In short  – Africa may suffer from a global shift to solar energy.

In detail -Zero-carbon energy sources are a major route to fighting climate change, demanding increased investments in wind and solar energy for Africa.

According to the World Bank, 568 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa lack access to electricity. In its book: Mini Grids for Half a Billion People: Market Outlook and Handbook for Decision Makers, the bank warns that under the current trajectory 595 million Africans will remain unconnected in 2030.

Findings of a study published in Nature Communications show that under some models, solar energy could dominate electricity production worldwide at such a scale that no further direct support is needed to stimulate solar power.

While solar could be a dominant energy source by 2050, poor countries could be left behind due to inadequate finance, the researchers say. Uncertainties over grid stability, the capacity of supply chains, and political resistance could also inhibit the potential of solar energy.

The World Bank identifies Nigeria’s market-driven approach to mini grid development and Ethiopia, Kenya and Zambia’s new regulations and policy that are attractive to private investors in mini grids as examples of making robust business partnerships to support off-grid solar access in Africa.

Femke Nijsse, of the University of Exeter, the study’s lead author, and colleagues, call for increased investments in grids and storage adding that developing countries with experience in renewables, such as Morocco and Kenya, could help support others in setting up financing instruments.

A hybrid network of solar and wind mini-grids has been funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) and the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, in a remote area north-east of Africa’s Lake Victoria. The island has no access to the national grid, but the population, mainly fishers, have a source of energy for homes, a school, and a health centre.

“Before we had this plant here, we used chlorine to treat our drinking water. As a student, I can do my studies at night or any time. We don’t have blackouts,” said Sylvanus Ochieng, a student at Kenya’s Kisii University.

“This is a dream come true,” Kennedy Odhiambo, regulatory manager for the plant developer, Renewvia Energy Kenya, told Nature Africa.

There are other key examples like the Aga Khan hospital, in Kisumu, Kenya, where solar panels have been installed for lighting and heating water, producing 60% of the

facility’s daytime power requirements. But the facility is limited by lack of storage capacity to increase the use of power generated from the solar panels.

A recent analysis by Ayobami Oyewo, from Finland’s LUT University, and colleagues, suggests that renewable energy systems research is hampered by low spatial diversification, “as most existing studies are analyzed based on a single-node approach.” Onguru urges governments to invest more in research and development of new technologies that can encourage harnessing of renewable sources of energy in Africa.

In Detail : Construction commenced in August 2022, and was completed late November last year

The Department of Energy (DOE) has commended the country’s largest consumer-driven solar rooftop installation, JG Summit’s Merbau project in Batangas City.

Merbau Corp., JG Summit’s renewable energy arm, has completed nine 13.811 megawatt-peak (MWp) roof-mounted solar power projects, which has reduced power consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

‘This will not only result in cost savings and a lower carbon footprint but also encourages the construction of more RE resources consistent with the government’s policy on energy diversification and clean energy future,’ DOE Secretary Raphael Lotilla said.

The project, located in Barangay Simlong and Pinamucan Ibaba, Batangas City, was built to reduce both in-house and national grid power consumption, while also contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of the complex.

Moreover, it is expected to produce an estimated energy savings of 17.8 gigawatt-hours yearly.

‘This pioneering effort will help boost the country’s efforts to achieve energy security, while enabling this integrated petrochemical complex to shift toward cleaner sources of energy,’ Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) chair Monalisa Dimalanta said.

Construction commenced in August 2022, and was completed late November last year.

The project is a collaboration between Merbau and its EPC contractor, Upgrade Energy Philippines, a leading player in solar and wind solutions in the Philippines.

In Detail : A new solar cell technology being supported by the Australian Government could help rapidly scale up low-cost solar.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced $11m in funding to Australian solar technology company SunDrive solar.

SunDrive has developed a solar cell metallisation technology that uses copper instead of silver in its manufacture. Copper is approximately 100x cheaper and 1000x more abundant than silver.

Australia has the highest uptake of solar in the world. But over the last ten years, only 1% of installed solar cells have been made in Australia.

Through this project, SunDrive will scale up its advanced production line. This will allow it to make enough copper metallised PV cells for around 15,000 household solar systems each year. SunDrive is aiming to employ more than 500 people as production increases in Australia.

The technology has environmental benefits too. Copper is easier to recycle and is less carbon intensive than silver in the manufacturing process.

In Detail : For a brief period over several weekends this spring, the state of South Australia, which has a population of 1.8 million, did something no other place of a similar size can claim: generate enough energy from solar panels on the roofs of houses to meet virtually all its electricity needs.

This is a new phenomenon, but it has been coming for a while – since solar photovoltaic cells started to be installed at a rapid pace across Australia in the early 2010s. Roughly one in three Australian households, more than 3.6m homes, now generate electricity domestically. In South Australia, the most advanced state for rooftop solar, the proportion is nearly 50%.

No other country comes close at installing small solar systems on a per capita basis. “It’s absolutely extraordinary by world standards,” said Dr Dylan McConnell, an energy systems analyst at the University of New South Wales. “We’re streets ahead.”

There was no overarching plan that made Australia the world leader in household solar PV. Analysts mostly agreed that it was a happy accident, the result of a range of uncoordinated policies across tiers of government. Many were subsidy schemes that were derided as too generous and gradually scaled back, but the most important – an easy-to-access, upfront national rebate available to everyone – endured. It has helped make panels cost-effective and easy to install.

Cost was a big consideration for the Jamiesons – Sean, Deb and their 19-year-old daughter, Molly – when they installed a system on the four-bedroom house in a beachside suburb in South Australia’s capital, Adelaide, a decade ago. They upgraded to a larger 8kW system during a home renovation five years later, and have installed two batteries, the first subsidised as part of a state government scheme trialling household energy storage systems to help stabilise a power grid that increasingly runs on variable solar and wind power.

Sean Jamieson, a pilot with the airline Jetstar, said the setup had been “incredibly beneficial”, in part because his family uses a range of energy-hungry equipment, including a pool and hot tub. They first opted for solar after watching the price of grid electricity rise sharply, mainly due to the cost of rebuilding electricity transmission poles and wires. He said it has continued to make sense.

