Tag: Energy

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India to focus on energy-related issues in its G20 Presidency

India’s power secretary Alok Kumar said the member countries responded positively to the need for energy security and diversified supply chains…reports Asian Lite News

Recently, while inaugurating India Energy Week (IEW) 2023 in Bengaluru, Prime minister Narendra Modi mentioned how India’s energy demand has significantly increased and will reach 11 per cent of the global demand as compared to 5 per cent currently.

The plethora of opportunities for energy firms to invest in India comes from the increased demand and energy transition commitments. Renewable energy investment in India is vital for meeting its international and domestic climate goals. India during its ongoing G20 presidency has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle Joint Business Council to further promote the adoption of energy efficiency and sustainable practices in the region, the Asian Lite reported.

India’s power secretary Alok Kumar said the member countries responded positively to the need for energy security and diversified supply chains.

In India’s Budget for the year 2023 also, Rs 35,000 crores were allocated as a priority capital investment toward energy transition in line with the government’s objective to achieve the goal of net zero emissions by 2070.

These vital policy decisions are being taken to keep India’s energy transition in mind.

However, India’s policies and commitments are also citizen-oriented. The climate change mitigation policies need to be affordable, secure and sustainable. By focusing on the hard-to-abate sectors where decarbonisation options are limited or expensive, Green hydrogen will play a major role in achieving a net zero, the Asian Lite reported.

India is also aiming to become a global hub for green hydrogen production and exports. Under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, Rs 19,444 crore has been allocated for green hydrogen aiming at producing 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030.

India has made significant progress in its transformation from a country that relied heavily on coal to a potential leader in the renewable source of energy.

As per the latest data published by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, India stands at 4th position in the world in terms of installed Renewable Energy capacity, reported News on Air.

Schemes like PM-KUSUM which aims to provide financial and water security to farmers through harnessing solar energy or National Smart Grid Mission (NSGM) are key initiatives of the government. The government’s flagship initiative, the Green Energy Corridor (GEC) also aims at synchronizing electricity produced from renewable resources, such as wind and solar, with conventional power stations.

According to the data published by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, as of December 31, 2021, works related to the installation of transmission towers and their stringing for an aggregate of approx. 8468 km have been completed, and substations of aggregate capacity of approx. 15268 MVA have been charged. India has consistently backed the switch to renewable energy sources, and one of its initiatives in this direction is the International Solar Alliance.

During her visit to India, New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta handed over the signed copies of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework Agreement, paving the way for New Zealand’s membership of this initiative.

Further, Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) issued a tender for a 1000 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in October 2021 to enable DISCOMS to use storage facilities on an on-demand basis. BESS, one of the most important emerging technologies in the Indian renewable energy market, can provide both peak-time power supply and 24-hour electricity to help overcome renewable energy’s unsteady nature.

In addition, International Energy Agency’s India Energy Outlook 2021 also projected that India could potentially have 140-200 gigawatt (GW) battery storage capacity, the largest for any country, by 2040. (ANI)

ALSO READ-India to host series of roundtables at UN

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-Top News India News

India 10% more energy efficient than G20 average

The IEA has analysed the impact of measures like those proposed by the LiFE initiative, such as buying an EV or taking public transport, as part of comprehensive energy transition strategies…reports Asian Lite News

India’s economy is already 10 per cent more energy efficient than both the global and G20 average. India took less time to go from half to full electricity access than other major economies, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Monday.

Just hours ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the three-day India Energy Week in Bengaluru to showcase India’s rising prowess as an energy transition powerhouse, the IEA said the adoption worldwide of the kinds of actions and measures targeted by LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), including behavioural changes and sustainable consumer choices, would reduce the annual global carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2 billion tonnes in 2030.

The LiFE initiative was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021.

It aims to encourage the adoption of sustainable lifestyles in India and internationally to tackle the challenges of environmental degradation and climate change.

A new report, “LiFE Lessons From India”, by the IEA looks at how India’s G20 Presidency this year could strengthen the LiFE initiative internationally to help reduce emissions, energy bills, and inequalities in per capita energy consumption and emissions between countries.

According to the LiFE initiative, the global adoption of such measures would also save consumers globally around $440 billion in 2030.

LiFE measures can also help lower inequalities in energy consumption and emissions between countries. The reductions the measures could deliver in per capita carbon dioxide emissions in advanced economies by 2030 are three to four times greater than in emerging market and developing economies, it says.

