100 posts
Eurosphere roundup: Big freeze over Europe, Greek bailout, ACTA
Italy hit by shortage of Russian gas from FT.com – World, Europe Cold weather and reductions in supplies from Europe have put strain on the gas systems across the continent Europe’s big freeze tightens grip from BBC News | Europe ...
Leaked Commission figures sound death knell for biodiesel
Leaked figures for the Commission's default values for carbon emissions from biofuels including indirect land use change suggest biodiesel might no longer be eligible to be counted against the EU's renewable transport energy target.
Shale gas: Good news for Poland, bad news for Gazprom and the greenies
Bad news for Gazprom and the greenies - and the French and Bulgarian governments (who have made the incredibly stupid decision to ban shale gas exploration): There is no need for new legislation to regulate shale gas exploration in the European...
New Report: U.S. Better Off “Thinking Big” about Energy Efficiency Instead of Focusing First on Development of New Energy Sources
“America is thinking too small when it comes to energy efficiency, while also making the mistake of “crowding out” economically beneficial investments in energy efficiency by focusing on riskier and more expensive bids to develop new energy sou...
Russia behind shale gas protests in Bulgaria
Today Bulgarians have witnessed concrete examples of Gazprom´s - and probably also the Russian intelligence service´s - efforts to prevent the American-led shale gas revolution from reaching Europe: Approximately 1,000 people have gather...
Energy efficiency: EU member states refuse to “walk the talk”
European Union member states are all very big on rhetoric about energy efficiency but when it comes to binding targets and financing energy-saving measures they are far from "walking the talk". Read this EurActiv coverage of the o...
Direct Road to Europe: Azerbaijan’s Trans-Anatolia Gas Pipeline
video By Vladimir Socor On December 26 in Ankara, the Ener...
Businesses lack credit access for energy efficiency investments
“British businesses are struggling to find suitable credit lines and loans from banks and financial institutions, in order to fund their energy efficiency investments.” So says a new report from the Energy Efficiency Financing Scheme, created by...
Euro crisis, Brent oil edition
Courtesy of Olivier Jakob at Petromatrix, FT Alphaville presents the price of front-month Brent oil futures expressed in euro terms:That would be echoes of the 2008 record oil price....
New scientific study: carbon emission of shale gas lower than those of coal?
In a new article in the Climate Change journal, three researchers of Cornell University criticise the famous greenhouse-gas footprint study of shale gas done by Howarth and others last year. Their figures show that the greenhouse impact of shale gas...
Fracking: Is there really 100 years’ worth of natural gas beneath the United States?
“The recent press about the potential of shale gas would have you believe that America is now sitting on a 100-year supply of natural gas.” Could the "game-changing" "golden age of gas" be no more than an 11-year blip...
The US-led shale gas revolution ends Russia´s plans to dominate the European energy market
It is now become increasingly obvious what is behind Vladimir Putin´s recent outbursts against shale gas: The US-led shale gas revolution has already put the government controlled Gazprom on the defensive. Gone are the days when Putin...
‘Turkey will allow South Stream pipeline by end of year’
By Faruk Akkan, Fuat Seferov Gazprom Deputy Chairman Alexander Medvedev has said Turkey will give the OK for the So...
Monbiot backs science against superstition on nuclear power
“Anti-nuclear campaigners have generated as much mumbo jumbo as creationists, anti-vaccine scaremongers, homeopaths and climate change deniers. In all cases, the scientific process has been thrown into reverse: people have begun with their conc...
The Attack of that Sinister Dark Lord Electrolux
May 10th: the Ringhals nuclear reactor near Gothernburg, Sweden has a fire event. From the greenie hysteria (which included a spontaneous light-mural being painted by that famous artist known as “Greenpeace”) that ensued sounded like they hoped...
ACP primes for COP17 with energy summit
Key talks amongst members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States will take place this week in Brussels in preparation for the United Nations’ global conference on climate change (COP17) in Durban, South Africa in late November. Th...
«Gazprom» Exiled from the Caspian Region
The balance of powers has started changing expressly. In the middle of September the EU Council approved the mandate of the talks of the EU with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan on conclusion of legally binding treaty on Transcaspian gas pipeline construc...
Tajikistan’s Transportation Challenge: Ending Dependency On Uzbek Transit Routes
By Farangis Najibullah As relations between Dushanbe and Tashkent have become increasingly strained due to multiple factors, including water resources and energy supplies, Tajikistan is trying to end its reliance on Uzbekistan&rsqu...
