that “even with today’s subsidized energy prices, many solar technologies are already economic.” Yet no action was taken and solar power and other renewable energies stagnated for over 30 years. … [Read more...]
Kurdish oil will find its way out
In May, Iraqi-Kurdistan for the first time ever sold oil to international markets, defying a ban on oil exports from the central government in Baghdad. According to Friedbert PflĂĽger, the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) will have no problems finding investors and customers to build up its potentially huge oil and gas business. With the current crisis in Iraq, Baghdad should come to terms with the KRG if it wants to share in the proceeds. … [Read more...]
The new Oil Wars in Iraq
Underlying much of the violence that has broken out in Iraq is a struggle to obtain control over Iraq’s oil resources or at least a “fair share” of oil revenues, writes Michael Schwartz, author of many books and articles including “War Without End: The Iraq War in Context”. According to Schwartz’s analysis,the insurgents are attempting to accomplish by force what was denied to them by the central government: a portion of the proceeds from the … [Read more...]
Corruption serious barrier to sustainable energy system in southeast Europe
High-level corruption in the energy sector is seriously affecting countries in seven countries in South Eastern Europe, according to the study Winners and Losers: Who Benefits from High Level Corruption in the South East Europe Energy Sector?. NGOs who authored the report, Â launched 24 June in Brussels during a High Level Policy Conference, call upon EU institutions to treat the reform of the energy sector in South East Europe as an urgent … [Read more...]
A warning from the IPCC: the EU 2030’s climate target cannot be based on science alone
The European Union often emphasizes that it is pursuing a “science-based” climate policy. The European Council’s long-term emission reduction target of 80-95% by 2050 explicitly refers to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Thus, it came as a surprise for many European policymakers and stakeholders that the latest IPCC report did not offer any specific guidelines on future EU climate targets. … [Read more...]
An economic disaster in the making: how Europe is losing its energy efficiency lead
A European building retrofit programme could reduce Russian gas imports by 80%. A 40% energy saving target could  remove the need for Russian gas altogether. Yet the EU currently seems unwilling to impose the measures necessary to step up energy saving. As a result, European industry is rapidly losing its international lead in efficiency, which is crucial to its international competitiveness. What is more, European companies active in energy … [Read more...]
Capacity payments: expensive solution for a non-existing problem
As of 2015, the UK will be the first European country to launch a capacity mechanism that aims at rewarding power plants for the MW’s they can produce rather than the MW’s they actually generate. Similar plans are being  prepared in other countries, including Belgium, France and Germany. According to Benedict de Meulemeester, CEO of international energy procurement consultancy E&C, it is understandable that energy companies lobby for capacity … [Read more...]
VIDEO: Circular economy: “France aims to lead by example” stresses French Sustainable Development official
In an exclusive interview with viEUws at Green Week 2014, Jean-Paul Albertini - French Executive Commissioner for Sustainable Development at the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy - talks to viEUws.eu's leading environment journalist Sonja van Renssen about the implementation of circular economy in Europe. Albertini discusses the benefits which a circular economy could bring to Europe. He claims that such an economy … [Read more...]
The days of solar power may be closer than you think
Many people are unaware quite how close we are to reaching a critical milestone in the industry. Within a fairly short space of time, solar generated electricity will be fully cost competitive with coal-powered electricity -- at least if the governments of the world's two largest energy consuming nations have their way. … [Read more...]
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