“I’m looking at paying it off [through savings on what annual power bills would otherwise have been] in three or four years, so it’s been a great investment,” he said of the household energy system. “Generally, solar is just a no-brainer in South Australia. We’ve got a lot of sunshine and the most expensive electricity in Australia, and in the beginning it was heavily subsidised.”

Dr Gabrielle Kuiper, an independent energy and climate change strategist, noted Australia was not the first country out of the gate on rooftop solar – that was Germany, which introduced the first subsidy scheme, and “none of us would be here without them” – but said it was one of the first to capitalise on the German model. It began with a natural advantage: more sun than nearly any other wealthy country. Even the southern island state of Tasmania is at a latitude that would place it level with Spain and California if it were in the northern hemisphere.

Kuiper said Australia had succeeded at solar for reasons beyond geography. Incentives were a big part of it, but the technology’s rise was accelerated by ordinary people embracing it to have some control over their power bills and, in some cases, play a small part in tackling the climate crisis by reducing the country’s reliance on coal.

The subsidies initially included a national rebate of A$8,000 for a small 1kW array – more than the sticker price in parts of the country. It was complemented by state government feed-in tariff schemes that paid households for the energy they fed back into the power grid and, in some cases, for all the electricity they generated.

There was little planning in how the various incentives fit together and critics attacked it as an expensive and inefficient way to cut greenhouse gas emissions. But it kickstarted an industry of installers, sales people, trainers and inspectors, and quickly made solar a viable option for people beyond the country’s wealthiest suburbs.

Today, the feed-in-tariffs have been cut, but the national rebate scheme survives, with bipartisan support despite deep divisions over other responses to the climate crisis. Analysts and industry players have praised its elegant design. The rebate is processed by and paid to the installer. The buyer may not even know it exists. It is reduced by about 8% each year, a rate that roughly keeps pace with the continuing fall in the cost of having panels installed.

In Detail : A team of Australian engineers has been awarded the world’s top prize for engineering. The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering recognises transformational feats of engineering which benefit humanity around the world.

His Majesty King Charles presented Professor Martin Green of the University of New South Wales, Professor Andrew Blakers of Australia’s National University, and Dr Aihua Wang and Dr Jianhua Zhao with the prize for their invention and work in the development of Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell (PERC) solar photovoltaic technology.

Professor Green and his team’s work over the last 40 years has transformed photovoltaic technology and dramatically reduced costs, with solar now the cheapest source of electricity in most countries. Today, the PERC is the cheapest way to generate electricity using solar cells and is used in over 90% of solar panels around the world.

Professor Green said: ‘To receive this prestigious award from His Majesty King Charles is a proud moment for me, but I hope also for my UNSW colleagues and students. The QEPrize is famously committed to recognising engineering that delivers transformational change in society and I believe a transformational shift towards solar, and wind generated power is inevitable. It is a critical trajectory that we’re on and it is special to be recognised for our part in that, today.’

The PERC has brought down the cost of solar panels by 80% over the past decade. Solar power is now the cheapest source of electricity in many regions around the world.

When he announced the award’s recipients earlier this year, Lord Browne of Madingley, Chair of the QEPrize Foundation, said: ‘The QEPrize celebrates the engineers who time and time again solve the impossible and transform our world for the better. I believe that everything we do has to be oriented around the global energy transition so we can achieve net zero, for the planet and the people that live on it. PERC solar cell technology has been and will continue to be integral to this journey.’

Australian engineers awarded the world’s top prize for solar cell technology

Government funding and support

Australian Government funding for alternative energy sources during the oil shortages of the 1970s set Professor Green on a pioneering path to create a more efficient type of solar cell.

Most recently, Professor Green received funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to help establish the Australian Centre of Advanced Photovaltaics.

‘Having that funding was really important to our success, and probably to the world now having cheap solar cells,’ he said.

‘The best thing about the invention is that it provides a viable alternative to fossil fuels for generating large amounts of energy so that now the cheapest way of generating electricity is using these solar cells.’

PERC technology is the most commercially viable silicon solar cell technology used in solar panels and large-scale electricity production. It accounts for almost 90% of the global solar cell market.

Professor Blakers said: ‘Solar energy is enormously abundant nearly everywhere. Silicon solar cells allow clean and affordable electrification of energy-poor rural areas across Asia, Africa and the Americas.’

As the global appetite for clean energy grows, this Australian-invented viable alternative to fossil fuels has never been more important.

Australia’s focus on net zero

Australia is the number one place in the world for installed solar capacity per capita. We offer significant potential for renewable energy and broader investment in technology that helps establish a decarbonised economy, thanks to our:

• abundant natural resources: sunshine, wind and the critical minerals needed for clean energy technologies from batteries to wind turbines
• government net zero commitment backed by supportive policies and funding
• world-leading innovation ecosystem.

In Detail : Scientists at the University of Sydney, Australia have made a major breakthrough in the field of renewable energy, using mirrors to generate solar power.

The researchers have developed a new type of mirror that is more efficient at reflecting light than conventional mirrors, allowing it to generate more electricity from the same amount of sunlight.

The mirrors are coated with a special material that reflects light at a wider range of wavelengths, making them more effective at capturing the sun’s energy. This new technology could revolutionize the way we generate solar power, making it more efficient and cost-effective.

Solar collectors, a key component of concentrated solar thermal (CST) technology, use mirrors or lenses to focus sunlight onto a narrow region called the receiver. The concentrated light then heats up the receiver, which in turn generates heat or electricity.

The process is relatively simple in theory, but it can be difficult to execute effectively in practice. The mirrors must be precisely aligned to maximize the amount of sunlight they capture, and the receiver must be able to handle the intense heat without breaking down.

The mirror-based solar power technology developed by the University of Sydney is part of the concentrated solar power (CSP) category of renewable energy technologies.

The CSP sector faces competition from other forms of renewable energy such as photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, wind power, and hydropower. Each of these technologies has its own advantages and disadvantages, and it is not clear which one will ultimately dominate the renewable energy market.

