International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power System Programme (IEA PVPS) publishes its new 'Snapshot of Global PV in 1992-2012' report

By International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power System Programme

IEA PVPS published its new Snapshot report on Monday 8 April. Preliminary to its Trends Report that will be published in September 2013, this report provides estimated data about photovoltaic (PV) capacity in the 23 countries reporting to the IEA PVPS Programme. At least 96.5 GW of PV are now installed worldwide, while in 2012, we observed a stabilization of the market and significant market growth in Asia.

The Performance of Wind Farms in the United Kingdom and Denmark

Gordon Hughes

The Renewable Energy Foundation published a new study showing that the economic life of onshore wind turbines is between 10 and 15 years, not the 20 to 25 years projected by the wind industry itself, and used for government projections.

Risk Gaps

Climate Policy Initiative

Risk — whether real or perceived — is the single most important factor preventing renewable energy projects from finding financial investors, or raising the returns that these investors demand. It is also one thing that policymakers can cause, control, alleviate, or help mitigate. In a series of three studies, titled Risk Gaps, CPI maps the availability of risk instruments against demand and analyzes several new, potential instruments designed to address the biggest gaps: first-loss protection instruments and policy risk insurance.

Interview: Benjamin Gallèpe of the Mediterranean Energy Regulators (MEDREG)

Clearing regulatory hurdles to exploit renewable energy in North Africa

By Heather O'Brian

It is taking longer than expected for renewable energy in the Middle East and North Africa to develop, as political and social unrest make investors uneasy and the European economic crisis has taken a toll. According to Benjamin Gallèpe, Director of the Permanent Secretariat of the Mediterranean Energy Regulators (MEDREG) association, North African countries will have to develop an economic model that better reflects "the real costs of energy". European countries for their part will have to develop a model that will make imports of (more expensive) renewable energy from the south possible. Gallèpe says the EU-sponsored Mediterranean Solar Plan, the flagship initiative of the Union for the Mediterranean to promote renewable energy in North Africa, has so far been "largely a diplomatic exercise", which will now have to be turned into a more practical approach: "We need to facilitate dialogue with the main energy investors" and "build a common, level playing field in terms of regulatory and economic conditions".

Perspectives for biogas in Europe

Floris van Foreest, OIES

This paper by Floris van Foreest assesses the prospects and challenges facing biomass in the future European energy mix.

European renewable energy share increases to 13.4% in 2011

EurObserver'ER

In the Renewable Energy Directive from 2009 all European Member States agreed to increase the share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption in such a way that for the 27 Member States the share would be 20% by 2020. This has resulted in mandatory targets for all countries. EurObserv’ER has determined whether these countries are on track to meet their target. Calculating the share is a delicate exercise, and EurObserv'ER is the first organisation estimating this share for the year 2011.

The Infant Industry Argument and Renewable Energy Production

Sergey Mityakov, George C. Marshall Institute

In this paper we review the necessity of government production subsidies for renewable energy on the basis on the infant industry argument, which argues that government support and protection of nascent industries is acceptable.

Biofuels under attack - Germany's Best Practice Certification to the rescue

By Paul Hockenos, Berlin

With the growth of bioenergy across the globe, the debate over its relevance and impact has intensified, pitting the industry and bioenergy's diverse adherents against climate campaigners, critical scientific organizations, and even the likes of the European Commission's DG Climate. The proponents say that the shortcomings of bioenergy production can be ameliorated with regulation, such as certification schemes that set rigorous sustainability criteria. Germany was the first to push for such regulation at home and on the European level. Today it has two schemes in place that are considered best practices in Europe and beyond, and are perhaps even applicable to other sectors. These programs could prove the saviour for an industry that is simultaneously surging and under attack. From Berlin Paul Hockenos reports.

Will Desertec ever move from Power Point to Power Plant?

By Paul Hockenos

Is Desertec in crisis? At its annual conference in November in Berlin, the Desertec Industrial Initiative (DII) had hoped to announce the signing of a ground-breaking agreement between Germany, Morocco, France, Italy and Spain that would open the way for a first "Reference Project" in Morocco. But at the last moment Spain baulked. And there has been more bad news, as Bosch and Siemens, two of DII's biggest-name supporters, pulled out of the project. Yet many other private and public backers remain supportive. Moreover, countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are increasingly enthusiastic about renewable energy. Indeed, Desertec's biggest hurdle may well be Europe's fragmented energy policies. "What worries me is not the political situation in MENA", said one shareholder, "but rather that in Europe." And there's the success of the Energiewende in Desertec's "home country" Germany, which makes people wonder whether power from the desert is necessary at all.

US and EU trade sanctions against Chinese solar PV cells: a blow for solar power and sustainable development

By John A. Mathews

US and (potential) EU trade sanctions against Chinese solar panel producers will only benefit a handful of domestic panel producers, and will inflict great damage on the rest of the solar power industry in the US and EU, argues John A. Mathews, professor of global strategy at the MGSM Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. Worse, they threaten to block the sensational cost reductions that have been going on in the global solar sector, ultimately hurting developing countries the most. "The contrast between the narrow calculations displayed in these trade actions, and the broader concerns over sustainable development and mitigation of global warming, is stark indeed", concludes Mathews.

Investors look to China and the US as confidence in Europe’s renewable energy sector declines

European Voice

A new report released by EuropeanVoice examines the factors that are making investors nervous about renewable energy in Europe, and looks at examples of what is working. It will also look at the issue of further targets beyond 2020 and how this might make a difference to investor confidence.

The end of the honeymoon period for renewables

By Timon Dubbeling

Electricity markets across Europe are experiencing a once-in-a-generation transformation, which is largely driven by the exponential growth of intermittent generation from renewable energy sources - solar PV and wind in particular. Although the rise of such renewables is both necessary and inevitable in the transition to a low-carbon economy, it is becoming increasingly difficult and costly to integrate them into the current power system. Inevitably renewable generators will be asked to play a bigger role in managing the impact their production has on electricity systems. In addition, they will have to deal with reduced financial support and legal prerogatives as policymakers will try to end their insulation from energy markets. The honeymoon period for renewables is ending, and their existence in electricity markets is bound to get a lot more challenging.

