China will have doubled its 2020 installed wind and solar capacity by 2025, exceeding 1,100GW, according to government plans. That’s four years sooner than required to meet their target of peak CO2 emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060. Writing for Carbon Brief, Lauri Myllyvirta and Xing Zhang at CREA explain that the main driver is the creation of “clean energy bases”: large-scale concentrations of wind and solar power on deserts … [Read more...]
Imagine it’s 2030 and net-zero is on track. How did we do it?
Imagine it’s 2030. The energy transition is on track and net-zero goals are entrenched across the global economy. How did we get there? Tim Buckley at IEEFA imagines it for us and sends us a postcard from the future. Writing in the past tense, he flags actual events and policies happening today to “remember” the major changes that took place to achieve it. Weather-related disasters compelled governments to act, recognising – apart from the … [Read more...]
Anna Zalewska MEP Q and A: “We cannot drop coal from our energy mix in a decade”
Over the past twelve months Energy Post has provided readers with two well-attended panels (Modernisation Fund, Just Transition Fund), sponsored by PGE Poland, focussing on EU mechanisms and policies designed to support countries like Poland (plus other carbon-intensive and/or lower-gdp Member States) with their decarbonisation strategy. Today, Anna Zalewska MEP (ECRG and member of the ENVI committee of the European Parliament) makes use of … [Read more...]
NECPs – Analysis: EU ideals coming up against political realities
The European Union is trying to maintain its leadership on climate change with its Clean Energy for All Europeans package, which aims to make the EU climate neutral by 2050. The mechanism for achieving this target is member states’ National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). Mike Scott considers the plans, how Germany is moving towards an "Eastern European" energy policy and how the upcoming elections could dilute EU climate policy overall... … [Read more...]
New “Gas for Climate” scenarios: can green gas and hydrogen save gas pipelines?
Gas has a key role to play in decarbonising the energy sector. Until a comprehensive clean energy network can accommodate variable renewables using storage, baseload power will be needed. Natural gas is a lower carbon option than coal, so there is a strong case for it to be the first-choice bridging fuel towards a net-zero energy economy. However, exactly how much gas, what type of gas and how existing infrastructure can store energy in the form … [Read more...]
EU ETS price contributing to gas demand
Whilst the top-level 40% 2030 emissions reduction target looks relatively safe, share from RES is definitely not. Carbon pricing, in its various forms, is working but, frankly, not in a predictable or even desirable way. A closer inspection of the market-driven EU ETS permit scheme illustrates how and why gas – especially American LNG – is going strong, putting the 32% share of final energy consumption from renewables in doubt. … [Read more...]
Team Juncker: EU unveils new Energy Commissioner(s)
Slovenia’s ex-Prime Minister Alenka Bratušek and Spanish ex-minister Miguel Arias Cañete have been nominated to lead EU energy policy in a new European Commission due to take office on 1 November. Incoming Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced Bratušek as Vice President for Energy Union and Cañete as Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy – yes the two portfolios are being merged – on 10 September in Brussels. Cañete is expected … [Read more...]
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