Despite Australia’s abundant solar energy resources, much of its electricity grid (about 67 per cent) is still powered by fossil fuels, so the technology could play a key role in reducing industrial emissions, which currently account for 20 per cent of Australia’s energy use, according to CSIRO.

Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, who co-hosted the two-day event in the western city of Osaka, pointed to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war
as the latest threats to stable energy and food supplies.

“We nations that share important values have a position of responsibility amid growing uncertainties,” she said in closing the meeting, stressing democracy, inclusiveness and human rights. Worries are growing among developed nations about maintaining a stable supply of computer chips as well as essential minerals, like lithium, which are critical these days amid the demand for electric vehicles and other green energy.

The G-7 nations reiterated their criticism of what they called in their joint statement “Russia’s brutal, unprovoked, unjustifiable and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.”

The participants discussed how trade policy can contribute to tackling climate change, strengthening food security, promoting digital trade and working toward sustainable development. Trade is one sector where growing political tensions with China have been playing out, although China was not directly mentioned in the meetings.

China, while absent at the meetings, loomed as a focal point. China has imposed export curbs on two metals used in computer chips and solar cells – gallium and germanium – that it said were intended to “safeguard
national security.”

At the G-7 summit in Hiroshima in southwestern Japan earlier this year, participants referred to “economic coercion” in an oblique reference to China’s leveraging some nations’ dependence for economic items. That
phrase was again used at the Osaka G-7. As the host nation, Japan focused on how China has banned imports of Japanese seafood after the recent massive release of treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant, which experienced reactor meltdowns in 2011.

Yasutoshi Nishimura, the Japanese minister in charge of trade and the economy, said G-7 nations expressed support and understanding for Japan’s position, stressing the safety of Japanese food based on scientific
evidence, including that from Fukushima. Japan will continue to press for the food bans to end, he told reporters. Nishimura also said the guest nations that took part in the G-7 meeting, including Australia and India, were potentially powerful allies in strengthening the supply chain in valuable materials. Bilateral agreements on the sidelines included one between Britain and Japan to work together on mineral-supply chains that both sides said

reaffirmed bilateral ties in support of “the free and fair economic order,” and traded notes about the importance of women playing bigger roles on the G-7 stage.

Source : AP

Impressive Targets for Offshore Wind Capacity

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) of Japan have recently concluded the acceptance of proposals for the second round of offshore wind tenders. These tenders aim to build a capacity of 1.8 gigawatts (GW) across four designated areas.

As of 2022, Japan’s offshore wind capacity stood at 136 megawatts (MW), significantly lower than the nearly 14 GW in the UK and 31 GW in China, according to the Global Wind Energy Council. However, Japan has ambitious goals for the future. By 2030, the country aims to achieve 10 GW of offshore wind capacity and plans to have a staggering 45 GW operational by 2040. These targets align with Japan’s vision of having renewable energy contribute 36% to 38% of its electricity mix by the end of the decade. Furthermore, Japan has set a goal to become carbon neutral by 2050.

Pioneering Offshore Wind Operations

In late 2022 and early 2023, a consortium led by Marubeni (8002.T) launched Japan’s first large-scale commercial offshore wind operations at Noshiro Port (84 MW) and Akita Port (55 MW). These projects were initially secured through the feed-in tariff program for renewable energy. However, in 2019, the government implemented a new law to enhance the development of offshore wind farms beyond port areas, introducing a public auction scheme.

MHI Vestas Offshore Wind, a joint venture between Danish manufacturer Vestas Wind Systems A/S (VWS.CO) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (7011.T), supplied bottom-fixed turbines for Marubeni’s offshore wind farms.

First and Second Round of Auctions

In 2021, a consortium led by Mitsubishi (8058.T) secured all three offshore wind farm auctions in Akita and Chiba prefectures during the first round. These projects have a combined capacity of 1.7 GW and are set to start operating between 2028 and 2030. The wind turbines, with a capacity of 13 MW each, will be manufactured by General Electric (GE.N) and assembled and maintained by Toshiba.

The second round of auctions, which concluded on June 30, focused on another 1.8 GW of capacity. The winners will be announced by the end of March 2024, and potentially as early as December. The auction covered four areas, all featuring bottom-fixed structures:

• Happo Town and Noshiro City in Akita Prefecture (356 MW)
• Oga City, Katagami City, and Akita City in Akita Prefecture (336 MW)
• Murakami City and Tainai City in Niigata Prefecture (700 MW)
• Enoshima, Saikai City in Nagasaki Prefecture (424 MW)

Companies participating in the auctions are not permitted to disclose their bidding intentions under the revised rules.

Foreign Companies and the Future of Offshore Wind in Japan

Foreign companies interested in entering Japan’s offshore wind market are likely to seek partnerships with local Japanese entities. This collaboration is crucial for navigating the complexities of engaging with local authorities, fishermen, and residents. In the past, opposition from these stakeholders has resulted in the cancellation of certain wind power projects. Recognizing the need for local involvement, the United Kingdom has expressed its willingness to contribute to the development of Japan’s offshore wind power sector. Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps stated that the UK is open to various options, including the participation of British energy companies, providing financing, and offering insurance.

During the first round of auctions, several foreign companies, including Denmark’s Orsted (ORSTED.CO), Germany’s RWE (RWEG.DE), and Norway’s Equinor (EQNR.OL), expressed their interest in entering the Japanese market. These companies recognize the immense potential for offshore wind energy in Japan and the opportunities it presents for sustainable growth.

Floating Offshore Wind Power and Japan’s Roadmap

In 2021, the Japanese government selected a consortium led by Toda Corporation to construct the Goto floating offshore wind farm in Nagasaki prefecture. This project, with a capacity of 16.8 MW, was the sole bidder in a public auction specifically for a smaller-scale initiative. Japan is actively working towards creating a comprehensive roadmap for the development of floating offshore wind power by March 2024. This roadmap will outline the strategies and policies necessary to harness the potential of floating wind farms, which can be deployed in deeper waters and offer new opportunities for renewable energy generation.

