ABB’s Digital Water Management Solutions Easing Water Shortage in India

08.12.2020

water - india - bird — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Ashwini Chaudhary)

With an annual rainfall of just 570mm, Koppal is a semi-arid region where the groundwater table only produces saline water. Water shortages are a daily challenge for the region’s one million inhabitants. As part of a multi-village clean drinking water scheme, the local government of Karnataka is sponsoring a water management program that encompasses harvesting rainwater, recharging ground water and rejuvenating old lakes. And ABB’s digital water management solutions are an integral part of the program.

Through the lead contractor L&T Construction Water & Effluent Treatment IC, ABB is providing the Rural Drinking Water & Sanitation Department, Karnataka with a solution that will improve control at pumping stations and reservoirs, and help them measure and optimize water use. The solution will also help them pump and distribute treated river water to rural homes through a widely dispersed water distribution network that spans close to 245 km and includes 620 overhead tanks and 16 reservoirs.

As part of the project, ABB is supplying 635 digital AquaMaster 4 flowmeters, which measure water flow in real time to track exactly how much water is passing through the network. Easy to install and running on battery power, the flowmeters offer reliable measurement accuracy down to flow velocities lower than 0.1m/s, making them the ideal solution to detect the small but continuous leaks that exacerbate the water shortage challenges in the Koppal district.

The flowmeter’s unique mobile app interface, which saves time and resources by eliminating the requirement for special cables, tools or the input of a trained engineer to set up the meter or read data on it, is another factor making this solution so workable for the region. The device is largely self-sufficient in operation, with automatic self-health check and auto calibration features.

A network of RTUs (remote terminal units) will be installed at remote locations and pumping stations, and the ABB Ability™ Symphony Plus SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system will supervise and control the operation. The SCADA solution will help monitor and analyze daily flow consumption patterns to identify possible leaks and send the information in real time to a central control room so they can be swiftly repaired.

“As India moves swiftly towards smart and sustainable villages, towns and cities, one of the key challenges is water management,” explains G Srinivas Rao, Head of Measurement & Analytics for ABB in India. “This project shows how ABB’s digital water management solutions can be deployed not only in cities but also to provide clean, drinking water in the villages that are crucial to our agrarian economy.”

“The drinking water scheme in Koppal raises the cultivable land and increases the productivity of crops per hectare, so that income from agriculture is increased, helping conserve the overall ecosystem of this area,” adds Vivek Malhotra, Head of Product Management at ABB Measurement & Analytics in India. “Reducing water wastage by addressing leaks in the network and consumption pattern analysis, will help augment the water supply, ensuring an optimum level of drinking water is available to each person in the future.”

As Koppal looks at the next level of growth in industries and agriculture, this major water management project will ensure the availability of infrastructure facilities for the district to forge ahead.

ABB flowmeters are also in operation in cities across India, including Delhi, Bangalore, Surat, Ranchi, Kolkata, Udaipur, Chennai, and in semi-urban and rural areas like Gadag in Karnataka and Jawai in Rajasthan, helping India develop more sustainable and smarter habitats.

Source: ABB

African Ministers of the Environment Commit to Support a Green COVID-19 Recovery Plan

08.12.2020

elephants-slon — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Ministers of Environment across the continent of Africa have agreed to support a comprehensive green recovery plan to boost economies and social systems aimed at building back better from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a ministerial statement issued at the closing of the eighth special session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), representatives of the 54 African governments reaffirmed their commitment to enhance environmental resilience as well as to protect and sustainably use natural resources for the region’s development.

In a high-level Ministerial regional conference that was held virtually under the theme “Enhancing environmental action for effective post-COVID recovery in Africa”, participants further called to accelerate the protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems as part of an effort to sustainably build back African economies from the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic.

Barbara Creecy, Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries of South Africa and President of AMCEN said: “whilst this pandemic is having a profound negative impact on sustainable development and our efforts to combat environmental degradation and eradicate poverty, it also presents opportunities to set our recovery on a path of transformative sustainable development.”

“The African Green Stimulus Programme seeks to address, in a sustainable manner, the devastating socio-economic and environmental impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and to, more importantly, harness the opportunities which this approach brings for the Continent,” she added.

Ministers noted the importance of policies and programmes linking public health, pollution abatement, climate action, biodiversity conservation, ecosystems integrity, socio-economic equity, and prosperity for an effective recovery from COVID-19 pandemic in Africa.

While noting the impact COVID-19 pandemic has had on Africa’s socio-economic development, the ministers acknowledged it has particularly undermined efforts to achieve sustainable development and eradicate poverty.

Ministers recommended that an effective recovery strategy from COVID-19 pandemic is essential, and it can present opportunities to further mainstream environmental considerations across all facets of African economies, striving towards a more environmentally friendly, resilient, low-emissions and inclusive sustainable development.

“In overcoming the pandemic, we can also avert climate catastrophe and restore our planet. I congratulate Ministers on their deliberations this week on a green recovery programme for the continent. I call for international solidarity and for the domestic realignment of resources to fund the green recovery,” said Inger Andersen, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme.

Also, in the conference, environment ministers committed to working with the global community to secure a robust, ambitious and transformative post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework that aims at reversing biodiversity loss by 2030.

