MIT wake effects optimization will spare us from building a wind farm the size of Flanders
Nowadays, when it comes to placing windfarms, be it onshore or off, more and more factors need to be considered. How much energy it will produce and how costly that will be, are now accompanied by other important questions: what is the impact of the emissions coming form manufacturing? What is the impact on the […]
World Energy Outlook 2023: Key Takeaways
The Econopolis Strategy team had the honor to attend the World Energy Outlook 2023 event in Brussels last Monday. Belgian Minster of Energy Tinne Van der Straeten and Dr. Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) were keynote speakers, sharing their view on past and present energy developments. Here, we provide the […]
Less reactors, more cheese
Although nuclear reactors tend to receive a lot of public resistance, they still have an important role in the current society. As of July 2023, 407 reactors were operated in 32 countries, producing 2.546 terawatt hours of electricity, which is about 10 percent of the global power consumption. In the past two decades, 99 startups […]
Why the green transition train is the one nobody wants to miss
Countries all over the world are actively cutting their emissions to reduce climate change. Policies and laws around sustainability changed in various sectors, which comes with additional efforts and of course additional funds to meet new requirements. A natural question arises: Should developing countries be held to the same standards? It’s not a secret that […]
Solid State Batteries: Benefits and Drawbacks
Batteries are one of the cornerstones of the technological evolution of the past decades. They make every electricity dependent technology useable off grid. From using a simple flashlight, to calling family in an electric vehicle in the middle of nowhere, batteries provide endless opportunities that are taken for granted in our current society. A key […]
The missing link in the global energy transition
One of the most important elements to the climate transition is the transition to renewable energy. Energy supply was the largest source of emissions in 2022, accounting for a whopping 36% of global GHG emissions (20.9 Gt). Transforming the energy market would therefore have the highest impact on climate change. Sources of renewable energy like […]
Green transition in developing countries severely impacted by rising capital costs
Building large-scale renewable energy projects requires substantial capital. A loan is therefore often needed. While necessary, these loans add an additional cost to the capital. These added costs can have significant impact on projects like wind or solar parks, or grid expansions. Hence, the cost that is add on through loans impacts the cost of electricity. […]
Green African pathways towards continental electrification
The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of the United Nations sets a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all to be achieved by 2030. One of these goals is to ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services and substantially increase the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. While Africa is […]
Why Europe’s time to invest in water security is now
Water is commonly known as the source of life, so much that scientists are looking for it on distant planets to claim the possible existence of extraterrestrial organisms. The important role and value of water on Earth however, is often overlooked. But with large socio-economic dependencies on water, increased demand and the economic impact of […]
Why Formula 1’s Net Zero Carbon plan is an important step towards sustainability
Since the launch of the Netflix series ‘Drive to Survive’, Formula 1 has seen a tremendous increase in viewership of around 30%. And with the recent acquisition from Liberty Media of the pinnacle of motorsport, this viewership is only set to increase. The rise in attention to the sport comes with a certain pressure on […]