News comes of another renewables record for China. Shenzhen based manufacturer BYD has launched the world’s largest pure electric double decker bus fleet, to be delivered to the city of Xi’an. To illustrate China’s drive to dominate this market, they have already won the international tender to deliver 37 of a total of 68 new electric double decker buses to London, where the red double decker is an icon. That’s more than the remaining 31 that … [Read more...]
Special report: South East and Eastern Europe PART I – Subsidised fossil-fuel power blocking the way for renewables
Right on the border with Western Europe, countries in South East and Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia have enormous potential for renewable energy, but it remains largely untapped. A stark contrast to the situation a few kilometres further North and West. The region’s fossil-fuel and nuclear subsidies are among the highest in the world. The subsidies and accompanying low electricity prices translate to an unrealistic cost of … [Read more...]
EXCLUSIVE: Chinese government’s plan to meet the Paris goals
China is leading the energy transition as the world’s largest producer, exporter and installer of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles. It has a clear lead too in renewable energy patents, ahead of the U.S. and twice that of the EU. But it is also still heavily dependent on coal, the air pollution in its cities is legendary, and the economy is expected to quadruple by 2050. Against this background, Kaare Sandholt, Chief … [Read more...]
Digitalisation is changing the energy landscape
The energy sector is already using data in sophisticated ways to meet a wide range of challenges, from fault prediction in grid networks to the delivery of personalised energy to households. As more data becomes “big data” and smart devices proliferate along the value chain, Matt Brown and Ravi Mahendra of Pöyry Management Consulting make their predictions for more digitalisation in the coming year. … [Read more...]
Germany: wind installation growth beset by legal challenges
According to the German wind industry, new installations have ground to a halt due to a combination of red-tape holding up licences and because “almost every authorisation is sued”. A joint statement by the German Wind Energy Association (BWE) and VDMA Power Systems (the trade association for power systems) has called on the government to streamline licensing procedures and eliminate administrative barriers to new turbines, otherwise the … [Read more...]
Battery manufacture must take a global leap forward to ensure a sustainable and just transition
The global battery market is surging. By 2040 the global energy storage market is projected to attract $620 billion of investment. Over the past decade, the rechargeable lithium-ion battery market doubled on average every three years. To cope with this growth, we need the development of a sustainable and low-carbon value chain for batteries in order to contribute to the implementation of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, says Martin BrudermĂĽller, … [Read more...]
Africa and renewables: the international partnerships bringing 300GW potential to life
Gaining access to energy is vital for Africa's people and national economies so tapping their vast potential for renewables is the obvious solution both for them and the climate. The challenge, as ever, is funding. To solve this, African nations are striking up international partnerships in a bid to unleash the full power of their phenomenal natural assets. … [Read more...]
Carbon taxes aren’t working any more. Only ramping up policies and infrastructure can accelerate the transition
Anthony Patt and Johan Lilliestam of ETH Zurich make the case against carbon taxes. Climate policy is most effective when it helps people use alternative energy sources, rather than when it makes fossil energy more expensive. Fostering an energy system free of fossil fuels requires financial, infrastructure, and institutional support for specific technologies. That requires a different and much braver approach. Reducing or eliminating carbon … [Read more...]
UK nuclear plans are in tatters. But current incentives help gas, not wind and solar, step into the gap
The scrapping of plans for a new nuclear power station in Cumbria and the suspension of work on another in Anglesey have put the brakes on the UK’s nuclear future. But the government appears more keen to fill the gap with gas rather than renewables. David Toke of Aderdeen University criticises the current incentives and regulations and makes the case for wind and solar. … [Read more...]
How much subsidy does solar need, and for how long?
Schalk Cloete presents his latest paper looking at what affects the profitability of an investment in a power sector. After reviewing onshore wind and nuclear, he now looks at solar. His analysis of coal and gas are to come. Intermittency, market share, maintenance, integration costs and other factors are modelled in detail to help predict solar’s future. *This article is brought to you via our new author platform. If you have an article you … [Read more...]
“Consuming less energy may act as disincentive for investment in renewables”
According to Anthony Patt, Professor of Climate Policy at the ETH ZĂĽrich in Switzerland, the less we spend on energy, the less attractive renewables can look to businesses and investment markets. Such remarkable insights fly in the face of received wisdom and defy logic. Patt claims his models show that doubling current energy efficiency improvement rates buys us only one extra year to hit the Paris targets. Really? - This is how Anthony … [Read more...]
Electric metering should break its link with power consumed and create it directly with the costs of delivery
In a world where electricity is generated from non-renewables (oil, gas, nuclear) our meters measure and charge us for electricity delivered, as if it was a fuel being consumed. Going forward, the cost should be measured against what is actually being consumed. In a renewables world – particularly 'run-of-the-river' hydro, wind and solar - that’s not the electricity. It’s the wear and tear on the infrastructure. Treating these types of renewable … [Read more...]
EU electricity supply from RES off course for 2030 – so is it more nuclear or gas?
Last year’s strong reported performances for the share of clean energy in the UK and German energy mixes paint a rosy picture. It is the result of billions in investment and strong signals from Brussels and the COP series. Looking more broadly across the EU though, the share actually decreased by 17% from 2016 to 2017. Furthermore, due to lack of investment stretching back as far as 2011, the rate of growth has dropped significantly putting RES … [Read more...]
Britain has shifted 30% of its electricity away from fossil fuels in just nine years
Britain’s extraordinary energy transition is in part down to increased energy efficiency: put simply, less electricity was needed, whatever the source. But coal is still essential during spikes in demand. Given coal generation is due to be phased out by 2025, the country will need to find alternative power sources to cope during extreme weather events. And that overall decline in electricity demand is sure to be reversed as more vehicles and … [Read more...]
Norway’s renewables exports to increase 8-fold by 2030
Already, Norway’s renewable energy sector generates $1.2bn in export revenues today. Now an analysis of commitments by both private and state actors shows that that figure should rise 8-fold by 2030. Terje Osmundsen, CEO of Empower New Energy, adds up the numbers, identifies the key businesses and state operators, and shows how renewables exports can help both Norway and developing countries in danger of being left behind. … [Read more...]
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