Two Years of REPowerEU: Strengthening Europe’s Energy Resilience

21.05.2024

solarni-paneli-radnik — Photo-illustration: Freepik (senivpetro)

In May 2022, the European Commission launched the REPowerEU Plan in response to war in Ukraine and its use of energy resources as an economic weapon. The Plan’s main objectives were to save energy, diversify energy supplies, and produce more clean energy for the EU.

Two years on, it is clear that REPowerEU has played a crucial role in safeguarding EU citizens and businesses from energy shortages, while also providing vital support to Ukraine. Through joint efforts, Europe has not only made a massive cut in Russian energy imports but has also accelerated its transition to clean energy and stabilised prices.

Key achievements:

Reducing natural gas consumption by 18 per cent between August 2022 and March 2024

Overcoming our dependency on Russian fossil fuels – the share of gas imports coming from Russia dropped from 45 per cent to 15 per cent between 2021 and 2023

Ensuring access to secure and affordable energy

Producing more electricity from wind and solar than from gas for the first time, since 2022

Rapidly increasing renewable energy installation – reaching a record of almost 96 GW of new solar energy capacity installed and increasing wind capacity by 33 GW since 2022

As we move forward, it is evident that Europe is now stronger and more united than ever before. The Commission has mobilised close to 300 billion euros to fund the REPowerEU Plan with the Recovery and Resilience Facility at the heart of this funding. The EU is now on track to completely eliminate its reliance on Russian fossil fuels while continuing to advance the green transition and supporting Ukraine.

Source: Energy Commission

First Regional E-waste Project in Latin America Comes to a Xlose

21.05.2024

recycling-recikliranje-ee-otpad — Foto ilustracija: Pixabay

Representatives from across Latin America will gather this week to share their experiences of participating in UNIDO’s first-ever regional project on e-waste management.

Since its launch in Quito in March 2018, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded project has assisted 13 countries with tackling e-waste challenges in the region. From strengthening national e-waste management initiatives, to upgrading e-waste dismantling and recycling facilities, the project has enhanced regional cooperation and generated important data for decision making in this area.

Tools developed under the project include a guide for the media on communicating on e-waste and the Regional E-Waste Monitor for Latin-America report. Produced by the Sustainable Cycles (SCYCLE) Programme, this report offers the UN’s first assessment of the region’s e-waste generation, its legislation and its recycling infrastructure.

In 2022, 62 million tons of e-waste was generated globally, with around 22 per cent documented as formally collected and recycled in an environmentally sound manner, versus just tree per cent in the 13 project countries. Given the complexities around handling e-waste and the potential health and environmental risks posed by its improper disposal, this represents a serious risk for the region.

From 21-23 May, technical and political representatives from participating countries will meet with international experts in Panama City to showcase their achievements, innovations, and lessons learnt in managing harmful Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in electrical and electronic waste.

Strong policies and legal frameworks are essential for the success of interventions in this area. Under the project, existing regulations have been improved, and new regulations have been developed in nine of the participating countries.

Further, over 200 awareness-raising activities have been carried out, reaching around 15,000 people, with strong participation from the academic sector through the involvement of universities in Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Panama and Venezuela. Almost 5,000 people have received training and around 700,000 pieces of electronic and electrical equipment have been analysed, with over 230 metric tons of equipment sent for environmentally sound management.

Source: UNIDO

Can Heavy Industry Rely on Solar Energy?

20.05.2024

industrija — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Ant Rozetsky)

The decarbonization of heavy industry is one of the biggest challenges in fighting climate change because this sector consumes huge amounts of energy. For this reason, the use of fossil fuels is still the most cost-effective.

The industrial sector is responsible for a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new materials and processes that will be environmentally acceptable and, at the same time, economically competitive with coal, say experts from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Swiss researchers discovered a new environmentally friendly source of thermal energy for heavy industry. Solar energy can generate over 1,000°C, which is necessary for steel melting, cement production, and other uses.

Emiliano Casati, head of research at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, says their concept uses synthetic quartz to capture solar energy, a process known as the thermal capture effect.

Researchers have built solar receivers that concentrate and generate heat using thousands of mirrors to track the sun. The thermal capture device consists of a synthetic quartz rod to which an opaque silicon disc is attached as an energy absorber. When they exposed the device to an energy flux equivalent to the light from 136 suns, the absorber plate reached the temperature of 1,050°C, while the temperature at the other end of the quartz rod remained at 600°C.

