Boosting Waste Separation: Novi Pazar and Mojkovac to Receive 2,000 Bins

10.08.2023

garbage-can-ogrnski-otpad-kanta — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Justuf Menke)

Novi Pazar and Mojkovac are taking a significant step towards sustainable waste management with the upcoming arrival of 2,000 additional containers dedicated to separating packaging waste and a recycling press. Supported by the European Union, these environmental protection measures will be facilitated by NALED (National Alliance for Local Economic Development) through the two-year project “BEST Cooperation in Waste Management – Towards a Sustainable Environment.”

Implemented in partnership with the Center for Ecotoxicological Testing, the municipality of Mojkovac, and PUC “Gradska čistoća” Novi Pazar, this project aims to enhance waste management systems in the municipalities of Kolašin, Bijelo Polje, and Tutin as well. Expert support will be provided to all participating local governments in developing waste management plans, circular economy roadmaps, and action measures for public utility companies. Additionally, awareness-raising campaigns will educate citizens about proper waste separation at the household level.

With the introduction of the two-bin system, households in these regions will separate mixed waste from recyclable packaging waste such as PET, glass, aluminum cans, and paper. Through comprehensive training, representatives from PUCs and municipalities will learn the best practices for waste collection and treatment.

By 2025, the goal is to implement the new waste separation system in 1,000 households and ten business centers, with a targeted 20 percent improvement in waste collection rates in Novi Pazar, where only 1.6 percent of recyclable waste is currently properly treated. In Mojkovac, where the current percentage is zero, the aim is to collect and hand over 396 tons of recyclable waste to authorized operators within two years.

Serbia and Montenegro have committed to harmonizing national legislation with EU regulations and fulfilling the requirements of Chapter 27, which focuses on environmental protection, as part of their journey towards European Union membership. Serbia adopted the Waste Management Program 2022-2031 last year, emphasizing the development of a waste management system aligned with EU standards, with local governments playing a pivotal role. By the end of 2029, Serbia aims to establish separate collection systems for paper, metal, glass, and textiles, increase recycling rates, and eliminate illegal landfills. Montenegro faces similar challenges, as roughly half of municipal waste ends up in unsanitary landfills due to a lack of proper disposal infrastructure.

Novi Pazar and Mojkovac are paving the way for sustainable waste management practices, promoting environmental preservation, and working towards a cleaner future for their communities.

Source: NALED

FARMLAND – HOME TO SOLAR PANELS AND CROPS

09.08.2023

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Michael Fortsch)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Steven Weeks)

Solar power plants require that the land on which they are installed be accessible and sunny and that there are transmission lines nearby to release the generated energy into the power grid. Taking into account the above requirements, agricultural land is the most suitable area for installing such power plants. And while discussing the importance of renewable energy sources, environmental protection, or energy security, we must not ignore the importance of agricultural production. Urban planning and climate change have questioned the security of this sector’s survival, which is why converting every hectare of agricultural land into space for the construction of solar power plants represents an additional burden.

To find a solution that would ensure the satisfaction of all involved parties, scientists are constantly developing and improving agrovoltaics, that is, a system that allows solar panels and plants to be grown on the same piece of land. This system involves placing solar panels above the crops.

Once installed, these solar panels leave about 90 per cent of the surface free, which can also be used for growing crops. Not only do such solar panels leave enough room for the agricultural sector, but they can be collaborators in safer cultivation.

IN FOCUS:

Namely, solar power plants protect crops from bad weather such as hail, showers, wind and strong sun rays. An additional reduction of CO2 emissions is achieved, provided the irrigation system is connected to the supply of power generated by the installed panels.

In this way, with careful planning and design of such a power plant, we can grow almost all agricultural plants on condition that we have chosen the appropriate panels and placed them at a sufficient height and a proper angle. It has been proven eggplant, cabbage, broccoli, artichoke, aromatic herbs and flowers, sugar beet, and other plants can be grown under such panels.

In terms of the usual solar panels, which are opaque, this kind of area is most suitable for growing those plants that do not need a large amount of sunlight. However, regular solar panels can be installed at greater angles to allow more light to pass between them. Also, the technology allows that the angle of installation is not fixed. Still, they can be turned, creating a larger or smaller shade following the sun’s position throughout the day.

Innovative solutions also focus on perfecting transparent panels – solar windows, like greenhouses, would let in large amounts of sunlight. They have already been used in practice. In Greece, a greenhouse with solar windows was made for a vineyard. They absorb UV rays, which the plants do not need, and let those useful for their growth through.

Although a solar power plant needs the sun’s energy, temperatures that are too high can have the opposite effect, i.e. they can reduce their production capacity. Planting certain species under the panels can reduce their temperature, a mutual benefit.

The United Nations have recognized investing effort in finding ways to save water, food, and energy as one of the most important factors of sustainable development because these three resources are the key to the survival of life on our planet. Due to population growth, higher demand for food requires greater amounts of water and energy. On the one hand, energy is used to irrigate crops during the entire cycle – from their growth to processing to a final product. On the other hand, fresh water is already an endangered resource of which agriculture is its biggest consumer and is still very much needed to produce energy from many sources. Agrovoltaics could play an important role in reducing the risk of the abovementioned resources. Solar power plants do not require water to operate. At the same time, they can produce the energy needed for irrigation to avoid using energy obtained from those sources that need a large amount of water. All of this is possible to achieve by installing panels on agricultural areas where they would occupy a minimum of space and thus would not jeopardize the cultivation of crops.