While noting that Africa’s rich biodiversity is a valuable asset in mitigating climate change, ministers emphasised the need for further elaboration of adaptation planning and implementation under the Paris Agreement to address extreme weather and slow-onset events.

Ministers reiterated their continued support for multilateral cooperation at regional, continental and global levels, as well as their support to the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme to be held from 22 to 26 February 2021.

Source: UNEP

Western Balkan’s Countries Peeking Into the Right Direction, but still Lagging Behind in Transforming the Energy System

07.12.2020

coal-fired-power-plant-zagađenje — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The Energy Community Secretariat’s 2020 Implementation Report highlights some of the key obstacles in transforming the energy system of the involved countries, including the Western Balkans, in the foreseen timeline.

The Energy Community still does not have a 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target, as well as targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency, while setting these targets for its contracting parties has been a priority since 2017.

The report also makes it clear that the Ministerial Council, the highest authority of the Energy Community, failed to adopt decarbonisation guidelines, as well as to address continuous breaches of the acquis by its members, namely contracting parties.

These tasks still remain unfulfilled, although 2020 was supposed to be a decisive year for setting clear emission reduction goals by 2030 as well as concrete strategies to achieve them to accelerate the energy transition in the Energy Community countries.

“The Energy Community contracting parties still have a lot of work on their plate as they’re still falling short of complying with their treaty obligations. The region cannot afford further delays in taking action to lower their emissions and set NECPs which would reflect the ambition in line with the EU and the Paris Agreement”, said Wendel Trio, Director of Climate Action Network (CAN).

Delays in the just and clean energy transition in the region come at high economic and societal costs.

“The Western Balkans’ chronic coal dependency results in continued ill-health and early deaths in the region and beyond. A dependency of this magnitude requires vision, ambition, decision, now, for a transition to a sustainable, climate-friendly and healthy energy system“, added Senior policy officer, health and energy at HEAL, Vlatka Matkovic.

Source: caneurope

Soil Pollution a Risk to Our Health and Food Security

06.12.2020

Each year, the world marks World Soil Day on 5 December to raise awareness about the growing challenges in soil management and soil biodiversity loss, and encourage governments, communities and individuals around the world to commit to improving soil health.

“We depend, and will continue to depend, on the ecosystem services provided by soils,” explains United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) soil expert Abdelkader Bensada.

While soil pollution traditionally has not received the same attention as issues like tree-planting, global momentum picked up in 2018, when the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) published a ground-breaking study: Soil Pollution: A Hidden Reality.

The report found that the main anthropogenic sources of soil pollution are the chemicals used in or produced as byproducts of industrial activities; domestic, livestock and municipal wastes (including wastewater); agrochemicals; and petroleum-derived products.

These chemicals are released to the environment accidentally, for example from oil spills or leaching from landfills, or intentionally, through use of fertilizers and pesticides, irrigation with untreated wastewater, or land application of sewage sludge.

The report found that soil pollution has an adverse impact on food security in two ways –it can reduce crop yields due to toxic levels of contaminants, and crops grown in polluted soils are unsafe for consumption by animals and humans. It urged governments to help reverse the damage and encouraged better soil management practices to limit agricultural pollution.

In follow up to the 2018 study, UNEP, the Global Soils Partnership, the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils, the World Health Organization and the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat are working on another report on the extent and future trends of soil pollution, including risks and impacts on health, the environment and food security. Scheduled to be released in February 2021, it builds on another UNEP report – Towards a pollution-free planet.

“Soil pollution can lead to the emergence of new pests and diseases by changing the balance of ecosystems and causing the disappearance of predators or competing species that regulate their biomass. It also contributes to the spreading of antimicrobial resistant bacteria and genes, limiting humanity’s ability to cope with pathogens,” says Bensada.

Pollution can also cause the quality of soil to dwindle over time, making it harder to grow crops. Currently, the degradation of land and soils is affecting at least 3.2 billion people – 40 percent of the world’s population.

FAO’s Revised World Soil Charter recommends that national governments implement regulations on soil pollution and limit the accumulation of contaminants beyond established levels in order to guarantee human health and wellbeing, a healthy environment and safe food.

Contaminated soil is also a major cause of land degradation – an issue that is at the heart of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030. Led by UNEP, FAO and partners, the initiative is a global call to action to scale up restoration of terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems over the next 10 years. This includes promoting sustainable practices to improve soil management.

“Soil has a key role to play in the UN Decade through its ecosystem functions as it affects water regulation, nutrient recycling, food production, climate change and the biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems,” says Bensada. “Transitioning from soil degradation to practices that restore soil is critical to ensure the food security and wellbeing of generations to come.”

Source: UNEP

ABB’s 1,000th Fast Charger in Norway Marks Key E-Mobility Milestone

05.12.2020

oslo - norveška - norway — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Eirik Skarstein)

The installation of the 1,000th ABB fast charger in Norway represents a key milestone for the country in its ambitious journey towards achieving a zero-emission economy.

Norway’s ambitious plans to move away from fossil fuels include targets to cut CO2 emissions by as much as 55 per cent by 2030 compared to 1990, and for all new cars sold from 2025 to be zero-emission. The policy is supported by generous incentives for electric vehicles (EVs), such as exemption from purchasing tax and reduced toll road fees and ferry fares.

