The Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydło has announced a milestone on the path towards saving Poland’s mining industry: on May 1, a company called ‘The Polish Mining Group’ (PGG) was established. It will take over 11 coal mines, four bankruptcy-threatened plants and debts of mines and plants. Michał Olszewski takes a look.
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What does EU power market reform mean for Central and Eastern Europe power markets?
The current market fails to generate pricing signals allowing full cost recovery of power generation. The European Commission decided to introduce a set of measures to ensure generation adequacy and supply security. The measures are further detailed in network codes, explains Jan Ondřich.
Why EU renewable energy figures are misleading
The EU is confident it will reach its target of 20% renewable energy by 2020. But according to Martien Visser, this 20% is in reality more like 14%. This is because a large part of our energy consumption is simply ignored in the calculations for renewable energy.
Understanding record-low 3-cent solar in Dubai in context
In April, a renewable energy auction in the United Arab Emirates produced an astonishingly low price. At 2.99 cents per kilowatt-hour, solar power suddenly costs half as much as it did a year ago. It has thus practically reached the level experts hoped for 2030. Craig Morris explains.
Germany nearly reached 100 percent renewable power on Sunday
After surpassing 80 percent renewable electricity for a few hours last year, Germany may have briefly reached around 95 percent on May 8. But the news is not only cause for celebration – a boundary has also been crossed. We are now entering the hard territory. Craig Morris explains.
Battery powered: supporting South Africa’s renewables
With more and more renewable plants feeding South Africa’s electricity grid, battery storage may hold the key to bridging over those moments when the sun doesn’t shine or the wind doesn’t blow. But for now, batteries are imported, and expensive, writes Leonie Joubert.
The French paradox on shale
Is it paradox or even hypocrisy? The French government bans liquefied natural gas (LNG) shale as an example to the world, but imports and makes money on it at the same time. Is there something like a French blind spot about shale? Nick Grealy takes a look.
German public became educated, not fearful, after Chernobyl
Six months after the Chernobyl accident, Klaus Müschen and Erika Romberg – two researchers at the newly founded Öko-Institut – summarized previously published energy scenarios on nuclear in the institute’s Energiewende book entitled Electricity without nuclear. Craig Morris takes a look.
EnBW: No State Liability for Unlawful Nuclear Power Moratorium Damages
The Bonn Regional Court (LG Bonn) dismissed EnBW’s compensation claim against the Federal Republic of Germany and the State of Baden-Württemberg. EnBW had asked for EUR 261 million because of the temporary unlawful moratorium shutdown of the Neckarwestheim I and Philippsburg I nuclear power plants. Annette Lang and Dr. Matthias Lang have a look.
German PV auctions reach record low price, but most bids still lose
Germany completed its fourth round of auctions for ground-mounted photovoltaics this month, and the government is pleased with the outcome in light of the continued falling prices. The Undersecretary in Germany’s Energy Ministry also speaks of “intense competition” as a positive outcome. The other side of that coin is a lot of losing bids – not to mention those who didn’t bother to take part. Craig Morris explains.