Global Energy Monitor reposted this
In today’s episode of The Jolt, Kira Taylor looks at the Western Balkans’ opportunity to leapfrog gas, plus Donald Trump’s VP pick’s recent slip into climate scepticism. Download the app to listen now on iPhone or Android. https://lnkd.in/dNRk6yDj The big story today: Countries in the Western Balkans have enough prospective utility-scale solar and wind projects to generate four times more electricity than gas-fired plants, potentially rendering gas power redundant in the region. That’s the key finding of a new report from Global Energy Monitor. To get there, governments need to address planning and permitting problems, develop supportive legal frameworks and build out the infrastructure needed for a clean and flexible grid. Alongside this, international partners, like the EU and the US, need to embrace solar and wind instead of gas in the region. Andrew Gamez from Global Energy Monitor and Chris Vrettos from the European Federation of Energy Communities join The Jolt to discuss the findings and the benefits of locally produced energy in the region. “A strong argument here is community involvement, is to really sit down with local people and co-design the project so as to reduce these local conflicts, create local benefits,” Chris Vrettos, project manager, the European Federation of Energy Communities Download the app to listen now on iPhone or Android. https://lnkd.in/dNRk6yDj
