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Power generation

Head and shoulders photo of Emma Bridge standing in front of green conifers and leafy trees

31/7/2024 Comment / Emma Bridge

Community energy comes first in Labour’s plans for publicly-owned organisations

The new UK government’s flagship climate policy is to establish Great British Energy, a publicly-owned clean power company with a remit to accelerate investment in renewable energy. According to Labour’s Clean Energy Mission document, GB Energy’s first major programme will be to ‘build cheaper, cleaner power in cities, towns and villages across the country’. Community energy is set to have a major role in delivering on this agenda, writes Emma Bridge, Chief Executive of Community Energy England.

Electricity

Graphic of solar panel, wind turbine and pylon

19/4/2023 News

Wind and solar reach a record 12% of global electricity in 2022

The carbon intensity of the global electricity sector reached its lowest recorded level last year following continued growth in wind and solar generated power, further fuelling hopes that emissions from power generation may have peaked, according to a new report from think tank Ember.

Energy policy

Aerial view of concentrated solar project in the desert

18/3/2026 News

China’s next five-year plan backs clean energy but leaves emissions targets unclear, says CREA

China has released the draft outline of its 15th Five-Year Plan, setting out the country’s economic, energy and climate priorities for the period 2026–2030. The blueprint is broadly supportive of clean energy development, including a target to reduce CO₂ emissions per unit of GDP – carbon intensity – by 17% compared to 2005 levels between 2026–2030.

Grid management

Head and shoulders photo of Elena Pravettoni set against grey buff background

7/5/2025 Comment / Elena Pravettoni

The many benefits of demand flexibility

The ability of electricity consumers to reduce and/or time-shift their loads to fit in with local power grid constraints could reap considerable rewards, to both consumers and grid operators. It is time demand-side flexibility was used to the full, writes Elena Pravettoni, Head of Analysis at the Energy Transitions Commission.

Nuclear

11/12/2024 Comment / Zara Hodgson

How nuclear and renewable energy could work together in the UK

Nuclear reactors could generate useful heat and produce green hydrogen as well as electricity – and thus play a major role in decarbonisation efforts – if the role of civil nuclear power in the energy mix could be reconsidered. Professor Zara Hodgson, Director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute at the University of Manchester, explains how.

Power generation

Head and shoulders photo of man with shoreline with houses, and water and small boats behind

28/5/2025 Comment / Rob Grimmond

How islands can escape diesel dependency

Connecting the often unstable and diesel generator-dominated power systems to larger power grids that contain a diversity of generation technologies offers island communities multiple benefits. So argues Rob Grimmond, Managing Director of contractor Offshore Marine Subsea International (OMSI).

Renewables

16/10/2024 News

Renewables on course to meet half of global electricity demand by 2030

Renewables are expected to meet nearly half of global demand for power by 2030, according to the latest analysis from the International Energy Agency (IEA), with more than 5,500 GW of new renewable energy capacity forecast to be installed worldwide between now and then. Two significant renewable projects, in Estonia and Australia, demonstrate how low-carbon ambitions are being made real.

CCUS

26/4/2023 News

CCUS to play key role in Australia’s decarbonisation

Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) has a vital role to play in Australia’s goal to reach net zero by 2050 according to several recent reports. Meanwhile, new emissions legislation may trigger a spike in carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects in the country, according to new analysis.

Energy markets

Row of solar panels with three wind turbines behind

2/4/2025 News

Record expansion in renewables helped meet a surge in global energy demand in 2024

The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) latest global energy review highlights a surge in global energy demand in 2024, primarily driven by increased electricity consumption. Renewables and natural gas met most of the demand, with solar and wind power generation setting new records. Meanwhile, recent analysis by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) also shows record renewable capacity expansion last year. However, it warns that additions fell short of what is needed to align with the global goal to triple installed renewable energy capacity by 2030.