Many are talking about hydrogen as the magic word of the energy transition. But here we need to take a closer look: How is it being produced, what are the social and ecological consequences of the different modes of production? In which sectors is it needed and what should it (not) be applied for? How can international trade in green hydrogen be made fair and sustainable? The international trade in green hydrogen needs a strategic approach so that social and environmental injustices do not persist and undermine an international sustainable energy future. This video is also available in Arabic, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish. Read more about green hydrogen.
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What is green hydrogen?
Many are talking about hydrogen as the magic word of the energy transition. But here we need to take a closer look: How is it being produced, what are the social and ecological consequences of the different modes of production? In which sectors is it needed and what should it (not) be applied for? How can international trade in green hydrogen be made fair and sustainable? Hydrogen comes in numerous colours. An explainer video by the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung shows why only green hydrogen can be sustainable, how and, above all, what we should use it for. The video is also available in Arabic, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish. Read more about green hydrogen.
Brussels delays billions in recovery funds after Romania halts coal unit closures
By the end of 2022, Romania had met only 33 of the 55 milestones established in its multi-billion euro National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). Most problematically, major provisions around lignite-fired power plant closures remain blocked. Days before the first coal units were set to shutter, citing the ongoing war in Ukraine, lawmakers in Bucharest decided to delay closure until October 2023. While also moving forward with the construction of both new EU-funded fossil gas plants as well as U.S. subsidized nuclear reactors, NGOs and activists worry Bucharest is simply trying to cash in on the recovery monies while playing the European Union. Now regulators in Brussels have taken notice by delaying disbursement of billions in much needed green energy funding. Continuing the Romanian Power Move series, lead blogger and podcaster, Michael Buchsbaum reviews the unfolding situation.
African leaders urge West to live up to pledges to help finance climate transition
In their quest for sustainable advancement, developing countries in Africa are struggling to switch from traditional dirty energy sources to cleaner alternatives without climate finance from abroad. Going green in the power sector has proven costly, but also very important in reducing pollution and environmental degradation across the continent. In this blog, Kennedy Nyavaya looks at how a meaningful transition in Africa will largely depend on developed countries delivering the energy transition funding they have pledged.
Germany and LNG | The Global Energy Transition Podcast
In response to Russia’s invasion and brutal war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022, many European nations, particularly Germany, have banned Russian fossil fuels imports. For Germany this has meant not only finding new sources of liquified natural gas (LNG), but also spurred the government to establish several new LNG terminals. However, LNG, which is mainly cooled and compressed methane, represents a major source of climate-harming emissions. Read More
In terms of methane emissions we are repeating the Nord Stream explosions every day
One of the most methane emitting events ever recorded, the Nord Stream pipeline explosions in 2022, released a huge amount of this very potent greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. What is striking, though: Normal oil and gas operations globally emit the same amount of methane as the explosion every single day. These emissions are in large parts preventable, they are unacceptable from a climate and air quality standpoint, and they are a colossal waste of precious resources against the backdrop of energy security concerns. Lisa Tostado analyzes the latest data on methane emissions from the energy sector and argues that the issue has not received the attention it deserved.
When hitting the slopes is a sin against nature
In so many ways, Alpine skiing is an assault on the natural world. This will only become more pronounced as our highlands see less and less snow as a result of the climate crisis. In the short run, a dying industry is trying to save itself by means that exacerbate its toll on the environment. Paul Hockenos reports.
Germany’s superhighway should change, for the better
Horsepower-flush automobiles and the 7,200-mile highway system that accommodates those vehicles, called the autobahn, belong to Germany’s national mythology. For decades, German drivers have relished the ostensible perk of its long stretches of asphalt without a speed limit. But the climate crisis has called this cherished tradition into question, prompting Germans to rethink their relationship to internal combustion engines – and to the autobahn itself, writes Paul Hockenos.
Unlocking green hydrogen potential to solve Nigeria’s energy crisis
Nigeria’s potential for green hydrogen offers a way to solve its perennial energy crisis while creating jobs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Green hydrogen production could help decarbonise the economy and secure future growth, but coordinated investment needs to get the new venture on track. Samuel Ajala reports.
Innovative start-ups highlight the breadth of the clean energy transition
When looking at clean energy expansion and the drive toward a sustainable future, it makes sense to start with the big picture. After all, one can easily get lost in the myriad of bit pieces. But the micro is important, too, and there’s a universe of innovation happening in the private sector: small start-ups that are filling niches in the sustainable economy (like Tesla once did.) An annual competition organized by the German Energy Agency’s Start-Up Energy Transition reflects the private sector’s advances on the countless parts of the larger Energiewende.