The report says already the third largest national market globally for renewables, India has recently seen the growth of consumer-centric solutions like distributed solar PV take off, with rooftop solar growing 30-fold in less than a decade.

Supportive policies and awareness campaigns in India have also driven electric passenger vehicles to a market share of almost five per cent in 2022 – with sales tripling from 2021.

India’s example shows the importance of behavioural change and consumption choices in driving energy transitions.

The IEA has analysed the impact of measures like those proposed by the LiFE initiative, such as buying an EV or taking public transport, as part of comprehensive energy transition strategies.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol told, “India’s G20 Presidency this year represents a unique opportunity to globalise the LiFE initiative — providing a knowledge-sharing platform for other leading economies to realise the impact that LiFE’s recommendations can have in the fight against climate change, air pollution and unaffordable energy bills.

“Since the G20 makes up nearly 80 per cent of global energy demand, meaningful changes by its members can make a big difference.”

The International Monetary Fund estimates that India will be the world’s third-largest economy by 2027, and India is already on course to become the most populous country this year.

Its critical challenge is to ensure secure and affordable energy for growth while advancing its net-zero transition over the coming decades.

To meet these challenges, India has embarked on a dynamic new phase in its energy transformation, which spans three broad areas.

Firstly, it has launched important initiatives to bring down the prices and increase the supply of clean energy. These include a target of non-fossil fuel sources contributing to 50 per cent of India’s power generation capacity by 2030; a National Green Hydrogen Mission with the ambition of establishing annual renewable hydrogen production of 5 million tonnes (Mt) by 2030; and biofuel mandates that target 30 per cent blending of ethanol in petrol by 2030.

Secondly, India seeks to domesticate parts of the global supply chains that will be critical to its new energy economy. This includes the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme that promotes the domestic manufacturing of solar PV, advanced batteries and electric vehicles.

Thirdly, the government has focused on demand-side measures, including taking the first steps towards the creation of a national carbon market, an energy efficiency trading scheme for industries, incentivising the purchase of electric vehicles, bulk procurement of electric buses for public transport, standards and labelling of appliances, and most recently, the Lifestyles for Environment (LiFE) initiative that aims to nudge behaviours and individual consumption choices towards cleaner alternatives.

These measures have immense potential but need global support. The IEA estimates that India will need $145 billion per year until 2030 in clean energy investment to put it on a path towards net-zero emissions by 2070. This is triple the current level of annual clean energy investment in India.

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Business Economy

Sustainable way for meeting our growing energy needs

The company’s energy-saving programme involves increasing energy efficiency by saving fuel and energy resources across key business areas. In 2021, energy savings amounted to 372,000 tonnes of the fuel equivalent (49 per cent more than planned)…reports Asian Lite News

All over the world, active work is being conducted to protect and preserve our planet. However, the relevance of this issue continues to grow each year. To combat this, it is paramount that we take significant steps to reduce the environmental impact of our actions.

The Prime Minister’s plan to make energy more affordable for everyone in India has made the country a key driver of global energy demand. Is there a sustainable way of meeting our growing needs?

Russia is the country with the largest national territory in the world. At the same time, the oil and gas industry continues to be one of the most vital sectors of the global economy. Despite its size and role in the worldwide energy market, Russia has made meaningful progress in reducing its emissions of harmful gases, demonstrating an outstanding commitment to fighting climate change.

It may seem improbable, but it is true, the country has seen a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Russia’s leader of the ‘green’ agenda is the oil company Rosneft. A significant part of the company’s focus is on developing mutually beneficial relationships across the entire technological chain — from production to refinement and the sale of petroleum products.

Indian companies ONGC Videsh Ltd, Oil India Limited, Indian Oil Corporation and Bharat Petroresources own 49.9 per cent of the Vankorneft Subsidiary since 2016. It is located in Krasnoyarsk Territory and is developing the Vankor oil and gas condensate field — the most significant field discovered in Russia in over 25 years.

Additionally, a consortium of Indian oil companies — Oil India Limited, Indian Oil Corporation and Bharat Petroleum — owns 29.9 per cent of Taas-Yuryakh Neftegazodobycha, which has licences for the Srednebotuobinskoye field and the Kurungsky licence.

Rosneft was the first Russian company to commit to achieving carbon neutrality in Scopes 1 and 2 by 2050. In addition to using innovative energy-efficient and energy-saving technologies and advanced ways to minimise environmental impact, Rosneft keeps developing its unique methods and practices for controlling carbon emissions and climate change.

