The Steam Age never really ended

Andreas Helwig, Associate Professor, Electro-Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern Queensland writes a convincing article on The Conversation website that argues that we are still living in the steam age. What are your views? Even as the fusion era dawns, we’re still in the Steam Age Steam locomotives clattering along railway tracks. Paddle steamers churning … Continue reading The Steam Age never really ended →

Recent modelling shows that domestic peak heat demand in UK is almost 50% lower than widely cited values

A recent article on the Cell Press website provides valuable insight into the impact of 100% electrification of domestic heat in the UK. Decarbonising heat in particular is often perceived as a daunting task since natural gas serves between 60 and 80% of the domestic heat sector in countries like the UK. While there has … Continue reading Recent modelling shows that domestic peak heat demand in UK is almost 50% lower than widely cited values →

UK push for civil atomic power highlights link with nuclear weapons

Last week, EiD published a post by Andrew Warren that the UK government is pursuing an uneconomic nuclear programme in large part so as to maintain and renew military nuclear capabilities. Now Andy Stirling, Professor of Science & Technology Policy in the Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex together with Philip Johnstone, Research Fellow, … Continue reading UK push for civil atomic power highlights link with nuclear weapons →

Energy in Demand News, January 14, 2024

EiD welcomes that the IEA published Renewables 2023 this week. It is encouraging to see that the world added 50% more renewable capacity in 2023 than in 2022 and next 5 years will see fastest growth yet. The IEA says that the world’s capacity to generate renewable electricity is expanding faster than at any time … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, January 14, 2024 →

Ghana’s energy transition – Ghana’s electricity conundrum

In an article on The Conversation website, Naaborle Sackeyfio, Associate Professor of Global and Intercultural Studies, Miami University discusses the electricity crisis in Ghana and what it will take to put it on a sustainable foundation. Ghana’s electricity crisis is holding the country back - how it got here For well over a decade … Continue reading Ghana’s energy transition – Ghana’s electricity conundrum →

Britain’s energy transition is more complex than meets the eye

The UK government is pursuing an uneconomic nuclear programme in large part so as to maintain and renew military nuclear capabilities, argues Andrew Warren, chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation, in an article on the BusinessGreen website. Submarine thinking: A 'lock-in' of nuclear power would be reckless for the economy and the climate … Continue reading Britain’s energy transition is more complex than meets the eye →

Energy in Demand News, January 7, 2024

With the devastation of floods, heatwaves, hurricanes, forest fires and more, we know much more needs to be done to mitigate GHG emissions. Many commentators were concerned after COP28 last year that there was no sense of urgency. Read once more the comment from Fiona Harvey, published on EiD in December, on the need for … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, January 7, 2024 →

Bringing off-grid, pay-as-you-go power to Africa

Mansoor Hamayun, the co-founder and chief executive of Bboxx, started out with a university project to bring solar power to a few villages in Rwanda. Now he is set to expand tenfold across sub-Saharan Africa. In an article on the Guardian website, Jillian Ambrose discusses what Mr. Hamayun is trying to achieve. ‘Electricity is … Continue reading Bringing off-grid, pay-as-you-go power to Africa →

Motorists are increasingly opting for large electric SUVs but the environmental impact of these vehicles should not be underestimated

Laura Lander, Lecturer in Engineering, King's College London and Grazia Todeschini, Reader in Engineering also at King's College London, write on The Conversation website about the environmental impact of large electric vehicles. Why surging sales of large electric vehicles raises environmental red flags Electric cars are getting bigger and heavier. In 2019, 30% of … Continue reading Motorists are increasingly opting for large electric SUVs but the environmental impact of these vehicles should not be underestimated →

Power companies in the US are turning to virtual power plants

In an article on The Conversation website, Daniel Cohan, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rice University, discusses the growing role of virtual power plants as electricity demand is surging. What is a virtual power plant? An energy expert explains After nearly two decades of stagnation, U.S. electricity demand is surging, driven … Continue reading Power companies in the US are turning to virtual power plants →