WHAT EL NIÑO HAS IN STORE FOR US THIS YEAR?

14.03.2024

okean — Photo-illustration: Freepik (wirestock)

Photo-illustration: Freepik (mb-photoarts)

Last summer, I shared with you my impressions of the coast of Dalmatia. As I wrote then, the Adriatic Sea is mostly cold, but in 2023, the sea temperatures were unusually high. On some days, the sea was almost uncomfortably warm. At the same time, the weather in various parts of Croatia was very varied. While the days in Dalmatia were tropical, storms engulfed the north of Croatia, accompanied by strong winds and rain.

All of this could be attributed to the El Niño phenomenon, i.e. the warming of the Pacific. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recently confirmed that in 2023, El Niño was one of the five strongest weather phenomena in history. Although the new data showed that it is gradually weakening at the moment, its impact on the global climate will continue in the coming months. All this will lead to higher temperatures in almost all continental parts of the world from March to May.

Monitoring shows that El Niño occurs on average every two to seven years and lasts about 12 months, but sometimes it can last for years. Although this phenomenon causes high sea/ocean temperatures, the WMO says that El Niño shouldn’t be blamed for everything. It is very worrying that the sea/ocean temperatures in January 2024 were the highest recorded for this period of the year. Moreover, this is not a small increase, but a rather significant one.

The WMO analysis showed that there is about a 60 per cent chance that El Niño will persist during the March-May period and an 80 per cent chance of neutral weather conditions in the April-June period, that is, that neither the El Niño nor La Niña phenomena will occur. But what is La Niña? It is a weather phenomenon that is not mentioned that often and has not gained such notoriety as El Niño.

It is interesting to note that in the Spanish language, these two phenomena in translation mean a little boy (El Niño) and a little girl (El Niño). Little Boy causes the Pacific to warm thus affecting weather conditions in the northern United States and Canada to become warmer and drier, while the southeastern Gulf of Mexico experiences wetter conditions and more frequent flooding. On the other hand, a „little girl“ has the complete opposite effect. Its cold waters in the Pacific lead to droughts in the southern US and more intense rains and floods in the Pacific Northwest and Canada.

There are numerous consequences caused by these two phenomena. Although they are two opposite climatic phenomena, both are disruptive. However, El Niño occurs more often.

It remains to be seen how accurate the WMO forecasts for the following months are. Other forecasts show that El Niño could lead to 2024 becoming the hottest year on record.

Katarina Vuinac

CAN METHANE EMISSIONS MATCH CLIMATE GOALS BY 2030

14.03.2024

emisije , zagađenje — Photo-illustration: Pixabay (catazul)

Photo-illustration: Freepik (frimufilms)

Last year was marked by record-high methane emissions from the energy sector. However, the end of the year brought the United Nations Conference on Climate Change 2023 (COP28) and the pledges that set an ambitious target for reducing these emissions.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has published the Global Methane Tracker, the first comprehensive assessment of global methane emissions since the end of COP28. The research showed that the production and use of fossil fuels led to almost 120 million tonnes of emissions in 2023, which is more than the year before. Furthermore, another 10 million tonnes of methane emissions came from bioenergy.

10 countries alone were responsible for about 80 million tonnes of methane emissions from fossil fuels last year. The United States as the world’s largest producer of oil and gas, occupies first place, followed by Russia. In terms of coal, China takes the first place.

As stated, even if the existing pledges on reduced methane were to be fully implemented, the reduction, as per the Paris Agreement’s goal of 1.5°C, would not be achieved. The IEA estimates that in order to accomplish the aforementioned goal, it is necessary to reduce methane emissions from fossil fuels by 75 percent in this decade and with the current pledges, the reduction would be about 50 percent.

Although 2023 saw record-high emissions, efforts to reduce these emissions are expected to grow in 2024 and beyond. This comes after 200 governments agreed at COP28 to significantly reduce methane emissions by 2030, as well as pledges from other Conference participants.

The IEA states that satellites play an important role in methane reduction, as they monitor global methane emissions and thus help identify and reduce them. The satellite that has been drawing attention lately is MethaneSAT, which thanks to the cooperation of Google and the Environmental Defense Fund, locates and measures emissions from oil and gas operations around the planet, more precisely than any satellite so far.

Google will make the data collected by the satellite available on the Google Earth Engine platform for environmental monitoring at the planetary level. This platform provides a wealth of geospatial data and tools for its analysis. Thus, users will be able to combine the data collected by the satellite with other data sets and analyze them.

Katarina Vuinac

IS EUROPE IMPLEMENTING GOOD POLICIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE?

