New report by GBPN on moving to more energy-efficient buildings in China

The Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN) has published a new report on China. The report, prepared by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Achieving scale in energy-efficient buildings in China: A view from the construction and real estate sectors, was commissioned by the Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN) in collaboration with the Energy Foundation’s China Sustainable Energy … Continue reading New report by GBPN on moving to more energy-efficient buildings in China →

Quote of the week

This quote is from the German embassy website in UK concerning the country’s “Energiewende” (energy transition) “Germany aims to generate its energy supply primarily from renewables by 2050. This requires the fundamental restructuring of the energy supply system. This process is a fundamental ethical and cultural decision that offers the unique opportunity to show the world how competitiveness … Continue reading Quote of the week →

What do you know about carbon capture and storage?

Fiona Harvey recently wrote in the Guardian about a research study by the UK Energy Research Council that was trying to better understand what the public thought about the future of energy policy. CCS is considered by the government’s climate advisors to be a major way of helping to take carbon out of electricity generation. … Continue reading What do you know about carbon capture and storage? →

UK promotes heat from renewable energy

Jasveer Matharu, who has recently started an MSc in Consumer Psychology, provided a short summary of the proposal to raise the tariffs under the Renewable Heat Incentive. This is an important financial measure that could encourage other EU countries to do the same. UK Government’s proposal to raise the Renewable Heat Incentive Tariffs The UK’s … Continue reading UK promotes heat from renewable energy →

UK energy company disputes government estimates

Mat Hope provides an excellent article on the Carbon Brief website of the energy company, Npower, disputing the estimates for the increase of gas and electricity bills in 2020. This is an important topic as energy companies throughout Europe are expected to play an ever increasing role in promoting energy efficiency. And, daily one is … Continue reading UK energy company disputes government estimates →

Kenya doing much to promote renewables

Ray Obiero writes for the Thomson Reuters Foundation about the efforts underway in Kenya to promote renewable energy. Kenya is attracting funding for its renewable energy sector because of green policy changes in recent years. Kenya shifts renewable energy funding The recent announcement by the Kenya electricity generating company (Kengen) inviting bids for joint development … Continue reading Kenya doing much to promote renewables →

‘Fuel poverty’ policy changes in the UK

Steve Hawkes writes in The Telegraph about the change in definition of fuel poverty that will remove up to one million people from being considered fuel poor. Is this a good move or not? Campaigners certainly do not think so. Government takes 1m out of fuel poverty - by changing the rules Campaigners criticised … Continue reading ‘Fuel poverty’ policy changes in the UK →

Shale gas and US climate change policy

There has been much written on the shale gas revolution in the US. The reaction globally borders between horror and envy. This article by Eric Reguly of Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper is important for providing a good analysis of what this shale gas brings to Obama’s climate change policy ambitions. No doubt it still … Continue reading Shale gas and US climate change policy →

Loopholes in the EU’s Energy Efficiency Directive

Diarmaid William writes for Power Engineering International about how the UK is trying to avoid having to implement some of the main elements of the recently approved Energy Efficiency Directive. So far the UK has not succeeded but there are concerns that loopholes still exist and there is every chance that some EU member states … Continue reading Loopholes in the EU’s Energy Efficiency Directive →

China taking more action to address air pollution

Keith Bradsher reports in the New York Times that the Chinese cabinet recently approved new measures to tackle the increasing problem of air pollution. China Sets New Rules Aimed at Curbing Air Pollution China’s cabinet has adopted 10 measures to improve air quality in the latest move aimed at responding to the dense smog … Continue reading China taking more action to address air pollution →