The Chinese wind energy sector is growing at tremendously. China is expected to exceed its 2015 target of 100GW wind capacity by 30%, reports Tim Buckley, Director Energy Finance Studies Australasia at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) for Reneweconomy. At the same time, China is rapidly diversifying away from coal, towards more nuclear, renewables and hydropower. The implications for global energy markets are … [Read more...]
The future of energy storage in Europe
With the increase of variable renewables on the grid, the need for electricity storage will only grow. But what kind of storage? According to Philip Hiersemenzel of German battery manufacturer Younicos, business opportunties will for now lie in short duration services. Based on his company’s modelling, he says large-scale grid storage does not make sense – yet. Without storage, 40% renewables is max. Mike Stone of Energy Storage Report … [Read more...]
Global renewable energy at the cross-roads
Is the renewables glass half-full or half-empty? That’s the central question that appears to run through the International Energy Agency (IEA’s) new comprehensive market report on the state of renewable energy in the world. The answer is complex. Renewables have made “tremendous progress”, notes the IEA, but growth “falls short of global climate change objectives”. Karel Beckman reports. … [Read more...]
Professor Henrik Lund: Denmark proves complete fossil fuel independence is possible
Complete independence from energy generated from fossil fuels is possible. Professor Henrik Lund, of Aalborg University, believes that a system based 100 per cent on renewable energy is a viable option and could be achieved by 2050 in Denmark. Renewable energy systems (RES) planning can also be successfully applied to other countries worldwide. During his extremely well attended plenary lecture at CHISA, the 21st International Congress of … [Read more...]
Will China follow the US example and cap carbon emissions?
With his Clean Power Proposal, President Obama has entered on a drive to put a ceiling on carbon emissions in the US – for the first time. The question  is now whether China will follow this example. Nicholas Cunningham of Oilprice.com believes China may be about to turn a corner – with huge consequences for global energy markets. … [Read more...]
Global Cumulative Wind Power Capacity to More than Double by 2020, Led by China, says GlobalData
Despite an overall slump in installations in 2013, the global cumulative wind power capacity will more than double from 319.6 Gigawatts (GW) at the end of 2013 to 678.5 GW by 2020, says research and consulting firm GlobalData. The company’s latest report* states that China, the largest single wind power market responsible for 45% of total global annual capacity additions in 2013, is expected to have a cumulative wind capacity of 239.7 GW by … [Read more...]
More than a fifth of global power production now comes from renewables
Global renewable electricity energy capacity rose to a new record level last year — more than 1,560 gigawatts (GW), up 8% from 2012. More than 22 % of the world’s power production now comes from renewable sources. Renewables currently meet almost one-fifth of world final energy consumption. That is one of the conclusion of the new Renewables Global Status Report published by REN21, "the global renewable energy policy multi-stakeholder … [Read more...]
How to design a successful auction for renewable energy projects
In its new State Aid guidelines, the European Commission presents auctioning as the standard procedure for allocating support for renewable energy. Member States may deviate from this rule, but only for very good reasons. Although auctioning can in theory be a useful instrument, experience all over the world shows mixed results. It is crucial that auctions are adapted to the specific market context. If not, they will deliver sub-optimal results … [Read more...]
Biomass: the hidden face of the Energiewende
When people think about the “energy transition” in Germany and elsewhere, they tend to think of the success of solar and wind power. However, of all forms of renewable energy it is biomass that has seen the largest absolute growth and supplies by far the most renewable energy, writes Robert Wilson. In Germany biomass has grown three times as much as wind and solar combined. 17% of the country’s arable land (6% of total land) is now devoted to … [Read more...]
Clean energy investment picks up in first quarter after stagnation last year
Clean Energy Pipeline,  “the online financial news and data service dedicated to the clean energy sector”, reports that “new investment in the global clean energy sector totalled $61.0 billion in 1Q14, representing a 14% increase on the $53.4 billion invested in the corresponding period in 2013." “New clean energy investment was encouraging in 1Q14, marking a welcome change from recent press releases where we have been reporting year-on-year … [Read more...]
The Age of Renewables has begun – as solar power continues to shoot down the cost curve
A new report by investment analysts from Citigroup says that in the US “the Age of Renewables” has begun. This is confirmed by the most recent public announcements from First Solar and SunPower, two of the largest solar power producers in the US, which both continue to see solar costs coming down rapdily. Analysts from McKinsey have become convinced that the developments in the solar power sector will have a seriously disruptive effect on the … [Read more...]
Interview Volker Quaschning: “Nobody can hold back the renewables revolution”
Volker Quaschning, a professor for renewable energies in Berlin and one of the most influential advocates of the “Energiewende” in Germany, is convinced that nuclear and fossil fuel power in Germany will be fully replaced by renewable energies in the not too distant future. The Energiewende, he says, does not even require the support of Germany’s EEG (Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz) feed-in law any longer. “The EEG is only needed to accelerate the … [Read more...]
The vision of Peter Terium, CEO of RWE: “We want to be the holistic energy manager of the future”
RWE, the German utility known for its reliance on large lignite, coal and nuclear power stations, and its high CO2 emissions, is undergoing a fundamental transformation. “We want to use our leading market position to take our customers into a new future”, explains RWE’s Dutch CEO Peter Terium in an exclusive interview with Energy Post. “My dream, my vision is that RWE will put solar panels on your roof, a battery in your shed, a heat pump in your … [Read more...]
Who is winning the clean energy race? (It’s not Europe)
For the past five years, Pew Charitable Trusts has tracked investment and finance trends in the world’s leading economies. Over that period, the clean energy industry has been buffeted by a global recession, broad changes in energy markets, and uncertainty surrounding international policies on clean energy and climate change. Despite these challenges, the clean energy sector is now an annual $250 billion component of the world economy. In a … [Read more...]
A peek into the astonishing future of wind power
Start-up companies like Sheerwind, Saphon Energy and Makani (bought by Google) are experimenting with revolutionary wind turbine designs. But for now most of the progress made in the wind power sector comes from more conventional technological innovations, such as lower weight, taller towers, improved blade designs, and better logistics, writes Ari Phillips of ClimateProgress. These R&D efforts have led to a 43% price drop in just a few … [Read more...]