13.03.2024

eko — Photo-illustration: Freepik (freepik)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (
Fabian Quintero)

Continuous research shows that Europe is warming faster than any other continent. The European Environmental Agency (EEA) data indicate that policies and campaigns to adapt to changed climate conditions are not keeping up with the speed of climate change. Moreover, gradual adaptation will not be enough, as urgent actions are needed to eliminate even those risks that are still not assessed as critical.

Namely, the EEA indicates the main climate risks for Europe classified into five groups – ecosystems, food, health, infrastructure and economy&finance.

It has been estimated that almost all risks located in the ecosystem group require urgent or additional measures to the existing ones. Forests, wetlands and other ecosystems are endangered, but marine and coastal ecosystems stand out among them as particularly endangered. Coastal ecosystems are affected by erosion, flooding and sea level rise. The existing pollution in the water ecosystem additionally causes negative consequences due to the increase in water temperature. If we protect, preserve and improve ecosystems and the risks affecting them, the risks related to food, health, infrastructure and economy and finance would also be reduced.

In terms of the food group, southern Europe is particularly affected by heat and drought risks related to crop growth. Although this area is characterized as critical, countries in Central Europe are not out of danger either. Prolonged droughts are a major threat to the security of food and water supply, as the production of food of animal origin requires significant amounts of water. Therefore, one of the solutions is to partially transition from proteins of animal origin to plant-based.

High temperatures are the most serious driver of climate risks to human health, according to the EEA. A particularly risky group is people who work outdoors, the elderly and people living in urban areas where heat islands are created or where there is no adequate access to cooling.

In terms of infrastructure, the EEA took into account built areas, as well as energy, water and transport services. Risks from increasingly frequent and extreme floods are still relatively well controlled, however, rising sea levels and stronger storms can cause major damage. Global warming can be mitigated by boosting the energy efficiency of buildings.

All of the aforementioned affects the European economy and finances. For instance, in addition to the material damage that occurs due to floods, storms, droughts and other weather conditions, the threat caused by the mentioned risks has already led to an increase in the insurance premium.

2023 has officially been declared the hottest year on record. The data shows that the average global temperature in the 12 months between February 2023 and January 2024 exceeded pre-industrial levels by 1.5oC.

In order to stop such changes and reduce the risks in the mentioned areas, it is necessary to focus our greatest attention on the first segment, i.e. ecosystems. Their recovery will directly help mitigate other risks. Therefore, according to the EEA, the implementation of the EU Law on Nature Restoration is needed, as well as the restoration of the network of protected areas within and outside of Natura2000. No less important is improving maritime space planning and the implementation of the coastal management plant. Another important factor is reducing, pollution from agricultural and industrial activities.

Energy portal

EFFECTIVE APPLICATION OF THE GREEN CONSTRUCTION PRINCIPLES, EMPLOYEE EDUCATION AND PARTNERS

13.03.2024

BEO-Shopping-Center — Photo: Confluence Property Management

By implementing innovative solutions, using energy from alternative sources, and adequate waste management, a sustainable environment is created that positively impacts the surroundings. MPC Properties, a regional leader in real estate development, construction and management, clearly adheres to all of the above. Confluence Property Management is part of the MPC Properties system. It supports the business strategy in the segment of management and maintenance of the state-of-the-art class A retail and business facilities while following the highest world standards. We spoke with Sanja Rubeša, Operations Project Manager at Confluence Property Management, about implementing the ESG green strategy, waste management, the urban beekeeping project and promoting alternative transport modes.

Q. What does your company’s ESG strategy contain?

A. Topics that are incorporated into the ESG green strategy include environmental impact, the social component and the company’s management system. Regarding the environmental impact, we pay special attention to the green construction principles in six areas – sustainable development, water saving, energy efficiency, adequate use of resources and materials, quality of interior and implementing circular economy principles at the micro level. When it comes to the social component, we think long-term and comprehensively about all categories of the community, including our employees, whom we support through the implementation of internal and external programmes for professional and personal development. On the other hand, we assist tenants, building users, businesses and the general public by organizing educational ESG programmes throughout our network of shopping centres. We use all communication channels, with a strong focus on digital ones, to inform the community about our activities and thus raise environmental awareness. We present expertise by participating in panel discussions and supporting green initiatives in cooperation with international and non-governmental organizations, embassies, universities, institutes and companies.

IN FOCUS:

Q. How do you implement projects in the company’s management system?

A. The company’s management system is transparently presented in the GRI Sustainability Report, which is publicly available on the company’s website. All projects are implemented through a multi-stage tender process, where expertise, quality, transparency and anti-corruption are important segments when selecting project partners. We cooperate with the most competent experts, such as the companies Energo Energy Efficiency Engineering, MT-KOMEX, Sauter Building Control and Avalon Partners. We have established strategic partnerships with global and local institutions such as UNDP Serbia, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, the Faculty of Biology, CEUS and Mihajlo Pupin Institute. MPC is also an active member of the Green Building Council of Serbia.

