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UNESCO Names 18 New Geoparks

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

UNESCO’s Executive Board has endorsed the addition of 18 sites to the UNESCO Global Geoparks network. This brings the total number of geoparks to 213 in 48 countries.

The new geoparks are situated in Brazil, China, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Portugal and Spain. There is an additional new transboundary geopark spanning Belgium and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The UNESCO Global Geopark designation was created in 2015. It recognizes geological heritage of international significance.

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Geoparks serve local communities by combining the conservation of their significant geological heritage with public outreach and a sustainable approach to development.

UNESCO continues to promote the geopark concept in regions where geoparks are less common, notably in Africa, the Arab States and Small Island Developing States. UNESCO does this by facilitating expert missions, tailored training sessions and individual consultations on both a national and local scale, to guide the preparation of applications for UNESCO Global Geopark status.

Read the whole article HERE.

Source: UNESCO

Record Growth in Renewables, but Progress Needs to be Equitable

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (NIcholas Doherty)
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Mark Merner)

Renewable Capacity Statistics 2024 released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) today shows that 2023 set a new record in renewables deployment in the power sector by reaching a total capacity of 3,870 Gigawatts (GW) globally.

Renewables accounted for 86 percent of capacity additions; however, this growth is unevenly distributed across the world, indicating a trend far from the tripling renewable power target by 2030.

The 473 GW of renewables expansion was led once again by Asia with a 69 percent share (326 GW). This growth was driven by China, whose capacity increased by 63 percent, reaching 297.6 GW. This reflects a glaring gap with other regions, leaving a vast majority of developing countries behind, despite massive economic and development needs. Even though Africa has seen some growth, it paled in comparison with an increase of 4.6 percent, reaching a total capacity of 62 GW.

IRENA Director-General, Francesco La Camera said, “This extraordinary surge in renewable generation capacity shows that renewables are the only technology available to rapidly scale up the energy transition aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement. Nevertheless, the data also serves as a telltale sign that progress is not moving fast enough to add the required 7.2 TW of renewable power within the next seven years, in accordance with IRENA’s World Energy Transitions Outlook 1.5°C Scenario.”

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Policy interventions and a global course-correction are urgently needed to effectively overcome structural barriers and create local value in emerging market and developing economies, many of which are still left behind in this progress. The patterns of concentration in both geography and technology threaten to intensify the decarbonisation divide and pose a significant risk to achieving the tripling target.

For China, solar and wind’s increasing competitiveness against coal and gas power generation became the key driver of renewable power development. Meanwhile in the EU, enhanced policy focus and heightened energy security concerns have become the main catalysts for the rapid growth, apart from the increasing cost-competitiveness of renewables against fossil fuel alternatives.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Thomas Richter)

Other regions that saw significant expansion were the Middle East at 16.6 percent increase and Oceania at 9.4 percent increase. The G7 countries as a group increased by 7.6 percent, adding 69.4 GW last year. The G20 nations on the other hand increased their capacity by 15.0 percent, reaching 3084 GW by 2023. However, for the world to reach over 11 TW for the tripling target requires the G20 members alone to reach 9.4 TW of renewable power capacity by 2030.

With solar energy continuing to dominate renewable generation capacity expansion, the report underscores that the growth disparity did not only affect geographical distribution but also the deployment of technologies. Solar accounted for 73 percent of the renewable growth last year, reaching 1,419 GW, followed by wind power with 24 percent share of renewable expansion.

IRENA’s 1.5°C Scenario recommends a massive scaling up of financing and strong international collaboration to speed up the energy transition, putting developing countries as key priority. Investments are needed in power grids, generation, flexibility and storage. The pathway towards tripled renewable power capacity by 2030 requires a strengthening of institutions, policies and skills.

Source: IRENA

New Schneider Electric Hub: Ingrid Building in Novi Sad Sets Benchmark for Sustainable and Innovative Work Environment

Photo: Schneider Electric
Photo: Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric, present in Serbia and Montenegro for more than two decades, stands out by the placement of advanced solutions for energy efficiency, digitalization and automation, as well as by the impressive Schneider Electric Hub in Serbia.

This software development hub, located in Novi Sad, gathers more than 1,000 engineers, who shape digital solutions in the areas of energy and automation for the global market by applying the leading global technologies.

The unique InGrid building, opened this June, represents Schneider Electric’s visionary venture. Transformation of the former Novkabel production facility into a modern office building reflects commitment to sustainability principles. This carbon-neutral building, which is to receive a LEED GOLD certificate by the end of the year, uses power from renewable sources only.

The building is powered by its own solar energy production, with 1,500 square metres of solar panels on the roof and the remaining energy supplied from a green certificate power purchase.

IN FOCUS:

Net space of the InGrid facility covers 14,500 square metres, including an impressive set of rooms such as a data centre, amphitheatre, atriums with greenery, kitchens, conference rooms, training rooms, a gym, and 350 parking spaces with ten power chargers for electric vehicles.

