Vattenfallâs CEO Magnus Hall likens the selling of its lignite operations in Germany to Eonâs recent split in two. âThe problem we needed to solve was the CO2 issue,â says Hall in an exclusive interview with Energy Post. The new chief of the Swedish state-owned company has abandoned the idea of splitting up the company geographically. Its future lies in sustainability, says Hall, e.g. in offshore wind. He notes the European market is distorted by … [Read more...]
What Eon and Gazprom have in common
What does Eonâs change in corporate strategy and Gazpromâs decision not to build South Stream have in common? Quite a lot. Both decisions are responses to the increasing speed in which Europe is moving towards a low-carbon society. Both are also bold and risky decisions for the two companies involved. The rest of us probably need not be (too) concerned, writes Energy Post editor Karel Beckman. … [Read more...]
Eon’s new strategy: focus on renewables, distribution, customer solutions, get out of old power generation
Eon, the largest German energy company, will henceforth âfocus on renewables, distribution networks, and customer solutions and combine its conventional generation, global energy trading, and exploration and production businesses in a new, independent company, a majority of which will be spun off to Eon SEâs shareholders. … [Read more...]
IEA: coal, nuclear, shale should be part of EU energy mix, Energy Union should not be buyersâ cartel
The European Union âhas made progress in liberalising energy markets, and its global leadership on climate change is to be commendedâ, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said today as it released its review of EU energy policies. But the IEA also had criticisms to make. … [Read more...]
EU power system largely ready for winter, but only thanks to interconnections: ENTSO-E report
The Winter Outlook Report from ENTSO-E, Europe's electricity transmission system operators, shows that overall generation will be sufficient to cover demand this winter, even under severe conditions. However, the report notes that many countries will need imports to meet their demand. Risks due to generation shortages are identified for some countries, such as Belgium, and to a lesser extent Great Britain. The report also looks at the possibility … [Read more...]
Survey: utilities increasingly turn to social media
A new IDC Energy Insights study reveals that around two in every three European utilities use social media for business purposes or plan to do so in the short term, compared with 48% a year earlier. The study also highlights that further expansion in the social media space is one of the top 3 customer experience investment priorities that European utility suppliers are already involved in or expect to undertake in the next few months. Key … [Read more...]
Why Google gave up on renewables (hint: because they donât know much about energy)
The two scientists responsible for Googleâs failed attempt to launch a renewable energy revolution have written an article explaining what, according to them, went wrong with their project. They have come to the conclusion that fighting climate change with todayâs renewable energy technologies wonât work â but they present no evidence for it, writes Energy Post editor Karel Beckman. … [Read more...]
The Five Energy Labours of Juncker
The new team heading the European Commission in Brussels is lucky. Its predecessors closed two sensitive deals before the reshuffle: a European energy and climate strategy for 2030 and a gas winter package between Ukraine and Russia. On top of that, outgoing Energy Commissioner GĂźnther Oettinger finished off a thick report on the way forward for a European energy market. The new Commission will follow up on these three dossiers, plus two more … [Read more...]
SunPower: "solar the greatest market opportunity world has seenâ
The head of one of the worldâs leading solar PV manufacturers and developers, SunPowerâs Tom Werner, predicts that solar will be a $US5 trillion industry within 20 years, and represents one of the greatest ever opportunities in the history of markets. Giles Parkinson of Reneweconomy.com reports on a recent investment briefing given by Werner. … [Read more...]
Where battery storage will take over from backup power plants
Although the growth in renewables has led to the shutdown of many gas- and coal-fired power plants, power producers believe their plants will still be needed to provide backup capacity. But grid storage batteries are becoming increasingly competitive with âpeaker plantsâ, says Paul Siblerud of US storage company ViZn Energy Systems in an interview with Roy L. Hales of The EcoReport, citing a new study by Energy Strategies Group. … [Read more...]
Wishing away lignite – EU climate policy ignores elephant in the room
While mining and combustion of lignite impose high burdens on the environment, Europeâs least expensive fuel remains impervious to climate policies or market trends. Poland remains committed to lignite power generation. In Germany, the worldâs largest lignite industry provides backup electricity for nuclear phase-out and renewable power intermittency. Mediterranean sunshine has not kept Greece and Turkey from relying on lignite rather than … [Read more...]
Interview Joe Phillips, DNV GL: âFor offshore wind there is only one way forward: togetherâ
âOffshore wind offers great promise but the industry is at a very delicate stage now. We canât afford to make mistakes in construction that lead to cost overruns,â warns Joe Phillips, Head of Strategy & Policy for Renewables at DNV GL, one of the largest technical energy consultancies in the world. DNV GL has recently issued an âoffshore wind cost reduction manifestoâ that commits the company to help reduce costs in the sector by 25% and … [Read more...]
Europeâs nuclear future may hinge on UKâs Hinkley deal
The fate of future nuclear power projects in Europe could hinge on whether government-backed guarantees for Britainâs Hinkley Point C power station survive an expected challenge from Austria in Europeâs highest court. Analysts agree that large nuclear undertakings have become too costly and risky for private investors alone. For this reason many EU countries are backing the UKâs support for nuclear power. Timothy Spence reports from Vienna. … [Read more...]
Cleantech innovation in Europe: here are the gamechangers of the future
At a âbusiness boosterâ event in Barcelona, sixty European cleantech startups supported by KIC InnoEnergy, presented themselves to the world. They offered an impressive variety of new technologies and market innovations, ranging from new storage devices and solar chips to energy saving techniques, financing models and consumer engagement platforms. In this article we present to you some of the gamechangers of our future energy system â all made … [Read more...]
How to solve the crisis in the EU electricity market
Climate policy and government support of renewable energy are often blamed for the current crisis in the European electricity market. In reality, however, this crisis is caused by changed market fundamentals as well as the inadequacy of the existing market design, argue Andreas RĂźdinger and Mathilde Mathieu of the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI). What is needed is better integration of climate and … [Read more...]
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