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Europe Plans New Power Grid to Boost Green Energy


01/05/2010

Read More: http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,670158,00.html

Nine countries in northern Europe are hoping to boost renewable energies by creating a new grid to balance out weather-related fluctuations, according to a German newspaper report. The €30 billion project is urgently needed to help boost green power and combat climate change.

- The cables will transport energy generated by wind power, tidal power and solar power and thereby form a basis for the continued expansion of renewable energy to help combat climate change, the newspaper reported, citing government sources.

- Under the plan, the cables will distribute wind power across large parts of Europe within 10 years. The aim is to link up offshore wind farms along the coasts of Germany and the UK with Norwegian hydroelectric power stations, tidal power stations on the Belgian and Danish coasts and wind and solar power systems on the European mainland.

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Come sun, rain, or high wind: Europe could create a 100% renewable electricity supply by 2050


29 Mar 2010

Read More: http://www.ukmediacentre.pwc.com/News-Releases/Come-sun-rain-or-high-wind-Europe-could-create-a-100-renewable-electricity-supply-by-2050-e5e.aspx

A new study, released this week, demonstrates how the opportunity exists to power Europe and North Africa exclusively by renewable electricity by 2050, if this is supported by a single European power market united with a similar market in North Africa. The study, by international energy and climate experts from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in collaboration with researchers of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and the European Climate Forum (ECF) has formulated the first policy roadmap towards a 2050 goal of achieving a 100% renewable power sector in Europe and North Africa.

A transformation of the power sector based on 100% renewables would address energy security and supply concerns while decarbonising electricity generation and at the same time contribute to a substantial reduction in energy poverty. Taking into account existing infrastructure and electricity generation capacities, and recognising the need for a cross-national power system, the proposed SuperSmart Grid would allow load and demand management for power, independent of when and where the power is generated. Making the most of natural resources and established weather patterns it would incorporate:

* The vast concentrating solar potential of southern Europe and the arid deserts of North Africa

* The hydro capability of Scandinavia and the European alps

* Onshore and offshore wind farms in the Baltic and North Sea

* The continent’s ocean tidal and wave power

* Biomass generation across Europe

The researchers studied the policy, markets, investments and infrastructure leadership needed to achieve the 100% renewables goal in terms of financial, infrastructure and government policy milestones for policy makers and business.

The study focused the examination on a 100% renewable electricity supply to consider the market and infrastructure potential of natural resources, but recognised that in addition to renewables, there are other routes to achieving a low carbon future. Amongst the most significant, the expansion of nuclear power and the development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) for the burning of fossil fuels.