Accelerating the clean energy transition can tackle the inflation crisis, not just save the climate, explain Russell Mendell, Mathias Einberger and Katie Siegner at Rocky Mountain Institute. Rising energy costs are driving current global inflation. So now is the perfect time to drive through low-hanging-fruit ways to increase wind and solar generation and storage. In the U.S. interconnection queues â the pipeline of clean generation projects … [Read more...]
Hydrogen project pipelines need new ways of matchmaking investors and developers
What is required to catalyse private investment in the new hydrogen economy? Isabelle Huber at the Center for Strategic and International Studies has looked at a European Investment Bank survey of hydrogen investors in the EU to find some answers. One obvious challenge is the cost of moving to hydrogen. An example of dealing with this is Germanyâs H2Global mechanism which uses government funds to bridge the gap. But another major problem … [Read more...]
EVs vs Biofuels: new study looks at ethanolâs impact on agricultural land use, food prices, emissions
For transport, biofuels have lower emissions than gasoline/petrol, but EVs will have the lowest emissions of all. Hence the opposition to those biofuels, along with objections to the valuable cropland used to make the ethanol. But the overall advantage depends on the speed of transition to EVs charged with clean electricity. Now, a calculation has been made of the amount of agricultural land preserved for global food production - or kept as … [Read more...]
Energy security concerns are building momentum for Nuclear
The IEAâs latest report on nuclear power recommends a doubling of capacity by 2050. It emphasises that, though many advanced economies are planning a decline, 32 nations have nuclear today and reactors are now under construction in 19 countries. Itâs evidence of a momentum behind nuclear power that should be further stimulated by recent spikes in oil, gas and electricity prices, says the IEA. Russia and China remain nuclear advocates, which … [Read more...]
If Russia cuts off its gas supply can we achieve EU storage targets for winter?
Calvin Triems at Energy Brainpool summarises their analysis of whether and how Europe can achieve its storage targets for 2022. There are four scenarios: âBase Caseâ; â[email protected]%â where thereâs no change to Russiaâs mid-June gas flow cut to 40%; â[email protected]% + No Freeportâ where the unexpected fire in early June at the U.S. Freeport LNG terminal remains unresolved for months; â[email protected]% + No Freeportâ where Russia cuts off supply … [Read more...]
Will price caps on Russian oil work? Three experts debate
Whatever the G7 does, the objective is to cut revenues flowing into Russia, not oil flowing out. And whatever the sanctions, getting compliance from neutral and pro-Russian countries will need a strong positive incentive. Hence the idea of a price cap which would keep prices low. Here, three experts â Edward Fishman and Brian OâToole at the Atlantic Council, and Mark Mozur at S&P Global Commodity Insights (with background by Atlantic … [Read more...]
Imposing a $50/barrel tariff on Russian oil is the best sanction
Is there a way to impose sanctions on Russia that cuts its revenues without causing fossil fuel prices to balloon? The current strategy has seen oil prices rise to $120/barrel by mid-June, so although volumes are down Russia has seen no reduction in revenues. In other words, it has not achieved its objective, says Edward Chow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Instead, he argues for imposing a big import tariff â like … [Read more...]
The Mining industry should simultaneously be testing for Geothermal potential
In Nevada alone, the mining industry drills over 2,000 exploration holes per year. They do so to the depths needed to also verify whether the location is suitable for geothermal energy, so it makes sense for them to assess suitability not just for minerals but for geothermal, explains Ryan Horns writing for NREL. Leveraging that data, knowledge, and expertise will expand the geothermal exploration workforce, increase the rate of geothermal … [Read more...]
China tariffs: Bidenâs plan to unblock domestic Solar manufacturing
The U.S. solar industry has been caught up in the wider tariff disputes with China, a key exporter of solar panels and components. The Solar Energy Industries Association estimates hundreds of projects have been cancelled or delayed, totalling more than 50GW (thatâs over twice the total US solar installations of 2021), putting 100,000 jobs at risk (almost half the solar workforce). John Rogers at UCS explains what the Biden administration is … [Read more...]
EUâs latest sanctions on Russian Oil: what are they and will it work?
On June 3, the EU agreed an embargo on Russian crude oil and petroleum products. Ben Cahill at the Center for Strategic and International Studies looks at the details of the latest sanctions imposed in response to Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, and assesses the possible consequences. The aim is to cut oil imports from Russia by 90 percent by February 2023. A critical part of the sanctions is a ban on providing shipping insurance to Russian … [Read more...]
How the U.S. can meet its target of halving emissions by 2030
Writing for Carbon Brief, John Bistline at the Electric Power Research Institute summarises his co-authored paper âActions for reducing US emissions at least 50% by 2030â, the target set by the Biden administration. The paper provides detailed projections and actionable insights about the policies and technology deployment needed to achieve this near-term climate goal. Roughly 70-90% of emissions reductions by 2030 must come from the power and … [Read more...]
Net-zero targets delayed by fossil fuel investors suing governments
As nations try to phase out fossil fuels, companies are suing them for compensation. Rachel Thrasher at Boston University, Blake Simmons at Colorado State University and Kyla Tienhaara at Queen's University (Ontario) summarise their latest study of the scale of the payouts. The cases are based on treaties â the Energy Charter Treaty being the most significant - that allow investors to sue governments when policy changes overturn their … [Read more...]
U.S. FERC proposal for grid planning has serious flaws around benefits and beneficiaries
The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is in the midst of a key rulemaking on planning and building an electric grid. But the plan has serious flaws, says Mike Jacobs at UCS, rooted in the lack of coordination and control at the federal level. FERC wants the states to work with the utilities to define the sharing of benefits and costs from transmission, describe resource areas (like wind, solar, geothermal) where transmission is … [Read more...]
Latest U.S. modelling shows Battery Storage can support an 80% Renewables grid by 2050
NRELâs latest Storage Futures Study concludes that battery storage should be able to support an 80% renewables grid mix in the U.S. by 2050. Madeline Geocaris at NREL explains how they modelled hundreds of future scenarios to accurately represent the value of diurnal (<12 hours) battery energy storage. The high-storage scenarios made different cost and performance assumptions for storage, wind, solar PV, and natural gas. 15 storage … [Read more...]
If most truck journeys are less than 300 miles the E-Truck revolution can happen now
What proportion of trucks today could go electric? Thatâs the question Emily Porter at RMI has asked for California and New York. The answer is 65% of medium-duty trucks and 49% of heavy-duty trucks. Those are very encouragingly high numbers. RMIâs definition of âelectrifiableâ is if they travel fewer than 300 miles between trips to their home bases. The study gathered real data on how freight trucks are driven today. Clearly, a large number of … [Read more...]
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