Sustainable energy is one of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) that the UN has come up with. Lillian Sol Cueva reflects what this means for Latin America and how the goal could be achieved.
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The future of energy leaning towards decentralization
Tesla’s announcement of batteries for power storage caused a lot of turmoil last week. Kartikeya Singh analyses the significance of the product for the power market and sees it as part of a global trend towards energy decentralization.
What Germany’s energy transition means for the United States
Germany has been a pioneer in pushing for a renewable energy revolution, making the technologies globally competitive with conventional energy. Now, Germany is passing the baton to countries such as the United States which is increasingly taking over the clean energy race. Rebecca Bertram takes a look.
The solar price revolution
Solar power is rapidly becoming the cheapest source of electricity available in many regions of the world. It will help limit climate change, allow the electrification of remote areas and democratize energy production, as Klaus Töpfer explains.
A transition from coal to clean energy
A lot of the coal power that is used in Oregon actually comes from Wyoming and Montana. In order to accelerate the transition towards renewables and promote local job growth, the state legislature is currently considering two bills that would forbid imports of coal power. Elizabeth Hardee reports from Oregon.
How British biomass makes German coal look worse
At the beginning of April, British climate NGO Sandbag published a press release entitled “For the first time, 4 out of 5 largest EU emitters are German lignite producers.” A shift took place between the fifth and sixth positions because the British Drax coal plant increasingly runs on imported biomass. Craig Morris says paying more attention to producers and less to consumers would help us see the issue in a clearer light.
Why is UK wind power so expensive?
The British government seems willing to pay high prices not only for new nuclear, but also for renewables. Given the country’s amazing wind conditions, it does indeed seem that the British are overpaying for wind power in particular. Craig Morris thinks he knows why.
The most carbon-efficient year ever for America’s power industry?
It’s been 60 years in the making and it’s finally here: America’s power generation fleet has changed so much since the 1950s, and especially over the last decade, that the amount of carbon emitted per megawatt-hour of electricity produced has dropped to its lowest point in recorded history. Gavin Purchas reports.
German utilities split over modest coal clamp-down
The German government wants to limit emissions from coal plants that are more than 20 years old. Why the age demarcation? Why not just limit total emissions – or phase out coal entirely? Craig Morris says some clever Realpolitik is behind it. Best of all, it’s working.
Counting carbon from the source
We need to leave carbon in the ground. Yet, carbon emissions are counted at the source of consumption, not the source of extraction. Craig Morris says the different approach would put countries like Scotland, Norway, and Denmark in a much different light.