Japan’s Ambitious Offshore Wind Goals

Japan’s commitment to offshore wind energy reflects its determination to transition to a sustainable and carbon-neutral future. By setting ambitious targets for offshore wind capacity and actively promoting the development of wind farms, Japan aims to become a leading global producer of clean energy. Through public auctions and partnerships with domestic and foreign companies, Japan is driving the growth of its offshore wind sector.

With plans to increase its offshore wind capacity to 10 GW by 2030 and a long-term vision of 45 GW operational by 2040, Japan is positioning itself at the forefront of the renewable energy revolution. By embracing offshore wind power, Japan can not only reduce its reliance on fossil fuels but also achieve a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The country’s efforts in offshore wind energy production will contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future, bringing Japan closer to its goal of becoming a major player in the global renewable energy market.

In conclusion, Japan’s determination to become a major offshore wind energy producer is evident through its targets, auction schemes, and partnerships. By leveraging its expertise, collaborating with foreign companies, and developing floating offshore wind technologies, Japan is paving the way for a greener and more sustainable future. As the nation progresses towards its renewable energy goals, the world will be closely watching Japan’s journey to becoming a leading global force in offshore wind power production.

Source: Reuters

China is shoring up its position as the world leader in renewable power and potentially outpacing its own ambitious energy targets, a report has found.

China is set to double its capacity and produce 1,200 gigawatts of energy through wind and solar power by 2025, reaching its 2030 goal five years ahead of time, according to the report by Global Energy Monitor, a San Francisco-based NGO that tracks operating utility-scale wind and solar farms as well as future projects in the country.

It says that as of the first quarter of the year, China’s utility-scale solar capacity has reached 228GW, more than that of the rest of the world combined. The installations are concentrated in the country’s north and north-west provinces, such as Shanxi, Xinjiang and Hebei.

In addition, the group identified solar farms under construction that could add another 379GW in prospective capacity, triple that of the US and nearly double that of Europe.

China has also made huge strides in wind capacity: its combined onshore and offshore capacity now surpasses 310GW, double its 2017 level and roughly equivalent to the next top seven countries combined. With new projects in Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Gansu and along coastal areas, China is on course to add another 371GW before 2025, increasing the global wind fleet by nearly half.

“This new data provides unrivalled granularity about China’s jaw-dropping surge in solar and wind capacity,” said Dorothy Mei, a project manager at Global Energy Monitor. “As we closely monitor the implementation of prospective projects, this detailed information becomes indispensable in navigating the country’s energy landscape.”

The findings are in line with previous reports and government data released this year, which predicted that China could easily surpass its target of supplying a third of its power consumption through renewable sources by 2030.

China’s green energy drive is part of its effort to meet dual carbon goals set out in 2020. As the world’s second largest economy, it is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases and accounts for half of the world’s coal consumption. The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, pledged in 2020 to achieve peak CO2 emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.

The report attributed China’s remarkable progress in expanding its non-fossil energy sources to the range of policies its government has implemented, including generous subsidies to incentivise developers as well as regulations to put pressure on provincial governments and generating companies.

China began operating the world’s largest hybrid solar-hydro power plant in the Tibetan plateau on Sunday. Named Kela, the plant can produce 2bn kW hours of electricity annually, equal to the energy consumption of more than 700,000 households.

It is only the first phase of a massive clean energy project in the Yalong River basin. The installation has a 20GW capacity now and is expected to reach about 50GW by 2030.

Despite China’s careful planning, its energy transition is not without its challenges. In recent years, record heatwaves and drought crippled hydropower stations, resulting in power crunches that brought factories to a halt. An outdated electricity grid and inflexibility in transferring energy between regions add to the uncertainty.

The Kela plant is located in the sparsely populated west of the country, where more than three-quarters of coal, wind and solar power is generated. But the vast majority of energy consumption happens in the east. Transporting energy thousands of miles across the country results in inefficiencies.

The way China’s grid is organised can incentivise building coal plants around renewable generators. Much of the new renewable capacity is not connected to the local energy supply and often bundled with coal power to be transmitted to areas of higher demand.

More coal power was approved in the first three months of 2023 than in the whole of 2021.

“China is making strides,” said Martin Weil, a researcher at Global Energy Monitor and an author of the report. “But with coal still holding sway as the dominant power source, the country needs bolder advancements in energy storage and green technologies for a secure energy future.”

Source: PTI

The company owned by the Malaysian state of Sarawak, which produces most of its power from hydroelectric dams, is expanding into solar capacity as it seeks to reduce reliance on coal and ramp up exports to neighbouring Sabah state, and countries such as Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore.

Sarawak Energy started construction at its first 50 MW floating solar unit at its Batang Ai dam this month which is expected to be completed by end-2024, CEO Datuk Sharbini Suhail told Reuters on Tuesday on the sidelines of an Energy Asia conference.

He said studies found that the company could reliably connect up to 1,500 MW across its three hydropower plants to its grid. Sarawak Energy is also building a fourth hydropower plant to be commissioned by 2028, which will bring its total hydropower capacity to 4,737 MW.

The company has signed agreements to export 30 MW to 50 MW of electricity to Sabah state in 2024.

Sarawak Energy exports about 80-100 MW of electricity to Indonesia’s West Kalimantan and is building a 1,375 MW hydropower plant with its partner in North Kalimantan which may come online by 2030, Sharbini said.

Sarawak Energy is also in discussions with Brunei as well as Singapore, where it has completed a feasibility study to export hydropower via undersea cables around 2030, but the high cost and technical difficulties remain a challenge.

“About 70-80% of the cable will be in Indonesian waters, so that we need to manage as well,” he said.

Such a connection would help kickstart an ASEAN power grid, Sharbini said, an idea that has been long-discussed but has remained on the drawing board.

Sarawak Energy plans to reduce the share of coal in its power mix to 10% by 2030 from the current 18%, Sharbini said, in part by decommissioning its 210 MW Sejingkat power plant by 2028 and the 270 MW Mukah power plant after 2030, he said.

Its 624 MW Balingian coal power plant, built in 2020, will be retained to ensure energy security, he said.

Source: Reuters

By Manjeet Negi : China is building solar and hydro projects along the new bases it has built near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the eastern Ladakh sector, senior government officials informed India Today on Monday.

