Contact

Iceland: From pioneer to laggard

Iceland: From pioneer to laggard

Borehole for geothermal energy in Iceland
Borehole for geothermal energy in Iceland, © ON Power, Iceland.

Iceland was quick to recognise the opportunities offered by hydrogen and fuel cells for the transport sector – but has unfortunately made little of them to date. At the end of the last millennium, the Nordic island was regarded as a pioneer in the field of hydrogen, because it considered the vision of a sustainable hydrogen economy to be quite feasible.

(more…)
Germany Launches Next Phase of Energy Transition

Germany Launches Next Phase of Energy Transition

sigmar-gabriel

S. Gabriel, © Bundesrat, Frank Bräuer

On July 8, the Renewable Energy Sources Act 2017 (EEG 2017) was passed by both houses of the German parliament. Its most important addition is that from 2017 on, “rather than being fixed by the government, future rates of renewables funding will be determined by the market by means of dedicated auction schemes,” the economy ministry announced. Whereas the parliamentary opposition and several environmental associations have criticized the EEG 2017, the BMWi described it as the “next phase of the energy transition.” (more…)

ESE and IRES Become One

ESE and IRES Become One

IRES-LogoMesse Düsseldorf and the European Association for Renewable Energy (EUROSOLAR) agreed at the end of last October to work together more closely in the future. They signed a collaboration agreement to better link the International Renewable Energy Storage Conference (IRES) with the Energy Storage Europe (ESE). The tenth year since its inception will see IRES – which is considered by its organizers to be the “leading conference on research and social aspects of energy storage” – merge with ESE, a conference primarily focused on economic and financial issues. (more…)

Power-to-Gas for Cheaper Electricity

Power-to-Gas for Cheaper Electricity

Greenpeace-wind-gasGreenpeace Energy presented a new study in August of 2015 according to which “wind gas” (gas produced with the help of excess power from renewable energy – hydrogen or methane) could contribute to strengthening the transformation of the energy sector. The 97-page comparison of future power supply with and without (more…)