Prepared by: Katarina Vuinac

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

Event Announcement: SEE ENERGY 2023, Regional Energy Conference – October, Novi Sad

07.08.2023

A two-day regional energy conference with an exhibition, SEE ENERGY- Connect & Supply 2023, will be held on October 2nd and 3rd, 2023, at the “Sheraton” hotel in Novi Sad.

The conference, organized by the National Biomass Association “SERBIO,” will cover a wide range of topics, including decarbonization in industry and transportation, the oil industry’s strategy in the energy transition, energy storage and the electricity market, financing renewable energy projects and green financing, as well as the technologies and conditions for heat pump implementation.

Expect a dynamic program featuring panels, presentations, and discussions will bring together leading experts, investors, industry representatives, decision-makers, technology manufacturers, consulting firms, the government, and financial institutions.

The full program can be viewed on the SEE ENERGY 2023 conference website.

Registration is free of charge

All interested parties can attend the conference either in person or through the ZOOM online application by registering on the organizer’s website – REGISTRATION

Energetski Portal, is the general media sponsor, this event.

Source: SERBIO

CHANGES IN THE RES SEGMENT LEAD TO A STABLE POWER SYSTEM

06.08.2023

wind , vetar — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (arteum-ro)

The long-awaited Law on Amendments to the Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources resolves the issue of numerous requests for the connection of new solar and wind power plants to the national power grid without jeopardizing the safety of the power system.

Rade Mrdak, Green Energy Adviser to the Minister of Mining and Energy, explains how the changes will help to reach the target of 1,000 MW for wind farms and 300 MW for solar farms over the next three years and whether households will now benefit more from the introduced limitations of power generated by solar plants.

What do the adopted amendments to the Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources bring us?

The new amendments to the Law on the Use of RES brought us the improvement of the regulatory framework in this area, while the amendments prescribed the rules that should solve the 20 GW requirements for connecting wind power plants and solar power plants to the national power grid. This capacity exceeds the total installed capacity of all power plants in Serbia by three times which have been built over decades. Without changes in the Law, system operators would be legally obligated to connect capacities that cannot be integrated into the system. It would cause severe financial and technical problems for our operators to ensure the system’s safe and reliable functioning. That’s why we envisioned the possibility that if the operator of the transmission system, in a transparent and public procedure and with the consent of the independent Republic of Serbia Energy Agency, assesses that there is no physically available capacity for the integration of RES power plants, they can temporarily implement the measure which postpones their connection. However, exceptions to this rule do not apply to operators who have already acquired certain rights in the connection procedure. There are about 5 GW of such projects, as well as those investors who do not want to postpone the connection but are ready to provide additional balancing capacity themselves or through another market participant. In practice, these additional capacities will be battery storage.

Other changes pertain to solving the issue of balancing responsibility for producers using RES. Now the guaranteed supplier will not assume the balance responsibility for all producers; only those who have received incentives and only temporary, i.e. until the intraday market comes to life, either through the domestic stock exchange or through the merger with the European single market. Commercial projects will have to resolve the balance liability commercially.

Finally, we made changes related to prosumers by limiting the maximum capacity for households and commercial customers in line with European practice. Prosumers are considered only those end customers who install solar panels up to 10.8 kW for households or up to 150 kW for other categories of end customers. In this way, we directed the prosumer concept towards small customers who should reap the benefits of this model. Big consumers need to be active buyers with greater responsibilities.

IN FOCUS:

Why did the draft amendments to the Law stipulate a limit for prosumers, and will this push ordinary citizens to abandon the prosumer concept?

The amendments to the Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources stipulate that the limit for prosumers is 10.8 kW, so with this solution, we have covered 97 per cent of households that mostly install solar panels of up to 10 kW power. The purpose of this limit is to help citizens balance the electricity production from solar panels with their consumption and to demotivate them to use electricity from the power grid, at a higher price, during winter for heating as this electricity is still mostly obtained from coal, which can negate the positive effects of the installation solar panels. We believe that citizens will not abandon the prosumer concept because the profitability of solar panels will continue to grow.

When will a by-law stipulating active buyer’s rights and obligations be adopted?

The Ministry of Mining and Energy is preparing amendments to the Law on Energy, including provisions for active buyers. We want to regulate this issue adequately and enable the industry to valorize all the benefits of self-supply through its production with the help of this new concept. If we adopt the amendments to the Law on Energy by the year-end as planned, we believe that by June 2024, we will have all by-laws ready to implement the active buyer concept.

Interviewed by: Milica Radičević

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

Watts to Wheels: Why EV-Battery Innovation is Key to Sparking a Renewable Revolution

04.08.2023

ev-električni-auto — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Andrew Roberts)

Increasing the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) is a fundamental part of accelerating the renewables-based energy transition and getting us onto the 1.5°C pathway. The uptake of EVs holds the potential to cut emissions by the replacement of fossil fuel based vehicles but also to enable flexibility in the energy system that allow the integration of larger renewable production which allow a larger emissions reduction. Under IRENA’s 1.5°C Scenario, the number of electric passenger cars is expected to grow to 360 million by the end of 2023, and 2.1 billion by 2050. The transition is being boosted by planned bans on the sales of new fossil fuel–powered vehicles, net-zero emissions targets, climate policies and other pollution-driven regulations.

