If you’re in the energy business, here is a new manual for you that lays out the essentials of what energy is and how it shapes geopolitics today. Professor and long-time European Commission official Samuele Furfari has condensed his 39 years of experience in the energy sector into a two-volume tome of more than 1,250 pages that goes right from the fundamentals of physics through Britain’s rule of the Middle East to modern day realities such as … [Read more...]
Large distribution system operators make a pitch for an EU-wide organisation
EDSO for Smart Grids, an organisation representing most of the large European distribution system operators (DSOs), has submitted to the European Commission a proposal to become the “vehicle” for the establishment of an “EU-DSO Entity”. In the Clean Energy Package presented last year, the Commission asked the sector to set up such an EU-wide organisation which would play a key role in the intended transformation of the electricity market. EDSO … [Read more...]
China’s continuing green shift in electric power: evidence from 2016
Over the past decade, China has been greening its electric power system faster than any other industrial power. But China is also continuing to pump out more greenhouse gases than any other other country. Is its green transformation happening fast enough? Hao Tan and John A. Mathews dig deep into the 2016 data and present an awesome picture of the stunningly large Chinese electric power sector. Courtesy Asia-Pacific Journal. … [Read more...]
Death spiral for cars. By 2030, you probably won’t own one
By 2030, you probably won’t own a car, but you may get a free trip with your morning coffee, writes Giles Parkinson of Reneweconomy.com. Transport-As-A-Service (TaaS) will use only electric vehicles and will upend two trillion-dollar industries. It’s the death spiral for cars as we know them today. Courtesy of Reneweconomy.com. … [Read more...]
How to calculate revenues of solar and wind power when the subsidies stop
As the recent offshore wind auction in Germany showed, unsubsidized renewables are rapidly becoming a reality. But how do you calculate the revenues from intermittent solar and wind power plants that receive no financial support, in particular in view of the frequent occurrence of zero or negative power prices? Carlos Perez Linkenheil, Marie-Louise Niggemeier and Simon Göß from Energy Brainpool, independent Berlin-based energy market experts, … [Read more...]
Interview Ray Thompson, Siemens: “Offshore wind increasingly fuel of choice”
As governments are focusing increasingly on industrial growth strategies, offshore wind is becoming a double win for policymakers, says Ray Thompson, Head of Business Development at Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy. “Offshore wind helps them to achieve carbon targets and to create new jobs.” Thompson explains how the industry managed to bring costs down spectacularly and what is still in store: “Offshore wind is coming to represent a major … [Read more...]
The lowdown on hydrogen – part 2: production
Electrolysis, powered by renewables, is often seen as the ideal way to produce hydrogen. But electrolysis is expensive and not always efficient, writes Roger Arnold. There are other ways that are more efficient and also climate friendly. This is part 2 of a two-part series on hydrogen written by independent energy expert Roger Arnold. Part 1 deals with the uses of hydrogen in transport. … [Read more...]
The coal-free 2°C scenario: within reach and cheaper than told by IEA
Scrapping of planned coal power and accelerated investment in wind and solar are essential if we are to reach the Paris climate goals. The good news: It can be done significantly cheaper than the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates, writes Terje Osmundsen, Senior Vice President of the Norwegian-based international solar power company Scatec Solar. Courtesy of EnergiogKlima. … [Read more...]
It is time to tax carbon
Low-carbon technologies will transform the energy system, but not fast enough to limit global warming, writes Gerard Reid, founding partner of Alexa Capital, financial analyst and co-founder of the Energy and Carbon blog. According to Reid, what is needed is to shift the still massive investment in oil and gas onto alternative energy sources. That can only be done through a carbon tax. … [Read more...]
Market design of 1980s not fit for today’s markets
The renewable flood is creating havoc in wholesale electricity markets. And this will only get worse, as storage and zero net energy buildings expand, writes Fereidoon Sioshansi, editor of the newsletter EEnergy Informer. According to Sioshansi, the solutions applied today to keep the lights on do not address the fundamental flaws in market design. New solutions are needed. Courtesy EEnergy Informer. … [Read more...]
The growing risks of offshore wind: can we rely on the sea for our power supply?
Countries in North Western Europe are becoming increasingly dependent on offshore wind as an electricity source. At the same time, risks are growing as the industry is “pushing the boundaries” by reducing costs while going further out to sea for more complex projects in deeper waters. Experts from DNV GL, the largest international independent advisor in offshore wind, talk about what they see as the major risks going forward – from cable failures … [Read more...]
European coal emissions decline but German lignite stations keep pumping on
Coal power plant emissions fell by an impressive 11%, according to new EU data, but still accounted for 39% of total emissions. Dave Jones, electricity analyst of UK-based think tank Sandbag finds that the UK, Spain, Greece and Italy performed well last year, but Germany and Poland did not. 7 out of 10 of Europe’s biggest polluters are German lignite stations. The carbon price in the ETS had no effect on emissions. … [Read more...]
Will clean coal be allowed to develop in Europe?
EU and national energy policies are strongly focused on promoting the use of renewable energy. However, EU policymakers should not overlook progress being made in traditional energy sources, especially in coal power plants, writes Pieter Cleppe, head of the Brussels office of think tank Open Europe. According to Cleppe, a significant expansion of ‘clean coal’ – which involves both carbon capture and storage (CCS) and supercritical power plants – … [Read more...]
Debate over capacity markets heats up in Brussels
Member States, MEPs and other stakeholders in Brussels are getting ready to develop rules for capacity markets in Europe. Some argue that countries should resort to capacity mechanisms only as a last resort. Other such as France insist on strong capacity markets: they are afraid of blackout risks. And there is disagreement over whether to allow coal power stations to play a role as backup source. Sonja van Renssen reports from Brussels. … [Read more...]
French election 2017: where the candidates stand on energy and climate change
The French presidential elections are fast approaching with the first voting round set to be held on 23 April and the run-off between the top two candidates – if neither wins a majority – on 7 May. Jocelyn Timperley of Carbon Brief takes a look at where the major candidates stand on energy and climate change. Courtesy Carbon Brief. … [Read more...]
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