ABB has played a key role in helping to enable Norway’s transition to a zero-emission society, and the recent installation of the 1,000th high-power charger in the western city of Bergen is continued evidence of ABB’s commitment to the achievement of ambitious sustainability goals. The Terra HP is capable of delivering 200km of range in as little as eight minutes.

Sustainable transport

Norway has already become one of the world’s most advanced e-mobility societies: EVs make up 10 per cent of the country’s three million cars – a greater proportion, even, than other EV-friendly countries such as The Netherlands and Sweden.

This accelerating trend has resulted in every other new car sale in Norway being pure EV. Since the country’s energy mix is around 98 per cent renewable, largely from hydro power, the reduction in CO2°emissions from the current EVs equates to around 600,000 tons per year.

The sharp increase in EV ownership and use has encouraged the rapid evolution of conventional gas stations. Many now offer EV charging and at busy stations, such as one of Shell’s most frequented stations, every third car ‘filled’ is now electric. A Circle K station was also the first in the world to replace a conventional gas pump with a fast charger, from ABB.

Frank Muehlon, Head of ABB’s global business for e-mobility Infrastructure Solutions said: “We are very proud of the role we play in supporting the energy revolution in Norway. Norway has pioneered the early adoption of EVs and green public transport networks and we are confident that other European countries will see this as a positive blueprint for sustainable infrastructure.”

Electric buses and zero-emission logistics and shipping

ABB is a world leader in electric vehicle infrastructure, offering the full range of charging and electrification solutions for electric cars, electric and hybrid buses as well as for ships and railways. The company has provided power to 150 of Norway’s electric buses – approximately half the country’s electric fleet. In addition, ABB is providing charging infrastructure and services to Norway’s largest grocery wholesaler, ASKO, for their growing fleet of electric trucks.

ABB’s e-mobility support also covers the maritime industry in Norway. Examples include shore-to-ship power solutions at major cruise and ferry ports and supply bases throughout the country which help to reduce emissions corresponding to more than 10,000 cars. At the busiest passenger ferry route, in Oslo, onboard ABB equipment contributes to reduced emissions equivalent to 3,000 cars, while the ABB-powered cruise ferry, Vision of the Fjord, carries tourists on a silent and zero-emission cruise through the country’s iconic fjords.

ABB entered the EV-charging market in 2010, and to date has sold more than 17,000 ABB DC fast chargers across 80 countries. Its commitment to driving progress in e-mobility is shown most clearly through the title partnership with the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, which is about to enter its fourth season. From Season 9, in 2022-23, ABB will become official charging supplier to the championship.

Source: ABB

Montenegro Plans to Ban the Construction of a Small Hydropower Plant in the Future

04.12.2020

male_hidroelektrane_voda — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Prime Minister-designate Zdravko Krivokapić promised, in his exposition, that the new government would permanently ban the construction of small hydropower plants on watercourses in Montenegro and that all concession agreements would be revised and reviewed, as well as that amendments to the Energy Law would be made.

He pointed out that the green economy is one of the basic pillars of the new government’s policy and that the ultimate goal is for Montenegro to become an ecological state.

“Privileged individuals have benefited from the construction of small hydropower plants. Our watercourses are one of the greatest natural resources of Montenegro and as such must be preserved “, said Krivokapić.

He further stated that small hydro power plants do great damage to river ecosystems, nature and public finances, and their participation in the energy system is negligible.

“The new government will amend the Law on Energy and review all concession agreements, and we will pay special attention to those that have proven to be harmful,” said Prime Minister Krivokapić.

One of the main tasks of the new Montenegrin government will be to invest in energy and transport infrastructure.

According to him, investing in the environment, adapting to climate change and reducing harmful gas emissions will be the priorities of the new government.

Energetski portal

IRENA and Ocean Energy Europe Partner to Drive Ocean Energy Industry

04.12.2020

wave-dalasi — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The CEO of Ocean Energy Europe (OEE), Rémi Gruet and the Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Francesco La Camera, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today at the annual Ocean Energy Europe Conference & Exhibition. The partnership will deepen existing cooperation to accelerate the commercialisation of ocean energy technologies, by promoting the right policy incentives and innovative business models in Europe and globally.

Oceans hold abundant, largely untapped renewable energy potential that could drive a vigorous global blue economy, as two new studies, also released today by IRENA show. Fostering a blue economy: Offshore renewable energy and the Agency’s Innovation outlook: Ocean energy technologies find that in addition to providing mainstream power generation, a blue economy driven by offshore renewables will bring major benefits to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and coastal communities.

Ocean energy can not only help to decarbonise power generation, provide affordable and reliable access to electricity, help countries to fulfil Paris Agreement pledges and contribute to global climate action. Offshore renewables can help meet energy needs for shipping, cooling and water desalination, laying the foundation for a broad-based blue economy and industry. They create jobs, improve health, strengthen people’s livelihoods and foster wider socioeconomic opportunities for a green recovery from COVID-19.

Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA said: “Renewable energy from oceans has the potential to meet four times the global electricity demand of today, foster a blue economy, and bring socio-economic benefits to some of the most vulnerable areas to climate change such as SIDS and coastal areas. Close cooperation with OEE in platforms like IRENA’s Collaborative Framework and Coalition for Action is absolutely vital to share knowledge with industry to ensure a widespread deployment of ocean and offshore renewables in the future.”

