Tag: Energy

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-Top News UK News

More energy aid under incoming leader, says Zahawi

Truss, the strong favorite, has vowed to cut taxes and take green levies off energy bills, but has so far failed to detail how she’ll help the lowest earners and pensioners who’ll benefit the least from her plans…reports Asian Lite News

Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi said he’s working on additional measures to help households and businesses with soaring energy bills.

The proposals will help the country’s incoming prime minister “hit the ground running” after a leadership vote in the governing party concludes next week, Zahawi said in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Monday. He said smaller businesses, in particular, will likely need assistance as a result of the energy crisis engulfing the UK and other European countries.

Zahawi’s remarks come as economic headwinds build against the UK, with the Bank of England predicting a recession lasting more than a year amid surging inflation. Adding to the gloom, the regulator Ofgem on Friday said a price cap on domestic energy bills will rise in October to nearly triple last winter’s level, piling misery on Britons already struggling with a cost-of-living crisis.

Zahawi is hamstrung in what he can do to help consumers because of a government pledge not to make major fiscal decisions while a leadership contest plays out to decide who’ll succeed Boris Johnson as prime minister next month. He is working on policy options that the two remaining contenders, Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak, could implement if they win power.

Truss, the strong favorite, has vowed to cut taxes and take green levies off energy bills, but has so far failed to detail how she’ll help the lowest earners and pensioners who’ll benefit the least from her plans. Meanwhile Sunak has pledged more support for those groups, but has yet to say how much.

Zahawi, who backs Truss, may end up being one of the UK’s shortest-lasting chancellors, even if the foreign secretary does emerge victorious. That’s because Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng is strongly tipped by Tory insiders to be Truss’s chancellor. Zahawi only took office in July after Sunak quit the post, helping to trigger a slew of ministerial resignations that led to the prime minister’s own downfall.

Asked whether more public spending to help with the energy crisis will worsen inflation, Zahawi said the UK has some room for additional capital expenditures, and will maintain fiscal discipline. He also backed the Bank of England’s efforts to tame prices.

“I am confident that the governor has the tools available to him to be able to also bear down on inflation,” the chancellor said, also noting that the bank is independent.

The winner of the leadership contest will be announced Sept. 5 and take over from Johnson the following day.

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-Top News India News

Non-fossil fuels to generate 50% of India’s energy by 2030

This year the report also provides a first-of-its kind evaluation of adaptation financing for select sectors…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reassured the world that by 2030, 50 per cent of India’s energy production will be met by non-fossil fuel, and by 2070 it plans ‘Net Zero’.

The Prime Minister was addressing a public rally on the completion of 40 years of Japan’s Suzuki Motor Corp. at Gandhinagar in Gujarat on Sunday.

He said that a silent revolution is taking shape in India with rising demand for electric vehicles (EV). The state and Central governments have extended incentives and subsidies for the EV sector.

Remembering the first interaction with Suzuki’s Chairman 13 years ago, Modi added, “When the Suzuki Chairman showed interest in setting up a plant in Gujarat, I was confident that with each passing year the company will come to know how much Gujarat is committed to development.”

The Prime Minister said, “I wanted to create a mini-Japan in Gujarat, to some extent the Japanese have been provided experience back home. Now the state has many golf courses, Japanese restaurants and even locals have started learning Japanese. Even Japan has special love for Gujarat and as many as 125 Japanese companies are functioning in the state. It looks like mini-Japan.”

Acknowledging Japan’s ‘Kaizen’ management concept, Modi brought the Kaizen-related experiences and learning of Gujarat to PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) and other Central government departments.

Climate finance

Earlier this month, the Climate Policy Initiation (CPI India) released an update on India’s first-ever effort to track green investment flows, which are falling far short of the country’s current need for its ambitious climate targets.

According to the new report, ‘Landscape of Green Finance in India’, the tracked green finance in 2019-2020 was Rs 309,000 crore ($44 billion) per annum, which is less than a fourth of India’s needs.

The report estimates that for India to achieve its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, the country requires an approximate Rs 162.5 lakh crore ($2.5 trillion) from 2015 to 2030 or roughly Rs 11 lakh crore ($170 billion) per year.

The evaluation of finance flows has been estimated for key real economy sectors like clean energy, clean transport and energy efficiency. The study tracks both public and private sources of capital — domestic as well as international — and builds a framework to track the flow of finance right from the source to the end beneficiaries through different instruments with an emphasis on bottom up approaches based on actual flows rather than commitments, providing the most accurate analysis to date of where India’s climate finance stands, the finance gaps it faces, and the opportunities that lie ahead.

