NOXATEST THE GREEN FUTURE OD DIAGNOSTICS

06.01.2024

nauka.istraživanje — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Louis Reed)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Logan Moreno Gutierrez)

Not so long ago, we witnessed a global pandemic. In our country, the first case was recorded over three years ago. After that, the situation became more complicated and less clear every day. It was precisely that era when COVID-19 was an everyday topic that showed us how important quick and accurate diagnostics are.

Diagnostics, as a process that leads to the discovery of a disease, is the first step in the treatment process. About 13 million people die yearly because they do not get a timely diagnosis. Predictions are that in 2050, about 10 million people will lose their lives annually because antibiotics will no longer be available. This statistic is followed by another 40 million people who could be at risk due to the indirect consequences of missed procedures during the diagnosis of bacterial infections.

Noxatest is a project that aims to create a rapid diagnostic test, which should reduce the waiting time for results and allow doctors to choose the proper treatment method with these quickly obtained results as soon as possible. Behind this project stands a team of Jelena and Marko Komloš, who were determined to combine the knowledge gained during their studies and many years of experience. The modern technology embodied in this project serves to identify numerous bacterial species and mechanisms of resistance to antibiotics faster and more precisely than before.

IN FOCUS:

The project’s creators start from the thesis that, no matter how powerful antibiotics are, microbes have evolved to be more resistant than them. Therefore, it is important to identify the mechanism of their resistance. At the same time, the project provides the opportunity to reduce stay in hospital precisely because of the efficient way of obtaining the necessary therapy.

The initial idea was to develop a rapid diagnostic test related to milk quality for dairy cows. We gave up on that idea because of the situation in agriculture, but that didn’t stop us from developing an idea for something that would help people. The idea was born while I was working on a veterinary specialization in microbiology – explains Marko.

In addition to all the good sides, this project is also green because a product is being created that will be completely recyclable. Jelena and Marko made it for humans, as well as for animals and the alternative protein industry. In those industries, they reduce waste, thereby protecting the environment from creating negative effects. They reduce carbon dioxide production by using biodegradable materials and the low amount of energy required for production. A very important achievement is increasing the survival rate of animals on farms by more than 15 per cent, which would save more than 400 million animals per year.

Prepared by: Milica Vučković

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine ELECTROMOBILITY.

SUSTAINABILITY AT THE CORE OF TETRA PAK’S STRATEGY

05.01.2024

Global initiatives implemented by the Tetra Pak Company in sustainability and circular economy are also implemented in Serbia. From the procurement of electricity from renewable sources for the company’s factory in Gornji Milanovac to supporting the development of new ways of using recycled packaging, the Tetra Pak team proves every day that sustainability is still a priority in decision-making and remains at the core of the company’s strategy.

According to the recently published 2022 Sustainable Business Report, Tetra Pak made significant achievements last year by reducing operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 39 per cent while using renewable energy by up to 84 per cent. In this way, the road to reaching zero net emissions in business by 2030 continues. The sale of 8.8 billion packages made from plant-based materials and 11.9 billion caps also made from the same material saved 131 kilo tons of CO2 emissions. The company has also invested around 30 million euros in expediting the collection and recycling of multi-layer cardboard packaging, collaborating with food technology incubators and startups to explore the future of sustainable food.

In the Serbian market, the Gornji Milanovac factory was certified for using renewable electricity in 2020, which covers 100 per cent of the plant’s electricity consumption. Since 2020, the factory’s production process has also used packaging material produced from polyethylene obtained from renewable sources, i.e. sugar cane, which further increases the sustainability of the packaging.

IN FOCUS:

Through the support of projects related to smart recycling of used packaging in Kragujevac and Zrenjanin, Tetra Pak works locally to educate and motivate citizens, as well as local institutions, to introduce an adequate waste management system in practice in Serbia, which would allow a significantly larger amount of used materials to be kept in use longer and contribute to the development of the recycling industry while reducing additional pollution of the natural environment.

The company continues to work on finding sustainable solutions to the challenges facing society, believing that the global experience and know-how it possesses can be effectively applied in domestic circumstances as well.

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine ELECTROMOBILITY.

PROCREDIT BANK ON THE ROAD TO CARBON NEUTRALITY

03.01.2024

ProCredit Centrala NBG — Photo: ProCredit bank

Saving energy, sustainable use of natural resources, less waste and reduction of harmful gas emissions are some of the clearly defined and planned goals of ProCredit Bank. They firmly adhere to internal approaches to environmental protection, and they pass their excellent practice on to clients. We spoke with Ivan Smiljković, a member of the Executive Board of ProCredit Bank.

