Tag: energy

The United Kingdom cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than any other European country in 2011, over-achieving on targets under the Kyoto protocol on climate change. Some of the reduction was owing to milder weather and an increase in renewable energy generation, but the sluggish economy is also likely to have contributed.

EXCLUSIVE: Bioenergy production often increases greenhouse gas emissions in the short term even though the EU currently counts it as a carbon neutral technology, according to an unreleased EU report, which EurActiv has obtained.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron recently announced that he would pass a law forcing energy companies to offer their customers the lowest tariffs available, but this will not necessarily translate into cheaper energy bills, EU energy experts warn.

Since global economic ties are so closely meshed and dependent jobs are so numerous, a market intervention in the form of trade barriers would have fatal consequences for the European solar industry, writes Thorsten Preugschas.

Failure to enforce existing regulation is the main obstacle preventing the energy-efficiency services market from picking up across the globe - including in the European Union, India, China and the United States - says a recent study by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

If Europe does not face down Beijing over its export of below-cost solar panels, all our green technology and manufacturing will be lost, and the costs for greenhouse gas mitigation will go up, argues Milan Nitzschke.

There are no technical barriers to the large-scale integration of solar power into the electricity grid in Europe over the long term, says a report by the European Photovoltaic Industry Association.

Energy firms will be forced to give all of their customers the lowest tariff available under new laws announced by David Cameron.

MEPs and local NGOs worry that that the European Commission is bypassing civil society and environmental rules as it devises an energy strategy for the Western Balkan region.

The EU needs to advance its plans for renewable energy targets for 2030 soon, but only as part of a wider climate package, a member of energy commissioner Gunther Oettinger’s cabinet said yesterday (16 October).

Generating all energy from renewable sources is no longer a pipe dream in Europe. From Denmark to Austria, we can see examples of a successful energy transition. Germany is clearly seen as the front-runner and an important driver - especially due to its nuclear phase-out. But the energy transition is not only “made in Germany” but also “made in Europe”, says Anna Leidreiter.

Renewable power subsidies levied on German consumers will rise by 47% next year, putting pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition to keep energy costs in check ahead of federal elections.

Norway is to double the carbon tax on its North Sea oil industry and set up a £1bn (€1.23bn) fund to help combat the damaging impacts of climate change in the developing world.

The United Nations is committed to sustainable development to promote wealth creation and structural change in developing economies. This includes expanding access to energy, says Kandeh K. Yumkella of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.

The geopolitical impact of the Nord Stream project has prompted Russia to accelerate its strategy of sidelining what it sees as problematic transit states through expensive direct pipelines to its consumer markets, writes Stratfor.

Poland sent a clear message of moving away from its dependence to Russia on Thursday (4 October), when it secured the final investments needed to start construction of its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, expected to start importing gas from Qatar in 2014.

Russia and Ukraine began yesterday (4 October) the construction on a nuclear fuel plant. Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said the plant will contribute to the country’s energy independence and experts commented that the new facility was good news for East European countries with Russia-built nuclear reactors.  

The European Union is poised to ban imports of Iranian gas into Europe as part of its efforts to ratchet up pressure on the Islamic Republic over its nuclear programme.

Lithuania will hold a referendum on whether to build the Visaginas nuclear energy plant when voters go to the polls on 14 October to elect members of Parliament. Meanwhile, Bulgarians will probably vote on the future of its Belene nuclear station before the end of the year. 

Offshore natural gas could dramatically change Greece's fortunes, should early estimates of €464 billion worth of reserves be confirmed, according to a study presented to Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and seen by Reuters.

Europe's nuclear reactors need investment of €10 billion to €25 billion, a draft Commission report says following a safety review designed to avoid a repeat of the Fukushima disaster. EurActiv obtained an advanced copy of the Commission's 57-page technical report on the stress tests conducted recently.

The European Commission announced yesterday (1 October) that it intends to introduce an emissions monitoring system in early 2013, in a bid to curb the environmental footprint left by the shipping industry.

Spanish hoteliers can now give their buildings an energy-efficient revamp with the help of an online tool calculating their needs, costs and investment returns.