Putin Speaks Out on Europe
Russia's past and likely future president attacks EU energy policies, calls on the ECB to act to stem crisis and delivers a eulogy for Silvio Berlusconi.
No Shale Boom in Europe as First Wells Struggle, Bernstein Says
Reuters: "The first results from wells in Poland show Europe is unlikely to match the U.S. boom in shale gas, analysts at Bernstein Research said." “Poland has one-tenth the spare water resources available to U.S. shale producers, a more de...
U.S. wind turbin market set to "fall off a cliff" in 2013
U.S. wind turbin market is set to "fall off a cliff" in 2013, unless lawmakers decide to extend the present tax credits, according to Ditlev Engel, CEO of the Danish Vestas Wind Systems. U.S. wind turbine sales may dry up in 2013 unless lawmake...
Renewables Grid Initiative: European Grid Conference 2011
The need for a radical overhaul of Europe’s electricity grid faces several major challenges. One of them is public acceptance. A coalition of corporate stakeholders and NGOs discussed this with European policymakers at an interesting conference...
New EEA report: European transport sector must be ambitious to meet targets
Emissions of many pollutants from transport fell in 2009. But this reduction may only be a temporary effect of the economic downturn, according to the latest annual report on transport emissions from the European Environment Agency (EEA). This new EE...
Can Europe ever be 100% renewable?
We’ve discussed the issue of nuclear energy and how it relates to climate change on Debating Europe, but we’ve not really looked in-depth yet at the alternatives. We had a comment come in from Joe Thorpe, who was highly critical of the...
Oil Majors Rediscover Their Exploring Mojo
"After a decade marked by fears of declining resources, oil majors have substantially increased their exploration efforts – with increasingly impressive results." (source: Rigzone News). Is this for real or wishful thinking? And how man...
IEA World Energy Outlook 2011 raises the alarm bells … again!
The newest World Energy Outlook report of the International Energy Agency warns that the world is "locking itself into an unsustainable energy future" with dramatic consequences for climate change. It also explains that for every dollar...
Russian, German leaders launch Nord Stream gas pipeline
video launch-Nord-Stream-gas-pipeline.jpg launch-Nord-Stream-gas-pipeline.jpg Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Ge...
Lithuania and Latvia will act together to pursue common goals
President Dalia Grybauskaitė discussed with the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, the continuity of bilateral cooperation in implementing regional energy and transport projects, and the representation of interests signif...
Putin´s and Schöder´s failed Nord Stream pipeline opened
The Russian-German Nord Stream pipeline, one of the most scandalous and shameful business deals made in Europe after the Second World War, was formally opened today. Germany´s social democrat chancellor Gerhard Schröder and Russia´s ruler, former...
OPEC : World Oil Outlook Report
OPEC, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting countries published its World Oil Outlook report 2011 today. It will be followed by the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook 2011 tomorrow. Both reports will show that we continue on t...
Belgium – ‘Intelligent’ nuclear phase-out
Belgium – Last Sunday’s agreement of the six parties of social democrat Elio Di Rupo’s future coalition to start a nuclear phase-out from 2015 onwards left the Green parties with mixed feelings. It is less than the purple coalition’s deci...
Book alert: The Limits to Growth Revisited
“The Limits to Growth” (Meadows, 1972) generated unprecedented controversy with its predictions of the eventual collapse of the world’s economies.” This new book edited by Ugo Bardi revisits the Limits to Growth from the perspective of al...
Another oil shock?
Via Scoop.it – The Great Transition "When global economic performance becomes more robust, oil demand is likely to grow faster than supply capacity can. As that happens, at some point before too long supply and demand could collide—gently...
Commission adopts plan for €50 billion boost to European networks
The European Commission has tabled a plan which will fund €50 billion worth of investment to improve Europe's transport, energy and digital networks. By focussing on smart, sustainable and fully interconnected transport, energy and digital netwo...
Being Green Means Staying Clean
WASHINGTON—Beltway insiders always love a scandal, and the bankruptcy of solar power cell manufacturer Solyndra Inc. makes for a good one. Solyndra received over $500 million in loan guarantees from the U.S. Department of Energy under a scheme to p...
End doublespeak on energy efficiency, EU states told
The European Commission's top energy official has criticised EU member sates for holding a double language on the bloc's target to cut energy use by 20% by the end of the decade. Philip Lowe, the head of the Commission's directorate-general for...