“Previous research only managed to show the thermal trap effect up to 170°C. Our research has demonstrated that solar thermal capture works not only at low temperatures but well above 1,000°C. This is crucial to demonstrate its potential for real-world industrial applications,” said Mr Casati.

He added that we needed to decarbonize energy in general to tackle climate change.

“People tend to only think of electricity as energy, but in fact, about half of the energy is used in the form of heat”, he added.

A study on this concept was published in the journal Device to demonstrate the potential of clean energy in fossil fuel-intensive industries.

Milena Maglovski

India is the Third Country in the World in Terms of Solar Energy Production

20.05.2024

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Mark Merner)

According to the latest global electricity survey of 80 countries published by the Ember think tank, India now occupies third place in the world regarding solar power generation, behind China in first place and the United States in second place.

In 2023, solar growth in India accounted for as much as 5.9 per cent of global solar growth.

The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) has published a report on new energy capacity in India for the first quarter of 2024. According to the POWERup report, India added a record 13,669 megawatts to its energy mix from January to March this year, and renewable energy sources accounted for as much as 71.5 per cent of all new capacity.

Solar projects dominated among renewable energy sources with 62.1 per cent of new energy capacities, i.e. 8495 MW.

Wind energy accounted for 8.4 per cent of added capacity in the first quarter of 2024, while the country also expanded its nuclear capacity by 700 MW.

Investments in renewable energy sources decreased by 58.9 per cent compared to the first quarter of 2023. Still, the Indian government has confirmed that the RES sector will attract investments worth about 16.5 billion dollars.

India intends to add 40.7 GW of new renewable or nuclear power to its energy mix each year to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030.

In 2023, India relied on fossil fuels to produce 78 per cent of its electricity, ranking as the world’s third-largest emitter in the energy sector. However, its per capita emissions were below the global average.

Although coal capacity also increased in the first quarter of 2024, the overall share of coal in India’s energy mix fell below 50 per cent for the first time. The Indian government intends to maintain this trend so that in 2030, electricity production from fossil fuels will not exceed 50 per cent.

Milena Maglovski

CEEFOR is Designing Another Power Plant

19.05.2024

At a time when countries worldwide are searching for sustainable solutions, reaching for renewable energy sources and striving for energy independence, every new project implemented along the way is a symbol of progress. The construction of a ground solar power plant on land is planned on the outskirts of eastern Serbia, in the Braničevo district, which should significantly contribute to the production of clean, renewable energy in our country.

The entire design and technical documentation of this solar power plant was entrusted to the Center for Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development (CEEFOR), more precisely to their engineers with abundant experience in developing renewable energy projects.

The company‘s team of professionals offer design and consulting services related to energy efficiency and renewable energy sources – from conducting energy audits (preliminary, short and detailed energy inspections), writing feasibility studies for energy technologies, designs required for obtaining various permits, contractor projects for construction and use renewable energy sources and other necessary services in this segment.

According to the drafted project, this solar power plant will require 5,400 photovoltaic panels with an individual power between 570 and 720Wp that will be connected to 30 inverters with a power of 100kW. CEEFOR’s engineers decided to use inverters manufactured by Fronius GmbH, the model TAURO ECO 100-3-P. These inverters guarantee efficient conversion of solar energy into electricity and are at the top of the market range. The final choice of construction and foundation method will depend on the results of geomechanical analyses and static calculations.

The solar panels will be arranged in 18 rows, in the west-east direction, with a vertical orientation and a tilt angle of 20 degrees. The power plant will be located within the boundaries of the 4.04-hectare plot, thus demonstrating efficient use of space, given that the length of these rows depends on the land plot’s shape. The height of the construction pillars at the lowest point will be 50 centimeters.

IN FOCUS:

At the location of the power plant, the average annual irradiation, or more precisely, the quantity of incoming sunlight, is 1300kWh/m2, which is why the plant’s annual production is expected to be 4,533,541kWh, with a specific production of 1,271.46kWh/kWp.

Regarding its positive effects, this solar power plant will save more than 3.6 million kilograms of carbon dioxide annually. To approximate this figure, we can draw a parallel with an average mature tree, which can absorb about 20 kilograms of carbon dioxide per year, depending on the species, age, health, and other characteristics. If we take an average value of 20 kilograms per year for a typical mature tree, the carbon dioxide savings of the mentioned power plant are equivalent to the annual absorption of approximately 180,000 trees.

