About: Renewable Energy Archives

Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) recently accused the European Central Bank of subsidising fossil fuels through quantitative easing. The news got a lot of attention but the NGO’s analysis was misleading, writes Claudio Baccianti.

Policymakers from the member states have praised the European Commission's Energy Union initiative. But this unanimous assent has raised eyebrows at a time when the idea of the EU itself is under attack, writes Dr Nikolas Wölfing.

What are intelligent buildings, why are they important and how can we realise their full potential? Christiane Egger takes a closer look at the growing market for intelligent buildings.

The EU needs to stop treating all energy sources as if they were equally desirable when it comes to energy savings. This approach undermines the promotion of renewables, with negative effects for the EU’s energy independence, writes Anders Stouge.

Across Europe, consumers are choosing renewable electricity and are doing so on a large scale. It’s time to recognise this demand for renewable energy by reporting on national consumption, and not only production, of renewables, writes Jared Braslawsky.

A lot of good can come out of the Brexit vote if the European Commission makes it 100% clear that continued action on climate change and energy savings are crucial issues which transcend politics and pro or anti-EU sentiment, writes Brook Riley.

The EU is no longer leading the global energy transition. To reclaim this position, it must stop prioritising fossil fuels and nuclear, increase energy efficiency and keep fossil fuels in the ground, argues Christine Lins.

Ian Duncan published his report on ETS reform last week, which was heavily criticised by a number of NGOs. Here, he argues why his proposals will bring positive change for both climate and industry.

Europe started the renewable energy revolution but is no longer its main driver. More ambitious decarbonisation policy would benefit innovative companies, boost the economy and protect the environment, writes Christopher Burghardt.

As the European Commission elaborates its Energy Union strategy, and as national and local governments plan their contribution to the union’s aims of energy security, decarbonisation and cost-efficiency, they need to create an environment that nurtures innovation in policy, technology and business models, write Pascal Lamy and Philip Lowe.

Economic curtailment is an issue not yet fully appreciated by most investors in renewable energy, but it has the potential to reduce the availability and increase the cost of investment, writes Brian O’Connell.

The European Union must wake up to a new post-Paris Agreement reality. It needs an ambitious climate action plan to regain its credibility as a “climate leader” and send the right signals to investors, argues Hans-Josef Fell.

European energy companies must provide better information to consumers, helping them to understand what they are paying for and whether they getting value for money, writes Věra Jourová.

Energy is a major EU economic policy. It fuels growth in living standards and is the backbone of a healthy economy. If Europe does not get its energy policy right, ultimately the economy as a whole suffers, writes Hans ten Berge.

The Commission’s new gas strategy is an affront to the Paris agreement, at a time when we should be leading the global energy transition and leaving fossil fuels behind us, writes Claude Turmes.

As the Commission closes it public consultation on the future of the EU’s renewable energy policies, their success greatly depends on the questionable sustainability of bioenergy, writes Sini Eräjää.

If the EU is to reap the benefits that the northern seas have to offer, a concerted effort is required both by the European institutions and the member states, write Claude Turmes, Theresa Griffin and Jeppe Kofod.

The EU played a key role in making the unexpectedly strong Paris agreement on climate change happen.  It must now walk the walk and deliver increased climate ambition through its own energy union, argue Nick Mabey and Sandrine Dixson-Declève. 

The Paris climate deal is a tremendous, historic achievement. For the first time since the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, the world has been able to agree on a common path to fight climate change, writes Jim Currie.

The EU was a strong bridge-builder in the Paris climate talks, but could have pushed for even more, had one of its members not decided to spoil the party, writes Andrzej Ancygier.

Whether COP21 will be a success or not remains to be seen. What is certain is that climate change is still an urgent problem. Energy efficiency, renewables and sustainable mobility provide the solutions, writes Rolf Wüstenhagen.

Failure to address climate change effectively will lead to adverse impacts on all countries, but if EU ambition is matched globally, we will maintain economic growth and job creation while meeting the 2°C objective, writes Seán Kelly.

Europe urgently needs to rethink its bioenergy policies to account for their true impact on the climate, biodiversity and food scarcity, writes Bas Eickhout.

The European Commission must produce an effective framework to tackle fossil fuel subsidies, writes James Nix.