It’s been a mixed month for clean technology in Europe. We’ve seen some fantastic news as renewable energy has risen to the top spot in powering European electricity. That said, we’ve also seen a huge scaling back of EU battery production and some tense negotiations over tariffs on Chinese EVs. As is always the case in this complex world, things are never black and white.
But don’t fear, if you want to catch up on all of the most important stories from the world of cleantech, look no further than Spreckley’s news round-up.
EU faltering in battery race
Having honed the craft of producing batteries for decades now, leading Asian battery manufacturers are continuing to maintain their dominance over the global market. Whilst European manufacturers have tried their best to keep up, it seems they are falling well short of doing so.
So much so that Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt has had to cancel its €2 billion contract with BMW. Things are not looking good for EU batteries.
Catch up on the full story here: https://cleantechnica.com/2024/06/22/europe-battery-factory-plans-are-in-a-shambles/
China and EU commence EV tariff talks
In recent weeks, representatives from the EU and China have agreed to talks ahead of the upcoming tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs). The issue at hand is subsidies put on EVs by the Chinese government.
These talks will be pivotal for the industry, as China has already proved itself as a leading producer of cheap EVs. The results of these talks are likely to shape the future of the global EV industry as we know it.
Catch up on the full story here: https://cleantechnica.com/2024/06/23/eu-china-holding-talks-on-electric-car-tariffs-ahead-of-november-deadline/
Renewables take top spot as EU electricity source
After some negativity, here’s some uplifting news to brighten up your day. New data from Eurostat has revealed that renewable energy has taken top spot as the main source for the EU’s electricity.
This news comes as a particularly great surprise as the facts were reversed in the year prior. Therefore, the change signals a move towards cleaner energy for the European bloc!
Catch up on the full story here: https://cleantechnica.com/2024/06/29/renewable-energy-44-7-of-eu-electricity-production-in-2023-now-1/