About: renewables
Germany unveils major electricity sector revamp
The German government presented on Wednesday (6 April) a comprehensive revamp of the country's electricity sector, outlining new frameworks for renewables, power grids and markets in order to set the country on track to reach climate neutrality.
Facing Europe’s greatest energy challenge
If anything good can come out of the Ukraine crisis, an 'energy compact' between governments and citizens committing to really accelerate investment in greening our economy is one, write Christopher Jones and Klaus-Dieter Borchardt.
Macron, up for re-election, promises €50 billion for green transition
French President Emmanuel Macron has promised an ecological transition plan to the tune of €50 billion if he is re-elected to lead the country in an election in April
EU taxonomy shows the need to reform Europe’s electricity system
The battle around the inclusion of nuclear and gas in the EU sustainable finance taxonomy shows the importance of EU countries defining their own energy mix, particularly as Europe aims to introduce more intermittent renewables, writes Marc Deffrennes.
Macron presents France’s long-term ‘nuclear-heavy’ energy plan
Multiplying solar energy capacity tenfold, deploying around fifty offshore wind farms and building six EPR 2 nuclear reactors. These are all part of France's long-term energy plan President Emmanuel Macron detailed on Thursday (10 February)OpinionPromoted content
Bioenergy today, Bioenergy tomorrow.
A stable, flexible policy framework with a vision to facilitate investment and stimulate innovation will unleash bioenergy’s full potential as a flexible contributor towards climate neutrality that offers meaningful job creation and economic growth.
Kazakhstan will stop using coal from 2050
Kazakhstan aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, which means expanding the share of renewables to 83% and halting heat generation from coal after 2050, Serikkali Brekeshev told EURACTIV in an interview.
Energy price crunch risks derailing UN climate talks, Iberdrola warns
The current hike in energy prices is threatening to overshadow the COP26 climate summit this November as countries scramble to tackle the rising costs of electricity, oil and gas, warned a senior executive at Spanish power firm Iberdrola.
French state loses landmark lawsuit over climate inaction
The Paris administrative court recognised on Wednesday (3 February) the "faulty but partial shortcomings" of the French state in the fight against global warming in what has been termed "the case of the century". EURACTIV France reports.
US hopes to expand strategic minerals initiative
The US State Department hopes to expand a strategic minerals initiative aimed at ensuring supply chains for metals critical for batteries and wind and solar power as demand for green energy keeps growing despite the coronavirus, a top diplomat said on Tuesday (2 June).
Portugal’s solar energy auction breaks world record
Portugal's huge auction of solar energy broke a world record, with one of the 24 licences on offer selling for 14.76 euros per megawatt hour (Mwh), the secretary of state for energy Joao Galamba said on Tuesday (30 July).
Gas, a prominent guest at German energy transition event
As Germany is gradually phasing out nuclear and coal energy, Berlin is increasingly considering gas as key in bridging the gap between a fossil-fuels based and a low carbon economy.
Biofuels: Commission blacklists palm oil, throws soybeans lifeline
In an eagerly-awaited decision, the European Commission last week categorised palm oil as a high-emitting biofuel crop but provided some controversial exemptions for smallholders and spared soybeans from the delegated act's provisions.![[Shutterstock]](https://www.euractiv.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/03/energiewende-800x450.jpg)
Energy sector relieved after Germany appoints new state secretary
Germany's economy and energy minister Peter Altmaier has appointed municipal utility manager Andreas Feicht as the new state secretary for energy, putting an end to an embarrassing, nearly year-long void. Four key stakeholders have welcomed the appointment in comments made to EURACTIV.
EU’s renewable energy law not meant to support farmers, official admits
The updated renewable energy directive was not meant to support European farmers, but rather promote green energy in whatever form as long as it complies with sustainability criteria, a European Commission official has said.
Parliament rubber-stamps Europe’s 2030 clean energy laws
The European Parliament voted on Tuesday (13 November) a set of three clean energy laws for 2030, including binding targets for renewable energies, an indicative objective on energy savings and a separate text on the governance of the Energy Union.
Brussels remains guarded over ‘capacity mechanisms’ for power plants
The European Commission is trying to limit the development of so-called capacity mechanisms, which some member states have put in place as a way of ensuring electricity supply in situations of peak demand. EURACTIV France reports.
Straw is not waste but co-product, EU farmers tell Commission
The EU farmers’ association claims that straw is an agricultural co-product and not a waste, whereas the European Commission has listed it as waste to produce “advanced biofuel” to decarbonise the transport sector.
German power deal spells demise of the integrated utility model
An all-German deal to split Innogy between RWE and E.ON looks set to create a template for European utilities M&A that includes the demise of the integrated model, no more big cross-border deals and a quest for emerging market growth.
RWE, E.ON reshape German power sector in Innogy asset swap deal
Germany's top utilities yesterday (11 March) announced plans to break up Innogy, whose assets will be divided among parent RWE and rival E.ON in the sector's biggest overhaul since a landmark move to exit nuclear power.
Germany’s ‘green’ energy production up 1,000% since 1990
Since 1990, the production of "green" electricity in Germany has increased by 1,000% and export rates, according to preliminary data for 2017, just smashed another record. EURACTIV Poland’s partner WysokieNapiecie.pl reports.
Commission tells Malaysia proposed biofuel policy respects WTO rules
The European Commission's proposal for the recast of the Renewable Energy Directive is in compliance with the EU’s commitments under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules, Commission sources told EURACTIV.com, replying to threats from Malaysia to refer the case to the WTO.
EU must not burn the world’s forests for ‘renewable’ energy
A flaw in Europe’s clean energy plan allows fuel from felled trees to qualify as renewable energy when in fact this would accelerate climate change and devastate forests, warn a group of scientists from the world’s leading universities.