Greener energy
Greener energy in transport, industry, and our electricity networks - plus all that goes with this
Thinking differently about energy: it's not like-for-like
Michael Liebreich published part 2 of his series of essays titled "Net Zero Will Be Harder Than You Think – And Easier!" Last September we discussed part 1 in which Michael focused on the challenges in transitioning to net zero (the 'harder' bit) 👉🏾 https://www.thesustainableinvestor.org.
The dawn of the industrial heat pump age?
There has been a lot of coverage (including from us) on the development of heat pump technologies for home heating. And it's not impossible to see residential heat pumps overtaking gas fired boilers in say the next decade. One approach that might accelerate this is heat as a
A more sustainable shift to EVs
The shift to electric vehicles (EVs) is an essential element in our efforts to decarbonise transport. But just building more EVs is only part of the answer. How the vehicles are manufactured is also important. For many a ‘clean car’ is about more than just what powers the engine. It
The implications for sustainability of falling gas prices
Energy Source (from the FT - so behind the paywall) recently highlighted just how much gas prices have fallen in many regions around the world. As they say, the Russian invasion of the Ukraine triggered disarray in the energy markets. And one consequence was a massive spike in gas prices.
Scaling up access to electric cooking services in Tanzania
According to the IEA, 2.3 billion people or nearly one third of the global population cook their meals over open fires or basic cook stoves. The fuels used are typically firewood, agricultural waste, charcoal, coal, kerosene and even animal dung. All of these emit harmful smoke, often in enclosed
Are we finally getting closer to using your EV to 'power' the electricity grid?
Octopus Energy has launched the UK’s first mass market vehicle-to-grid (V2G) tariff (called the Octopus Power Pack), which they say guarantees free charging for electric vehicle (EV) drivers. The tariff, which is still in beta, uses V2G technology and Octopus Energy’s tech platform, Kraken, to balance charging and
What to do with our natural gas networks?
This is about the pipes that currently move our natural gas around. And the answer is not as simple as you might first think. Carbon Tracker has recently published a series of research reports on the three main European gas transmission network operators, Snam, Italgas (both Italy) and Enagas (Spain)
A positive story about coal mines
Could abandoned coal mines be a useful energy source to heat our homes? Local politicians in the west of England, working with the Coal Authority (the public body that manages the effects of historic coal mining) believe so. The principle is simple. Using the water in the now flooded mines
Electricity ducks being seen in Spain
Solar electricity generation offers the potential for low electricity prices, at least when the sun is shining. Data shows that there is a decent correlation between the market price of electricity and what is called the residual load (demand minus supply contributions from wind and solar). The best way to
The 5% rate and other untruths about battery recycling.
In a LinkedIn article, Hans Eric Melin, Managing Director of Circular Energy Storage Research and Consulting, addressed a 'well documented fact' about battery recycling: only 5% of lithium-ion batteries are recycled; 95% of batteries go to landfill. Other claims about batteries from their energy intensive production and associated
Could EVs potentially have a much longer working life than ICEs?
Motoring journalist Quentin Wilson posted an interesting discussion topic on LinkedIn about EVs. Quentin Willson on LinkedIn: Following my post on extending the working life of EV batteries through… | 130 commentsFollowing my post on extending the working life of EV batteries through repair and cell replacement, I wonder if EVs
Investment opportunities hiding in plain sight ?
A $330bn/year green investment opportunity. What is not to like. So what is the catch ? Yes, it's in emerging markets. But the real challenge is that we need to develop new business models.