The most significant US energy policy update in a decade, the Energy Policy Modernization Act 2016, will be introduced into the new Congress in January 2017. With provisions for accelerated permitting for oil and gas drilling, construction of export LNG terminals, as well as energy efficiency standards and grid-integration of renewables, the outlook for US energy security is bright, according to Barry Worthington, Executive Director of the US … [Read more...]
South Africa’s new energy plan: postpone nuclear, phase out coal
The much awaited updated South African Integrated Resource Plan for electricity, released for comment on 22 November, has sparked strong emotions, writes Hartmut Winkler, Professor of Physics at the University of Johannesburg. In an article for The Conversation, Winkler discusses the main points of the plan and explains why the nuclear lobby in particular is unhappy. Courtesy of The Conversation. … [Read more...]
DNV GL on risks of renewables: “We need new tests and standards to prevent major failures”
The transition to renewable energy is accompanied by the widespread use of power electronics, such as inverters, which require a whole new way of testing smart equipment, says Theo Bosma, Program Director Power Systems & Electrification at DNV GL, one of the largest technical consultancies in the world. According to Bosma, the new power electronics are not adequately tested at the moment. “New technologies such as solar, wind, batteries and … [Read more...]
Why sharing solar is the next big thing in energy
The disruption and the opportunities being offered by solar PV and battery storage are likely to be accelerated massively by the introduction of new software such as the “blockchain” system that has already taken root in financial systems, writes Giles Parkinson of the leading Australian energy website Reneweconomy. Courtesy: Reneweconomy.com. … [Read more...]
Vietnam’s amazing nuclear journey – why it ended, what it means for South East Asia
On November 22, Vietnam took the historic decision to scrap its nuclear power program, after many decades of nuclear preparations, up to a ground-breaking ceremony at the first proposed nuclear site in the country in 2014. Jim Green, editor of Nuclear Monitor, published by WISE (World Information Service on Energy), tells the amazing story of nuclear power in Vietnam – and discusses what the Vietnamese decision means for the prospects of nuclear … [Read more...]
The future of OPEC: it won’t die, but it will become a different animal
Regardless of the outcome of the meeting on 30 November, the future of OPEC looks uncertain. The organisation is facing a perfect storm, squeezed as it is between the revolution in shale oil, which has increased global supply and brought down prices, and the prospect of a global peak demand stemming from climate policies and falling costs of alternatives. Some have even declared the death of OPEC, but according to Thijs Van de Graaf, professor at … [Read more...]
Why China’s new coal plants won’t stop it from meeting its climate goals
In a fascinating article, Collin Smith, graduate student at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center in China, explains why China has been building a large amount of new coal-fired capacity the past two years, despite its climate commitments and drive for renewable energy. He also explains why this capacity does not necessarily translate into more coal power production: the power plants are and will be heavily underutilised. There is a danger though that the … [Read more...]
India wants to become a solar superpower – but its plans don’t add up
India aims to build 1 terrawatt of global solar power – four times the current worldwide total – and become a 100% electric vehicle nation by 2030. Those are great ambitions, but they still far short from what is needed for a true energy transformation away from coal, writes DĂ©nes Scala of Lancaster University. Courtesy of The Conversation. … [Read more...]
Reinventing Fire in China
Amory Lovins’ Rocky Mountain Institute, backed by Chinese institutions and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, has published a stunning roadmap for an energy revolution in China. If its ideas are taken up, it could lead to a transformation of the largest energy economy in the world – and serve as a model for other developing nations to follow, writes Fereidoon Sioshansi, president of Menlo Energy Economics and publisher of the newsletter … [Read more...]
Why the future belongs to decentralised renewables, not centralised hydrogen and giga-scale nuclear
What the future of our energy system will look like continues to be a subject of heated debate. According to one well-established tradition, writes Professor John Mathews of Macquarie University in Australia, the route to decarbonisation will run via massive nuclear power systems to the hydrogen economy. But China and to some extent India are emerging as the principal practitioners of an alternative vision of energy growth, underpinning their … [Read more...]
Stephane Quere, Innovation Director Engie: “Hydrogen is a big topic for us”
Hydrogen, which can be used to store energy, produce electricity and fuel vehicles, is one of the innovation priorities for French energy giant Engie (€70 billion revenue). This is a company that prides itself on its diversity however, explains Stephane Quere, Innovation Director at Engie, with activities stretching from Europe to Africa and Asia, and businesses from gas distribution to security systems. Some of the main priorities for Engie are … [Read more...]
IEA in the Age of Trump: policies will determine where we go from here
The most important message from the 2016 edition of the annual World Energy Outlook, the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) flagship publication released today, is that “policies will determine where we go from here”. “Paris” has given the international energy sector “a new sense of direction”, notes the IEA. But much stronger policies are needed to keep global warming limited to 2 degrees Celsius, it adds. Its message takes on extra importance … [Read more...]
Biofuels turn out to be a climate mistake
Biofuels are usually regarded as inherently carbon-neutral, but once all emissions associated with growing feedstock crops and manufacturing biofuel are factored in, they actually increase CO2 emissions rather than reducing them, writes John DeCicco of the University of Michigan. According to DeCicco, biofuels are actually more harmful to the climate than gasoline. Courtesy of The Conversation. … [Read more...]
Europe’s renewable transport targets need biofuels, they can’t be met with EVs alone
The decarbonisation of the transport sector presents a huge challenge for Europe, writes Paul Deane of the Environmental Research Institute in University College Cork, Ireland. Many people believe electric vehicles (EVs) are the answer, but according to Deane biofuels will need to deliver most of the targets for the time being. “EVs will have their day but it may be further down the road than we hoped.” … [Read more...]
Lumenaza creates regional electricity markets: “We want to connect up all 1.4 million solar PV producers in Germany with consumers locally”
A new software platform in Germany lets utilities buy and sell “regional electricity” by connecting up small producers with consumers. Start-up Lumenaza, founded three years ago, meets a growing demand for transparency, explains CEO and founder Christian Chudoba in an exclusive interview with Energy Post. Unlike a typical virtual power plant, Lumenaza targets tiny producers such as owners of rooftop solar. Its goal is to connect up all of … [Read more...]
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