The CEOâs of Europeâs major energy companies seem to be in an unenviable position. They complain that they are facing a âperfect stormâ and warn policymakers that policies need to be drastically reformed or European security of supply might go under. In his first post for Energy Post, our chief editor Karel Beckman wonders if things are really that bad â and has some tips to offer to our beleaguered energy executives how they might withstand the … [Read more...]
What is behind France’s call for a “European energy community”
Franceâs sudden interest in a common EU âenergy communityâ signals an important policy change that has everything to do with the countryâs troubled domestic energy outlook. The French government seems to be pursuing more European cooperation to make it possible to push through unpopular reforms at home and to prepare France for a less nuclear future, writes Iana Dreyer, a Paris-based energy and trade economist. Photo: Cattenom Nuclear Power … [Read more...]
Brussels Briefing on Energy â May 2013
 by courtesy of views.eu … [Read more...]
Energy Harvesting: the Next Big Thing
Devices and materials that harvest lost energy have the potential of transforming our society, argues Silicon Valley-based consultant Christine Hertzog, author of the Smart Grid Library. âThereâs a growing number of companies that are developing ways to capture the enormous amounts of energy that are currently wasted. But itâs going to take basic R&D to realise the full potential of energy harvesting.â Photo: Singularity Utopia  Solar … [Read more...]
How to compete with China in renewables
Professor John Mathews of LUISS Guido Carli University, Rome, argues that, ultimately, there is only one effective response to the serious competitive threat posed by Chinaâs strong support for renewables â and that is equally strong support for innovation and market expansion by Western countries. Photo: Solar hot water in Beijing (Photo: Popolon) … [Read more...]
Nuclear terror in the Middle East: lethality beyond the pale
An Israeli nuclear attack on Iran would result in unimaginable disaster, according to a new study. Nick Turse, managing editor of TomDispatch.com, points out that the risk of a nuclear war is still the gravest danger the world is facing today. âItâs a freight train coming down the tracksâ. "In those first minutes, theyâll be stunned. Eyes fixed in a thousand-yard stare, nerve endings numbed. Theyâll just stand there. Soon, youâll notice that … [Read more...]
Brussels Briefing on Energy â April 2013
by courtesy of views.eu In this latest issue of the Brussels Briefing on Energy, leading energy journalist Hughes Belin provides an extensive update on the latest policy developments and what to expect for the near future in the field of energy policy. Topics discussed include: … [Read more...]