Renewable energy such as wind power can create problems for the National Grid. Gas and coal-fired power stations have more flexibility. When one drops off it's easier for another to pick up the slack. Wind power is less effective as a "shock absorber" to shifts in supply and demand, according to the energy analyst.

After three years of decline, global energy investment stabilized in 2018 at over USD 1.8 trillion. Investment was driven by higher upstream oil, gas and coal supply spending while that in energy efficiency was stable and renewables spending edged down, adjusted for costs, renewables investment is up 55% since 2010.

It makes sense that green bonds are meant for green companies. But there aren’t that many of them — not enough to meet the rising demand from investors who want their money to have a positive impact on the environment. So what if some of that money went to finance green activities by less-than-green firms.

Last month there was less electricity in the grid as needed. To prevent a complete collapse, Germany had to draw electricity from the neighbouring countries. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) reported that due to the critical conditions in the German national grid, the country repeatedly had to rely on the neighbouring countries.

Half (49%) of the net electricity generated in the EU-28 in 2017 came from combustible fuels (natural gas, coal and oil), while a quarter (25%) came from nuclear power stations. Among the renewable energy sources, the highest share of net electricity generation in 2017 was from wind turbines (11.4%), followed by hydropower plants (10.4%).

Aging nuclear reactors, soaring debt and large capital-spending commitments are just some of the problems facing Xavier Girre, the CFO of French electricity supplier Electricité de France SA. [over 70% of electricity generation in France] EDF under his management tried new financing tools including green bonds and bonds issued in Asian currencies.

Energy investment has a strong link with country-level financial conditions. Deep availability of capital from private institutions, liquid capital markets, and access to domestic and foreign sources, complemented by limited public finance, are hallmarks of a supportive enabling environment.

Turkey’s plan to clean up some $13 billion in bad energy loans, one of the worst hangovers from last year’s currency crisis, is taking shape even as some banks hold out for the government to agree to safeguards and higher electricity prices. How quickly and credibly it can execute the energy-sector bailout.

In 2017, it was estimated that Germany would have to invest 33 billion euros into its high-voltage power grid, because of the energy transition. Scope Ratings has now calculated a 50% higher cost of 52 billion by 2030. Not included are the cost for connecting offshore wind farms that is also paid by grid operators and the cost for upgrading the distribution grid.

EBITDA fell 28.4% to 1.5 billion euros. The company's net result fell 84.5% to 335 million. RWE generated 12% less electricity than in 2017. At the end of 2018 the debt of the divisions that will stay in the company was 4.389 billion euros and of those that will be sold 14.95 billion euros.

Germany plans to phase out all coal-fired power before 2038. For European power prices, a German coal phase-out is clearly bullish, with an average price increase across all directly interconnected markets of €0.2/MWh for the 2019 to 2022 period and €2.2/MWh for the period 2023 to 2030.

The volume of green bonds might appear insignificant when compared with the $6 trillion that we should be investing each year just to climate-proof our infrastructure. Investors will look for a size that is big enough to guarantee liquidity and index inclusion. This usually translates to around $300 million – a number that is simply too big for many companies.