Interconnectors, European Electricity and Brexit

The recently powered-up IFA-2 is the product of a £700 million shared investment between the National Grid and the French power firm Réseau de Transport d’Électricité (RTE).  IFA-2 physically connects the UK and France’s electricity systems, giving Britain access to France’s nuclear and renewable energy and vice versa. With a 1 gigawatt (GW) capacity and as the UK’s sixth operational…

Ireland Looking to Export Offshore Hydrogen in the Future

Ireland faces an uncertain future: international tax regulations are to change affecting our corporate tax take, COVID-19 has transformed how we live and work, Brexit creates challenging uncertainties for trade, and climate change will transform our world. There is however an opportunity emerging that will give Ireland control over its destiny creating long-term jobs, a…

UK’s energy price cap predicted to rise by at least £66/year

Robert Buckley, head of relationship development at Cornwall Insight, said: “Cornwall Insight modelling suggests it now looks likely that we will see a substantial rise in the summer energy price cap period, completely reversing the fall that was seen in October. This increase was driven mainly by a rebound in the wholesale cost of energy over the latter…

It’s Official: In 2020, Renewable Energy Beat Fossil Fuels Across Europe

The results are in: last year, for the first time, renewables generated more electricity than fossil fuels across the EU, spurred on by new solar and wind power projects. Over the 12 months, renewable sources generated 38% of Europe’s electricity, while 37% came from fossil fuels. Investment in wind and solar power was the chief…

West coast islands to join forces to generate offshore wind energy

Island communities off the west coast are to join forces with a view to generating offshore wind energy tied into hydrogen fuel production through a new network of local energy co-ops. Five island communities, on Valentia, Achill, Arranmore, Aran and Rathlin, have come together to co-ordinate efforts on deploying floating wind turbines combined with green hydrogen…

The UK’s evolving post-Brexit energy needs

Now that the UK has formally exited the transition period for leaving the EU, policy makers must contend with not only a pandemic, but the UK’s strategy for sourcing energy sustainably in the coming decades. Previous governments had the luxury of North Sea oil and gas, but now governments of the future must face up…