If you think the idea of shifting to 100% clean energy is still farfetched, think again. There are already countries that have virtually abandoned all fossil fuels. These are not necessarily the popular cases you usually read about, but they have shown the world that it is indeed possible to run a country without having to rely on fossil fuels.
Author: Energiewende Team
Ontario’s Low Carbon Grid
The Canadian province of Ontario has recently created a very low carbon electricity system by phasing out coal generation. Further efforts are being made to reduce natural gas generation and to electrify the heating and transportation sectors to extend the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Understanding G20: the German presidency and the Trump “wild card”
This blog introduces the new “G20 in Focus,” an interactive portal of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, presents the German G20 agenda, and comments on prospects for the Summit, particularly given the fact that a climate denier will occupy the U.S. White House.
Four German states already planning divestment. Saxony-Anhalt and Bremen could follow soon.
Tine Langkamp describes the German wing of the international divestment movement: which states plan to divest and what their approach to divestment looks like. It also shows where the gaps are and what still needs to be done to achieve success.
The arc of history still bends towards justice
Mark Stevenson introduces a progressive movement everyone can sign up to: the energy democracy.
India’s solar power set to outshine coal
Solar power in India will be cheaper than imported coal by 2020, but replacing the subcontinent’s fossil fuels with renewable energy is an enormous task. Henner Weithöner explains the potential of a solar takeover.
EDF’s epic tale: lost in transitions ?
It is finally done. After months of dithering, the nuclear industry’s CEOs and government officials of the UK, France and China solemnly signed off on the nuclear plant project at Hinkley Point C at the end of September. Some maintain that these might be the first signs of a new era for nuclear power after the Fukushima catastrophe, but Hinkley can barely hide the fact that the French nuclear “champion” EDF is at the brink of collapse and urgently needs a strategic turnaround. Andreas Rüdinger explains.
There are no people backing Florida’s deceptive solar amendment. Only corporations.
Money and misinformation could give Florida utilities a big win in November, Samantha Page warns.
Renewable energy in Belgium
Over the last ten years, Belgium has seen the share of renewables in its final energy consumption grow from 2% in 2005 to 8% in 2014. The country is still on track to meet its 2020 objective of 13%. However, because of political bad blood between the different regional and federal authorities, some doubts arise about whether or not Belgium can reach its overall goal. Michel Huart calls for an inter-federal energy vision and an effective collaboration between its different competent authorities.
Studied To Death — Solar Customers Don’t Harm Non-Solar Ratepayers
Tony Clifford unravels the myth that solar customers shift costs to non-solar ratepayers. When you look at the data, it turns out that solar customers benefit the grid and create huge savings.