My book on the 16 most demanding challenges to the energy transition was published in March 2024. A description is here.

This website will be largely dormant from January 2026 as I continue work on two topics which have been largely ignored in the UK but are growing rapidly in parts of Europe. First, agrivoltaics, or the combining of solar PV with conventional agriculture. This can reduce the loss of food production when PV is installed on agricultural land. Second, what is often called ‘balcony solar’ - small solar panel kits installed on balconies, walls or in gardens and which plug directly into domestic electricity plugs. In Germany there are now over 1m balcony solar installs and some estimates put the number as much as 4m.

I won’t be publishing my newsletter during my work on these topics. My hope is that I can put in place some experiments in both areas during 2026.

Please do get in touch if you have any interest or knowledge in these areas. I’m trying to absorb knowledge as fast as possible. Thanks!

Chris Goodall, +44 (0) 7767 386696, chris@carboncommentary.com

Featured
Has the transition to low-carbon electricity caused bills to rise? And what will happen over the next few years?
How electricity imports into GB change with differing levels of wind and solar output
How much electricity storage capacity does the UK need?
Andrew Neil errors on offshore wind developers
Renewables do unambiguously reduce wholesale power prices
Will the UK meet its 2030 targets for zero carbon electricity?
The first test for new Small Modular Reactors (SMR)
Replacing the Scunthorpe blast furnaces with electric arc furnaces.
The costs of Carbon Capture and Storage
The argument for building a global carbon capture industry rather than investing in synthetic fuels
Why solar and wind are losing momentum in many countries
The surprising rise in climate scepticism
Thames Water will end up as a publicly-owned company
Waste oils will not provide substantial volumes of Sustainable Aviation Fuel, despite what Mr Sunak says.
The increase in capital investment required for the energy transition
How much money might the UK save by installing more wind power?
Building the infrastructure for low carbon steel
Full electricity decarbonisation is possible but the pace is insufficient
Copying the Danish scheme for paying householders after a new turbine or PV farm is installed locally
Building a zero carbon aviation industry
Will cheap CCS on gas power stations be the best way of providing low carbon electricity when renewables aren't available?
Decarbonising steel: hydrogen or metal oxide electrolysis?
The proposal for Europe’s largest solar farm
Why hydrogen may be the principal media for energy storage