The company’s energy-saving programme involves increasing energy efficiency by saving fuel and energy resources across key business areas. In 2021, energy savings amounted to 372,000 tonnes of the fuel equivalent (49 per cent more than planned).

The Russian oil giant has also implemented an investment gas programme that includes the rational use of associated petroleum gas (APG) and it plans to achieve zero routine flaring by 2030. Already, the company’s key plants have achieved 99 per cent of the rational use of APG, creating infrastructure to collect, use and deliver gas to consumers or re-inject gas into formations.

Rosneft has purposefully developed its gas business (gas is the most environmentally friendly of all carbon fuels). It plans to ensure that the share of gas in total hydrocarbon production goes up to 25 per cent.

Since 2019, Rosneft has been a member of Methane Guiding Principles, a partnership of leading international oil and gas companies to reduce methane emissions from the natural gas supply chain. Cutting methane emissions is crucial to combating climate change. The International Energy Agency (IEA), in fact, estimates methane’s impact on global warming to be 25 times greater than that of carbon dioxide.

To eliminate methane emission sources, the company uses advanced technology solutions for ground surveys, laser and ultrasonic detectors, multispectral infrared cameras for optical imaging of gases using cryogenic technology, and carries out integrated monitoring using uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs).

When they were implementing the programme, Rosneft specialists developed a corporate methodology for quantifying methane emissions at hydrocarbon production facilities. The process helps determine the share of methane in the total volume of greenhouse gas emissions and thus accurately assesses the favourable environmental effect of its elimination.

Rosneft has designed a laboratory unit to convert methane to synthetic liquid hydrocarbons. The company also develops a methane aromatisation technology, enabling it to obtain hydrogen and aromatics from natural and associated petroleum gas.

International cooperation on low-carbon development is being increased. Thus, Rosneft and CNPC signed the Memorandum of Cooperation in carbon management, which, among other things, involves the technological improvement of carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS).

Also, Rosneft intends to develop and pilot the implementation of technological solutions for carbon capture, chemical neutralisation, transport, and storage as part of its evaluation of the potential of the technology.

Its flagship project, Vostok Oil, is an example of a large-scale Russian and, in fact, global oil project.

Besides being sustainable from an environmental standpoint, it also has the highest capacities and production volumes. In many ways, the company pays special attention to this unique project. Vostok Oil is one of the most environmentally friendly projects in the world. The carbon footprint of the new oil and gas province is only a quarter of the global average of current industry projects.

Oil from Vostok Oil fields has a remarkably low sulphur content of 0.01-0.04 per cent, comparable to the Euro-3 requirement for diesel. In other words, the feedstock for refining has characteristics similar to those required at the outlet. The Vostok Oil project actually produces ‘green barrels’ with the help of advanced technologies. Its production can significantly relieve or eliminate the need for separate installations at refineries, reducing greenhouse emissions significantly.

At the design stage, Vostok Oil considers the use of advanced technologies for environmental protection — from the drilling phase to specialised solutions for oil pipelines and tankers that will export oil. The design solutions provide for the complete utilisation of associated petroleum gas. Among other things, Vostok Oil’s facilities will depend on wind power. The maximum capacity of a wind farm may reach up to 200 MW.

As the population in the Asia-Pacific region continues to grow, particularly in India and China, energy sources are in high demand. The success of such projects will contribute to mutually beneficial economic relations between the two countries and increase the security of long-term oil supply for Indian consumers.

In this regard, there is great potential in the northern Russian project.

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-Top News India News UAE News

India-France-UAE trilateral gains steam

India, France, UAE discuss cooperation in trilateral framework, to promote compatibility and co-production in defence sector

Noting that defence is an area of close cooperation, Foreign Ministers of India, France and UAE have decided that efforts will be undertaken to further promote compatibility, joint development and co-production while seeking out avenues for further collaboration and training defence forces of the three countries.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, France Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a phone call in which they discussed collaboration in areas such as education, business, maritime and green energy. “Discussed convergences and further collaboration in education, business, maritime, culture and green energy for a stable peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Jaishankar said in a tweet.

The three foreign ministers had met for the first time in a trilateral format in September last year on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

They agreed to establish a formal trilateral cooperation initiative, with the aim of expanding cooperation in various fields of mutual interest in acknowledgement of their shared desire to promote international stability and prosperity, and to further build upon the constructive and collaborative ties that exist between the three countries.