The workspace in the InGrid building is designed in line with the activity-based workspace model, facilitating creativity, productivity and comfort.

Photo: Schneider Electric

The InGrid building is managed by Schneider Electric’s Ecostruxure Building Operations platform, enabling centralised management for maximum efficiency, comfort and productivity. The Planon Workplace Insights Edition, a modular cloud-based software solution, additionally provides information on a space usage rate and the work environment conditions. In the coming period, the software will be supported by smart presence sensors and sensors monitoring other environmental parameters. The software provides comfort for the building users by monitoring temperature, humidity, light, noise, hazardous evaporable organic compounds and radon levels.

Implementation of such solutions helps the company achieve the most efficient space usage and ensure a safe, healthy and sustainable environment for all. The software also provides data on space usage, workplace conditions, space booking, etc.

Schneider Electric, the global leader in the areas of sustainability and green energy, applies sustainable solutions in its own operations, as well as contributes to the improvement of the industry, infrastructure, and construction sector worldwide through training and partnerships. The InGrid building in Novi Sad represents another step towards a sustainable future, setting a benchmark for a work environment combining innovation, efficiency and comfort.

Schneider Electric

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS

Eight ways to overcome the waste pollution crisis

Photo-illustration: Freepik (jcomp)
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Antoine GIRET)

Humanity generates between 2.1 billion and 2.3 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste a year.

When improperly managed, much of that refuse—from food and plastics to electronics and textiles — emits greenhouse gases or poisonous chemicals. This damages ecosystems, inflicts disease and threatens economic prosperity, disproportionately harming women and youth.

On March 30th, the world celebrates the International Day of Zero Waste. The observance, led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), highlights the importance of proper waste management. It also focuses on ways to rein in the conspicuous consumption that is feeding the waste crisis.

“Overconsumption is killing us. Humanity needs an intervention,” says UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “On this Zero Waste Day, let’s pledge to end the destructive cycle of waste, once and for all.”

Here are eight ways to embrace a zero waste approach:

  1. Combat food waste

Some 19 per cent of food available to consumers is wasted annually despite 783 million people going hungry. Around 8 to 10 per cent of the planet’s greenhouse gas emissions come from the production of food that is ultimately squandered.

There are lots of ways to turn that tide. Municipalities can promote urban agriculture and use food waste in animal husbandry, farming, green-space maintenance and more. They can also fund food waste composting schemes, segregate food waste at source and ban food from dumpsites. Meanwhile, consumers can buy only what they need, embrace less appealing but perfectly edible fruits and vegetables, store food more wisely, use up leftovers, compost food scraps instead of throwing them away, and donate food before it goes bad, something made easier by a bevy of apps.

Recovery is already on the menu in some places. In Vallès Occidental, Spain, municipalities are redistributing surplus healthy food to the marginalized. Meanwhile, in Nigeria, the non-profit organization No Hunger Food Bank works with the Adeta indigenous community to reduce post-harvest losses by recycling cassava peels into animal feed.

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  1. Take on textile waste
Foto: Unsplash (Becca McHaffie)

Less than one per cent of the material used to produce clothing is recycled into new items, resulting in over 100 billion US dollars in annual material value loss. The textiles industry also uses the equivalent of 86 million Olympic-sized swimming pools of water every year.

To counter that, the fashion industry needs to become more circular. Brands and retailers can offer more circular business models and products that last longer and can be remade, governments can provide infrastructure for collecting and sorting used textiles, communicators—including influencers and brand managers—can shift fashion’s marketing narrative, and consumers can assess if their clothing purchases are necessary.

“Zero waste makes sense on every level,” says Michal Mlynár, UN-Habitat Acting Executive Director. “By retaining materials within the economy and enhancing waste management practices, we bring benefits to our economies, our societies, our planet and ourselves.”

  1. Avoid electronic waste

Electronics, from computers to phones, are clogging dumpsites around the world as manufacturers continually encourage consumers to purchase brand-new devices.

Through robust policymaking, governments can encourage consumers to keep their products for longer while pushing manufacturers to offer repair services, a change that would bring a host of economic benefits. They can also implement extended producer responsibility, a policy that can ensure producers of material goods are responsible for the management and treatment of waste. This can keep raw materials and goods in the economic cycle and inspire consumer waste prevention, eco-design, and optimization of waste collection.

“As the world drowns in waste, humanity must act,” says Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, Director of UNEP’s Industry and Economy Division. “We have the solutions to solve the waste pollution crisis. We just need commitment, collaboration and investment from governments, businesses and individuals to implement them.”

  1. Reduce resource use in products

Raw material use has more than tripled over the last 50 years, driving the destruction of natural spaces and fueling the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.

Producers can follow nationally determined eco-design standards to reduce energy and resource use while minimizing hazardous chemicals in production. These standards also ensure products are durable, repairable and recyclable while use.

This should be part of a larger effort to design products through what is known as the lifecycle approach. This entails reducing resource use and emissions to the environment throughout all stages of a product’s life, from production to recycling.

