By Ed Crooks: 28 October 2016
The lesson of history is clear: energy transitions take a long time. Sometimes, though, the world passes a milestone that gives a sense of how the energy system is progressing. The news this week that global power generation capacity in renewable energy is greater than in coal-fired plants looked like one of those signs that the industry really is changing.
Now, capacity is one thing and generation is another. Renewables still provided only 23 per cent of the world’s power last year, well behind coal’s 39 per cent. But the data published by the International Energy Agency are a reminder that, in the words of BP chief economist Spencer Dale, “it’s possible that we will see forces leading to a faster transition coming from a number of different fronts”. He still expects wind, solar and biomass to be only 10 per cent of the world’s energy by 2035, though.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