Energy projects have been initiated to meet the energy needs of the new bases which are installed for keeping troops that are deployed in the region.

According to senior government officials, the Chinese felt the need for these plants as they were facing problems with maintaining troops in large numbers at forward bases under extreme weather conditions.

Chinese troops deployed in the area have earlier also faced issues due to a lack of proper acclimatisation in the area. In comparison, Indian soldiers, with vast experience of operating in the extreme winters at high altitudes of the Siachen glacier, have better abilities to withstand extreme weather conditions.

According to reports, China has deployed more than 50,000 soldiers along the borders with India since 2020 when it tried to change the status- quo along the border in the eastern Ladakh sector of the LAC.

However, the Indian army soldiers, deployed in the area, have been successfully keeping Chinese aggression in check.

Both India and China have been maintaining heavy deployment of soldiers in the eastern Ladakh sector of the LAC since the Galwan clashes of 2020.

Source: PTI

UL Solutions, established in 1894, provides safety-focused services and products for global companies, promoting innovation and growth. Their certification is a trust symbol, indicative of product quality and SANY Renewable Energy’s commitment to safety.

Wind power now yields the lowest kilowatt-hour cost across the clean energy range and SANY Renewable Energy believes the technology will play an integral part in carbon reduction and tackling China‘s “Dual Carbon” goals. To address this, SANY Renewable Energy has developed technologically-advanced wind turbine products with excellent performance and reliability that not only supports global initiatives to tackle climate challenges but also promote the significant transformation of the global energy market.

SANY Renewable Energy‘s 5MW onshore wind turbine was certified by DNV in 2021, which labeled the company as the first wind turbine supplier in China to obtain the international certification of large MW wind turbine with a box-type substation.

The wind turbine unit adopts a platform-based design approach and mature “high-speed double-fed” technology to ensure high reliability, high efficiency, low operation and maintenance costs, and resulting in greater economic value for customers. Adding wind turbines into the power grid has been a new breakthrough for SANY Renewable Energy‘

s onshore wind power R&D and will provide solid basis for low-priced grid connection.
Nivedh B S noted that following the successful cooperation on recent projects, UL Solutions is very glad to become a laboratory partner with SANY Renewable Energy, and he looks forward to working together in setting new standards, talent and team development, as well as long-term R&D projects.

“Under the IEC RE system, the company‘s self-built laboratory facilities are exhibiting greater development potential, and this partnership with UL Solutions will provide reliable support in terms of meeting standards, R&D design and testing, wind turbine performance evaluation, and more that will further elevate the product‘s core competitive advantages,” said Dr. Wang Jizhou, director of SANY Renewable Energy‘s testing and experiment center.

Source: PTI

Karachi: Amid scorching heatwave-like conditions, Pakistan is facing an energy shortfall of over 8,500 megawatts, exacerbating the woes of its citizens.

According to sources, the country’s total energy requirement stands at 28,500 megawatts, while the current production is around 20,000 megawatts.

With temperatures soaring above 40°C in many parts of the country, the demand for electricity to combat the heat has surged.

However, the power supply has been unable to meet the increased demand, leading to power outages.

Minister Khurram Dastagir claimed that power suspensions of over four hours per day are limited to only 3% of feeders in the national power grid, excluding K-Electric as it is a privately-owned entity.

Referring to power figures from June 23, 2023, he stated that a new national record was set with a total power demand of 30,089 megawatts.

He further claimed that 92% of feeders in the country experience less than three hours of load-shedding per day.

However, the data shared by the minister does not include power outages caused by technical failures or system overloading, as it solely focuses on the load management plan.

In Lahore, the capital of Punjab, Lahore Electric Power Company (LESCO) is grappling with a 1,000 megawatts shortfall.

The demand stands at 5,700 megawatts, while the supply is only at 4,700 megawatts.

Source: PTI

Sri Lanka’s Labour and Foreign Employment Ministry said on Sunday that it has granted 111 electric vehicle (EV) import permits under a new programme designed to facilitate Sri Lankan migrant workers in remitting foreign exchange to the country through official and legal channels.

Appearing on TV, Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara emphasised that this initiative is part of several measures introduced by the Ministry to benefit migrant workers who send the foreign exchange to Sri Lanka via authorised remittance transfer banks or agencies.

Since May 2022, the Ministry has been issuing EV import permits to eligible migrant workers as part of these benefits, Nanayakkara said.

The scheme allows the importing of electric cars, motorcycles, and scooters, depending on the amount of foreign exchange the workers send, Xinhua news agency reported.

He added that the first round of permit applications will remain open until the end of September and that only fully electric vehicles are eligible for importing under this programme.

Nanayakkara also highlighted the substantial increase in remittances from migrant workers in 2023, which amounted to $2.3 billion in January-May, with an average monthly rate of more than $400 million.

This figure represents a significant rise compared to the corresponding period in the previous year, he said.

Sri Lanka banned the import of most vehicles in 2020.

Workers’ remittances have been a key pillar of Sri Lanka’s foreign currency earnings, providing a substantial cushion against the trade deficit and thereby enhancing the resilience of the country’s external sector, according to the country’s central bank.

Source: PTI

Non-fossil fuel power sources, such as wind and solar power, account for 50.9 per cent of the country’s total installed capacity, marking the early completion of a government target proposed in 2021, under which renewable capacity was planned to exceed fossil fuel capacity by 2025.

By the end of 2022, China’s installed power generation capacity was 2,564.05 gigawatts (GW), according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

China has devoted significant resources to the construction of renewable energy capacity in recent years, building large wind, solar and hydro plants in the west of the country as it seeks to meet a target of peak carbon emissions before 2030.

However, inconsistent utilisation of the resources means that China’s energy consumption mix remains weighted toward fossil fuels, principally coal.

Coal accounted for 56.2 per cent of total energy consumption last year, versus 25.9 per cent from renewables which includes nuclear energy, the NBS data showed.

Source: Reuters

One in every 7 cars sold during the first quarter this year was an electric vehicle, dominated by China’s BYD at 21.1 per cent market share while Tesla was at second spot, with 16 per cent share, a report showed on Wednesday.

