The transition to 100 percent renewable energy needs a lot of minerals to build wind, solar, and battery technology. This has the potential to cause fuel fragility, conflict, and violence if not managed responsibly. Joshua S. Hill takes a look at the recent report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development.
All posts tagged: Electric Vehicles
Stricter CO2 standards for vehicles are not the reason for job losses
Despite negative media reports, environmental regulation cannot be blamed for the coming upheavals in the automobile sector. It’s the failure of the auto industry to react to the transition to electric vehicles that spells disaster, Daniel Rieger explains.
Will energy efficiency stall climate disruption?
The world could hit its sustainable development goals if we invest in energy efficiency. But energy efficiency must be coupled with reduced consumption to be effective, argue David Suzuki and Ian Hanington.
No longer a novelty, clean energy technologies boom all across the US
Today, the U.S. has about six times as much renewable energy as it did ten years ago, and some states aim to be 100% renewable by 2050. Julia Pyper explores a new report about the American democratization of renewables, energy storage and electric vehicles.
Devil in the detail of Europe’s 2050 transport model
As the EU puts together a mid-century climate strategy, Carlos Calvo Ambel explains how the European Commission’s choice of modelling could be severely underestimating what emission cuts can be gained from the transport sector.
Blockchain and energy: we sifted hype from reality so you don’t have to
As we move away from coal and nuclear to renewable energy, the electrical grid will need to adapt. Varun Sivaram and Madison Freeman go in-depth on how blockchain could help.
Berlin divided over cars’ CO2 limits, hindering EU decision
As it decarbonizes its energy sector, Germany’s transportation emissions have remained stubbornly high, even increasing in the past two years. The car industry refuses to modernize even as electric vehicles gain popularity worldwide. Claire Stam of Euractiv takes a look.
Batteries included: Gigafactories advance German energy transition
Energy storage is going to be a huge industry in the transition to renewables, and European countries and producers are moving in on batteries. This is Germany’s chance to bring stable jobs to its former mining regions, and finally phase out coal. L. Michael Buchsbaum takes a look.
The teething problems of Mexico’s energy transition
About 18% of Mexico’s electricity comes from renewables, and decarbonization remains slow. Agustin Llamas suggests that smart microgrids, combined with electric vehicles, could give Mexico’s energy transition the push it needs.
Is the UK a better role model than Germany for carbon reduction?
More than Germany, the UK has reduced coal power and carbon emissions in recent years. Should we be talking more about the British model and less about the German one? More specifically, does Germany missing its 2020 carbon target put the country’s 2030 target completely out of reach? By Craig Morris.