Green, ethical, energy issues in the news

Martyn1981

Nice to see that Spain is still progressing well with the shift to RE leccy.

One year after Spain’s blackout, its shift to renewables and grid evolution power on

Though solar was initially incorrectly blamed for crisis, renewables have helped insulate Spain from gas price rises caused by war in Middle East

And while some might have expected the blackout to lead to a move away from renewables, it is clear the opposite has occurred. A year on, there is no material reduction in Spain’s efforts towards the replacement of its coal and gas-fired power stations with non-fossil alternatives. According to data from global energy thinktank Ember, Spain added 13.8 gigawatts of new solar in 2025, compared with 12.3 gigawatts in 2024, and the country’s highest-ever month of capacity additions was July 2025.

One of the reasons voltage oscillated outside normal bounds this time last year was because Spain’s grid operator has traditionally limited the capacity for wind and solar generation to contribute to voltage control. Fakir pointed out this has very recently changed, with renewable technologies providing voltage compensation services since April. She added that “it is unfortunate that a blackout had to occur to change regulation and allow renewables to control grid voltage”.

Martyn1981

Meant to post this, but clearly forgot - Comments and thoughts from the IEA chief about the current crisis and the UK's energy strategy.

‘The damage is done’: global oil crisis has changed fossil fuel industry for ever, IEA chief says

The oil crisis triggered by the Iran war has changed the fossil fuel industry for ever, turning countries away from fossil fuels to secure energy supplies, the world’s leading energy economist said.

Fatih Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), also said that, despite pressure, the UK should forgo much of its potential North Sea expansion.

Speaking exclusively to the Guardian, Birol said a key effect of the US-Israel war on Iran was that countries would lose trust in fossil fuels and demand for them would reduce.

“Their perception of risk and reliability will change. Governments will review their energy strategies. There will be a significant boost to renewables and nuclear power and a further shift towards a more electrified future,” he said. “And this will cut into the main markets for oil.”

“We are delighted that the world’s leading energy economist has reiterated his endorsement of a fair and managed transition in the North Sea,” said a Labour source.

Experts and campaigners said the views of the IEA chief should be heeded. Ed Matthew, the UK director of the thinktank E3G, said: “Birol is simply reflecting what every sane, independent energy analyst can see. The UK’s fossil fuel reserves have been depleted by 90% and will do nothing to bring down bills.

He added: “The only effective path to energy and economic security is homegrown clean energy. All political parties should now be uniting around that mission. Their failure to do so tells you a lot about whose interests they truly represent.”

Martyn1981

This is good news, as the first climate talks to discuss FF phaseout end. As the article mentions, most talks are troubled, complicated, or virtually blocked by FF interests. So why not start your own club and work around the blockers. Good idea, and a well needed approach to get things moving faster, though the journey is still going to be long and bumpy.

‘Historic breakthrough’: Colombia climate talks end with hopes raised for fossil fuel phaseout

Governments have been asked to develop national “roadmaps” setting out how they will end the production and use of fossil fuels, after a landmark climate meeting involving nearly 60 countries.

The voluntary plans will form the bedrock of a new initiative to wean the world off coal, oil and gas, the focus of two days of intensive talks in Colombia this week.

The approach marks a departure from the annual UN climate negotiations, which have run for more than three decades even as greenhouse gas emissions have continued to rise. Most of the world’s biggest emitters are absent from the group of 59 signatories, though other countries are being invited to join.

Irene Vélez Torres, Colombia’s environment minister and chair of the talks, said: “We decided not to resign ourselves to an economy built on the destruction of life. We decided that the transition away from fossil fuels could no longer remain a slogan but must become a concrete, political and collective endeavour.

With the US, China, India, Russia and petrostates such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates absent, attendance was limited to countries willing to commit to a phaseout. This “coalition of the willing” represents more than half of global GDP, nearly a third of energy demand and a fifth of fossil fuel supply.

The Santa Marta conference was prompted by frustration with the UN climate summits, where consensus rules have often allowed fossil fuel interests to block direct discussion of the need to phase out coal, oil and gas. However, participating governments have said they will work closely within the UN system to help bring about global progress on the climate at the Cop31 UN climate conference in November.

QrizB

I daren't share this over on the main Energy forum, but Cory Doctorow has an article on how politics is driving the green revolution:

https://www.thenerve.news/p/cory-doctorow-column-enshittification-trump-cleantech-green-revolution-pakistan

(Some of this material has been published by him before, in similar articles for other outlets.)

Netexporter

I was saying similar, the other day. He's woken the world up to what a crock of poo fossil fuels are, in terms of energy security. Nobody can switch your sun and wind off. And you can't make fuel for your ICE car at home.

Reed_Richards

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81988188#Comment_81988188

By all accounts, a nuclear war could switch my sun off very effectively.

QrizB

By all accounts, a nuclear war could switch my sun off very effectively.

That might also put a bit of a crimp in the supply of petroleum, unless you live near Wych Farm and have a nodding donkey in your back garden.

silverwhistle

I daren't share this over on the main Energy forum,

Why is that? /she asked, innocently/..

greenbee

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81988188#Comment_81988188

When the electrician came to move my inverter and batteries the other day he said the same - he’s never been so busy, and every time Trump opens his mouth he gets more calls.

QrizB

Here's a recent Carbon Brief article:

https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-wind-and-solar-have-saved-uk-from-gas-imports-worth-1-7bn-since-iran-war-began/

As well as the headline £1.7bn saving on gas that you can see in the link above, it also points out that:

wind and solar have generated more electricity than fossil fuels for a record 15 months in a row

... which seems quite significant.