Articles by
Craig Morris
Energy by the people in Germany
By
Craig Morris
Germans can switch power providers. In fact, they are not only free as power consumers, but also free to become “prosumers” – simultaneously producers and consumers. They can even sell the power they make at a profit. Germany’s Renewable Energy Act stipulates that the little guy’s power has priority over corporations. German feed-in tariffs have helped produce all of this community ownership, thereby simultaneously reducing NIMBYism (not in my backyard).
Renewables International: Der Spiegel and its “4,000 subsidies for renewables”
By
Craig Morris
Sometimes, Der Spiegel misconstrues issues so well that even experts have trouble understanding what is meant.
Renewables International: Little NIMBYism among Swiss public for wind turbines
By
Craig Morris
A new study reveals that more than three quarters of those surveyed in Switzerland support wind power, and roughly the same number say there is "no" or "only a minor" affect on people in surrounding areas. The people surveyed all live within five kilometers of a wind turbine.
Renewables International: Cost of new nuclear and new renewables
By
Craig Morris
Judging from the chatter in social media, the German renewables community is quite pleased at the announcement of a new nuclear plant in the UK. The prices are now, finally, so transparent -- and so high! Hasn't anyone told the British public what new renewables cost? Today, we provide charts that you can share with them!
Renewables International: German coal in a downward spiral
By
Craig Morris
Over the past year, we have heard a lot of charges that Germany is switching to coal. Many of us have noted that this effect is quite temporary. Now, Germany’s most prominent coal field, Garzweiler, may be coming to a premature end.
Renewables International: German PV roars on
By
Craig Morris
Germany's Network Agency has announced the PV installation figures for August, confirming that the country remains on course to greatly exceed the government's target corridor of 2.5-3.5 gigawatts per year. Nonetheless, proponents of solar – including our German sister publication – ignore this continued success, complaining instead that the market is being cut in half.
Renewables International: People for wind power
By
Craig Morris
In Scotland, the first 100 percent co-op-owned wind turbine is going up, and in Australia, a new video shows how much locals enjoy the wind turbines on their land.
Renewables International: More evidence of popular support for German Energiewende
By
Craig Morris
A survey taken last month and published in the week before Germany's parliamentary elections over the weekend provides even more evidence that the Germans stand behind their energy transition, though they do believe many things can be improved.
Renewables International: German elections: best result for renewables
By
Craig Morris
Supporters of renewables have reason to rejoice this week, for the FDP has failed to get 5% of the vote, the limit required to enter parliament. It is the first time in the history of the German Republic that the FDP, a libertarian party, has not been represented in the Bundestag.
Reneswables International: What the New York Times does not tell you Poverty an issue for social policy, not energy policy
By
Craig Morris
The New York Times published an astonishingly misleading article, depicting Germany as a country in which poor people are suffering from the high cost of renewables. Here's what you need to know.
More of Morris on Community Ownership of Renewables in Germany: All Major Political Parties Support
By
Craig Morris
Energy democracy is not just about having your own solar roof . . . Conservative politicians Ingbert Liebing and Josef Göppel also expressed their support. “In northern Frisia, we have more than 90% community wind farms, and that increases local acceptance,” Liebling stated. His southern German colleague Göppel said, “We now have more than 650 energy coops nationwide, and power production has truly become a popular sport in the south.”
Renewables International: Spanish Power Market A Complete Disaster
By
Craig Morris
Josep Puig: In the past five or six years, Spanish power firms have built some 26,000 MW of combined-cycle power plants. These firms apparently did not see all of this renewable capacity coming, and I believe the average number of operating hours for these plants was around 2,000 last year, which puts their capacity factor at below 25%.
