2011 was a stable year for the offshore wind industry with 235 new offshore wind turbines grid connected, worth approximately Eur2.4 billion. The European Wind Energy Association’s offshore wind statistics for 2011 show that 235 new turbines with a total power capacity of 866 Megawatts (MW) were fully grid connected across nine offshore wind farms. … Read more
Over 141 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy capacity is built, under construction, consented, or planned in Europe – enough to power 130 million average EU households. These wind farms – representing 35 times more capacity than the just under 4 GW installed today – would provide 13.1% of Europe’s total electricity production. The European … Read more
The European Parliament’s influential Industry Committee (ITRE) has voted to call on the European Commission to “analyse and if appropriate to increase the legally binding renewable energy target beyond.” This is the latest signal that European Union policy makers are seriously considering extending renewable energy targets beyond 2020. Recently Commissioner Connie Hedegaard told The Guardian … Read more
The European Commission has presented a new strategy to protect and improve the state of Europe’s biodiversity over the next decade. The strategy includes six targets which address the main drivers of biodiversity loss, and which will reduce the main pressures on nature and ecosystem services in the EU by anchoring biodiversity objectives in key sectoral … Read more
The economic crisis, the evolving EU policy context and recent developments in technology require new approaches to domestic energy policy, according to a new report – A Review of Irish Energy Policy – by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). While the objectives of policy remain the enhancement of competitiveness, ensuring a secure energy … Read more
Waste generated by European industries and consumers is increasingly being reprocessed into secondary raw materials and new products instead of being buried in landfills. However, in the past there has been a lack of clear criteria determining when a material recovered from waste ceases to be waste and can be dealt with as other products … Read more
The European Council has approved the first CO2 emission standards for small vans in the EU. The law introduces a limit of 175g CO2/km for the average CO2 emissions from light commercial vehicles registered in the EU. It will apply to small vans of average mass while specific targets for individual vehicles will vary according … Read more
The EU must adopt a binding renewable energy target for 2030 to secure long-term investment in renewable energy, according to the European Wind Energy Association. “The wind industry expects to invest some Eur400 billion in Europe between now and 2030,” says Arthouros Zervos, president of the European Wind Energy Association. “To do so it needs … Read more
To guarantee precise spending of EU research funds to help achieve the EU 2020 objectives in terms of wind energy production, 140 stakeholders have been selected as members of the EU’s Technology Platform for Wind Energy, supported by the European Commission and the 27 EU Member States. The General Assembly of the Technology Platform (TPWind) … Read more
The European Parliament wants tighter rules for the EU’s growing output of waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE), while cutting red tape for companies. MEPs have proposed new targets for collecting, recycling and re-using waste. They also recommended tougher measures to prevent the export of e-waste to developing countries, where it can pose a health … Read more