New EEA briefing on urban prosumption

Europe’s urban centres offer opportunities for citizens to produce renewable energy as prosumers according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing, published this week. Cities can play a key role in Europe’s shift to a low-carbon future. Facilitating urban prosumption can help accelerate this process. Cities can offer new opportunities for prosumers of renewable … Continue reading New EEA briefing on urban prosumption →

France’s energy transition: funding needs to significantly increase to meet long-term goals

According to the Institute for Climate Economics, households, companies and the government would have to invest between €13 billion and €30 billion per year between 2021 and 2030 to stay on course for carbon neutrality. Audrey Garric discusses in an artlcle on the Le Monde website. France needs to dramatically boost spending to achieve … Continue reading France’s energy transition: funding needs to significantly increase to meet long-term goals →

Blog from Jane Marsh: Bringing Low-Cost Solar to Rural Communities

Many people believe that solar power is the future of energy production. However, implementing it is not always as straightforward as it may seem at first. More specifically, if people live in rural areas and can only afford low-cost solar installations, they typically have fewer overall options to consider. However, that’s starting to change, thanks … Continue reading Blog from Jane Marsh: Bringing Low-Cost Solar to Rural Communities →

World Bank criticised over climate crisis spending

Controversy follows the president of the World Bank, David Malpass. Last month, the former US vice-president Al Gore led calls for the president of the bank to resign after he avoided a journalist’s questions on climate science. Malpass, nominated for the position by the Trump administration, later apologised but his apparent climate denial followed years … Continue reading World Bank criticised over climate crisis spending →

Accelerating SDG7 action

Sustainable Development Goal 7 is one of 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. It aims to "Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all." It is important to look at the work that is underway through the UN High-level Dialogue on Energy to see what … Continue reading Accelerating SDG7 action →

A social tariff has shielded eligible households in Belgium from price fluctuations since 2002

While governments focus on how to protect consumers from escalating energy prices, Belgium shows an important way forward. Since 2002, eligible households have been shielded from price fluctuations in the energy market. People don’t have to struggle. Carl Packman discusses the approach taken by Belgium in an article on The Guardian website. There is … Continue reading A social tariff has shielded eligible households in Belgium from price fluctuations since 2002 →

Going to 100% renewable energy expensive but new study shows payback would take just six years

Mark Jacobson and his team at Stanford University have published a renewable energy study in which they argue the payback time is just 6 years. Steve Hanley discusses in an article on the Clean Technica website. Switching The World To Renewable Energy Will Cost $62 Trillion, But The Payback Would Take Just 6 Years … Continue reading Going to 100% renewable energy expensive but new study shows payback would take just six years →

India providing mixed signals in setting the tone for emerging economies to show leadership in climate action

India has the potential to set the tone for emerging economies’ climate action over the coming decade. However, its NDC commitments significantly understate the ambition in its own national climate policies. Tarun Gopalakrishnan, Junior Fellow, Climate Lab at Tufts University, in an article on The Conversation website, discusses India’s climate policies. A tale of … Continue reading India providing mixed signals in setting the tone for emerging economies to show leadership in climate action →

Unless Australia reduces its energy consumption, it’ll be almost impossible for renewable energy to replace fossil fuels by 2050

In an article on the Conversation website, Mark Diesendorf, Honorary Associate Professor at UNSW Sydney explains why long-term renewable energy targets will not be met without cutting energy consumption. This is an important message for all countries. It’ll be impossible to replace fossil fuels with renewables by 2050, unless we cut our energy consumption … Continue reading Unless Australia reduces its energy consumption, it’ll be almost impossible for renewable energy to replace fossil fuels by 2050 →

New research reveals nearly 9,000 ‘energy crisis hotspots’ in England and Wales

Environmental group Friends of the Earth has found there are 9,000 energy crisis hotspots in England and Wales. These are places where communities are at highest risk of financial hardship because energy use is high and the typical household income is below the national average. In most cases, energy use is high in these areas … Continue reading New research reveals nearly 9,000 ‘energy crisis hotspots’ in England and Wales →