Global passenger EV sales in Q1 2023 rose 32 per cent YoY. Battery EVs (BEVs) accounted for 73 per cent of all EV sales during the quarter, while plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs) made up the rest, according to Counterpoint Research.

EV sales are expected to reach over 14.5 million units by the end of 2023.

The US surpassed Germany to become the world’s second-largest EV market while China remained the leader.

“Tesla slashed prices for its models globally in January, following which other automotive brands announced similar cuts for their car models starting in February, which led to an improvement in EV sales,” said research analyst Abhik Mukherjee.

Global EV sales were largely driven by China with 56 per cent of total EV sales coming from this market.

During February and March, almost 40 automakers, including BYD, NIO, Xpeng, Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Honda and Toyota, reduced their vehicle prices by a couple of hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars, which eventually stoked a competitive price war in China.

In China, EV sales experienced a remarkable 29 per cent YoY growth, despite a 12 per cent decline in overall sales of passenger vehicles in the country.

The top 10 EV models accounted for 37 per cent of the total passenger EV sales. Tesla’s Model Y remained the best-selling model globally followed by Tesla’s Model 3 and BYD’s Song.

“Although sales of the traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles remained stable in Q1 2023 compared with that in the year-ago period, the significant growth in EV sales indicates a rapid transition from traditional vehicles to EVs,” commented senior analyst Soumen Mandal.

Source: PTI

Pakistan government on Tuesday decided to make energy reforms a part of the budget 2023-24 in order to cut reliance on imported fuel.

The decision was taken by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at a high-level meeting on energy-related budgetary proposals that focused on the generation of cheap electricity, relief for consumers, and launch of solarization projects.

The prime minister directed inclusion of measures in the upcoming budget regarding control of power line losses and electricity theft, according to a statement.

He also ordered the allocation of funds in the budget for the launch of wind and solar energy projects and called for the swift completion of power projects. The meeting was informed that under the government’s solarization program for public buildings, four phases had been completed successfully.

The steps taken by the government for supply of uninterrupted electricity and gas also came under discussion. The meeting was attended by federal ministers including Ishaq Dar, Khwaja Muhammad Asif, Engineer Khurram Dastagir Khan, and Maryam Aurangzeb and other officials.

The government is expected to present the budget in the parliament on June 9.

Source: PTI

Great Power Plans to Build 36GWh Battery Project in Qingdao

According to Great Power’s announcement, the company will set up “Energy Storage No. 1” project in Qingdao, which is a city in China’s Shandong Province. The project is designed to have a production capacity of 36Wh per year. It will be built over three phases with each comprising 12GWh. The total investment in this project comes to around 13 billion yuan. The phase 1 of the project is scheduled to begin construction this September and enter operation by the end of December 2024.

Great Power said this investment aligns with its long-term growth strategy and will enhance the allocation of its production capacity. Furthermore, the project will assist the company in bolstering its influence and overall competitiveness in the market for energy storage batteries. The project will contribute to future growth and market expansion, thereby having a positive and far-reaching effect on the company’s business operations.

Earlier on April 4, Great Power announced a plan to set up facilities for manufacturing energy storage batteries. Specifically, its wholly-owned subsidiary Quzhou Great Power would build a 21GWh energy storage battery project in Quzhou’s Smart Manufacturing City Zone. Quzhou is a city in China’s Zhejiang Province. The project would entail an investment of 7 billion yuan. According to the development schedule, construction is to begin near the end of this June, and the project is expected to enter operation before the end of December 2026.

Currently, Great Power is adding new production lines for outputting energy storage batteries at its production bases in Quzhou, Changzhou, Henan, and Liuzhou. Many of them is scheduled to begin operation in the third quarter of 2023 and make tangible contributions to the company’s production capacity for energy storage batteries in the following quarter.

In terms of financial performance, Great Power had a strong first quarter this year, with realized revenue rising by 50.14% YoY to around 2.495 billion yuan and net profiting rising by 101.46% YoY to around 182 million yuan. Great Power attributed this growth primarily to the expansion of its energy storage business. Sales of its products for utility-scale and residential energy storage surged.

CosMX Plans to Build Project in Sichuan for Manufacturing Energy Storage and NEV Power Batteries

According to Zhuhai CosMX Battery’s announcement, its holding subsidiary Zhejiang CosMX plans to set up a battery manufacturing project in Deyang, which is a city in China’s Sichuan Province. The investment for the phase 1 of the project is capped at 10.3 billion yuan. The production capacity of the phase 1 is set at 25GWh per year. CosMX aims to start construction within these six months and complete the entire project within 48 months following from the groundbreaking. The project is expected to output batteries for both energy storage equipment and NEVs.

CosMX said this investment is a part of the subsidiary’s growth strategy and will significantly increase the scale of its NEV power battery business and energy storage battery business. Furthermore, the investment enables to the company to seize current market opportunities and improve its overall strength.

According to the researched information disclosed by the company on May 6, Zhejiang CosMX activated 2.5GWh per year of production capacity for NEV power batteries in the first half of 2022, bringing to a total of 3GWh per year. The company is also planning to add another 10GWh per year, and some portions of this expansion are now in construction.

Additionally, CosMX’s other subsidiary Chongqing CosMX will be investing 4 billion yuan to build six smart production lines that output high-performance Li-ion batteries. Together, the six production lines will have a total production capacity of 15GWh per year. This project is still in the initial planning phase.

Source: energytrend

About half of Australian households use electric water heaters, while the rest use gas. So what’s so great about electric water heaters?

Electric water heaters offer a cheap way to store large amounts of energy, in the form of hot water. A heater with a 300-litre tank can store about as much energy as a second-generation Tesla Powerwall – at a fraction of the cost. Our research at the UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures has found Australians could use household electric water heaters to store as much energy as over two million home batteries of that kind.

This could eventually save over AUSD 6 billion a year on our energy bills while getting us closer to net-zero carbon emissions. Our report, published today and funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), recommends that, to halve emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050, we urgently need policies to rapidly replace gas water heaters with “smart” electric water heaters. Smart heaters can be switched on and off in response to changes in electricity supply and demand across the grid.