  1. Crack down on plastic pollution
Photo-illustration: Pixabay (VIVIANE6276)

Plastics are commonly used in electronics, textiles and single-use products. Some 85 per cent of single-use plastic bottles, containers and packaging end up in landfills or are mismanaged. Because plastic does not biodegrade, it contributes to major health impacts as microplastics infiltrate food and water sources.

In addition to phasing out single-use plastics and improving waste management, establishing a global monitoring and reporting system can help end plastic pollution.

  1. Take on hazardous waste

Chemicals are prevalent in daily life – electronics can contain mercury, cosmetics may have lead and cleaning supplies often have persistent organic pollutants. Chemical and hazardous waste require specialized treatment and disposal, yet some governments fail to meet standards set in the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) conventions. Hazardous chemicals and waste cross borders, unauthorized or even illegally.

Governments can commit to multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), like the BRS conventions, which institutionalize intergovernmental and cross-sectoral cooperation through binding targets and action plans.

Citizens can educate themselves about substances and waste types that are restricted or banned under the MEAs and demand that governments and industries remove them from the global market.

  1. Rethink how cities are designed and managed

By 2050, 68 per cent of the world is expected to live in cities. Investing in energy-efficient buildings leads to long-term reductions in construction and demolition, which generate significant amounts of waste and account for 37 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.

UN-Habitat’s Waste Wise Cities and African Clean Cities Platform provide data and monitoring, knowledge, advocacy and bankable project development to shift cities towards zero waste. Many mayors, like 2023 UN Champion of the Earth Josefina Belmonte of Quezon City, Philippines, are leading initiatives to crack down on waste, including from food and plastics.

  1. Bolster waste management through investment and training
Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Jasmin Sessler)

Globally, around 25 per cent of waste is left uncollected, while 39 per cent is not managed in controlled facilities. Global waste management incurs a total net cost of 361 billion US dollars annually. By ending uncontrolled disposal, reducing waste generation, and increasing recycling, governments can generate an annual net gain of 108.1 billion US dollars by 2050.

The One Planet network—a global community of practitioners, policymakers, and experts—can help drive this shift by fostering collaboration. It also has a database of the best resources on sustainability.

A one-year project in Ambon, Indonesia, between social enterprise groups and local governments provided training and job opportunities to local waste collectors and financed improved waste management facilities.

By recovering materials, redesigning products, bolstering waste management and prioritizing reuse, humanity can embrace a zero waste approach for a more sustainable future.

Source: UNEP

Green Kilowatts For Nova Crnja

Photo: Pixabay
Photo: CEEFOR

The path we need to take, which leads us to a more sustainable and secure future, must be paved with renewable energy sources.

Summing up the year 2023, one of the most important lessons learned by almost all countries is the necessity of switching to green energy, both because of climate change, the consequences of which are felt more and more intensely, and because of energy security and stability, which has proven to be very fragile in terms of previous methods of energy production and supply.

Responsible companies in Serbia have taken seriously the importance of solving this problem, which is why it is necessary to use our country’s solar potential in the best possible way. In achieving the set goal that is at the end of the road we set out on, the CEEFOR Company provides know-how and support.

Many years of experience related to sustainable development and energy efficiency, as well as consulting and design services in the field of renewable energy sources, have built trust in CEEFOR’s engineers, who are entrusted with numerous projects that entail the construction of solar power plants, both on roofs and on the ground.

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Vojvodina will soon receive another solar power plant, as the construction of the B2 Sun Spot – 10MW solar power plant has begun in the municipality of Nova Crnja. The building permit for the construction of this solar power plant has been obtained, construction has begun and the solar plant is expected to be commissioned in the first quarter of 2024.

This solar power plant spans about 13 hectares of land and will have 17,740 bifacial solar panels of the Canadian Solar 660 brand. CEEFOR has gained recognition as a company that can be trusted, among other things, by continuously selecting the top quality products. That is why the company chose to use 100 Fronius Tauro inverters – ECO-100-3-P, with 100kW power, for this power plant. The Turkish manufacturer Kirac Metal has provided the structure for the plant which will have nine transformers.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay (mrganso)

All energy that this solar power plant generates will be transferred to the national power grid so that the people who live in this area can receive their energy from renewable sources.

A part of the area on which the solar power plant B2 Sun Spot will be built is occupied by a landfill. Following a decision to build the power plant in this location, the landfill was also cleaned and the land here was subsequently rehabilitated for construction purposes. This is a good example of how two sustainable ideas can be implemented at the same time – waste removal and green energy production – both of which contribute to reducing emissions.

CEEFOR’s team of experts consists of engineers who take advantage of every opportunity, through participation in projects, fairs and conferences, to expand and improve their knowledge, to justify the trust given to them by clients. Their dedication and experience are backed by a list of satisfied clients. CEEFOR engineers have proven once again that action speaks louder than words when during the stormy winds and weather problems that befell our country this summer, the solar power plants designed by them did not suffer the slightest damage.

The CEEFOR Company has been successfully operating in the field of sustainable project development and energy efficiency in the Balkan region for more than a decade. The company provides consulting and design services related to renewable energy sources.

