While most members of the European Union have joined in the push for wind energy, some, like Italy, face resistance.
Anti-wind groups are pushing for a moratorium on new wind-power projects, claiming the wind turbines negatively affect the landscape and surrounding wildlife. They also say developers take advantage of residents in small towns with bad deals, and they question the reliability of a power source that is highly variable.
"Anti-wind has been more successful here," said Fabrizio Fabbri, head of the Technical Secretariat for the Italian Ministry of Environment.
While the industry needs better rules and regulations, Fabbri acknowledged, a full-fledged, permanent moratorium would not accomplish anything, and, in addition, it could hinder the European wind industry.
Residents are hesitant to allow wind projects anywhere near historical sites or natural reserves and are greatly limiting the areas where turbines could be placed.
Under the new EU policy, Italy will have to come up with a plan, said Mechtild Rothe, vice president of the European Parliament. A plan to meet the bloc's emission-reduction targets will be mandatory.
BC Fossil Fuel Phase-Out outlines a just transition to a green economy, meeting climate targets by mid-century through carbon budgets, ending subsidies for fracking, capping production, and investing in renewable energy, remediation, and resilient infrastructure.
Key Points
A strategic plan to wind down oil and gas, end subsidies, and achieve climate targets with a just transition in BC.
✅ End new leases, phase out subsidies, cap fossil production
✅ Carbon budgets and timelines to meet mid-century climate targets
✅ Just transition: income supports, retraining, site remediation jobs
Politicians in British Columbia aren't focused enough on phasing out fossil fuel industries, a new report says.
The report, authored by the left-leaning Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, says the province must move away from fossil fuel industries by mid-century in order to meet its climate targets, with B.C. projected to fall short of 2050 targets according to recent analysis, but adds that the B.C. government is ill prepared to transition to a green economy.
"We are totally moving in the wrong direction," said economist Marc Lee, one of the authors of the report, on The Early Edition Wednesday.
He said most of the emphasis of B.C. government policy has been on slowing reductions in emissions from transportation or emissions from buildings, even though Canada will need more electricity to hit net-zero according to the IEA, while still subsidizing fossil fuel extraction, such as fracking projects, that Lee said should be phased out.
"What we are putting on the table is politically unthinkable right now," said Lee, adding that last month's provincial budget called for a 26 per cent increased gas production over the next three years, even though electrified LNG facilities could boost demand for clean power.
B.C.'s $830M in fossil fuel subsidies undermines efforts to fight climate crisis, report says He said B.C. needs to start thinking instead about how its going to wind down its dependence on fossil fuel industries.
'Greener' job transition needed The report said the provincial government's continued interest in expanding production and exporting fossil fuels, even as Canada's race to net-zero intensifies across the energy sector, suggests little political will to think about a plan to move away from them.
It suggests the threat of major job losses in those industries is contributing to the political inaction, but cited several examples of ways governments can help move workers into greener jobs, as many fossil-fuel workers are ready to support the transition according to recent commentary.
Lee said early retirement provisions or income replacement for transitioning workers are options to consider.
"We actually have seen a lot of real-world policy around transition starting to happen, including in Alberta, which brought in a whole transition package for coal workers producing coal for electricity generation, and regional cooperation like bridging the electricity gap between Alberta and B.C. could further support reliability," Lee said.
Give cities the power to move more quickly on the environment, say Metro Van politicians Make it easier for small businesses to go green, B.C. Chamber of Commerce urges government Lee also said well-paying jobs could be created by, for example, remediating old coal mines and gas wells and building green infrastructure and renewable electricity projects in affected areas.
The report also calls for a moratorium on new fossil fuel leases and ending fossil fuel subsidies, as well as creating carbon budgets and fossil fuel production limits.
"Change is coming," said Lee. "We need to get out ahead of it."
OEB Disconnection Ban shields Ontario residential customers under the stay-at-home order, pausing electricity distributor shutoffs for non-payment and linking COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program credits for small businesses, charities, and overdue utility bills.
Key Points
A pause on electricity shutoff notices during Ontario's stay-at-home order, with COVID-19 bill credits for customers.
✅ Applies through the stay-at-home order timeline.
✅ CEAP credits: $750 residential; $1,500 small biz and charities.
With Ontario now into the third province-wide lockdown, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) has promised residents won't have to worry about their power being shut off.
On April 8, the Province issued the third stay-at-home order in the last 13 months which is scheduled to last for 28 days until at least May 6, as electricity rates and policies continue to shift.