Q. ProCredit Bank is moving towards being carbon neutral in the future. How do you plan to achieve this?

A. ProCredit Bank has been building a systematic environmental protection approach for over a decade. The first steps were taken in 2012 when we defined procedures regarding environmental protection in our business. Both internally and externally, we continuously monitor our impact on the environment. We really try to take a holistic approach and cover all ESG aspects. To reduce CO2 emissions, ProCredit Serbia defined replacing conventional official vehicles with electric and low-emission hybrid cars as one of the measures. Today, our fleet is one hundred per cent green—it consists of a total of 44 such vehicles. It is important to point out that ProCredit Serbia has set up a network of more than 40 chargers for electric cars across the country, which citizens can use completely free of charge. We believe that in this way, we are working to develop awareness about reducing harmful emissions. ProCredit Group joined the Net-Zero Banking Alliance and is committed to setting short term and long-term goals for reducing emissions. I am very proud of that fact.

Q. How does ProCredit Bank help clients improve environmental awareness, make it easier to decide on sustainable and green investments and implement them in their business and everyday life?

A. We strategically invest in renewable energy sources; we have professional people and excellent expertise in that domain, especially in solar power plants. We financed the construction of several large solar power plants in Serbia, and I would single out the largest DeLasol in Lapovo, with a total power of 10 MW. But we don’t only finance economic subjects. We also have incentive loans for energy efficiency intended for the population, with a return on investment of up to 20 per cent, in cooperation with the GEFF and the EBRD. This way, you can secure funds for a home solar energy plant, a heat pump, new PVC joinery, insulation, solar water heaters and more. In addition to providing funds, the bank also has an advisory role— the client can completely rely on us because we usually work on a turnkey model.

IN FOCUS:

Q. We hear the term green finance more and more often. What are the advantages of this type of financing, and how significant are they for ProCredit Bank?

A. No bank should claim to be green if it does not monitor environmental impacts on the external level, which means through the standards related to lending to clients. Those standards are detailed in ProCredit; they have been developed for years and follow the development of the markets in which all banks from our Group operate. ProCredit Serbia very resolutely implements the green agenda—the share of the green portfolio in the total loan portfolio of the bank in Serbia is slightly more than 15 per cent, while at the level of the ProCredit Group, the share of the green portfolio last year amounted to 20.2 per cent. We have set even more ambitious goals for the years ahead—to significantly increase investment in sustainable and green projects in Serbia with favorable and incentive credit lines.

Q. What novelties is ProCredit Bank preparing for the next period? In which segments do you plan to improve your business?

A. Relying on 20 years of experience from the headquarters in Germany, we have been an innovative bank in Serbia for years. We became the first to become a 100 per cent online bank, opened Zone 24/7, were the first to enable clients to pay their bills via Apple and Google Pay, and were the first to start promoting green financing. In addition, we always see room to be even closer to clients, listening to their needs. Since we have noticed that interest in term savings has been growing lately, we have provided attractive interest rates for term deposits. We will soon launch a redesigned and improved e-banking and m-banking application, and we have enabled customers who have online shops to pay via the ProCredit e-commerce platform. We strive to be a true green bank and a leader in digitization. We continue to set standards in the financial sector in which we operate.

Interviewed by: Milica Radičević

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine ELECTROMOBILITY.

EKO FOND—SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTROMOBILITY IN MONTENEGRO

02.01.2024

električni auto , punjač — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Michael Fousert)

The development of electromobility in Montenegro has been on an upward trajectory in the last few years. There are more and more electric and hybrid vehicles on the streets, and subsidies from the Eko fond (Environmental Protection Fund) contribute to this to a large extent. At the beginning of July, for the third year in a row, they announced three public calls for subsidizing the purchase of electric and hybrid vehicles for individuals, business people and the public sector. Draško Boljević, executive director of the Eko fond, points out that more and more requests for subsidies are coming to their address.

– This is an indicator that our efforts have been recognized, and we are particularly pleased by the fact that the number of interested people is growing year by year, and more and more requests for subsidies are arriving at our address, which means that the budget we have at our disposal is being spent to the maximum—says Boljević.

For this year, the budget for subsidies amounts to 399,242 euros. 99,243 euros were set aside for users who are natural persons for certain categories, 100,000 euros for the economy and entrepreneurs, and 200,000 euros for the public sector The fact that during the first ten days of the competition, 35 requests arrived shows great interest in the funds. The public competition for natural persons, the economy, and entrepreneurs is open until the funds are used up, and for the public sector, the deadline is November 31, 2023.

