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The report finds that Germany has sufficient capital to meet its renewable energy targets, with an annual investment potential of €25-€35 billion, which is 60-170% more than required. However, achieving these goals at the lowest cost requires a diverse mix of investors, including small-scale end users and institutional investors. The analysis highlights that current energy market designs could lead to over 1,000 hours of negative electricity prices per year by 2030, and that aggressive economic curtailment policies could increase onshore wind bid prices by 17% by 2020. To mitigate these risks, the report recommends 'take-or-pay' arrangements or proportional curtailment. Additionally, it warns that complex incentive auction designs may exclude smaller investors, who provided over 25% of equity investment in 2015, potentially increasing long-term energy costs by limiting competition and site diversity.

The report analyzes the investment potential for renewable energy in Germany, concluding that sufficient capital exists to meet government targets provided an appropriate regulatory framework is in place. It emphasizes that a diverse mix of investors—including households, cooperatives, and institutional investors—is essential for cost-efficiency. The analysis highlights that current energy market designs may lead to an increase in negative electricity prices by 2030, which could raise bid prices for onshore wind by 17% if flexibility mechanisms are not introduced. The report recommends predictable auction rounds, de minimis rules for small investors, and inflation-indexed subsidies to lower costs and maintain a broad investor base.

The report finds that Germany has sufficient capital to meet its renewable energy targets, with an annual investment potential of €25-€35 billion, which is 60-170% more than required. However, achieving these goals cost-effectively requires a diverse mix of investors, including utilities, developers, financial institutions, and end users. The analysis highlights that while short-term finance and long-term debt are plentiful, long-term equity is spread unevenly across technologies. Key policy risks identified include the complexity of incentive auctions, which may exclude small investors, and the threat of economic curtailment due to negative electricity prices, which could increase onshore wind bid prices by 17% by 2020. The report argues that a coherent energy market design is the most critical long-term factor for maintaining investment and reducing costs.

The Union of Concerned Scientists finds that Massachusetts is over-reliant on natural gas, which exposes consumers to price volatility and hinders climate goals. The report proposes a policy mix including increased hydropower, land-based wind, and 2,000 MW of offshore wind to reduce natural gas's share of New England's electricity generation from a projected 52% to 42% by 2030, while keeping cost increases for residential consumers to approximately $3.00 per month.

The research evaluates public preference and welfare effects regarding the siting of wind farms versus marine protected areas off the coast of Estonia. Using a latent class mixed logit model, the study finds that while conventional wind farms are generally opposed in favor of marine protected areas, 'environmentally-friendly' wind farms provide welfare benefits that are not statistically different from those of marine protected areas.

The report analyzes Estonia's energy transition from a system heavily dependent on oil shale to one based on low-carbon sources by 2050. Using LEAP, Balmorel, and EMPS models, it evaluates four scenarios: Baseline (BAU), Carbon Neutral (CN), 100% renewable (RES), and 100% renewable with increased demand (RES+). Key findings highlight that while wind and biomass have significant potential, achieving a carbon-neutral sector requires phasing out oil shale by 2040, expanding interconnections with the Nordic Power System (specifically Sweden and Finland), and implementing policy reforms such as removing fossil fuel subsidies and increasing investment support for small-scale renewables and energy efficiency.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) utilized the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) to assess the Clean Power Plan. The analysis incorporates modified cost and performance assumptions for various energy technologies, including a rejection of EIA 'learning' curves for mature technologies and specific adjustments for nuclear, coal, and renewables. The study compares four scenarios: a Reference Case, a CPP National Trading Case, a CPP No Trading Case, and a 'Clean Path' Case involving enhanced state-level policies in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

The document provides a comprehensive overview of offshore wind energy as of early 2016, contrasting the advanced capacity in Europe with the nascent industry in the United States. It details the technical advantages of offshore wind over onshore wind, such as stronger and more consistent winds and proximity to coastal population centers. The text outlines U.S. government initiatives, including Department of Energy funding and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management leasing, while highlighting the United Kingdom, Germany, and Denmark as global leaders. It also discusses the economic impact of the sector, specifically the 'additional employment effect' in European ports and shipyards.

The document highlights that Europe dominates the global offshore wind market, holding over 90% of installed capacity as of 2015, led by the United Kingdom, Germany, and Denmark. In contrast, the United States is in the early stages of development, with its first commercial farm at Block Island scheduled for late 2016. Despite this gap, the U.S. possesses significant potential, estimated by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory at over 4,000 GW. The report details U.S. federal initiatives, including Department of Energy funding and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management leasing, and projects U.S. capacity to reach 22 GW by 2030. It also examines the economic benefits of offshore wind, such as higher job creation per megawatt compared to onshore wind and the 'sea breeze effect' that aligns power generation with peak demand.