Rémi Gruet, CEO of Ocean Energy Europe added: “We have enjoyed a fruitful collaboration between OEE and IRENA for some time, and I am delighted to formalise it today. Europe is a world-leader in the development of ocean energy, but the massive potential of these technologies is unarguably global in scale. Working on joint initiatives and exchanging information with IRENA will strengthen the advancement of these technologies on the international stage.”

Today, ocean energy accounts for approximately 530 megawatts of installed generation capacity globally. Tidal stream and wave projects currently under construction may add another 3 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity short-term within the next 5 years, most of it in Europe (55 percent), Asia-Pacific (28 percent) and the Middle East and Africa (13 percent). However, with the right incentives and regulatory frameworks in place, IRENA foresees the potential growth of ocean energy up to 10 GW of installed capacity by 2030 globally.

Following the steps of wind power and solar PV, innovative offshore renewables have seen huge cost reductions in recent years. Tidal and wave energy already offer a viable alternative for remote diesel-powered island territories with high electricity costs. As economies of scale push costs down even further, these technologies will become affordable options alongside mature renewable energy sources. Strong R&I programs, revenue support, and regional co-operation in marine spatial planning are now needed to bring these technologies to the commercial stage.

Source: IRENA

Siemens Energy to Deliver Transformers to Scotland’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm

03.12.2020

Siemens Energy has been selected by MHI Vestas Offshore Wind (MHI Vestas) to deliver 114 low-loss 66kV distribution transformers for the Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm in Scotland. With an installed capacity of 1,075 megawatts (MW), the wind farm will be Scotland’s single largest source of renewable energy and is forecast to provide low carbon energy for around 1.3 million homes.

The fluid immersed distribution transformers will complement 114 MHI Vestas’ 10MW turbines that the company will deliver to the wind farm located 27 km from the Angus coastline in Scotland. The low-loss distribution transformers were designed to meet high efficiency requirements. The transformer voltage class of up to 72.5 kilovolts (kV) will enable larger power capacities, such as provided by MHI Vestas’ 10MW offshore wind turbines, while keeping energy losses low. After commissioning, the distribution transformers will transform the voltage from the low voltage of produced electricity to the medium voltage level of 66kV needed to feed the offshore transmission substation before going to mainland with an even higher voltage. It is anticipated that the Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm will be operational by 2022/2023.

“Siemens Energy worked closely together with us to develop a customized design transformer that perfectly fits our demands for an energy efficient solution with minimum footprint,” said Robert Slettenhaar, Vice President, Head of Procurement and Category Management at MHI Vestas Offshore Wind. “The transformers represent a critical component in our wind turbines and I am glad that with Siemens Energy we found a reliable and experienced partner for this significant project.”

Beatrix Natter, Executive Vice President Transmission at Siemens Energy, said: “I am delighted that we have been chosen to deliver our state-of-the-art distribution transformers for the Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm – a project that is forecast to offset 1.6 million tonnes of carbon emissions per year and will significantly contribute to reach the UK’s net zero emissions targets.”

„We drive energy transition by innovation and customer dedication. Our team is enabling the efficient use of offshore wind energy, building on our 128 years of experience in transformers,” said Eduardo Terzi, Senior Vice President for Non-Switching Products at Siemens Energy. “Cleaner energy systems around the world is what we aim for, so implementing our lightweight and energy-efficient distribution transformers in Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm is an important milestone on this journey.”

The solution has been specifically designed for MHI Vestas’ needs for a lightweight and compact solution that passes through the opening in the tower base without disassembly. To combine the compactness with challenging and diverging efficiency requirements a newly developed core design, an innovative cooling solution as well as a highly efficient winding arrangement were implemented. The transformers will be filled with safe and biodegradable ester insulation fluid as an environmentally friendly and operationally safe alternative to conventional mineral oil. The transformers have been vibration tested to ensure they reliably cope with the highly demanding service conditions and strong vibration typical for wind power applications. In addition, a short circuit test was conducted to ensure the transformers can withstand potential short circuits.

About 10,000 fluid immersed transformer units built for wind farms in Siemens Energy’s transformer factory Weiz (Austria) in the last 10 years are affirming the company’s position as a leading supplier for special transformers for wind turbines.

For further information on wind energy, please visit the following press feature
www.siemens-energy.com/press/windenergy

Source: Siemens Energy

charge&GO – Your Step Towards Electromobility

02.12.2020

Charge&go-9-min — Foto: Bojan Džodan/MT-KOMEX

Do electric and hybrid vehicles belong to the future or are they reserved only for western, more advanced economies? However, if they are present here and now, such a standpoint is obviously wrong.

Countries around the world tailor their laws so as the electricity would become primary and even the exclusive fuel for vehicles. The most common means for achieving these aspirations are banning the purchase of diesel and gasoline vehicles, tightening regulations on exhaust gases, and restricting the movement of certain categories of vehicles due to their “polluting” properties. Also, the owners of electric cars enjoy other benefits such as exemption from import and purchase taxes, value-added tax and tolls. In certain countries, they can use the lane for buses and do not pay for parking.

Support packages make the total cost of owning an electric car lower than the cost of owning a conventional vehicle. What adds to their appeal is their lower price, improved capacity and performance of batteries, increased range thanks to a single charge, a wider choice of models and lifespan extension. By the end of 2019, the number of electric cars worldwide amounted to 7.2 million. For the purpose of comparison, in 2017, there were 17 thousand of them. However, this trend does not only include cars but it also “electrifies” both public transport and trucks.

