Consumers around the world want their electricity to come from renewable sources, writes Paul Brown. Yet governments from the UK to Australia are defying the popular will as they push for fossil fuels and nuclear power. The good news? Renewable energy is surging ahead regardless.
… back fossil fuels and nuclear, popular renewables boom Paul Brown | 6th September 2014 News Energy Renewables UK Australia India Germany Solar … in the countryside. Other high scores for renewables were offshore wind (72% in favour), …
A report published ahead of tomorrow's UN Climate Summit shows that we can meet all our energy needs from renewables, writes Paul Brown - poor nations and prosperous, tiny islands and great cities, in any part of the globe. And some are doing it already ....
… 'Political will is only barrier to 100% renewables' Paul Brown | 22nd September 2014 News Energy Climate Change Renewables solar-tower-cut.jpg A report … that we can meet all our energy needs from renewables, writes Paul Brown - poor nations …
Renewable energy could supply Russia and Central Asian countries with 100% of their electricity needs by 2030, writes Paul Brown - and cut costs significantly compared to nuclear power and CO2-abated fossil fuels.
… Paul Brown | 11th January 2016 News Energy Renewables Fossil Fuels Climate Change Russia … cost of electricity produced entirely from renewables would be half the price of modern … various regions of the world can switch to renewables. All show that the barrier to …
The EU, nervous about disruption to gas supplies across an increasingly unstable Ukraine, is planning a European 'supergrid' linking all 28 member states to increase resilience, writes Paul Brown. The development will be a boon to renewable energy generation, and cut emissions from fossil fuels.
… Supergrid will build EU resilience and boost renewables Paul Brown | 9th September 2014 News Energy EU Renewables power-lines-cut.jpg The EU, nervous … Russian tensions prove a boost to Europe's renewables The new supergrid research will not …
Governments are still spending billions on nuclear research, writes Paul Brown - but 2015 looks like being an unhappy year for the industry as it continues to shrink while renewables grow, amid massive delays and cost over-runs.
… | 30th December 2014 News Nuclear Energy Renewables gemasolar-spain-cut.jpg Governments … the industry as it continues to shrink while renewables grow, amid massive delays and cost … nuclear power falling ever further behind renewables as a global energy source, and as …
China has now overtaken the European Union as the largest new market for solar power, writes Paul Brown - as solar PV becomes one of the world's fastest growing industries - and one that's sure to keep on getting cheaper!
… Brown Oliver Tickell | 4th February 2015 News Renewables Economics Solar Wind EU Africa … fuels, which massively exceed those for renewables. Between 2007 and 2013, IEA figures … storage: encouraging progress Developments in renewables continue to be encouraging, …
The ever-falling cost of renewable energy could leave investors in coal, gas and oil seriously out of pocket as demand for fossil fuels falls away, writes Paul Brown. In the wake of the Paris Agreement and shrinking markets in major importing countries, the smart money is moving into renewables.
… Brown | 16th February 2016 News Fossil Fuels Renewables Oil Gas Coal Solar Wind Energy … countries, the smart money is moving into renewables. Investors in fossil fuels are … In both cases it is competition from renewables - principally wind and solar power …
Scandinavian inventors are hoping that efficient new waves power technologies will for the first time make the sector competitive with other renewable energy sources, writes Paul Brown - opening up a massive new clean energy resource around the world.
… Brown | 23rd February 2015 News Oceans Energy Renewables Technology … viable to compete economically with other renewables and fossil fuels has so far eluded …
Engineers in Norway aim to put their mighty hydroelectric dams to a new purpose, writes Paul Brown - as giant batteries to store up surplus power from wind and sun across Europe, and put it back in the grid when generation falls off or demand is strong.
… Paul Brown | 27th July 2015 News Energy EU Renewables Hydro Norway … supply, variable demand As more and more renewables are installed across the continent, …
The nuclear industry remains remarkably optimistic about its future, wrties Paul Brown - despite evidence that it is a shrinking source of power as renewables, in particular solar and wind power, compete with increasing success to fill the energy gap.
… | 2nd August 2014 News Nuclear Power Energy Renewables UK … that it is a shrinking source of power as renewables, in particular solar and wind … dangerous climate change. Nuclear energy and renewables such as wind and solar are in …
The nuclear industry faces an uncertain future as the reactor building boom is struck by unexpected costs, serious technical problems, and long, expensive delays, writes Paul Brown. Meanwhile renewables like wind and solar are offering investors an enviable combination of falling cost, low risk, fast build times, predictable returns and minimal long term liabilities.