It is in this context that a phone call between the three Ministers was held on Saturday to adopt a roadmap for the implementation of this initiative.

During the phone call, the three sides agreed that the trilateral initiative will serve as a forum to promote the design and execution of cooperation projects in the fields of energy, with a focus on solar and nuclear energy, as well as in the fight against climate change and the protection of biodiversity, particularly in the Indian Ocean region, a joint statement said.

For this purpose, the three countries will explore the possibility of working with the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) to pursue concrete, actionable projects on clean energy, the environment, and biodiversity, a statement said.

It said the trilateral initiative will serve as a platform to expand cooperation between the three countries’ development agencies on sustainable projects.

The three countries agreed that they will seek to ensure greater alignment of their respective economic, technological, and social policies with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

“In support of these endeavours, a range of trilateral events will be organized in the framework of the Indian Presidency of the G20 and the UAE’s hosting of COP-28 in 2023, respectively,” the statement said.

The three countries also agreed to expand their cooperation through initiatives such as the Mangrove Alliance for Climate led by the UAE and the Indo-Pacific Parks Partnership led by India and France.

It was agreed that the three countries should seek to focus on key issues such as single-use plastic pollution, desertification, and food security in the context of the International Year of Millets-2023. The three sides also underlined their keen desire to cooperate in the field of the circular economy under the aegis of India’s Mission LiFE.

“It was acknowledged that defence is an area of close cooperation between the three countries. Therefore, efforts will be undertaken to further promote compatibility, and joint development and co-production, whilst seeking out avenues for further collaboration and training between the three countries’ defence forces,” the statement said.

The three countries will seek to strengthen exchanges of views on emerging threats from infectious diseases, as well as on measures to fight against future pandemics.

“In this regard, cooperation in multilateral organizations such as World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi-the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund, and Unitaid will be encouraged,” the statement said.

The three countries will also attempt to identify tangible cooperation on implementing the “One Health” approach, and support the development of local capacities in biomedical innovation and production within developing countries.

As countries at the very forefront of technological innovation, the development of trilateral cooperation between relevant academic and research institutions and efforts to promote co-innovation projects, technology transfer, and entrepreneurship will be encouraged, the statement said.

“In this context, trilateral conferences and meetings on the sidelines of high-level technology events such as Vivatech, Bengaluru Tech Summit, and GITEX will be arranged to support such cooperation,” it added.

The statement said that in recognition of the critical role social and human bonds play in their constructive partnership, France, India, and the UAE will ensure that this trilateral initiative will be leveraged as a platform to promote cultural cooperation, through a range of joint projects, including heritage promotion and protection. (ANI)

ALSO READ: UAE, France to boost clean energy development

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Innovation turns discarded food into renewable energy source

The competition called on students to form small groups to present innovative projects that focussed on an aspect of the United Nation’s Global Sustainable Development Goals…reports Asian Lite News

A team of computer science students from Canadian university Dubai (CUD) has developed a smart solution that aims to reduce food waste by converting it into a source of renewable energy. The technology, known as Digi-Bin, has been created to support the UAE’s national sustainable consumption initiative, ne’ma, which aims to half food waste by 2030.

Developed under the banner, ‘Resolving food waste while rewarding you’, the Digi-Bin is intended to incentivize waste recycling by helping consumers to save on their electricity bills. The solution collects discarded food products and transports them to a biogas plant to be converted into biofuel, which can then be redirected into the power grid. Users are rewarded with carbon credits, which can be applied as savings coupons on their electricity bills.  

The Digi-Bin was first conceived by the team of Zahab Khan, Prateek Mishra, and Denver Dias, in response to a competition called ‘Future Disruptors’, organized by technology firm, Software AG. The competition called on students to form small groups to present innovative projects that focussed on an aspect of the United Nation’s Global Sustainable Development Goals.  

Revealing their thinking behind the project, Zahab said, “We were inspired by an article we read that explained how food waste was costing the UAE around six billion dirhams each year. We wanted to create something that would help tackle this, and that everyone in the UAE could contribute to. The solution involves managing food waste at a household level and actively encouraging users to contribute towards sustainability through the award of carbon credits.”

Explaining more about the technology behind the solution, Denver said, “The Digi-Bin uses multiple sensors, which work alongside the Internet of Things to connect the user through a smart app. With the Software AG dashboard, the weight of the food deposited into the Digi-Bin can instantly be calculated and displayed to the user’s mobile app. A filled Digi-Bin is transported to a biogas plant to be converted into biofuel and any food waste that is not suitable for this process is segregated to produce fertilizers.”

