In this Brussels Briefing on Environment for viEUws.eu, Sonja van Renssen provides an overview of the latest EU environment and climate policy developments. Highlights: the European Parliament is heading for a compromise deal on new biofuel legislation, but for a clash with Member States on the reform plan for the EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS). … [Read more...]
“Solar and wind most competitive energy sources in United Arab Emirates”
Solar and wind may now be the cheapest sources of new energy supply in the United Arab Emirates, according to a new report by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. In January, a tender for a solar park in Dubai was awarded for under six cents per kilowatt hour for a 25-year fixed contract, the lowest solar price ever achieved worldwide. … [Read more...]
Scotland’s moratorium on shale gas has no real intention to stop fracking
A moratorium on the planning permits for shale gas in Scotland has been hailed as a victory by opponents of fracking. But according to energy analyst and journalist Lorenzo Colantoni, the true intention of the Scottish government is political. The Scottish National Party, he says, wants to secure votes for the May 2015 elections. It has no intention to really stop fracking or other unconventional gas activities. This is partly confirmed by … [Read more...]
Spain’s generation mix: almost 70% carbon-free
Spain gets 69% of its electricity generation from zero-carbon sources, reported the country’s grid operator, Red Electrica de Espana (REE), on the 31st of March. The largest source of carbon-free electricity is nuclear power (23.8%), followed by wind (22.5%). The figures apply only to March 2015. … [Read more...]
Cheap oil vs wind and solar: fight for future of energy
This article by Giles Parkinson of Reneweconomy is no longer available on Energy Post. See the original article here:published by Reneweconomy.com … [Read more...]
Will Africa turn to solar – or remain stuck in fossil fuels?
Six of the world’s sunniest countries on earth are on the African continent. But with the notable exception of South Africa, Morocco and a few others, progress in scaling up solar energy in Africa has been disappointingly slow. However, 2015 may see a breakthrough in solar power in many countries across Africa, writes Terje Osmundsen, Senior Vice-President of the independent Norwegian solar power producer Scatec Solar. A number of African … [Read more...]
EU announces Treaty change to realise Energy Union
The European Commission has announced a plan to amend the EU Treaties to make regions, not national governments, responsible for decisions over the so-called “energy mix”, or what energy is produced where. … [Read more...]
Global wind power breaks record
Last year saw a record in new worldwide wind power installations. According to a new report from FTI Consulting, Global Wind Market Update 2014, 51.5 GW of new installations were added in 2014. … [Read more...]
Europe’s solar market falls over 30% in 2014, global solar grows
The global solar market grew slightly in 2014 to about 40 GW, while Europe only installed around 7 GW of solar, according to an announcement from the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) . The UK market was the only bright spot, says EPIA, increasing installations over 50 percent to more than 2 GW. … [Read more...]
A new framework for climate policy: why carbon pricing is not enough
It is often argued, especially by representatives from the energy sector, that climate change policy should be based exclusively on carbon pricing. In the EU this means: on the EU Emission Trading Scheme. However, a new book by Professor Michael Grubb convincingly shows why such a policy approach is misguided. We also need policies on energy efficiency and renewables as well as policies that drive system change. … [Read more...]
Solar PV can help not hinder the grid
Decentralised renewables such as solar panels on people’s roofs can actively support the grid, rather than being a nuisance for it. This is the main conclusion from an EU research project called “MetaPV”, whose final results were presented at a conference in Brussels on 24 March. … [Read more...]
Big Oil’s broken business model: the real story behind the oil price collapse
The underlying cause of the oil price collapse is to be found in the collapse of Big Oil’s production-maximizing business model, writes Michael Klare, professor at Hampshire College and author of many books on the geopolitics of energy. According to Klare, the oil companies were operating according to a business model that assumed an ever-increasing demand for their products, no matter their cost. They also assumed that concern over climate … [Read more...]
Fraunhofer: Solar power will cost 2 cts/kWh in 2050
“In a few years, solar energy plants will deliver the most inexpensive power available in many parts of the world. By 2025, the cost of producing power in central and southern Europe will have declined to between 4 and 6 cents per kilowatt hour, and by 2050 to as low as 2 to 4 cents.” These are the main conclusions of a study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems commissioned by the German think tank Agora Energiewende. In view of … [Read more...]
Ex-Polish Prime Minister Tusk reclaims Energy Union agenda
Energy security through new fossil fuel supplies and transport infrastructure, not energy efficiency and renewables, dominates the conclusions issued by EU heads of state and government after their first debate on an Energy Union for Europe in Brussels on Thursday. Former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk – now President of the European Council of Ministers – appears to have reclaimed in large part the Energy Union he helped set in motion, … [Read more...]
Europe’s Energy Union: a big deal – but is it a good deal?
The Energy Union, writes Jonathan Gaventa, Associate Director of E3G, offers Europe a unique opportunity to move to a more modern, efficient and technologically advanced energy system, to bring down Europe’s outrageously high energy import bill and to lead global clean energy markets. Unless we allow it to be hijacked by incumbent utilities and oil and gas players who will use it to advance their own interests. … [Read more...]
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