Germany stays on track
Germany is continuing with its nuclear phase-out, while pushing renewables strongly, despite recent policy changes
Thank you for registering with Physics World
If you'd like to change your details at any time, please visit My account
Dave Elliott is an emeritus professor of technology policy at the Open University, UK, where he has pioneered courses and research in renewable-energy policy and technological innovation. Since retirement he has devoted himself to teaching on a range of MSc courses on energy around the UK and writing books such as the IOP ebook Renewables: a Review of Sustainable Energy Supply Options. Dave is a physicist by training and worked for the UK Atomic Energy Authority before turning his attention to renewable energy. He blogs at renewnatta.wordpress.com, e-mail david.elliott@open.ac.uk
Germany is continuing with its nuclear phase-out, while pushing renewables strongly, despite recent policy changes
France has some quite ambitious renewable-energy targets, coupled with a partial nuclear phase-out policy, but progress has been a little patchy
While the EU ought to reach its target of getting 20% of its energy from renewables by 2020, the UK is having problems getting to its 15% by 2020 national target
Team from Stanford reckons 100% of all global energy can come from renewable sources (with biomass excluded) by 2050
The move away from feed-in tariffs could slow the push to renewables
Renewable subsidies are falling as the technology improves, some say too fast, risking a slowdown and the loss of the non-energy benefits that renewables offer
The stimulation of private sector investment, local economic development and employment are now the key focus in Africa
Nuclear plants cannot easily and safely be ramped up and down rapidly and regularly. So how can we balance variable outputs from renewables?
As we move away from large power plants, there will be problems with maintaining the stability of the electric grid
Some renewables are variable, so how do we account for the cost of balancing them?