The CUD students were selected among a handful of teams to showcase their prototype at the ‘Future Disruptors Zone’ during this year’s GITEX, where they demonstrated their commitment to tackling the global sustainability challenge. Prateek explained, “The hypothesis of the project is that food waste is generated and populated from all corners of the earth. Our generation has been gifted with substantial advancements in technology, which can be applied to pursue sustainability, and this is the essence of our invention.”  

Determined to see their project come to life in the near future, Zahab, Prateek, and Denver are now working to refine the technology and build the professional networks that will help take their innovation forward. Zahab said, “At the moment we’re still relying on user-segregation of waste, so we would like to build in artificial intelligence to make the process easier. We also hope to see a growth in the number of facilities that can convert the waste into fuel, to help the innovation reach its potential in re-using food waste in a sustainable way.” 

Reflecting on their inspiration for the project, Denver concluded, “Ultimately, we hope that the Digi-Bin can contribute to one of the main goals of the national ne’ma initiative, to mobilize individuals and local communities to take collective action. By promoting new, positive behaviors, we can help contribute to the UN SDG target of reducing food loss and waste by 50% by 2030.”

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-Top News UK News

UK signs pact on offshore renewable energy cooperation

The development of renewables in the North Seas is critical for accelerating our clean transition and boosting energy security for the UK and our European neighbours…reports Asian Lite News

The UK Minister for Energy and Climate Graham Stuart has signed a landmark agreement on renewable energy cooperation with EU and North Seas countries.

The Memorandum of Understanding with the North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC) forum fulfils commitments in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), enabling the UK to work with NSEC members to develop renewables projects in the North Seas – specifically projects linking electricity interconnectors and windfarms. The countries involved include Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and the European Commission, signalling a new phase in UK-EU cooperation.

The MoU sets out the terms for future cooperation between the UK and NSEC and enables closer cooperation in the development of offshore renewable energy, including offshore grids in the North Seas.

The initiative is expected to support the UK’s ambitious targets to increase offshore wind fivefold to 50GW, and deliver 18GW of electricity interconnector capacity – up from 8.4 GW today – by 2030.

Minister of State for Energy and Climate, Graham Stuart, said, “I’m pleased to agree even greater energy cooperation with our North Seas neighbours, which will be vital in helping the UK meet it ambitious renewables target, including increasing offshore wind fivefold to 50GW by 2030.”

The development of renewables in the North Seas is critical for accelerating our clean transition and boosting energy security for the UK and our European neighbours.

The UK currently sends and receives electricity through cables that link us with neighbours like France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The agreement bolsters the mission to facilitate further interconnection.

Analysis by National Grid Electricity System Operator shows that a well-integrated grid linked to offshore wind farms can deliver savings to consumers of up to around £3 billion.

The former Prime Minister Liz Truss set the ground for the MoU at the European Political Community summit in Prague in October, setting out the strong case for close cooperation with the UK’s European neighbours on energy security and boosting renewables.

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UAE delegation in Scotland to discuss renewable energy projects

The delegation visited the Scottish Enterprise, which highlighted its efforts to transform Scotland’s economy through innovation and investment…reports Asian Lite News

Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, led an Emirati delegation of business and investment leaders on a visit to Scotland, to discuss renewable energy projects and other potential areas of cooperation, such as science.

The delegation included Rashid Abdul Karim Al Balooshi, Under-Secretary of Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), and Mansour Abdullah Khalfan Belhoul, UAE Ambassador to the UK.

Dr. Al Zeyoudi held a bilateral meeting in Edinburgh with Angus Robertson, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, during which they reviewed the course of relations between the two countries, the importance of their partnership, and their shared vision to enhance cooperation.

Dr. Al Zeyoudi also met Ivan McKee, Scotland’s Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise. Discussions focused on the growing trade and investment relations between the UAE and Scotland, particularly in relation to food and agricultural products and energy projects, and the opportunity to develop key sectors such as tourism.

The delegation visited the Scottish Enterprise, which highlighted its efforts to transform Scotland’s economy through innovation and investment.

The delegation held a meeting at Scottish Development International, where the agency’s CEO, Reuben Aitken, showcased the potential for hydrogen production in Scotland and its rapidly developing space sector.