This means these heaters can soak up excess “off-peak” renewable energy, particularly from solar, and so help us solve two key problems at once. They can help reduce and eventually eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. And they can make our electricity grid more stable by providing flexible demand that helps balance out the fluctuating supply from renewable sources.

Cutting emissions

There are three main types of electric water heater. A conventional “resistance” heater uses electricity to heat water directly. Solar water heaters use sunlight and electricity, but have become less popular as newer “heat pump” units emerged. These collect heat from the air and “pump” it into water. A heat pump uses three to four times less electricity than a resistance heater.

Back in 2010, a resistance electric water heater typically produced around four times more emissions than its gas equivalent. Heat pump emissions were about the same as for gas. That’s because electric water heaters use a lot of electricity, and most of it came from burning coal.

As we generate more electricity from renewables, this picture is changing dramatically.

Australia’s energy market operator, AEMO, publishes regularly updated pathways to a clean-energy future. In the most likely outcome, the “step-change scenario”, gas will become the most greenhouse-intensive water-heating option by 2030.

By 2040, once the transition to a renewable electricity system is largely complete, emissions from resistance and heat pump water heaters will be much lower than for their gas counterparts.

Water heaters can last 15 years or more. So the stock of heaters in our homes for the next two decades depends on what we install today. Replacing gas heaters with electric heaters should therefore be an immediate priority in our energy transition. Our work explored a range of scenarios, each with a different mix of water-heating technologies. One was a business-as-usual baseline where gas water heaters remain prevalent. In alternative scenarios gas is phased out over the next 10–20 years.

We found that replacing gas with electric water heating would not only help us get to net-zero emissions sooner, it would save us money. Gas is expensive and unlikely to get much cheaper. Abundant renewables offer an excess of cheap electricity that water heaters can help soak up. Embracing this opportunity could save over $6 billion a year on our energy bills by 2040.

Boosting grid stability

Solar and wind are now the cheapest technologies we’ve ever had for generating electricity. But to maintain a stable electricity system, we need to match demand with the fluctuating supply from renewable sources. Batteries offer a partial solution, but are still relatively costly.

Electric water heaters offer a much cheaper way to store large amounts of energy and provide the demand flexibility the grid needs. Our research found that, compared to the business-as-usual baseline, a scenario that emphasises demand flexibility using smart electric water heaters could provide an extra 30GWh of daily flexible demand capacity.

That’s the equivalent of over 2 million home batteries across the National Electricity Market, which supplies electricity to eastern and southern Australia.

Back to the future for water heating

Since the 1950s, “off-peak hot water” has seen Australian electricity providers turning household water heaters off during the day and on at night to better match demand and supply. In return, customers received heavily discounted prices.

In recent decades we’ve moved away from off-peak electric hot water, as incentives dwindled and more homes connected to natural gas.

As we electrify our hot water, which technology should we embrace: resistance or heat pump? The answer is both

Our research explored the trade-off between highly flexible resistance water heaters versus highly efficient but less flexible heat pumps.

Heat pumps use less electricity and cost less to run. Where electricity prices are high or power flow is limited, using heat pumps makes sense. However, they have a higher upfront cost and are not suited to all homes. Many apartments, for example, lack access to suitable outdoor space.

And because they use less electricity, heat pumps offer less flexible demand. As renewables, particularly solar, increasingly power our grid, the ability of resistance electric heaters to soak up excess “off-peak” renewable energy is a big advantage.

With the right policies and market reforms, we will all benefit from a system that once again rewards customers with cheap off-peak electricity in exchange for network operators being able to switch our water heaters off and on as needed.

Source: PTI

The facility, attached to a generation unit at China Energy’s Taizhou coal-fired power plant, will capture 500,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) every year, China Energy said.

“During the project’s trial run, the CCUS system demonstrated reliable performance and high safety standards, and the energy efficiency indicators and product quality are at or above their designed levels,” said Ji Mingbin, president of China Energy Jiangsu Branch.

He revealed that all CO2 produced and captured can be utilized, as the company has already secured contracts with eight firms.

Primary applications for the captured CO2 include dry-ice manufacturing and the production of shielding gases for welding, according to Ji.

China Energy, a coal-fired power generation giant, is one of the leading companies building pilot carbon capture and storage projects in China. These projects are among the country’s endeavors to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

Source: scio

Foreign Minister Saud, who is accompanying Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ on a four-day official visit, also told PTI that a wide range of issues, including trade, transit, connectivity and border issues will be covered during bilateral talks.

‘Prachanda’ will hold talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and other leaders in New Delhi to further strengthen the age-old, multifaceted and cordial ties. Saud also said, “We would also like to have India’s line of credit for the construction of transmission lines.” Nepal wants to attract more Indian investment in the energy sector.

Source: PTI

Offshore wind is meant to be central to Japan’s expansion of renewable energy, but progress has been delayed and a government goal of up to 45 GW of offshore wind power in 2040, looks less ambitious than the new Japan Wind Power Association (JWPA) targets.
“We need to map out a clear goal to attract foreign suppliers of wind farms so that they would invest in Japan and build local supply chains here,” JWPA President Jin Kato told a news conference.

The JWPA said Japan, the world’s fifth-biggest carbon dioxide (CO2) emitter, should increase its offshore wind power generation capacity to 100 GW by 2050 to help reduce emissions.

As of end-2022, Japan’s less than 5 GW of installed wind power capacity included only 0.14 GW offshore.
The government last year had to suspend the process of selecting developers for windfarm projects for nine months while it revised bidding rules to address business criticism they lacked clarity.

The JWPA said creating an internationally competitive wind power industry required collaboration between the public and private sectors to speed up progress.

In all, it aims to install 40 GW of onshore wind farms, 40 GW of bottom-fixed offshore wind farms and 60 GW of floating offshore, it said.

The installations would have an economic ripple effect of 6 trillion yen ($44.4 billion) per year in 2050, creating 355,000 jobs while reducing fossil fuel procurement costs by 2.5 trillion yen per year, JWPA estimates found.