German offshore wind industry sees sunshine behind the clouds

By Paul Hockenos

Offshore wind energy is envisioned to play a key role in Germany's Energiewende. The German government wants to see 25,000 megawatts of offshore wind parks installed in the Baltic and North Seas - the equivalent of 20 large nuclear power reactors. But unclarity over the transmission grid and regulatory issues has slowed progress. Nevertheless at a recent conference in Hamburg, the industry's leading representatives sounded an optimistic note. They said crucial legislation is finally coming into place that will enable them to proceed with their ambitious offshore plans.

Bulgaria's renewables market goes from boom to bust

By Mariyana Yaneva

The government's efforts to cool down the overheated photovoltaic (PV) market in Bulgaria are threatening to halt all investment in renewable energy production in the country, reports Mariyana Yaneva from SeeNews Renewables in Sofia. Yet some observers remain optimistic about the long-term opportunities of the Bulgarian renewable energy markets. "Even the most populist and reactionary government will eventually have to face realities."

German solar bubble? Look again!

By Craig Morris

A string of bankruptcies among German solar panel producers has led many to question the wisdom of Germany's renewable energy policies. However, according to energy journalist Craig Morris, the financial problems are part of a normal consolidation process taking place in the sector. He argues that a broader look at the entire value chain of the solar sector reveals that the German economy will continue to benefit from the country's role as a first mover in solar energy: "In the middle of the value chain, cell and panel manufacturers are suffering everywhere. Further down the value chain, things look much brighter."

How solar subsidies can distort the power market: the case of Italy

By Carlo Stagnaro

Italian policies to stimulate power production have been a success in the sense that solar power capacity has exploded, but they have also led to formidable costs. What is more, argues Carlo Stagnaro of the Italian think tank Istituto Bruno Leoni, support for green power has profoundly distorted the functioning of the Italian energy market. As solar power is subsidized and given unlimited priority access to the grid, the size of the "contestable market", where power producers compete with each other, has shrunk dramatically. Stagnaro warns that the measures now being discussed to remedy the problems will put further pressure on the market model in Italy and lead to more control from above.

Francesco Starace, Chief Executive Officer of Enel Green Power, puts brakes on European expansion

"We have shifted investments to places where demand is growing"

By Heather O'Brian

It wouldn't make sense for European government to push for growth in renewable energy at this moment in time, says Francesco Starace, chief executive officer of Enel Green Power (EGP), the renewable energy arm of giant Italian utility Enel. Overcapacity and stagnant demand in a number of European markets - including EGP's core markets Italy and Spain/Portugal - means cuts in renewable energy incentives are logical, Starace says in an interview with European Energy Review. Even without incentive cuts, he adds, EGP would have pursued its current strategy, which sees the renewable group temporarily scaling back growth in Europe and pursuing growth in emerging markets instead.

Bridging the greenhouse-gas emissions gap

By Kornelis Blok, Niklas Höhne, Kees van der Leun & Nicholas Harrison

Twenty-one coherent major initiatives could together stimulate sufficient reductions by 2020 to bridge the global greenhouse-gas emissions gap.

Greenhouse gases are responsible for warming, not the sun

By Rob van Dorland and Bart Verheggen

Scientists working on climate on a daily basis must have been rather astonished by the recent interview with professor Fritz Vahrenholt published by European Energy Review (May 2, 2012). Vahrenholt, chief of RWE Innogy, self-proclaimed climate expert and co-author of the book Die Kalte Sonne (The Cold Sun), claims that "the contribution of CO2 to global warming is being exaggerated". This claim, however, does not stand up to scientific scrutiny. We assess his ideas in the light of the scientific literature on the role of the sun versus other climate forcing factors. The dominant influence of greenhouse gases follows not only from their basic physical properties, but also from their "fingerprint" in the observed warming. The sun, in contrast, has not exhibited any warming trend over the past 50 years. The sun is thus not responsible for the warming seen during this period. Greenhouse gases in all likelihood are.

Shortfall, Rebound, Backfire : Can we rely on energy efficiency to offset climate policy costs?

Renewable Energy Forum

A new assessment of the Department of Energy & Climate Change’s (DECC) proposed energy efficiency measures and their supposed benefits to UK consumers reveals that the public has been seriously misled by the Government about the likely impact of climate policies on energy bills.

Interview with Adnan Amin, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

"IRENA should be a platform where anybody who has good ideas is welcomed"

By Thijs Van de Graaf

The prestigious International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), brainchild of the late German politician Hermann Scheer, is back on track after a difficult and turbulent start-up period. Under the new leadership of Adnan Amin, IRENA, which boasts 156 member states, seems destined to make a significant impact on the development of renewable energy in the world. In a candid interview with EER, Amin explains his plans for the young, ambitious organization. He does not want to create another bureaucracy and he wants to stay away from politically sensitive declarations. "What we're looking for is practical solutions to real issues that governments are facing on the ground when they want to move forward with renewables."

The optimistic message of Fritz Vahrenholt, climate dissenter and CEO of RWE Innogy

"The sun is giving us time to come up with smarter solutions for the Energiewende"

By Marcel Crok

Fritz Vahrenholt, head of the renewable energy arm of RWE and a former hero of the German environmental movement, has been derided in Germany as a lobbyist for the fossil fuel sector after he published a book highly critical of the global warming consensus. But Vahrenholt's message is far from simplistic. He supports the idea of an "Energy Transformation", but argues that the current German approach is too costly and even counterproductive. Germany's renewable energy policies are undermining the country's biodiversity and destroying its forests, he says in an interview with EER. He is convinced that the contribution of CO2 to global warming is being exaggerated and that there is more time to come to genuinely sustainable solutions. "We run the risk of destroying the foundations of our prosperity."

Wind energy sector growing over twice as fast as EU economy

European Wind Energy Association (EWEA)

The wind energy industry increased its contribution to the EU’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 33% between 2007 and 2010. In 2010, the industry’s growth was twice that of the EU’s GDP overall, with the sector contributing €32 billion to an EU economy in slowdown.

How IRENA is reshaping the global energy architecture

By Thijs Van de Graaf

Though it has gone largely unnoticed, the signing of a partnership agreement between the "traditional" energy agency IEA and the new renewable energy agency IRENA last January is a milestone event. With the agreement, the organizations seem ready to overcome the deep distrust that characterized their relationship when IRENA was created three years ago. In an article written for EER, researcher Thijs Van de Graaf retraces the origins and stormy beginnings of IRENA and analyzes the future impact the new agency may have on the international energy scene.

