Energy poverty on the rise in Europe

According to Eurostat, the energy crisis triggered by Russia's war in Ukraine is affecting EU citizens: 9.3% of the population will be unable to heat their homes adequately in 2022, up from 6.9% the previous year. The third annual conference of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held on 19 July discussed the topic and possible new actions by the European Union to tackle energy poverty and protect its vulnerable citizens.

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EU starts decisive talks on disputed nature restoration law

During the month of July, EU negotiators met to finalise the details of the contested legislation on nature restoration, after the proposal won victory in the European Parliament at the beginning of the month. The law aims to restore ecosystems to combat climate change and biodiversity loss and reduce risks to food security.

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Ireland enhances its support to solar power projects

The Irish government has decided to improve support for companies switching to solar energy by opening up the current subsidy programme for photovoltaic installations to a wider range of businesses. The approved changes opened funding to larger projects, ranging from 6 kilowatt peak (kWp) to 1,000 kWp. These could reduce the payback time to as little as five years, and help Ireland achieve its target of obtaining 80% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, thus doubling its 2020 production.

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Italy targets EUR 19 billion of EU post-COVID funds for energy investments

Italian government declared the intention to use EU funds to finance an investment programme worth around €19 billion to strengthen electricity and gas networks and green the economy. The goal is to present a revised post-COVID recovery plan to the EU authorities next month and resolve delays in spending the funds already received and meeting policy targets, which lead to new payments.

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26 January declared by the UN as International Day for Clean Energy

On 25 August, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a resolution proclaiming the 26 January as the International Day of Clean Energy, the anniversary day of the founding of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in 2009. By selecting the 26 January, the 193 Member States of the UNGA acknowledge IRENA’s leading role in accelerating the global, renewables-based energy transition.

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Interconnected Power Systems of Tomorrow: Unlocking Potential through Cross-Border Collaboration

Integrating power systems at a regional scale can bring many benefits, such as enhancing energy security and facilitating wider access to clean and affordable electricity. Connecting power systems together means a larger range of generation capacity can be used to meet demand and maintain a stable frequency. This decreases dependence on specific generators and allows for reserves to be shared, boosting the resilience of the broader system.

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In 2023 US power system gets gasier, but not much cleaner

U.S. power producers increased output of electricity from natural gas by more than from clean power sources in the opening eight months of 2023, as electricity firms grappled with low wind speeds and heavy demand from power-hungry air conditioners. Total power generation across the lower 48 states through Aug. 20, 2023 declined by 2.1% from the same period in 2022, data compiled by Refinitiv shows. But generation from natural gas climbed by over 10%, widening gas' lead as the country's main source of electricity. The share of power generated from gas averaged 40.4% through mid-August, up from under 36% in the same period in 2022.

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Empowering local communities in rural Malaysia to develop and maintain renewable energy

The SARES initiative initiated by the government of Sarawak, a Malaysian state in the eastern part of the country aims to electrify rural areas with renewable energy by engaging local communities. According to a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) titled Socio-economic footprint of the energy transition: Southeast Asia, the success of a just and inclusive energy transition in the region depends on how local workforces are empowered to actively participate in the decarbonisation of the economy.

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