Project Nord Stream: what’s next?
video By Aivaras Bagdonas The meeting of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Hannover on 19 July was an important event for further devel...
Winds Of Change Blowing From China, Where Else?
China may not be where cutting edge research takes place or innovative technologies emerge, and Chinese manufacturers are not usually the first to develop and market new products. But once they identify a product as globally marketable, Chinese manuf...
Hungary Wants to Diversify Away From Russian Gas
The year 2015 is promising to be a major landmark in Hungary's natural gas supply, even though the dominance of Russian imports is set to stay.
Energy use of biomass of agricultural origin
At the 3110th Council meeting on Agriculture and Fisheries held in Brussels on 20 September 2011, the ministers held an exchange of views on the “Energy use of biomass of agricultural origin as an important element of the Common Agricultural P...
How at home is the EU with energy efficiency? The new energy efficiency directive and the role of housing
In June this year, the Commission published a proposal for a new Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), the follow-up from the February 2011 Energy Efficiency Plan. This has been widely criticised by environmental organizations for allowing states to opt...
Same Global Economic Output Needs More Energy, Worldwatch Finds | Worldwatch Institute
Via Scoop.it – The Great Transition Global energy intensity increased 1.35 percent in 2010, reversing a broader trend of decline over the last 30 years. This trend is very worrying at a time when we need not only to reduce our energy intensity...
Harmonising EU energy policies
The European Economic & Social Committee (EESC) has got the ball rolling again on the question of the harmonisation of EU energy policies. At an EESC hearing on 7 September, EURELECTRIC Secretary General Hans ten Berge presented the power sector
Taking the Reset to the Oil Rigs
By Anders Aslund gasgauge.JPG gasgauge.JPG ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson concluded a big oil and gas deal with Rosneft...
Ukraine proposes alternative to South Stream
video By Maria Selivanova Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has proposed building one more gas pipeline across his country instead of the planned South Stream project byp...
Gas Dispute between Russia and Ukraine: in Expectation of the “Hot Phase”
By Oleg Gorbunov Moscow and Kiev can’t agree on changes of the “blue fuel” supply contracts into this country and gas transit to Europe. Russia suggested Ukraine to enter the Customs Union and lease or sell its ga...
Now comes the drilling politics… Turkey vs. Cyprus
Levantine Basin Drilling by M.A.M Mavi Boncuk | The Tamar natural gas discovery will supply the Israeli domestic market for decades. Currently appraised at 8.4 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) Tamar is expected to deliver its first sales in 2013.Lying...
EU in fresh row over biofuels’ ‘green’ claims
Via Scoop.it – The Great Transition A fresh row has erupted in Brussels over the environmental benefits of biofuels, with academics and EU officials at loggerhead over how to account for CO2 savings in the product’s life cycle. It is hard...
Why the Fukushima disaster is worse than Chernobyl
video By David McNeill Japan has been slow to admit the scale of the meltdown. But now the truth is coming out. Some scientists say Fukushima is worse than the 1986 Chernobyl...
Siemens to quit nuclear industry
Via Scoop.it – The Great Transition The head of German engineering and industrial giant Siemens, Peter Löscher, has said in an interview that his company is to withdraw entirely from the nuclear industry. Courageous move from one of the key Eu...
Is there any need to support the implementation of EU climate policy through cross-country burden sharing?
In the current context, where public budgets are overstretched due to the economic crisis, there is a pressing need to understand the fiscal implications of climate policies. Decarbonization will impact both sides of a country’s budget via changes...
L’accident de Marcoule révèle la faillite du modèle nucléaire français – LeMonde.fr
Via Scoop.it – The Great Transition“Dans notre pays, le nucléaire aura donc la vie dure et toute sortie prendra plus de temps qu’ailleurs parce qu’il y est devenu une véritable idéologie. Nombreux sont cependant les chantie...
Solyndra - A major scandal for Obama?
Ed Morrisey thinks that the failed Solyndra solar power company could become a major scandal for the Obama administration: The Obama administration chose Solyndra as its poster child for this effort. The White House fast-tracked approval for taxpayer...
Cornered by Russia, Ukraine eyes Turkmen gas
Ukraine, embittered by Russia's unwillingness to cut prices for its gas, said on Monday, Sept. 12 it would try to resume imports of the fuel from Turkmenistan. READ MORE...
Moscow 'regrets' EU decision on trans-Caspian gas pipeline
The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Moscow regrets the EU's decision on Monday to open talks with Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan aimed at agreeing shipment of Turkmen natural gas across the Caspian Sea to Europe. READ MORE...