This year the report also provides a first-of-its kind evaluation of adaptation financing for select sectors.

“The report shows increased flows to renewable energy sectors. This indicates the positive role policy support has had on the renewable sector. We would also in the future hope to see a similar role being played in other sub-sectors like distributed renewable energy – rooftop solar and clean mobility,” said Neha Khanna, Project Manager and Lead Author, Climate Policy Initiative.

In 2021, India put forth enhanced ambitions on climate action and announced the Panchamrit targets, which include adding 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity and meeting 50 per cent of its energy requirements through non-renewable sources.

Such enhanced ambition requires mobilization of green finance at a much faster pace.

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Food Lite Blogs

Healthy and energy-filled snacks for road trip

Carrots are the perfect dipping stick that will keep you busy without making a mess; your body will love this hummus-carrot combo…reports Asian Lite News

Road trips are a relieving getaway from the daily structured routines we often find ourselves engulfed in, an escape to find new paths in our lives as we slowly cruise down the highway and let the heart wander to find its peace and happiness.

Road trips are happy and can get happier and more enjoyable when we keep our energy levels high and in their healthiest lane.

We all get those drive munchies, the urge to munch on something as our happy bodies drop their energies, craving for the bite of a delicious snack and getting our energies cruising again. It is important to note that eating junk or processed food should be strictly avoided as it can make you sick during your journey.

Rohit Mohan Pugalia, Co-Founder of The Rooted Co shares a list of seven healthy and energy-filled snacks you’d be fighting for right after the fight to shotgun the passenger seat.

1. Muesli Bars: Snacks made of muesli get your healthy gears up and give you energy for all your fun rides. A Muesli bar is quick to make and delicious to taste. Early morning trip and fancy a healthy snack? Then Muesli with fibre-rich nutrition will warm your heart with happiness and prepare you for the fun trip ahead; just a little prep and you have the bars ready to go.

2. Peanut Butter Granola: Filled with fibre-rich rolled oats, protein-packed peanut butter, crunchy roasted peanuts & black raisins, peanut butter granola is rich in essential minerals. It adds a dazzle of deliciousness and health to one’s heart. Granola is a must-have snack for a road trip you wish to enjoy to the fullest. A healthy tummy makes a happy heart, and a happy heart knows how to enjoy life’s journey through all the trips it makes.

3. Protein Bars: Our next healthy snack on the list are protein bars rich in fibres and protein from nuts, oats, multi-grains, and dry fruits. Protein bars are energy bars that provide an instant energy boost during the tiring leg of road trips. Just grab your favourite protein bar recipe and start making a protein bar of your choice.

4. Mixed Dry Fruit: Add a little masala, use them for garnishing or have them as they are! When mixed, a combination of dry fruits such as almonds, cashew nuts, dried dates, dried figs, walnuts, pistachios, etc., become an Indian snack that everyone has always loved to munch on during trips of all kinds. With different flavours hitting the taste buds, this snack gets better every time you eat it. Dry fruits are packed with rich fibres, protein, and vitamins. They help lift your immunity and maintain a healthy heart.

5. Granola Cookies: Cookies for those who love texture, crackles, and a taste that lifts your mood, a layer of texture on the outside covers the wholesome health benefits of granola baked on the inside, these cookies made out of healthy granola will keep you energised and the drift the junk cravings away.

6. Hummus and carrot are excellent protein-packed, fibre-rich and nutritional value snacks that will help keep your belly full and happy. One of the reasons to suggest this as a road trip snack is that you often want to eat something simply because you’re bored on the road. In addition, hummus is full of B vitamins which may increase energy and reduce fatigue as your body is already running on low energy since all you’ve been doing is sitting in the same spot for hours. And carrots are the perfect dipping stick that will keep you busy without making a mess; your body will love this hummus-carrot combo.

7. Lotus seeds, popularly called Makhana, can be an ideal option for road trips. These fluffy and delectable small bits are gluten-free; the best part is that they’re super tasty. You can easily pack roasted and spiced makhanas for your road trip. Lotus seeds are a highly nutritious snack packed with essential components, including proteins, fibres, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Makhana is an ideal addition to the diet to boost mental and physical wellness.

A road trip doesn’t end anywhere; it stays with you as a memory of joy and happiness. Filled with fun, laughter, adventure, stories, and, to top it all off, are healthy snacks filled with love to share and cherish forever. No one said it, but healthy snacks make a happy road trip happier.

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-Top News China Europe

China increases Russian energy imports

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) shakes hands with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin ahead of their talks in Moscow, Russia, June 5, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Xueren/IANS)

While many European countries are trying to wean themselves off Russian gas, China is importing an increasing amount of energy from its neighbour.

