The Energy Transition Blog

Is Trump making nuclear great again? | EnergyTransition.org No recent US administration has gone as far as the current one in trying to put the US nuclear sector back on its feet again. President Trump has made nuclear energy a top priority and pursued an…

⚡ No recent US administration has pushed as hard to revive the nuclear sector.
Under Donald Trump, advanced reactors and domestic fuel supply are top priorities.
💰But even billions in subsidies are unlikely to revive the moribund industry. Paul Hockenos reports 👇 energytransition.org/2026/02/is-t...

Heat pumps: phases of transition differ strongly among countries in Europe | EnergyTransition.org There are good reasons to wish for a future with more heat pumps: less fossil gas in the heating sector and therefore less methane leakage and less CO2 and NOx emissions; lower costs for households…

⚡ Heat pumps cut fossil gas use, CO₂ and NOx – and can lower costs and boost energy independence, especially with more renewables.
🌍 Let’s take a virtual trip to Sweden, France and Germany to explore why their timelines differ so much. Andreas Baeumer reports 👇 energytransition.org/2026/02/heat...

The EU can do: The Emissions Trading System is a slam dunk | EnergyTransition.org With all of the grim news coming from the US and other places where climate protection is on a backfoot, it’s heartening to cast a glance at the EU’s Emissions Trading System, or EU ETS.

⚡ With grim climate news from the US and elsewhere, it’s heartening to look at the EU #ETS.
Paul Hockenos reports how this once-doubted carbon market is now the EU’s most potent tool against emissions. Worth a read 👇 energytransition.org/2026/01/the-...

An EU roadmap to phase out fossil fuels | EnergyTransition.org This year’s climate summit in Belem did not deliver necessary progress to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C. Similarly, the EU’s contribution to the needed global emissions reductions by 2035 are not at...

⚡ Belem’s climate summit fell short of the 1.5°C goal – and so did the EU’s 2035 emissions plans. The EU can lead by delivering its own fossil-fuel phaseout roadmap, matching what it pushed for in the #COP30 text. Wendel Trio reports 👇 energytransition.org/2025/12/an-e...

The Trump administration’s all-out war on climate protection | EnergyTransition.org The Trump government has taken a battleaxe to US climate programmes and yanked the country out of international climate diplomacy. By dismantling agencies and budgets, it undermines the US’s capacity…

⚡The Trump government has taken a battleaxe to US climate programmes and yanked the country out of international climate diplomacy. A future Democratic administration will need consecutive terms in office to reverse the carnage. Paul Hockenos reports 👇 energytransition.org/2025/11/the-...

Agrivoltaics: double the farming on a global scale | EnergyTransition.org As the world looks for ways to produce more with less, agrivoltaics offers a fresh approach: combining solar panels and agriculture on the same land. By generating renewable energy while supporting…

⚡As the world seeks to do more with less, #agrivoltaics pairs solar panels with farming on the same land. It produces clean energy and supports crops and livestock – all while building climate resilience. Read Lisa Sandtner’s article on how to “farm the sun” 👇 energytransition.org/2025/10/agri...

Electricity prices must fall! | EnergyTransition.org Levies, charges, and taxes make electricity expensive – and hinder the switch to the climate-friendly, electricity-based alternatives that we urgently need. Yet many companies and consumers have long…

⚡Levies, charges and taxes make electricity costly – blocking the switch to climate-friendly, electricity-based alternatives. Tech’s ready, industry’s waiting, but Katherina Reiche's reckless wrong-way drive continues unabated. @janalbrecht.bsky.social reports 👇 energytransition.org/2025/10/elec...

Ariadne’s string goes electric: a new interconnection between Crete and mainland Greece drives the energy transition | EnergyTransition.org The electrical interconnection between Crete and mainland Greece was completed and has been in operation since May 2025. The completion of this infrastructure project is a big step in Greece’s energy…

⚡The electrical interconnection between Crete and the mainland has been complemented and operating since May 2025. This project unlocks Crete’s vast wind and solar potential and enables the shutdown of old polluting plants. Daniel Argyropoulos reports 👇 energytransition.org/2025/09/aria...

Community energy, the Cinderella of net zero | EnergyTransition.org The UK government says it wants more community energy projects. But the complexity of applying for funding and the lack of a guaranteed return have stymied progress. Ros Taylor reports.

⚡The UK government says it wants more community energy projects. But the complexity of applying for funding and the lack of a guaranteed return have stymied progress. @rostaylor.bsky.social reports 👇 energytransition.org/2025/09/comm...
@ashden-org.bsky.social

Nowhere does new nuclear make less sense than Ukraine | EnergyTransition.org Nuclear installations undermine Ukraine’s security because it is particularly vulnerable to drone and artillery attacks. Yet Kyiv wants more of it, despite the fact that so much speaks for renewables…

⚡Nuclear plants undermine Ukraine’s security as they remain vulnerable to drone and artillery attacks. Yet Kyiv wants more of it, despite the fact that so much speaks for renewables to replace damaged conventional energy facilities. Paul Hockenos reports 👇 energytransition.org/2025/08/nowh...

Fair network charges and flexible demand: cutting the cost of the energy transition | EnergyTransition.org As Europe’s energy system shifts from fossil fuels to decentralised renewable energies, one challenge is coming into focus: how can the rising costs of expanding and modernising the electricity grids…

⚡ As Europe shifts to decentralised renewables, a key challenge arises: how to fairly fund the rising costs of modernising electricity grids. Sinéad Thielen explores how tariff structures can support a fair, flexible system while protecting vulnerable consumers 👇 energytransition.org/2025/08/fair...