EU carbon price ‘should be €40-60t’
Via Scoop.it – The Great Transition“Carbon allowances should cost at least €40 ($54.57) each, according to the long-term fundamentals of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), says analysis firm Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF).̶...
Energy Efficiency versus the EU ETS: Counterproductive Tribalism in the Commission
On 22 June 2011, a proposal for increased Energy Efficiency was presented by the European Commission. The energy efficiency directive was intensely negotiated and faced strong internal opposition from a number of players. DG Climate officials have sh...
A guide for the perplexed energy policymaker
Via Scoop.it – The Great Transition“Right now world society is dangerously exposed to possibly faulty forecasts of energy abundance. Given the harsh consequences that could result from accepting such forecasts if we fail to make any prepa...
More Energy Tensions With Russia?
New initiatives aimed at reducing Russia's clout in EU energy affairs are not likely to please Moscow.
Commodities Look Set to Rocket Higher
Via Scoop.it – The Great Transition“The supply-and-demand argument rests on the time-tested notion that with increased demand, new supplies are brought to market. … The point … is that the usual supply and demand argument fall...
Russian energy giant Gazprom scared by the shale gas revolution
The US-led shale gas revolution seems to have scared the pants off Russian energy giant Gazprom´s top leaders. The Telegraph´s Rowina Mason went to a press conference in London: So how does Gazprom react? Under threat, it’s gone into battle...
Europe is burning - Top EU leaders busy promoting failed carbon price scheme in Australia
European stocks tumbled 4 per cent, with banks plumbing a more than two-year low, as worries about public deficits in Greece and Italy and a regional election rout for Germany's ruling party cast fresh doubt on the euro zone's ability to tackle its d...
Could Energy Resources Cause Russia to Spark a Naval War in the Caspian?
In the past three decades the Islamic Republic of Iran has developed a well-earned sense of paranoia. First, in September 1980 Saddam Hussein invaded Iran in what he thought would be a quick military victory, but which quickly turned into an eight-ye...
Iran’s nuclear program helped by China, Russia
Cooperation began in 1990s. READ MORE...
Is Lithuania’s energy independence realistic?
In the context of discussions and plans concerning construction of a new nuclear power plant (NPP) in Visaginas the following question arises: is Lithuania’s energy independence realistic and what measures or actions could guarantee Lithuania&r...
How to make informed energy policy decisions?
Two stories from the UK and one from France today: UK ministers ignored 'peak oil'...
The reasons for a European public debate on nuclear energy
The debate over the future of nuclear energy must not be confined to experts, nor to politicians and business leaders. This is a crucial choice for the future of our societies, and it calls for a public debate. The debate must be transparent and enli...
Shale gas II: Shale gas fever in the EU
The Polish EU-presidency is going to make it one of their priorities, the US and Canada have greatly benefited from taking their chances with it and it might be the solution to more EU energy independence from Russia and Algeria. The talk is of cours...
Europe's Nabucco Pipeline Delayed Again
The European Union’s plans to start construction on the Nabucco pipeline, which is intended to reduce dependence on Russia for natural gas, have been delayed for another year, until 2013, because the consortium has no gas supply contracts lined...
10 things about the West we don’t like admitting.
1. Oil isn’t evil, and even the wars about oil aren’t as much about profit as about keeping the energy supply to the whole planet open. 2. In the west, more poor people use oil than rich people. The rich can afford solar panels and turb...
European biofuel dispute splits the industry
A divisive debate over the green credentials of biofuels has stalled investment and threatens the future of some producers, but could also create lucrative opportunities, according to European companies. After a two-year investigation, the Europea...
10 Steps to the Power System of Tomorrow – 10 Steps to Smart Grids
More ICT in the system will initiate a huge cultural change, though achieving the flexibility needed will not be possible without bringing customers further on board: customers will need to be at the heart of the new system. DSOs will play the role o...
Energy ministers discuss carbon-free Europe
Energy policies of Member States will have to be harmonised, even after the implementation of the EU’s Energy Strategy 2020; therefore the objectives should be identified until 2030, and then to 2050, stressed National Development Minister, Tam
Nuclear power in Europe: what do Member States think and what tests are required?
The recent catastrophe in Japan, which damaged the nuclear power plant at Fukushima, has reopened the debate about the practicability and safety of Europe's nuclear power stations, which could be assessed by carrying out specific tests. Different Mem...
