Doug Arent and Adam Warren from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory discuss in the January 2021 Issue on the Financier Worldwide website the opportunities available to invest in clean energy technologies because of their dramatic cost reductions in the past decade. Financing clean energy: unprecedented momentum and opportunity Clean energy technologies, particularly solar photovoltaics … Continue reading The exponential drop in the cost of solar, storage and power electronics is accelerating the energy transition already underway
Category: renewable energy
New project aims to utilise cutting-edge wind propulsion technology to bring down the vast carbon emissions of commercial shipping
A maritime design specialist spun out of Sir Ben Ainslie’s yacht racing team (remember Ben won medals at five consecutive Olympics) will install solid 45-metre sails on cargo vessels with the aim of cutting emissions. Callum Jones discusses latest developments in an article on The Times website. Wind in the sails of emissions challenge … Continue reading New project aims to utilise cutting-edge wind propulsion technology to bring down the vast carbon emissions of commercial shipping
To reach net-zero emissions as quickly as possible not all low-carbon energy sources are equally useful
Simone Abram, Alton Horsfall and Andrew Crossland from Durham University write on The Conversation website argue that only talking about decarbonisation obscures the inherent choice between energy pathways. What are your views? 'Decarbonisation' may be the wrong goal for energy – here's why Electricity generated by nuclear power plants, wind turbines and solar panels … Continue reading To reach net-zero emissions as quickly as possible not all low-carbon energy sources are equally useful
Recovery packages heavily weighted to support legacy fossil fuel energy
Tim McManan-Smith writes on the energyst website about a new report that the weight of support for the fossil fuel sector from announced stimulus packages shows the persisting institutional bias in favour of preserving a legacy sector. “This is very likely to prove myopic, economically-speaking, and misaligned with G20 countries’ decarbonisation commitments under the Paris … Continue reading Recovery packages heavily weighted to support legacy fossil fuel energy
As regions struggle with storms and wildfires, microgrids puts communities on the path to self-reliance
Whether it is Australia or western United States or many other global regions, disasters have meant a struggle in providing needed electricity. Jeanie Chin, Manager, Centre for Grid Innovation at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology writes on The Conversation website about the benefits of microgrids. Storms and wildfires can cut electricity, but microgrids … Continue reading As regions struggle with storms and wildfires, microgrids puts communities on the path to self-reliance
Australia has also quietly become a renewable energy powerhouse
While coal and fossil fuels in general have dominated energy policy in Australia, the country more and more has turned to renewable energy. Livia Albeck-Ripka and Ivan Penn explain recent developments in an article on the New York Times website. How Coal-Loving Australia Became the Leader in Rooftop Solar Australia is the world’s second-largest … Continue reading Australia has also quietly become a renewable energy powerhouse
New report from JRC: Enabling Positive Energy Districts across Europe: energy efficiency couples renewable energy
From an energy perspective, zero or positive energy districts (PED) provide opportunities to achieve cost-effective levels of high-energy efficiency and renewable energy systems. This newly published report by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) aims to understand how to handle energy performance targets by moving beyond individual buildings towards a district level. This is a … Continue reading New report from JRC: Enabling Positive Energy Districts across Europe: energy efficiency couples renewable energy
While Germany has seen recent gains in renewable energy there is still a long way to go to reach the 65% renewable target by 2030
While all the world has been watching Germany’s ambitious Energiewende (energy transition), while there have been many improvements there are still many challenges to reach its long-term goals. Recent developments in renewables is described in a news item on the renews.biz website. German renewables hits 'almost 50%' of consumption Renewable energy accounted for 48% … Continue reading While Germany has seen recent gains in renewable energy there is still a long way to go to reach the 65% renewable target by 2030
What it will take for Africa to go green and disentangle itself from the business of exporting fossil fuels abroad
As Africa develops faster, countries are shifting their focus to investment in renewable energy. The director of the Nairobi-based think tank Power Shift Africa explains how the continent can embark on a journey toward a green future. Sam Baker interviewed Mohamed Adow in an article on the Deutsche Welle website 'We are not locked … Continue reading What it will take for Africa to go green and disentangle itself from the business of exporting fossil fuels abroad
The first assessment of EU National Energy and Climate Plans raise concerns about how targets will be met
A news item on the renews.biz website highlights the challenges the EU has in achieving long-term climate and energy targets. The article only discusses renewable energy but one can imagine the same would hold true for energy efficiency. One would think by now that member states would be giving a higher priority to the energy … Continue reading The first assessment of EU National Energy and Climate Plans raise concerns about how targets will be met
