A number of substantive goals and mechanisms for implementing an integrated climate and energy policy have been ratified over the last two years at the European level. By 2020, greenhouse gas emissions in Europe are to be reduced by at least 20 percent; energy efficiency improved by 20 percent;...

Deutschlands Stromversorgung steht an einem Wendepunkt. Kohle ist wie die Kernkraft keine Zukunftstechnologie. Auf den Zubau von Kohlekraftwerken kann verzichtet werden, wenn rasch in den Ausbau der erneuerbaren Energien investiert wird. Ein Weg in eine sichere und saubere Energieversorgung ist...

Die Förderung erneuerbarer Energien und der Emissionshandel sind wesentliche Elemente der europäischen und der nationalen Energie- und Klimapolitik. Einige Kritiker lehnen jedoch die gezielte Förderung erneuerbarer Energien ab, insbesondere mit dem Argument, sie sei im Zusammenhang mit dem...

Emissions trading and the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources are key elements of German and European energy and climate policy. However, some critics oppose a targeted promotion of renewable energy, arguing in particular that this is ineffective or even damaging in conjunction...

Biomass offers an alternative renewable energy source to fossil fuels and can be used to produce energy directly or through the production of liquid biofuels, e.g., ethanol, as a substitute for liquid transport fuels. Biomass also offers a vehicle to sequester carbon dioxide, thereby reducing...

European energy policy faces a number of interrelated challenges, including making the transition to a low–carbon economy, increasing cross–border competition in electricity and gas markets and diversifying Europe’s energy supply. The EU has developed a comprehensive strategy in all of...

This paper examines the causal relationship between economic growth and electricity generation from renewable sources (biomass, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, waste, and wind) across 20 OECD countries over 1990 to 2008. The results from a commonly used panel error correction model find (a) a...

The picture of electrification across the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies is complex. APEC members are in various states of smart grid development, ranging from no activity, conducting demonstrations, and engaging in joint projects with other economies. Each member economy has...

This study investigates the transformative effect of unscheduled solar PV and wind generation on electricity demand. The motivations for the study are twofold, the poor medium term predictions of electricity demand in the Australian National Electricity Market and the continued rise in peak...

Renewable energy consumption has been identified as a potential solution to the intermittent power supply in Ghana. Recently, a Renewable Energy Act has been passed which has a target of 10% of renewable energy component in Ghana’s energy mix by 2020. Whilst effort is been made to enhance...