One criticism of the energy transition is that efforts made by the rich world will be negated by the rise in wealth and consumption in the developing world. A new study puts figures on that expected increase in emissions. Eradicating all “extreme poverty” – by raising hundreds of millions above the US$1.90 per day threshold – would drive up global carbon emissions by less than 1%. Lifting 3.6 billion people over the poverty line of US$5.50 per … [Read more...]
A massive expansion of domestic Renewable energy stops wars, not just climate change
Hans-Josef Fell at Energy Watch Group says bluntly that a massive expansion of domestic renewable energy generation over the last decade would not only have saved the planet from a future climate catastrophe, it would be stopping wars today. Firstly, 70% of Russia's state revenues come from oil, natural gas, coal and nuclear energy deals. State revenues fund its military. Secondly, an EU dependent on imports from any geopolitical adversary will … [Read more...]
Germany suspends Nord Stream 2: Q&A on what happens next
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Germany has suspended the go-ahead of the switch-on of Nord Stream 2, the new pipeline for Russian gas imports. What does this mean for the pipeline and Germany’s – and the EU’s – energy strategy? With events moving so rapidly, the full picture cannot be clear. So Kerstine Appunn, Benjamin Wehrmann and Julian Wettengel at Clean Energy Wire raise the big questions and summarise the answers being given. Those … [Read more...]
Critical minerals and materials: supply bottlenecks and risks need international cooperation
The growth in demand for minerals and materials needed for the energy transition is putting a strain on supply. Mining and processing are the two key bottlenecks. Dolf Gielen, Martina Lyons, Francisco Boshell and Peter Chawah at IRENA summarise the multiple challenges. New capacity is not the only problem: the geographical concentration of where the mining and, in particular, the processing is being done is the primary risk. China’s dominance in … [Read more...]
Russia-Ukraine crisis: Germany suspends Nord Stream 2
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has suspended the certification of Nord Stream 2, the gas pipeline for importing gas from Russia, already built and waiting for approval for the taps to be turned on. The analysis of Germany’s security of supply, a key element of the certification, has been withdrawn and must now be reassessed. Opponents of Nord Stream 2 have always argued that – gas emissions apart – the threat of Russia reducing supply to exert … [Read more...]
Converting captured CO2 directly into fuels could get simpler, cheaper
Converting captured CO2 directly into fuels (or other products) at scale seems an effective way to mitigate emissions. But most of the conversion methods, including electrochemical, thermocatalytic, photothermal, or photochemical processes, have not proved very effective. David Chandler at MIT describes how researchers there have identified the main stumbling block and found a very simple solution. Basically, at the molecular level, the contact … [Read more...]
Open-source modelling for the energy transition and climate change
Modelling tools are becoming increasingly important to policy makers for creating transition pathways. More detail is required as the pace of change accelerates. Yet complexity is increasing as new technologies and solutions come online. And those models are needed at the local level, not just the national and global. It’s why the EU is funding, through Horizon 2020, a range of projects to not only make those tools a success, but make them freely … [Read more...]
China should comfortably meet its 2030 Renewables target. But its emissions?
The long Covid lockdown seems to have had little effect on China’s electricity generation growth. In 2021, total generation increased by about 750 TWh (that’s around 1.3 times Germany's absolute total). Solar PV capacity grew by 53 GW last year (equal to the total installed solar capacity in Germany). Half of all offshore wind turbines installed worldwide in 2021 were off the coast of China: the strong additions were accelerated by the January … [Read more...]
What’s your average lifetime CO2 footprint by year of birth, to achieve net-zero by 2050?
To reach net zero by 2050, babies born today must have CO2 footprints ten times smaller over their lifetimes than their parents and grandparents. In rich countries it’ll be fifteen times, while in emerging economies like India and China it’ll be around four times smaller. Laura Cozzi, Olivia Chen and Hyeji Kim at the IEA summarise how they have calculated the average allowable lifetime CO2 footprint by year of birth. Taking the two extremes, the … [Read more...]
District Heating Roundtable: Policy across RED, EED and EPBD “must take account of conditions in all Member States”
Sara Stefanini provides a written summary of our panel discussion held on 10th February: District Heating under the "Fit for 55" package: challenges and opportunities. Under the “Fit for 55” package, the EC proposed several regulatory changes that, combined, are meant to decarbonise district heating in Europe. But are these options workable for all? The participants raise questions over the support for district heating, whether the multiple … [Read more...]
Lifting and lowering tons of bricks: the best storage solution for Wind and Solar intermittency?
It’s a high capacity storage system that’s simplicity itself. Use excess wind and solar to raise heavy weights. Keep them at a height for as long as you like. Lower them to generate electricity. James Conca looks at a system being developed by Energy Vault and already being demonstrated in the Swiss national grid. At scale, a single “vault” with 10,000 bricks will have an annual output of 27 GWh, sitting on only 14 acres of land. The bricks are … [Read more...]
Our Hydrogen future: 27 authors imagine the world in 2030-2050
Here’s something very different for our readers today, and an opportunity for you to register for our Webinar and Q&A on Wednesday Feb 16th at 09:00 CET (register here). It’s to mark the book launch of “Touching Hydrogen Future”, where 27 energy experts from around the world have written a chapter each. They are fictional accounts of what our world could like in the near future. The countries covered are the Netherlands (2029), Denmark … [Read more...]
Wind and Solar expansion is a threat to biodiversity. But by how much?
Wind and solar take up space, so a massive expansion will have an effect on biodiversity. But how much? Sebastian Dunnett at Hammersmith and Fulham Council in London, writing for Carbon Brief, summarises his co-authored paper that takes the latest data on wind and solar and its multiple impacts (a few are good, surprisingly) on the environment. The conclusion is that the consequences of land overlap need not be as severe as feared, provided … [Read more...]
Gas crunch causes electricity crisis despite record cheap clean energy. Time to create a “green energy pool”?
In the UK and similar nations, the gas crisis is ballooning electricity prices too. That’s because the UK operates a wholesale electricity market where the most expensive power sets the price. As we enter an era where renewables are getting cheaper every year, it’s time to change that model so that consumers see the benefits, argues Michael Grubb at UCL. The design of electricity systems is not keeping up with the revolution in renewable energy. … [Read more...]
Carbon Taxes have a multiplier effect on clean energy policies
President Biden’s Build Back Better package has already had to be cut back drastically. The climate part of the package is to halve the U.S.’s greenhouse gas pollution from its peak by 2030. Given the limitations on what Biden can do, will tax credits alone (favouring low-carbon solutions) achieve the target, asks Meredith Fowlie at the Energy Institute at Haas. She reviews papers that say it almost certainly won’t. However, the addition of a … [Read more...]
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