Prepared by: Katarina Vuinac

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS

One in four EVs sold in Europe this year will be made in China – analysis

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Chuttersnap)
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Michael Fousert)

Almost a fifth (19.5 percent) of electric vehicles sold in Europe last year were made in China and this is on track to reach a quarter (25 percent) in 2024, according to new analysis by Transport & Environment (T&E). The forecast comes as the EU is considering import tariffs to counter subsidies for China’s EV industry. T&E said ramping up production of mass-market electric cars and investing in the European battery supply chain is the only way for EU carmakers to compete with Chinese brands, but tariffs would also help localise EV manufacturing.

While Chinese imports into Europe have largely been Tesla, Dacia and BMW cars produced there, T&E projects that Chinese brands could reach 11 percent of the European EV market in 2024 and 20 percent in 2027. The conservative projection assumes a linear growth in Chinese OEM market share based on the last two years, though BYD alone is targeting 5% of the European electric car market by 2025.

Julia Poliscanova, senior director for vehicles and emobility supply chains at T&E, said: “Tariffs will force carmakers to localise EV production in Europe, and that’s a good thing because we want these jobs and skills. But tariffs won’t shield legacy carmakers for long. Chinese companies will build factories in Europe and when that happens our car industry needs to be ready.”

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Raising the EU tariff on all vehicle imports from China to 25 percent would make medium-sized sedans and SUVs more expensive than their European equivalents – making the case for EU manufacturing, the T&E analysis finds. Compact SUVs and larger cars imported from China are expected to remain slightly cheaper with such a tariff.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

However, the EU should not aim to shield its carmakers from meaningful competition, which would limit the offer of affordable electric cars for Europeans, T&E said. It is crucial that a higher tariff is accompanied by a regulatory push to increase production of EVs, including electrification targets for company car fleets by 2030 – on top of the agreed 100 percent clean car goal in 2035.

But investments in lithium-ion batteries are also at risk as cells manufactured in China are at least 20 percent cheaper than in Europe, and Chinese battery-makers are ahead on technology and supply chains. The US is also attracting battery investments through generous subsidies. T&E said industrial measures – such as subsidies for clean and circular manufacturing and “Made in EU” targets – are needed to create a pull for local cell production. As neither of these are currently in place, tariffs for battery cells should be considered. Compared to the US and China, the EU currently has the lowest battery cell tariffs.

Julia Poliscanova said: “Batteries are the new solar. China is ahead and its state backed companies have huge overcapacity. If we are serious about a diverse and resilient battery supply chain in Europe, we need to put our money where our mouth is right now. We’re not going to get a second chance.”

Source: Transport and Environment

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN AFRICA?

Photo-illustration: Freepik (wirestock)
Photo-illustration: Freepik (BiZkettE1)

Africa’s population is growing faster than any other region worldwide, with electricity demand expected to increase by 75 per cent by 2030. To ensure that Africa is sustainable, the continent must have universal access to modern energy services by 2030. More precisely, current progress must be expedited at least threefold, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

To this end, the IEA held a training week in Nairobi on energy efficiency policies in developing African countries, supported by the Kenyan Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, as well as the African Development Bank (AfDB). The event brought together close to 200 policymakers and energy experts from across the continent. On the occasion, it was pointed out that energy efficiency still played a key role in improving living standards worldwide while at the same time contributing significantly to the accomplishment of climate goals.

Kenya has made significant progress in developing renewable energy and facilitating access to electricity, with RES accounting for nearly 90 per cent of the energy produced and consumed in 2021. Access to electricity has doubled from 2013 to 2022, i.e. from 37 to 75 per cent. Precisely because of this increase, the implementation of energy efficiency is very important.

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The training week is part of the IEA Energy Efficiency in Emerging Economies Programme. Through this programme, the IEA cooperates with six of the world’s largest developing economies to improve energy efficiency. The data shows that Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and South Africa together consume about one-third of the world’s energy, and predictions are that this will rise to 40 per cent.

This cooperation has five key implementation ways. Support for policy development involves focusing on the daily needs of officials responsible for implementing energy efficiency policies. There are also thematic workshops that bring together officials and experts from multiple countries to explore specific topics. There are also group training sessions for officials and future leaders and webinars that provide access to numerous experts. Finally, online training focusing on learning about energy efficiency indicators is available, too.

Energy Portal

Indoor Landscaping – Life of Plants in Artificial Conditions

Photo-illustration: Freepik (vecstock)
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Liubov Ilchuk)

March is the time when we celebrate wild species, water, forests, and the living world, with the common thread being let’s preserve our nature. Spatial planning, agriculture, and other human activities are degrading daily and reducing the natural expanses that are home to biodiversity.

While we penetrate every part of nature, destroying it and replacing it with concrete walls, we are also aware that we cannot live without it. That’s why people find different ways to get a fraction of nature into their living space.