There are, however, significant barriers. For instance, under the 1.5°C Scenario, electric charging infrastructure would require a cumulative investment of USD 9 trillion through 2050. But the greatest limiter is battery technology. Mobilising such an amount of resources requires the adoption of the systemic innovation approach that involves all actors across the value chain of EVs including technology and infrastructure, market design, system planning and business models.

A key innovation is converting those batteries on wheels into energy storage systems that can enable more wind and solar PV electricity integrated into electricity grids. This innovation unlocks a powerful virtuous circle, where more renewable electricity can be integrated in power grids while such clean electricity is used to power the electric vehicles, a real win-win scenario.

In this sense, the system provision via smart EV charging strategies is identified as one of the key innovations to facilitate the uptake of EVs and provide flexibility to the system. California (US), one of the leading regions worldwide in the transition to EVs and zero-emission vehicles, has already adopted this innovation as part of its smart electrification strategy. Nowadays, California is implementing both unidirectional and bidirectional charging and several projects and pilots are testing vehicle–grid integration. The state’s independent system operator (CAISO) is enabling EVs to participate as a demand response resource in the California wholesale power market. In parallel, the California Public Utilities Commission designed new rules that allow faster deployment of distributed energy resources, including solar and behind-the-meter batteries, and bidirectional V2G charging with a V2G grid code. All this represents a successful example of the application of the systemic innovation approach to achieve a smart electrification of the energy system.

Focusing now on the technology dimension there need to be huge advances in battery innovation for the EV revolution to take place, even though clearly progress is being made. Batteries for new EVs already provide good range, with the best-performing models offering 800 km, and some batteries can be charged in an hour. At the same time, prices have dropped dramatically, from USD 1,200/kWh in 2010 for Li-ion batteries to USD 132/kWh in 2021. The priority continues to be cutting cost, increasing range, and shortening charging cycles.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Michael Marais)

Further progress, however, requires innovation. Research efforts are currently aimed at improving performance, including energy and power density, safety, ageing, charging times, ageing and cost. But there are complex trade-offs among those properties, and improving one criterion typically results in the deterioration of at least one other – the battery performance dilemma. For instance, an innovation that improves energy density and cost comes at the expense of power density, safety, and cyclical ageing.

This dilemma is not the only challenge. As performance enhancement drives the rapid growth of EV batteries.

The extraction and improper disposal of these materials can carry significant environmental and health dangers. Currently, not all minerals are recycled due to technology pathways and economic incentives. In short, the increasing number of EVs could very well aggravate environmental damage from mining and battery waste unless recycling programmes are expanded, and various challenges are quickly and properly addressed.

Once again, innovation – alongside legislation and regulation – is one of the key pathways to success. Innovation in battery recycling means that recovery rates of nickel and cobalt are about 95 per cent in recycling plants, while that of lithium, manganese and graphite (with impurities) has reached around 95 per cent, and the recovery rate is up to 99 per cent in laboratory testing.

These are just some of the challenges that governments, academia and the private sector must overcome if the global energy and transport sectors are to decarbonise in line with the 1.5°C Scenario.

Source: IRENA

GREEN TRANSITION – AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEMS

02.08.2023

spencer-davis-so4ElujJVP8-unsplash (3) — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (spencer davis)

The Republic of Croatia has been strongly encouraging the use of renewable energy sources (RES) for some time now. According to EUROSTAT data for 2021, RES had a 31.3 per cent share in the country’s gross direct consumption. A new national goal of at least a 36.6 per cent share of renewable energy sources in the final gross energy consumption by 2030 has been set. The Croatian Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Hidajet Biščević, told us that the European Parliament’s and European Council’s Directive 2018/2001 from 2018, which promotes the use of energy generated from renewable sources, was incorporated into the Croatian legislation when the country adopted the Law on Renewable Energy Sources and High-Efficiency Cogeneration.

“The law regulates issues important for implementing the energy transition towards the use of RES following the 2030 Energy Development Strategy with projections until 2050 and the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan for Croatia, covering the period from 2021 to 2030. These are fundamental acts for implementing the energy policy in the part that specifically refers to the sale and use of renewable energy in the electricity and heat markets,” Ambassador Biščević said.

IN FOSUC:

How is the use of renewable sources regulated by the Law on Renewable Energy Sources?

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (tom wheatley)

Transparent and unambiguous rules have been put in place to calculate the share of energy from renewable sources, define these sources, fulfil reporting obligations to the European Commission, as well as prescribing the possibility of cooperation on joint projects with other EU Member States and the statistical transfer of the share of renewable energy. The regulation also stipulates possibilities for incentivizing the use of renewable energy so that the shortcomings of the energy market in the development of new production facilities are eliminated, and clear rules, scope and dynamics of support are implemented following the possibilities of planning the development, construction, and modernization of energy systems. A straightforward procedure for the certification of privileged energy producers is implemented too. It prescribes drafting a manual on administrative procedures and obtaining permits to construct facilities to produce energy from renewable sources. It regulates issues of guarantee of origin, establishing and managing a renewable energy sources register, transferring energy from RES to gas and heating systems, and increasing use in the heating and cooling sector.

How much the country subsidizes projects related to the use of solar, geothermal and sea energy?

Croatia plans to continue providing incentives for the production of electricity from RES until 2030 to reduce CO2 emissions in the energy sector, which also implies increasing production and ensuring a greater quantity of electricity for the country’s needs. Croatia has to improve its power system to achieve that goal and meet all the technical prerequisites for the planned growth.