The subsidy amount for the L-category electric vehicles ranges from 400 to 1,500 euros per vehicle. For electric vehicles of categories M1 and N1, the subsidies amount to 5,000 euros, while for hybrid vehicles (plug-in and full hybrid), the subsidies amount to 2,500 euros. – In previous years, and I hope it will be the same this year, allocated funds were distributed to the last cent, and I expect it will be the same this year as well. I sincerely hope that the funds we allocated will be sufficient and that we can fulfil all the requests that come to us—adds our interlocutor. It is a fact that more and more electric cars are driven in Montenegro, but the numbers are not so impressive. According to our interlocuter’s estimate, based on his information, there are around 500 electric and hybrid cars in Montenegro.

IN FOCUS:

– Unfortunately, we do not have accurate data on how many hybrids and fully electric cars there are. Eko fond’s experiences show that the relationship between hybrids and electric cars is slowly leveling off. In the first year of subsidy allocation, it was in favor of hybrid cars, and now we are getting to the point where the ratio is 50/50—concludes Boljević.

Network development and subsidies for chargers

The rapid development of electromobility must be accompanied by appropriate infrastructure, primarily the network of chargers. In Montenegro, according to Draško, this area is not legally regulated. Owners of electric cars are forced to fend for themselves, charging their vehicles at their chargers if they have them and using some that are public. While they are waiting for this area to be legally regulated, the Eko fond team is planning to allocate some of the subsidies for the purchase of chargers for electric vehicles. If everything goes according to plan, a competition for chargers should be announced by the end of the year. In this way, they want to complete the story by subsidizing the electric car and the charger.

Prepared by: Milica Radičević

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine ELECTROMOBILITY.

STRUJNI KRUG: TRANSFORMATION OF MOBILITY

30.12.2023

Traffic jams, polluted air, noise and the need for energy efficiency encourage the rapid development of electromobility. To reach its full potential, we have to solve a series of challenges that electrification causes. The national non-profit association from Croatia—Strujni Krug—has been dealing with everything associated with electromobility. We talked about the Association’s activities and engagement and the development of electromobility with Tin Koren, the Secretary-General, who also spoke about some interesting projects.

The Association became operational in 2019, and at that time, it gathered very few electric car owners willing to share their experience and knowledge with others. After a little more than a year, over 1,000 members joined the Association, willing to participate in the development of electromobility in Croatia. After only one year, Strujni Krug became a national e-mobility association with numerous initiatives. The Association has 1,500 active members who maintain contact with more than 10,000 e-car drivers and communicate daily with those who want to become members, so they are the largest association of this type in Croatia.

The Association’s Activities

The Association’s main goals are to inform and educate. By encouraging potential buyers to decide more easily on purchasing e-cars, they intend to boost sales of these vehicles in Croatia. By doing so, more people become familiar with the energy efficiency and zero emission of harmful gases provided by electric vehicles. Mr Koren says that in addition to activities in civil society, what needs to be done is to change the legal framework to unlock a new chapter that will facilitate building solid foundations for developing this sector.

“That is why Strujni Krug is working to change the legal provisions to facilitate the development of e-mobility projects and work more actively on improving and expanding the network of charging stations for electric vehicles,” Mr Koren explains.

IN FOCUS:

The Association’s pilot project— placing chargers for electric vehicles in street light posts—is also worth mentioning. The project is inspired by developed European countries and is the simplest and most convenient way to improve the charger infrastructure.

“With the implementation of this project, over the next two years, more than 1,000 publicly accessible chargers will be placed in street light posts throughout the cities, which will significantly facilitate the daily use of electric cars for drivers who do not have their own parking spaces, i.e. charging spaces. On the other hand, this pilot project precedes another large-scale project during which we would like to install more than 100,000 such chargers in Croatia by 2028,” Mr Koren adds.

In the last three years, the Association has accomplished a lot. First and foremost, they recorded a significant increase in customer interest, as evidenced by the number of registered electric vehicles, which went up by almost sevenfold. In 2019, 730 registered electric vehicles were registered, while there are more than 5,700 this year. In addition to educating and participating in shaping regulations, proposals, and regulations, with the support of its partners, Strujni Krug also has benefits for its members― discounts for the purchase of electric vehicles, home chargers, comprehensive insurance and others.

Subsidies for e-mobility

Higher sales of electric cars were mostly initiated and facilitated by the co-financing of the Fund for Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency (FZOEU), whose vision is to support Croatia’s sustainable development, reduction of greenhouse gases, development of circular economy, richer biodiversity, better waste management and the implementation of similar activities to benefit environmental protection. In cooperation with FZOEU, the Association is actively working on a very effective model for distributing funds intended for co-financing. The biggest obstacle to this initiative was the limited co-financing funds, so this year, they are also helping FZOEU find the optimal model for allocating funds. Negotiations with the Tax Administration regarding the abolition of VAT on the purchase of electric vehicles are ongoing, which would further facilitate this process, as the state would no longer have to allocate so much money to co-finance the purchase of these vehicles.

