Winter is approaching and the weather is getting colder. Staying in the room with the heating on, blowing warm air, cozy work and study, is the daily routine of many people. But this winter, many people in Europe are not so lucky, they not only have to endure the harsh winter without heating, but also face the pain of power cuts at any time.
Image source: Souhu News - hexun.com
After the Russian-Ukrainian conflict broke out, Europe, which relies heavily on fossil fuels, especially Russian natural gas, began an increasingly obvious energy crisis. According to news reports from Europe, European household energy prices have nearly doubled from last year, with gas costs soaring 111% and electricity costs soaring 69%. Countries have taken some last resort measures to save energy: the Eiffel Tower in France turned off its lights early, the UK limited the number of degrees of heating space, Germany limited the use and time of boiling hot water, and other countries closed stores and public venues early ......For ordinary people, high electricity bills will undoubtedly bring greater living pressure to their lives. For some families, electricity is even a luxury. While people are worried about whether the electricity bill will continue to rise, they also have to worry that if the power goes out, their home appliances will not work, which will also have a great impact on their work at home. What’s interesting, at this time, a large number of people have seen Chinese heating appliances: electric blankets,hot packs, thermal underwear and so on, which can keep them warm and save money on heating at the same time.
According to research, the real cold winter in Europe begins on December 21, after which it will be the 100 coldest days of the year. This also means that, under the pressure of soaring electricity and gas prices, European countries are still facing the test behind. Facing with the wave of energy crisis, European countries should plan ahead. In the important stage of energy transition, photovoltaic power generation and other new energy sources have become a recognized new idea of electricity consumption.
Since this year, Europe recognizes the importance of renewable energy and has launched the RePowerEU project to significantly increase the proportion of photovoltaic power generation. Many European families who have installed PV power plants are saved from the difficulties and have installed them in advance, saving most of their electricity bills. With the simultaneous installation of energy storage plants, households are able to exist independently of the grid and are no longer afraid of power cuts. Factories with early warning have installed PV power plants in advance to provide extra power in a power-limited environment, ensuring the productivity of the factory. Photovoltaic power plants also help companies reduce carbon emissions and build up a green image. And export-oriented enterprises can also reasonably avoid carbon tax, killing two birds with one stone. Not only industrial plants, but also households can effectively cope with the energy crisis by installing photovoltaic power plants. In the event of future electricity price increases or power outages, storage systems can serve as a back-up electricity security. The massive promotion of the photovoltaic industry and the increase of renewable energy sources will not only reduce electricity prices in the medium and long term, but is also the only real way to secure energy supplies in an increasingly unpredictable geopolitical environment in Europe.
On December 21, the European Commission approved Germany's €28 billion EEG 2023 support program, which aims to rapidly expand the use of wind and solar energy. The policy will replace the existing Renewable Energy Support Program. The EU also announced the REPowerEU program earlier this year, which aims to achieve 740 GWdc of solar power by 2030. This plan has forced some new buildings to install rooftop solar, and has cut through a lot of red tape in terms of solar permitting. It is clear that in the face of severe forms of electricity consumption, the spread of PV is a no-brainer for countries. Now is the time to get serious about solar, and not just in Europe.
