Electricity
Industry: European electricity grid can handle 50 million heat pumps
Electric heat pumps can be deployed on a large scale in Europe without jeopardising grid stability while allowing greater integration of renewable energy sources and improving energy efficiency in buildings, according to the CEOs of major energy groups, including Spain’s Iberdrola, Italy’s Enel and France’s EDF.
VW, Daimler, Volvo team up to build truck chargers
The truck manufacturing units of Volkswagen, Daimler and Volvo announced Monday (5 July) they will team up to build a network of 1,700 charging points for heavy-duty vehicles in Europe using green electricity.
‘UK’s first’ grid-scale battery storage system comes online in Oxford
A 50MW lithium-ion battery energy storage system has come online in Cowley, on the outskirts of Oxford, in what is described as a UK first. EURACTIV's media partner, edie.net, reports.
French senators give mayors right to veto wind turbine projects
Senators adopted an amendment Friday (18 June) giving municipalities the right to veto a wind turbine project as part of the currently debated Climate and Resilience Law. EURACTIV France reports.
Study: Peak oil moves closer as energy majors shift to renewables
The world’s largest oil and gas companies increased investment in clean energy by 23% compared to 2018, despite a 6% fall in global energy demand last year caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to new research published on Tuesday (8 June).
Danish air force acquires two electric planes
The Danish air force will acquire two light electric planes, the defence ministry announced Thursday in what it said was a world first for a military force and part of its efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
Rugby, and the art of regulating energy in times of uncertainty
A recent decision by the Belgian energy regulator offers an unexpected analogy with the way rugby rules were rewritten to favour try scoring and greater entertainment for the fans, write Dominic Scott and Bram Claeys.
IEA criticised over growing share of bioenergy in net-zero scenario
The International Energy Agency (IEA) published a new energy scenario on Tuesday (18 May), modelling for the first time how the world can achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and limit global warming to 1.5ºC.
Baltics step closer to plugging into EU power grid, ending dependence on Russia
Three EU Baltic states on Thursday (13 May) took a big step toward accessing the bloc's power grid, a move intended to end energy dependence on Russia dating back to the Soviet era.
Energy security: Poland’s chief priority in the coal transition
The Turów coal mine and power plant complex is “strategic for ensuring the energy security of Poland,” says PGE, the state-owned enterprise at the centre of a dispute with the Czech Republic over the extension of mining operations there.
France trailing behind EU renewable energy goals
The European Union is expected to soon raise its renewable energy target for 2030, and France, which has already largely missed its 2020 goal, could have difficulties in meeting the new objective. EURACTIV France reports.
Greece confirms last coal plant will be shut in 2025
“We are saying goodbye to the coal age,” Greece’s energy state secretary told EURACTIV following last week's announcement that the country’s last lignite plant will be shut down in 2025, three years earlier than planned.
Pipe dream: alleviating energy poverty with hydrogen
Europe must not allow the push to tackle energy poverty to be derailed by the mirage of heating homes with hydrogen. Instead, the EU should focus on energy efficiency and financial support for poor households to switch to clean energy, write Jan Rosenow and Louise Sunderland.
Is the EU ETS getting it right?
The EU ETS is our main climate policy tool that allows for emission reductions and it has been a solid pillar of EU climate policy. One of the things we are constantly told is that you will be rewarded for...
MEP Canfin: The French hard line on nuclear is a dead end
The hard line defended by France over the inclusion of nuclear power in the green finance taxonomy is a dead end because there is no majority in favour of it at the EU level, warns lawmaker Pascal Canfin. Instead, the French MEP argues for including nuclear energy in the 'transition' category.
Gas overtakes lignite as Europe’s largest source of power emissions
Gas power plants overtook lignite in 2020 to become the EU's single largest source of power sector emissions, according to fresh analysis from energy think tank Ember.
Deployment of EU electric vehicle charging stations too slow, auditors say
The European Union's deployment of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles is not quick enough to meet the bloc's targets, EU auditors said on Tuesday (13 April).
Don’t weaken sustainability criteria for green hydrogen, renewable groups tell Commission
Europe should support high sustainability standards for clean hydrogen in its green finance rules, argue a group of 24 renewable energy companies and industry bodies in a letter sent to the European Commission on Wednesday (31 March).
Macron, Orban urge EU to ‘actively support’ nuclear power
A group of seven European leaders fronted by French President Emmanuel Macron has called on the European Commission to stop hindering nuclear power and consider ways of bringing atomic energy into the EU’s green finance rule book ahead of an EU summit on Thursday (25 March).
Europe has overtaken China on electric cars. Three roadblocks stand in the way
Europe had a strong head start in electric cars in 2020, but the roadblocks of weak regulation, road cap-and-trade system and – above all – detour into e-fuels all stand in the way of Europe's ambition on zero emissions mobility, writes Julia Poliscanova.
Greek power utility forges ahead with corporate green financing
Greece's Public Power Corp. (PPC), the country's biggest energy company, has surpassed expectations with its first-ever green bond. The energy utility also broke new ground at EU level by committing to pay investors a higher fee if it misses its climate goals, EURACTIV.gr reports.
EU taxonomy shutting the door to grid-powered hydrogen, critics say
A coalition of industrialists and electricity companies have expressed concerns about a draft emission threshold below which hydrogen would be considered “green” under the EU’s sustainable finance taxonomy.
LEAK: EU considers expanding role of gas in green finance
The European Commission is reconsidering the position of gas in its sustainable finance taxonomy by recognising the fossil fuel’s role in keeping the lights on during peak electricity demand, according to a leaked document seen by EURACTIV.