Energy in Demand News, August 2-3, 2026

Frank Elderson, a member of the European Central Bank’s executive board, told the Guardian that the climate emergency and the breakdown of nature poses a dramatically growing risk to the global economy. He said it was clear the rising frequency of natural disasters linked to global heating poses a threat to financial stability. “Nature-related risks … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, August 2-3, 2026 →

Making solar power available on demand

In an article on The Conversation website, Vera Moerbeek, Doctorante en physique, Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS); Université de Perpignan Via Domitia writes about the next generation of energy storage: thermal batteries using thermophotovoltaics (TPV) that could make solar power dispatchable without relying on lithium-ion batteries. What are your views? How next‑generation … Continue reading Making solar power available on demand →

The cheapest gas is the gas Europe never uses

Michael Kern writes on the Oil Price website that rather than focusing on securing ever more LNG imports, Europe can strengthen its energy security by reducing gas demand through heat pumps, renewable electricity and energy efficiency. Hitting EU Renewables Targets Could Slash Gas Demand a Quarter by 2030 The European Union could save a … Continue reading The cheapest gas is the gas Europe never uses →

Energy in Demand News, July 26-27, 2026

As this week’s Energy in Demand was being prepared, more than 280,000 people had been ordered to flee or lock down as huge wildfires swept Spain and France, prompting Madrid to declare a national emergency and the French authorities to order the total evacuation, by land and sea, of one of the country’s best-known holiday … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, July 26-27, 2026 →

The nuclear mirage behind the AI boom

On the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists website Molly Langabeer and M.V. Ramana challenge the narrative that Big Tech's investment in nuclear power will solve AI's growing electricity demand. Their the announcements are far larger than the actual investments, while renewables—not nuclear—are meeting demand. There is definitely a mismatch between rhetoric and reality. Data centers … Continue reading The nuclear mirage behind the AI boom →

Heatwaves are testing the resilience of our power grids

Natalie Muller writes on the Deutsche Welle website about the immediate problem and the broader policy challenge of modernising electricity networks for a hotter climate. When extreme heat hits, people turn to AC, but what if the grid fails? From France to the US, heat waves are pushing power systems to the limit, raising blackout … Continue reading Heatwaves are testing the resilience of our power grids →

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 →

New report by the European Climate Neutrality Observatory (ECNO)

urope’s climate transition is showing signs of acceleration – but progress remains too uneven and too slow to strengthen resilience at the pace needed. ECNO's 2026 Flagship Report finds that more than half of the indicators they track have improved their rate of progress compared to last year and that nearly a quarter are now … Continue reading New report by the European Climate Neutrality Observatory (ECNO) →

Energy in Demand News, July 5-6, 2026

In Canada this week, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen urged decisive action by quoting a famous hockey credo: "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take." The Trump administration is moving to gut energy efficiency rules for home appliances that are proven to cut demand for power and lower utility bills. The Washington Post … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, July 5-6, 2026 →

New report from the IEA on demand flexibility

The IEA has published Scaling Up Demand Flexibility: From peak management to efficient system operation. This report has been developed as part of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Digital Demand-Driven Electricity Networks (3DEN) initiative to examine the growing importance of demand flexibility in electricity systems amid rising demand, increased renewable energy integration and the electrification … Continue reading New report from the IEA on demand flexibility →