Although Serbia has a reputation that it is always lagging behind the West, sustainable transport is slowly but definitely, being popularised in our country. As one of the levers for this progress, the Government allocated 120 million dinars (one million euros) to subsidy the purchase of electric and hybrid vehicles, to improve air quality and preserve the environment. About 200 registered electric cars are now cruising throughout our country together with 1,500 hybrids. For electric driving to come to life in this region, it is necessary to develop an appropriate charging infrastructure. To ensure that eco-alternatives to diesel and gasoline vehicles do not remain with “empty batteries”, we surely need electric chargers. Four Tesla superchargers, which were installed at the beginning of the year in the parking of Ikea department store in Belgrade, are in favour of replacing diesel and gasoline with electricity, as well as the announced expansion of charging capacities on domestic highways.

In focus:

The company MT-KOMEX, as one of the leaders in the shift towards electromobility in our country, has recognised the need of the market for installed chargers to be connected in one integral set, so that drivers could find a place to recharge their electric cars more easily. As you might guess, unlike gas stations, there are no electric chargers on every corner. This idea has been put into practice in cooperation with the Finnish company Virta, which is the world’s leading vehicle-to-grid technology provider. This is how charge&GO has emerged as the first regional platform for charging electric vehicles, which will include neighbouring countries in addition to Serbia. MT-KOMEX encourages all interested companies to include their chargers in the charge&GO network.

How does charge&GO work?

The software allows users to quickly find the nearest charger within charge&GO network, as well as vacant charging stations. In just a few clicks, electric car drivers can book the desired charger. They need to create an account on the platform for “booking”, and when they do, they get the opportunity to use other benefits such as lower price.

Unregistered users of charge&GO, use charging points for their four-wheelers with a one-time payment. Of course, there is always a possibility to register and use the platform with the mentioned benefits. As of October, a mobile app for iOS and Android mobile platforms is also available, which will make charging even easier since drivers will be able to start charging process faster and easier by merely selecting the charger on the map. Apart from the fact that users will be able to move around the country and the region without any worries, thanks to the cooperation of MT-KOMEX and Virta, they will have electric chargers in 28 countries around the world that are part of this global platform at their disposal. And without the additional cost of roaming!

Electromobility is not green without green energy

Even though electric cars do not emit greenhouse gases, many experts point out that these vehicles are an insufficiently clean alternative to diesel or gasoline vehicles in countries whose energy mix relies heavily on coal. Serbia is among them. Although electric cars do not emit pollution on roads, they indirectly participate in the emissions in Kostolac. MT-KOMEX is also trying to change that, by building more than 4,000 kW of small solar power plants across the country and region.

About MT-KOMEX

MT-KOMEX company offers its clients expertise, security, and reliability based on 27 years of experience. In the past ten years, they have gradually complemented their core business thanks to their participation in the branching of the charging network for electric vehicles, as well as in numerous power plant construction projects. Along with technological changes in various industrial sectors, they were also adopting new skills and knowledge. Employees are trained to install chargers, both in smaller residential and business units and in larger facilities with more demanding infrastructure, in parking lots, gas stations and corridors and highways. Their skills are evident, and it is enough to take a look at their portfolio – they earned the trust of car manufacturers and their representatives such as BMW, British Motors, Hyundai, Fiat, Renault as well as public garages, hotels, shopping malls and gas stations on Serbian highways. It is quite possible that you will also recharge your electric vehicle on their electric charger which you have reached through charge&GO platform. “We are sure of ourselves, and that is why you can be sure about us”, is the message of MT-KOMEX.

Prepared by: Jelena Kozbasic

This article was published in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT, september-november, 2020.

Use of Climate-Warming Fluorinated Gases Continues to Drop Across EU

02.12.2020

greenhouse - staklena bašta — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Felix Fuchs)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Abigail Lynn

The EEA report ‘Fluorinated greenhouse gases 2020’ confirms the trend of continued reduction in the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by European industry under both the EU-wide regulated phase-down of HFCs and the global HFC phase-down, which began in 2019 under the so-called Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.

F-gases are synthetic chemicals used in everything from refrigerators, heat pumps to air conditioners and as solvents and blowing agents for foams. They are considered potent greenhouse gases and have been regulated in the EU since 2006 in an effort to reduce their use and impact on global warming. The EEA report also details the different amounts of F-gases supplied for various industrial applications. These are expressed both in physical amounts (in tones) and in ‘global warming amounts’, i.e. physical amounts weighted by the global warming potential of hydrofluorocarbon gases and measured in CO2-equivalent tones (CO2e).

In 2019, the EU-wide quantity of HFCs placed on the market stayed below the overall market limit for the fifth year in a row, by 2 percent.

EU contribution to global phase-down

The EU’s HFC ‘consumption’ in 2019, as defined under the Montreal Protocol, was 55 percent below the first limit set for the EU for 2019 under the Montreal Protocol’s Kigali Amendment.