EU wind power wavering between flagging onshore and huge and promising offshore market

EurObserver

Notwithstanding the economic crisis affecting most of the globe’s major economies, wind energy continues to gain supporters around the world, reports the EurObserv’ER barometer, a project supported by the European Commission within the Intelligent Energy Europe programme and by Ademe, the French Environment and Energy management Agency, and by Caisse des Dépôts.

Subsidy cuts show that renewable energy is coming of age

By Maria van der Hoeven, Executive Director, International Energy Agency

A number of governments in Europe are introducing measures limiting their financial support for renewable energy. These moves should not be viewed as a backlash against renewables, argues Maria van der Hoeven, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA). On the contrary, they show that renewable energy is coming of age. Van der Hoeven does warn, however, that policy changes should be made in a transparent and predictable way.

Report finds rapid expansion in global deployment and improving cost-competitiveness for solar and wind

Clean Edge

Clean-energy markets continued to expand rapidly in 2011, even against a tough economic and political climate, increased industry consolidation, and downward pricing pressures on manufacturers. Combined global revenue for solar PV, wind power, and biofuels rose 31 percent over the prior year, growing from $188.1 billion in 2010 to $246.1 billion last year, according to the Clean Energy Trends 2012 report issued by clean-tech research and advisory firm Clean Edge, Inc. The bulk of this expansion came from double-digit growth rates for both wind and solar deployment globally.

JRC study describes state of the art of renewable energy technologies

Joint Research Centre

A new edition of the Strategic Energy Technologies review has been published. This "2011 Technology Map", produced by the European Commission's in-house science service, the Joint Research Centre (JRC), provides a European and worldwide analysis of 15 low-carbon energy technologies, energy efficiency in industry, energy performance of buildings and electricity storage in the power sector.

Promising biofuel potential for shipping

Ecofys

Biofuels replacing conventional fossil fuels could enable marine transport to become carbon neutral. Biofuels can also substantially reduce the harmful emissions in the air and water, compared to fossil marine fuels. Air quality in port areas and other populated areas around our water ways will improve. In the case of a ship accident, such as the recent Costa Concordia1 tragedy, the effects of the fuels on the environment are expected to be much lower.

State of Renewable Energies in Europe

EurObserv'ER

The annual bilingual (French-English) EurObserv’ER report ‘The State of Renewable Energies in Europe’ has been released, in which not only background information is provided on the renewable energy realisations and the renewable energy share, but additionally estimates have been presented for renewable energy related employment and turnover in the EU Member States.

Solar photovoltaic market continues to grow in Europe and around the world

European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA)

The world-wide solar photovoltaic (PV) market continued to grow in 2011 even in the midst of financial and economic crisis, with new grid-connected PV capacities rising by 27.7 GW and propelling the global PV capacity from 39.7 GW at the end of 2010 to 67.4 GW at the end of 2011. Almost 21 GW of this growth occurred in Europe.

Offshore Grids: Towards a Least Regret EU Policy

Florence School of Regulation

The objective of the 5th report of THINK has been to formulate policy recommendations to the European Commission (DG Energy) on offshore grids in this context, and this brief is derived from that report.

Sustainablity indicators for bioenergy

Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP)

The Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) has published its report on sustainability indicators for bioenergy, providing an invaluable resource in helping countries assess and develop sustainable production and use of bioenergy.

Wind and Gas, Back-up or Back-out, "That is the Question"

Nora Méray, Clingendael International Energy Programme

The focus of this study is to explore the effect that the deployment of a large share of wind energy has on the Northwest European power generation mix in the current market circumstances. Natural gas is often mentioned as a suitable partner for wind. This paper tries to substantiate and quantify the current and potential relationship between gas and wind in Northwest European electric power supply in the context of the transition towards a low-carbon energy economy.

A radically different transport sector by 2050

World Energy Council

The World Energy Council (WEC) expects that transport fuel demand in the next forty years will come mainly from developing countries such as China and India, where demand will grow by 200% to 300%. In contrast, the transport fuel demand for the developed countries will drop by up to 20%, mainly due to increased efficiencies. The demand of the developing countries is expected to surpass that of the developed countries by the year 2025.

Renewable Energy: Vision or Mirage?

Adam Smith Institute

There have been many studies on renewable energy technologies in recent years, both from a UK perspective and elsewhere. Some cover a rather narrow aspect, a number present a somewhat one-sided view, and most focus on a single source of energy, generally wind.

New policy approaches key to attracting massive private capital needed to scale up renewable energy

IEA-RETD

Governments should consider scaling up of renewable energy as part of their robust economic development strategy, rather than as an environmental strategy with the secondary benefits of job creation. Such an approach is fundamental for attracting new private-sector investment to finance renewable projects at a scale that is needed to address climate change. Proven mechanisms should not be abandoned, but new policies have to target ways to reduce the risk-to-reward ratio in order to enhance private sector investor confidence for investment in large-scale renewable energy.

Huge renewable energy growth this decade, if EU countries meet projections

European Environment Agency

Offshore wind energy capacity in Europe is projected to increase 17-fold between 2010 and 2020, while newer renewable technologies such as concentrated solar power and wave/tidal power will also increase more than 11-fold according to projections. European countries are also expected to significantly boost solar photovoltaic power, onshore wind and other renewable technologies over the next decade.

Where is the renewable energy equivalent of Amazon, Google or Facebook?

Why Silicon Valley will never become Green Energy Valley

By Andrew McKillop

Despite spending hundreds of billions of venture capital on developing "Green Energy", Silicon Valley never produced any companies or technologies that managed to achieve a breakthrough in energy. That was left to the son of a Greek goat herder who worked in the dirty old fossil-fuel sector that attracted no interest from the likes of Bill Gates. Analyst Andrew McKillop explains why the Silicon Valley model does not work in the energy sector.

Wind energy and EU climate policy

European Wind Energy Association

Achieving 30% lower emissions by 2020. A report from the European Wind Energy Association.

JRC Report on Critical Metals in Strategic Energy Technologies

Joint Research Council

The Institute for Energy and Transport of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission has conducted a study to assess whether there could be any potential bottlenecks to the deployment of low-carbon energy technologies in the EU due to the shortage of certain metals. The study examined the use of metals in the six low-carbon energy technologies of SET-Plan, namely: nuclear, solar, wind, bioenergy, carbon capture and storage and the electricity grid.

