Renew Extra Weekly

A lot has been said about the likely rise in energy demand as a consequence of the boom in use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems. For example, researchers from Bloomberg NEF say that surging demand for AI will see data centre power demand double by 2050,  whereas  the International Energy Agency say it will quadruple by 2030. However, a new report from Energy Intelligence claims that, while AI will contribute to rising energy consumption, especially in the short term as data centre usage surges, it is unlikely to trigger the dramatic global power demand spike some have predicted. It says it expects AI ‘to only moderately increase global electricity demand to 2050. AI hardware and software efficiencies, and the operational benefits AI will bring to the power sector, will in time offset some of the increased power demand required by AI as it rolls out’. So who is right?  Well, AI and data centre technology is changing fast, so it’s hard to say what exactly it’s ener...

In my last post, I looked at how, despite renewable expansion, emissions were still rising. I focussed mainly on coal , but clearly it’s wider than that: multi-billion fossil fuel investment continues. In this post I will look at what is arguably another big issue- the attempt, to rebrand nuclear as a solution.  Certainly some people in the UK and elsewhere think that there is a case for nuclear as part of a low carbon answer to climate change, although others do not agree . Even leaving aside the safety, security and waste issues, they say it’s too expensive and takes too long to build compared with renewables.   That debate continues, but in terms of what’s actually happening on the ground, the battle has arguably been won by renewables - they are expanding very rapidly around the world, leaving nuclear mostly stalled. Even China’s nuclear programme, currently at around 60 GW, is tiny compared with its renewables capacity, which hit 1.82 TW last year and is still expan...

93% of new global electricity generation capacity was from renewable energy last year, says IRENA . That sounds very impressive.  But, sadly, that’s only half the story. As the IEA noted,  global energy demand grew by 2.2% in 2024, led by the power sector with electricity demand surging by 4.3%, well above the 3.2% growth in global GDP, driven by record temperatures, higher electrification and increased digitalisation. Renewables met the largest share of the growth, but not all of it (fossil fuel use also expanded) and so renewable expansion was not enough to cut net new emissions.    So, we are running fast to not even stand still. That’s how French economist Fressoz sees it in his new book ‘More & More & More’. He says that renewables are just additive - fossil fuel growth just continues, feeding yet more demand. And on top of that, renewables use scarce materials, adding to eco-damage. So putting this all together, along with continued population growth, y...

Most energy scenarios assume the rapid expansion of renewables, but it is sometimes claimed that Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is also needed to get to Net Zero Carbon. There are many plans and expectations, but so far no CCS system has proved viable at scale, and, although some tests have been made e.g. of carbon storage , the full thing is still some way off, with plenty of teething problems .   Nevertheless, the UK has earmarked £22bn for CCS development- a major commitment.  That has not met with unalloyed support given that it is still all about using fossil fuel fossil and is an unproven technology with unknown costs . But, for good or ill,  NZT Power, off the NE coast of the UK, seems likely to be the world’s first full scale gas-fired power plant with carbon capture & storage. Its start-up is expected in 2028- though a rival project on the NW coast   is also now pushing ahead, with £2bn allocated. However, neither are done deals - there may yet ...

The Severn Estuary Commission led by Dr Andrew Garrad and backed by the Western Gateway Partnership, consulted over 200 local organisations about possible tidal projects in the area. It concluded that ‘a commercially viable lagoon should be developed - a Commercial Demonstration Project. It should use the Regulated Asset Base funding approach. Initial development would be undertaken by a predominantly public sector delivery vehicle followed by privately financed construction.’ The Commission says ‘it would be the world’s first tidal range lagoon, would create economic growth, and provide a better understanding of tidal range energy. Its environmental impact would need to be carefully monitored, and that knowledge should be used to determine whether future developments should take place. A parallel environmental monitoring programme should be implemented to fill broader data gaps.’  This report follows on from a long chain of studies of possible tidal projects on the Severn and als...