The Energy Challenge

Blog about thoughts on Energy, Sustainability and Innovation. By Thierry Ha and Juliana Montoya.

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Nelson Mandela: energy efficiency and sustainability

Did you know Nelson Mandela had a big role in energy efficiency and sustainability?

Nelson Mandela is a symbol for justice, equality and dignity. Obama

The South Africa's first democratically elected president, hi gave his live for his people, fighting against racism, poverty and inequality. But also dedicated to energy efficiency and sustainability in South Africa. He was the champion of energy efficiency as early as the late 1990′s and early 2000′s. Before the boom of Climate change.

Read more about this in DNV KEMA blog post!

http://www.dnvkemautilityfuture.com/a-remembrance-nelson-mandela-energy-efficiency-and-sustainability#!

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A simple explanation of how money moves around the banking system

There was much comment about how expensive or difficult this would have been in the regular banking system – and this could well be true.  But it also highlighted another point: in my experience, almost nobody actually understands how payment systems work.  That is: if you “wire” funds to a supplier or “make a payment” to a friend, how does the money get from your account to theirs? 

In this article, I hope to change this situation by giving a very simple, but hopefully not oversimplified, survey of the landscape.

Nothing to do with energy, but as we are all sensitive to money and the infrastructure behind it. Understanding it would answer few of the critiques/questions we may have. Enjoy!

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Island Energy Security: Case study of Île de la Réunion

Island electrical networks are weak grids which allow new opportunities of investment in RE and other innovative technologies. 

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Webinar: Improving Energy Access through Energy Efficiency, 4 December 2013 2 p.m. CET | 8 a.m. EST

 Webinar-based training on how energy efficiency can address barriers to energy access, which is one of the world’s major challenges. According to the World Bank, about 1.2 billion people do not have access to electricity and 2.8 billion rely on biomass for cooking and heating. 

4 December 2013 Check your local time.

Reserve your seat now.

Panelists:

Sergio Segura and Eduardo Ramos, Mexico’s Commission for Efficient Energy Use (CONUEE)

Jonathan Sinton, World Bank

Mark Hopkins, United Nations Foundation.

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Electricity Market: Case Study of Italy

With over 204 market players in the production side, Italy has one of the most liberalized electricity market in Europe. However, electricity price remains one of the highest. His peninsular situation (weak interconnection) may explain one thing. An other reason may be the high concentration in the distribution market share. ENEL still keeps over 86% of the distribution market. 

Sources:

AEEG, Structure, prices and quality in the electricity sector (2010)

AEEG, Annual Report to the European Commission (2011)

GSE, Statistical Report 2011: RE Power Plant in Italy (2011)

EU, Italy Internal Market Fact Sheet (2007)

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Thoughts on Energy Transition

What are the major barriers that countries face in order to reach 100 percent renewable energy — is this goal always achievable or desirable?

  The Renewable Energy World asked to five important industry executives about reach 100 renewable energy. We summarized their thoughts on this controversial question:

 I'd like as much zero carbon emitting, renewable generation brought online as possible while ensuring a robust, secure, reliable, and cost effective system for society and our economies. Thus, 100 percent renewable goals will not be the best solution. But we should accept various goals that support the higher ambition. Says Kevin Smith: Global Director, Renewable Energy, DNV KEMA

High penetration of renewables will also require investments in both grid storage and transmission to re-distribute power across time zones and to smooth out supply intermittency. Pumped-storage hydroelectricity remains the most cost-effective storage method, though the arrival of low-cost electric vehicles adds the potential for substantial storage via vehicle-to-grid architectures.Dr. Geoffrey Kinsey:Director of Photovoltaic Technologies, Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems (CSE)

The main barriers to renewable energy are really cost and commercial scalability, notwithstanding the legal ramifications of objectors — both political and environmental. Wind power is advancing, but when you consider the EU targets of 20 percent renewables by 2020, the 100 percent targets of countries such as Scotland and the Philippines tend to look like well-meant pipedreams. Says John Deasey: Renewables Sales Manager, Trelleborg Offshore and Construction

Getting to 100 percent renewables faces technical, economic and political challenges. Technically the development of a truly smart grid and the integration of storage and micro-grids into that smart grid are substantial challenges. On the policy side, one must ask if getting to 100 percent renewables quickly is the best use of the financial resources of a country like the Philippines or Scotland. Also, the political will to accomplish such a challenging goal must exist. Says Tony Clifford: CEO, Standard Solar

Link to the complete interview

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Towards the 20/20/20

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Renewable Energy Profile: Colombia.

Colombia possesses numerous fossil fuel and natural resources. The country has productive petroleum reserves, extensive coal reserves (the largest in South America), significant but largely untapped natural gas reserves, and extensive hydroelectric resources. A large amount of potentially productive oil and natural gas areas remain unexplored. Demand for energy (petroleum, natural gas, and electricity) is expected to grow 3.5% per year through 2020.

Colombia has only 28.1 Megawatt installed capacity of renewable energy (excluding large hydropower), consisting mainly of wind power. The country has significant wind and solar resources that remain largely unexploited. According to a study by the World Bank Energy the country has significant wind potential alone could cover more than the country current total energy needs.