The Emirati delegation was also briefed on a number of industrial success stories in Scotland, including Storegga, which specialises in carbon capture, removal and storage, and XLCC, a company that produces HVDC cables that run deep under the sea. The visit also included a tour of FinTech Scotland and Heriot-Watt University’s Industrial Decarbonisation Innovation and Research Centre.

During the visit, Dr. Al Zeyoudi and the accompanying delegation held roundtables with a range of senior government and private business leaders in Scotland, focusing on areas related to renewable energy, infrastructure, trade and establishing pioneering companies and projects, in the presence of top executives from a number of large local companies and government agencies concerned, investment and trade.

Al Zeyoudi expressed his belief that there are great prospects for improving cooperation in priority sectors. He said that the UAE’s partnership with Scotland have promising growth prospects, noting that the UAE seeks to enhance comminalities between the two sides to help take economic and trade cooperation to new heights, with a focus on advanced technology, space exploration and carbon neutrality. The UAE is already working on major projects in Scotland through Masdar, such as the offshore wind farm Hywind, and we see plenty of room to develop other projects with a similar impact, Al Zeyoudi added.

The UK is one of the UAE’s top trading partners as the volume of bilateral non-oil trade between the two reached US$7.4 billion in the first nine months of 2022, a 32 percent increase compared to the same period in 2021, and also grew by 22.3 percent and 4.4 percent in the same periods in 2020 and 2019 respectively.

The UAE delegation also included Sharif Habib Al Awadi, Director-General of the Fujairah Free Zone Authority, Mohamed Ghareeb Al Hosani, Chief Experience Officer at KEZAD Group, Hussein Al Meer, Director-General, Masdar, UK, and Sultan Hassan Al Ghafili, Director of Engineering Projects at the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation.

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-Top News UK News

Political instability delays British-Moroccan energy project

“Time is important for the UK to meet its net zero ambitions, to secure energy supplies and to reduce bills. We have lost a year.”…reports Asian Lite News

Political turmoil in London has delayed an ambitious joint UK-Morocco plan to provide Britain with energy via a cable through the Sahara desert by “at least a year,” The Observer reported on Sunday.

The £18 billion ($22 billion) Xlinks venture, expected to be operational in 2027, would supply the UK with 8 percent of its energy needs from huge wind and solar farms in the desert through a 3,800 km cable, powering as many as 7 million homes by 2030.

Morocco is an established market leader in the wind, solar and hydroelectric power industry, and is second only to Egypt for solar intensity, a measure of generation power.

But the link-up has been delayed until at least late 2023, The Observer reported. Sir Dave Lewis, executive chair of the project, said recent political turmoil in Britain — which has seen three prime ministers come to power in less than six months — has slowed down its progress.

“We spent a long time with the then-business secretary (Kwasi Kwarteng) who said: ‘We like it a lot but it needs to go through Treasury.’ There was a review with Treasury, Cabinet Office and the business department, which was very positive,” Lewis told The Observer.

“Then we came back to them to start the detail and the political world exploded and, as a result, everything stopped. And everybody has changed, so it’s sort of like you’re starting again,” he added.

“Time is important for the UK to meet its net zero ambitions, to secure energy supplies and to reduce bills. We have lost a year.”

The cable transporting the power would run along the Moroccan coastline, then along Portugal, northern Spain and western France before looping around the Scilly Isles Scilly and finishing in the English county of Devon, where Xlinks has already approved 1.8 gigawatt connections.

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-Top News EU News

EU attempt to reform controversial Energy Charter Treaty fails

NASA, Google to help track air pollution at local level.(photo: nasa.gov)

At the core of the present controversy lies the ECT’s obscure system of private arbitration…reports Asian Lite News

The European Union’s attempt to reform the controversial Energy Charter Treaty has fallen apart after four EU countries abstained in a key vote, effectively blocking the whole process.

Signed in 1994, the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) promotes cross-border cooperation in the energy sector and protects investors from unexpected circumstances that might impact their profit expectations.

With 53 signatories, it is considered the most litigated investment agreement in the world.

Germany, France, Spain and the Netherlands, who previously announced plans to withdraw from the ECT altogether, chose to abstain during an ambassadors meeting on Friday, fearing the treaty would curtail their climate ambitions, an EU diplomat said.

The move prevented the European Commission from obtaining the necessary mandate to lead the negotiations on behalf of all 27 member states.