Prepared by: Milica Vučković

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine ELECTROMOBILITY.

Looking back at top moments for the environment in 2023

29.12.2023

behnam-norouzi-vjIqpTg5Hwg-unsplash — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Behnam Norouzi)

Photo-illustration: Freepik (rawpixel.com)

The last year has been a hard one for the planet. The Earth sweltered under record heat, nature continued its precipitous decline and pollution continued to claim millions of lives.

But amid all that, there is reason for hope, say those on the frontlines of the effort to create a more sustainable world.

In 2023, countries came together in unprecedented ways to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. This environmental multilateralism led to landmark pacts to end chemical pollution and transition the world away from fossil fuels, among a host of other milestones, many of which were supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

As the calendar turns to 2024, here is a closer look at the biggest environmental moments of the last year and what they mean for the future of the planet.

Study finds ozone layer “on track” for recovery

January

The ozone layer, which protects the Earth from ultraviolet radiation, is on track to recover within the next four decades, revealed a report from several scientific organizations, including UNEP. The Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion – 2022 found the planet’s sun shield could reach 1980 values over Antarctica by 2066 and over the Arctic by 2045.

Experts attributed the rebound to the Montreal Protocol, a planet-wide agreement adopted in 1987 to phase out many ozone-depleting chemicals. A 2016 amendment is also helping to rein in a series of powerful greenhouse gases and could avoid up to 0.5°C of global warming by 2100, the report found.

Fight for climate justice gains steam

February

The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution that many advocates hailed as an important step in the campaign for climate justice.

Spearheaded by the cyclone-wracked nation of Vanuatu, the resolution asks the International Court of Justice for an opinion on whether countries have a legal duty to address climate change and what the legal consequences of climate inaction could be. Experts say the court’s opinion, which is pending, would not be legally binding but would carry moral authority and some legal weight.

The resolution came as a growing number of people around the world turned to courts to compel governments and businesses to act on climate change. A UNEP study, released later in the year, found climate-related lawsuits have more than doubled since 2017.

Nations band together to protect freshwater sources

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Sara Cottle)

March

UNEP and several partners launched the Freshwater Challenge, which aims to safeguard and revive 300,000km of rivers and 350 million hectares of wetlands around the world by 2030. That would make it the largest wetland and river restoration effort in history. Some 43 nations joined the push in 2023, including many at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), whose presidency cited the Freshwater Challenge as a key outcome of the summit. Sources of freshwater are under increasing pressure from climate change, pollution and other stressors. One-third of the world’s wetlands have been lost over the past 50 years, while rivers and lakes are the most degraded ecosystems in the world.

World marks inaugural International Day of Zero Waste

April

Countries around the world celebrated the first International Day of Zero Waste, a global call for humanity to better manage waste and build more circular economies.

The day was led by UNEP and UN Habitat with support from Türkiye, and featured an address from UN Secretary General António Guterres. “Humanity is treating our planet like a garbage dump,” he warned. “It’s time to fight back and launch a war on waste.”

More than two billion tonnes of municipal solid waste is generated annually, of which 45 per cent is mismanaged. Up to 4 billion people lack access to controlled waste disposal facilities.

Creative solutions to plastic pollution abound at World Environment Day

June

UNEP-led World Environment Day, celebrated on 5 June, showcased to the world the scale of the plastic pollution crisis while highlighting a bevy of potential solutions. Several governments made firm commitments on the day, with host Côte d’Ivoire unveiling a new environmental code to fight plastic pollution and the Kyrgyz Republic announcing it will begin to transition away from some plastic products. The day grabbed the globe’s attention; it was the top-trending hashtag on Twitter and related content was seen more than 300 million times across social media.

Historic “high seas” treaty throws a lifeline to marine biodiversity

June

The United Nations formally adopted a pact that extends for the first time environmental protections to two-thirds of the ocean that lie beyond national jurisdictions.

The so-called “high seas treaty” offers an updated framework to The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea that came into force in 1994. The world’s oceans, which play a vital role in everything from the global economy to regulating the climate, are labouring under climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

“You have pumped new life and hope to give the ocean a fighting chance”, António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, told countries as the measure was adopted.

Global plastics instrument takes crucial step forward

September

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution, hosted by UNEP, released a zero draft of a legally binding global instrument to end plastic pollution. The draft, which covers the full lifecycle of plastic, was reviewed during the third session (INC-3) in Nairobi, Kenya in November 2023. The talks in Nairobi followed a second session in Paris, France in June 2023. The INC sessions mark a key step in the effort to finalize a planet-wide agreement by the end of 2024.

