COP29 and Carbon Markets

Carbon markets are pivotal in the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with over 75 carbon pricing regimes worldwide. However, the voluntary markets have primarily driven project-based credits in recent years. As we approach COP29, the focus shifts to how these markets can be strengthe…

Mitigating the storm - Insurers role in renewable energy risk management

More than 100 countries committed to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030 at the COP28 conference in Dubai. But the rapid growth of renewables will exacerbate challenges that developers and manufacturers in the sector are already facing, such as supply chain constraints, permitting delay…

How can we unlock the full potential of international RE certification?

Energy users have increasingly been using renewable energy certificates (RECs) to prove that the electricity they use comes from 'green' power sources. This includes REC schemes established at national and local levels; and other mechanisms, such as International Renewable Energy Certificates (I-RE…

Is floating wind about to go super-sized?

Offshore wind farms totalling over 64GW are now in operation globally, but we are only scratching the surface of the sector's potential. This is because 80% of the world's offshore wind potential is in sites that are too deep for traditional fixed technology, and because the floating wind technolog…

Will US tax credits unleash growth of green hydrogen?

On 22 December 2023, the US Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service released long-awaited guidance on tax incentives for green hydrogen projects. Tax credits of up to USD 3 per kilogram will be available for the cleanest projects as long as they meet a few key requirements: they must be po…

Green hydrogen in the Nordics

The European Union is making big commitments to green hydrogen, but it will rest on individual countries to deliver on these plans – and it is the Nordics that are taking an early lead. The nations are set to become net exporters of green hydrogen in the 2030s, with green hydrogen production set to…

Monetisation of battery storage

Great Britain is one of the most mature markets globally in terms of the options available for owners of battery storage projects to make money. These include the Balancing Mechanism, Capacity Market, frequency response services and wholesale power arbitrage. This opens up great opportunities for c…

Can renewables help fashion to go green?

Fashion has bounced back strongly after Covid-19. The industry is now worth a reported $1.7trn, and is the largest e-commerce sector in the world. But this all means environmental impacts. Fashion also accounts for a reported 8%-10% of global carbon emissions , and means huge strides are needed if …

Can we retrofit cities for an EV revolution?

Electric vehicle sales are increasing by the year and 19 countries have passed the vital tipping point where EVs make up 5% of new car sales, including China, Germany and the US. EV sales doubled to 6.9million in 2021 and there are now at least 20million electric vehicles on the road. This growth o…

How can we get to jet zero?

Aviation was one of the industries hit hardest by Covid-19, but the pandemic has done little damage to the industry's long-term prospects: the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicted in 2021 that air travel will be back at pre-pandemic levels by the middle of this decade. If the av…