The National Recovery and Resilience Plan foresees allocation of 400 million euros for the revitalization, modernization, and digitization of the electric power system. In this way, better access to new power plants will facilitate electricity production capacity from renewable sources by 1,500 MW by the end of 2024. There is also the Modernization Fund intended for the decarbonization of industry in the form of support for investments in the modernization of the energy system and the improvement of energy efficiency.

In the new Competitiveness and Cohesion Programme covering the financial period from 2021 to 2027, 279 million euros have been allocated for the energy sector, including micro solar plants and heat pumps. The funds are intended for citizens to ensure their self-sustainability energy-wise while reducing financial expenses for energy consumption in households.

How much did EU membership contribute to Croatia’s environmental protection and sustainable development progress?

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (matthias mullie)

At the time when the country was in the process of joining the EU, Croatia used a lot of technical assistance from TAIEX in the transfer of the know-how related to climate change needed for the establishment of the EU system of trading, monitoring and reporting on greenhouse gas emissions (EU ETS).

We have also established important cooperation with Slovenia due to the smaller language barrier. Even after Croatia joined the EU, the TAEIX instrument was still used to implement EU legislation. During the adoption and implementation of EU legislation, the Member States participate in the Commission’s technical meetings where the fulfilment of all obligations, including the new ones prescribed by secondary EU legislation, are discussed. It is a good opportunity to exchange experiences and best practices, contributing to successfully implementing environmental protection and sustainable development policies.

Croatia is strategically focused on clean energy, but you are partly supplied with electricity from the Krško nuclear power plant. What is the future of this power plant?

Croatia has been investing a lot of effort into incentivizing energy production from renewable sources and new technologies and developing a grid to transfer this energy. We own half of the nuclear power plant in Slovenia, and Croatia has nothing against nuclear energy as a low-carbon energy source. About 16 per cent of our electricity is produced by the Krško nuclear power plant, and we are interested in being included in the Krško 2 project if the Slovenian side decides to invite us. We believe nuclear energy is clean energy, doesn’t produce CO2 emissions, and can significantly contribute to reaching our climate goals and decarbonizing the economy.

Interviewed by: Mirjana Vujadinović Tomevski

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

URBAN BEEKEEPING REQUIRES LOCAL INITIATIVE

02.08.2023

kosnice USCE SC krovu — Photo: MPC Properties

Urban beekeeping involves setting up and maintaining beehives with bees on the flat roofs of buildings in urban areas. Still, we can say that the real answer is environmentally conscious citizens, companies and institutions, those who recognize the importance of bees in the ecosystem, their vulnerability, and who decided to take care of bees and thus contribute to the preservation of the biodiversity of plants, bees and nature.

The bee is the most important insect, responsible for pollinating an incredible 85 per cent of flowering plants. The fact that bees produced every third bite of food speaks vividly about the invaluable role of bees as pollinators of various plant species that people use in their diet. The disappearance of bees in the last ten years has contributed to the fact that more and more people in cities are engaged in beekeeping.

IN FOCUS:

Why are bees disappearing? The answer is not simple, and the fact that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has included some species of bees on the European Red List of endangered species threatened with extinction shows how serious the situation is.

What are we doing to save the bee? There are various mechanisms and ways in which ecologically conscious individuals, organizations and government representatives try to point out the danger of bees and take concrete actions to preserve them.

As much as the disappearance of bees is a global problem, urban beekeeping requires local action. Urban beekeeping needs a city. The global problem of disappearing bees through the revival of urban beekeeping becomes a local challenge, and its ecological aspect comes to the fore.

One of the pioneers in the development of urban beekeeping in Belgrade is the company MPC Properties, which, in cooperation with the Belgrade Beekeepers Association and the Mad Med Association, has installed as many as 12 beehives on the roofs of its shopping and business centers, including the UŠĆE commercial complex and the Navigator Business Center 2. In just a few months, the bees in these hives produced 130 kg of honey. In addition, as part of promoting and implementing its ESG strategy, MPC launched a series of green events and workshops, including a honey spinning series and a presentation on the importance of bees for children, to introduce them to the topic of urban beekeeping in an inclusive way. At the honey-making workshops, many MPC business partners had the opportunity, for the first time, to witness the process of making honey live, to get to know better how bees are organized, and to taste fresh honey directly from the MPC hives.

The beekeeping workshops for children, Let’s buzz together, were organized in UŠĆE Hub in cooperation with the educational center Košnica Dorćol. They also attracted a lot of attention from the community, where the little ones had the opportunity to visit MPC beehives and plant honey plants in the garden in front of the UŠĆE business complex.

The MPC Properties company gave a good example of concrete actions to save bees from extinction while at the same time improving the environment in cities. If you have a suitable place for a mini apiary, contact the Belgrade Association of Beekeepers and the Mad Med Association, whose experienced beekeepers will evaluate each location and, in cooperation with MPC Properties, propose an urban beekeeping project.

Source: MPC Properties

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

EU’s domestic material consumption remained stable in 2022

01.08.2023

wide-angle-shot-machine-landscape-made-sand-stones — Photo-illustration: Freepik (wirestock)

In 2022, the domestic material consumption of the EU economy remained relatively stable at around 14.5 tonnes per person, indicating a very slight increase of 0.4 percent compared with 2021 (14.4 tonnes per person). Since 2000, the EU reduced its domestic consumption of material by 0.9 tonnes per person.