The plant will not only contribute to the reduction of harmful gas emissions. Still, it will also generate significant quantities of clean energy for the local community’s needs once it is connected to the power grid.

With a total installed power of 3,564 MWp DC/3MW AC, this power plant is a significant step towards sustainable development, energy independence and the accomplishment of the set renewable energy goals.

The CEEFOR Company will once again have the opportunity to demonstrate its professionalism and expertise, derived from many years of experience in energy efficiency and renewable sources. The company’s work is based on detailed planning and precise implementation by engineers, making it one of the leaders in its field and in generating greener and cleaner energy in our region.

Prepared by: Milica Vučković

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE AND FINANCING OF GREEN CONSTRUCTION

Support for the Implementation of Innovative Solutions for a Smooth Green Transition

18.05.2024

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has a unique financing programme designed by the organization’s key development team. The financing programme is related to Public Calls in the form of challenges for innovation under the auspices of their Green Finance Platform in Serbia, which aim is to support those organizations/ individuals who have innovative solutions for climate change, environmental protection, and green transition of both the economy and society and who need technical and financial support to implement them. From 2017 to January 2024, they supported 103 green initiatives with a total of 6 million dollars in co-financing and attracted $55 million for the implementation of the said initiatives. Co-financing was provided by donors whose support ensured the implementation of green transformation projects, including the European Union, the governments of Sweden, Switzerland, and Japan, as well as the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

In an interview for our magazine, Žarko Petrović, leader of the vital development team of UNDP Serbia, says that the initiatives implemented thanks to the programme contribute to mitigating climate change, decarbonizing the economy and increasing energy production from renewable sources, thus accelerating the transition to a circular economy, reducing waste, improving air quality and biodiversity, establishing sustainable food systems, as well as increasing energy efficiency and ensuring the fairness of the energy transition process in Serbia.

“Initiatives are implemented throughout the country while ensuring that the green transition is taking place evenly. Many of these initiatives have great potential to be further expanded and applied in other places,” says Mr Petrović.

According to him, several co-financed projects have exceeded the originally planned frameworks thanks to the support of UNDP experts, opportunities for networking, and public promotion. One project managed was granted 9 million euros worth of bank loans to advance a new approach to producing electricity from biomass.

IN FOCUS:

Application process

All companies from the private and public sectors, research institutions, civil society organizations, local governments, agricultural holdings and cooperatives can participate in public calls for innovation.

“After evaluating the received applications, the creators of the selected solutions undergo training and receive mentoring support to turn ideas into tangible business plans and feasible green investments. Applicants who complete this process receive co-financing to implement their innovative ideas,” explains Mr Petrović.

Supported investments are expected to contribute to the economy’s green transformation and increase the quality of the environment and life in Serbia. At the same time, they must contribute to a just transition, reducing energy poverty and creating green jobs.

The Programme’s unique points

Our interlocutor adds that the analysis of such an approach to green financing, which was carried out by an independent consultant, showed that the Programme has several unique points that give it a comparative advantage over other similar green financing support programmes in Serbia. The Programme enables innovative projects to be launched at an early development stage, which gives them a chance to attract other investors. This is one of the very few programmes that simultaneously focus on green initiatives and innovation and is one of the few that specifically targets green projects. Last but not least, it is the only programme open to a wide range of participants, including startups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large corporations, and companies from both the private and public sectors.

“The Programme ensures that its participants work with mentors in practice and provides concrete guidelines for acquiring the know-how and skills needed to carry out sustainable and financially profitable ventures. Mentors also help project teams interpret laws and obtain the required permits to implement their projects in accordance with the legal framework,” Mr Petrović adds.

Prepared by: Mirjana Vujadinović Tomevski

Read the whole story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE AND FINANCING OF GREEN CONSTRUCTION

Global Temperature Record Streak Continues

18.05.2024

vrućina_umivanje — Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Tadeusz Lakota)

It was the warmest April on record – the eleventh month in a row of record global temperatures. Sea surface temperatures have been record high for the past 13 months. Extreme weather caused many casualties and socio-economic disruption.

