Biomethane has a critical role to play in the decarbonisation of transport, particularly long-distance trucks and ships, where electrification is more difficult and expensive. Angela Sainz Arnau at the European Biogas Association explains that biomethane represents one of the lowest greenhouse gas intensive pathways when the whole emissions lifecycle is measured. However, when nations implement bans on internal combustion engines to cut the use … [Read more...]
Community Biomass: for energy independence, stable prices and local control
Energy independence is now at the top of the EUâs agenda. Almost all Europeâs biomass is already locally produced, contributing around 60% of the EUâs renewable energy. Marine Perrio at IEECP makes the case for promoting biomass prosumer projects. She points at regions dependent on biomass that have reported stable energy prices in the midst of the drastic increases in gas, oil and coal prices. Biomass uses organic feedstock from agriculture, … [Read more...]
Smart households in a high Renewables world: flexible, efficient, cheaper
Smart controls can enable household heating and EVs to interact flexibly with increasingly decentralised electricity generation. As renewables continue to be added to the energy mix, it will increase efficiency, reduce load, and save money. Marco Reiser and Karoline Steinbacher at Guidehouse summarise the challenges and opportunities, before looking at the SINTEG pilot in Germany. The main hurdles are technological (standardisation, interfaces, … [Read more...]
Reducing Europeâs dependence on Russian Oil and Gas: immediate, short and long term strategy
Atlantic Council Global Energy Center experts and associates offer their template for drastically reducing Europeâs dependence on Russian oil and gas. Itâs broken down into immediate, short (one to three years) and long term (beyond three years) actions. Itâs wide-ranging and comprehensive. Some actions are already in play, including maximising gas storage, ready for next winter. Some are the ramping up of existing plans (clean energy, … [Read more...]
Germanyâs electrification ambitions: TSOs scenario for 91% Renewables by 2045
The German TSOs submitted in January scenarios for their grid to 2037, making projections for increasing electrification. In addition, and for the first time, they included an ambitious and long term scenario to 2045. By pure chance, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Germanyâs response â to consider a reduction in its serious dependence on Russian energy imports â should make eyes turn sharply towards that 2045 scenario. Simon Göss at cr.hub, … [Read more...]
A massive expansion of domestic Renewable energy stops wars, not just climate change
Hans-Josef Fell at Energy Watch Group says bluntly that a massive expansion of domestic renewable energy generation over the last decade would not only have saved the planet from a future climate catastrophe, it would be stopping wars today. Firstly, 70% of Russia's state revenues come from oil, natural gas, coal and nuclear energy deals. State revenues fund its military. Secondly, an EU dependent on imports from any geopolitical adversary will … [Read more...]
Germany suspends Nord Stream 2: Q&A on what happens next
Following Russiaâs invasion of Ukraine, Germany has suspended the go-ahead of the switch-on of Nord Stream 2, the new pipeline for Russian gas imports. What does this mean for the pipeline and Germanyâs â and the EUâs â energy strategy? With events moving so rapidly, the full picture cannot be clear. So Kerstine Appunn, Benjamin Wehrmann and Julian Wettengel at Clean Energy Wire raise the big questions and summarise the answers being given. Those … [Read more...]
Russia-Ukraine crisis: Germany suspends Nord Stream 2
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has suspended the certification of Nord Stream 2, the gas pipeline for importing gas from Russia, already built and waiting for approval for the taps to be turned on. The analysis of Germanyâs security of supply, a key element of the certification, has been withdrawn and must now be reassessed. Opponents of Nord Stream 2 have always argued that â gas emissions apart â the threat of Russia reducing supply to exert … [Read more...]
District Heating Roundtable: Policy across RED, EED and EPBD “must take account of conditions in all Member States”
Sara Stefanini provides a written summary of our panel discussion held on 10th February: District Heating under the "Fit for 55" package: challenges and opportunities. Under the âFit for 55â package, the EC proposed several regulatory changes that, combined, are meant to decarbonise district heating in Europe. But are these options workable for all? The participants raise questions over the support for district heating, whether the multiple … [Read more...]
Wind and Solar expansion is a threat to biodiversity. But by how much?
Wind and solar take up space, so a massive expansion will have an effect on biodiversity. But how much? Sebastian Dunnett at Hammersmith and Fulham Council in London, writing for Carbon Brief, summarises his co-authored paper that takes the latest data on wind and solar and its multiple impacts (a few are good, surprisingly) on the environment. The conclusion is that the consequences of land overlap need not be as severe as feared, provided … [Read more...]
Gas crunch causes electricity crisis despite record cheap clean energy. Time to create a âgreen energy poolâ?
In the UK and similar nations, the gas crisis is ballooning electricity prices too. Thatâs because the UK operates a wholesale electricity market where the most expensive power sets the price. As we enter an era where renewables are getting cheaper every year, itâs time to change that model so that consumers see the benefits, argues Michael Grubb at UCL. The design of electricity systems is not keeping up with the revolution in renewable energy. … [Read more...]
EU Taxonomy: labelling Gas âgreenâ is a gift to Putin
Many of todayâs clean energy technologies were given their first boost in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis, explains William Todts at T&E. He now hopes the current confrontation between NATO and Russia over Ukraine will shake up and deepen Europeâs commitment to the energy transition. But entirely the wrong signal was sent over the New Year, says Todts. He describes the European Commissionâs inclusion of gas in the EU Taxonomy for sustainable … [Read more...]
Synchronous condensers will stabilize the power grid as the Faroe Islands pivot to 100% green energy
The isolated Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic has an ambitious goal to become the worldâs greenest group of islands. That means by 2030, SEV, the islandsâ power utility, will be using 100% green electricity from hydropower, solar and wind and potentially tidal streams. As well as being an important climate change initiative, this will bring economic benefits as the Faroes will no longer rely on expensive fossil-fuel imports. However, … [Read more...]
District Heating: policies for cutting emissions need work says IEA
District Heating policies need urgent attention according to the IEA so here in Europe it's a good moment to examine what the "Fit for 55" package means for the sector's future development. On February 10 Energy Post is hosting an online roundtable alongside MEP Pernille Weiss, MEP Morten Petersen, and MEP Grzegorz Tobiszowski - all (senior) members of the ITRE committee - to take in the viewpoints of key Member States and stakeholders (COGEN … [Read more...]
Replacing centralised power with Distributed Energy Systems needs new policies and coordination
We need integrated resilient smart grids that can accommodate the rapid growth of intermittent renewables as well as the rise of âprosumersâ who both buy and sell electricity into the grid. This is the focus of three online discussion sessions on February 8th, 9th and 10th organised and hosted by power management company Eaton. The proliferation of multiple generation sources (solar, wind, batteries and other clean, flexible technologies) means … [Read more...]
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