The Jolt: A taste of e-fuel

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Introducing The Jolt, a new series from FORESIGHT Climate & Energy, which will keep you updated on all the essential energy transition stories

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Welcome to today’s episode of The Jolt by FORESIGHT Climate & Energy. In a world underpinned by climate and energy stories, it is sometimes hard to cut through the cacophony of noise and get to the news you need to hear.

This is where The Jolt comes in. Tune in on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for bite-sized updates, expert analysis and a global view.

We kick off with a look at the major global climate and energy news stories.

Here are some of the main climate and energy stories making the news around the world:

• China and the United States agree to back a pledge to triple renewable energy rollout by 2030 and to include all greenhouse gases in their future climate plans. The breakthrough comes just two weeks ahead of the start of COP28.
• Developed countries may have achieved their goal of providing $100 billion in climate financing to developing nations, according to preliminary OECD data for 2022. However, the target was supposed to be met in 2020.
• UK offshore wind subsidies have been reformed in order to avoid a repeat of a failed auction in September that drew no bids. The maximum strike price has been increased for offshore wind, floating offshore and solar power by an average of 50%. Check out this explainer on Contracts for Difference to understand better how the scheme works.
• Sweden will build two new nuclear reactors by 2035, the government announced. Public money will be put on the table but the private sector is still expected to do the heavy lifting.
• Norway and Belgium are looking into linking their electricity grids with an undersea cable. The project would also be hooked up to Norwegian wind farms. Belgium is already planning a similar link with Denmark.
• African electricity regulators met in Kenya for talks on how to boost renewable energy. Officials from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana, Namibia and South Africa gathered in Nairobi to share ideas and plot a course towards more green power. 
• All healthcare facilities in poorer countries could be run on solar power and it would only cost $5 billion to fund it, according to the World Health Organisation. The UN body will present its findings at COP28 next month.
• Jordan will not ratify a water and energy agreement that it brokered with Israel. Jordan’s foreign minister says that the deal is now off the table because of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
• And the United Arab Emirates has inaugurated one of the largest solar power plants in the world. Covering more than 20 square kilometres and capable of generating two gigawatts of power, the plant is equipped with panels that rotate to follow the sun and robots that remove sand blown in from the desert.

• Electricity can be used to produce molecules like hydrogen, which can then be used to decarbonise sectors where direct electrification struggles. These power-to-X processes promise much but are complicated to understand.
• FORESIGHT Climate & Energy’s latest magazine zeroes in on power-to-X and looks at how it can be used in the energy transition, which sectors are in pole position to benefit and what hurdles stand in the way.

“Lots of people say it’s a silver bullet that can be applied really easily. That’s not the case”

• FORESIGHT Editor-in-Chief David Weston says there are many conversations to be had about where to deploy power-to-X (and also where not to deploy it). The magazine aims to shed some light on those debates.
• The magazine articles will appear on the FORESIGHT website over the next couple of weeks and a digital copy of the edition will be available on November 20th. Members will receive their print copy soon.

While you’re here, check out the latest episode of the Policy Dispatch as well as our new deep dive on e-fuels and a look at the complex world of electrolysers, 

We want The Jolt to be as listener-driven as possible! Get in touch with us about what you like, what you don’t like and what you’d like to see in future episodes. All feedback is appreciated so don’t be shy.

Email us at thejolt@foresightdk.com

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Sam Morgan LinkedIn / Twitter