Non-metallic minerals accounted for more than half of the domestic material consumption (54 percent), biomass for almost a quarter (23 percent), fossil energy materials for close to a fifth (18 percent) and metal ores for five percent.

This article presents a handful of findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained articles on material flow accounts and resource productivity, resource productivity statistics and physical imports and exports.

Different materials, different consumption trends

In terms of the different materials that make domestic consumption, it’s important to analyse the importance of various materials, their potential for reuse, recovery or recycling, and their consumption trends.

The consumption of biomass remained fairly stable during this period, unlike the consumption of metal ores and non-metallic minerals, which were both highly influenced by the financial and economic crisis of 2008-2009 and by the measures taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the consumption of biomass materials fell to the lowest value since 2015 while metal ores also saw a decrease compared with 2021 but remained at a level similar to 2019.

As for non-metallic minerals, consumption has been increasing steadily since 2012, reaching its highest value in 2022, following a slowdown due to the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the consumption of fossil energy materials declined steadily over the past two decades, aligning with reduced CO2 emissions. However, after a significant drop in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a rebound in consumption started in 2021 (five percent from 2020 to 2021) and continued in 2022.

Large differences in material consumption across the EU

Domestic material consumption differed significantly among the EU members in 2022. While the levels of material consumption were below or equal to 10 tonnes per person in Spain (8.8), Italy (9.1), and the Netherlands (10.0), other EU countries stood out as high consumers, notably Finland (43.7), but also Romania (28.8), and Estonia (27.7).

Domestic material consumption in each country is influenced by natural endowments with material resources, which may form an important structural element of each economy.

Furthermore, consumption of the main material categories also varied across EU countries.

In 2022, consumption of non-metallic minerals ranged from 1.6 tonnes per person in the Netherlands to 28.8 tonnes per person in Finland. Further low levels were registered in Spain (4.2) and Italy (4.4), while high consumption values were also recorded in Romania (23.3) and Estonia (15.5).

Cross-country differences can be a result of varied levels of construction activities (investments), population densities and sizes of transport infrastructures, such as road networks.

Biomass consumption varied from 1.1 tonnes per person in Malta to 7.5 tonnes per person in Ireland. Economies with high biomass consumption are often specialised in certain livestock production (Ireland 7.5, Denmark 7.4) or timber production (Finland 6.9).

Consumption of fossil energy material varied from one tonne per person in Latvia to 6.9 tonnes per person in Estonia.

Metal ores consumption ranged from as low as 0.1 tonnes per person in Latvia to around 5.8 tonnes per person in Sweden.

Source: Eurostat

Low-cost solutions can give billions access to modern cooking by 2030, but the world is failing to deliver

31.07.2023

anne-nygard-WWWxfbyXadk-unsplash — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Anne Nygård)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Soroush Karimi)

Nearly one in three people around the world still cook their meals over open fires or on basic stoves, resulting in significant damage to health, living standards and gender equality – and yet this challenge can be overcome this decade through a relatively modest amount of investment, according to a new IEA report, produced in partnership with the African Development Bank Group.

Today, 2.3 billion people rely on charcoal, firewood, coal, agricultural waste and animal dung as fuel to prepare meals, causing them to breathe in harmful smoke in the process. Air pollution from these rudimentary cooking methods causes 3.7 million premature deaths per year, ranking it the third largest cause of premature death globally. Women suffer the worst impacts from the lack of clean cooking. The burden of fuel collection and making meals typically falls on women and takes on average five hours a day. This prevents many women from pursuing education and employment or from starting a business that could deliver financial independence.

The new report, A Vision for Clean Cooking Access for All, offers a practical guide to bring the tools and fuels needed for every household worldwide to have access to clean cooking by 2030.

“Clean cooking is a topic that rarely hits the headlines or makes it onto the political agenda,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. “And yet, it’s a cornerstone of global efforts to improve energy access, gender equity, economic development and human dignity. This report shows universal clean cooking access could be reached worldwide by 2030 with annual investment of USD 8 billion, which is just a tiny fraction of what the world spends on energy each year. Tackling this injustice is affordable and achievable.”

Basic cooking methods that are widely used by populations that lack access to clean cooking also contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. The collection of wood and charcoal for cooking results in the loss of areas of forest the size of Ireland each year.

In the last decade, global progress on clean cooking has been slow, with progress restricted to a handful of countries. Since 2010, China, India and Indonesia all halved the number of their citizens who lack clean cooking access. These efforts relied largely on providing free stoves and subsidised canisters of liquefied petroleum gas. However, during the same period, Africa’s population without clean cooking access continued to climb. Under today’s policy settings, most African countries are not expected to reach full clean cooking access even in the 2050s.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Shelbey Hunt)

“The lack of access to clean cooking negatively impacts public health, perpetuates deforestation, and increases greenhouse gas emissions. Universal access to modern energy by 2030 is imperative and requires game-changing approaches,” said President Akinwumi Adesina of the African Development Bank Group. “I am confident that the rich data and insights from this report will inform and shape our collective approaches to this noble goal of universal access to clean cooking in Africa.”

To achieve the universal access target laid out in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 7, nearly 300 million people need to gain access to clean cooking means each year between now and 2030. People in sub-Saharan Africa represent half of this amount, highlighting where international efforts need to focus.