Interview: Anders Eldrup, CEO Dong Energy

How to make the world safe for offshore wind

By Karel Beckman

The relatively small Danish energy company Dong is world leader in offshore wind. With a large pipeline of projects, and institutional investors lining up to participate in them, the state-owned company is bound to remain so for some time to come. CEO Anders Eldrup explains the strategy behind Dong's offshore wind activities: 'We are working towards an industrialisation of the sector. With one goal: to bring costs down.' But with how much, he does not want to say. Karel Beckman reports from Copenhagen.

The Myth of Green Jobs

Global Warming Policy Foundation

One of the UK's leading energy and environment economists warns that the government's promise that green energy policies will create tens of thousands of jobs and stimulate competitive industries is an illusion.

New report supports incentives that further the sustainability of biofuels

Ernst & Young

A report by Ernst & Young published on 5 October 2011 indicates that indirect land use change (ILUC) risks can be mitigated by incentives that encourage existing and additional sustainable practices in biofuels production, as well as other sectors that use agricultural commodities.

Long-Term, Stable Policy Support Key to Reducing Cost of Financing Renewable Energy Projects

Climate Policy Initiative

Climate Policy Initiative (CPI)’s analysis of six large-scale renewable projects in the United States and Europe found that policies can deliver the largest reductions in project financing costs by providing long-term revenue support, offering revenue certainty, and reducing investor perceptions of risk. CPI identified specific ways in which policies affected the cost of finance for these projects and estimated the size of these effects by modeling a range of policy scenarios for each project.

Scotland's sweeping green energy ambitions

By Scottish European Green Energy Centre (SEGEC)

If it is up to the Scottish government, the waters around Scotland will become the green energy powerhouse of Europe. The country has formulated highly ambitious renewable energy targets. These will have to be met by an offshore wind power revolution in the rough Scottish waters. The Scottish Green European Energy Centre gives an overview of the plans.

EU wind power will triple by 2020

European Wind Energy Association

The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) has published its scenarios for onshore and offshore wind power deployment in the EU, ahead of the European Commission's Energy Roadmap 2050, due to be published later this year.

Renewables 2011 Global Status Report: Strong Growth and Increased Geographical Distribution

Rick Bosman

In the wake of global (energy) turmoil embodied in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the global financial crisis, the Arab Spring and the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Mohamed El-Ashry, Chairman of the Paris-based renewable energy network ‘REN21’, reminds us that ‘A positive constant amid this turbulence has been the global performance of renewable energy.’

The silent Energy Revolution

Greenpeace

The bright future for renewable energy is already underway. This new analysis of the global power plant market shows that since the late 1990s, wind and solar installations grew faster than any other power plant technology across the world - about 430,000 MW total installed capacity between 2000 and 2010.

Desertec can integrate the EU with North Africa and the Middle East on many different levels

Desert Powered Progress

Oliver Gnad and Marcel Viëtor

The technical, economic and political obstacles to the famous Desertec vision are considerable. It seems much simpler to increase renewable energy production inside the EU without making ourselves dependent on external sources. Yet energy and climate policies should not be the only considerations when we think of Desertec, argue Oliver Gnad and Marcel Viëtor. When viewed from a geopolitical, strategic viewpoint – as a key integration and political project that can bind together Europe with the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) – Desertec can be part of the answer to many of Europe’s long-term challenges, ranging from migration to economic growth and dependence on fossil fuels. It is time to bring Desertec to the highest political level in Europe: under the aegis of Lady Catherine Ashton and the European External Action Service.

Groundbreaking study into the impact of wind and solar generation on electricity markets in North-West Europe

Pöyry Consulting

The creation of an offshore 'super grid' and a major upgrade of energy interconnections are not the silver bullet solutions to Europe's energy needs, an independent study published by Pöyry has found. The report has found that the introduction of improved connectivity would only partially alleviate the volatility of increased renewable energy generation.

How to win public acceptance for green energy

The case of Samsø

By Stefan Nicola

The tiny Danish island of Samsø is a role model when it comes to overcoming resistance to renewable energy projects. Completely eliminating big business, organizers there have involved their fellow citizens in large-scale energy infrastructure decisions by enabling them not only to discuss the changes to their landscape, but also offering them to own the wind turbines to be installed. Once a fossil fuel importer, Samsø today meets all its electricity with renewables and offsets more greenhouse gases than it emits. Experts from all over the world travel to this island to learn from its example.

The rising costs of ethanol in the US

EPRINC

The US Federal government provides a range of subsidies, tax incentives, and regulatory mandates to promote the use of ethanol and other renewable fuels into the national gasoline pool. Until recently, ethanol use was limited by law to a maximum of 10% of the gasoline pool, or as a specialty fuel at high levels of concentration (a 70-85% blend called E85) for use only in “flex-fuel” vehicles.

Policy instruments for renewable electricity in the Netherlands

Energy Council of the Netherlands

In a letter addressed to the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs, the Algemene Energieraad (Energy Council of the Netherlands), examines the possibilities of the new Dutch support scheme for renewable energy and the supplier obligation, the effects on the market and the consequences for achieving the target.

IPCC sees large potential for renewable energy

IPCC

Close to 80 percent of the world‘s energy supply could be met by renewables by mid-century if backed by the right enabling public policies, according to a new report.

Europe is banking on Brazil

Biofuels market about to turn the corner

By Rudolf ten Hoedt

After having gone through a difficult phase, the worldwide biofuels market seems about to turn the corner. The image of the sector is slowly improving. And whereas the market suffered from oversupply until recently, analysts expect strong demand growth for the rest of the decade, particularly for ethanol. Indeed, the main question that is starting to worry market players is where the necessary supplies will come from in the coming years. There is only one country that could possibly fill the gap: Brazil. But what if Brazil won't be able to deliver?

China is world's clean energy powerhouse

Pew Charitable Trusts

Global clean energy finance and investment grew significantly in 2010 to $243 billion, a 30 percent increase from the previous year. China, Germany, Italy and India were among the nations that most successfully attracted private investments, according to new research released by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

China and Germany invest most in renewable energy

Pew Charitable Trust Funds

Global clean energy finance and investment grew significantly in 2010 to $243 billion, a 30 percent increase from the previous year. China, Germany, Italy and India were among the nations that most successfully attracted private investments, according to new research released by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Ireland's daring wind energy experiment

By Chris Cragg

Ireland is planning to take a giant leap in wind power capacity, propelling it to a leading position in Europe. The government wants to increase the share of wind power in the country's electricity production capacity to over 40%, more than double the current share. The problem is that these plans come at a time when demand has been falling as a result of the economic crisis, so that their realisation would lead to a huge overcapacity in the electricity market. The new government is beginning to show some signs of concern.

