Not so long ago, nuclear power was seen as “the new energy” that would drown the world in cheap electricity. It didn’t turn out that way. Now the same promise is made for renewables. Andreas de Vries looks at went wrong in the nuclear case and warns that the renewables sector could be in for a disappointment if it does not avoid making the same mistakes. … [Read more...]
Is energy ‘dominance’ the right goal for U.S. policy?
In recent weeks, a new energy buzzword has taken flight from Washington, D.C., making stops in Alaska, North Dakota, Texas, Utah and more: “American energy dominance.” But according to Daniel Raimi, senior research associate at the University of Michigan, this goal is unrealistic and it distracts from the goals that should be shaping U.S. energy policy. Courtesy The Conversation. … [Read more...]
Energy wonks have a meltdown over the US going 100 percent renewable. Why?
In the U.S. a furious debate has erupted among academic energy experts about whether the country could run 100% on renewable energy. Joshua D. Rhodes, Postdoctoral Researcher of Energy at the University of Texas, Austin, explains what is going on and offers some thoughts of his own. Courtesy The Conversation. … [Read more...]
Finkel Review, blueprint for Australia’s electricity market: “the real work has still to be done”
The blueprint for Australia’s future electricity market released recently by Australia’s chief scientist Alan Finkel pleases some but not all market watchers, writes Fereidoon Sioshansi, publisher of the newsletter EEnergy Informer. For some critics, the real work on climate and energy policy in Australia has still to be done. … [Read more...]
Germany’s first renewables auctions are a success, but new rules are upsetting the market
The introduction of renewables auctions in Germany, replacing administratively set feed-in premiums, has led to considerably lower prices and very high realization rates. However, community participation was very low in the first solar PV auctions. Now a new rule favouring community projects in onshore wind auctions turned out to be so attractive that most bidders created community projects to profit from them. This is turning the market upside … [Read more...]
Why investing in the big 4 German utilities is still not for the faint of heart
Now that EON and RWE have both been split up, there are four utilities investors can put their money in. Surprisingly perhaps, the conventional generation businesses do better on the German stock exchange than the renewables and grid businesses so far. Gerard Reid, founding partner of Alexa Capital, financial analyst and co-founder of the Energy and Carbon blog, explains why and discusses the prospects of the four companies. Courtesy Energy and … [Read more...]
Interview bio-energy expert André Faaij: “So much nonsense has been told – high time for the real story”
“An enormous amount of nonsense” has been told about bio-energy, says André Faaij, scientific director of Energy Academy Europe and professor Energy Systems Analysis at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. According to Faaij, it is high time for the real – scientifically validated – story. “The bio-based economy is indispensable for our climate policy and can mean huge progress for agriculture and nature in developing countries”. … [Read more...]
EU’s Mediterranean neighbours struggle with energy transition
Taking a cue from the EU, members of the Arab League have adopted renewable energy and energy efficiency plans and targets. But they lack incentives and a stable policy framework to drive growth. “There are local initiatives, but no process to underpin an energy transition”. … [Read more...]
To slow climate change, India joins the renewable energy revolution
India has embarked on a remarkable renewables revolution, made possible by falling prices of solar power, writes Arun Agrawal, Professor of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan. According to Agrawal, what is needed above all to make the energy transition succeed, is robust grids and careful land use planning. Courtesy The Conversation. … [Read more...]
Climate change (II): overcoming the difficulty of acting to reduce emissions
Why is the climate change problem so hard to fix, asks energy and climate change economist Adam Whitmore? In the second of a two-part series, he addresses the political, social and psychological barriers to action. But he also identifies a number of trends that give grounds for optimism. … [Read more...]
Climate change (I): How did we get here, and why is it so hard to fix?
Why is the climate change problem so hard to fix, asks energy and climate change economist Adam Whitmore? The answer in a nutshell: activities that cause emissions are ubiquitous, diverse and deeply embedded in modern life. The world’s energy system is huge and long-lived. In addition, there are considerable political and psychological barriers. Whitmore addresses both these aspects in a two-part series. … [Read more...]
Interview David Hone, Chief Climate Change Advisor Shell: “Net zero emissions are achievable. The timing is challenging”
EU climate and energy policy is “reasonably effective”, but it could achieve more for the climate if it focused purely on reducing CO2-emissions, says David Hone, Chief Climate Change Advisor at Shell, in an interview with Energy Post. “There are too many goals and too many targets.” Hone also argues that first generation biofuels are needed to make advanced biofuels work and that a “new approach” towards CCS is urgently needed. Globally, Hone … [Read more...]
Remi Eriksen, CEO DNV GL: Gas and renewables can be best of ‘frenemies’
Gas could be the ideal partner for renewable energy generation in a future sustainable energy mix, writes Remi Eriksen, Group President and CEO of DNV GL, one of the largest risk management providers in the world with operations in more than 100 countries. However, for this to happen, the oil and gas industry must help policymakers and the public become aware of all the benefits of gas, notes Eriksen, not just the economic ones. Also, the … [Read more...]
New Energy Challenge calls on European energy startups to submit game-changing ideas
Shell Technology Ventures, Rockstart and YES!Delft today have launched the second edition of the New Energy Challenge, a competition for European start-ups offering innovative, low-carbon energy solutions. The competition aims to accelerate the development and implementation of breakthrough technologies. The winning start-up will receive a €100,000 convertible loan from Shell. … [Read more...]
Brussels should stick with its proposal to remove barriers to demand response schemes: the U.S. is doing the same
Energy suppliers are lobbying against a proposal from the European Commission to remove barriers to demand response schemes, writes Philip Baker, Senior Adviser at the Regulatory Assistance Project, an independent consultancy. According to Baker, the Commission should stick with its proposal. Demand response, he argues, will bring great savings to energy consumers. What is more, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in the United States … [Read more...]
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