Leonardo Meeus at the Florence School of Regulation explains why electricity market reform in the EU must be about completing the process of integration, not unwinding it. He breaks down his argument into five categories – Electricity Markets, Contracts for Difference (CfD) and Power Purchase Agreements (PPA), Capacity Remuneration Mechanisms (CRM), Energy Communities, and Demand-side Flexibility – and with each he defines their purpose, looks at … [Read more...]
What is the potential for offshore wind in the Baltic Sea?
What is the potential for offshore wind in the Baltic Sea? Simon Göss summarises the panel discussion that brought together Marcin Nowacki (President of the European Enterprise Alliance), Dariusz LociĹ„ski (President of the Management Board, PGE Baltica), Pierre Tardieu (Chief Policy Officer at Wind Europe), Ricardo Williams (Policy Officer for Infrastructure and Regional Cooperation at DG ENER, EC) and Pernille Weiss (MEP and ITRE committee … [Read more...]
Lithium-ion batteries: new “gooey electrode” manufacturing process can cut costs by up to 40%
MIT spinout 24M Technologies has created a new way of producing lithium-ion batteries that can cut manufacturing costs by up to 40%, explains Zach Winn at MIT. Significantly, the new process can be applied to different lithium-ion battery chemistries, so today’s and tomorrow’s solutions should be able to use the technology. The “SemiSolid” design uses “gooey electrodes”, reducing the need for over 80% of the materials in traditional batteries, … [Read more...]
Corporate greenwashing: will court cases and new rules close the gap between promises and reality?
Activists are taking firms to court over deceiving consumers with questionable climate pledges. Isabel Sutton at Clean Energy Wire summarises the issues. Greenwashing, and therefore misdirecting consumer behaviour, is clearly a barrier to achieving climate goals. The latest IPCC report says consumer behaviour and changes to our lifestyles can result in a 40%–70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. But unregulated advertising can say … [Read more...]
How European nations are using tax to promote zero-emissions cars
Taxation is an effective way to steer people towards zero-emission cars. But there is wide variation between European countries in how this is done, and therefore the results. Griffin Carpenter at Transport & Environment (T&E) summarises their report “The good tax guide: A comparison of car taxation in Europe” that covers seven forms of car taxation across 31 European countries in detail. The ultimate goal should be to create a clear … [Read more...]
Measuring the effect of radical protests on the public and the national agenda
Climate protest happen all over the world now. In some places they hit the news headlines hard because roads are blocked and cultural artefacts are vandalised by small numbers of protestors. These radical protestors are facing the “activist’s dilemma”: even though many of the public object to their methods, will the publicity help their cause? Colin Davis at the University of Bristol offers research that tries to measure the phenomenon. … [Read more...]
European gas prices have fallen sharply since August. What happens next?
Prices on the European gas market have fallen sharply since August 2022 and Europe’s gas storage facilities are almost full. That’s good news, but the problems aren’t over. Simon Göss at cr.hub, writing for Energy Brainpool, explains why by looking at the data. He runs through the main factors driving the changes, primarily strong LNG imports, Norway’s increased production, mild weather, and lower gas consumption (particularly in industry). … [Read more...]
Tools to design energy systems resilient to natural disasters: from small villages to big cities
There is little doubt that emissions reduction will not be enough to cope with climate change. Adaptation will be essential too. Connor O’Neil and Moriah Petty at NREL describe how the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is developing free-to-use tools to help configure and create energy systems that are resilient to natural disasters. The tools have already been applied to small and large populations, ranging from a 500-person town to big … [Read more...]
Investing in Hydrogen: is there a “first mover advantage”?
Is there a “first mover advantage” – or not - for an investor in the new hydrogen economy? Michiel Korthals Altes offers a series of “tests” of investment decisions based on the following criteria: economics, climate efficiency, system optimum, price stability, regulation, technology, now and in the future. He concludes that until the sector reaches maturity, conversion inefficiencies make the production of hydrogen a poor choice for most … [Read more...]
COP 27: an analysis of what gets prioritised and ignored at UN climate negotiations
Getting an issue on the agenda of a COP is essential for its chances of being dealt with properly. Jennifer Allan at Cardiff University and Rishikesh Ram Bhandary at Boston University, writing for Carbon Brief, have analysed 218 agendas, tracking 502 agenda sub-items, going back to the first COP in Berlin in 1995. Certain agendas stand out – Adaptation, Mitigation, Finance, Transparency, Technology, Capacity Building, Response Measures, … [Read more...]
Pollution costs are driving U.S. states to look for alternatives to Gas-Fired Plants
In the U.S. a growing number of states and regulators are directing utilities to look for alternatives to proposed gas-fired power plants, citing environmental justice and community health impacts, explain Caitlin Odom and Lauren Shwisberg at RMI. So it’s not just about emissions: pollution matters too. The authors quote studies that show clean energy portfolios (CEPs) not only reduce energy costs, but can save billions of dollars in community … [Read more...]
Russia’s war is accelerating the clean energy transition, says IEA
The IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2022 is predicting that fossil fuels will peak in the next five years, “thanks to” Russia’s war and the resultant energy crisis. National climate promises are being turned into policies that improve energy security, which mostly means reducing dependence on gas. That means global energy demand growth to 2030 will “almost entirely” be met by renewables. Simon Evans at Carbon Brief takes an in-depth look at the … [Read more...]
Turning waste biomass into clean fuel: cheap, portable equipment, cuts emissions, earns income for rural poor
The burning of biomass accounts for 10% of primary energy used worldwide: wood, peat, animal dung, corn stalks, rice husks, hay, straw, and other agricultural waste. Billions of people, mainly in remote and poorer regions, rely on such fuels for cooking, heating, and other household needs. But it’s a major source of emissions as well as pollution. And, annually, an estimated $120bn worth of crop and forest residues are burned out in the open … [Read more...]
Can the Czech Republic revive its clean energy ambitions?
Although an early enthusiast for solar in 2009 the Czech Republic’s clean energy ambitions stalled. The share of green electricity was only 12% last year, with solar contributing 3% and wind just 1%. The current government is now reviving the nation’s drive towards carbon-free energy. Will new Czech policies along with EU initiatives like REPowerEU, the Green Deal and the Modernisation Fund successfully breathe new life into the Czech transition? … [Read more...]
EC Consultation: ESG ratings need regulation to fix inconsistencies and bias
There are multiple problems with ESG ratings and that’s why they need to be properly regulated, says Hazel James Ilango at IEEFA. Different ratings agencies have different methodologies that are difficult to compare. They can lack transparency and be biased due to industry, geographical location or company size. As for a company’s impact on the planet and society, it can be overrated or underrated due to the aggregation of Environmental, Social … [Read more...]
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