Every year, humanity produces around 430 million metric tonnes of plastic – about the same weight as 71 million African elephants – and much of that is contained in single-use products that quickly become waste, polluting land, sea and air.

The rest of the text, read it here

Source: UNEP

SMART CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR EV IN BUILDINGS—PARKING AND GARAGES SOLUTIONS

29.12.2023

eMobility_206433-min — Photo: Schneider Electric

Electric vehicles (EV) contributed to transformation and decarbonization of transportation. To accelerate the process and take advantage of it brings both to consumers and the environment, it is essential to speed up installation of safe and smart infrastructure for electric vehicles charging.

Majority of current policies focus on setting the public charging infrastructure along principal road routes. However, research shows that around 90 per cent of EV chargers that are going to be installed in the following 15 to 20 years will be in private ownership, in garages and parking spaces of residential, business, and industrial buildings. It implies that existing and new buildings will have to meet growing demand for energy, for up to 40 per cent, which shall thus require controlled energy management.

Leaders of the current transportation electrification trend in Serbia and Montenegro are foremost companies which complement their fleet with electric vehicles and equip their existing garages and parking spaces with suitable charging stations. Beside companies, hotels, hospitality facilities, malls, public garages, and parking spaces also play a significant role wanting to accommodate their customers and provide them with “extra service”.

IN FOCUS:

The main issue arises—how much free capacity do the buildings have in their electrical infrastructure to deal with the increase in demand for electricity? Namely, the addition of EV charging infrastructure represents an increase in the electricity demand of a building. To avoid overloads and possible “outages” of power systems in buildings and use the available energy in the building in the most efficient way, Schneider Electric has developed EcoStruxure™ EV Charging Expert, a charging infrastructure load management, access management and supervision solution—one within the range of EcoStruxure™ for eMobility comprehensive solutions.

EcoStruxure™ EV Charging Expert is a system for dynamic monitoring and management, which responds to EV charging infrastructure in real time avoiding outages, overcharging and consumption during peak hours. Additionally, it enables integration of available renewable energy sources for EV charging. EcoStruxure™ EV Charging Expert guarantees continuity of service, enables fair and intelligent distribution of electricity between EV chargers and other sources in the building. This solution also helps limit impacts on electric infrastructure costs and avoid excess effects of prepaid electricity, while providing an excellent user experience for electric vehicle drivers. By using products from this range of solutions, it is possible to control the operation of up to 1,000 charging stations in multi-zone mode, ensuring adequate prioritization of charger users. The best of all is that there are no license fees in case of system expansion.

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine ELECTROMOBILITY.

Additional EBRD loan and EU grant for Corridor Vc in Bosnia and Herzegovina

25.12.2023

highway_autoput_transport_saobraćaj — Photo-illutration: Pixabay

Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Xan Griffin)

The construction of Corridor Vc, a key infrastructure project in Bosnia and Herzegovina that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) supports, is progressing with new financing from the EBRD, European Union (EU) and local commercial banks.

The EBRD has committed a loan of EUR 110 million, alongside a EUR 150 million EU investment grant and up to EUR 150 million from local commercial banks, to finance the construction of the Mostar north-south section and so support the country’s infrastructure, local businesses and services for citizens.

The loan agreement was signed today in Sarajevo by Srđan Amidžić, Minister of Finance and Treasury of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Manuela Naessl, EBRD Head of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the announcement that an additional EUR 110 million of EBRD financing will be available for the corridor. With this funding, the EBRD’s total contribution to the Corridor Vc project exceeds EUR 1 billion, with a further EUR 870 million provided in investment grants from the EU.

The section in question will be connected to other sections between southern Mostar and the Croatian border, which have now all secured financing, with construction work either completed, in progress or at the tendering stage. Once these sections are complete, the motorway from Mostar to Croatia will be fully functional.

“These are extremely significant projects for all citizens of Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Srđan Amidžić. The Minister also expressed gratitude for the excellent cooperation with the EBRD and EU, and highlighted the importance of the flow of people and goods.

Manuela Naessl said: “We are pleased to extend this additional financing for the Corridor Vc project and with it provide new momentum for the completion of the whole corridor. This key infrastructure project will lead to significant everyday benefits for people and businesses across the country, reducing travel times and facilitating trade with key export markets. The government has also taken an important step in mobilising commercial co-finance, which is required to close the financing for this priority infrastructure project, and together with the EU and the European Investment Bank (EIB), we continue discussions with the authorities to make progress on all sections.”