Data from Beijing’s Customs Office on Saturday showed that Russia is China’s largest supplier of oil for the third month in a row, reports dpa news agency.

In July, China imported a total of 7.15 million tonnes of Russian oil, up 7.6 per cent year-on-year.

At the same time, China’s coal imports from Russia rose to the highest level in more than five years with 7.42 million tonnes in July — around 14 per cent more than in the same month last year.

While the European Union has been trying to reduce its dependency on Russian energy supplies in light of the country’s invasion of Ukraine, which started nearly six months ago, China has been taking advantage of discounted commodity prices from Moscow to increase imports.

Beijing has so far not condemned Russia’s war in Ukraine.

ALSO READ: US top commander calls for action against China

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-Top News UK News

Energy costs set to skyrocket  in UK

A bench, headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and C.T. Ravikumar, said violation of Prevention of Money Laundering Act was no less heinous than terrorism…reports Asian Lite News

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the validity of stringent provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act related to power exercised by the Enforcement Directorate on arrest, search and seizure of ill-gotten wealth, posing a threat to economic stability, as it observed that money laundering is no less heinous than terrorism.

A bench, headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and C.T. Ravikumar, said: “The international bodies have been discussing the menace of money laundering on regular basis for quite some time; and strongly recommended enactment of stringent legislation for prevention of money-laundering and combating with the menace thereof including to prosecute the offenders and for attachment and confiscation of the proceeds of crime having direct impact on the financial systems and sovereignty and integrity of the countries.”

It added that money laundering is one of the heinous crimes, which not only affects the social and economic fabric of the nation, but also tends to promote other heinous offences, such as terrorism, offences related to NDPS Act, etc.

The top court affirmed the validity of Sections 5 (attachment of property), 8(4) (taking possession of attached property),3 (definition of money laundering), 17 (search and seizure), 18 (search of persons), 19 (powers of arrest), 24 (reverse burden of proof), 45 (offences being cognisable and non-bailable and twin conditions for grant of bail by court), 50 (statements made to ED officials), and 44 (offences triable by special court).

However, the top court left the question whether some of the amendments to the PMLA, 2002 could not have been enacted by the Parliament by way of a Finance Act, to be considered by a larger bench.

The bench said the offence under Section 3 of the 2002 Act is dependent on illegal gain of property, as a result of criminal activity relating to a scheduled offence and it is concerning the process or activity connected with such property, which constitutes the offence of money laundering.

“The authorities under the 2002 Act cannot prosecute any person on notional basis or on the assumption that a scheduled offence has been committed, unless it is so registered with the jurisdictional police and/or pending enquiry/trial including by way of criminal complaint before the competent forum,” it added.

It further added that if the person is finally discharged/acquitted of the scheduled offence against him is quashed by the court, there can be no offence of money laundering against him or any one claiming such property being the property linked to stated scheduled offence through him.

The top court said: “Section 3 of the 2002 Act has a wider reach and captures every process and activity, direct or indirect, in dealing with the proceeds of crime and is not limited to the happening of the final act of integration of tainted property in the formal economy. The explanation inserted to Section 3 by way of amendment does not expand the purport of Section 3 but is only clarificatory in nature.”

The bench also declared that supply of a copy of ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report) in every case to the accused is not mandatory, if the ED, at the time of arrest, discloses the grounds of such an action.

The top court upheld the twin conditions for bail as mentioned in Section 45 of the Act. “It was argued that the twin conditions of bail contained in Section 45 of the 2002 Act would act grossly disproportionate and illogical qua a person who is not directly connected with the scheduled offence but merely an accessory after the fact. Even this argument needs to be stated to be rejected for the same reason.”

The bench said the Parliament was competent to amend the provision in 2018 even after the Nikesh Tarachand Shah case judgment passed by the apex court, held those conditions as unconstitutional.

The top court judgment came on over 200 writ petitions including former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram and former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti among others.

A battery of senior advocates — Kapil Sibal, Siddharth Luthra, A.M. Singhvi, Mukul Rohatgi, Amit Desai – represented various parties in the matter. The Central government was represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.

ALSO READ-France to issue decrees to save energy

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-Top News Europe

France to issue decrees to save energy

She said that shops keeping their doors closed while air conditioning is on can cut their energy bills by 20 per cent…reports Asian Lite News

French Minister for Energy Transition Agnes Pannier-Runacher announcedfuture decrees to force air-conditioned stores to keep their doors closed and to ban illuminated advertisements during early morning hours.

