EU 2040 target holds line on climate, but loopholes threaten integrity

The European Commission announced it would stick to the objective announced last year of cutting emissions by 90% by 2040, compared to 1990 levels. The Commission proposed that states could count carbon credits purchased to finance projects outside Europe for up to 3% of their emission cuts. An article on the Le Monde discusses the … Continue reading EU 2040 target holds line on climate, but loopholes threaten integrity →

Zurich calls for urgent action to protect Europe’s clean energy infrastructure

Zurich Insurance Group has published a new report, Safeguarding our Energy Future: Protecting Europe’s Energy Infrastructure Against Climate Risk, warning that Europe’s clean energy systems will be increasingly vulnerable to climate-related threats if no action is taken. As renewable energy becomes the backbone of the region’s low-carbon economy, making this infrastructure more resilient is now critical. … Continue reading Zurich calls for urgent action to protect Europe’s clean energy infrastructure →

Energy in Demand News, June 29, 2025

The Washington Post reports on a new study from the nonprofit International Council on Clean Transportation, shedding light on which nations are driving the largest share of this planet-warming pollution — and which airports stand out. Globally, private jets emitted up to 19.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2023. Aircraft departing from the … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, June 29, 2025 →

India’s energy transition

Will Dubitsky writes on the Green Transition website about the progress India is making in its green transition. India: Coal monopolizes, solar goals stymied Renewables and Reality In May 2025, India announced it has raised its renewables target of 500 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 to 900 GW. The Indian government claimed it is on track … Continue reading India’s energy transition →

Developing new light-driven techniques inspired by nature’s efficiency to help the chemical manufacturing industry become more efficient

In an article on The Conversation website, Arindam Sau, Ph.D. Candidate in Chemistry, University of Colorado Boulder; Amreen Bains, Postdoctoral Scholar in Chemistry, Colorado State University; and Anna Wolff, Ph.D. Student in Chemistry, Colorado State University discuss a new energy-efficient approach for the chemical manufacturing industry. Light-powered reactions could make the chemical manufacturing industry … Continue reading Developing new light-driven techniques inspired by nature’s efficiency to help the chemical manufacturing industry become more efficient →

New EEA report on renewable electricity in Europe’s energy transition

Scaling up renewable electricity sources across the EU could reduce electricity generation costs, improve energy independence, and support the transition towards clean industry, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) report published this week. At the same time, accelerating the electrification of heating, transport and industry is needed to support Europe’s clean and competitive future. … Continue reading New EEA report on renewable electricity in Europe’s energy transition →

Britain’s energy transition: while the government’s priority is energy savings for larger businesses, SMEs typically pay the highest rates for their energy

Sam Hampton, Researcher, Environmental Geography, University of Oxford and Jan Rosenow, Leader of the Energy Programme, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, University of Oxford, write on The Conversation website about plans to cut energy bills for large industry but SMEs are getting no relief. One worries that this could seriously affect the overall economy. … Continue reading Britain’s energy transition: while the government’s priority is energy savings for larger businesses, SMEs typically pay the highest rates for their energy →

AI is quietly transforming how cities generate, store and distribute energy, acting as the invisible conductor that orchestrates cleaner, smarter and more resilient cities

Mohammadamin Ahmadfard, Postdoctoral Fellow, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, writes on The Conversation website about the value of AI to make cities more sustainable AI applications are producing cleaner cities, smarter homes and more efficient transit Artificial intelligence (AI) is quietly transforming how cities generate, store and distribute energy, acting as the … Continue reading AI is quietly transforming how cities generate, store and distribute energy, acting as the invisible conductor that orchestrates cleaner, smarter and more resilient cities →

Is there a future for carbon capture and storage?

In an article on The Conversation website, Andres Clarens, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia argues that carbon capture offered an expensive “Band-Aid” on old technology. Investing in materials innovation and new techniques for making them promises fundamental transformation for the future. How the end of carbon capture could spark a … Continue reading Is there a future for carbon capture and storage? →

The world’s largest sand battery has started working in Finland

Lottie Limb writes on the Euronews website about the world’s largest sand battery. The 15 metres wide battery can store a month's heat demand in summer. ‘A very Finnish thing’: Big sand battery starts storing wind and solar energy in crushed soapstone The world’s largest sand battery has started working in the southern Finnish … Continue reading The world’s largest sand battery has started working in Finland →