Energy in Demand News, January 25-26, 2026

The Financial Times reported this week that Norway’s oil fund wants companies to be allowed to water down their climate goals, arguing the alternative was for a major net zero initiative to fall apart. “The $2tn oil fund told the FT it feared companies could back away from the idea of science-backed climate targets unless … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, January 25-26, 2026

Decarbonising home heating: UK bets £15bn on solar and heat pumps

Esme Stallard  and Justin Rowlatt write on the BBC News website about the latest programme to decarbonise Britain’s homes. Ministers are tilting Britain’s “homes upgrade” spending away from insulation and towards technologies such as solar panels, batteries and heat pumps as they seek to lift 1mn families out of fuel poverty. Is this the right … Continue reading Decarbonising home heating: UK bets £15bn on solar and heat pumps

New report examines sentiments from over 3,500 global professionals in the commercial real estate and construction sectors

James Darley writes on the Energy Digital website about the sustainability report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors RICS. Its sustainability report 2025 examines sentiments from over 3,500 global professionals in the commercial real estate and construction sectors, in order to understand how the climate agenda is shaping trends and practices across the world. … Continue reading New report examines sentiments from over 3,500 global professionals in the commercial real estate and construction sectors

While AI uses a lot of energy, it can also make systems cleaner and smarter

Nir Kshetri, Professor of Management, University of North Carolina – Greensboro, writes on The Conversation website that the positive benefits from AI almost certainly will be much more important than the negative ones when it comes to improving the environment.   Despite its steep environmental costs, AI might also help save the planet The rapid growth … Continue reading While AI uses a lot of energy, it can also make systems cleaner and smarter

Upcoming events

There are several upcoming events that you should plan for.   eceee Zero Carbon Industry The next eceee Zero Carbon Industry 3–5 February 2026 in Rome offers three days of discussions on industrial decarbonisation, competitiveness and industrial renewal. There is still some room to attend! Information is available here.   World Sustainable Energy Days World Sustainable Energy … Continue reading Upcoming events

Energy in Demand News, January 18-19, 2025

This week, the Washington Post reported that the US Environmental Protection Agency will no longer consider health costs in pollution regulations. “The EPA can effectively manage the balance between protecting the environment and spurring economic growth without misleading the public and assigning arbitrary dollar amounts to human health,” said West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R) … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, January 18-19, 2025

Will the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement really go against the EU’s climate commitments?

The EU is set to sign a long-awaited trade deal with South America's trade bloc, Mercosur. It may offer unexplored opportunities, but critics say the environmental fallout is being sidelined. In an article on the Deutsche Welle website, Martin Kuebler discusses the main issues.   What the EU-Mercosur deal might mean for the environment Ursula … Continue reading Will the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement really go against the EU’s climate commitments?

Renewable energy making good gains in the EU

Eurostat has put out the following article this week on the generation of electricity from renewables in 2024.   2024: nearly 50% of EU electricity came from renewablesIn 2024, renewable energy sources accounted for 47.5% of gross electricity consumption in the EU, indicating a 2.1 percentage points (pp) increase from 2023. It has almost tripled (+30 pp) since the time series began … Continue reading Renewable energy making good gains in the EU

The need for smarter energy management

In an article prepared for the World Energy Forum annual meeting, Dave Regnery, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Trane Technologies, writes how we can build a more sustainable and resilient future.   How to rethink energy demand to build a sustainable, resilient future Global electricity waste exceeds hundreds of billions annually, demanding smarter energy management … Continue reading The need for smarter energy management

Even under the pressure of war, Ukraine remains able to build a sustainable future

Ievgeniia Kopytsia, Research Associate in the Law Faculty, University of Oxford writes on The Conversation website about the efforts underway in war-torn Ukraine to build a sustainable future. Even at COP30 they discussed how it is building a carbon market that can support  postwar recovery and strengthen its ability to withstand future conflict. What are … Continue reading Even under the pressure of war, Ukraine remains able to build a sustainable future