In recent years, the government has shown its willingness to promote sustainable development, Colombia’s commitment to environmental conservation and energy diversification has received international recognition. For example, in 2008 and 2010, Yale University ranked Colombia in the top 10 in its Environmental Performance Index (EPI), a biennial report which ranks 163 countries on the achievement of established environmental policy goals. 

In addition, in 2008, Colombia and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to advance clean renewable energy policies. The MOU expresses the intention of both countries to cooperate in the areas of non-conventional, renewable, clean energy sources through academic exchanges, agricultural and technological research and development, and scientific, technological, and business collaboration. The MOU also encourages the sustainable production and consumption of biofuels, and the promotion of sustainability projects in Colombia that create jobs, provide food security and better living conditions for rural populations, and encourage alternatives to illicit crop cultivation.  Sources:

Colombia: a Country with Energy Diversity.

Ministry of Mines and Energy of Colombia 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia

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BP: Energy in 2012 - Adapting to a changing world

Welcome to the 62nd edition of the Statistical Review. When the dust has settled, 2012 will have produced a number of headlines. It witnessed the worlds biggest increase in oil and gas supplies in the US and for oil, the biggest increase in the countrys history. 2012 witnessed the biggest increase in hydropower in one country as well as the biggest decline in nuclear energy ever. Three of the worlds four largest economies (Germany, Japan, China), together representing a quarter of global GDP, are now running their economies with a higher share of renewables than of nuclear. LNG trade, on the other hand, declined for first time since we have records. And record amounts of coal, exiled from the US by the shale gas revolution, were shipped to Europe.

You can find the article here.

Major highlights for 2012 energy analysis:

Recession affects OECD countries with low energy demand

US gas price dropping due to increasing industrial shale gas production

US gas in competition with US coal

Russia, main gas provider for Europe, maintain oil index pricing and keeps high gas price in Europe

Weak price of coal is slowly substituted in Europe for energy production in contrast of gas

Europe carbon price low enough to compete with Europe gas price

Japan is phasing out nuclear and uses more fossil fuel (coal and gas)

Nuclear and renewables are slowing down

Biofuel is not well due to weak drought (»high corn price) and lower gasoline consumption (»"Blend Wall")

Questions remains on the carbon market because of its inability to favor gas over coal (2x more emission per kWh) and its competitive subsidies in the renewables.

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Priorities for 2020 and beyond ─ a blueprint for an integrated european energy network

A list of 200 projects of common European interest was published by the European Commission and must be completed until 2020 for fulfil the EU's energy and climate objectives. Read the complete proposal  

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Event: EREC 2013- Europe's Renewable Energy Policy Conference November 28 in Brussels

The biennial policy conference, organised by EREC (European Renewable Energy Council), has grown ever since its first edition in 2004 and has become Europe´s major occasion for exchange and interaction between industry, research and policy.

See Conference Programme and register!

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Eole Water is a french company with an innovative product. By combining a wind generator with a condenser, their wind turbine can produce both electricity and water. Interesting solution to solve the the access to electricity and drinkable water.

More information can be found here: http://www.energythic.com/view.php?node=229

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Thoughts of Energy storage CEOs

After the report: Grid-Scale Energy Storage in North America 2013: Applications, Technologies, and Suppliers, Greentechgrid  summarized in 11 Points  the thoughts of energy storage CEOs. 

"Transitional business strategies are critical. CEOs are pursuing transitional business strategies as a way to survive the early stages of the industry before the onset of major market demand."

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e-learning series from WBGU

The link below will lead you to a very interesting e-learning series, recently produced by the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU)

The series can be used free of charge by all universities for education purpose

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Our first insight is: Germany’s Energiewende is all about wind and solar! They’re the cheapest renewable energy technologies and have the most potential. Their priority in Germany’s energy mix will fundamentally transform the current system and the country’s energy market. Firstly, in the near future, fossil power plants, electricity demand, and electricity storage will have to be aligned with weather-dependent electricity production, namely from wind and solar sources. Secondly, the electricity market will have to be transformed into a market determined by the investment costs of clean energy systems.

After France, Germany's perspective in the energy transition.

Consensus over Germany's energy future

High penetration rate of RE

Low need of fossil fuel baseload

High need of flexibility through production (CHP and biomass), demand side management, interconnection and storage

Interconnection over storage

Necessity of new legislation and markets 

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After many years of effort, this month it finally happened. The UK government and EDF Energy, the French-owned UK integrated energy company, agreed to a strike price making the first new nuclear build in the UK in a generation, at Hinkley Point C, a reality.

Interesting article on the recent UK purchase of a new nuclear plants at Hinkley Point C.

Key points:

Strike price of £92.50/MWh (lower than RE FIT tariffs)

10% return on investment for EDF Energy

CGNPC (China) invest 30-40%

5-6th EPR constructed in the world

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UK Q&A: Green taxes

UK Q&A: Green taxes

In this article the BBC explain what exactly are these  taxes and how do they affect householders bills in the UK.

GREEN TAXES DEFINITION: Refers to taxes intended to promote ecologically sustainable activities via economic incentives. Such a policy can complement or avert the need for regulatory (command and control) approaches. Often, an ecotax policy proposal may attempt to maintain overall tax revenue by proportionately reducing other taxes (e.g. taxes on human labor and renewable resources); such proposals are known as a green tax shift towards ecological taxation.

Sources (BBC NEWS/) By J Montoya Cardona