The Indian government is looking for effective ways to increase the use of solar powered pumps for small farm irrigation. About 70% of India’s rural households still depend primarily on agriculture for their livelihood, and successful farming usually requires irrigation. Currently, 21m pumps are connected to a primarily fossil fuel grid and 8.8m are diesel while solar has risen to just 130,000, mostly added in the last 5 years. Lelin Thouthang … [Read more...]
Electricity Capacity Mechanisms face legal challenge in UK, Poland
Recognising that energy markets might not always be able to meet demand on their own, the European Commission allows EU Member States to operate Capacity Mechanisms (CMs). These schemes offer contracts via publicly administered auctions to suppliers who help 'guarantee' there is always spare power for the grid, even as demand and supply fluctuate. But the designs of the CMs are proving contentious, and legal challenges to CMs threaten to shut … [Read more...]
Billions in private investment waiting for clearer action and guarantees from governments on pathway to 2050
Last month we reported how weak commitments by some EU states were putting a successful transition at risk. Marcela Scarpellini of right. based on science focuses on how this confusion impacts the funding of the transition, and the essential role of private investment. $16.5 trillion needs to be put into energy efficiency and low-carbon technologies by 2030 to hold the temperature increase below 2°C by 2050, says the IEA. Governments alone cannot … [Read more...]