The document details the use of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) to model energy pathways for Virginia. It outlines specific adjustments made to capital costs, performance projections, and policy assumptions for various electricity generating technologies compared to EIA benchmarks. The analysis compares a 'Reference Case' of existing policies against a 'Clean Path Case' involving Clean Power Plan compliance, mandatory energy efficiency standards, and a Renewable Portfolio Standard for Virginia.

The paper evaluates whether Japan can exceed its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) and voluntary corporate targets for electricity sector CO2 intensity. It estimates that by utilizing nuclear power (108–130 TWh) and renewables, Japan could achieve an intensity of 0.34 to 0.36 kgCO2/kWh. However, the study highlights that significant renewable potential in regions like Hokkaido and Tohoku remains under-utilized due to limited grid interconnection capacity and a lack of storage technology.

The document is a sign-on letter from a broad coalition of organizations and officials requesting that the Obama administration prioritize offshore wind power development, specifically along the Atlantic coast. The coalition advocates for a bold development goal of 22 GW by 2030, increased federal incentives, and improved collaboration between federal agencies and state governments to support the Clean Power Plan.

The document examines Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) as a multi-sectoral governance approach to balance the development, use, and protection of coastal zones. It traces the global shift from sectoral 'command-and-control' methods to ecosystem-based management and analyzes South Africa's transition from a conservation-focused model to one prioritizing sustainable livelihoods and poverty eradication. The author highlights the 2008 Integrated Coastal Management Act as a key legal framework but notes significant failures in local-level implementation, particularly in the Eastern Cape, where unregulated sand mining and illegal development persist due to a lack of municipal capacity and political will.

The document details the use of the NREL Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) model to evaluate three policy scenarios for Illinois: a 'No Policies' case, an 'Existing EEPS + Fixed RPS' case, and a 'Strengthened EEPS + RPS' case. It outlines specific adjustments made to EIA AEO 2014 cost and performance assumptions for various generating technologies, including wind, solar, nuclear, and carbon capture and storage, to better reflect project-specific data and recent studies. Additionally, it provides the calculation methods for energy efficiency costs and savings based on Illinois utility filings.

The document details the methodology for 'The Natural Gas Gamble' report, utilizing a modified National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) to compare three primary policy scenarios: Business as Usual, a Carbon Standard, and a Carbon Standard combined with renewable energy and energy efficiency policies. It outlines specific adjustments made to U.S. Department of Energy assumptions regarding capital costs and capacity factors for various energy technologies, including wind, solar, nuclear, and carbon capture and storage. Additionally, it describes sensitivity analyses based on high and low natural gas price projections and explains the calculations used to determine the social costs of carbon and the health benefits of reducing sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

The document outlines the 'blue growth' strategy of the European Commission and its application to Estonia, focusing on sectors such as international shipping, fisheries, renewable energy, aquaculture, tourism, minerals, and biotechnology. It highlights the tension between economic expansion—such as the growth in cruise tourism and offshore wind potential—and the ecological vulnerability of the Baltic Sea, which faces pressures from pollution, overfishing, and habitat loss. The briefing emphasizes the necessity of maritime spatial planning to balance these competing interests by 2020-2021.

The Obama administration's FY 2015 budget proposal emphasizes a "all of the above" energy strategy and the 2013 Climate Action Plan. Key financial highlights include a $1 billion Climate Fund for community adaptation, a $56 billion resilient infrastructure package, and a 26 percent increase in Department of Transportation funding to address an $86 billion maintenance backlog. The budget proposes making renewable energy tax credits permanent and eliminating $4 billion in fossil fuel subsidies. Significant funding increases are directed toward the DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy ($2.3 billion) and various sustainable transportation and building initiatives, while the EPA's overall budget is reduced by 3.8 percent.

The report argues that Michigan can affordably achieve a 32.5 percent renewable electricity standard by 2030, which would drive $9.5 billion in investment and reduce CO2 emissions by 65.4 million tons with minimal impact on retail electricity prices.

The 2014 survey of Maryland residents indicates a strong public perception that climate change harms human health, particularly through respiratory issues and heat stroke. While medical professionals are highly trusted sources of information, residents perceive fossil fuels and nuclear power as health hazards, contrasting with a view of solar and wind energy as non-harmful. The report also notes an increase in concern regarding chemical exposure and pollution, and identifies health care access and environmental health as top state policy priorities.

The 2014 Sustainable Development Forum addressed the balance between economic growth in the maritime sector and the ecological preservation of the Baltic Sea. Key discussions centered on the 'blue growth' concept, the impact of eutrophication, and the potential for offshore wind energy in Estonia. The event highlighted the necessity of international cooperation, spatial planning, and the integration of scientific data to manage the sensitive marine environment sustainably.