The monthly reports from Copernicus Climate Change Service and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration highlight the extraordinary duration of record temperatures fuelled by the naturally occurring El Niño event and the additional energy trapped in the atmosphere and ocean by greenhouse gases from human activities. A similar streak happened previously during the strong El Niño event of 2015/2016.

April 2024 had an average surface air temperature of 15.03°C, 0.67°C above the 1991-2020 average for April and 0.14°C above the previous high set in April 2016, according to the ERA5 dataset from Copernicus Climate Change Service implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts on behalf of the European Commission.

The month was 1.58°C warmer than an estimate of the April average for 1850-1900, the designated pre-industrial reference period, according to the ERA5 dataset. Monthly breaches of 1.5°C do not mean that the world has failed to achieve the Paris Agreement’s temperature goal, which refers to a long-term temperature increase over decades.

South America had its warmest April on record, whilst Europe had its second warmest, according to NOAA.

Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent in April was the smallest on record. Both Eurasia and North America were below average, whereas parts of eastern Russia and China were above average. Global sea ice extent was the tenth smallest on record, according to NOAA.

The record temperatures were accompanied by high-impact weather events – including intense heat in many parts of Asia. A new study from World Weather Attribution said that climate change made the deadly heatwaves that hit millions of highly vulnerable people more extreme.

Drought bit southern Africa and extreme rainfall hit the Arabian peninsula. Persistent heavy rainfall in East Africa and southern Brazil has worsened in the first week of May, leading to devastating and deadly floods. Afghanistan also suffered deadly flash flooding in mid-May, killing at least 300 people and causing widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure.

“The high number of extreme weather and climate events (including record daily and monthly temperatures and rainfall amounts) are more likely in a warmer world,” said WMO climate expert Alvaro Silva.

“The sea surface temperature in several ocean basins, including in the tropical belt, continues to be record high, releasing more heat and moisture to the atmosphere and thus exacerbating conditions,” he said.

The El Niño in the eastern equatorial Pacific continued to weaken towards neutral conditions, but marine air temperatures in general remained at an unusually high level.

The global sea surface temperature averaged for April 2024 over 60°S–60°N was 21.04°C, the highest value on record for the month, marginally below the 21.07°C recorded for March 2024, according to C3S.

WMO uses six internationally recognized datasets for its climate monitoring activities and State of the Global Climate reports.

Source: WMO

New Agrisolar Digital Map Presents over 200 Projects across Europe

17.05.2024

solar , panel — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Mark Merner)

SolarPower Europe has launched a new digital map highlighting more than 200 agrisolar projects across Europe that exceed a combined capacity of 2.8 GW, including both pilot and commercial projects.

Agrisolar, referring to the integration of solar photovoltaic projects within an agricultural activity, includes the deployment of PV on the roof of agricultural buildings, PV integrated into irrigation systems, and agrivoltaics.

The map highlights a diverse range of technologies, including ground-mounted PV, interrow PV, dynamic PV, overhead PV, farm rooftop PV, and solar PV greenhouses, tailored to accommodate various agricultural activities.

Eva Vandest, Group Head of Public Affairs, Global Agrisolar expert at Amarenco and Chair of SolarPower Europe’s Land Use and Permitting Workstream, expressed enthusiasm about the initiative, stating:

“With this digital map providing an overview of Agri-PV installations across Europe, we aim to illustrate the current development of this market and enable tracking of its progress. It’s evident that various types of installations have been built in accordance with SolarPower Europe guidelines, fostering a wide array of solutions to address the diverse needs of the agricultural sector.”

Lina Dubina, Policy Advisor on Sustainability at SolarPower Europe said:

“This map unveils how agrisolar and farming can go hand in hand to support a multitude of crops such as vines, fruit plants, market gardening, wheat, barley, and more. Agrisolar can also integrate with livestock farming practices, including sheep grazing, cows, hens, and beekeeping. “

Dubina continued: “Many agrisolar projects featured on the map incorporate biodiversity initiatives aimed at preserving and enhancing ecosystems. These initiatives include tracking wildflowers as well as various animal species, further underscoring the environmental benefits of agrisolar integration.”

The map provides a comprehensive overview of projects across Switzerland, France (including outer regions), Netherlands, Lithuania, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Austria, and the UK, serving as a valuable resource for stakeholders interested in the intersection of solar energy and agriculture. The project will be ongoing, with the aim of providing the most comprehensive overview of agrisolar projects in Europe to solar developers, farmers, researchers and policymakers.