We must admit that nothing can embellish and give life to concrete walls like plants can. Today, I would like to write about an innovative solution designed by scientists, which allows landscaping of underground spaces that are notoriously difficult to grow plants.

In this specific case, we are talking about the lobby of a Prague subway line. Architectural solutions never cease to amaze us, so this time, the scientists of the University Centre for Energy Efficiency of Buildings (UCEEB) of the Czech Technical University designed a terrarium as an aesthetic experience for subway passengers.

The subway is a very unfavorable environment for plants, which causes numerous challenges for engineers. The terrarium is made of hardly flammable material and is operated by a smart system that takes care of the plants’ needs. Installed sensors monitor different values based on which they control irrigation, i.e. soil and air humidity. Special artificial lighting will replace the sunlight and will also regulate the temperature. The smart system simultaneously monitors the CO2 level inside and outside the installation.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Bringing a piece of nature into your home is very simple and affordable today. There are ways you can make a closed terrarium yourself and create a small ecosystem in it. You don’t need smart systems to self-regulate the living conditions inside the terrarium. Special lamps for plants replace sunlight and provide the necessary heat simultaneously, which you can adjust yourself.

What is interesting about closed terrariums, and what additionally contributes to the feeling that you have a piece of nature in your home, is the natural water cycle. Regardless of the light in the terrarium (natural or artificial light created by plant lamps), you don’t have to water the plants. If everything is installed correctly, it is enough to sufficiently water the plants in the beginning. Then, this closed system and the heat from the sun or plant lamps will regulate water circulation through evaporation and rewetting of the soil.

Such possibilities should by no means trump the preservation of plants in their natural habitat, but they are wonderful ideas for how we can care for them in closed spaces while making our lives more fulfilling.

Katarina Vuinac

Slovenia passes a regulation to boost the use of wind energy in municipalities

Foto: pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay (Pexels)

Slovenia has passed a regulation that stipulates the development of wind energy. The regulation aims to promote wind energy production facilities through a system of one-time financial compensations intended for municipalities, considering that such projects received less support among local communities. By offering municipalities a financial incentive, the government aims to support them in opening wind farms and implementing other energy projects, with the view of increasing the total number of wind farms in the country.

The incentive is awarded to municipalities after issuing a building permit for a wind farm or individual wind generator and is directly proportionate to the plant’s installed capacity. For plants with a 1-megawatt (MW) capacity or more, the incentive is 200,000 euros per MW. Plants with a capacity of less than 1MW are not eligible for this incentive. The amount that will be allocated is proportional to the installed power, which is determined in detail by the regulation, says the Slovenian government.

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Money for this initiative was provided by specialized funds intended to support renewable energy sources. This further encourages the transition to green energy, with wind being the energy of choice in this case.

In cases where wind farms or other installations spread across the territories of several municipalities, which is often the case with large wind farms, especially in countries divided into a large number of municipalities, each municipality has the right to a part of the incentive proportional to the capacity of installed generators within the borders of each municipality.

Current RES trends in Slovenia follow the country’s geography. Considering that Slovenia has a great hydro potential, the country primarily relies on water as a renewable resource. This is followed by solar energy, which is becoming increasingly popular, especially when rooftop panels are in question, something that appeals to individual users the most. At the same time, wind farms are poorly represented. They are a relatively recent phenomenon in the country’s energy mix for several reasons, including lack of space, planning and assessment impact, which all cumulatively hinder the progress in developing wind farms. Energy Portal

Energy portal

DESALINATION SOLVES THE PROBLEM OF WATER SHORTAGE BUT REQUIRES THE USE OF A LARGE QUANTITY OF ENERGY

Photo-illustration: Freepik (aleksandarlittlewolf)
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Janosch Lino)

The UN Environmental Protection Program (UNEP) has noted that drought is becoming a worldwide problem, which is why a state of emergency has been declared in some countries. According to relevant reports, at least 50 per cent of the world’s population faces water shortages for at least one month of the year. Water shortages are predicted to increase in many regions due to climate change and increasing demand for water, fueled by population growth and economic development.

Water and energy are interdependent and both are critical resources. Namely, water is used in energy production, so the energy sector accounts for about 10 per cent of the total use of fresh water, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

In contrast, energy is also needed for water supply, which is mostly extracted from lakes, rivers and oceans, transported through pipes and canals, then filtered and finally delivered to the end user.

At a time when water scarcity is becoming a daily occurrence around the world, alternative ways to supply it are being investigated. One very common method is desalination, that is, the separation of salt from seawater to obtain drinking water. This process is energy intensive, often requiring using over 1kWh of power per cubic metre of filtered water. IEA data shows that global demand for energy used for desalination has almost doubled since 2010 and based on current trends, it can be expected to double again by 2030.

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According to reports, about 21,000 desalination plants are currently active in close to 150 countries, with half of them located in the Middle East and North Africa. More specifically, desalination covers most of the daily water needs in many countries such as Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. It is interesting to note that Saudi Arabia plans to build a completely new city that will house nine million people by 2045 and that will depend on desalinated water from the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba to supply the city’s population.

