Europe & UK

Europe & UK

German energy usage fell 2.3% in 2019 to more than 40-year low

January 7, 2020 Anand Gupta

FRANKFURT: German energy usage fell 2.3% in 2019 to a more than 40-year low due to efficiency measures, a slowing economy and a shift from manufacturing to service industries, industry group AGEB said on Monday, confirming an October forecast. In its annual report the AGEB said full-year primary energy usage in Europe's biggest economy fell […]

Europe & UK

Equinor seeks 40% greenhouse gas reduction in Norway by 2030

January 6, 2020 Anand Gupta

The cuts could allow Norway, western Europe’s top oil and gas exporter, to continue to pump millions of barrels of oil even as the country seeks to fulfil obligations under the 2015 Paris climate agreement to slash domestic emissions OSLO: Norwegian oil producer Equinor aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions generated at offshore fields and […]

Europe & UK

Denmark sets new record sourcing 47% of power from wind in 2019

January 4, 2020 Anand Gupta

Wind accounted for 47 per cent of Denmark’s power usage last year, up from 41 per cent in 2018 and beating a previous record of 43 per cent in 2017, the country’s grid operator Energinet said on Thursday COPENHAGEN : Denmark sourced close to half its electricity consumption from wind power last year, a new […]

Europe & UK

Turkey decides to close five thermal power plants

January 4, 2020 Anand Gupta

The power stations were among 13 which had been given a deadline of Dec. 31 to complete the investments, Kurum told a news conference regarding the plants, state-owned Anadolu news agency reported ISTANBUL : Turkey has decided to close five thermal power stations that have not that have not completed necessary environmental investments, Environment Minister […]

Europe & UK

Iberdrola Completes Europe’s Largest Solar Plant (and Yes, It’s Subsidy-Free)

January 4, 2020 Anand Gupta

The 500-megawatt Núñez de Balboa project is part of Iberdrola’s plan to add 3 gigawatts of solar by 2022 in the rebounding Spanish market. Spanish renewable power giant Iberdrola has completed work on what it claims is the largest solar project ever built in Europe. The 500-megawatt Núñez de Balboa facility is now undergoing testing […]

Europe & UK

Britain’s zero-carbon power outstrips fossil fuels in 2019

January 4, 2020 Anand Gupta

Britain, the birthplace of coal power, produced more electricity from zero-carbon sources such as wind, solar and nuclear than from fossil fuel plants for the first time in 2019, National Grid said on Wednesday. Having built the world’s first coal-fired power plant in the 1880s, coal became Britain’s dominant electricity source and a major economic […]

Europe & UK

Renewable energy’s share of German power mix rose to 46% last year: research group

January 4, 2020 Anand Gupta

FRANKFURT : Renewable energy’s share of Germany’s overall power supply mix rose by 5.4 percentage points last year to 46%, data from Europe’s biggest state-funded research and development service showed. Europe’s biggest economy is aiming for renewables to provide 65% of its power mix by 2030. It says it will abandon nuclear energy by 2022 […]

Europe & UK

For the first time, Switzerland shuts down 47-year-old nuclear power plant

December 21, 2019 Anand Gupta

Full decommissioning process is expected to take around 15 years, with reuse of the site likely possible from 2034 One of four Swiss nuclear power stations was permanently disconnected Friday after 47 years of service, marking a first in Switzerland, as the country begins to gradually phase out atomic energy. The decision to press the […]

Europe & UK

Wind and Solar Farms Are Putting European Nuclear Out of Work

December 21, 2019 Anand Gupta

Two nuclear reactors that have served homes and factories in Sweden and Germany for many decades will produce their last electricity by the end of this month. The permanent halt of Vattenfall AB’s 44-year-old Ringhals-2 reactor is yet another sign of how the surge in renewable energy has upended traditional energy economics. The Nordic region’s […]

Europe & UK

UPDATE 2-Oil firm Equinor raises stake in solar power co Scatec

December 21, 2019 Anand Gupta

* Investment supports Equinor’s diversification strategy * Scatec shares rise 7% * Equinor says to support Scatec Solar’s growth (Adds shares, name of seller, Equinor quotes) OSLO: Norway’s Equinor has bought an additional 5.2% stake in solar energy developer Scatec Solar, the company said late on Thursday, increasing its interest to 15.2% as it seeks […]