<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/30/eu-fossil-fuel-burning-for-electricity-fell-to-lowest-on-record-in-2023-data-shows>
"The European Union is stoking its power plants with fewer lumps of coal and
barrels of oil and gas than it has ever recorded, data shows.
The 27 member states burned 17% less fossil fuel to make electricity between
January and June 2023 than over the same period the year before, a study from
the clean energy thinktank Ember found. The EU made 410TWh of electricity from
sources that release planet-heating gases, which analysts say is the lowest
level since 2015 – the first year for which they have monthly data – and “very
likely” since 2000.
The drop in fossil fuel generation was driven by a fall in demand for
electricity, as well as some growth in clean power, the study found.
“We’re glad to see fossil fuels down, but in the long-term it is not going to
be sustainable to rely on the fall in demand to do this,” said Matt Ewen, a
data analyst at Ember and author of the report. “We have to be replacing this
energy rather than just expecting it to go away and not be used.”
To try to stop the planet heating, the EU has promised to cut greenhouse gas
pollution by at least 55% from 1990 levels by the end of the decade, and hit
net zero emissions by 2050. To get there, it will probably have to use less
energy but more electricity than it does today, as more people heat homes and
drive cars with electricity instead of fossil fuels.
The report found that fossil generation in the first half of 2023 fell more
than 20% in 11 EU countries and more than 30% in five of them. Fourteen
countries saw their lowest total fossil generation on record for the period. In
seven countries – Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Poland
and Slovenia – fossil fuel burning hit its lowest levels this century.
The findings back up analysis in June from the Centre for Research on Energy
and Clean Air (CREA), a nonprofit research organisation, which showed “a clear
shift away from fossil fuel-based power generation in the EU”.
But even as high energy prices have brought down demand, “the EU’s reliance on
fossil fuels persists”, said Petras Katinas, an energy analyst at CREA and
co-author of the report."
Via
Future Crunch:
<
https://futurecrunch.com/good-news-abortion-mexico-vaccine-indonesia-conservation-alaska/>
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