As a result, the Commission asked the Energy Charter Conference, the treaty’s governing body, to remove the proposed reform from the agenda of a high-level meeting scheduled to take place on Tuesday in Mongolia.

“On next steps, we will need to discuss with member states, but at this stage, we will not speculate on what will happen,” a Commission spokesperson said on Monday.

At the core of the present controversy lies the ECT’s obscure system of private arbitration.

This allows investors and companies to sue governments and claim compensation over policy changes, such as net-zero goals, that threaten their business ventures and revenues.

As of today, parties that withdraw from the ECT are vulnerable to litigation for 20 years.

Critics say this provision provides disproportionate protection for fossil fuels at a critical time when they need to be phased out to fight the climate crisis.

The value of fossil fuel infrastructure in the EU, the UK and Switzerland covered by the treaty is estimated to be worth €344.6 billion, according to the magazine Investigate Europe.

In a bid to align the treaty with the EU’s green agenda, the European Commission proposed a reformed text that would have reduced the contentious sunset clause to 10 years for old investments and only nine months for new energy projects.

The executive had emphatically defended the reform, arguing member states were better off inside a modernised ECT rather than outside.

But this was not enough to convince the sceptics.

In fact, the four countries who abstained on Friday are not alone: Poland, Luxembourg, Belgium and Austria are contemplating an exit from the decades-old treaty.

Given the ECT’s increasingly negative perception, it is unclear when, how or even if the reform process would be re-launched. A Commission spokesperson refused to provide any estimated timeline.

A senior EU diplomat said “more time” was needed for member states to design a common position.

“I would suggest a deeper reflection on the future and the process ahead,” the diplomat said.

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-Top News EU News

EU hails energy, security ties with GCC

European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the energy and security cooperation between GCC and the EU is “more crucial now than ever”, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk

The cooperation between the European Union (E.U.) and the Arabian Gulf countries in energy and security domains is very crucial as supplies from the Gulf have changed the Europe’s energy landscape, the E.U. foreign policy chief said, adding that “your [Gulf’s] security is our security.”

Josep Borrell, the E.U. High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, pointed out that before the Ukrainian crisis, the E.U. was importing 40 percent of its energy supplies from Russia, which was reduced to eight percent later. While looking for other suppliers, the Gulf, especially the UAE, offered the energy supplies, which has been very helpful, said the top diplomat who was on an official visit to the UAE.

In an interview with state news agency WAM in Abu Dhabi, Borrell emphasised that an important part of energy supplies to the E.U. has come from this part of the world, including the UAE. “This has changed the energy landscape of Europe.”

“Energy partnership makes more sense than ever”

Since the current energy supply scenario may continue for years, he noted, “We need to reduce our consumption of gas. We need other suppliers, and we need to continue fighting against climate change at the moment.”

He added that Europe is in a critical moment from an energy point of view.

As COP 27, the UN conference on climate change, is taking place in Egypt and the UAE is hosting the COP 28 next year, “I think our energy partnership makes more sense than ever. You are supplier, we are consumer, but hydrocarbon will not be the energy forever. We need to look for new sources. You have sun. You are investing a lot on new renewables. It is also an important partnership,” the top EU diplomat explained.

The Ukrainian crisis has been a big push for the E.U. to understand the requirement of more renewables, especially the need to develop hydrogen, Borrell revealed.

“We need to look for partners to develop hydrogen, because here you have surface and sun to produce green electricity and green hydrogen,” he pointed out, adding that the current energy crisis has accelerated the green transition in the E.U.

Gulf’s security is E.U. security

The E.U. has a new strategy for more engagement and better partnership with the Gulf countries, the foreign policy chief said.

“They [GCC] have always been very important for us. Not only because they are supplying energy, but the Gulf is becoming a strategic part of the world in the middle of the way between Europe, and South and East Asia.”

As the region is facing a lot of security challenges, “your security is also our security. We want to be a better partner. We have to engage more in order to face the big challenges,” Borrell said referring to the issues such as climate change, migration, security and the new energy landscape that brings both parties closer.

The war in Yemen, instability in Iraq and Syria, and negotiations on Iran nuclear deal are important developments in the wider Middle East, the foreign policy chief explained.

“The whole region is a mosaic of security issues. We want to work together with you to solve some of these problems. The peace between Israel and Palestine needs a strong engagement with the Arab world and the Europeans together,” said Borrell, a Spanish politician who took charge as the E.U. foreign policy chief in 2019.

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