The problem is even greater because, for example, in the Middle East more than 90 per cent of the energy used for these purposes comes from fossil fuels. Precisely for this reason, as one of the solutions for the preservation of these two critical resources, the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources that reduce energy needs related to water is frequently mentioned.

Energy portal

GREEN ENERGY AND THE PAST AND FUTURE OF EPS

Photo: EPS
Photo: EPS

Energy from renewable sources is founded in the history of the Electric Power Industry of Serbia (EPS). The Pod Gradom on Đetinja hydropower plant in Užice was commissioned in 1900 and was the first power plant in Serbia that operated in line with Tesla’s principles of polyphase currents. The first electricity transmission in Serbia was carried out from the small hydropower plant Vučje to Leskovac via a 17-kilometre-long transmission line. The power plant was commissioned in 1903 to supply electricity and lighting to the weaving mills of Serbian Manchester, as Leskovac was called. Both HPPs, more than a century old, still produce green energy today.

“EPS’ hydro-sector is the pride of the Serbian electric power industry, and it is committed to improving the operation of hydropower plants, extending their working life and increasing efficiency,” EPS says.

EPS strives and bases its plans on boosting capacities that use renewable sources. The priorities include projects related to constructing wind farms and solar power plants.

The Kostolac wind farm is a pilot project implemented by EPS, with a 66-megawatt capacity, and it will be implemented in locations of Drmno, Petka, Ćirikovac and Klenovnik, at the site of depleted surface mines and landfills of the thermal power plant and the Kostolac mines. Twenty wind turbines will be installed, each with a power of 3.3 megawatts. The planned annual electricity production in the Kostolac wind farm is about 184 million kilowatt-hours, and the wind farm is expected to be finished in late 2024. This project is financed by a loan from KfW Bank and is implemented by the strategic goals of the Republic of Serbia related to renewable energy sources. EPS was also granted additional funds for 30 million euros from WBIF.

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The Petka solar power plant is the first photovoltaic plant in the EPS division Thermal Power Plants and Kostolac Mines, which will be built on the external landfill of the Petka open-pit mine. It will have an installed capacity of 9.75 megawatts and a planned annual production of 15.6 gigawatt-hours of electricity. The solar panels will span 11.6 hectares. The scheduled value of the investment is 1.36 billion dinars and is financed by EPS. SE Petka is expected to be commissioned in late 2024.

Photo: EPS

The revitalization of Đerdap 1, our largest hydropower plant, which produces 5.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, was recently completed. Now Đerdap 1 has greater power and reliability and a longer working life for the next 30 to 40 years. The nominal active power of the unit after the revitalization is 190MW, and before, it was 171MW, which means that, once the plant was revitalized, EPS virtually got a new 100MW power plant. Đerdap 1’s total power now stands at 1,140MW.

EPS plans to continue revitalizing and modernizing existing power facilities and boost aggregates’ power while constructing new hydropower plants. Several projects are underway as EPS focuses on renewable sources. The most significant projects are the modernization of the Bistrica, Potpeć, Đerdap 2 and Vlasin hydropower plants. The importance of the revitalization of EPS hydropower plants was also recognized by the European Union, which, via its Western Balkan Investments Framework (WBIF) programme, gave EPS a 49-million-euro grant to finance four renewable energy projects. 16.1 million euros are intended to revitalize the Vlasina hydropower plants. Also, the Bajina Bašta reversible hydropower plant, with a capacity of 614 megawatts, will have been restored by the end of 2024.

The plan also includes the construction of the Bistrica reversible hydropower plant, with a capacity of 656 megawatts. This is a key project that will enable the integration of planned variable renewable energy sources, as well as one of the strategic projects of both EPS and the Serbian government. The new capacities are definitely needed to balance out and stabilize the power system, not only in Serbia but also in the region. With the construction of RHPP Bistrica, Serbia would get flexible capacity in the heart of the electric power system for our country and the entire region.

EPS

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS

FRANCE REDEFINES GREEN INDUSTRY WITH LAW AND CREDITS

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (markus-winkler)
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (anne-nygard)

The Green Industry Law, adopted in France, is a crucial step in the development of the green industrial revolution in Europe, as it combines environmental sustainability and economy. Drafted following a long consultation with civil society and elected officials, the legislation was enacted as a response to climate challenges and as a competing response to the US Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

Thanks to this law, reindustrialization will be expedited and a regulatory framework for the development of green technologies will be developed, in response to American incentives for the green economy. The Inflation Reduction Act did accelerate the passing of the French law, to ensure leadership in the green industry on the European continent.

The law would help France to position itself at the forefront of environmental transformation.

The law focuses on three main areas – financing green industry, facilitating industrial facilities and promoting environmentally responsible public procurement. Key initiatives include the drafting of a climate future savings plan for under-21s, designed to encourage investments in the environmental transition through tax breaks and exemptions from social contributions, according to the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industrial Sovereignty.

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Furthermore, the law promotes the use of life insurance and retirement savings to finance the decarbonization of SMEs.