Desertec sees positive side to political change

By Karel Beckman

With North Africa in the grip of political turmoil, doubts have arisen about the prospects of the Desertec Industrial Initiative (Dii), which aims to launch a renewable energy revolution in the region. But representatives from Desertec view the current developments as a positive rather than a negative factor for their plans. 'What we offer is employment and economic opportunities for the growing populations of North Africa and the Middle East', says Mouldi Miled, Executive Director of the new Desertec University Network, which was set up recently to coordinate renewable energy research in North Africa. 'That is exactly what the people here demand.'

Environmental regulation threatens small hydropower production in Europe

By Karel Beckman 

Small hydropower producers in Europe are sounding the alarm. Many are unable to expand or even to maintain power production as a result of growing opposition both from local authorities and environmental groups. In particular, it is the implementation of the EU’s Water Framework Directive into national laws that is making life increasingly difficult for the producers. In Italy, they have now banded together with WWF Italy to develop a “green” certification procedure, called CH2OICE, in the hope of stemming the negative tide.

Lack of cohesive policy holding back renewable energy in Australia

Datamonitor

Policy uncertainty is holding Australia back from realising its enormous renewable energy potential, according to Datamonitor.

India has potential to be world's renewable energy powerhouse

Datamonitor

India has the potential to become a global renewable energy powerhouse due to its need for alternative energy sources, international pressure and strong government support, according to independent market analyst Datamonitor.

Financing of low-carbon technologies

Accenture/Barclays

This new joint Accenture-Barclays report estimates that Europe requires €2.9 trillion in capital for low carbon infrastructure between 2011 and 2020. This report covers 15 commercially viable technologies across the transport, buildings, electricity generation and distribution sectors. Eighty percent of the capital required would be used to finance procurement and implementation, with the rest required for research, development and production.

Record growth for EU offshore wind power in 2010

EWEA

With 308 new offshore wind turbines installed in 2010 - an increase of 51% in installed wind power capacity on the previous year - offshore wind power experienced a new record growth in Europe.

Global Clean Power Sector Could Attract $2.3 Trillion by 2020

Pew Charitable Trusts

Private investments in G-20 clean power projects could total $2.3 trillion by the end of the decade, according to a report released today by The Pew Charitable Trusts. Massive energy demand and strong clean energy policies will drive investment to Asia, led by China and India. However, by adopting such policies, every G-20 member has the opportunity to attract more private investment in clean power projects and compete more effectively for business in this emerging global industry.

Photovoltaics play a major role in the shift toward renewable energies

Roland Berger

The German solar power sector has a key role to play in the move toward 100% renewable energies by 2020, provided it targets its efforts carefully. That is the result of the study entitled "Directions for the solar economy" ("Wegweiser Solarwirtschaft") by Roland Berger and Prognos, commissioned by the German Solar Industry Association (Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft, BSW-Solar).

Political hurdles could derail the Desertec initiative

Nikolaos Sofianos

One year after the establishment of the so-called Desertec Industrial Initiative (DII), in October 2009, when the DII took a step forward becoming a limited liability company under the German law named DII GmbH, the project is considered as technically and financially feasible but could still stumble on political issues in some countries.

The Dutch Energy Valley: the two-edged sword of the energy transition

By Karel Beckman

The northern Netherlands – which bills itself as the Dutch “Energy Valley” – is rapidly turning into one of the great energy hubs of Europe. Three large new power plants are currently being built in this region. In addition, many billions of euros are being invested in a wide range of other energy activities – gas and oil storage, biogas production, gas pipelines, power lines, enhanced oil recovery, carbon capture and storage, offshore wind parks and Research & Development. An important driving force behind the development of the Energy Valley is the desire to find ways to facilitate the transition to a sustainable energy future. Still, for the time being, coal, oil and gas continue to form the foundation of the north-Dutch energy hub. ‘We are an economic program, not a sustainability program’, says Gerrit van Werven, General Manager of Energy Valley. 'Although sustainability remains our long-term goal.'

Energy in the EU from Northern Africa: a realistic option?

Speech by Günther Oettinger, European Energy Commissioner

Thank you for inviting me to the first annual conference of the Desertec Industrial Initiative. What brings us together today lies at the core of the European Union policy in two ways.

Green technologies key for IT industry profitability in 2020

Institute for Sustainable and Applied Infodynamics (ISAID) and Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy

Unless the IT industry adopts new energy-efficient technologies in the coming decade, it runs a serious risk of being unable to contribute to growing the global economy if limits are placed on carbon emissions.

Indian Renewable Energy Status Report: Background Report for DIREC 2010

REN21

India has great potential to accelerate use of endowed renewable resources in powering its growing economy with a secure and affordable energy supply. The Government of India recognizes that development of local, renewable resources will be critical to ensure that India is able to meet both economic and environmental objectives and has supported the development of renewable energy through several policy actions. As background report for the Delhi International Renewable Energy Conference DIREC 2010, taking place in New Delhi from 27 to 29 October 2010, this paper describes the status of renewable energy in India as of today.

Surge of patents since Kyoto

European Patent Office

Swedish biofuels do have major benefits for the climate

Lund University

For the first time, researchers have taken an overall look at Swedish biofuels and analysed what impact they have on the environment, both in relation to one another and to the fossil fuel alternatives petrol and diesel. The results show that they produce between 65 and 140 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions than petrol and diesel, even when direct and indirect land use changes are taken into account.

Copenhagen’s Revenge: Danish capital wants to be greener than green

By Reiner Gatermann

In December last year, the eyes of the world were on Copenhagen, as host of the UN Climate Convention. Despite high hopes, “Copenhagen” did not become the successor to “Kyoto”. The image of the Danish capital was tarnished. In an effort to regain its reputation as a “green role model”, the Danish city is hosting World Climate Solutions 2010. Bo Asmus Kjeldgaard, Environmental Mayor, is convinced that people understand that it was not his city, but the Danish government, that was to blame for the failure of the UN Conference. Indeed, the left-wing local government of Copenhagen has ambitious plans to make the city CO2-neutral by 2025 – whatever the national government may say.