Source: PTI

On April 5, 2023, Prime Minister Kishida officially announced Japan’s policy to popularize flexible perovskite solar cells by 2030. As part of this ambitious plan, the government will establish funds to support the preparation of production systems and the development of mass production technologies. On May 12, 2023, First Solar, the globe’s leading thin-film solar company, announced its acquisition of Swedish perovskite solar R&D company Evolar AB for an estimated USD 38 million. This move further bolstered First Solar’s preeminent position in the thin-film solar domain and triggered a notable rally in its stock price, with a surge of up to 26%, making a record high since 2008.

Amid international partnerships, the global perovskite solar sector has entered a period of explosive growth akin to the Cambrian Explosion! In response to this competitive global landscape, the establishment of the TPRIA holds great significance. It unites Taiwan’s domestic perovskite-related industries with scientific research institutions, fostering exchange and cooperation while broadening the market scale. Resource sharing and a collaborative platform will act as the catalyst for industry innovation, while also hastening the research, development, and application of perovskite technology. This collective effort will not only bolster the global competitiveness of Taiwan’s perovskite industry but also chart a path towards the industry’s sustainable development.

The inaugural general meeting of the TPRIA also took place during the conference, during which founding members elected Lai-ju Chen, the chairman of Taiwan Perovskite Solar Corp, as the alliance’s first chairman through a voting process. Boasting extensive industry experience and professional knowledge, Chairman Chen will spearhead the alliance’s development and propel the execution of crucial initiatives. Under his leadership, the TPRIA is poised to emerge as a key player in fostering industry innovation and advancing international collaboration.

The inaugural meeting of the alliance saw the attendance of 40 founding members, representing academia and research units, material, equipment, and process industries, along with various other industry-related applications. Notably, the SEMI Energy Industry Division is also a founding member of this alliance, aspiring to be a vital player in the development of Taiwan’s perovskite industry. During the meeting, a SEMI representative invited alliance members to participate in the upcoming “Energy Taiwan & Net-Zero Taiwan,” scheduled to take place at the Nangang Exhibition Center from October 18th to 20th this year. The expo will host a series of forums and speeches, focusing on the latest trends and innovations in renewable energy and green technology sectors. The alliance members are also especially invited to deliver keynote speeches on the trends in the perovskite solar energy industry during these forums.

Furthermore, Heliya Integration, a domestic leader in the field of Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) is another founding member of the alliance. The alliance’s inception has ushered in a collaborative venture between TSPC and Heliya Integration. They announced a joint mission to broaden the application of perovskite solar energy within the architectural domain, underscoring the cooperative might of the alliance. The alliance aims to further augment its membership with capable and promising businesses and experts, striving together to advance Taiwan’s perovskite solar industry.

Chairman Chen revealed the alliance’s agenda for the year, highlighting two key events. These include their involvement in the “16th International Photovoltaic Power Generation and Smart Energy Conference & Exhibition” to be held in Shanghai from May 24th to 26th. Additionally, the alliance will feature as organizers for the “3rd Taiwan Perovskite Industry Forum” scheduled for August 31st.

Source : Energytrend

Chinese auto maker Great Wall Motor (GWM) on Thursday posted an announcement of its complaint against BYD, alleging that the electric vehicle manufacturer used low-pressure fuel tanks in its Qin PLUS DM-i and Song PLUS DM-i models, which has contributed to non-compliance with pollutant emission standards.

The whistleblower has submitted a report of the alleged misconduct to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, as well as to the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, it said.

BYD responded to the allegations by stating that it strongly opposes any form of unfair competition and that the test results submitted by GWM are invalid as they did not meet the required conditions.

According to the statement issued by BYD, the vehicles used for testing were supplied and handled by GWM, and the test was carried out by an organization designated by GWM, instead of a third party as required under national rules. As a result, BYD claims that the test results lack credibility and cannot be used as evidence to support the allegations.

“We welcome authorities to investigate, collect evidence and conduct inspections at any time,” it said.

The news of the complaint has led to a significant drop in the stock prices of both companies. BYD’s A shares fell 2.41 percent, while its Hong Kong-listed shares declined 3.87 percent. Meanwhile, GWM’s A shares and Hong Kong-listed shares dropped nearly 6 percent and 6.6 percent, respectively.

The Qin PLUS DM-i and Song PLUS DM-i are BYD’s best-selling models, both accounting for more than 30 percent of the company’s sales in the first four months of this year.

The Qin PLUS DM-i, in particular, has been a remarkable success story, with sales reaching 31,734 units in April, making it the best-selling sedan that month. The two models’ combined sales volume in the first four months of this year exceeded 24 percent of BYD’s total sales.

According to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, BYD’s market share in the new energy vehicle market was 34.3 percent, making it the market leader. In contrast, GWM ranked tenth in the same category.

Source: PTI

The legislature voted 123 to 77 to drop Janaka Ratnayake as the boss of the Public Utilities Commission with immediate effect, making him the first head of a utilities regulator to be sacked in Sri Lanka’s history.

Ratnayake had resisted a second tariff increase of up to 275 percent in February on top of a 264 percent hike six months earlier at the height of an economic crisis.

The government overruled Ratnayake’s objections and went ahead with February’s rise, saying it was crucial to reduce losses at Sri Lanka’s state-owned electricity company.

Efforts to balance the books at state-owned enterprises were key to qualifying for a $2.9 billion bailout in March from the International Monetary Fund.

The IMF had prescribed that Sri Lanka implement cost-based tariffs and the lender wanted energy subsidies removed ahead of releasing the first tranche of $330 million under the four-year package.

Sri Lanka’s political opposition accused the government of undermining the independence of regulators by sacking the utilities chief.

“You are sending a bad message to the international community,” said MP Lakshman Kiriella. “The government is telling the world that it will not allow independent commissions to function independently.”

The government has removed subsidies and doubled taxes following the worst economic crisis in Sri Lanka’s history, when a shortage of foreign exchange meant the country could not finance imports of many essentials.

Sri Lanka defaulted on its $46 billion foreign debt in April last year, forcing it to seek the IMF assistance.

Months of protests over economic mismanagement led to the toppling of former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled the country and resigned in July.

Source: PTI