Business

Variable pricing reduces variability of wind output

By pricing the value of wind energy according to when it is needed most, markets stimulate the development and sale of wind turbines configured to generate output over longer periods in lower winds, reducing the variability of their production

FORESIGHT Climate & Energy Business Summer / Autumn 2017

Using less energy to create each unit of economic wealth is one of the fastest and cheapest ways of bringing down CO2 emissions. For every dollar invested in energy-saving technology the return is two to four dollars. Yet the rich rewards of energy efficiency remain a largely hidden opportunity. The current issue of FORESIGHT Climate & Energy Business takes a good hard look at why investment in energy efficiency is such a hard sell and what needs to be done to unleash the enormous potential of a global business sector just waiting for take-off. FORESIGHT uncovers the way forward. Experience the new magazine of record for international energy professionals.

We face a fundamental change of the cost structure on the supply side and a need for a fundamental change.

Jochen Kreusel

- Market innovation manager in the power grids division at ABB Power

They [the European Commission] are looking at this stuff backwards. I still think they are convinced the short-term market model could work even though they are also starting to realise that you need something parallel, with long term price signals that give investors confidence to invest in infrastructure and allow them to see a decent market return.

Francesco Venturini

- Global head of renewables for Italian utility Enel

Despite tremendous cost decline of wind and solar technologies, electricity prices will probably remain too low to attract the level of investment needed.

Fatih Birol

- Executive director of the International Energy Agency

The greatest barrier to overcome is the integration of variable renewables into electricity systems. This will require developing power system flexibility and also a friendly deployment of variable renewables.

Fatih Birol

- Executive director of the International Energy Agency

Knowledge

Homes wanted for power hungry data centres

Countries with cool climates and reliable supplies of green electricity are favoured locations for these beating hearts of the digital age

Energy efficiency, Transition

Spending pennies to save pounds

The payback period for energy saving investments can be painfully long and the risk of no payback frighteningly big. There are ways to tear down both barriers. Energy efficiency part 1/5

clean transport, electricity, Energy, Energy Efficiency, energy performance, energy savings, energy security, investments, Renewable Energy, smart energy

Energy efficiency, Transition

Scandinavia shows the way for clean transport

Norway has the world's highest proportion of EV owners and Denmark is electrifying ship propulsion. It is time to change the way electricity is billed for. Energy efficiency part 2/5

Energy efficiency, Transition

In the hands of engineers

Better engineering everywhere can cut industrial energy use in all applications. Energy efficiency part 3/5

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Thu. Jan 1, 1970

Energy efficiency, Transition

A path to growth and welfare

Companies are not investing enough in energy efficiency in order to reap its benefits. This is the economic oddity of energy efficiency, says Brian Motherway, head of energy efficiency at International Energy Agency. Energy efficiency part 4/5

Energy efficiency, Transition