Yesterday, the UK government announced plans to introduce a Renewable Heat Incentive. So, it does seem to be taking seriously its promise to be “the greenest government ever”.
read more »Spain and South Africa both have lots of coal, but no significant oil or gas. Yet their responses to the energy security issues this raises have been dramatically different.
read more »The French government has called for tenders for 3Gw of offshore wind off France, and has given a grant to GDF Suez for a district heating network in Paris, which will use renewable heat.
read more »The International Climate Challenge brings together young people from around the world for online discussions and exchanges of information about how to control climate change. There are also actual meetings and, last week, I attended one in London.
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Agriculture is only directly responsible for a small percentage of carbon emissions, but it is responsible for a higher percentage of total greenhouse gas emissions due to emissions of methane (particularly from cows) and nitrous oxide (from the use of manure and artificial fertilizers). As far as forests are concerned, as well as being beautiful, vital for biodiversity and home to millions of people, they are crucial carbon sinks.
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In my opinion, electric vehicles should be strongly supported. Those concerned about climate change too often take an overly anti-car position.
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All three main UK parties take climate seriously and promise to reduce emissions and expand low-carbon energy. They all recognise the energy security and employment benefits. This article includes quotations from the relevant parts of the manifestos of the three main parties on heat and electricity – energy efficiency, fuel poverty and energy production.
read more »My CER blog on how Europe should reduce its dependence on Russian gas
read more »The Committee on Climate Change sensibly calls for an ‘all of the above’ approach to decarbonisation.
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A small island in Rio bay already gets most of its energy from renewables. It should move to become totally powered by solar, biogas and imported hydroelectricity.
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The UK government is strongly supportive of biomass as a means of increasing energy security. It also regards biomass as a major contributor to meeting the UK’s EU renewable energy target, and as an important contributor to carbon reductions – though it has stressed that not all biomass is sustainable.
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Questions about pollution from biomass combustion and the efficiency of heat pumps, from Allessandro de Maida
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People often use the word ‘energy’ when they actually mean electricity. Only 20% of EU energy consumption is electricity (although this will rise as transport becomes increasingly electric.). The rest is for heat and for transport and, therefore, it is essential to expand renewable heat very substantially.
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