With wind and solar booming, researchers are looking for ways to turn electricity into other products, to cut carbon and integrate renewables into the power grid. Power-to-X could go a long way towards these goals, says Ben Paulos.
All posts tagged: Germany
We are the Energiewende: German villages go 100% renewable
Local communities are at the forefront of the clean energy transition in Germany, with some villages relying 100% on renewable energy. Pavol Szalai spoke to some mayors there and found that German villagers are proud of their work.
New study: Germans still support the Energiewende
The results of the most comprehensive survey of what the Germans think of their energy transition were published in November. Craig Morris says the researchers themselves were surprised by some of the findings.
Germany shuts down next nuclear plant
And then there were seven – at the end of 2017, Gundremmingen B will close for good as a part of the country’s nuclear phaseout. But before it closes, it contributed to a new world record ramp. Craig Morris explains.
What bottom-up sustainability looks like
Increasingly, western democracies are divided over visions for the country’s future. But if we can’t agree on where we should go together, we won’t be able to address issues like climate change. Craig Morris investigates.
Why Native American women are going after Europe’s banks to divest from Big Oil
From Standing Rock to Switzerland, Native American women are putting pressure on banks to divest. Shannan Stoll speaks to Jackie Fielder about the delegation of Indigenous women who recently visited Europe, and the future of the movement to defund fossil fuel projects that threaten Indigenous peoples.
Germany and California look beyond the power sector to cut carbon
As their electricity systems grow cleaner, both Germany and California are looking for additional ways to cut global warming emissions. But cleaning up the transportation and heat sectors has proven to be more challenging than cleaning up power plants. Ben Paulos takes a look.
COP23: Key outcomes agreed at the UN climate talks in Bonn
Climate change was again placed at the centre of global diplomacy as diplomats and ministers gathered in Bonn for the latest annual round of United Nations climate talks. COP23, the second “conference of the parties” since the Paris Agreement was struck, was a technical affair as countries continued to negotiate the finer details of how the agreement would work from 2020 onwards. Jocelyn Timperley of Carbon Brief covers the summit’s key outcomes.
Why France really had to postpone its nuclear reduction
Just as COP23 was getting underway, French minister Nicolas Hulot said France was not abandoning its goal of switching partly from nuclear to renewables, just postponing it. Craig Morris says more time won’t help: nuclear may keep the lights on for now, but the French remain in the dark about nuclear’s conflict with wind & solar.
Tear down or leave up all the old wind turbines?
In the next few years, a large number of wind turbines will run out of eligibility for feed-in tariffs after twenty years. Even if they are still running well, they are likely to be dismantled for several reasons. Craig Morris investigates.