Past the tipping point: Why the climate transition is now in our hands
Summary
Jacqueline van den Ende, CEO of Carbon Equity, argues we have passed a climate transition tipping point: in the previous year 90% of new global electricity capacity came from renewables (solar, wind, hydro). She warns this isn’t a cue to relax; rather, it demands faster investment in climate tech to scale clean energy access worldwide.
The piece highlights growing public support across Europe for clean energy, rising electric vehicle (EV) registrations, and a boom in community-led ‘energy communities’ that secure local renewable generation and lower costs. Case studies include Denmark’s Hvide Sande district, Ireland’s Ecovision community renovations, and a Finnish town piloting a large sand battery to store renewable heat.
The article also addresses grid challenges exposed by an Iberian blackout, framing them as growing pains requiring grid modernisation and storage solutions rather than proof that renewables fail. Finally, it outlines the transformative potential of bidirectional EV charging (vehicle-to-grid): large system cost savings, new capacity for solar, and the prospect of EVs supplying a meaningful share of Europe’s power if infrastructure, standards and regulation keep pace.
Key Points
- Jacqueline van den Ende says the climate transition tipping point is past: 90% of new electricity last year was renewable.
- Despite falling climate tech funding in Europe (Q1 2025), public support for climate action and BEV adoption is rising sharply.
- Energy communities are proving resilient: local ownership of renewables can shield residents from price shocks and cut heating and power costs.
- Practical examples include Hvide Sande’s reduced heating bills, Ireland’s Ecovision renovations saving ~10 GWh, and a Finnish sand battery that stores heat for weeks or months.
- Grid incidents (eg. Iberian blackout) reflect integration and flexibility issues, not inherent failure of renewables; solutions include demand response, storage and updated grid settings.
- Vehicle-to-grid and bidirectional charging could substantially lower system costs, provide peak capacity, and enable far more solar PV by 2040—but require standards, infrastructure and regulatory frameworks.
- Scaling community-led pilots and targeted investment in climate tech and grid upgrades are essential to accelerate the transition.
Why should I read this?
Short version: the needle has moved and the next steps are on us. If you care about where energy policy, investment and everyday tech are heading, this article stitches together the why and the how—from community sand batteries to cars that feed power back to the grid. We’ve saved you the headlines: renewables aren’t the problem, getting the grid, finance and rules right is. Read it if you want a quick, practical snapshot of what actually needs doing next.
Source
Source: https://thenextweb.com/news/past-tipping-point-climate-transition
