Lately there are an increasing number of debates and measures being adopted in favor of renewable energies and although some of the recent changes are hard to accept in the short-term, it is exciting to see a positive shift towards a longer-term perspective.

In Germany, officials announced a 47% cost increase on the fee consumers already pay to finance the power grid operators’ investment in renewable energies. In practical terms, the surcharge per kilowatt hour will go from 3.59 euro cents to 5.28 euro cents in 2013, equal to an extra 60 euros a year on a three-person household electric bill. The Minister of Environment, Peter Altmaier confirmed that this shift is part of Germany’s larger plan to supply four-fifths of its power needs through renewables by 2050, albeit critics sustain that it shouldn’t be solely up to private households carry the costs. But, as the Renewable Energy Research Association states, Germany will save 570 billion euros by 2050 if it gets rid of nuclear plants and consequently, the investments made now will have a positive economic impact in the future.

Also this month the US Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar, has unveiled the Obama administration’s plan to use Southwestern lands for the development of large solar energy plants. This comes as an effort to invest in solar energy more intelligently, particularly by taking into consideration biodiversity and fragile ecosystems. Developers will be allowed to build solar parks within 445 square miles of public land allocated for this purpose and will benefit from financial incentives and expedited permitting.  Seventeen solar energy zones across six Western states have been pinpointed by the plan, carefully chosen to avoid environmental, cultural or other conflicts. 

Swiss Federal Counselor and Head of the Swiss Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC), Doris Leuthard presented a new energy plan meant to move this small alpine country away from nuclear power.

The new proposal consists of 74 articles that define a strict implementation strategy to reinforce the promotion of renewable energies. Mrs. Leuthard’s plan still needs to undergo a complex process of review and, if accepted, would put solar energy at the forefront of this ambitious project. In 2011, solar power represented only 0.24% of Switzerland’s total electric production. The new law would increase it from 150 GWh to 10’415 GWh that is, 70 times more by 2050.

The proposal is a response to the decreasing popularity of nuclear energy as well as the huge costs tied to the refurbishment and upgrading of Switzerland’s ageing nuclear power plants. The measure will place particular focus on real estate, which currently consumes 46% of total energy produced. Each Canton will need to act swiftly to accelerate structural improvements in existing buildings and ensure new ones abide by the requirements to decrease energy loss and consumption. 

The plan includes, of course, other renewables such as hydroelectric and wind power. Geothermal energy will not be restricted by specific objectives, but the Swiss Confederation finances studies and subsidizes exploitation of this relatively new technology. And finally, individuals will be given the responsibility to progressively be conscious about their personal consumption in an effort to make the country more energy efficient and clean. 

Aware of the very clear message from Solar Impulse in favour of technologies that can reduce our dependency on fossil energy, she had asked Bertrand to speak alongside her.

For him this was an opportunity to bring up the story about an exchange with his meteorologists during his round-the-world balloon trip and which describes so well the question of sustainability and the long-term vision. Very pleased with himself at having found an altitude where the winds were pushing him twice as fast as the team's calculations had suggested, his advisors replied ironically: "Do you prefer to fly very quickly in the wrong direction or more slowly in the right one?". "This is the question that governments should be asking now given the speed at which humanity is moving towards massive public debt, the depletion of natural resources and the pollution of our environment."

As Bertrand pointed out: "Today's pioneers should not limit themselves to being explorers who walk on the moon or who do trips round the world; they should be heads of state resolved to meet the even more ambitious challenge of improving the quality of life on this planet.

The report ends with a list of practical recommendations for governments and international institutions, such as the need to remove the many subsidies still given to fossil energy and to include the environmental costs in the prices of all products. "Lastly an official stance that a legal framework is essential to change certain types of behaviour", say Bertrand and André happy to have included this subject in their Energy Charter last year.

More than 500 candidates (or 15% of those seeking election) from all parties signed it, and in doing so committed themselves if elected to voting for measures aimed at promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy.

After the elections it turned out that 30% of those elected had signed the Energy Charter. From this we can draw the conclusion that candidates who signed it had twice as much chance of being elected :). It also suggests that these questions of renewable energy are central among voters' concerns!

Today, the action continues since many other members of parliament who have studied the issue have now told us that they want to sign the Charter. This approach encourages politicians to treat energy issues on a non-party basis. By signing it, they undertake personally to vote for measures seeking to achieve clearly defined aims:

• On energy saving: to introduce a legal framework that allows Switzerland to cut its fossil fuel consumption by at least 40% by 2034 and 70% by 2050
• On renewable energy: to generate at least 30% of total energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020 and 70% by 2050

Our aim is to get more than 50% of MPs to sign the Charter!

The list of signatories is updated regularly. Click here!

The debates took a much more intimate turn, but were no less passionate...

First up was a heated head to head between Philippe Lamberts, co-president of the European Green party and European parliament deputy, Bertrand Piccard, André Borschberg and Wolfram Frank, general secretary of ISOPA, an organisation that represents European chemical companies that specialise in polyurethane production. I can tell you that sparks were flying beneath the wings of the solar aircraft! 

Wolfram Frank kicked things off by reminding us that while chemistry often gets bad press, we all need and use the results of it every day. He stated that the chemical industry reduced its CO2 emissions by 20% of its own volition before a law was enforced. And he put to the panel that Solar Impulse is made of materials that result from chemical manufacturing. That got things off to a good start.

Legislation is the answer. Everyone agreed that binding standards should be imposed on governments and industry, but the co-president of the European Green party made the point that the whole question lies with how much we want to stretch the rubber band. Should we only legislate once the last remaining industries have adapted? Or should we follow the example of the pioneers and impose restrictive standards the moment that technology proves itself? For Bertrand and André, the answer is clear, we must follow the pioneers!

Philippe Lamberts brought the dialogue to an end with a thundering conclusion:

"It is not every day that we experience the start of a new civilisation. If we do nothing, it is ruined. So let's do something about it!"

The vibe changed dramatically during the course of the afternoon with a visit from Günther Oettinger, the European commissioner for energy. It was a much more formal affair punctuated by very measured political discourse. Following a brief private conversation with Bertrand and André, the commissioner turned to the cameras and declared Solar Impulse to be a marvellous example of what can be done in terms of developing renewable energies and what the European states and industry can achieve by setting themselves medium term goals. "We need something symbolic to provide the motivation to impose restrictive standards on governments and industries" he concluded.