It's been over five years since I first heard about the Jones Act on NPR's Planet Money podcast - an obscure American law that prohibits foreign vessels from shipping goods between domestic U.S. ports. Every time you want to send something from one American port to another American port, the cargo has to travel on … Continue reading How the Jones Act affects the energy transition
The Scottish offshore wind farm Donald Trump tried to stop has officially opened today
After years of planning, a large experimental wind farm has been built off the coast of Scotland. Named the 'European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre' (EOWDC), it's been funded by Swedish company Vattenfall and was officially opened today (7th September 2018) by the Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. The wind farm was opposed by the now-US … Continue reading The Scottish offshore wind farm Donald Trump tried to stop has officially opened today
On Sunday afternoon, UK solar generated more electricity than any other single source
Electricity generated by solar panels on fields and homes outstripped all other single sources of energy yesterday afternoon, in what looks to be a historic first. The UK isn't known for being a sunny place, and in terms of renewables it has more of an association with wind energy. Yet for around three hours, solar … Continue reading On Sunday afternoon, UK solar generated more electricity than any other single source
Blockchain for biomass sustainability?
Could we apply blockchain to biomass sustainability compliance?
The core of energy policy in 2017
Energy policy is fundamentally about 'balancing' the trilemma - something that symbolises the need for affordable energy, secure energy, and environmentally friendly energy.
A watershed moment for energy
According to the IEA's World Energy Investment report, published earlier this week, investment in electricity overtook investment for oil and gas for the first time ever. This is important, as we are currently at a crossroads for our energy transition. Investments today will have reverberating impacts 10, 20, 30 years to come, as certain networks will become committed to certain energy sources. Yet there is a reluctance to make these decisions, as the backdrop to electricity overtaking O&G investment is a 12% drop in global energy investment.
Gas comes full circle
[Featured image source] Town gas - then and now The Empire Exhibition was held in Wembley, 1924, North London. In a poster advertising that exhibition, the muck and soot of coal was transformed into a clean and glowing figure of a healthy man - representing natural gas. As recent as 60-odd years ago, British society … Continue reading Gas comes full circle
A record 90% of new power capacity in the EU was renewable last year
In figures recently released by WindEurope, the progress that Europe made is well highlighted. At the turn of the century, new renewable power installations accounted for less than 3GW - no more than 20% of installed capacity that year. This is even more shocking when you consider the lower capacity factors of renewable technology of that time. It … Continue reading A record 90% of new power capacity in the EU was renewable last year
A united energy union? Perspectives on the trilemma for Germany & Poland
What does German and Polish energy policy mean for 'the Russian threat'? Poland and Germany have taken separate paths towards an energy transition - that of ‘energy security’ for Poland, and ‘sustainability’/minimal environmental impact for Germany; both Germany and Poland’s transitions could threaten Russia’s own energy policy - which is partially reliant on exporting a … Continue reading A united energy union? Perspectives on the trilemma for Germany & Poland