Special emphasis was placed on the adoption of environmental criteria in public procurement processes.

The new measure – the C3IV tax credit – is also one of the law’s novelties, which came into effect on March 14, 2024. C3IV is designed to encourage investments in vital sectors of the energy transition, such as battery technologies, wind power, solar panels and heat pumps. This should lead to the creation of 40,000 new jobs by 2030. C3IV is a key tool in achieving France’s ambitions to reduce CO2 emissions and promote sustainable industry, according to the French government’s press release.

Energy portal

SUPPORT FOR FARMERS: COUNCIL ENDORSES TARGETED REVIEW OF THE COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Dan Meyers)
Photo-illustration: Pixabay (hpgruesen)

Today member states’ representatives in the Special Committee on Agriculture endorsed a targeted review of certain basic acts of the common agricultural policy (CAP) proposed by the European Commission as a response to the concerns voiced by farmers.

This review addresses issues encountered, for instance, with the implementation of the CAP strategic plans and aims to deliver simplification, reduce the administrative burden, and provide greater flexibility for complying with certain environmental conditionalities.

Ensuring a targeted response

The review addresses certain elements of the CAP strategic plans regulation and the regulation on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy (the so-called ‘horizontal regulation’).

The text strikes a careful balance between the need to maintain the high level of environment and climate ambition in the current CAP and ensuring that farmers’ concerns are addressed.

Adapting conditionalities

The Special Committee on Agriculture today endorsed the changes to the Good agricultural and environmental conditions (GAEC) standards proposed by the European Commission.

GAECs are a set of nine standards beneficial to the environment and the climate that apply to farmers who receive support under the CAP. These standards are also referred to as conditionalities, given the link between respecting these requirements and the support provided to farmers.

One of the main changes is that a general provision is introduced allowing member states to grant temporary and targeted derogations from certain conditionality requirements in the event of unforeseen climate conditions that prevent farmers from complying with them. Once per year, member states will have to inform the Commission about such derogations.

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On top of that, specific exemptions from certain GAEC standards are introduced, such as:

  • for GAEC 6 on soil cover during sensitive periods: member states will have more flexibility to decide which soils to protect and in which season, based on national and regional specificities
  • for GAEC 7 on crop rotation: crop rotation will remain the main practice, but member states will be able to use crop diversification as an alternative; this is less demanding for farmers, especially in areas subject to drought or high rainfall
  • for GAEC 8: farmers will only be obliged to maintain existing landscape features and will from now on be encouraged, on a voluntary basis, to keep land fallow or to create new landscape features through eco-schemes.

The endorsed revision also exempts small farms of under 10 hectares from controls and penalties related to compliance with conditionality requirements under the CAP.

Since this concerns 65 percent of CAP beneficiaries but only accounts for around 10 percent of agricultural land, it will significantly reduce the administrative burden related to controls for farmers and national administrations alike, while maintaining the environmental goals.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Jordan Opel)

More flexibility for member states and farmers

In line with member states’ previous demands, the review will ensure that EU countries can now amend their CAP strategic plans twice each year on a permanent basis, as opposed to once, as it currently stands.

This will provide member states with greater flexibility to address changing conditions. On top of this, it will still be possible to have three additional requests for changes over the whole programming period.

Next steps

The chair of the Special Committee on Agriculture will now send the offer letter to the European Parliament.

The European Parliament’s Committee for agriculture decided to use the urgent procedure for this proposal. The Parliament’s position at first reading is expected to be adopted at their plenary on 22-25 April 2024.

The regulation is then to be formally adopted by the Council, signed by the representatives of the Council and the European Parliament and published in the Official Journal. If all goes as planned, the regulation will enter into force by the end of this spring.

Given the extremely short time between the adoption of the proposal by the Commission (15 March 2024) and its envisaged entry into force, this shows the commitment of the three institutions to rapidly address the current situation of European farmers.

Source: European Council

DESALINATION AND SMALL NUCLEAR REACTORS – THE FUTURE OF IRAQ?

Photo-illustration Pixabay (distelAPPArath)
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Together with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iraq has been actively working on reforming its nuclear programme with the goal of achieving peaceful energy security for the country.

Iraq is exploring the use of nuclear technology not only to improve its energy security but also for water desalination projects, given its population of over 40 million and water shortages.

Desalination is the process of removing salt and other minerals from water to make it suitable for human consumption, irrigation or industrial use. Taking into account the sparse water resources and the size of its population, the country has already built desalination factories, but further development is planned.

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Iraq wants to pursue research of small modular reactors, which are advanced nuclear reactors with a power generation capacity of up to 300 megawatts, roughly a third of the capacity of traditional nuclear reactors.

They are significantly smaller which allows systems and components to be manufactured in a factory and transported to the installation site.

As for the other regional countries, Iran already has the Bushehr nuclear power plant, with the second block of this power plant under construction. The United Arab Emirates also commissioned the first nuclear power plant unit in 2020, becoming the second country in the region to use nuclear power for electricity generation. Jordan plans to install a two-block nuclear power plant. Turkey and Saudi Arabia are also developing their nuclear programmes too, with plans to build nuclear reactors in Turkey and the first Saudi nuclear power plant.

