Videos of the week

They may not qualify for the upcoming Academy Awards, but this has been a good week for new videos on aspects of sustainable energy. • Walt Patterson No one has analysed the electricity system more thoroughly than Walt Patterson, Associate Fellow at Chatham House and Visiting Fellow at the University of Sussex. Walt recently wrote … Continue reading Videos of the week

Backlash in Germany’s industry to increased costs to support renewable energy

Australia’s Business Spectator provides an important article on how Germany’s heavy industry is being hit in the pocketbook to help fund renewable energy as part of Germany’s energy transition strategy.  Surely there must be a better way to promote auto-production. The success of Europe’s energy policies will obviously have a big impact on Australia’s policies.   … Continue reading Backlash in Germany’s industry to increased costs to support renewable energy

One more reason why we need to deal more effectively with fuel poverty

A new survey in the UK has given some unsettling results, showing that two thirds of adults questioned said they would not turn the gas or electricity on or up when feeling chilly.  Is this the traditional British stiff upper lip to adversity or people simply making a choice between keeping warm or eating? Or … Continue reading One more reason why we need to deal more effectively with fuel poverty

Global markets in fossil fuels are curbing the development of renewable energy in Africa

Fossil fuels have dominated energy markets for decades and the industry has no intention of changing that.  While there are efforts to transform our energy systems to low carbon energy sources, the road is not easy or straightforward.  The Business Standard in India reports on the message from a UN official from the Economic Commission … Continue reading Global markets in fossil fuels are curbing the development of renewable energy in Africa

Unintended impact of renewable energy targets in Romania

We have seen many EU member states retreating from high feed-in tariffs for renewable energy.  We see Germany bounding ahead with renewables as its centrepiece for its energy transition.  We have seen the European Commission recently propose a binding target for renewable energy for 2030, but binding only EU-wide and not for individual countries, whatever … Continue reading Unintended impact of renewable energy targets in Romania

The roller coaster approach to renewable energy policy

This article by Colm Kelpie in the Irish Independent is quite disturbing because EU and national energy policies were supposed to develop a long-term policy framework that gave investors confidence and reduced risk.  Instead, we are seeing the traditional stop-start approach to energy policy.  If we are serious about 2030 or 2050 energy and climate … Continue reading The roller coaster approach to renewable energy policy

Europe is losing out because of the wide energy price gap with the US

There is much discussion on Europe’s competitiveness and how the region is losing out to other countries with much lower energy prices.  As Pilita Clark of the Financial Times reports, the IEA’s chief economist is of the opinion that Europe is going to have difficulties for the next couple of decades, because the price gap … Continue reading Europe is losing out because of the wide energy price gap with the US

Nicholas Stern answers . . .

For last week’s World Energy Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, Nicholas Stern, the economist and academic and author of the Stern Report on the economics of climate change, was asked several questions related to energy and climate policy by the UK’s Independent.   The Big Questions: Is fracking the answer to the UK’s energy needs? … Continue reading Nicholas Stern answers . . .