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Spotlight on renewables: How did the UK's energy mix change in 2020?
EU data released this week revealed that renewable generation overtook coal and gas in 2020. But what happened in the UK's renewable energy markets in 2020, amid the Covid-19 pandemic? Here, we round up the key facts and stats on capacity and output.

Six ideas to achieve your flexible energy future on the road to net-zero
This report showcases the output of edie's SPARK! event, where expert energy professionals from a range of sectors discussed the role that smart and flexible energy technologies and systems will play in the net-zero transition.

Six top tips for accelerating your electric fleet transition
This report showcases the output of edie's SPARK! event, where expert energy professionals from a range of sectors shared experiences integrating electric vehicles (EV) into their organisations' fleets.

Sustainability Leaders Awards 2021: Meet the Finalists
After a record-breaking year of entries, the judges have convened, decisions have been made and edie is proud to unveil the well- deserved finalists for the 2021 Sustainability Leaders Awards. This report outlines the who's who of sustainability excellence.

Five EU countries object to bloc's latest hydrogen 'manifesto'
Austria, Denmark, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain have issued a joint letter calling on the EU to clearly prioritise renewable energies under an EU-led project aiming to accelerate hydrogen deployment, research and infrastructure.

Five things you need to know about the Energy White Paper
After months of delays, the UK Government finally unveiled its Energy White Paper on Monday (14 December) detailing how an overhaul to transport, energy and infrastructure will deliver an "overwhelmingly decarbonised power in the 2030s" on the road to net-zero by 2050.

Energy White Paper: Government confirms £6.7bn warm homes package and UK ETS
The UK Government has finally released its Energy White Paper, detailing steps to deliver "overwhelmingly decarbonised power in the 2030s", with a new £6.7bn support scheme to be set up to tackle fuel poverty and a UK variant of the Emissions Trading Scheme to be introduced.

Hydrogen, nuclear and wind: UK's energy network operators chart course to net-zero
Energy Networks Association - the industry body representing all major energy network operators in the UK - has published a routemap outlining how they will align with net-zero and support the transition to green electricity, heat, transport and industry.

Renewable or 'low-carbon'? EU countries face off over hydrogen
EU member states are fighting over which type of hydrogen to support, with two opposing camps facing off: those backing green hydrogen produced exclusively from renewable electricity, and those in favour of a broader "low-carbon" definition, which also includes nuclear power and decarbonised gases.

Report: Renewables and flexible energy could cut £660m off UK's net-zero transition
If the UK government were to back renewable generation and flexible energy technologies like battery storage instead of a new nuclear plant, some £660m could be saved through to 2030, a new analysis has concluded.

Boris Johnson unveils £12bn Ten Point Plan for net-zero transition
Clean hydrogen, carbon capture and storage (CCS), zero-carbon transport and offshore wind are all key pillars of Boris Johnson's Ten Point Plan to push the UK towards net-zero emissions, which will be backed by £12bn in Government investment and aim to create 250,000 new green jobs.

Rolls-Royce unveils plans to build 16 mini nuclear plants in the UK
Rolls-Royce is pushing for the UK government to provide a multi-billion-pound pot for its plans to build 16 small nuclear reactors across the country.

Meet edie's 30 Under 30 Class of 2020: Hollie Clark, Aldi UK
This new series profiles the members of edie's 30 Under 30 - a nomination-based community of 30 hugely talented young sustainability and energy professionals who have already achieved great things or are showing fantastic promise. Up next: Hollie Clark, Aldi UK's corporate responsibility manager.

UK slipping behind on build rate required for net-zero target
The UK is achieving less than half of the required build rate to deliver energy systems that will reach net-zero emissions by 2050, according to a new whitepaper from engineering consultancy Atkins.

'Good all round': Exploring Innocent Drinks' first sustainability report
EXCLUSIVE: Innocent drinks has launched its first "good all round" report, the company's innovative take on the traditional sustainability report outlining progress against its carbon-neutral, circular economy and staff engagement ambitions.

Britain goes 60 days without coal-fired power generation
As of midnight today (10 June), Britain has had no coal-fired power generation on its grid for a full two months - the longest period since the Industrial Revolution.

Coronavirus: EU's €750bn recovery fund to funnel investments towards climate action
The European Union's proposed €750bn fund to help the bloc recover from the coronavirus crisis will have green strings attached, with 25% of all funding set aside for climate action, the European Commission has said.

Coronavirus lockdown: UK hits coal-free month
The UK has gone more than 30 days without relying on coal for power, with gas, nuclear and renewables providing enough demand during a period of lower energy demand because of the coronavirus lockdown.

IEA: Global emissions in 2020 to plummet by largest margin ever recorded due to Covid-19
The Covid-19 pandemic is set to deliver the biggest disruption to the energy system since the 1930s, with global electricity demand to fall by 5% while the level of emissions for 2020 are set to fall by 8% - the largest annual decrease in emissions ever recorded, according to the IEA.

