March 26, 2012
Solar electricity generated from PV panels and mirrors is due to become one of the leading sources of power generation in the 21st century. It is abundantly available and will become cheaper to produce than fossil or nuclear electricity, due to technological advances in thin-film solar cells and conversion rates of solar irradiation. EU researchers… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
March 22, 2012
For the last three months the Iberian Peninsula and South-Eastern Britain have suffered from the worst droughts for several decades, with hardly any rainfall, less than 20 mm in Spain and Portugal. This dramatic situation has hardly been noticed outside the countries directly affected: city dwellers are less and less sensitive to natural catastrophes that… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
March 19, 2012
During the last two years the relationship between the EU and its citizens has undergone deeper changes than ever since the beginning of European integration 60 years ago. For the first time, citizens realise that the EU has a profound impact on their daily lives. 10 million Greeks had to accept under pressure from “Brussels”… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
March 15, 2012
With sun shine of > 2500 hours per year, North Africa and the Gulf countries are among the best insulated regions of the planet. They are also unequalled in radiation density (2500-3000 kWh/m2/year). Both factors combined make them ideal locations for generating solar electricity. Indeed, the 22 Arab countries, occupying one third of global desert… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
March 13, 2012
When politicians get bored or frustrated with the jobs for which they are appointed they often “invade” new fields for which they have no particular competence. This seems to be the case with Guido Westerwelle, the German foreign minister. At the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Copenhagen, March 10-12, he has proposed a… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
In the on-going debate about the future of the Euro it is often forgotten that membership in the Euro-zone is mandatory for all EU member States provided they fulfil the Maastricht criteria – budget deficit below 3 per cent and public debt below 60 per cent of GDP – and have achieved a satisfactory level… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
The announcement by Prime Minister Wen Jiabao to the Popular Congress that Chinese economic growth is likely to fall from 9.2 last year to only 7.5 per cent in 2012 has immediately led to a sharp decline of the shares of the world`s mining companies that anticipate lower Chinese production of steel, copper, aluminium etc.… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
March 7, 2012
It is worthwhile taking a look at the perceived corruption levels in Europe, as measured by the Transparency International 2011 global scoreboard that ranks countries between 10 for the best and 0 for the worst performers. There is a visible correlation between countries that are EU members and those that are not, the former obtaining… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
March 5, 2012
The week of February 27th to March 3rd is likely to write history in the short annals of European diplomacy. For the first time, the EU has played tit for tat with Belarus, its annoying Eastern neighbour country that excels above all by its authoritarian, repressive regime. On February 28th the EU foreign ministers condemned… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
As expected after the demonstration of power by major airline countries in Moscow February 28-29th China has not waited long before taking retaliatory action against the EU imposition of emission caps on Chinese carriers` flights to EU airports. Two multi-billion Chinese orders for Airbus planes are at stake. The Chinese government has blocked the authorisation… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
Thoughts on energy and climate, the Mediterranean and whatever comes to mind.
