Wind and solar produced more energy in the EU in May than all fossil fuels combined, as stated by energy think tank Ember. This is the first full month on record where wind and solar produced more power – generating almost a third of the EU’s electicity. Fossil fuels produced a record low of 27 per cent.
Continue reading “Wind and solar overtake fossil fuels in EU”Irish GHG emissions by sector
According to a new report from the Irish Central Statistics Office, agriculture accounted for 38% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, while households were the second largest emitters – responsible for more than a quarter of all emissions.
Continue reading “Irish GHG emissions by sector”Asia’s largest coal carbon capture plant
China Energy Investment Corporation has put online a carbon capture project at one of its thermal coal power plants which will be the biggest in Asia. The carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) facility at the Taizhou coal power plant will have an annual capacity to store 500,000 tons of carbon dioxide.
Continue reading “Asia’s largest coal carbon capture plant”Global carbon pricing raised record $95 bln
Countries raised a record $95 billion last year by charging firms for emitting carbon dioxide, but prices are still too low to drive changes needed to meet Paris climate accord targets, the World Bank said in a recent report.
Continue reading “Global carbon pricing raised record $95 bln”Global GHG tracking network
A hundred and ninety-three countries have unanimously approved the creation a a global greenhouse gas monitoring mechanism, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced on May 24th, 2023. The landmark decision happened as GHG concentrations are at record levels – “higher than at any time over the last 800,000 years”, warned WMO.
Continue reading “Global GHG tracking network”What is carbon capture?
To prevent catastrophic climate change scientists and governments are rushing to find ways to remove some of the carbon pollution from the air, and to capture what’s still being produced by power plants and industrial facilities.
Continue reading “What is carbon capture?”Irish offshore wind potential
At the European level, the general aim of the European Commission’s energy policy is to achieve carbon-neutrality by 2050. The energy sector is responsible for more than 75% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions which makes increasing the share of renewable energy a crucial element of achieving this goal in the future.
Continue reading “Irish offshore wind potential”The EU carbon border tax
The European Union has been ramping up its climate action efforts, adapting rapid pace in climate negotiations. Earlier this month, it voted to approve a deal to reform the EU’s carbon market to cut emissions by 62% from 2005 levels by 2030. This mechanism has helped reduce power plant and factory emissions by 43% since 2005 and will phase out free CO2 permits to factories by 2034.
Continue reading “The EU carbon border tax”Rewetting the bog
The company Bord na Mona is attempting to rehabilitate 33,000 hectares of Irish midlands bog in one of the largest environmental projects being undertaken in Europe. The company spent its first 80 years draining the bogs to extract peat. It will spend the next two decades rewetting them in an attempt to reverse the process.
Continue reading “Rewetting the bog”