Renewables eclipse other power sources in Great Britain for first quarter of 2020
New data has revealed that renewables accounted for more electricity than any other power source in Great Britain for the first quarter of 2020, as blustery winds spurred renewables generation to 45% of the entire electricity mix.

Prioritise Small-scale technology to deliver affordable net-zero transition, researchers claim
A new study has warned of focusing on "politically seductive" large-scale solutions such as nuclear and carbon capture and storage (CCS), noting that more granular solutions like energy storage, solar and heat pumps can be mass deployed at an affordable cost to enable a quicker net-zero transition.

Corporate leaders want decarbonisation as central focus for Europe's Industrial Strategy
Business giants including Unilever, Interface, and Coca-Cola have called for the new European Industrial Strategy to focus heavily on decarbonisation in a way that sets out clear strategies for investment into low-carbon solutions and provides price incentives for new goods and services.

Low-carbon generation edges past 50% share of UK's power demand
New statistics from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) have confirmed that low-carbon generation accounted for more than 51% of the electricity supplied in the UK in 2019, a 2% growth on 2018 levels.

Cabinet reshuffle: Is the promised 'green budget' in doubt?
Earlier this week Chancellor Sajid Javid was said to be reviewing a string of new subsidies to assist with the UK's net-zero transition. With Javid today (13 February) resigning from the position, doubts have been caused as to whether the UK Government can prioritise the green economy in the March Budget.

Sustainability Leaders Awards 2020: Meet the Winners
Find out the full detailed profiles of our winners at the 2020 Sustainability Leaders Awards in our special report following our glittering ceremony on 5 February.

EU unveils €100bn fund for 'just' low-carbon transition - which excludes nuclear
The EU's regional policy Commissioner Elisa Ferreira revealed on Tuesday (14 January) details of the €100 billion Just Transition Mechanism, a key financial component of the European Green Deal that should make the bloc climate neutral by 2050.

'Cleanest year on record': Zero-carbon electricity surpassed fossil fuel generation in 2019
During the course of 2019, 48.5% of electricity consumed in Britain was generated through zero-carbon methods such as wind, solar and nuclear - compared to 43% for fossil fuels.

8 steps for overcoming the behavioural change challenge
During the SPARK 2.0 event, energy and sustainability professionals discussed the barriers to behaviour change and how businesses could harness the wider awareness of the climate strikes to engage all staff members on the need to manage energy use.

General Election 2019 manifesto matrix: What have the parties said on net-zero and the environment?
Two weeks out from the General Election and on the day of the live televised climate debate between party leaders, edie has launched a policy manifesto matrix, outlining all the key commitments - and some notable omissions - that the Conservatives, Labour, Green Party and Liberal Democrats have issued.

ENA calls for mandatory hydrogen boilers as CBI outlines new sustainability vision
Replacing existing gas boilers with hydrogen-ready devices should be mandatory when they reach the end of their life, the Energy Networks Association (ENA) has urged in its general election manifesto.

'We can beat the sceptics': Boris Johnson bolsters net-zero commitment in Tory conference speech
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has used his platform at the Conservative Party conference to argue that the UK is primed to lead the global transition to net-zero emissions by mid-century.

Conservatives focus on nuclear and EVs in net-zero vision for 2050
The Conservative Party has unveiled its manifesto for a net-zero carbon economy, which includes commitments to plant more than one million trees and sets aside £1bn for electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing, but fails to match Labour's ambition in pushing the 2050 timeframe forward.

EU Council maintains nuclear as eligible for 'green' finance
EU ministers have decided not to exclude nuclear projects from being eligible for sustainable finance grants, despite the demands of a group of member states and the European Parliament.

Meet the Sustainability Leader: Rising Star, Charlie Jardine
With entries now open for edie's Sustainability Leaders Awards 2020, this new feature series showcases the achievements of the 2019 winners and reveals their secrets to success. Up next: The winner of our Rising Sustainability Star award, Charlie Jardine.

Meet the Sustainability Leader: Low-carbon Product Innovation, Mitsubishi Electric
With entries now open for edie's Sustainability Leaders Awards 2020, this new feature series showcases the achievements of the 2019 winners and reveals their secrets to success. Up next: The winner of our Low-carbon Product Innovation award, Mitsubishi Electric.

Coal generation becoming a 'distant memory' as share of energy mix falls to 0.7%
The amount of energy generated from coal sources in the UK has fallen to a record-low output of 0.7% - a 63% decline on the same period the year prior - with low-carbon making up more than half of the UK's energy mix.

Meet edie's 30 Under 30 class of 2019: Kathryn Ebrey, Arcus FM
This new series profiles the members of edie's 30 Under 30 - a nomination-based community of 30 hugely talented young sustainability and energy professionals who have already achieved great things or are showing fantastic promise. Next up: Kathryn Ebrey, environment and sustainability manager at Arcus FM.