On April 30, the annual winter disconnection ban is set to expire, meaning electricity distributors like Hydro One would normally be permitted to issue disconnection notices for non-payment as early as 14 days before the end of the ban.
However, the OEB has announced changes for electricity consumers that prohibit electricity distributors from issuing disconnection notices to residential customers for the entirety of the stay-at-home order.
Additionally, the COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program is available for residential, small business, and registered charity customers who have overdue amounts on their electricity or gas bills as a result of the pandemic, complementing support for electric bills introduced during COVID-19, and the fixed COVID-19 hydro rate that helped stabilize costs.
Those who meet these criteria are eligible for credits up to a maximum of $750 for residential customers and $1,500 for small businesses and charities, alongside earlier moves to set an off-peak price to ease costs.
Nighttime Thermoelectric Generator converts radiative cooling into renewable energy, leveraging outer space cold; a Stanford-UCLA prototype complements solar, serving off-grid loads with low-power output during peak evening demand, using simple materials on a rooftop.
Key Points
A device converting nighttime radiative cooling into electricity, complementing solar for low-power evening needs.
✅ Uses thermocouples to convert temperature gradients to voltage.
✅ Exploits radiative cooling to outer space for night power.
✅ Complements solar; low-cost parts suit off-grid applications.
Two years ago, one freezing December night on a California rooftop, a tiny light shone weakly with a little help from the freezing night air. It wasn't a very bright glow. But it was enough to demonstrate the possibility of generating renewable power after the Sun goes down.
Working with Stanford University engineers Wei Li and Shanhui Fan, University of California Los Angeles materials scientist Aaswath Raman put together a device that produces a voltage by channelling the day's residual warmth into cooling air, effectively generating electricity from thin air with passive heat exchange.
"Our work highlights the many remaining opportunities for energy by taking advantage of the cold of outer space as a renewable energy resource," says Raman.
"We think this forms the basis of a complementary technology to solar. While the power output will always be substantially lower, it can operate at hours when solar cells cannot."
For all the merits of solar energy, it's just not a 24-7 source of power, although research into nighttime solar cells suggests new possibilities for after-dark generation. Sure, we can store it in a giant battery or use it to pump water up into a reservoir for later, but until we have more economical solutions, nighttime is going to be a quiet time for renewable solar power.
Most of us return home from work as the Sun is setting, and that's when energy demands spike to meet our needs for heating, cooking, entertaining, and lighting.
Unfortunately, we often turn to fossil fuels to make up the shortfall. For those living off the grid, it could require limiting options and going without a few luxuries.
Shanhui Fan understands the need for a night time renewable power source well. He's worked on a number of similar devices, including carbon nanotube generators that scavenge ambient energy, and a recent piece of technology that flipped photovoltaics on its head by squeezing electricity from the glow of heat radiating out of the planet's Sun-warmed surface.
While that clever item relied on the optical qualities of a warm object, this alternative device makes use of the good old thermoelectric effect, similar to thin-film waste-heat harvesting approaches now explored.
Using a material called a thermocouple, engineers can convert a change in temperature into a difference in voltage, effectively turning thermal energy into electricity with a measurable voltage. This demands something relatively toasty on one side and a place for that heat energy to escape to on the other.
The theory is the easy part – the real challenge is in arranging the right thermoelectric materials in such a way that they'll generate a voltage from our cooling surrounds that makes it worthwhile.
To keep costs down, the team used simple, off-the-shelf items that pretty much any of us could easily get our hands on.
They put together a cheap thermoelectric generator and linked it with a black aluminium disk to shed heat in the night air as it faced the sky. The generator was placed inside a polystyrene enclosure sealed with a window transparent to infrared light, and linked to a single tiny LED.
For six hours one evening, the box was left to cool on a roof-top in Stanford as the temperature fell just below freezing. As the heat flowed from the ground into the sky, the small generator produced just enough current to make the light flicker to life.
At its best, the device generated around 0.8 milliwatts of power, corresponding to 25 milliwatts of power per square metre.
That might just be enough to keep a hearing aid working. String several together and you might just be able to keep your cat amused with a simple laser pointer. So we're not talking massive amounts of power.
But as far as prototypes go, it's a fantastic starting point. The team suggests that with the right tweaks and the right conditions, 500 milliwatts per square metre isn't out of the question.
