Sir, Regarding ‘Smart grids could save Europe €52bn‘: The linking of ‘smart grids’ and ‘energy saving’ is often done by those with an interest in selling equipment that ranges from remote-controlled meters (the people that design these are smart, the meters themselves are pretty dumb) through to capital equipment for power networks (similar comments on [...]

Sir, It is understandable that our elected representatives in the form of the Environment Council may wish to undertake more studies on moving to a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions. After all, this is a momentous step. PWR has some very good news in this regard, which will also delight BusinessEurope. Towards the end of [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘Oettinger values EU 2020 energy goals at €1 trln‘: Readers will have noticed that in nature round numbers tend to be the exception rather than the rule (think of pi or e). However, in politics, the reverse seems to be the case as shown by Mr Oettinger’s €1 trln needed to overhaul energy [...]

Sir, The recent report produced by the National Technical University of Athens – ‘Energy Trends to 2030′ and profiled in your august organ included a comment by Mr. Kjaer of the EWEA along the lines that he thought the estimate for 2030 for wind was unrealistic. There is a rather interesting back story to this. [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘EU mulls beefing up energy savings policy‘: With the announcement that Danish MEP Bendt Bendtsen is to prepare recommendations for improving the EU’s energy savings policy, Europe’s half-hearted approach to reducing energy consumption could be about to change. Reducing energy consumption – as opposed to simply improving efficiency, which has historically rebounded in [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘EU promotes ‘green jobs’ as way out of crisis‘: Let me first agree on the importance of the discussion presented in the article, and also on the role of climate and energy policies in catalysing the economic recovery and as a source of ‘green jobs’. In relation to this, I would also like [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘EU promotes smart metering in fight against global warming‘: ‘Smart’ seems to be the solution to climate change these days: smart cars, smart meters, smart grids, smart cities. PWR has produced a position paper on smart grids and their cousin smart meters, and it is in the context of this paper and the [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘EU light bulb ban attacked from all sides as phase-out starts‘: The ban on ordinary light bulbs is an extraordinary consumer ban on a product that is safe to use. We are not talking about banning lead paint here – and light bulbs don’t give out any CO2 gas. Power stations do. Note [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘EU chief: ‘Energy and climate are today’s coal and steel’‘: PWR’s business is monitoring the development of the renewable energy sector (RES) and climate change policies in Europe. As such, we are reasonably well placed to comment on the success or otherwise of the EU’s policies in these two linked areas. Mr Barroso [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘EU light bulb ban attacked from all sides as phase-out starts‘: There is a great deal of hot air being generated in what passes for the ‘debate’ on more efficient lighting. A couple of stats would be helpful. In a home that is heated by oil or gas (and has no air conditioning), [...]