Energy portal

SolarEdge – Solution for the safety of PV systems at fuel deposit

Photo: SolarEdge
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Asia Chang Yr)

Renewable energy sources are developing daily. With the increasing use of solar energy, the responsibility for securing these systems also increases, considering that most activities take place under high voltage, which is why you need to be especially alert when it comes to fires. Precisely because of this, locations such as industrial plants and warehouses of various materials, chemicals, fuel, and the like must make safety a priority.

Recently, the company All Energy & Architecture turned to SolarEdge for these very reasons to install a photovoltaic system with the best equipment at its fuel storage facility in Italy – the Alkion terminal. On that occasion, a 440 kW system with 16 SolarEdge (SE27.6K) three-phase inverters and 785 SolarEdge (P600) power optimizers was recommended.

This project requires the placement of high voltage in addition to a large amount of flammable fuel, so these photovoltaic systems must have the highest level of safety. Therefore, SolarEdge is the right choice for associates because its systems have two built-in features: SafeDC and arc fault detection.

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Two special features

SafeDC is designed to protect installers and maintenance personnel from electrocution by reducing DC voltage to a touch-safe 1V per module when AC power is off.

Arc fault detection concerns the interruption of the photovoltaic system’s operation if an electric arc occurs. Considering that electric arcs can easily lead to fires, this detection system is necessary for photovoltaic systems installed near flammable materials. The All Energy & Architecture company claims that this system enables their work to be carried out in complete peace.

As the PV industry expands, stricter safety standards and regulations are becoming more commonplace. That’s why, in addition to SafeDC and arc fault detection and interruption, SolarEdge has yet another product designed to protect firefighters. Called the SolarEdge Firefighter Gateway, this product provides automatic system shutdown and real-time voltage reading, which is useful in emergencies.

Differences between traditional and SolarEdge technology 

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The SolarEdge system, as we have stated, has advanced safety features from the very beginning, while traditional systems, although efficient when it comes to energy conversion, still require additional improvement in safety standards.

The SolarEdge system takes care of the safety of employees, the environment and, finally, the equipment itself thanks to the aforementioned SafeDC function, which is active at all times. In particular, if there is a need to turn off the system manually or when it automatically turns off, the voltage drops very low – one volt per module. Low voltage is not dangerous to people if contact occurs, which means that electric shock will be avoided. In addition, SolarEdge inverters have the ability to detect problems such as arcing – a major cause of fires in electrical systems. When they detect such a fault, they shut down to prevent any damage, according to a specific safety standard known as UL1699B.

In traditional inverter systems, if a shutdown occurs, it does not mean that all parts are safe to touch because high voltage may still be present in the wires to which the panels are connected. Special equipment is often needed, which requires additional financial resources, for a traditional system to meet the standard provided by the SolarEdge system.

Although safety is number one, SolarEdge technology has another good side: the possibility of energy savings worth up to 79,500 euros per year and annual energy yields of up to 560,000 kWh, ensuring the offered performances precisely.

Milica Vučković

CONTINUED DROP IN EU IMPORTS OF ENERGY PRODUCTS

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay
Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay (piviso)

In the fourth quarter of 2023, the EU imported 111.3 billion euros worth of energy products amounting to a total of 187.9 million tonnes. Compared with the same quarter of 2022, imports decreased both in value (-34.2 percent) and in net mass (-11.7 percent).

When comparing 2023 with 2022, the value of energy products dropped by 35.0 percent, while the volume dropped by 9.4 percent. The change in the value of imports was largely driven by declining prices.

In 2023, the value of imported natural gas decreased by 52.2 percent compared with 2022, while the volume decreased by 16.1 percent. This decline in natural gas prices followed a price surge in 2022 when a 200.4 percent increase in value was recorded alongside a 0.7 percent decrease in imported volume.

The volume decrease should be seen in the context of the EU reduction plan, where EU countries committed to reduce their gas consumption by at least 15 percent. This plan initially covered the period from 1 August 2022 to 31 March 2023 but was extended to 31 March 2024.

The decrease in petroleum oils prices led to a 17.2 percent decrease in value imported in 2023 alongside a 2.8 percent decrease in volume. Petroleum oils also experienced rising prices in 2022, with the EU importing 71.2 percent more in value for a 7.7 percent increase in volume compared to 2021.

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Norway and the United States – key energy suppliers

Most of the EU imports of petroleum oils in the fourth quarter of 2023 came from the United States (17.0 percent), followed by Norway (13.1 percent) and Kazakhstan (9.2 percent).

More than half of the natural gas in gaseous state came from Norway (53.4 percent). Algeria followed with 15.9 percent, ahead of Russia (12.7 percent).

The United States provided almost half of the imported liquified natural gas (49.4 percent), ahead of Russia (13.0 percent) and Algeria (11.1 percent).

Source: Eurostat