“The return to the electric motor is only just beginning and is still stumbling over the distribution network”

'The return to the electric motor is only just beginning and is still stumbling over the distribution network,' said economist Pierre-Cyrille Hautcœur in his column on the Le Monde website. And it needs public investment into infrastructure not to fail as it did in the early 20th century. 'In 1905, half the world's cars were … Continue reading “The return to the electric motor is only just beginning and is still stumbling over the distribution network”

The challenges to reduce independence on Russian gas while ensuring Europe’s clean energy transition meets the long -erm climate and energy objectives

The recipe for independence from Russian gas is the acceleration of the clean energy transition; its success depends on the use of the right ingredients, write Megan Anderson, Bram Claeys and Jan Rosenow in an article on the EURACTIV website.   Is REPowerEU the right energy policy recipe to move away from Russian gas? With … Continue reading The challenges to reduce independence on Russian gas while ensuring Europe’s clean energy transition meets the long -erm climate and energy objectives

New EIB report on investors’ views on how the public sector can help to address the risks and challenges of the move towards a more hydrogen-fuelled economy

Robin Whitlock writes on the Renewable Energy Magazine website about a new report from the European Investment Bank that provides key insights into the main drivers behind the European hydrogen market and how the EIB should address them.   New report finds that the international investment community recognises both the opportunity for hydrogen deployment and … Continue reading New EIB report on investors’ views on how the public sector can help to address the risks and challenges of the move towards a more hydrogen-fuelled economy

Concerns about EU Innovation Fund not advancing European renewable energy technology

Several European renewable energy associations have united to call for changes to the EU’s Innovation Fund as its award criteria ‘puts renewable energy projects at a structural disadvantage’. Amir Garanovic discusses in an article on the offshore energy website.   Renewable energy industry losing confidence in EU’s Innovation Fund Associations – including Ocean Energy Europe, … Continue reading Concerns about EU Innovation Fund not advancing European renewable energy technology

Calling for greater energy efficiency to reduce EU dependence on Russian fossil fuels

Initiatives to improve energy efficiency can reduce the EU’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels. They can also help increase the union’s influence in the global south. Mats Engstrom discusses the issues in an article on the European Council on Foreign Relations website.   Efficient influence: Energy initiatives for a geopolitical Europe Russia’s brutal war on … Continue reading Calling for greater energy efficiency to reduce EU dependence on Russian fossil fuels

One MEP makes powerful argument for Europe giving more focus to energy efficiency

modern thermostats, and building insulation - could go a long way toward enabling the EU to cut dependence on Russia’s natural gas and petroleum products. As it is, the EU is the single largest customer for Russia's natural gas and petroleum products. Russia accounts for around 40 per cent of the EU's gas imports and … Continue reading One MEP makes powerful argument for Europe giving more focus to energy efficiency

Putting some urgency into need to deploy heat pumps in Europe

As the European Union tries to free itself from Russian gas, it should offer subsidies and policy supports to boost heat-pump adoption, a new report says. Jeff St. John discusses in an article on the Canary Media website.   How to move Europe from gas heat to heat pumps — fast Heat pumps play a major role in … Continue reading Putting some urgency into need to deploy heat pumps in Europe

The electricity alignment of Ukraine and Moldova is more than a technical integration, it is also a strategic political alignment

But more than just a technical integration of systems and capacity, electricity alignment is also a strategic political alignment not far from the level of joining the EU. Indeed, Russia’s invasion has opened a discussion across Europe and beyond about how and where countries source their energy. It might not guarantee energy security as critical … Continue reading The electricity alignment of Ukraine and Moldova is more than a technical integration, it is also a strategic political alignment

The European Parliament’s lead negotiator has proposed tougher EU targets to reduce energy use this decade

The European Parliament’s rapporteur for the revision of the Energy Efficiency Directive (2018/2002), Niels Fuglsang (S&D, Denmark), has proposed increasing the EU’s energy efficiency target to at least 43% for final energy consumption and 45.5% for primary energy consumption, according to his draft report sent to shadow rapporteurs on Friday 18 February. Kate Abnett writes … Continue reading The European Parliament’s lead negotiator has proposed tougher EU targets to reduce energy use this decade

Discouragingly, the door is open in the EU for more “blue hydrogen” projects

The oil and gas industry is promoting the use of “low-carbon” hydrogen derived from methane that is potentially dirtier than burning fossil gas for energy, scientists and analysts. EU green investment rules facilitate the rollout of blue hydrogen, a fuel that could be more polluting than the fossil gas it is set to replace. Not surprisingly, … Continue reading Discouragingly, the door is open in the EU for more “blue hydrogen” projects