The EU is the EBRD’s strategic partner in the development of Corridor Vc. The EU investment grant of EUR 150 million is being channelled through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) and is expected to be signed in the coming months.

Adebayo Babajide, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, said: “The construction of this particular section will undoubtedly yield numerous benefits for local communities, such as shortened travel times, enhanced road safety and reduced transit through Mostar. The financial support by the EU, EBRD and EIB underscores our commitment to fast track the completion of Corridor Vc, which will encourage long-term economic recovery, sustainable jobs and economic integration in the region. To that end, the EU has committed EUR 870 million in grants to facilitate its completion.”

Denis Lasić, Acting Director of JP Autoceste FBiH, highlighted the company’s satisfaction with and gratitude for the cooperation with the EBRD and the EU, and the support received so far: “Autoceste FBiH is the largest beneficiary of EU grants in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which confirms that our projects are well prepared. The agreement we are signing today will secure important new kilometres of Corridor Vc in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The construction of the Mostar north-south section will mean that the motorway through Herzegovina, from northern Mostar to the Bijača border crossing, is fully functional.”

The Management Board of JP Autoceste FBiH is preparing to start the construction of the motorway from the northern Mostar interchange to Buna next year, which will result in nearly 30 km of new motorway through Herzegovina.

The project will include the construction of a northern interchange and a 15 km-long dual-carriage motorway section. This will help to ease traffic congestion around the city of Mostar.

For the first time, commercial banks are co-financing a section of this vital transport artery. This is immensely important given the large infrastructure needs in the country and the need to enhance connectivity and transport links to neighbouring countries.

The development of Corridor Vc is a strategic priority for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The 325 km motorway will cross the country from the border with Croatia, near the port of Ploče in the south to the northern border, and continue to Budapest, Zagreb and Belgrade. It is currently the biggest construction project in the country.

Investing in infrastructure is one of the EBRD’s priorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since it began operating in the country in 1996, the Bank has invested more than EUR 3 billion through 218 projects, of which EUR 1 billion are in the Corridor Vc project.

Source: EBRD

Artificial intelligence improves the efficiency of electric vehicles

25.12.2023

artificial-intelligence-4694502 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay/Gerd Altmann

Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a significant role in e-mobility and sustainable transport globally, and Serbia is catching up with the world in this area. The application of AI in e-mobility and sustainable transport in our country can contribute to the optimization of traffic routes, better battery performance, development of autonomous driving, vehicle maintenance and efficient management of charging points. This technology yields numerous benefits, including reduced emissions, higher efficiency, and a better experience for electric vehicle users.

We spoke with Dragiša Mišković, PhD, research associate and Head of the Human Computer Interface research group at the Artificial Intelligence Institute of Serbia, about the extent and nature of using AI in e-mobility and sustainable transport in Serbia.

The vision of the Artificial Intelligence Institute of Serbia is to become a global centre of excellence in scientific research and technology transfer in the field of AI and machine learning, as well as to create innovative leaders in that domain. Artificial intelligence is the ability of a computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks normally associated with intelligent beings and refers to the simulation of human intelligence through machines programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions.

IN FOCUS:

Q. How would you assess the development of e-mobility in our country?

Photo-illustration: Pixabay (Markus Roider)

A. Considering that e-mobility in Serbia is still developing, we face numerous challenges. Several key factors affect the e-mobility situation in Serbia, such as infrastructure for charging electric vehicles, incentives for their purchase, investments in research and development and providing support to startups and technology companies that deal with this segment. We also need to educate and raise awareness about the advantages of electromobility and the environmental and economic advantages of electric vehicles. These challenges are also typical for many other countries in the development stage of e-mobility. Thanks to appropriate infrastructure investments and incentives, Serbia has the potential to make progress in this area.

Q. What is Serbia’s position in this segment compared to the countries in the region that are also EU members? Which countries are the most developed when it comes to e-mobility?

A. In terms of the development of e-mobility, Serbia is in a similar position as other countries in the region. Electromobility is a relatively new industry developing rapidly worldwide, including the Balkan region. The Balkan countries, including Serbia, face similar challenges and opportunities related to e-mobility.

We should bear in mind that the situation in this segment is changing rapidly, and each country in the region has its own specific challenges and development strategies. It is crucial that countries in the region cooperate and exchange knowledge and experiences to accelerate development and achieve a sustainable transformation of the transport sector. Norway, the Netherlands, China, Germany, and Sweden are the leaders in e-mobility, as they have advanced systems, infrastructure, and initiatives to support the use of electric vehicles.

