Wind energy has made headlines in the UK this week with the Guardian reporting that the views of some Members of Parliament could scupper billions of pounds of investment and the creation of hundreds of new jobs in wind energy.
The paper reports that “billions of pounds’ worth of investment in Britain’s energy infrastructure is on hold or uncertain because of concerns over the government’s commitment to wind energy.” Leading energy companies surveyed by the Guardian with plans to set up factories, research facilities and other developments have said they need reassurance on the UK government’s commitment to wind energy before they go ahead.
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A coalition of eight leading European energy companies has written a letter to the European Commission and Presidency of the European Council calling for legally binding 2030 targets for renewable energy, carbon cutting and energy efficiency as well as for the modernisation of energy infrastructure.
The letter was signed by SSE, Eneco, DONG Energy, Public Power Corporation, ACCIONA, Sorgenia, EWE and EDP Renewables.
“The lack of binding targets post 2020, an ETS [Emissions Trading System] failing to stimulate investment in renewables, and an outdated energy infrastructure severely threaten to wreck the needed modernisation and decarbonisation of the European energy sector,” the letter published by Euractiv says.
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Those who wonder why it seems to take governments so long to go about tackling climate change should be aware of recent stories linking a US non-profit foundation with deliberate attempts to pretend global warming isn’t nearly as serious an issue as most scientists say it is.
Media outlets and websites have been reporting the past week about leaked documents from the Heartland Institute, a Chicago-based libertarian think tank that aggressively downplays the existing and potential ravages of climate change.
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Vilma Radvilaite
The European Commission has just published a mid-term review of its European Energy Programme for Recovery which reveals that offshore wind energy is the strongest performer under the scheme. But what is this scheme all about and how exactly is offshore wind the strongest? The EWEA blog talks to Vilma Radvilaite, Regulatory Affairs Advisor at EWEA to find out…
What is the European Energy Programme for Recovery?
Back in 2009, the EU launched a plan to help Europe face-up to the financial crisis and rising concerns about energy security and climate change. Some €4 billion was allocated to the plan – called the European Economic Recovery Plan (EERP) – focusing on projects that were capable of making quick and effective use of significant amount of funding.
Three areas were considered to meet these criteria: offshore wind energy, gas and electricity infrastructure projects and carbon capture and storage (CCS). continue reading »
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P.N.Rasmussen
According to former Danish prime minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, the offshore wind energy sector could help Europe get back on its feet after the current financial crisis. “If the sector understands their role I’m sure they could take the lead in bringing Europe out of the crisis, as the first mover”, he added in a recent interview with Wind Directions.
He even considered the sector’s biggest challenge in the next few years to be addressing its potential role as “the breaker in the markets going against the [financial] crisis.” As a Dane and a former politician, Rasmussen is no stranger to wind energy. Now, he has consolidated his familiarity with the sector as Chairman of Lindoe Offshore Renewables Centre (LORC), a Danish organisation that tests and demonstrates technologies for harvesting renewable energy offshore.
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