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%).

The underlying assets of the Libra fund will be made up of bank deposits and other low risk government securities. Customers who transfer value into the system will in effect give up their right to collect interest on their capital. Libra acknowledges that its basket-like nature will ensure the currency fluctuates vis-à-vis the value of trade currencies.

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.

European banks have transferred 21.4 billion euros in revenues to the European Central Bank (ECB) in the 5 years since negative interest rates were introduced. The ECB introduced negative interest rates on June 11 2014, lowering its deposit rate to -0.1% in a bid to stimulate the economy, and negative interest rates are currently at -0.4%.

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.

That's the findings from the RWI Institute. The phasing out of coal could raise the wholesale price of electricity on the exchange by around 20%. Germans are already paying the highest prices for electricity in Europe. Retail electricity will be more expensive, because the expansion of renewables will be financed by the EEG tax and grid fees will rise.

In the EU the share of total production costs covered by electricity sales fell from 77% in 2010 to about 60% in 2017 and looks set to continue declining. Such unsatisfactory market signals led many European utilities to broaden their exposure to global markets by means of deep business restructuring and reorganisation.