“In the next few days, I will issue two decrees. The first generalises the ban on illuminated advertisements between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. regardless of the size of the city, with the exception of airports and train stations, and the second prohibits shops from having their doors open while air conditioning or heating is on,” the Minister said.

She said that shops keeping their doors closed while air conditioning is on can cut their energy bills by 20 per cent.

Pannier-Runacher said that shops leaving their doors open and air conditioning on will be fined up to 750 euros ($756) and the fine for illuminated advertisements will be up to 1,500 euros ($1,531).

In his national day interview on July 14, President Emmanuel Macron said that the French will have to cut their energy consumption to prepare for possible shortages amid the ongoing Ukraine war.

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-Top News EU News UK News

UK increases support for Ukraine’s energy sector

Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said, “Energy systems play an indispensable role in ensuring national security and economic resilience…reports Asian Lite News

The UK’s Business and Energy secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, announces today a £5 million support fund designated to providing safety and security equipment to Ukraine’s civil nuclear sector, supporting the country’s ongoing effort to stand with Ukraine.

The civil nuclear support fund will see high priority items, which could include personal protective equipment, communications systems, and radiation monitoring equipment, supplied to Ukraine. This will enable the high levels of safety and security required to be fully restored at Chernobyl and Ukraine’s other nuclear sites following Russian attacks.

The provision of vital equipment to Ukraine also contributes to widespread efforts to supply equipment for guard forces and to enhance the detection of the illicit movement of materials within Ukraine and across its borders, helping the country recover from Russian control of Chernobyl.

Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said, “Energy systems play an indispensable role in ensuring national security and economic resilience. Today the UK is ramping up our support to the Ukrainian people in their time of need by helping reconnect power across the country and protecting the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear sector, ensuring their frontline is fully equipped in the face of Russia’s brutality.”

Melinda Simmonds, UK Ambassador to Ukraine said, “Ensuring Ukraine has access to available energy will not only make sure the economy continues to function, but will also keep people warm and allow hospitals to provide emergency healthcare when it’s needed. I’m proud of all the UK is doing to support Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.”

Today’s news follows the Foreign Secretary’s announcement last week of a £10 million Energy Support Fund, forming part of a package to help Ukraine defeat Putin and rebuild the country. This fund will help keep Ukraine’s energy system running in wartime, enabling essential repairs to energy infrastructure and help reconnect power across the country. The package included both immediate financial and longer-term support for the Ukrainian people, utilising UK expertise and British businesses to accelerate Ukraine’s economic recovery.

Together this brings UK support for Ukraine’s energy sector to £22 million, including the UK’s £7 million donation of over 850 generators earlier this year that are already in use, helping to power essential services such as hospitals and shelters.

These support packages come as international partners and allies from around the world joined together last week for the Lugano Conference on Ukraine’s Recovery in Switzerland in a united stand with Ukraine.

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-Top News Asia News

Sunday lockdown in Pak province to save energy

Pakistan rushes more troops to Balochistan as rights movement spreads wings.(Photo:IN)

The business community is not happy with the decision and highlighted that such steps would encourage corruption among the police and the shopkeepers…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan’s Punjab provincial government has decided to impose a complete lockdown in its provincial capital Lahore on Sundays on all kinds of business activities in a bid to conserve energy and reducing power outages.

The decision is taken after special policies and steps were introduced to conserve energy including restrictions for market timings to 10 p.m., rescheduling of working days per week to 5 days, in which, Friday to be a work-from-home day and now imposing lockdown on all business activities on Sundays � except for emergency and essential services in Lahore.

“Sunday will be observed as a closed day for all commercial markets, plazas, shops, including those of wholesale, and retail, shopping malls, bakeries, confectioneries, offices, store rooms, godowns, warehouses etc in Lahore”, read a notification issued by Deputy Commissioner Lahore Omer Sher Chatha.

However, the business community is not happy with the decision and highlighted that such steps would encourage corruption among the police and the shopkeepers, who take and give bribes to open their shops respectively.

“We have no reservations about the closure of Sundays. However, such restrictions would encourage corruption as police officials received bribes from traders and shopkeepers and allowed them to open their businesses during the Covid-19 lockdowns,” said Abdul Razzaq Babbar, General Secretary, All Pakistan Anjuman Tajiran.

On the other hand, small shop owners and traders say that they get better sales on Sundays, insisting that shops should be allowed to stay open.

“We achieve better sales during Saturdays and Sundays as most offices are closed and people head to the shops,” said Muhammad Asif, a small shop owner in Lahore.

While the decision has opened up a debate among the traders, the district administration has constituted a special teams comprising Metropolitan Corporation Lahore (MCL) and other agencies to ensure closure of all commercial activities in the city at the notified time.