'Gas must reposition itself in the new energy world'

By Karel Beckman

Natural gas is promoted by the gas industry as an ideal “transition fuel” on the road to a renewable energy future. Thanks to their flexibility and low CO2-emissions, gas-fired power stations are supposed to be the ideal “balancing partners” for intermittent renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. But how this “partnership” will work in practice, and what its financial and technological consequences will be, is by no means clear. A new research programme in the Netherlands, EDGaR, will try to throw light on these and other questions. EDGaR, Europe’s largest research programme focusing on the role of gas in the energy transition, will actively seek cooperation with foreign institutions in Italy, Germany, the UK, France and elswhere, says its Scientific Director Catrinus Jepma.

A market test for renewable energy

by James Osborne

With European governments looking to rein in subsidies for renewable energy generation, boom times are over for clean technology investors. Still, Italian utility Enel is pressing ahead with plans for an initial public offering (IPO) of its Enel Green Power unit next month amid sliding stock prices. The Rome-based company wants to retain control over the subsidiary and may be driven more by a need to honour its promise to reduce debt than a desire to get the best value for Enel Green Power.

Light and shade – German photovoltaic companies in the global competitive arena

Roland Berger

This new study investigates the strategic positioning and financial capabilities of 16 photovoltaic companies.

My Road Trip With a Solar Rock Star - Or Notes on the Enthusiasm Gap

By Bill McKibben

I got to see the now-famous enthusiasm gap up close and personal last week, and it wasn’t a pretty sight.

Jatropha in Ghana: right or wrong?

By Rudolf ten Hoedt

In many African countries, agricultural land is a hot commodity. Now foreign players are getting involved, touching down in countries such as Zambia, Sudan and Ethiopia to grow crops for biofuel. In Ghana, where increasing amounts of jatropha are grown to produce biofuel for the European market, the foreign investors’ lack of familiarity with local customs and systems of land rights have stoked tensions with the indigenous population. Some western producers have fallen into the trap of making deals with irresponsible chiefs. Others try to do things right, but are taken advantage of by corrupt authorities or NGOs.

New power capacity from renewable sources tops fossil fuels again in US, Europe

Renewable Energy Network

In 2009, for the second year in a row, both the US and Europe added more power capacity from renewable sources such as wind and solar than conventional sources like coal, gas and nuclear, according to twin reports launched today by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21).

Eurobserver releases new European biofuels barometer

Eurobserver

Total 2009 biofuel use amounted to 12.1 Mtoe (see Table 2 on pdf page 5), which represents a 4% share across all road transport fuels estimated at 300 Mtoe in 2009. The European Union needs to raise biofuel consumption by 6 Mtoe in 2010 if it is to reach the Directive’s goal (5.75%).

A breakthrough for second-generation biofuels

by Karel Beckman

Dutch companies have developed a new technology that could become a breakthrough in the use of wood residues in electricity generation. By perfecting the so-called torrefaction process, they are able to achieve industrial-scale production of “bio-coal” pellets that can be used as a perfect substitute for coal in coal-fired power plants. RWE Innogy, the renewable energy subsidiary of the giant German utility RWE, has invested several millions in the technology. RWE Innogy is now building a €120 million wood pellet plant for the production of biomass pellets in Georgia in the US, which is likely to use torrefaction in the future. According to Leonhard Birnbaum, Board Member of RWE, the new product has the potential ‘to decarbonise our existing coal power infrastructure’.

Wind power goes mainstream – and feels China breathing down its neck

by Stefan Nicola

The wind power sector is fast developing from a pioneering market into a mainstream industrial market, dominated by large utilities and industrial players. At the same time, Western players are increasingly being challenged by Chinese competitors. Not only will China be the fastest growing market in the coming decade, it also favours its own domestic manufacturers by charging high import taxes on foreign-made turbines and components. In addition, European manufacturers complain that the Chinese are violating their property rights. ‘It won’t be long until we will see a re-import of our own technology from Asia.’

‘We want to be a global player in renewable energy’

by Karel Beckman

The small Gulf State Abu Dhabi, one of the world’s major oil producers, has the ambition to become a global centre of sustainable energy research and production. A mirage? Certainly not, says Frank Wouters, the Dutch Director of Masdar Power, one of the vehicles the Abu Dhabi government has set up to realise its green dreams. ‘Everything we do is intended to contribute to the diversification of the economy of Abu Dhabi.’

Commission sets up system for certifying sustainable biofuels

European Commission

The Commission decided today to encourage industry, governments and NGOs to set up certification schemes for all types of biofuels, including those imported into the EU. It laid down what the schemes must do to be recognised by the Commission. This will help implement the EU's requirements that biofuels must deliver substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and should not come from forests, wetlands and nature protection areas. The rules for certification schemes are part of a set of guidelines explaining how the Renewable Energy Directive, coming into effect in December 2010, should be implemented.

A solar revolution at the IEA

by Stefan Nicola

The International Energy Agency – the energy watchdog of the OECD that has often been viewed as a protector of western oil interests – envisions a major role of solar power in future global electricity production. In two new landmark reports, prepared at the behest of the G8,  the IEA is unusually positive about the prospects of both concentrated solar power and photovoltaic solar power, which it says could supply up to a quarter of global power production in 2050. This is much more than the IEA has ever envisioned in any of its scenarios in its famous annual World Energy Outlook reports.

A critical time for offshore wind

by Karel Beckman

The prospects of offshore wind power in northern Europe depend on two key factors: the ability of industry to reduce costs significantly and the willingness of governments to provide strong political backing. That was the main conclusion to come out of a conference about the future of offshore wind power in Northwestern Europe, held last week at the Clingendael International Energy Programme (CIEP), a prestigious energy think tank in the Netherlands. As Pieter Tavenier, Director Offshore of Dutch utility Eneco, trenchantly put it: ‘Offshore wind will boom or bust in the next decade.’

Integrating intermittent renewables sources into the EU electricity system by 2020: challenges and solutions

Eurelectric

The EU’s decision to have at least 20% of its energy supplied by renewable sources by 2020 means that European electricity markets will have to reach a renewables share of 30-35% of all generation sources, according to most estimates. The increased production of renewables will, to a large extent, be based on wind and solar power, which are by their nature intermittent, unpredictable and unevenly geographically distributed. The resultant increase in the amounts these types of RES will have significant and far-reaching effects on both the electricity market and on transmission and distribution grids.

Al Gore ♥ geothermal

by Karel Beckman

What is the contribution geothermal energy can offer to the world’s energy production? Potentially, it is huge. Actually, the outlook is limited for the time being. But this does not deter visionaries like Al Gore who see in geothermal energy a way of saving the earth.

