Electric utilities in the United States are no longer using gas as a stepping stone from coal to an all renewables future, but making the crossing in a single leap. Market observers are struggling to find a consensus on the role for gas, but as a back-up of last resort it likely has some years of limited usefulness yet Natural gas has in the past been touted as a bridge to a low carbon future; it is cheap and plentiful, yet cleaner than coal or oil in terms of CO2 emissions, although not emitted methane. While it is a carbonised fossil fuel, natural gas emits about half as much…

Smaller-scale companies make up most of the global economy and for that reason the entire energy transition hangs on their ability to come clean. But small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as they are known in the jargon of bureaucrats, often have limited resources. Many will need extra help to meet decarbonisation goals Much attention has been paid to how blue chip companies — the likes of Apple, Google, Facebook — are decarbonising their significant and power-hungry operations. Energy majors like Shell, BP and Total are also making loud noises about becoming greener, with stated intentions to transform their traditional business in the…

With many countries like the UK and France banning the sales of vehicles with internal combustion engines to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles, Norway’s solely incentive-based approach levelled the playing field with impressive results Norway offers evidence that electric vehicles (EV) for personal transport can become mainstream if the cars are cheap enough. Globally, EV adoption is expected to start accelerating in the medium-term, once the purchase price without subsidies, is the same as vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE). Price parity is expected…

The US has the most to gain in reducing transport emissions, but a series of federal policy rollbacks have put a dent in electric vehicle uptake. Even so, in the car market contraction induced by the coronavirus pandemic, sales of battery powered vehicles have proportionally suffered far less than sales of internal combustion engine competitors LONG ROAD EVs still only make up a small percentage of the US market as cultural scepticism, policy barriers and a broad preference for SUVs and pick-up trucks hold back growth

A giant offshore wind farm built around a Baltic Sea island could send electricity into the transmission grids of at least four countries and be used to power a giant electrolyser to extract hydrogen from water. The energy vision from offshore wind developer Ørsted includes locating the electrolyser in Copenhagen to provide ready access to a market for sales of hydrogen for powering ships, planes and trucks

The early months of 2020 were notable for the number of major announcements by investment managers putting the climate crisis at the forefront of their policies. Clearly, some parts of the investment industry see the danger ahead, but more and faster action is needed to avert disaster. The G7 could lead the way by putting its $100 billion a year support for fossil fuels to better use FOSSIL FINANCE The world’s largest investment funds have provided $713.3 billion in loans, equity issuances and debt underwriting services to fossil fuel projects from 2016 to mid-2019, all of it since the 2015 Paris Agreement

Technology that integrates solar panels in roof tiles, windows and other building materials is becoming mainstream as costs drop and products become aesthetically attractive Buildings have lots of surfaces. This may sound obvious, but until now solar photovoltaic systems have been largely installed on roofs and then as add-ons rather than as intrinsic parts of a building. …

Geothermal heating is gaining a foothold, but accounts for only a small share of the renewable heat sources used globally. The benefits are plenty. Long-term, it is cost-effective, stable and clean, but initial costs are high Geothermal hot springs are right below our feet and offer numerous benefits in a decarbonising world. Used for bathing, heating and cooking for thousands of years, hot springs are also comfortably familiar. Yet, geothermal heating still only accounts for a modest part of the renewable heating sources used around the…

The cement industry is one of the largest industrial emitters of greenhouse gases. Denmark’s Aalborg Portland, part of the international Cementir Group, is gearing up to bring a new type of cement to the market, which could cut the industry’s emissions by up to 30%. The product is expected to be commercial by the end of 2020 Cement, used to make concrete, involves decomposing limestone (calcium carbonate) to produce clinker, a process that accounts for two-thirds of the industry’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Reducing the clinker content of cement is a key climate lever. Calcined clay has for some time been hailed as a potential replacement for…