Energy

• [New] Offshore renewable energy is one of the most promising routes to increase future power generation in the coming years in a way that meets Europe's decarbonisation objectives and expected rise in electricity demand in an affordable manner.
• [New] Using the power of the Sun, space-based solar power is a low-carbon and renewable technology that could potentially offer us a resilient, safe and sustainable energy source, and could make a substantial contribution to delivering on the UK's commitment to net zero by 2050.
• [New] The state of California has already banned the sale of gas-powered vehicles by 2035 and has set a goal to reduce state carbon dioxide emissions by about 3% each year for the next 10 years.
• [New] The UK will become the Saudi Arabia of wind with enough offshore capacity to power every home by 2030.
• [New] The Canadian province of Quebec said Monday it will ban the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger cars as of 2035, joining California and others in announcing moves to shift to electric vehicles and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• [New] If the IEA report is anything to go by, the world will see a record increase of 200 gigawatts in renewable energy capacity in 2020 compared to last year.
• [New] Biden's plan for a clean energy revolution and environmental justice includes rejoining the Paris Agreement on climate change, investing US$ 1.7 trillion over the next decade in green energy and achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
• [New] The International Energy Agency on Thursday cut its 2020 global oil demand forecast and said it does not expect the prospect of a coronavirus vaccine to significantly boost demand until well into next year.
• [New] Besides the increase of electric vehicle demand, according to the International Energy Agency (EIA) energy investment is shifting away from fossil fuels, with renewables growing 80% by 2030.
• [New] Almost half the companies involved in the thermal coal industry are expected to defy global climate commitments by deepening their coal interests in the coming years.
• [New] Wind and solar capacity will double over the next five years globally and exceed that of both gas and coal.
• [New] Achieving the growth projected by the IEA for Canadian oil and natural gas would result in 120,000 additional permanent jobs, a $45 billion increase in gross domestic product, and a $ 7.5-billion-a-year increase in government revenues.
• [New] Meeting the world's need for oil and natural gas to 2040 will require an investment of $750 billion to $800 billion each year for the next two decades.
• [New] The reduction in coal power generation capacity could be partly offset by a significant increase in the Czech Republic's renewable electricity generation capacity, adding 3.2 GW of new solar photovoltaics and wind by 2030.
• [New] India is well on its way to achieving its Paris Agreement targets, which include reducing emissions intensity by 33% to 35% of its Gross Domestic Product by 2030 from 2005 levels and achieving 40% of installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
• [New] With more coal plants having closed in Trump's four years than in Obama's second term, coal is expected to produce just 17% of the electricity in America in 2020.
• [New] Indonesia offers tax incentives for investment in renewable energy to help meet a renewable energy target of 23% by 2025, along with $47.6 billion fiscal stimuli.
• [New] The International Energy Agency has published a major analysis on the state of the global renewable energy sector, predicting that wind and solar capacity will double by 2025.
• SIWI is playing a leading role in the development of the Climate Action Pathway for Water, one of ten pathways for key sectors such as Water to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and boosting climate resilience at the pace needed to reach net-zero by 2050.
• Prime Minister Modi announced ambitious targets for renewable energy installation in India, particularly 175 GW by 2022 and 450 GW by 2030.
• Renewables are expected to make up 95% of the net increase in global power capacity through to 2025, with total installed wind and solar photovoltaic capacity on course to surpass natural gas in 2023 and coal in 2024.
• Scotland could install 500 MW of onshore wind in 2021 and 800 MW in 2022 alone, all as part of the UK target to reach 29 GW of onshore wind installed by 2030.
• Onshore wind could see additions decline 15% globally as subsidies for the industry end in China in 2020, and the production tax credits for onshore wind developers in the United States run out in 2021.

Last updated: 22 November 2020