Q. To what extent are AI-based tools for e-mobility being developed and applied in Serbia?

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Jenny Ueberberg)

A. Artificial intelligence is playing an increasing role in e-mobility worldwide. It is used to optimize the performance of electric vehicles, improve autonomous driving systems, manage battery charging, predict energy consumption, optimize logistics and more.

Electromobility, a key sector of the economy and a source of development potential is gaining increasingly important in the modern world due to concern for the environment and health. Our wider regional community has an exceptional opportunity to become one of the leaders in Europe in this field, using the abundance of experience, tradition, and expertise we possess in these domains.

Large foreign companies still lead the development of e-mobility in Serbia, and it is important to encourage the involvement of domestic companies and institutes. We also need to carry out timely planning activities to develop the infrastructure for the fifth-generation network (5G) and systematically approach the drafting of regulations. The relevant laws will facilitate the widespread use of electric and autonomous vehicles.

Interviewed by: Mirjana Vujadinović Tomevski

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine ELECTROMOBILITY

Arctic Report Card documents evidence of accelerating climate change

24.12.2023

brod_Antarktik — Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Henrique Setim)

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric has issued its annual Arctic Report Card. It documents new evidence that warming of the air, ocean and land is affecting people, ecosystems and communities across the Arctic region, which is heating up faster than any other part of the world.

Summer surface air temperatures during 2023 were the warmest ever observed in the Arctic. Overall, it was the Arctic’s sixth warmest year on record. Sea ice extent continued to decline, with the last 17 Septembers now registering as the lowest on record.

Unusual warmth in Greenland contributed to a cumulative melt-day area approaching the all-time record on the Greenland Ice Sheet. The highest point on Greenland’s ice sheet experienced melting for only the fifth time in the 34-year record.

Unusual warmth in northern Canada coincided with below-normal precipitation, contributing to the region’s extreme wildfire season and resulting smoke in the United States.

The annual Arctic Report Card, now in its 18th year, is the work of 82 authors from 13 countries. It includes a section titled Vital Signs, that updates eight measures of physical and biological changes, four chapters on emerging issues and a special report on the 2023 summer of extreme wildfires.

The Arctic Report Card provides important knowledge to inform WMO’s State of the Climate monitoring activities in the Arctic region.

“The overriding message from this year’s report card is that the time for action is now,” said Dr Rick Spinrad, NOAA administrator. “NOAA and our federal partners have ramped up our support and collaboration with state, tribal and local communities to help build climate resilience. At the same time, we as a nation and global community must dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are driving these changes.”

“Arctic amplification” is a widely recognized phenomenon in which human-caused global warming is amplified at the poles, causing the Arctic to warm more quickly than the rest of the globe. Multiple factors enhance warming at high latitudes, but the main one is that warming reduces snow and ice, which would otherwise reflect incoming sunlight. Arctic temperatures have risen at least twice as fast as global temperatures, possibly even faster, since the year 2000.

The shallow seas around the margins of the Arctic Ocean have warmed dramatically in the past four decades. On average, these areas have warmed around 2° C (nearly 4 °F) over the satellite era, part of a feedback loop in which warming air and water temperatures shrink the sea ice cover, which exposes more of the ocean to direct sunlight, which drives more warming.

Places that were once snow-covered nearly year round are thawing out earlier in the spring. Winter 2022-23 actually brought above-average snow accumulations to the Arctic, but it disappeared much more quickly in the spring than it used to.

Highlights

The average surface air temperature in the Arctic this past year was the sixth warmest since 1900.
This year’s sea ice extent was the sixth lowest in the satellite record, which began in 1979. The 17 lowest Arctic sea ice extents on record occurred during the last 17 years.
Many Arctic Ocean regions continue to show increased ocean phytoplankton blooms.
The Greenland Ice Sheet continued to lose mass despite above-average winter snow accumulation.
Pan-Arctic precipitation was the sixth highest on record, continuing the trend toward a wetter Arctic.
Warming has had divergent impacts on different Alaska salmon runs: some have had record-high abundance and others record-low abundance.

Although the Arctic tundra is mostly too cold and dry for trees, it’s home to other plants that have evolved to survive the frigid winters and short growing seasons on the Arctic’s coastal plains and foothills. Sandwiched between the boreal forests and the ocean, this area of shrubs, mosses, lichens, grasses, and grass-like plants called sedges grow in the relatively thin layer of soil that thaws out briefly in the Arctic summer. As the Arctic has warmed over the past several decades, satellites have documented a significant “greening” of the tundra.