The benefits in terms of gender equality, health and time-savings from reaching universal access to clean cooking would be immense. The report finds, for example, that premature deaths from poor indoor air quality would drop by 2.5 million annually. The average household would save at least 1.5 hours of time a day, freeing up time for other pursuits such as education or work, especially for women. The total time-savings globally would be equal to the annual working hours of a labour force the size of Japan’s. And the reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions would reach 1.5 billion tonnes a year, equivalent to the current emissions from all ships and planes combined.

Achieving universal access to clean cooking would require investment of USD eight billion annually in stoves and infrastructure between now and 2030. This is less than one percent of what governments spent in 2022 globally on measures to keep energy affordable for their citizens. Public and private finance have a key role to play in advancing clean cooking, especially in regions without the fiscal space to drive the required investment through public funds. Concessional and climate financing will be needed to support projects in the poorest regions, notably in sub-Saharan Africa. Concessional finance would need to make up around half of the annual investment.

“Solving access to clean cooking does not require a technological breakthrough,” Dr Birol said. “It comes down to political will from governments, development banks and other entities seeking to eradicate poverty and gender inequality. But today, we are failing women in some of the most vulnerable areas of the world.”

Source: IEA

APPLICATION OF ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MATERIALS IN CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE

30.07.2023

Screenshot_5 — Photo: Courtesy of Ljubica Arsić

The degradation of the environment has taken green architecture out of its exclusively aesthetic concept, leading it to today’s inevitable need to create a more sustainable future. In Serbia, the concept of green and sustainable architecture is becoming increasingly popular, although many economic and bureaucratic obstacles challenge it, including a lack of support and corruption. We discussed the potential and advantages of this kind of architecture with the architect Ljubica Arsić, the designer of the Hemphouse on the Homolje Mountains. The Hemphouse demonstrated that, through the synergy of dedication, knowledge and love, a person can build a house that will not damage nature, a home to all living beings.

Although it represents a more sustainable way of constructing new buildings, green architecture often requires the demolition of existing buildings. The construction, operation and demolition of buildings are responsible for 40 per cent of global CO2 emissions.

A new, energy-efficient building takes up to 65 years to save the energy lost when the existing building is demolished. Furthermore, what happens to the material when the building’s lifetime is over also poses an issue. One of the biggest trends in sustainable building practice in the West is the concept of the circular economy, which sees waste as a resource and aims to minimize the use of limited resources. In many cases, preserving and renovating existing buildings is more sustainable than demolishing and building new ones. Together with Daniel Fuchs, Ljubica is the co-author of numerous projects. They are currently working on a new project as part of a cooperative called Stadtufer, which bought an old textile factory to transform it into a living, working and cultural space. With this venture, they want to demonstrate how to reuse old structures, adding only sustainable materials and thus reducing the environmental footprint.

IN FOCUS:

“I have the impression that there is a need in Serbia for a more focused discussion on the potential of adaptation and reconstruction of existing buildings instead of predominantly building new buildings. Many buildings throughout Serbia can be reconstructed. It is a huge job waiting to be done,” Ljubica pointed out.

For urban planning to be truly sustainable, it must incorporate many factors and processes, such as existing facilities, green space, energy-efficient construction, alternative transportation options, and water management systems. By using biodegradable materials, incorporating energy-saving technologies, and fostering community through shared spaces, sustainable homes can be created that contribute to a greener future.

“Together with the Zurich-based company Salewski Nater Kretz, I worked on a project that entailed the development of the eastern part of Bern in Switzerland by the year 2065, in which regenerative agriculture practices are used to structure and manage the landscape that was conquered by removing the existing motorway. The project demonstrates how the collaborative work of architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture, traffic, agriculture, and sociology experts, which were previously mostly considered separate disciplines, creates a new city look,” says Ljubica.

In Serbia, the awareness of the importance of sustainability in architecture is in its infancy because the understanding of issues such as CO2 emissions and their impact on the environment is still limited. Using abstract terms like “climate crisis” or “negative footprint” is not as effective in promoting change compared to using more concrete words like “unhealthy”, which are somehow closer to people.

Prepared by: Katarina Vuinac

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Global coal demand set to remain at record levels in 2023

29.07.2023

ugalj - coal — Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Bence Balla-Schottner)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Dominik Vanyi)

Global coal consumption climbed to a new all-time high in 2022 and will stay near that record level this year as strong growth in Asia for both power generation and industrial applications outpaces declines in the United States and Europe, according to the IEA’s latest market update.

Coal consumption in 2022 rose by 3.3 percent to 8.3 billion tonnes, setting a new record, according to the IEA’s mid-year Coal Market Update, which was published. In 2023 and 2024, small declines in coal-fired power generation are likely to be offset by rises in industrial use of coal, the report predicts, although there are wide variations between geographic regions.

China, India and Southeast Asian countries together are expected to account for 3 out of every 4 tonnes of coal consumed worldwide in 2023. In the European Union, growth in coal demand was minimal in 2022 as a temporary spike in coal-fired power generation was almost offset by lower use in industry. European coal use is expected to fall sharply this year as renewables expand, and as nuclear and hydropower partially recover from their recent slumps. In the United States, the move away from coal is also being accentuated by lower natural gas prices.

After three turbulent years marked by the Covid-19 shock in 2020, the strong post-pandemic rebound in 2021 and the turmoil caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, coal markets have so far returned to more predictable and stable patterns in 2023. Global coal demand is estimated to have grown by about 1.5 percent in the first half of 2023 to a total of about 4.7 billion tonnes, lifted by an increase of 1 percent in power generation and 2 percent in non-power industrial uses.