Source: SolarPower Europe

Ethiopia is the First Country in the World to Ban the Import of Fossil Fuel Vehicles

17.05.2024

car-automobil — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Although many countries have announced a ban on the import and production of conventional vehicles as targets for 2030 or 2050, Ethiopia is the first country in the world to actually ban the import of fossil fuel-powered cars and switch entirely to electric vehicles.

As reported, in late January this year, the Ethiopian Ministry of Transport announced that a ban on the import of conventional vehicles would come into effect, while the Government of Ethiopia announced a plan to import close to half a million electric vehicles and install over 2,000 charging stations in the next 10 years.

Although the number of registered motor vehicles in Ethiopia is relatively small (about 1.2 million in a population of 126 million people, according to the 2020 data collated by the country’s Ministry of Transport), Ethiopia is determined to completely switch to environmentally friendly vehicles and thereby reduce traffic-generated pollution.

An additional reason for this transition lies in the fact that Ethiopia imports about 6 billion US dollars worth of fossil fuels annually, half of which goes to fuel vehicles. On the other hand, the country has extremely cheap electricity (the price of one kWh is about 1 US dollar for individual consumption and about 2 US dollars for industry), so switching to electric vehicles is also a money-saving measure.

Close to 100 per cent of electricity comes from renewable sources

Ethiopia is very active in implementing the energy transition and in recent years has added significant wind, solar, geothermal and hydropower capacities to its energy mix. About 90 per cent of electricity production in Ethiopia comes from hydropower plants, while wind and thermal sources have an eight and two per cent share, respectively, in the country’s power production, writes OilPrice.

Ethiopia’s current 5,200 MW of installed generation capacity supplies less than 60 per cent of the population, so the government intends to increase electricity generation capacity to 17,000 MW in the next 10 years.

One of the priorities is also the construction of the Great Renaissance Dam of Ethiopia, which thanks to an installed capacity of 5,150 MW, should serve as a driving force behind industrialization and economic development.

Milena Maglovski

Artificial Intelligence in the Fight Against Hunger

16.05.2024

robot_vetačka inteligencija — Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Possessed Photography)

How do you imagine the world in 2050? Flying cars? Robots that help us with housework? With all that sophisticated technology, life will certainly be nice for a small part of the world’s population. Still, the chances are high that billions of people will fight something that has plagued humanity for centuries – hunger.

Experts estimate that in 2050, the planet will be inhabited by 9.1 billion people, so farmers will have to produce 70 per cent more food than today. This seems almost impossible with the current climatic conditions, as the intensity of floods, droughts, and other weather disasters increases yearly.

Climate change is the biggest threat to food production today, and the fight against this enemy of our own making is being waged on many fronts. Regarding agriculture, food production must reduce greenhouse gas emissions because food systems are responsible for 30 per cent of global emissions. On the other hand, farmers need to adapt to harsh and unpredictable weather conditions to minimize losses.

Fortunately, technology has advanced, and farmers today have artificial intelligence, robotics, and gene manipulation to help maintain and improve production.

Himanshu Gupta, one of the most prominent entrepreneurs in the field of climate change, has experienced firsthand what it’s like to run out of food. According to the World Economic Forum, Gupta’s grandmother often mixed milk with water to feed her family of 16 members.

This Indian-American entrepreneur is now determined to help farmers facing an increasingly severe climate crisis by using artificial intelligence.

His company, ClimateAI, provides people with insight into detailed and long-term forecasts thanks to machine learning, i.e. artificial intelligence. Forecasts are based on a large amount of data that includes, among other things, the history of weather conditions in a particular area, established weather patterns and climate change as an important factor. Such predictions are characterized by high accuracy, so farmers will know if they can expect droughts, floods, and other weather disasters up to six months in advance.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Markus Spiske)

Users of Gupta’s ClimateLens platform can opt-in at any time and receive key alerts and data that allow them to adjust their investments, act to protect their crops and choose genetically modified seeds resistant to upcoming weather conditions.

Farmers are increasingly using other technological aids in addition to artificial intelligence. Drones are one of the most common innovative agricultural solutions and are often used for monitoring and spraying plants. Robots, which will become increasingly common in agriculture, are also being used, and in some parts of the world, they are already pulling weeds and performing other complex tasks.

