At the height of power blackouts in South Africa earlier this year households went without electricity for 10 hours a days. The unprecedented spike in outage hours saw the middle class scramble for alternative energy sources to buffer against the failing electricity grid. However, the poorest and the most vulnerable were being left in the dark, writes Ufrieda Ho. Read More
All posts tagged: energy transition
How “green corridors” are driving sustainable policies in Medellín
Climate change impacts key parts of urban life, making climate resilience more important than ever. Rebecca Bertram looks at the Colombian city Medellín, exploring how smart climate resilience measures are boosting electric mobility and making it an example for the rest of the Latin American continent. Read More
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The Energy Transition Blog has been published for more than a decade by the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, the German Green political foundation. It started as an outlet to explain Germany’s Energy Transition (Energiewende) and it progressively broadened its geographical coverage and thematic scope. 15 contributors from around the world write about different aspects of the green socio-ecological transformation and the efforts to transition to 100% renewables.
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More clean cooking solutions are needed to combat deforestation in Uganda
Uganda’s forests are declining at an alarming rate amid the widespread use of traditional biomass for cooking. As only 5% of the population can access clean cooking solutions, Sarah Helen Rüdenauer explores how alternative options can combat deforestation while addressing economic challenges and raising awareness of sustainable energy practices in rural Uganda.
Why China is increasing its presence in the Latin American energy sector
China’s interest in Latin America has grown significantly in recent years. The country is now the continent´s second largest trading partner after the United States. Rebecca Bertram examines the reasons for this rapprochement and what it means for Latin America’s energy sector.
Turning Windhoek’s township into a transformative Namibian social and energy powerhouse
In June 2023, Andy Gheorghiu, a German-based and internationally operating campaigner and consultant for climate/environmental protection and energy policy, travelled to Namibia, where he met members of the local Economic and Social Justice Trust in the capital Windhoek. While visiting the township of Katutura, he witnessed the harsh economic reality of a post-apartheid democracy but also identified its huge transformative potential.
Making green hydrogen trade fair and sustainable
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.
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.