While seeing progress, India sees challenges in its energy transition

R. Sree Ram writes a good article on the livemint website about the challenges being faced in India as the transition to a low carbon economy continues.   Renewable energy: poor demand, weak utilities expose challenges The gap between good intentions and execution is starkly evident in one area of the renewable energy sector. Capacity … Continue reading While seeing progress, India sees challenges in its energy transition →

Norway’s low carbon strategy making progress but unlikely to meet 2020 target

Alister Doyle reports on the Reuter’s news service website that Norway is making progress in lowering its GHG emissions but it will not achieve its pledge under the 2009 Copenhagen Accord.   Norway says its greenhouse emissions to fall to 1990 levels by 2020 Norway's greenhouse gas emissions will fall to around 1990 levels by … Continue reading Norway’s low carbon strategy making progress but unlikely to meet 2020 target →

Creating a sustainable chemical industry

Even energy-intensive industries have to assess how they can be part of the sustainability drive and the energy transition. Alex Bissember, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences at the University of Tasmania writes on The Conversation website about recent developments in the chemical industry. If you know of similar developments, please let EiD … Continue reading Creating a sustainable chemical industry →

Going the renewables path can bring many benefits to Iran

We don’t normally think of Iran when we think of the energy transition to renewables, but the Climate Action Programme website reports on a new study that explains the benefits that could come if they decide to follow that path.   100% renewables makes financial sense for Iran According to a new study, if Iran … Continue reading Going the renewables path can bring many benefits to Iran →

Innovative project in Germany’s energy transition

EiD has often provided posts on energy storage. Lorraine Chow now writes on the EcoWatch website about a storage project on an entirely different scale – converting a coal mine into a giant energy storage battery. Have you heard of similar scale projects?   Germany Converts Coal Mine Into Giant Battery Storage for Surplus Solar … Continue reading Innovative project in Germany’s energy transition →

Important energy performance contract for US Army

In Europe and globally, in the endless search for financing energy efficiency improvements, discussions always turn to energy performance contracts and the role of energy service companies. Business Wire provides a news item on the Yahoo Finance website about a recent contract signed between Siemens and the US Army. If you know of a good … Continue reading Important energy performance contract for US Army →

Momentum continues in US states despite Washington scene

There is a lot of concern everywhere about what will happen with sustainable energy policies in the US, given the position of the Trump administration. Bill Ritter Jr. from Colorado State University writes a good article on The Conversation website explaining why states are not abandoning clean energy. No one said the energy transition would … Continue reading Momentum continues in US states despite Washington scene →

Blog from Catrin Maby – The ‘stuckness’ of energy policy for buildings – taking a different standpoint

Energy efficiency policy can sometimes seem a bit stuck, and perhaps nowhere more than in the sphere of buildings. There is a natural human need to focus in on ‘technical fixes’ (like ‘smart’ technologies) because they seem like they could be easy solutions. This is sadly an illusion - in reality there is no quick … Continue reading Blog from Catrin Maby – The ‘stuckness’ of energy policy for buildings – taking a different standpoint →

Blog from Louise Sunderland – We have a choice: more of the same for consumers, or a chance at really raising the building renovation rate

Having avidly read the Commission’s clean energy package documents at the end of last year (OK, so I admit, not every page but all of the important stuff from a buildings perspective) I am now reading the briefings and recommendations on changes to the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive … Continue reading Blog from Louise Sunderland – We have a choice: more of the same for consumers, or a chance at really raising the building renovation rate →