Modern agriculture, and especially future agriculture, seems to require advanced technology to ensure maximum yields and prevent famine. Large-scale food production requires advanced and smart solutions; fortunately, we have them at our disposal.

Milena Maglovski

EU prepares for the 2024 wildfire season

15.05.2024

wildfire_požar — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Summer is almost upon us. That means barbecues, beaches and ice cream, but the reality is, it also means bracing ourselves for the upcoming wildfire season.

That is why the EU has this week taken proactive measures to bolster firefighting efforts in order to better protect our communities and the environment.

For 2024 the EU has put together 556 firefighters from 12 countries that will be strategically prepositioned across key locations in Europe this summer, such as in France, Greece, Portugal, and Spain. They will stand ready to support local fire brigades, when the scale of a wildfire overwhelms the response capabilities of a country. In addition, there will be a dedicated rescEU fleet of firefighting aircraft for this summer, consisting of 28 airplanes and 4 helicopters stationed in 10 Member States.

600 million euros in EU funds has also been allocated to acquire additional firefighting aircraft. The extra funding will go towards buying 12 new firefighting planes in the future, which will be distributed among six EU Member States, as well as several helicopters.

Wildfire prevention, preparedness and response actions work hand in hand to save lives, livelihoods and protect the environment. As the impact of climate change is felt more acutely every year, the threat of wildfires grows too, making it ever more important to be well prepared.

Source: European Commission

With the Novaston Team, Schneider Electric has LEED Platinum Certification

15.05.2024

Schneider-Electric-NS---Zabriskie---obradjeno---full-res---08 — Photo: Novaston

The InGrid office building of the company Schneider Electric recently received LEED Platinum certification. The entire certification process, from the very beginning of implementation to realization, was led by the Novaston Project Management (NPM) company team, which is part of the Novaston real estate platform.

“It is an office project that covers approximately 17,000 square meters and is intended to accommodate 800 employees. Our company, Novaston Project Management (NPM), has been in charge of this process from the beginning – of the implementation to its realization. Of course, we also owe a great deal of gratitude for the joint work and effort to obtain such a high level of certification to our collaborators, Triple Green BC, and above all to Schneider Electric, which sets high demands and applies sustainability in every segment of its business and corporate policy. From the beginning, we had very clear concept guidelines based on sustainable principles: the integration of space with greenery and natural light, the organization of the workspace in accordance with the principles of social sustainability,” said Jelena Jolović, Head of Operations at NPM, who led the entire process.

In focus:

The company Novaston Project Management (NPM) says that they are very proud of the fact that in a short time, they managed to fulfil all the requirements for obtaining the highest level of LEED certificate – the LEED Platinum certificate. Many things influenced the fulfilment of the conditions; some of them are:

Energy performance: the project achieves almost 50 per cent energy savings compared to a standard similar project and receives additional LEED points for the production of renewable energy, which accounts for one-fifth of the building’s energy consumption.
BMS: management of the facility with more modern systems to be aware of energy consumption at all times. The facility received additional points for reduced internal water consumption (by more than 55 per cent compared to a similar facility) and the ability to use the project as a green building education tool.
Innovations: the project met high innovation criteria thanks to quality design, access to nature through the view and interior atriums, and biophilic design that provides a soothing and productive environment. High-quality micro-en vironments, which are equally accessible to all company employees, have been achieved.
Exceptionally good location: the project has excellent access to public transport for more than 1000 passengers, thus reducing the carbon footprint of private vehicle transport.
Photo: Novaston

According to currently available data on the official website of the U.S. Green Building Council, Schneider Hub is one of the three owners of the LEED Platinum certificate currently in our country. The LEED certificate is essential for investors who show responsibility in business and set an excellent example in the construction industry. A building designed and built according to the LEED Gold or Premium standard has reduced electricity and water consumption, lowered CO2 emissions by 10–30 per cent, reduced operating costs, and increased the value of the building.

The LEED certificate is also extremely important for the end user of such facilities; they are healthier and happier, have better working conditions, more natural light, and greenery, but they also have the feeling that in such a working environment, they contribute to the betterment of society and the community.