By region, coal demand fell faster than previously expected in the first half of this year in the United States and the European Union – by 24 percent and 16 percent, respectively. However, demand from the two largest consumers, China and India, grew by over 5 percent during the first half, more than offsetting declines elsewhere.

“Coal is the largest single source of carbon emissions from the energy sector, and in Europe and the United States, the growth of clean energy has put coal use into structural decline,” said IEA Director of Energy Markets and Security Keisuke Sadamori. “But demand remains stubbornly high in Asia, even as many of those economies have significantly ramped up renewable energy sources. We need greater policy efforts and investments – backed by stronger international cooperation – to drive a massive surge in clean energy and energy efficiency to reduce coal demand in economies where energy needs are growing fast.”

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Eduardo Jaeger)

The shift of coal demand to Asia continues. In 2021, China and India already accounted for two-thirds of global consumption, meaning together they used twice as much coal as the rest of the world combined. In 2023, their share will be close to 70 percent. By contrast, the United States and the European Union – which together accounted for 40 percent three decades ago and over 35 percent at the beginning of this century – represent less than 10 percent today.

The same split is observed on the production side. The three largest coal producers – China, India and Indonesia – all produced record amounts in 2022. In March 2023, both China and India set new monthly records, with China surpassing 400 million tonnes for the second time ever and India surpassing 100 million tonnes for the first time. Also in March, Indonesia exported almost 50 million tonnes, a volume never shipped by any country before. By contrast, the United States, once the world’s largest coal producer, has more than halved production since its peak in 2008.

After the extreme volatility and high prices of last year, coal prices fell in the first half of 2023 to the same levels as those seen in summer 2021, driven by ample supply and lower natural gas prices. Thermal coal returned to being priced below coking coal, and the big premium for Australian coal narrowed following the easing of disruptive La Niña weather that had hampered production. Russian coal has found new outlets after being barred in Europe, but often at considerable discounts.

Cheaper coal has made imports more attractive for some price-sensitive buyers. Chinese imports have almost doubled in the first half of this year, and global coal trade in 2023 is set to grow by more than 7 percent, outpacing overall demand growth, to approach the record levels seen in 2019. Seaborne coal trade in 2023 may well surpass the record of 1.3 billion tonnes set in 2019.

Source: IEA

WHAT IS YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT?

28.07.2023

CO2-ugljenik-otisak — Photo-illustration: Pixabay (Gerd Altmann)

In January this year, a man set out on a mission. On the way from Europe to Asia, he will not try to convert you to a new religion, but he will preach a new view of the carbon footprint each of us leaves behind. His name is Craig Cohon, and as we write this text, he is in Serbia, one of the legs of his six-month journey to undo the carbon emissions he left behind during his lifetime. Craig was born in 1963 and has released 8,147 tons of carbon into the atmosphere.

This Canadian businessman lives in London, where he started his journey to walk 4,000 kilometers. The plan is to arrive at his destination in Istanbul on June 5, his 60th birthday, also World Environment Day.

Every day, Craig walks 25 kilometers to manage to visit France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey by the deadline. Turning back his carbon clock isn’t Craig’s only goal. In this campaign called Walk it Back, in which he has invested more than a million dollars, he has placed all his hopes, believing it will encourage many similar activities and initiatives to cancel no less than 100,000 tons of carbon.

The goal is clear; we must remove as much carbon from the atmosphere as we have released into it. That’s why Craig talks to activists, government representatives, policymakers, and all interested actors in the field of environmental protection on his journey to light a spark from which self-aware interlocutors will succeed in igniting numerous proposals and ways to remove carbon.

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The story of Craig Cohon

Due to the nature of the work, Cohan traveled around the world for years, and thirteen years ago, he moved to a barge anchored on the banks of the river Thames. Last year, he reviewed its lifetime carbon consumption following the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). He is the first natural person who calculated to the smallest detail how many tons of carbon he emitted during his busy lifestyle (travels, vacations, numerous airplane flights and eating hamburgers). That’s why he paid off his debt to the planet last November by donating over USD 1 million from his retirement fund to carbon elimination projects.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (yohan marion)

“Like many people of my generation, I had no idea for years about the dangers of climate change. However, when I learned that not all the carbon we emitted during our lifetimes was eliminated, I began investigating how this could still be achieved. I discovered that it is possible to remove huge amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere, but it requires a lot of goodwill and investment. Technology is constantly being improved, but we must be faster and better at applying it. If we succeed in this, we will probably change the course of climate history,” Cohon points out.

He supports his position with the fact that since 1860 we have released two trillion carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. That’s why Craig is investing in new technologies that will suck up large amounts of carbon, including his 8,147 tons.

Craig accompanies the truck on its journey, where it interactively presents solutions that can help remove carbon dioxide.

Prepared by: Milica Radičević

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

URBAN GARDENS ARE GOOD FOR THE ECOSYSTEM

27.07.2023

strawberries-g521c38bfd_1920 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay (pasja1000)

Photo-illustration: Pixabay (Kathas_Fotos)

Urban agriculture or urban gardening is a growing global phenomenon. This world trend is increasingly being applied in the countries of the region.

In four countries of the region – North Macedonia, Croatia, Bulgaria and Serbia – the urban agriculture project called “Education in urban agriculture for a sustainable future”, financed by the European Commission as part of the Erasmus Plus programme, is being implemented.

