With a string of new investments and acquisitions in the past year (you can find a unique overview further on in this article!), Shell has quietly stepped up the pace of its transition from an oil and gas company into an energy company. “We are further along than people realize”, says Mark Gainsborough, Executive Vice-President of Shell New Energies, in an exclusive interview with Energy Post. According to Gainsborough, there is a “shift in … [Read more...]
Ukraine’s power sector is set for a major transition
As the pillars of Ukraine’s power sector – coal and nuclear – are shaking, the country is on the point of a major energy transformation, writes Oleg Savitsky, climate and energy policy expert and journalist. But some crucial steps still need to be taken to make it possible. … [Read more...]
Poland’s largest utility, PGE, faced with growing risks from transition
The financial stability of PGE, Poland’s largest utility, could be undermined if it sticks with its current fossil fuel-heavy generation profile, writes Gerard Wynn. In a new report for the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), Wynn concludes that the company could be hit hard by increasing carbon prices and tougher air pollution rules if it does not shift away from coal. … [Read more...]
The nuclear industry is making a big bet on small power plants
Small modular reactors (SMR) offer many potential advantages over their full-sized peers. Whether these materialize remains to be seen, writes Scott L. Montgomery of the University of Washington. Nevertheless, SMRs are needed to help resolve the energy challenges of our time, the author argues. Courtesy: The Conversation … [Read more...]
How gas and oil companies are starting to look like the Yellow Pages (remember those?)
The parallels between what happened to the Yellow Pages business and what’s happening to the fossil fuel industry today are striking, writes Kathy Hipple, financial analyst at IEEFA (Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis). The oil and gas industry may not collapse as rapidly as the Yellow Pages did, it will go the way of the shrinking coal industry unless it learns from the failure of the Yellow Pages to adapt. Courtesy: IEEFA … [Read more...]
Uneconomic coal could be squeezed out of European Union power markets by 2030
Coal’s time is running out in Europe: deteriorating economics and stronger climate policies will soon make coal uneconomic, writes Silvio Marcacci of think tank Energy Innovation. Many European countries have already set an end date for coal power, utilities and investors are shifting away from it. The question is not if coal will lose, but when, and how well-managed its exit will be. … [Read more...]
Europe aims to have 300 smart cities by end of next year
With the help of the Smart Cities and Communities European Innovation Partnership (EIP SCC), 78 cities in Europe have undertaken smart city development. The EIP-SCC aims at a critical mass of 300 smart cities by the end of 2019, according to Andreea Strachinescu of the European Commission. The most difficult part, she says, is not the renovation of individual buildings, but the systems integration. The next step: positive energy districts. … [Read more...]
Why there is so much aggressive bidding at renewables auctions – and what the risks are
Renewable energy auctions have seen very low prices in many parts of the world. Why do auctions seem to be so effective in driving down costs – and what are the risks? Ana Amazo-Blanco, Silvana Tiedemann of Navigant[1], and Dr. Stephen Tay and Monika Bieri of SERIS looked at a solar PV rooftop auction in Singapore and an offshore wind auction in Germany to discover the key factors behind the bids and suggest how project developers can make sure … [Read more...]
Electric buses can save local governments billions – China’s showing how it’s done
New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco - America's largest cities are switching their entire bus fleets from diesel to electric. They will save money in the long run, but how to overcome upfront financing hurdles? According to Silvio Marcacci of think tank Energy Innovation, Shenzhen in China, which has the world's first 100% all-electric bus fleet, provides useful lessons. … [Read more...]
A common goal for all sustainability advocates
Nothing is better for fossil fuel interests than current government policies supporting wind, solar and electric cars, writes independent researcher Schalk Cloete. These green technologies won't reduce fossil fuel consumption sufficiently for a long time to come, so the fossil fuel sector will be able to survive that much longer. In the third and last part of a series on green technology-forcing, Cloete calls on all sustainability advocates to … [Read more...]
Three new energy companies finding value in three new business models
Not a day goes by without news of a new start-up or one that has been flying under the radar, writes energy expert and author Fereidoon Sioshansi. In this article, he takes a closer look at three of them, which seem to have promising business models: Open Utility, OhmConnect and Off Grid Electric. Courtesy EEnergy Informer. … [Read more...]
If solar panels are so clean, why do they produce so much toxic waste?
The disposal of used solar panels is a huge and growing problem that is not being sufficiently addressed, writes Michael Shellenberger, founder of the pro-nuclear citizens movement Environmental Progress (EP). He argues that a fee should be imposed on solar panels which should go into a fund to pay for recyling and clean-up. … [Read more...]
Planned Kosovo lignite power plant fails to commit to cleaner technologies
London-listed, global energy investor ContourGlobal portrays its plans for a new coal power plant in Kosovo as a step towards cleaner air, but its legal agreement with the government shows that it fails to commit to best-in-class environmental performance, writes energy finance consultant Gerard Wynn. Courtesy Energy and Carbon blog. … [Read more...]
EVs to make up third of market in 2040, e-buses to dominate end 2020s
Electric vehicles will become cheaper than the internal combustion engine in a half decade, and will make up a third of the car fleet by 2040, while electric buses will completely “dominate” their sector by the late-2020s, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), which just published its Electric Vehicle Outlook 2018 report. Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com reports. Courtesy Oilprice.com. … [Read more...]
Is offshore wind about to hit cost-competitiveness in the U.S.?
Offshore wind may seem like a pricey option, but it’s actually an extremely valuable investment, writes Mike O’Boyle of San Francisco-based think tank Energy Innovation. According to a new analysis, the market value of electricity generated by offshore wind will soon exceed its cost in New York and several New England states. … [Read more...]
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