The business case for tapping geothermal energy

by James Osborne

Keeping costs to a minimum is a basic business tenet, irrespective of the economic climate. But higher energy prices have prompted some companies to look for innovative and environmentally friendly ways to save money. Italy’s Autogrill, based just outside Milan, has given itself the double task of not only cutting its spending on energy and water but also reducing its environmental impact. The company, the world’s biggest manager of airport and highway restaurants and shops, in 2008 spent €103 million on energy and water globally, 16% of its operating costs.

Fed up with feed-in

by Stefan Nicola

The EEG, Germany’s feed-in-tariff system for renewable energy, has been lauded and copied all over the world. However, inside the country, criticism of the EEG is growing.

Europe’s sunny future

by Jaap Hoogakker and Eva Bik

Europe can gradually phase out the use of nuclear energy and in the longer term even fossil fuels and replace them by renewable energy sources. Solar power in particular has great potential to supply much of the energy Europe needs at no extra costs. In this transition to a “green” future, nuclear power is not needed at all, argue researchers Jaap Hoogakker and Eva Bik.

Carbon pricing changes Europe’s power generation fuel mix

by Alex Forbes

A survey published this week, the second week of the COP15 climate talks, presents clear evidence that emissions trading in Europe is having a real impact on power generation investment decisions – precisely the effect it was supposed to have. The company that published the report, New Energy Finance, is one of the many businesses in Copenhagen this week for the historic negotiations.

Malmö switches to biogas

by Tseard Zoethout

Sweden is increasingly recovering biomethane from biowaste. Initially undertaken only by water utilities and sewage treatment plants, biomethane production is now more and more taking place on or near the farm. With natural gas and biogas prices currently around 20 eurocents cheaper per cubic metre than petrol, demand for gas-driven cars has more than doubled within the last year.

Suzlon predicts massive growth in Indian wind energy

by Stefan Nicola

‘The Copenhagen summit is crucial for the global society,’ Tanti tells this reporter in an interview on the sidelines of the Copenhagen summit. ‘Everybody wants a result from this talks and we should seal the deal.’

Private financing of renewable energy: A guide for policymakers

Kirsty Hamilton - Chatham House

Unlocking finance for clean energy: The need for ‘investment grade’ policy

Kirsty Hamilton, Chatham House

As negotiators and policymakers look beyond the high-level politics of a global climate change deal, attention will focus on implementation. This briefing paper looks at what policy needs to deliver to provide the conditions for scaled up investment in renewable energy, drawing on work with leading mainstream financiers.

Riders of the apocalypse

Yves de Saint Jacob

As we approach the Copenhagen summit, voices are increasingly raised in France calling for reason and scientific rigour when discussing energy and climate issues. Scientific experts are worried as much by preachers of the apocalypse, predicting every possible woe to the planet, as by the sudden enthusiasm about the theory of global cooling, which could make the public indifferent to climate change. These experts think that media sensationalism is not necessarily good for sustainable development.

Under the authority of the COP

Benito Müller, Oxford Institute for Energy Studies

In the current negotiations on the future institutional arrangements for international public climate change finance one of the most controversial issues that divides developed and developing countries is the concept of being 'under the authority of the COP'. In this OIES Energy and Environment Comment Dr. Benito Müller. looks into how this controversy could be resolved.

Green jobs, hopefully

by Hughes Belin

As politicians have to take tough decisions on allocating recovery budgets, the ability to quantify the expected impact of green policies on employment and GDP is crucial. But good data are hard to come by. The EU sees net positive effects, but they will not come easily.

Power from the desert

by Gert van Wijland

Desertec, the sensational German initiative to create a huge concentrated solar power plant in North Africa, is technically feasible. The problem is how to get the power from the desert to places all over Europe. ‘It will not work without a pan-European grid coordinator.’

Russian renewable energy prepares for a bigger slice of the power pie

Russia Today

A kick-start for biodiesel

by Tseard Zoethout

In Rotterdam, Neste Oil has started building its first large-scale European biodiesel plant. Production will start in 2011, making the Finnish company the largest biodiesel producer in the world. But how sustainable is ‘rain forest oil’, as Greenpeace has dubbed the new product?

Biogas finds its way into the German grid

by Stefan Schroeter

In Germany, some 4,000 plants produce biogas which is used to generate electricity. The latest trend is for plants to convert biogas into biomethane, which is then fed into the gas grid. By 2020, some 6% of the gas that flows through the German grid must be from renewable sources.

Lost at sea

by Stefan Nicola

Once a beacon of hope for the renewable industry, offshore wind has run into trouble all over Europe. The financial crisis has hit the industry hard, with banks increasingly unwilling to finance the multi-billion-euro projects. There are signs, however, that the worst is over – not least because governments are stepping in.

Leipzig reforms its energy base

by Stefan Schroeter

In Wittenberg, Stadtwerke Leipzig is building its second wood-fired power plant. Leipzig has also become the host of the German Biomass Research Centre, turning the region into an important bio-energy hub in Germany.

The Brazialian succes story

by Joost Kanen

Brazil is on its way to become the first country to no longer depend on crude oil but on biofuels. Thanks to their competitive advantages, Brazilian companies look set to dominate the rapidly growing global biofuels market.

No easy transition

by Chris Cragg

The development of biofuels in the developing world is a matter of high emotion. It promises a huge range of benefits from increased local employment to decreased greenhouse gas emissions. It could bring greater energy security and prosperity. On the other hand, it could increase deforestation, shift the poor off the land and reduce the availability of food.

Interview Javier Salgado, President Abengoa Bioenergy: ‘Biofuels have reached the point of no return’

by Steven Adolf

Biofuels have won the battle with fossil fuels in Europe, says Javier Salgado, President of the Spanish company Abengoa Bioenergy. According to Salgado, the new European legislation paves the way for biodiesel and ethanol to become the primary fuels. Europe’s largest producer of bioethanol is getting ready for a major swing in the energy power balance.

Europe’s quest for the best of biofuels

by James Osborne

EU leaders are pushing ahead with ambitious biofuel targets and trying to answer critics of the industry by attaching environmental and social safeguards. Years of work remain putting a proper framework into practice. Meanwhile, biodiesel production is ballooning in Europe’s agricultural heartland.