Other Key Findings:

In addition to reduced use and imports, a substitution is taking place in favour of less climate-harming F-gases:

The volume of total supply of F-gases in the EU measured in tones was 15 percent below 2018 and almost 25 percent below 2017. Expressed in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), the reduction is even more significant at 20 percent below 2018 and 42 percent below 2017. Refrigeration and air conditioning continue to be key applications.
Total imports of F-gases to the EU in 2019 decreased by 14 percent compared with 2018 (19 percent if measured in CO2e). Most of this decrease is due to lower HFC imports, and the remainder is caused by decreases in imports of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs).

Fluorinated greenhouse gas emissions have been decreasing in the EU since 2015, after 15 years of uninterrupted annual increases. In 2018, total fluorinated greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 11 percent from their peak in 2014.

Source: EEA

Alstom To Supply Italy’s First 6 Hydrogen Trains

01.12.2020

voz-trains — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Dan Senior)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Silver Ringvee)

Generally speaking, at best, i don’t get excited about hydrogen news. In the case of potential hydrogen-powered airplanes or large ships, i might be cautiously optimistic — or just attentive — since experts like Mark Z. Jacobson consider such transport methods to perhaps be a good fit for hydrogen fuel cell powertrains. However, generally, my understanding of the matter is hydrogen-powered vehicles are typically too inefficient (in terms of energy and cost) to compete with battery-electric vehicles.

The news below caught my attention, though. It’s about hydrogen-powered trains. Again, this seems like a transportation mode that would be more efficiently powered with other electric options. But perhaps I’m wrong.

Trains are certainly large vehicles with unique characteristics — in terms of needing a lot of power to get rolling but then not needing a great amount of energy as they roll on metal wheels and rails with little to no interruption. So, do hydrogen-powered trains have an opportunity to break into a free market or not? I’m inclined to think not, but we’ll see.

In the meantime, below is a fresh press release from European train giant Alstom about its newest order.

The board of FNM, Lombardy’s leading public transport group, approves major investment in green railway transportation.

Alstom will supply six hydrogen fuel cell trains, with the option for eight more, to FNM (Ferrovie Nord Milano), the main transport and mobility group in the Italian region of Lombardy, for a total amount of approximately EUR 160 million. The first train delivery is expected within 36 months of the date of the order.

The new hydrogen trains will be based on Alstom’s Coradia Stream regional train platform, which is dedicated to the European market and already being produced for Italy by Alstom’s main Italian sites. The hydrogen powered Coradia Stream for FNM, will be equipped with the same fuel cell propulsion technology that was introduced to the world by the Coradia iLint. The hydrogen Coradia Stream will maintain the high standards of comfort already appreciated by passengers of its electric version. The hydrogen version will match the operational performance of diesel trains, including their range.

“We are immensely proud to be introducing hydrogen train technology to Italy, and we recognise the trust placed in us by our Italian customer. This development confirms Alstom’s role in defining the future of mobility. These trains, together with the Coradia iLint that have already proven themselves in commercial service in Germany, represent another major step in the transition towards global sustainable transport systems. I take this opportunity to congratulate FNM for demonstrating that they are a leader in this area,” says Gian Luca Erbacci, Senior Vice President of Alstom Europe.

The Coradia iLint is the world’s first passenger train powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, which produces electrical power for traction. This zero-emission train emits low levels of noise, with exhaust being only steam and condensed water. The iLint is special for its combination of different innovative elements: clean energy conversion, flexible energy storage in batteries, and smart management of traction power and available energy. Specifically designed for operation on non-electrified lines, it enables clean, sustainable train operation while ensuring high levels of performance.

The Coradia Stream trains for FNM are manufactured by Alstom in Italy. Project development, most of the manufacturing and certification are performed at Alstom’s site in Savigliano. The on-board signaling systems are delivered by the Bologna site.

Source: Clean Technica

EU on Track to Meet Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Renewable Energy 2020 Targets

01.12.2020

zagađenje vazduha - air pollution — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Carlos Grury Santos)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Daniel Moqvist)

The EEA report ‘Trends and projections in Europe 2020’ tracks progress the EU’s 27 Member States (plus the United Kingdom) are making towards Europe’s climate and energy targets. The analysis is based on data on greenhouse gas emissions and energy up to 2019, officially reported in 2020, and complemented by the EEA’s own preliminary estimates for missing data.

The EU on track to its 2020 emission target, but national situations differ

In 2019, greenhouse gas emissions in the EU-27 decreased by almost 4 percent. This one-year drop was unprecedented over the last decade and occurred before the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2019 drop took place in a period of economic growth, reflecting the strong and steady growth of renewable energy in Europe and the result of cumulative long-term, sustained efforts toward lower emissions levels.

Since 1990, greenhouse gas emissions in the EU have been steadily declining, with emissions in the EU-27 falling to 24 percent below 1990 levels in 2019. This highlights the results of effective climate policies implemented across the EU and shows that it is clearly possible to achieve more ambitious reduction targets by 2030, paving the way for a climate neutral EU by 2050.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Sam Wermut)

The fast decarbonisation of the EU’s power sector has been driving major and sustained emission reductions in the sectors covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). In the other sectors (transport, buildings, agriculture), the achievement by Member States of their national annual ‘Effort Sharing’ emissions targets over the period 2013-2020 has been consistent, but the overall EU-level overachievement has been narrowing. In 2019, preliminary estimates point towards 12 countries with emission levels greater than their annual targets: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta and Poland.

