Serbia promotes investments in renewable energy

Misha Savic writes for Bloomberg Businessweek about the steps that have been taken recently in Serbia to promote investment in renewable energy. Serbia Seeks to Boost Renewable Energy Investment With New Law Serbia seeks to unblock investment in renewable energy after adopting legislation that opens gas and power markets in line with European Union … Continue reading Serbia promotes investments in renewable energy →

Nuclear power and the energy transition

Many countries are trying to figure out how (or whether) nuclear should play a role in addressing carbon emissions. Matthew Wald writes in the New York Times about some of the issues arising in the US. E.P.A. Wrestles With Role of Nuclear Plants in Carbon Emission Rules Trying to write a complicated formula to … Continue reading Nuclear power and the energy transition →

Norway’s dilemma between benefiting from state-owned Statoil and from addressing climate change priorities

Henry Fountain writes in the New York Times about the dilemma Norwegians are facing over the benefits they derive from its state-owned energy company and the pressure to give a priority to sustainable climate change policies. Even environmental groups understand that this is not a clear-cut issue. Statoil does not believe the oil and gas … Continue reading Norway’s dilemma between benefiting from state-owned Statoil and from addressing climate change priorities →

Switzerland also has its energy transition

Rolf Wüstenhagen, who teaches at the at the Institute for Economy and the Environment of the University of St Gallen, writes a very informative article on the Swissinfo website about the progress being made in Switzerland in moving towards a more climate-friendly energy system. Energy transition: taking stock and looking ahead “2014 – a … Continue reading Switzerland also has its energy transition →

Germany’s energy transition runs into some public concerns

Melissa Eddy writes in the New York Times about the resistance to a high-voltage direct current transmission system that is to carry wind-generated power from north to south. Germans Balk at Plan for Wind Power Lines Germans have welcomed solar panels glinting on their rooftops and windmills looming over their fields, and they have … Continue reading Germany’s energy transition runs into some public concerns →

The State of New York the latest to ban fracking

Jesse McKinley writes a good article in the New York Times about the decision by the Governor of New York to ban fracking in the state. It should be added that the state has had a de facto ban on the procedure for more than five years, predating Governor Cuomo’s first term. Cuomo to … Continue reading The State of New York the latest to ban fracking →

Pakistan looks at coal’s impact on energy policy

This is an important article for all of you to read carefully. Farhan Anwar, an urban planner, writes in The Express Tribune in Pakistan about the impact of coal. He says: “What is needed is not just a collage of ‘projects’ but deeper thinking, vision and a long-term strategic framework.” This is what we need … Continue reading Pakistan looks at coal’s impact on energy policy →

Assessing the German energy transition

The Economist news magazine usually does not hesitate to express its views. This is certainly true in this article that analyses what it belives has gone wrong with Germany’s energy transition. What has gone wrong with Germany's energy policy On December 3rd the German government announced plans to redouble its Energiewende, or “energy transition”, … Continue reading Assessing the German energy transition →

IEA review of EU energy policies

The International Energy Agency has recently published its review of EU’s energy policies as part of its country review series. This follows the first review of EU policies it undertook in 2008. The review states that at the time of the first review, “the European Union had embarked on two major reforms in energy and … Continue reading IEA review of EU energy policies →

Florida shifts away from renewable energy and energy efficiency

Jim Turner from the News Service of Florida, writes on the FlaglerLive website about recent developments in Florida that have to raise concern for those who are promoting a sustainable energy future. Bowing to Utilities, Florida Regulators Cut Energy-Efficiency Goals and Sunset Solar Incentives State utility regulators agreed Tuesday to sunset a program that … Continue reading Florida shifts away from renewable energy and energy efficiency →