The European Union’s energy import bill last year totalled a massive €355.15 billion – that’s slightly more than the annual wealth of Poland in 2010 (GDP was around €341 billion). Take that amount and share it between the EU’s 503 million citizens and it comes to €706.8 a year.
Divide it again per working day and you get €2.70 – in other words every single working day of the year EU citizens are paying €2.70 on fossil fuel imports – the equivalent to an expensive cup of coffee every day.
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It was standing room only in the Brussels Press Club for the EWEA Public Debate. Over 125 people came to hear the four expert speakers and questions put to them on the topic “Energy Infrastructure – the next great European project?”.
The big news of the night came from Michael Köhler, Head of Cabinet of Commissioner Oettinger in the European Commission. He announced that in the first half of 2012 the Commission will release two communications affecting the whole electricity sector. The first will be about further supporting renewables and the issue of different support schemes in different EU member states. The second, intriguingly, will be about market integration, but Köhler refused to comment further on the issue when questioned.
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Today sees the launch of the Free Movement of Electricity website, along with a Facebook page – all on the same day as the beginning of a concentrated effort to bring attention to the vital need for freedom for electricity in the European Union.
The movement is being coordinated by EWEA, Europacable and EURELECTRIC, in partnership with (in alphabetical order); AEBIOM, Business Europe, E3G, European Climate Foundation, European Copper Institute, EGEC, EPIA, EREC, ESTELA, Friends of the Supergrid, GWEC and Lewiatan. Each one of these partners brings their network of supporters and considerable talents to the table, ensuring that the message of free movement of electricity is spread far and wide.
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We’re often wondering how much bigger wind turbines will get – 10 MW, 20 MW, even more? But what about the practicalities of getting those huge components from the factory to the wind farm site?
In the latest Wind Directions, we discuss how new transport equipment is constantly being designed to transport the up to 85 metre long blades and 200 tonne weight nacelles and towers. In fact, the transport can represent 10% of the delivery costs.
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Battered by March’s earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident, Japan was much in the news this past week with announcements that highlighted how emissions-free wind power can help rebuild the world’s number three economy.
With a death toll of nearly 16,000 people and more than 4,600 still missing, the related disasters have caused Japan’s leaders to re-examine commitments to their nuclear industry while encouraging the increased use of wind power and other renewables.
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