UK newspapers have again picked-up on the issue of government subsidies to wind power saying that one Cabinet Office minister – Oliver Letwin – backs an end to subsidies to onshore wind farms by 2020. But the Guardian reported that Mr. Letwin’s comments have “irritated” Ed Davey, the UK climate change secretary, who last week set out his backing for wind energy.
It makes me wonder – how do politicians and media can get away with talking about removing subisidies from renewables without even mentioning the existence – let alone withdrawal – of much larger subsidies for much more established energy technologies? It is hard to understand. continue reading »
“At a time of austerity, Greek citizens cannot afford to support practices which prolong energy dependence. The choice of importing oil and gas versus producing renewable energy within the EU, and encouraging clean energy exports among Member States, is obvious”, Greek Energy Minister George Papakonstantinou told Wind Directions magazine recently.
He also rebutted the myth that renewables are expensive, saying it was a view he didn’t share, “especially in regard to proven and tested technologies such as wind and solar PV, whose investment costs have been lowered significantly in the last few years. continue reading »
By Sarah Vaughan, New Zealand Wind Energy Association
New Zealand last week geared up for Global Wind Day, with the NZ Wind Energy Association and its members focusing on the benefits of wind energy and enabling people to experience wind energy.
We kicked off proceedings with an industry and stakeholder networking event in the Capital on Wednesday, June 13. At the event NZWEA released a report that examines the economic benefits of wind farms in NZ, in particular current and future employment opportunities. We think many people were pleasantly surprised by some of the conclusions the report reaches. continue reading »
By Manuel Pueyo, EU Sustainable Energy Week
This year we have good reason to expect that a rich range of events for EUSEW will be organised all over Europe. Thousands of organisations and individuals will participate in the EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) by hosting, attending or collaborating with an Energy Day. Energy Days may take different forms (conferences, open door events, presentations, exhibitions, performances, etc.) but they all have one thing in common: they promote, innovate, and enrich the debate about energy efficiency and renewable energy sources.
Sustainable Energy Week is an initiative of the European Commission that first took place in 2006. It is designed to spread best practices, inspire new ideas and build alliances to help meet the EU’s energy and climate goals. Beginning in 2006 with a single sustainable energy debate in Brussels, EUSEW’s participation has been increasing significantly since then. 73 events took place in 2008 while 328 events were organised in 2010. Last year, 720 activities took place across Europe. continue reading »
by Stephane Bourgeois, Head of Regulatory Affairs, EWEA
It’s a long and winding road to a post 2020 EU energy policy. Europe faces a policy void after 2020 when the main pillars of EU energy policy – targets for renewable energy, emissions and energy efficiency – run out. At the moment only the Emissions Trading System is set to continue after 2020. What Europe needs if it is to continue increasing its share of renewable energy, with all the economic growth and jobs that can create (as well as reducing our fuel import bill and the obvious environmental and climate benefits), is to put in place for 2030 a policy that works: a legally binding renewable energy target.
But for the second time Poland has blocked Council conclusions on the 2050 Roadmap which is the EU’s attempt to begin to fill that policy void. Today the Polish prevented the Energy Ministers from reaching a formal agreement on the 2050 Energy roadmap, and this follows doing the same last year with Environment Ministers on the overall 2050 Low Carbon Economy Roadmap (which covers energy, transport and other sectors). continue reading »