Source: Novaston

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE AND FINANCING OF GREEN CONSTRUCTION

Oil Spills Pose a Bigger Threat to Freshwater Ecosystems

14.05.2024

nafta zagađenje oil pollution river — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Oil spills are a major environmental problem that occurs every year worldwide, affecting oceans, seas, rivers, and lakes. Although the world is familiar with the issues and changes in salt water, the effects oil spills have on freshwater are less understood.

A team of researchers from the American Chemical Society simulated oil spills in rivers and then studied what happens chemically to the oil in freshwater environments such as rivers and lakes. They collected water samples at various points during the nearly two-month experiment to analyze the changes.

We know some of the basic problems that oil creates when it is poured into water, such as the darkening of the surface of the water that it creates due to its structure, and it disrupts photosynthesis in plants since they cannot get enough sunlight. Of course, the quality of the water decreases, and the poisoning of animal life is also possible. The river vegetation, diverse river banks and downstream water flow often make cleaning difficult, so it is necessary to form a dam in a suitable location to “catch” the oil spill. However, research has shown that these are not the only problems oil spills cause in freshwater ecosystems.

Research has shown that as oil ages in freshwater, it undergoes chemical changes that lead to the formation of new compounds. These compounds get more oxygen atoms, making them more stable in water but also more harmful than in the sea and ocean. Oxygen-rich compounds, especially sulfur oxide derivatives, may have more impact on aquatic life.

Last year, over 30,000 liters of oil were spilt near the village of Čelarevo in Serbia, as a result of which river beaches were closed.

One of the significant cases of oil spills in the river happened in Russia a few years ago, when a company was fined with the biggest penalty on record for causing an environmental disaster. This occurred in 2020 when about 21,000 tons of diesel leaked from the company’s tank into the Ambarnaya River in the Arctic north of Russia. The contamination affected the river and the surrounding area, with the pollution spreading to Lake Pyasino, which flows into the Kara Sea. In total, the oil contaminated an area of 350 square kilometers.

A significant oil spill also occurred in Ecuador in 2022. The incident was caused when heavy rains triggered a landslide, after which the oil pipeline was damaged due to falling rocks. The oil contaminated the Coca River and almost two hectares of the protected area of the National Park.

In all, 2023 saw ten significant oil spills, one of which was large-scale, with over 700 tons of fuel oil spilled in Asia in February. The remaining nine incidents involved smaller spills, which occurred around the world—four in Asia, two in Africa and Europe, respectively, and one in the Americas. These developments add to the annual average of around 6.8 major spills, which is in line with the averages from the previous decade, according to ITOPF data.

Energy Portal

Italy is Considering Banning the Construction of Solar Power Plants on Arable Land

14.05.2024

To improve agricultural production, the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests proposed a draft regulation on agriculture, which, among other things, bans the installation of photovoltaic structures on agricultural land.

According to the Italian media, the Council of Ministers will soon consider the draft regulation. It is not yet known whether the Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, will decide to confirm the ban on solar energy despite the criticism from Italia Solare.

The Italian association Italia Solare objected strongly to the Ministry, noting that solar energy is essential to achieve the country’s energy independence and security at low costs.

The Ministry has incorporated a ban on the construction of solar power plants on arable land in measures to support agriculture due to the potential negative impacts of photovoltaic structures on agriculture and the landscape. Still, Italia Solare explains that it would be sufficient to identify the areas where solar panels can be installed so that they do not harm agriculture and nature.

The Association said that only one per cent of unoccupied agricultural land could provide Italy with 25GW of solar energy by 2030, while the remaining 25GW can be installed on roofs. This would allow the country to meet its 50 GW of solar energy goal by 2030.

Should solar power plants be built on arable land?

While solar energy advocates generally support installing solar panels on arable land to decarbonize the energy sector and agriculture, some strongly oppose it.

The non-governmental organization Citizens for Responsible Solar from the United States warns that the construction of solar power plants on arable land can have several consequences, such as permanent deterioration of soil quality, usurpation of fertile soil that can be used for growing food for the next 30-40 years, potential water pollution and negative impact on wild animals.

One possible solution is agro-solar projects combining food production and solar energy, whose popularity in the world and the region has been growing year-on-year.

Italy already has several agro-solar plants, the largest of which is located in Sicily and spans 155 hectares.

Milena Maglovski

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2025 May

Events for 31 May

Events for 1 June

Events for 2 June

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