… Brown | 17th January 2017 News Nuclear Energy Renewables Finance olkiluoto-cut.jpg The … delays, writes Paul Brown. Meanwhile renewables like wind and solar are offering … are putting ever-greater effort into renewables, which provide much quicker …
An EU investigation into the UK's financial support for new nuclear power stations is dividing Europe, with critics saying London is flouting EU rules by offering illegal subsidies to EDF at Hinkley Point in Somerset. Paul Brown reports.
… is phasing out nuclear power in favour of renewables following the Fukushima accident, …
Floating wind turbines offer huge falls in the cost of offshore wind power, writes Paul Brown, and could be generating power in UK waters at well under the cost of new nuclear by 2020, provided adequate support.
… Paul Brown | 11th November 2015 News Energy Renewables Wind UK Scotland Oceans Technology … so that offshore wind can compete with other renewables. The latest group to claim a … is currently lukewarm in its support for renewables because it has increased subsidies …
Following the vote to leave the EU, the UK's energy and climate change policy faces major challenges, writes Paul Brown, with new nuclear power and a third London runway at Heathrow runway looking like the first casualties.
… and will not be bound by the EU targets on renewables, energy efficiency and emissions … levels by 2020; 20% of energy to come from renewables by the same date; and a 20% … potential for offshore wind power and other renewables. These longer-term problems for the …
Doubts are growing doubts that the Hinkley C nuclear power station, the EU's biggest construction project, will get the final go-ahead from the UK government, writes Paul Brown. And that's leaving the European nuclear industry, already in serious financial difficulties, facing a struggle for survival.
… time soon. And a new government might think renewables are a better bet. Paul Brown , …
The recent closure of five US power stations is forcing the industry to confront big questions about radioactive waste, writes Paul Brown. Who is to pay the mounting costs of managing the wastes and keeping them secure? And precisely where will be their final resting place?
… of natural gas and increased subsidies for renewables. Who is to pay the mounting costs? … closing its industry permanently in favour of renewables, and France, with more than 50 …
A serious flaw in the steel reactor vessel of a nuclear plant under construction in France raises safety fears for the EPR design, write Paul Brown & Oliver Tickell - and casts a dark shadow over the UK's troubled Hinkley C nuclear project.
… government, which wants to invest heavily in renewables. France's nuclear industry facing …
With oil prices remaining low, the world's oil industry is facing bleak years ahead, writes Paul Brown. The global push to decarbonise the economy, combined with surging renewable energy and the trend to more efficient and electric vehicles, is denting investor confidence and pointing to the shrinking away of a once mighty and profitable industry.
Oil industry's sunset years: low prices, weak demand, poor outlook Paul Brown | 15th May 2017 News Oil Economics Transport Fossil Fuels Climate Change oil-refinery-sunset-cut.jpg With oil prices …
The charity SolarAid has just celebrated 1.5 million small solar lighting installations in Africa, writes Paul Brown - an important milestone on its mission to get solar lighting into all of Africa's homes by 2020, and see out dangerous, polluting kerosene lamps.
… Tickell | 10th February 2015 News Energy Renewables Africa sunnymoney.jpg The charity …
Charlatans, or planetary saviours? Post-Paris views on the nuclear industry suggest few experts believe it will bring closer a world rid of fossil fuels, writes Paul Brown. Despite the best efforts of nuclear lobbyists, no revival is due any time soon.
… many inherent disadvantages to compete with renewables. Industry in distress Amory Lovins, …
Nuclear giant EDF can't afford to write off the £2 billion sunk into the Hinkley C nuclear plant, write Paul Brown & Oliver Tickell. So its cunning plan is to turn it into a 'nuclear zombie' - officially a live project, but actually stone cold dead - until EDF can find a way out of the hole it has dug itself into.
Nuclear zombie? Hinkley C build won't start until 2019 - if at all! Paul Brown Oliver Tickell | 20th February 2016 News Nuclear Energy Finance Politics UK France zombie-plague-cut.jpg Nuclear giant …
After a second extra day of climate talks in Lima, an agreement has been cobbled together. Deadlines have been set for the world to come up with plans to curb emissions and adapt to climate change - but has been no progress on the key divisive issues, and the prospects of an effective mew treaty in Paris next year remain remote.
COP20: an agreement of sorts. Now, a rocky climate road to Paris Paul Brown Oliver Tickell | 15th December 2014 News Unfccc Un Climate Change climate-march-lima-cut.jpg After a second extra day of …
Nuclear giant EDF could be heading towards bankruptcy, writes Paul Brown, as it faces a perfect storm of under-estimated costs for decommissioning, waste disposal and Hinkley C. Meanwhile income from power sales is lagging behind costs, and 17 of its reactors are off-line for safety tests. Yet French and UK governments are turning a blind eye to the looming financial crisis.
… The cost of producing electricity from renewables is still falling, while nuclear …