The project partner organizations are the Forum for Strategic Research and Documentation from Skopje, Eko Udruga from Zadar as the project leader, the Association for Policymakers from Sofia and the Serbia Organika National Association for the Development of Organic Production. The project will be implemented by late 2024.

IN FOCUS:

Ivana Simić, Secretary General of Serbia Organika, says that the urban agriculture concept is known in the region, but that due to new global challenges such as global urbanization, the need for environmental protection and the current destabilization in food production and transport chains, it has gained even greater importance.

“Small, green plots for growing crops in big cities contribute to mitigating the bad effects of the economic and food crisis,” says Ms Simić, adding that city dwellers enjoy multiple benefits from working in gardens tucked between neighbourhoods and on the outskirts of cities. They no longer play a passive role of exclusively consumers/buyers but become active micro-producers. Produced fruits and vegetables, as well as herbs, are used for their own needs. By tilling the land, they positively impact environmental protection, and by engaging and selling surplus products, they provide additional economic value to household budgets.

Urban agriculture implies that free land is leased, and the area can vary in size – from a few square metres to several hectares. Land users can be individuals or civil communities engaged in agriculture, vegetable growing, horticulture, fruit growing, composting, setting up beehives and organic agricultural production.

By learning and implementing land-to-table agronomic processes, urban dwellers pave a green road through concrete, thus blurring the strict division line between rural and urban. While this impact of urban gardening is undoubtedly significant, we should not forget the social and health aspect engaging urban residents to tend to land plots in cities because planted gardens become places for socializing, developing community and having physical activity.

Urban agriculture is also a way to promote the social inclusion of marginalized, particularly vulnerable social groups. By working together in the urban garden, intergenerational ties are strengthened more easily because fellow citizens of different ages are directed to each other. At the same time, city gardens are also suitable for creative workshops for school and preschool children.

Prepared by: Mirjana Vujadinović Tomevski

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

SKE is building Europe’s largest logistics center for power storage solutions and photovoltaic products in Austria

26.07.2023

SKE is one of the leading companies in the European solar market. From Upper Austria, the photovoltaic specialist supplies 16 countries in Central, Southern and Eastern Europe with smart solar products. SKE is growing rapidly and is building Europe’s largest warehouse and logistics center for power storage solutions and photovoltaic products at the new location in Sankt Florian near Linz. By mid-2025, more than 450 jobs will be created here on 30,000 square meters of storage, logistics and office space, including the SKE Solar Academy, in which participants will become competent solar contacts, from the planning to the installation of solar solutions.

“SKE is leading the way in the transformation from fossil energy production to solar energy generation,” says Stefan Eder, founder and CEO of SKE.

The new SKE headquarters is a showcase project for commercial infrastructure in terms of operational technology and sustainability. The plus energy standard of the building makes operation completely energy self-sufficient. This is ensured by a photovoltaic system with an output of 2.4 megawatt and a 2 megawatt hour electricity storage solution. Photovoltaics is the central technology of the energy transition. Highly efficient, safe and reliable solar solutions are the basis for solar energy to become a primary energy source.

SKE covers the PV application areas of residential, commercial, industrial and solar power plants with the latest solar solutions. Solar plants make their operators independent of galloping electricity prices. Moreover, they are profitable and always a smart investment.

SKE and Huawei – Value Added Partnership

SKE is Huawei Value Added Partner. From Austria, SKE currently supplies 16 countries in Europe with smart solar products from Huawei. Founded in 2008, SKE is one of the leading companies in the European solar market.

Huawei, a leading global provider of solar technology, information and communication technology infrastructure and smart devices, employs around 200,000 people and is active in over 170 countries. Huawei FusionSolar solutions ensure highly efficient, safe and reliable solar power plants.

Global partnership as the interaction of technological, social and economic factors of both companies, SKE and Huawei, drives sustainable, solar energy generation. With the help of digital technologies, energy generation and energy consumption are becoming even more intelligent, safer and more efficient.

SKE in Austria and Europe

SKE takes over all sales, service and support activities in Austria and the SKE countries for Huawei FusionSolar. The PV specialist supports customers acroos Europe in sales, logistics, training, certification and technical support for all Huawei photovoltaic products.

SKE Technical Support & After Sales supports SKE customers and partners internationally and in the local language on all technical questions about the Huawei product portfolio and complex photovoltaic system solutions. This ensures rapid support for customers and partners in planning and commissioning Huawei products, troubleshooting and analysis of faults through to uncomplicated warranty processing.

SKE Roadshow – on tour throughout Europe

SKE’s roadshow trucks are on the road throughout Europe all year round. On site, at wholesalers and installers, SKE presents the Huawei FusionSolar portfolio. The Huawei FusionSolar products are within reach of the participants and the SKE experts are available for all questions.

PV Applications Residential, Commercial & Industrial and Utility Scale

Photovoltaics is the central technology of the energy transition. It sustainably supplies people with cheap solar power instead of expensive grid power. As a Huawei Value Added Partner and Huawei Service Partner, SKE offers Huawei FusionSolar solutions for residential, commercial & industrial and utility scale applications. Huawei FusionSolar Residential is the intelligent and sustainable photovoltaic technology for solar energy generation in all private living areas – in single-family houses, apartment buildings and multi-party residential buildings. Efficient and calculable work in commercial and industrial infrastructures is supported by the solutions from Huawei FusionSolar in the Commercial & Industrial range. Products for large-scale photovoltaic systems can be found in the Huawei FusionSolar Utility Scale performance range.

Source: SKE

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