Swedish lessons: Can data management enable the UK to deliver a net-zero economy?
The UK's net-zero climate target has been widely welcomed, but is currently lacking some actual points of delivery. Fortunately, Sweden's own net-zero target can teach politicians some interesting lessons, including how big data and digitisation can mobilise action plans.

Clark: UK may need 40GW of new baseload generation by 2050
Whether from nuclear plants or power stations equipped with carbon capture and storage (CCS), the UK will need up to 40GW of new low-carbon baseload generation to meet the net-zero emissions target, Greg Clark has warned.

Coors' plastic-free packaging and solar-powered trains: The sustainability success stories of the week
As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.

IEA: Developed nations should support nuclear to reach climate goals
Governments across North America, Europe and Asia are phasing out nuclear at a faster pace than they are increasing their respective renewable energy capacities, and therefore running the risk of reversing the low-carbon power transition.

Britain notches up another coal-free record over Easter
Great Britain's power grid notched up another coal-free record over the Easter weekend, operating for nearly 92 consecutive hours without any domestic coal generation.

European Commission teases carbon tax and nuclear treaty overhaul
The European Commission has made the case for scrapping national vetoes on environmental tax changes and for finally updating the bloc's venerable nuclear treaty, last amended in 1957.

National Grid 'ready to handle' zero-carbon network by 2025
The operating firm for National Grid has claimed that Great Britain's electricity system can operate as a zero-carbon grid by 2025.

Nuclear strategy in 'meltdown' after Wylfa suspension
The government's nuclear strategy is in "meltdown" following Hitachi's announcement that it is halting work on its plans for a new UK atomic power plant in north Wales, Alan Whitehead has said.

Renewables forecast to overtake fossil fuels in 2020
Renewables will overtake fossil fuels in 2020 to become the "dominant" source of power in Great Britain, EnAppsSys has predicted in a new report.

Bill Gates: Nuclear power 'ideal' for tackling climate challenges
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has argued that nuclear power is an ideal technology to decarbonise the global energy system, as it is less prone to volatility and variable outputs compared to renewables.

UK power stations' electricity output lowest since 1994
The output of British power stations fell this year to levels last seen almost a quarter of a century ago, while renewables achieved a record share of the UK electricity supply.

UK renewable energy capacity surpasses fossil fuels for first time
The capacity of renewable energy has overtaken that of fossil fuels in the UK for the first time, in a milestone that experts said would have been unthinkable a few years ago.

The SDG roundtable: Getting engaged with the Global Goals - Part One
Sustainability and corporate responsibility managers from a range of businesses recently gathered in London for an exclusive roundtable hosted by edie and DNV GL to discuss how the private sector is stepping up efforts to drive engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Allow nuclear waste disposal under national parks, say MPs
Highly radioactive nuclear waste could be permanently buried under national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONBs), under government plans backed by a committee of MPs.

Government 'distorted figures', says Tidal Lagoon Power
The developer behind plans to build a £1.3bn tidal lagoon plant in Swansea Bay has accused the government of distorting figures used to justify its decision not to back the scheme.

Cool down nuclear plan because renewables are better bet, says NIC
Government advisers have told ministers to back only a single new nuclear power station after Hinkley Point C in the next few years, because renewable energy sources could prove a safer investment.

Renewables hit record generation share high in UK
Renewable energy's share of electricity generation hit a new record high in the first quarter of this year despite increased demand caused by the "Beast from the East" cold snap, according to new government figures.

Government says no to Swansea tidal lagoon
The government will not back plans for Swansea's pioneering tidal lagoon power plant based on figures showing that nuclear and offshore wind can generate the same amount of electricity at a third of the cost.

Mission Possible: Taking bold action to achieve a sustainable future
The mission, should we choose to accept it: achieving a low- carbon, resource-efficient industrial revolution. As we gear up for edie Live 2018 this webinar will hear from the leading businesses and experts that are scaling-up effort and innovation across all areas of sustainable development to make this Mission Possible.

Wind and solar make more electricity than nuclear for first time in UK
Windfarms and solar panels produced more electricity than the UK's eight nuclear power stations for the first time at the end of last year, official figures show.

Energy innovation: Delivering the smart grid of the future, today
The mission is clear: we must accelerate the shift to zero-carbon energy systems in order to slash emissions and mitigate global warming. But this mission IS possible: renewable energy costs are tumbling and new approaches to energy management such as battery storage and demand response are offering new ways for organisations to operate more sustainably.

German court rules cities can ban diesel cars to tackle pollution
Millions of heavily polluting vehicles could eventually disappear from roads across Germany after its top administrative court ruled that cities have the right to ban diesel motors in an effort to improve deadly air quality levels.