"Beyond lighting, we believe this could be a broadly enabling approach to power generation suitable for remote locations, and anywhere where power generation at night is needed," says Raman.
While we search for big, bright ideas to drive the revolution for renewables, it's important to make sure we don't let the smaller, simpler solutions like these slip away quietly into the night.
P.E.I. Community Energy Independence empowers local microgrids through renewable generation, battery storage, and legislative reform, enabling community-owned power, stable electricity rates, and grid-friendly distributed generation across Island communities with wind, biomass, and net metering models.
Key Points
A program enabling communities to generate and store renewable power under supportive laws and grid-friendly models.
✅ Legislative review of Electric Power and Renewable Energy Acts
✅ Community microgrids with wind, biomass, and battery storage
✅ Grid integration without raising rates via Maritime Electric
The P.E.I. government is taking steps to review energy legislation and explore new options when it comes to generating power across Island communities.
Energy Minister Steven Myers said one of those options will be identifying ways for Island communities to generate their own energy, aligning with a federal electrification study now examining how electricity can reduce or eliminate fossil fuels.
He said the move would provide energy independence, create jobs and economic development, and save the communities on their energy bills, as seen with an electricity bill credit in Newfoundland that eased costs for consumers.
But the move will require sweeping legislative changes, that may include the merging of the Electric Power Act and the Renewable Energy Act, similar to an electricity market overhaul in Connecticut seen in other jurisdictions.
Myers said creating energy independence should ensure a steady supply of electricity while also ensuring costs remain reasonable for P.E.I. residents, even as a Nova Scotia electricity rate hike highlights regional cost pressures.
"We have communities that are looking to generate their own electricity for their own needs," said Myers, adding the province will not dictate what energy sources communities can invest in.
He also said the province wants to find new community-based models that will complement existing services.
"How do we do that in a way that we don't impact the grid, that we don't impact the service that Maritime Electric is delivering, mindful of a seasonal rate backlash in New Brunswick that illustrates consumer concerns, that we don't drive up the rates for all other Islanders."
Last fall, a group of P.E.I. MLAs traveled to Samsø, a small Danish island, where they learned about renewable and sustainable energy systems being used there.
The province is looking at storage options so it can store power generated during the day to be used in the evening when electricity use is at its highest. (CBC) Samsø produces 100 per cent of its electricity from wind and biomass, and utilities like HECO meeting renewable goals early show how quickly transitions can occur. The P.E.I. government said the Island produces 25 per cent of its electricity from wind.
Following the trip, Myers said he was impressed by the control the island had over its energy production and would like to see if a similar model could work on P.E.I.
Myers said the legislative review will also look at different ways to store energy on the Island.
He said that will allow communities to sell that excess energy into the provincial electricity grid, and those revenues could be redirected into that community's priorities.
'For the survival and the future of their community' "This is kind of a model that we had suggested that would be in place that would allow people in their own community to produce a revenue stream for themselves that they could then turn into projects like rinks, or parks, or tennis courts or whatever it is that community thinks is the most important thing for the survival and the future of their community," said Myers.
Energy Minister Steven Myers says creating energy independence could create a steady supply of electricity while also ensuring costs remain reasonable for P.E.I. residents. (Randy McAndrew/CBC) The province said Maritime Electric, Summerside Electric and the P.E.I. Energy Corporation will be involved in the review, recognizing that a Nova Scotia ruling on rate-setting powers underscores regulatory limits
Government also wants to hear from Islanders and will be accepting written submissions beginning Monday. Myers said the province is also planning to host public consultations, but because of COVID-19, those will be held virtually in mid-June.
Myers calls this a major move, one that will take time. He said he doesn't expect the legislation to be made public until the spring of 2021.
"I want to make sure we take our time and do the proper consultation."
Global Decarbonization Strategies align renewable energy, electrification, clean air policies, IMO sulfur cap, LNG fuels, and the EU 2050 roadmap to cut carbon intensity and meet Paris Agreement targets via EVs and efficiency.
Key Points
Frameworks that cut emissions via renewables, EVs, efficiency, cleaner marine fuels, and EU policy roadmaps.
✅ Renewables scale as wind and solar outcompete new coal and gas.
✅ Electrification of transport grows as EV costs fall and charging expands.
✅ IMO 2020 sulfur cap and LNG shift cut shipping emissions and particulates.
