This paper discusses structure, impact, costs, and efficiency of renewable energy supply in the eight largest advanced economies (the G-7 plus Spain), with focus on Germany. Renewables production costs are compared to benefits, defined as reductions in net carbon emissions; technological...

This article reviews the role played by carbon and capture (CCS) technologies in order to facilitate the transition to low-carbon emitting technologies in the medium-term. More precisely, we address the following central questions: how will the development of CCS technologies impact energy...

Renewable energy is playing an increasing role in energy mixes around the world, including Europe, which is aiming for a target of 20% renewable energy by 2020. Portugal is at the forefront of the European intention, with a 31% target. The advantages of the application of renewable energy...

This paper will summarise the European Strategy for Energy and Climate Change. In current international negotiations Europe has proposed a 20% reduction in GHG (greenhouse gases) in the developed countries by 2020 or 30% should there be an international agreement in the domain. However it is...

A transition to a decentralised, decarbonised energy system for the domestic sector is constrained by the difficulty of obtaining energy balance between fluctuating demand and the intermittent, non-dispatchable power supply delivered by most renewables. A microgrid system including a mix of...

Global warming is a grave environmental issue that has caught the attention of the globe. Due to the consequences of global warming, UNFCCC has established the Kyoto Protocol and the Copenhagen Accord as measures of combating climate change due to the emission of greenhouse gases. It has been...

Electricity and heat generation are key contributors to global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). In this paper, specific attention is paid to renewable energy technologies (RETs) for electricity and heat generation and reviews current understanding and estimates of life cycle GHG emissions...

This paper outlines major energy policy challenges that Cyprus is faced with. Main issues are securing the island’s energy supply and limiting growth in greenhouse gas emissions. Results from econometric analyses show that energy use is income elastic and price inelastic, which indicates that...

The impact of anaerobic digestion (AD) technology on mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from manure management on typical dairy, sow and pig farms in Finland was compared. Firstly, the total annual GHG emissions from the farms were calculated using IPCC guidelines for a similar slurry...

At the beginning of 2010, only 2000 wind megawatts had been installed offshore. Although the first offshore wind farm experiment took place in 1990, most of the facilities built up to now have been pilot projects. Then, offshore wind power can be considered as an incipient market. However, just...