‘The state of renewable energies in Europe’

by the EurObserv’ER consortium

Although the 2010 targets are very likely not to be met, current trends allow to be optimistic regarding the future of renewable energy sources in the European Union (EU). EurObserv’ER indicates that for the year 2007 the renewable energy share in total primary energy consumption has gained 0.4 percentage point with respect to 2006 (from 7.1% to 7.5%) and the renewable energy share in total electricity consumption has increased 0.6 percentage point (from 14.3% in 2006 to 14.9% in 2007).

New concepts for solar collectors in 2030

M. Bakker, J. Nijs, W. van Helden, A. Reinders, Energy research Centre of the Netherlands

What will our homes look like in 2030? By that time, solar energy is expected to cover the full energy demand of newly built houses. Naturally, we do not want this to interfere with our living standards or the associated costs. In order to achieve this, new collector concepts are required, based on new materials, new production technologies, and on increased intelligence of the collector system. This article gives us an insight in what the future will bring to us.

Solar modules head for grid parity

by Stefan Schroeter

Scientists, plant manufacturers and module producers in Saxony are working on new technologies that can be used to produce solar electricity cost-effectively. The goal is to bring the price down to match that of conventionally generated electricity within the next few years.

Solar power in growing pains

by Annemieke van Roekel

The global market for solar cells is growing explosively, mainly thanks to lavish subsidy schemes. Is solar power the wave of the future – or is its success based on ‘misguided political intervention’?

Oil from algae a long way to go

by Leen Preesman

Oil-from-algae could be a promising alternative to biofuels from land-based crops. But there are many hurdles still to overcome. Commercial production is at least ten years away.

Renewable energy in Russia

Russian Analytical Digest No. 46, ISN Security Watch

This issue of the Russian Analytical Digest features articles about the challenges and problems of increasing energy efficiency in Russia. Specifically, the authors discuss renewable energy sources in Russia, ways to improve the country's energy efficiency and consider European practices. The issue also provides statistics on Russia’s energy use and CO2 emissions in international comparison.

Norway discovers wind power

by Reiner Gatermann

The Norwegian energy advisory board has presented plans to turn wind power into a new industry sector with signifi cant export potential. Iindustrialists and politicians are positive, but: ‘There are still a lot of unanswered questions.’

China is drying up: hydropower giant faces water crisis

by Bert van Dijk

After the devastating natural disasters that have hit China recently, another crisis is looming. Drought, pollution and heavy usage in the fast-developing megacities have resulted in a shortage of water. A huge construction effort is underway to divert water from the south to the north. But experts warn that it will not solve China’s structural water problems.

Copenhagen, capital of renewables: a showcase for sustainable energy

by Stefan Schroeter

The Danish capital Copenhagen relies more and more on renewables for power and heat. Not just for environmental reasons - the city also hopes to turn itself into a magnet for major global energy events.

The challenges of a Belgian offshore windpark

by Remco de Jong

Businesses are lining up to build wind farms off the Belgian coast. The C-Power Consortium is the frontrunner, constructing 60 enormous turbines over the next few years. ‘A complex project that few can pull off.’

China and the US get into the game: waking up to wind power

by Annemieke van Roekel

Europe threatens to be overtaken by China and the US as the leading wind power market. In fact, China is producing more wind turbines than ever and could even end up supplying the European wind industry.

Estimating costs of operation & maintenance for offshore wind farms

By Obdam, T.S.; Rademakers, L.W.M.M.; Braam, H. and Eecen, P.J. for the Energy reseach Centre of the Netherlands (ECN), January 2008

Biomass to chemicals and fuels: Science, technology and public policy

Study by the The Baker Institute Energy Forum of James A. Baker III Institute for public policy, January 2008

The Baker Institute Energy Forum and Rice University's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEVE) have embarked on a two-year project examining the efficacy and impact of current U.S. biofuels policy. This study is entitled Fundamentals of a Sustainable U.S. Biofuels Policy.

Floating wind turbines in Norway

by Annemieke van Roekel

Compared to other European countries, Norway has very little installed wind power capacity. But this is about to change. Two different prototypes of a floating wind turbine will soon be tested in the North Sea, off the south-west coast. Near the island of Utsira a consortium of companies want to build Europe’s first floating wind park.

Renewable diesel: fossil-fuel free diesel in sight

by Reiner Gatermann

Finnish fuel producer Neste Oil is developing a new generation of fossil-free diesel fuel. Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has given the Finns official permission to sell their product, NExBTL, as “renewable diesel”.

High tides: tidal power in the UK

by Leen Preesman

Investors and inventors are plugging away at developing tidal power in the seas around the United Kingdom. ‘In three to five years, we will be competitive with offshore wind power’.

Interview Ad van Wijk, Econcern: Making money with renewables

by Monique Smits

In less than eight years, Dutch company Econcern has become perhaps the largest producer of sustainable energy in Europe. Money from big investors has been pouring into the company, but ceo Ad van Wijk feels this is just the beginning. His dream: to turn the North Sea into the Saudi Arabia of green energy.

Germany's green revolution

by Stefan Nicola

The German renewables industry, built by small and medium-sized companies, is flourishing. A report from Europe’s Solar Valley.

Interview David Corchia: ‘Photovoltaic solar power may become bigger than wind’

by Yves de Saint Jacob

David Corchia manages EDF Energies Nouvelles, a subsidiary company of the power giant EDF. In early 2000, EDFEN began expanding its wind energy business, which remains its main activity. The company is now investing heavily in solar power as well as biomass, micro hydropower and biofuels.

Nuclear energy supporters doubtful about wind power

by Yves de Saint Jacob

In France, those who are the most suspicious about the development of wind power are the supporters of nuclear energy. Their argument is that wind energy will replace "clean" nuclear energy with "dirty" thermal energy.

Concentrated Solar Power: Apollo program to tame the sun

by Hans Verwijs

The Club of Rome is calling for a billion-euro program to supply Europe with solar power from the African desert – but how high does Brussels want to fly?

Offshore wind: The great transformation of the European seas

by Annemiek Planting

Sailors crossing the European seas in 2020, will be sailing past tens of thousands of huge windmills – if current predictions turn out right.

Powerhouses of the waves

by Leen Preesman

British companies are harnessing the waves of the sea to provide power – to the chagrin of British surfers.

Biofuels: The wave of the future

by Stefan Schroeter

The use of solid biomass can be greatly expanded by utilising gasification technology. The first such plants are currently being built across Europe.

Biofuels: Waiting for the second generation

by Jan Schils

All over Europe companies are investing in second-generation biofuels. Will they be in time to save Brussels from a policy disaster?