Are we doing enough to save the planet? Silly question. The latest prognosis from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change made for gloomy reading. Fundamental to the Paris Agreement is the target of keeping global average temperatures from rising beyond 2°C. The UN argues that radical measures are needed, and investment incentives for clean electricity are seen as critical by many leaders to accelerate progress to meet that target.
Renewable power and electrification of transport are the pillars of decarbonization. It’s well underway in renewables - the collapse in costs make wind and solar generation competitive with new build coal and gas.
Renewables’ share of the global power market will triple by 2040 from its current level of 6% according to our forecasts.
The consumption side is slower, awaiting technological breakthrough and informed by efforts in countries such as New Zealand’s electricity transition to replace fossil fuels with electricity. The lower battery costs needed for electric vehicles (EVs) to compete head on and displace internal combustion engine (ICE) cars are some years away. These forces only start to have a significant impact on global carbon intensity in the 2030s. Our forecasts fall well short of the 2°C target, as does the IEA’s base case scenario.
Yet we can’t just wait for new technology to come to the rescue. There are encouraging signs that society sees the need to deal with a deteriorating environment. Three areas of focus came out in discussion during Wood Mackenzie’s London Energy Forum - unrelated, different in scope and scale, each pointing the way forward.
First, clean air in cities. China has shown how to clean up a local environment quickly. The government reacted to poor air quality in Beijing and other major cities by closing older coal power plants and forcing energy intensive industry and the residential sector to shift away from coal. The country’s return on investment will include a substantial future health care dividend.
European cities are introducing restrictions on diesel cars to improve air quality. London’s 2017 “toxicity charge” is a precursor of an Ultra-Low Emission Zone in 2019, and aligns with UK net-zero policy changes that affect transport planning, to be extended across much of the city by 2020. Paris wants to ban diesel cars from the city centre by 2025 and ICE vehicles by 2030. Barcelona, Madrid, Hamburg and Stuttgart are hatching similar plans.
College Promise In California: Community-Wide Efforts To Support Student Success
Second, desulphurisation of global shipping. High sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) meets around 3.5 million barrels per day (b/d) of the total marine market of 5 million b/d. A maximum of 3.5% sulphur content is allowed currently. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) implements a 0.5% limit on all shipping in 2020, dramatically reducing the release of sulphur oxides into the atmosphere.
Some ships will switch to very low sulphur fuel oil, of which only around 1.4 million b/d will be available in 2020. Others will have to choose between investing in scrubbers or buying premium-priced low sulphur marine gas oil.
Longer-term, lower carbon-intensity gas is a winner as liquefied natural gas becomes fuel of choice for many newbuilds. Marine LNG demand climbs from near zero to 50 million tonnes per annum (tpa) by 2040 on our forecasts, behind only China, India and Japan as a demand centre. LNG will displace over 1 million b/d of oil demand in shipping by 2040.
Third, Europe’s radical decarbonisation plans. Already in the vanguard of emissions reductions policy, the European Commission is proposing to reduce carbon emissions for new cars and vans by 30% by 2030 versus 2020. The targets come with incentives for car manufacturers linked to the uptake of EVs.
The 2050 roadmap, presently at the concept stage, envisages a far more demanding regime, with EU electricity plans for 2050 implying a much larger power system. The mooted 80% reduction in emissions compared with 1990 will embrace all sectors. Power and transport are already moving in this direction, but the legacy fuel mix in many other sectors will be disrupted, too.
Near zero-energy buildings and homes might be possible with energy efficiency improvements, renewables and heat pumps. Electrification, recycling and bioenergy could reduce fossil fuel use in energy intensive sectors like steel and aluminium, and Europe’s oil majors going electric illustrates how incumbents are adapting. Some sectors will cite the risk decarbonisation poses to Europe’s global competitiveness. If change is to come, industry will need to build new partnerships with society to meet these targets.
The 2050 roadmap signals the ambition and will be game changing for Europe if it is adopted. It would provide a template for a global roll out that would go a long way toward meeting UN’s concerns.
New York Renewable Energy Contracts secure 23 projects totaling 2.3 GW, spanning offshore wind, solar, and battery storage under CLCPA goals, advancing 70% by 2030, a carbon-free 2040 grid, grid reliability, and green jobs.
Key Points
State agreements securing 23 wind, solar, and storage projects (2.3 GW) to meet CLCPA clean power targets.