Do Britain’s pylon-haters have the power to stop them? This time, probably not | EnergyTransition.org The British hate ugly energy infrastructure and have got used to blocking projects they don’t like – but they will have to accept more power lines, writes Ros Taylor. Not everyone hates pylons.

⚡ The UK needs more pylons to power its green future, but not everyone’s happy about the view. Can local anger stop the rollout – or is it already too late? @rostaylor.bsky.social reports 👇 energytransition.org/2025/07/do-b...
@zorasiebert.bsky.social @nationalgrid.bsky.social @boelleu.bsky.social

Denmark’s giant heat pump will heat 25,000 homes – with seawater | EnergyTransition.org Most observers think of heat pumps as small-scale heating systems for houses, businesses and apartment buildings. But XXL heat pumps are already in service and doing the same job for whole city…

⚡Heat pumps aren’t just for homes anymore. A new wave of XXL systems is heating entire city districts in 🇩🇰 and 🇩🇪
If these large-scale systems prove effective, they could play a critical role in decarbonizing our societies and economies.
Paul Hockenos reports 👇 energytransition.org/2025/06/denm...

Community-owned renewables now span all of Europe | EnergyTransition.org In 2019, the EU set into motion dedicated legislation to expand renewable energy communities (RECs) where they already exist, and enable citizen energy in countries – mostly eastern and southern…

⚡ In 2019, the EU launched legislation to grow RECs and bring citizen-led energy to new regions. All member states have acted – with mixed results. As the European Energy Communities Forum kicks off in Kraków, Paul Hockenos assesses the progress and hurdles ➡️ energytransition.org/2025/05/comm...

Solar farms on rewetted peatlands – a double benefit for the climate? | EnergyTransition.org Peatlands[1] account for 3% of the world’s land surface. As long as they are intact, they store large quantities of carbon dioxide (CO₂), one of the greenhouse gases (GHG) accelerating climate change.

⚡ Solar farms on rewetted peatlands? This unlikely combination could offer a powerful double win for climate and land use - by turning degraded land into carbon sinks and clean energy sources. Lisa Sandtner reports 👇 energytransition.org/2025/05/sola...

Is the EU still transitioning to renewable energy? | EnergyTransition.org The EU promised a renewable energy future – but is it still on track? As political shifts, policy delays and legal battles unfold, the energy transition faces new hurdles. Are we still moving forward…

⚡ The EU promised a renewable energy future – but is it still on track? As political shifts and legal battles unfold, the #energytransition faces new hurdles. Are we still moving forward, or is Europe starting to backpedal? @sedenanlar.bsky.social reports 👇
energytransition.org/2025/04/is-t...

New German coalition puts climate protection on back burner | EnergyTransition.org On 9 April 2025, Germany’s incoming government of Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and Social Democrats (SPD) concluded a governing ‘contract’ that paves the way for the partners to take office in May.

⚡ Germany’s incoming government has finalized its coalition agreement. Throughout the campaign, Merz made it clear that climate protection wouldn't be a top priority. So what’s actually in the final agreement when it comes to climate? Paul Hockenos reports 👇 energytransition.org/2025/04/new-...

EU’s Clean Industrial Deal: what next for Europe’s energy transition? | EnergyTransition.org The European Commission has unveiled its new strategy to make EU industries more competitive with cheap energy. Does this mean the bloc will go full speed ahead in terms of building more wind farms…

⚡ Will the EU go full speed ahead in terms of building more wind farms and solar power plants? Jörg Mühlenhoff looks into what the details of the #CleanIndustrialDeal mean for Europe’s #energytransition 👉 energytransition.org/2025/03/eus-...

Germany’s new government can’t just walk away from climate protection | EnergyTransition.org Since 2019, Germany’s Climate Protection Act has had aimed to reduce Germany’s carbon emissions to zero by 2045. The incoming new government has to adhere to this law. Will it though? The topic of the...

⚡ Since 2019, Germany’s Climate Protection Act has had aimed to reduce Germany’s carbon emissions to zero by 2045. The incoming new government has to adhere to this law. Will it though? Paul Hockenos reports 👇 energytransition.org/2025/03/germ...

Stopping Russian aggression means rejecting its fossil fuel exports – and, ultimately, switching to renewables | EnergyTransition.org Three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Paul Hockenos compares the efforts of the EU and the US in view of weaning from Russian fossil fuels. On the ground, Ukraine’s transition to…

⚡ Three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Paul Hockenos compares EU and US efforts to cut reliance on Russian fossil fuels. On the ground, Ukraine’s transition to distributed renewables already rhymes with resilience against the aggressor 👇 energytransition.org/2025/02/stop...

2025: finally a breakthrough for cross-border passenger rail in the EU? | EnergyTransition.org Boosting passenger train transport is key for reducing greenhouse gas emissions of transport and for accelerating Europe’s energy transition. Are EU railways on track? Establishing a fair picture of…

⚡ Boosting passenger train transport is key for reducing greenhouse gas emissions of transport and for accelerating Europe’s energy transition. Are EU railways on track? The answer depends — Do you see the train as half full or half empty? @jonworth.eu reports 👇 energytransition.org/2025/02/2025...

For climate protection, this Trump Presidency could be worse than the last | EnergyTransition.org On the campaign trail in 2024 and since the November election, former president Donald Trump has not let up in denying the tie between fossil-fuel use and global warming. His supporters include the…

⚡ Donald Trump has not let up in denying the tie between fossil-fuel use & global warming. His supporters include the world’s largest oil companies and they are expecting to be paid back. But it won’t happen on ‘day one,’ as he claims.
Paul Hockenos reports 👇 energytransition.org/2025/01/for-...

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