Renewable energy 2020 target on track

Preliminary EEA data suggest that the EU-27 achieved a total share of energy consumed from renewable sources of 19.4 percent in 2019. The EU is therefore on track to the 2020 target of a minimum 20 percent share. While the shares of electricity, heating and cooling provided by renewables helped meet the overall EU target, reaching the target of 10 percent energy needs for transport to be supplied by renewable sources by 2020 remains tenuous. The EEA’s estimate for 2019 indicates that 14 Member States need to make further efforts to reach their 2020 target levels. These countries are Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.

Energy efficiency: risk of not meeting 2020 targets

Efforts to achieve the 2020 energy efficiency targets have not been enough. According to EEA estimates for 2019, final energy consumption in the EU-27 stabilised in 2019, but only nine Member States (Finland, Greece, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Spain) were on track toward their respective 2020 final energy efficiency targets. All other Member States need to make further efforts to curb their national energy demand and achieve their 2020 targets.

Impact of COVID-19?

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 is likely to make the 2020 targets easier to achieve. While not yet quantified, there are strong indications that the economic downturn in 2020 has sharply reduced overall energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, in particular in the transport sector, with the share of energy consumed from renewable sources likely having increased. The impact of COVID-19 related potential reductions might be short-lived and emissions might rebound as economic activities return to pre-COVID levels.

Reducing GHG emissions: much more work needed towards 2030, 2050

While recent trends suggest achievement or overachievement of the 2020 emissions reductions targets, remaining on track to meet the 2030 and 2050 objectives will demand sustained and long-term efforts. The latest national projections reported to the EEA, which do not yet fully reflect all indicate a rather conservative outlook, with relatively moderate emission reductions by 2030 in the absence of new measures. Further effort will be necessary to achieve the emission reduction targets that have already been set for 2030, and even more if their ambition level is increased in line with the proposed EU climate neutrality goal by 2050. The packages of recovery measures prepared at the national and European levels provide a unique opportunity to direct short-term and long-term investments towards activities fully compatible with Europe’s climate neutrality and sustainability objectives.

Source: EEA

WMO Welcomes Launch of New Ocean-Monitoring Satellite

30.11.2020

ocean_okean_coast_obala_beach_plaža — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Jakob Owens)

The World Meteorological Organization has welcomed the successful launch of the Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich ocean-monitoring satellite. Its high-precision measurements of Earth’s oceans from space will provide crucial information about sea level rise and critical inputs for weather forecasting.

The fundamental contribution from the new satellite will be ensuring continuity in the long-term climate data record on sea-level, supporting policy decisions on mitigation. adaptation and climate impacts – underpinned by science. Sea level rise is a key indicator of climate change and its monitoring is essential to for the protection of lives and property, which lies at the core of WMO’s mandate.

Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich was launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Air Force base in California, in the United States on 21 November. The partners in the mission are the European Commission, European Space Agency (ESA), European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), and the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with support from the French Space Agency (CNES).

Launch of Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite (NASA)“Sentinel 6 Michael Freilich data will expand the unique record of mean sea level, whilst improving it further with measurements of unprecedented accuracy and closer to coastlines. The data will improve forecasts of high-impact weather and climate features that are strongly influenced by the ocean, like heat waves, tropical cyclones and unusually warm or cold summers and winters,” said EUMETSAT Director-General Alain Ratier.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (marek-okon)

Dr Steve Volz, Assistant Administrator of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Satellite and Information Service, added: “NOAA will use Sentinel-6 data in many ways, including using sea levels to estimate the heat stored in the upper layer of the ocean, which will help improve hurricane intensity forecasts.”

The satellite is named after the late Dr Michael Freilich, who was Director of NASA’s Earth Science Division and a champion of science and international cooperation.

ESA’s Space Operations Centre handed over flight operations of the Copernicus ocean-monitoring satellite to EUMETSAT on 24 November. With Sentinel-3A and Sentinel-3B, this is the third Copernicus ocean-monitoring satellite operated by the organisation on behalf of the European Union.

EUMETSAT will work with ESA, NASA, NOAA, CNES and scientists from Europe and the United States to calibrate the products and validate the end-to-end Sentinel-6 system.

This will be achieved in June 2021, with release to all users of near-real-time products equivalent to those of those of Jason-3. Another six months will be necessary to validate and release the highest accuracy sea level products used for climate monitoring. Then, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich will replace Jason-3 as the reference high-precision ocean altimetry mission.

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich plays an important role as a radar altimetry reference mission and continuing the long-term record of ocean topography and waves measurements started in 1992 by the French-US Topex Poseidon followed by the Jason satellites.

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich will make a a vital contribution to the space-based component of the WMO integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS). It will enhance climate research and science and observations of phenomenon such as the El Niño/Southern Oscillation. It will also support WMO efforts to improve early warnings of tropical cyclones and hazards like coastal inundation.

With NASA’s Eyes on the Earth web-based app, you can tag along with the U.S.-European satellite as it orbits the globe, gathering critical measurements of our changing planet.

Source: WMO

Urgent Action Needed for the Energy Transition in Heating and Cooling

30.11.2020

hlađenje-fabrika — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Sergei Akulich)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Marcin Jozwiak)

The transition to cleaner, more sustainable heating and cooling solutions can attract investment, create millions of new jobs and help to drive a durable economic recovery in the wake of the global COVID-19 crisis, says a new study by leading energy organisations.

