Category: Reports

China has a cumulative installed offshore wind capacity of 6.8 GW, making it the third largest in the world. Compared with Europe, which is the largest offshore wind power market, there are still gaps to substantially tapping the offshore wind potentials of China. This paper aims to investigate advanced experience of offshore wind power, and explore innovative approaches for offshore wind deployment and grid integration in China.

The global transition to renewable energy is likely to be financed largely by the private sector, including utility companies, corporations, project developers, and various investment funds

The article discusses the possibilities of hydrogen production using renewable energy sources in Russia for energy storage and for export. The global trends in the development of green hydrogen energy reducing the CO2 emission are highlighted. The analysis of the potential for hydrogen production in regions of Russia using electricity from operating wind power plants (WPPs), as well as wind power projects planned for construction until 2024 has been carried out.

All the recent Black Swan and cross-roads events have potentially kicked the development trajectories of NW Europe into new orbits. It is therefore clear that there is ample scope to rethink the Phasing Out Carbon scenario against these radically changed perspectives and potential new trends. For governments to adjust the Green Deal if and where appropriate, and for business to realign their strategies.

Despite actions taken to date, industry stakeholders felt that Canada is still a long way from having a mature battery supply chain. Which is why Clean Energy Canada convened experts across the supply chain—including mining, battery manufacturing, auto parts and assembly, and battery recycling—to identify these no-regrets priority actions Canada must take in the immediate-term to establish itself as a player in the global battery industry.

The latest available data and selected energy scenarios reveal that at today’s rate of progress, the world is not on track to achieve any of the targets under SDG 7. This is particularly true of the most vulnerable countries and those that were already lagging. Although the number of people without access to electricity fell from 1.2 billion globally in 2010 to 759 million in 2019, the unfortunate fact is that gains in energy access are being reversed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tunisia’s electricity generation mix is dominated by natural gas, production of which has stagnated in recent years, leaving Tunisia increasingly vulnerable to supply disruptions and volatile energy prices. For these reasons, energy efficiency and renewables have received increasing attention as the country embarks on an energy transition process as part of its sustainable economic and social development strategy.

In 2020, three of the leading economic powers in Northeast Asia announced ambitious plans to reach net-zero carbon emissions by – or near – the middle of the 21st century, indicating the beginnings of a major transformation in the way energy is produced, traded and consumed throughout the region and beyond. For China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, achieving this highly significant milestone will require a whole-scale transition from fossil fuel-based electricity generation to new energy systems based on renewables.

Despite a period of global turmoil since the publication of this report’s first edition, the offshore wind industry has continued to flourish. 2020 was a record-breaking year for new offshore wind installations, resulting in a total of over 35 GW operating across the globe by the end of the year. This accelerating pace will need to continue through this decade as it is widely expected that in 2030, well over 200 GW of offshore wind will be generating worldwide. Looking further to the future, OREAC has established a vision of 1,400 GW by 2050, which will require a huge, global roll-out of offshore wind and a much higher pace of deployment.

The global pathway to net‐zero emissions by 2050 detailed in this report requires all governments to significantly strengthen and then successfully implement their energy and climate policies. Commitments made to date fall far short of what is required by that pathway. The number of countries that have pledged to achieve net‐zero emissions has grown rapidly over the last year and now covers around 70% of global emissions of CO2. This is a huge step forward. However, most pledges are not yet underpinned by near‐term policies and measures.

Clean hydrogen produced with renewable electricity is a zero-emission energy carrier but is not yet as cost competitive as hydrogen produced from natural gas. A number of studies show that an EU energy system having a significant proportion of hydrogen and renewable gases would be more cost effective than one relying on extensive electrification.

The Bangladesh government’s new 8th Five Year Plan (8FYP) provides strong evidence that the government has changed its thinking on power development since 2016. From a reliance on coal and LNG which have put an unsustainable financial strain on the power system, the Plan shows the government now has an increased focus on renewable energy, energy efficiency and the financial sustainability of the power system.

The year 2020 was a record-setting year for the solar industry, and it won’t be the last. The fourth quarter exceeded the prior quarterly record set in Q4 2016 by 22%, with just over 8 gigawatts-direct current (GWdc) of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity installed. The year ended with a total of 19.2 GWdc installed, an astonishing 43% more than capacity added in 2019 – all in the midst of a global pandemic.

In addition to outlining the current policy contexts around hydrogen in Europe and the US, this paper highlights the strategies of six oil majors; ExxonMobil (Exxon), Chevron Corporation (Chevron), British Petroleum (BP), Equinor, Royal Dutch Shell (Shell) and Total, as they relate to hydrogen. It also explores the unique challenges and opportunities that exist for traditional oil and gas companies related to hydrogen, and how oil majors might adapt their infrastructure and workforce to embrace a hydrogen future.

Renewables were the only energy source for which demand increased in 2020 despite the pandemic, while consumption of all other fuels declined. Will renewable energy source uptake therefore expand more quickly as the global economy recovers from the crisis? In exploring recent market and policy developments, the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Renewable Energy Market Update forecasts new global renewable power capacity additions for 2021 and 2022. It also provides updated biofuel production forecasts for these years, as the sector suffered significant losses with declining transport demand during the pandemic.