About: solar power
Baltic power games in the ascendancy
Europe’s power politics are playing out more and more in the Baltic Sea, as the energy potential of the sea basin shifts more into the limelight.
Will airline companies cause their own crash?
Airline companies should embrace their changing industry if they ever want to come out on top again, said Bertrand Piccard, president of the Solar Impulse Foundation.
Dutch launch prototype solar car with 720km range
The prototype of a solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) able to travel 720km on a single charge was officially unveiled in Katwijk, the Netherlands today (25 June).
The EU needs a ‘Green New Deal’
Europe needs its own ‘Green New Deal’ to stave off the perfect storm of populism, climate change and economic crisis. Instead, the EU has adopted confused energy and environment policies which could be self-defeating in the long run, writes Vincente Lopez.
‘Historic breakthrough’: Norway’s giant oil fund dives into renewables
Norway’s $1tn oil fund, the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, is to plunge billions of dollars into wind and solar power projects. The decision follows Saudi Arabia’s oil fund selling off its last oil and gas assets. EURACTIV's media partner, The Guardian, reports.
Renewable energies chip away at coal power, stats show
New wind, solar and biomass power generation displaced hard coal last year – especially in Germany, France and the UK – according to a 2018 review of European electricity statistics by two leading energy policy think tanks.
China seen as ‘absolute winner’ of clean energy transition
The transformation brought by renewable energies will alter the global distribution of power, relations between states, and the environmental drivers of geopolitical instability, according to a major international study published on Friday (11 January).
Solar households to be paid for excess power after UK government U-turn
The UK government has made a U-turn on its decision to end the solar "export tariff", confirming that households which install solar panels in the future will be paid for excess power they generate and send to the grid. EURACTIV's media partner edie.net reports.
EU’s electricity market revamp hailed as ‘game-changer’ for clean energy
A recent agreement to reform Europe’s electricity market has enshrined into EU law the unprecedented right of consumers to produce, sell and share their own electricity in newly-defined “citizen energy communities”.
EU electricity rules on cusp of unlocking power of renewables
Work on revamping the EU’s electricity market could wrap up on Wednesday (5 December), when negotiators are set to finalise new rules that will help activate energy laws that have already been brokered.
Solar PV sector hails EU deal on small-scale ‘citizen energy’
UPDATE: EU negotiators reached agreement Monday evening (12 November) on a legal framework for “citizen energy communities” in a deal solar PV manufacturers hailed as a victory for small-scale renewable energy production.
Spain targets 100% renewable power by 2050
Spain’s government has published a new climate plan that targets a 100% renewable energy electricity system by 2050, with goals that outstrip those adopted by the EU and a ban on new gas and oil exploration.
Mega infrastructure projects win over clean energy in Visegrad Four
In the Visegrad countries, decision makers prefer their historical favourites – coal and nuclear – to renewable sources and energy efficiency. As the Global Climate Action Summit resumes in San Francisco, it’s important to realise that corporate leadership can also shape the outlook for clean energy in Eastern Europe, writes Ada Ámon.
‘Super Grids Silk Road’ takes shape in Kazakhstan
A series of conferences dedicated to the China-promoted One Belt One Road initiative are taking place in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana. Plans to launch a gigantic renewable energy project with the potential to supply the EU were also mooted.
Solar industry promises ‘jobs bonanza’ if EU lifts China duties
The European solar industry has urged the EU to end import duties on Chinese photovoltaic cells when anti-dumping measures expire in September, saying they are holding off a “jobs bonanza” in the sector.
Conducting the new energy orchestra – or is it a circus?
The decarbonisation of electric power, and the electrification of energy, is unstoppable. Whether it will be rapid enough to prevent the coming climate crisis is uncertain and will demand vision from politicians, industry leaders and energy providers, writes Andrew Steer.
Serbia starts to embrace clean energy
2018 will be a crucial year for Serbia's energy sector as 250 megawatts from renewable sources are to be connected to the grid. The same amount again will come online in 2019. EURACTIV Serbia reports.
Renewable power could make hydrogen cheaper than gas, study finds
Hydrogen prices are set to fall dramatically if enough surplus solar and wind energy can be utilised in the gas’s production, according to a new study which says hydrogen could even become cheaper than natural gas.
BP confesses ‘mistake’ in forecasting renewable energy growth
The pace at which India – and China in particular – have developed solar power came as a surprise to BP analysts, the company’s chief economist told EURACTIV in an interview.
Belgium pledges to ditch nuclear power by 2025
On Friday (30 March), the Belgian government approved a new energy pact that will see the country phase out atomic power between 2022 and 2025.
IEA analyst: A heating and cooling target ‘could make a big difference’
As talks on the EU’s renewable energy rules resume, one of the main talking points is how to decarbonise the heating sector, and deploy technologies like heat pumps and district heating. The International Energy Agency’s Ute Collier told EURACTIV in an interview that the task is complex and difficult.
EU study weighs linking power grid to China’s
The European Union’s scientific research centre has explored the idea of linking the power grids of Europe and China, in order to tap into the immense clean energy potential of the Middle Kingdom and the countries of Central Asia.
No ‘one size fits all’ solution to decarbonise heating and cooling
Heating and cooling our homes, businesses and industrial processes makes up half of the EU’s energy demand. Yet, decarbonising the sector is proving a daunting task for which multiple solutions will be needed, industry experts say.