✅ 2.3 GW across 23 wind, solar, and storage projects statewide
✅ Supports 70% renewables by 2030; carbon-free grid by 2040
✅ Drives emissions cuts, grid reliability, and green jobs
In a significant milestone for the state’s clean energy ambitions, New York has finalized contracts with 23 renewable energy projects, as part of large-scale energy projects underway in New York, totaling a combined capacity of 2.3 gigawatts (GW). This move is part of the state’s ongoing efforts to accelerate its transition to renewable energy, reduce carbon emissions, and meet the ambitious targets set under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), which aims to achieve a carbon-free electricity grid by 2040.
A Strong Commitment to Renewable Energy
The 23 projects secured under these contracts represent a diverse range of renewable energy sources, including wind, solar, and battery storage. Together, these projects are expected to contribute significantly to New York’s energy grid, generating enough clean electricity to power millions of homes. The deal is a key component of New York’s broader strategy to achieve a 70% renewable energy share in the state’s electricity mix by 2030 and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85% by 2050.
Governor Kathy Hochul celebrated the agreements as a major step forward in the state’s commitment to combating climate change while creating green jobs and economic opportunities. “New York is leading the nation in its clean energy goals, and these projects will help us meet our bold climate targets while delivering reliable and affordable energy to New Yorkers,” Hochul said in a statement.
The Details of the Contracts
The 23 projects span across various regions of the state, with an emphasis on areas that are well-suited for renewable energy development, such as upstate New York, which boasts vast open spaces ideal for large-scale solar and wind installations and the state is investigating sites for offshore wind projects along the coast. The contracts finalized by the state will ensure a steady supply of clean power from these renewable sources, helping to stabilize the grid and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
A significant portion of the new renewable capacity will come from offshore wind projects, which have become a cornerstone of New York’s renewable energy strategy. Offshore wind has the potential to provide large amounts of electricity, and the state recently greenlighted the country's biggest offshore wind farm to date, taking advantage of the state's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. Several of the contracts finalized include offshore wind farm projects, which are expected to be operational within the next few years.
In addition to wind energy, solar power continues to be a critical component of the state’s renewable energy strategy. The state has already made substantial investments in solar energy, having achieved solar energy goals ahead of schedule recently, and these new contracts will further expand the state’s solar capacity. The inclusion of battery storage projects is another important element, as energy storage solutions are vital to ensuring that renewable energy can be effectively utilized, even when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing.
Economic and Job Creation Benefits
The finalization of these 23 contracts will not only bring significant environmental benefits but also create thousands of jobs in the renewable energy sector. Construction, maintenance, and operational jobs will be generated throughout the life of the projects, benefiting communities across the state, including areas near Long Island's South Shore wind proposals that stand to gain from new investment. The investment in renewable energy is expected to support New York’s recovery from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to the state’s clean energy economy and providing long-term economic stability.
The state's focus on clean energy also provides opportunities for local businesses, highlighted by the first Clean Energy Community designation in the state, as many of these projects will require services and materials from within New York State. Additionally, Governor Hochul’s administration has made efforts to ensure that disadvantaged communities and workers from underrepresented backgrounds will have access to job training and employment opportunities within the renewable energy sector.
The Path Forward: A Clean Energy Future
New York’s aggressive move toward renewable energy is indicative of the state’s commitment to addressing climate change and leading the nation in clean energy innovation. By locking in contracts for these renewable energy projects, the state is not only securing a cleaner future but also ensuring that the transition is fair and just for all communities, particularly those that have been historically impacted by pollution and environmental degradation.
While the finalized contracts mark a major achievement, the state’s work is far from over. The completion of these 23 projects is just one piece of the puzzle in New York’s broader strategy to decarbonize its energy system. To meet its ambitious targets under the CLCPA, New York will need to continue investing in renewable energy, energy storage, grid modernization, and energy efficiency programs.
As New York moves forward with its clean energy transition, and as BOEM receives wind power lease requests in the Northeast, the state will likely continue to explore new technologies and innovative solutions to meet the growing demand for renewable energy. The success of the 23 finalized contracts serves as a reminder of the state’s leadership in the clean energy space and its ongoing efforts to create a sustainable, low-carbon future for all New Yorkers.
New York’s decision to finalize contracts with 23 renewable energy projects totaling 2.3 gigawatts represents a bold step toward meeting the state’s clean energy and climate goals. These projects, which include a mix of wind, solar, and energy storage, will contribute significantly to reducing the state’s reliance on fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. With the additional benefits of job creation and economic growth, this move positions New York as a leader in the nation’s transition to renewable energy and a sustainable future.
