Exploring the dynamics of the 21st century energy industry

Sometimes we complain that the low carbon transition is not happening fast enough. This week I was in Brussels and many people I met were worried that we may be going to fast and that the repercussions on our electricity system may lead to fewer long-term investments for both generation and transmission. And there are … Continue reading Exploring the dynamics of the 21st century energy industry →

US utilities pushing for changing role of energy conservation

EiD has had many posts concerning the role and activities of energy companies, including, as we see in Europe, certain obligations to promote energy efficiency. Jim Malewitz writes in the New York Times about the efforts of utilities in many states to change the business model from an “energy only” market to a “capacity” model. … Continue reading US utilities pushing for changing role of energy conservation →

How rooftop solar systems are affecting energy companies

We talk about being in an energy transition and it cannot always be a win-win situation, as much as we would like it to be. Mark Chediak, Christopher Martin and Ken Wells from Bloomberg news service write a very detailed account in renewableenergyworld.com about how utilities in the US are starting to fight back. This … Continue reading How rooftop solar systems are affecting energy companies →

Is California dreaming?

Matthew Wald reports in the New York Times about the impact of the rapid increase of solar power in California. Interestingly, California utilities are taking a new approach by using a massive array of batteries in the afternoon to store surplus power when the sun’s rays are strongest and then using the power in the … Continue reading Is California dreaming? →

Happy Birthday

On 15 December 2012, 16 environmental NGOs from 14 countries decided to join forces in the EKOenergy network. At the same time, they adopted the name EKOenergy. 10 weeks later, on 23 February 2013, the members of the Network approved the criteria for the first pan-European eco-label for electricity. Both the EKOenergy network and the … Continue reading Happy Birthday →

Power politics – perplexing

The UK had an effective plan for consumers to save energy and save money. This week the UK Chancellor and the six biggest energy suppliers connived to kill it, and together they have handed a sobering message to the rest of Europe that if you want to save energy, don’t trust the energy companies. Since … Continue reading Power politics – perplexing →

US changes stance on funding coal-fired power plants

The World Bank has often been criticised for funding large-scale energy projects – from large hydropower dams to coal-fired power plants – that can have serious environmental consequences and certainly not in the realm of sustainable energy. Michael Shear writes in the New York Times that its largest funder, the US, has now taken a … Continue reading US changes stance on funding coal-fired power plants →

Where is all the money going?

UK’s Prime Minister, David Cameron, is determined to cut the green taxes that end up on energy bills because there is a growing backlash to the large increases announced by many of the major energy companies. According to the Guardian the total is £114 (€135), government figures show that £50 (€59) goes on the energy … Continue reading Where is all the money going? →

New academic paper – “The Green Deal and the Energy Company Obligation”

Jan Rosenow, Senior Consultant at Ricardo-AEA, and Nick Eyre, Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University, put together the first comprehensive academic peer-reviewed paper on the British Green Deal published in the journal ‘Energy’ of the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers. The Green Deal, introduced alongside the Energy Company Obligation, marks a substantial change … Continue reading New academic paper – “The Green Deal and the Energy Company Obligation” →

Number of the week – 2

The Council of European Energy Regulators has just published its status report “Status Review of Regulatory Aspects of Smart Metering, Including an assessment of roll-out as of 1 January 2013.” [add pdf] The report states that only 2 countries have completed the roll out of smart meters for electricity – Sweden and Italy.