Energy in Demand News, July 27-28, 2025

It is summer time in Europe but the news has not slowed down. The post below on the IEA is disturbing and we can all hope that the US remains a member of the IEA in order to make a valuable contribution to our sustainable energy future. There is a good report from SciencesPo on … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, July 27-28, 2025

US Energy Secretary floats withdrawal from IEA

Mitchell Beer writes on The Energy Mix website that the Trump administration is threatening to pull the United States out of the International Energy Agency if the IEA doesn’t bring its independent forecasts in line with the administration’s support for a more fossil-friendly future. What are your views?   U.S. Threatens to Quit IEA if … Continue reading US Energy Secretary floats withdrawal from IEA

The Science Based Targets initiative says that, to be 1.5C-aligned, financial institutions must stop funding firms that are expanding fossil fuel production and use

This week, the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) launched a net zero standard for banks, asset managers and insurance companies, which requires them to end financing for firms that are expanding coal projects immediately and for those expanding oil and gas projects by 2030. In an article on the Climate Home News website, Joe Lo … Continue reading The Science Based Targets initiative says that, to be 1.5C-aligned, financial institutions must stop funding firms that are expanding fossil fuel production and use

“Sportswashing” is taking over the Tour de France

The world is watching the end of the three-week Tour de France cycling race. Oscar Korbosli writes on the Le Monde website that the fossil fuel industry is heavily sponsoring this event. At the end of June, the French oil giant TotalEnergies announced it had signed an official three-year partnership with the Tour de France, … Continue reading “Sportswashing” is taking over the Tour de France

As more countries develop their climate plans in advance of COP30, it’s time for leaders across the globe to face the hard truths of climate science

In an article on The Conversation website, Piers Forster, Professor of Physical Climate Change; Director of the Priestley International Centre for Climate, University of Leeds and Debbie Rosen, Research and Innovation Development Manager for the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures, University of Leeds provide a wake-up call about how serious our climate crisis is. So … Continue reading As more countries develop their climate plans in advance of COP30, it’s time for leaders across the globe to face the hard truths of climate science

New report from SciencesPo on the EU taxonomy in practice

Titouan Chalavon, Clara Klint and Barbora Rapantova have written a report for the SciencesPo European Chair for Sustainable Development and Climate Transition on how the EU taxonomy has helped drive energy efficiency investments. The following is the abstract for the report.   The EU taxonomy in practice: driving energy efficiency investments? Mapping insights from stakeholders … Continue reading New report from SciencesPo on the EU taxonomy in practice

Germany’s energy transition: “We need effective climate protection. Otherwise, summer will turn from a wonderful season to a very dangerous season for very many people.”

Jens Thurau writes on the Deutsche Welle website about how Germany, a country known for its lack of air conditioning, is preparing for the next heatwave.   How Germany manages extreme heat and climate change This summer has seen some hot days in Germany. Very hot. In early July, temperatures in Hamburg and Cologne soared … Continue reading Germany’s energy transition: “We need effective climate protection. Otherwise, summer will turn from a wonderful season to a very dangerous season for very many people.”

Blog by Jane Marsh – Six Times the Minerals: How EVs and Gas Cars Stack Up in the Race for Resources

Electric vehicles (EVs) are synonymous with the green energy transition. However, despite lowering global transportation emissions, production demands a significantly greater amount of minerals than gas cars, raising concerns regarding their actual sustainability and overall environmental and social impact. Understanding how each vehicle type performs in resource extraction and processing is crucial to making informed … Continue reading Blog by Jane Marsh – Six Times the Minerals: How EVs and Gas Cars Stack Up in the Race for Resources

Approving 2040 climate targets in the EU proving quite a challenge

In an article on the Business Green website, Andrew Warren, chair of the British Energy Efficiency Federation and a former special advisor to the UK House of Commons environment select committee writes about how hard-right members of the European Parliament have been given the rapporteur role that could prove hugely influential in shaping the EU's … Continue reading Approving 2040 climate targets in the EU proving quite a challenge

91% of new renewable projects now cheaper than fossil fuels alternatives

Renewables maintain their cost leadership in global power markets, the International Renewable Energy Agency’s new report on Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2024 confirms. The report confirms that renewables maintained their price advantage over fossil fuels, with cost declines driven by technological innovation, competitive supply chains, and economies of scale. In 2024, solar photovoltaics (PV) were, on … Continue reading 91% of new renewable projects now cheaper than fossil fuels alternatives