The EU has big plans to electrify. It has set its first-ever electrification target: 46% by 2040. Electrification has hovered just under 24% for more than a decade. Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen told reporters in Brussels on Friday: “With this plan, we are putting Europe on a course to become the world’s first electro-continent.” Check … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, July 19-20, 2026
Category: energy policy
European Commission boosts Europe’s competitiveness, decarbonisation and independence with Electrification Action Plan and ETS review
On July 17th the Commission presented an Electrification Action Plan to make Europe the first electro-powered continent, and a stronger carbon market to support EU's industry in the clean transition and electrification. Europe's reliance on imported fossil fuels has repeatedly exposed it to geopolitical shocks. These have driven up energy prices for both households and companies, and dragged down our competitiveness. While … Continue reading European Commission boosts Europe’s competitiveness, decarbonisation and independence with Electrification Action Plan and ETS review
Energy in Demand News, July 12-13, 2026
Eurostar, the international high-speed rail service in Western Europe, will now be building its new generation of trains to withstand 55C summers. The new trains, to be built by Alstom, were originally designed to cope with conditions of up to 45C. But the UK Times website quotes Gwendoline Cazenave, chief executive of Eurostar, saying: “We … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, July 12-13, 2026
The oil crisis isn’t over—the safety net is gone
Dmitry Zhdannikov, Robert Harvey and Ahmad Ghaddar write on the Reuters News website about the global economy weathered the Iran-related supply shock by drawing down strategic reserves, but those depleted buffers leave the world more exposed to future disruptions. We definitely need a more sustainable approach to our energy future. World absorbs historic Iran … Continue reading The oil crisis isn’t over—the safety net is gone
Clean energy means security: The European Commission’s energy priorities
In this interview on the Open Access Government website, Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, the European Commission’s Spokesperson for Climate, Energy, Environment, Transport, and Housing, discusses the European Commission’s strategic vision for Europe’s energy future. The European Commission’s energy priorities Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, the Spokesperson for Climate, Energy, Environment, Transport, and Housing, outlines the European Commission’s energy priorities … Continue reading Clean energy means security: The European Commission’s energy priorities
Reflections on the IEA’s 11th Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency was definitely front and centre for many this week, starting with the International Energy Agency’s 11th Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency in Montreal, June 29-30th. There were around 600 attendees from 60 countries. There were 40 ministers or heads of delegations, with about 25 at the ministerial level. There were about 70 … Continue reading Reflections on the IEA’s 11th Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency
China’s new five-year plan accelerates the energy transition
Anika Patel writes on the Carbon Brief website about China's new five-year energy strategy, which strengthens its commitment to renewable energy while retaining coal as a backup, introduces mandatory clean energy consumption targets, and reinforces its position in global clean-energy competition. China Briefing 25 June 2026: Five-year plans passed | Critical-mineral tensions | Industrial … Continue reading China’s new five-year plan accelerates the energy transition
The petrostate meets the electrostate
In an article on The Conversation website, Philippe Le Billon, Professor, Geography Department and School of Public Policy & Global Affairs, University of British Columbia and Suzanne Duroy, a full-time journalist based in Taiwan, discuss the contrast between America's fossil fuel-based "energy dominance" strategy and China's growing leadership in clean energy, viewed through Taiwan's energy … Continue reading The petrostate meets the electrostate
Energy in Demand News, May 17-18, 2026
The Financial Times reports that one of the largest US pension funds “is re-evaluating its stake in TotalEnergies following the French oil major’s decision to accept $1bn from Donald Trump’s administration to exit offshore wind power in the US. . . . The New York State Common Retirement Fund, which owns a $1.6mn stake in … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, May 17-18, 2026
Energy in Demand News, May 10-11, 2026
It is encouraging that the OECD has published a Data Explainer that details the need for governments to step up policies promoting more efficient energy use. It focuses on 13 energy efficiency policies, including minimum energy performance standards (MEPS), public financing mechanisms for buildings and industry (e.g. green mortgages, vendor credits), fuel economy standards and … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, May 10-11, 2026