Source: WMO

Slovenia’s comprehensive approach to facilitating the growth of electromobility

23.12.2023

211123 elektro_polnilnice MM_mfras_010 — Photo: Ministry of Environment, Climate and Energy (MOPE)

Photo: Ministry of Environment, Climate and Energy (MOPE)

Size-wise, Slovenia is one of the smaller countries in Europe whose territory is more than half covered by forests, is recognizable by its beautiful landscapes and is often known as a country that takes care of and protects its natural wealth. Following the steps toward sustainable development, starting in 2011, this country classified electromobility as an important topic for preserving a healthy environment when it subsidized the purchase of the first three electric cars in the country. We spoke with Marija Lesjak, Secretary of the Directorate for Transport Policy at the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Energy (MOPE), about the development of electromobility and incentives for citizens to switch to alternative fuel vehicles.

By 2018, the purchase of 1,521 electric vehicles was gradually co-financed. In October 2017, the Slovenian government adopted the Market Development Strategy for setting up an appropriate transport infrastructure related to alternative fuels. Article 3 of Directive 2014/94/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of infrastructure for alternative fuels was hereby incorporated into the Slovenian legal system, which requires EU Member States to adopt national policy frameworks for market development, concerning alternative fuels in the transport sector and set up an appropriate infrastructure.

This strategy was a national framework for reducing greenhouse gases, especially CO2 emissions in the transport sector, by 2030, so the goal was to have at least 200,000 electric vehicles by that time. The strategy also includes a certain number of other alternative fuel vehicles. Speaking about the infrastructure for electric vehicles, the goal was to provide at least one charger for every 10 registered electric cars.

IN FOCUS:

In 2019, the Slovenian government adopted the Action Programme for Alternative Fuels in Transport, which included various measures to improve the alternative fuel market and establish the appropriate infrastructure for alternative fuels. Since that year, the purchase of an average of 1,000 electric vehicles per year has been co-financed.

“From 2011 to 2022, we co-financed the purchase of 5,687 electric vehicles. Since then, including 2019, subsidies for plug-in electric hybrids (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have been available. From 2020, subsidies are only available for BEVs. Subsidies for personal electric vehicles range from 4,500 to 6,500 euros per vehicle and 3,500 euros for light commercial vehicles,” said Marija Lesjak.

Given that the adopted strategy from 2017 was not sufficient for the accomplishment of ambitious goals set by the European Union as part of the European Green Deal and the Fit for 55 set of regulations, on May 25, 2023, Slovenia adopted a new systemic law on infrastructure for alternative fuels and promoting the transition to alternative fuels in transport (ZIAG). This law creates a legal framework for establishing, developing, expanding, and safely using an interoperable and user-friendly infrastructure for filling and supplying alternative fuels to road, air, and sea traffic and three types of energy sources – electricity, hydrogen, and natural gas.

The law also prescribes three basic levels of infrastructure development for alternative fuels. The first is strategic planning of the alternative fuel infrastructure, where, considering the current state and maturity of the existing technologies, the emphasis is on planning the infrastructure network for charging electricity for road vehicles. Then, there is the provision of a long-term dedicated resource for co-financing measures for switching to alternative fuels, which will contribute to accomplishing environmental and energy goals in the transport sector. The last level is forming an executive body to implement public tenders and calls for allocating dedicated funds for measures to accelerate the transition to alternative fuels in traffic, i.e. infrastructure and vehicles or a combination of both. Also, a centre is being established to promote the transition to alternative fuels.

Electrification of public passenger transport is also one of the goals of the new ZIAG. Speaking of which, urban and suburban public passenger transportation has the greatest potential for switching to electric vehicles. Intercity lines are currently not planned because they cover the greater mileage, that is, the inadequate power range of the available electric batteries.

Prepared by: Katarina Vuinac

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine ELECTROMOBILITY

1...596061...407 Page 60 of 407

IN FOCUS:

IN FOCUS:

IN FOCUS:

IN FOCUS:

IN FOCUS:

IN FOCUS:

IN FOCUS:

More:

IN FOCUS:

IN FOCUS:

IN FOCUS:

More:

More:

IN FOCUS:

More:

IN FOCUS:

Newsletter

Calendar of events

2025 June

Events for 30 June

Events for 1 July

Events for 2 July

Events for 3 July

Events for 4 July

Events for 5 July

Events for 6 July

Events for 7 July

Events for 8 July

Events for 9 July

Events for 10 July

Events for 11 July

Events for 12 July

Events for 13 July

Events for 14 July

Events for 15 July

Events for 16 July

Events for 17 July

Events for 18 July

Events for 19 July

Events for 20 July

Events for 21 July

Events for 22 July

Events for 23 July

Events for 24 July

Events for 25 July

Events for 26 July

Events for 27 July

Events for 28 July

Events for 29 July

Events for 30 July

WRITE US