The joint report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Renewable Energy Network for the 21st Century (REN21), highlights the benefits, identifies investment barriers, as well as the policies to drive faster uptake of renewable heating and cooling worldwide.

Renewable Energy Policies in a Time of Transition: Heating and Cooling describes five possible transformation pathways, encompassing renewables-based electrification, renewable gases, sustainable biomass, and direct uses of solar thermal and geothermal heat.

“Energy efficient heating and cooling based on renewable sources has emerged as an urgent priority for countries striving to meet climate commitments under the Paris Agreement and to build resilient, sustainable economies,” said IRENA Director-General, Francesco La Camera.

“The transition to cleaner, more efficient and sustainable heating and cooling solutions can attract investments, create millions of new jobs and help to drive a durable economic recovery in the wake of the global COVID-19 crisis. It will make much needed heating and cooling services available to everyone, including to remote islands and least-developed countries of Africa and Asia.”

Heating and cooling demand accounts for around half of global final energy consumption, mostly for industrial processes, followed by residential and agricultural applications. Most of this energy now comes either from fossil fuels or inefficient, unsustainable uses of biomass. Heating and cooling, consequently, is a major source of air pollution and accounts for over 40 percent of global energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. At the same time, around 2.8 billion people currently rely on wood fuel, charcoal, animal dung and other inefficient and polluting fuels for cooking.

The demand for heating and cooling is set to keep growing. Cooling demand has already tripled globally since 1990, and as climate change increases the number and severity of heat waves, so does the urgency for supplying air conditioning and refrigeration to billions of people.

Policy makers have so far given limited attention to the heating and cooling transition. By the end of 2019, only 49 countries – mostly within the European Union – had national targets for renewable heating and cooling, in contrast with 166 having targets for renewable power generation. To decarbonise the energy used for heating and cooling, aggressive and comprehensive policy packages that phase out the use of fossil fuels and prioritise renewable energy and efficiency are even more urgent amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has cut demand for renewables-based heating and cooling services, including in households and small businesses. The health and economic crisis has also worsened conditions for energy access in many developing countries.

Transitioning to renewable sources will help to increase access to clean, affordable and reliable heating and cooling services, even on remote islands and in some of the least-developed countries of Africa and Asia. At the same time, renewable heating and cooling can create new jobs, stimulate local economies, and improve people’s livelihoods, while strengthening countries’ energy security and independence, the report notes.

Source: IRENA

Release of Naftogaz’s Gas Key for Continuation of Gas Market Reforms in Ukraine

29.11.2020

natural_gas_prirodni_gas — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Quinten de Graaf)

Ukraine has achieved significant milestones towards gas market liberalization and the development of a stable gas hub in the last years. However, certain elements remain that hinder full market liberalization and competition and even threaten to reverse the progress achieved.

The Secretariat’s Position Paper on Gas Market Design in Ukraine, sent to Ukrainian stakeholders, analyses the current situation and provides market design options that would ensure fair competition in the Ukrainian gas market and provide the needed liquidity in the future gas exchange.

While the abolishment of the public service obligation (PSO) for households was a major step towards market liberalization, the country’s gas incumbent Naftogaz has absorbed the “unlocked’’ nationally produced gas volumes without other market participants having access to the national gas production.

The concept proposed by the Secretariat outlines a gas release programme which would allow all market participants to have access to the gas volumes by ensuring that it is traded on equal and transparent market segments, which are operated by the Ukrainian Energy Exchange (UEEX). These volumes would provide the crucial liquidity needed on the gas market to create a stable Ukrainian gas index.

This is not about fair treatment of private gas suppliers but about increasing benefits of Ukrainian gas consumers. Due to the fact that the country’s own production will be traded on transparent terms on the market and will be accordingly taken into account in the price formation mechanisms, the Ukrainian gas price could be lower than the TTF or NCG index price to which Ukraine is pegged to at the moment. Besides this, the Ukrainian gas hub could, due to its size, become one of the top European reference hubs.

Additionally, the paper proposes a concept which could bring more transparency in the district heating segment, which is still covered by the PSO. In this sector, auctions in combination with a clear separation between indebted and profitable district heating companies could provide a first step towards market mechanisms.

The Energy Community Secretariat has continuously advised the Ukrainian government in the past in order to ensure that the PSO is compliant with the gas acquis and thus does not cause distortion of competition and market monopolization.

Source: Energy Community

1...140141142...414 Page 141 of 414

More:

More:

More:

More:

More:

More:

More:

More:

In focus:

More:

More:

More:

More:

More:

More:

Newsletter

Calendar of events

2025 September

Events for 30 September

Events for 1 October

Events for 2 October

Events for 3 October

Events for 4 October

Events for 5 October

Events for 6 October

Events for 7 October

Events for 8 October

Events for 9 October

Events for 10 October

Events for 11 October

Events for 12 October

Events for 13 October

Events for 14 October

Events for 15 October

Events for 16 October

Events for 17 October

Events for 18 October

Events for 19 October

Events for 20 October

Events for 21 October

Events for 22 October

Events for 23 October

Events for 24 October

Events for 25 October

Events for 26 October

Events for 27 October

Events for 28 October

Events for 29 October

Events for 30 October

WRITE US