The decision is part of Pakistan’s ongoing economic and energy crisis, which has caused major power outages. Citizens are unhappy and have been arguing that they are forced to pay for expensive per unit charges of electricity, and are also forced to suffer to power outages, which have stretched to about 12 to 16 hours per day.

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-Top News Defence

‘India needs to significantly step up clean energy subsidies’

The report found that overall India’s subsidies for fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, have dropped notably by 72 per cent to Rs 68,226 crore during the seven-year period between 2014 and 2021…reports Asian Lite News

After peaking in FY-2017, the renewable energy subsidies have fallen in India by 59 per cent as deployment slowed for various reasons and more support — including subsidies — will be needed to scale up renewable to achieve the 2030 targets of clean energy, a new study released on Tuesday said.

“Renewable energy subsidies in India have fallen by 59 per cent to Rs 6,767 crore after peaking at Rs 16,312 crore in FY-2017 as deployment slowed during Covid-19 pandemic-induced lockdowns and grid-scale solar PV and wind achieved cost parity. To achieve the 2030 clean energy targets, more support — which may include subsidies — will be needed to scale up solar manufacturing, green hydrogen, and promising de-centralised renewable energy technologies,” the study said.

‘Mapping India’s Energy Policy 2022: Aligning Support and Revenues with a Net-Zero Future’ is a joint independent study done by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), a non-profit research body, and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).

The report found that overall India’s subsidies for fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, have dropped notably by 72 per cent to Rs 68,226 crore during the seven-year period between 2014 and 2021.

However, subsidies in FY2021 are still nine times higher than renewable energy subsidies.

“The country, therefore, needs to shift support away from fossil fuels and towards clean energy technologies to reach 500 GW of non-fossil power capacity by 2030 and Net Zero emissions by 2070,” the report said.

Overall, India provided over Rs 5,40,000 crore to support the energy sector in FY2021, including nearly Rs 2,18,000 crore in the form of subsidies.

Most notably, in May 2022, India reintroduced LPG subsidies for the beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna (PMUY) scheme in an attempt to target the subsidies to low-income consumers.

“The Centre and the states must ensure adequate support and financing models for clean energy in the medium-and long-term, in line with India’s stated de-carbonisation goals. Our policymakers should also find ways to offer affordable clean cooking energy to the poor and vulnerable sections. Targeted LPG subsidy in the short-term is the only solution to ensure that the programme goals of PMUY — which help pay the cost of using LPG for the first time — are not left by the wayside,” said co-author of the study Karthik Ganesan, fellow and director of Research Coordination at the CEEW.

The study further notes that electric vehicle (EV) subsidies have more than tripled since FY2017 to Rs 849 crore in FY2021.

During the year, India announced a production-linked incentive (PLI) programme to attract investments in domestic manufacturing of EVs and components. With manufacturing receiving a boost, clean energy financing will be the next step to further scale up deployment.

No public finance institutions (PFIs) have established clear plans for phasing out finance for fossil fuels, the report said, adding: “The annual disbursements by the largest PFIs were three times higher for fossil generation than renewable energy in FY 2021.”

“They (PFIs) should seek to swiftly end new public finance for coal-based power plants or mining to minimize the already high levels of exposure to fossil assets,” said co-author of the report Swasti Raizada, Policy Advisor at IISD.

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Environment India News

World to have over 115 mn energy-efficient buildings in 2022

The research found that non-residential smart buildings will account for 90 per cent of smart building spend globally in 2026, at a similar level to 2022…reports Asian Lite News

As energy costs spike, the number of buildings globally deploying smart building technologies will reach 115 million in 2026, from 45 million in 2022, a new report showed on Monday.

This growth of over 150 per cent reflects increasing demand for energy efficiency from businesses and residents alike, according to a new study from Juniper Research.

A smart building uses connectivity to enable economical use of resources, while creating a safe and comfortable environment for the occupants.

The research found that non-residential smart buildings will account for 90 per cent of smart building spend globally in 2026, at a similar level to 2022.

“Smart building platform vendors will understandably focus on non-residential use cases, as these provide a stronger return on investment, but they should not neglect the importance of residential deployments, as environmental concerns intensify,” said research co-author Dawnetta Grant.

By enabling buildings to monitor and automate common functions, significant efficiency gains can be made, while improving the environment for workers and residents.

The research also found that the global shipments of sensors used in smart buildings will exceed 1 billion annually in 2026 from 360 million in 2022, representing a growth of 204 per cent. Sensors, when combined with intelligent management platforms, will allow smart buildings to adapt to conditions; matching elements such as lighting, heating and ventilation to live requirements

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