Q. In which way do you implement the waste management process?

A. The VOLK SERB Company is a longterm partner and collaborator of the MPC system in the waste management process. Currently, the process is taking place following the legal regulations, implementing innovative, world-class solutions, and forming a long-term plan that will follow both EU regulations and the Green Agenda strategy in Serbia. Cooperation with tenants is crucial. Of course, implementing new processes requires additional effort from all participants, but education facilitates and ensures the success of new practices. One of the implemented innovative solutions for managing organic waste generated at the UŠĆE complex is using a compost machine, which we procured following a public call for submission of tenders launched by UNDP Serbia in cooperation with the Embassy of Japan.

Interviewed by: Mirjana Vujadinović Tomevski

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS

SOLAR ENERGY FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN AUSTRALIA

12.03.2024

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Louis Reed)

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ANSTO), located in Clayton, about 20 kilometres from Melbourne, has taken a significant step in the energy transition, and has become an example of green transformation in the scientific community. As one of the leading national research institutes, ANSTO has recognized the need to reduce its operational costs as well as its impact on the environment, especially if one takes into account the large amounts of electricity required for such research.

ANSTO is home to the Australian Synchrotron, an advanced research facility using particle accelerator technology. By accelerating electrons close to the speed of light, the synchrotron produces intense light that allows scientists to study in detail the structure and properties of materials at the atomic and molecular levels. Medicine, biology, chemistry, engineering and physics are just some of the sciences where discoveries such as new materials or new drugs are made.

In order to produce and consume electricity more efficiently, economically and cleanly, ANSTO has installed more than 3,200 solar panels on the roofs of its facilities, including on the impressive circular roof of the main synchrotron building. The 6,600-square-metre roof covered with solar panels will allow ANSTO to produce more than two million kWh of electricity annually, while reducing CO2 emissions by more than 1,680 tonnes every year until 2029, according to the organization’s website.

By using solar energy, ANSTO significantly reduces operating costs, which allows for additional investments in research capacity and expansion of scientific capabilities, while preserving the planet for future generations.

Energy portal

ITALY COULD GET A FLOATING HYBRID POWER PLANT

11.03.2024

Two years ago, an offshore wind farm was commissioned in Italy, a significant development since this was the first such project in the Mediterranean basin.

Now, Italy plans to build a large floating hybrid power plant in the Gulf of Taranto, which will produce electricity from two renewable sources – wind and sun.

As for the capacity of this hybrid power plant, the solar segment will have an installed power of 120MW, while the 28 wind turbines will add another 420MW, which makes a total of 540MW, according to Italian media.

As reported, the floating hybrid power plant will be commissioned in 2028 and estimates are that it will produce more than 160GWh annually.

Following events that have affected almost the entire planet, such as the COVID-19-induced crisis and the events in Ukraine, Italy has drawn up a recovery and resilience plan, which was last updated on December 8, 2023. One of the measures is the simplification of the procedure for issuing permits for the construction of renewable energy sources, as a token of the country’s effort in increasing the use of clean energy.

Italy occupies third place on the list of the most successful solar markets in the European Union in 2023, with 4.9GW of installed power. Moreover, the country is one of the fastest-growing EU markets, which is also shown by the fact that it doubled its clean energy market growth compared to 2022.

In addition to solar and wind energy, geothermal and hydropower are the main sources of renewable energy in Italy.

Energy portal

GERMANY: WIND POWER EXCEEDS THE SHARE OF COAL IN ELECTRICITY GENERATION

11.03.2024

windfarm_vetroelektrana — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Nicholas Doherty)

In 2023, Germany achieved more good results when it came to electricity production. According to the data collated by the Federal Statistical Office – Destatis, last year this country produced 11.8 percent less electricity than in 2022.

However, it should be taken into account that the amount of imported electricity in 2023 increased by 40 percent, which is the first time since 2002 that Germany imported more electricity than it exported.

In total production, renewable energy sources had a share of as much as 56 percent, while in the previous year, this share stood at 46.3 percent and electricity production from conventional sources fell by 27.8 percent compared to 2022.

Looking at renewable sources individually, wind energy has increased by 13.8 percent in 2023. It should be noted that wind energy, with a 31-percent-share, was the most important source of energy in Germany last year.

The transmission of electricity from this source reached a new maximum of 139.3 billion kilowatt hours in 2023, surpassing the previous peak in 2020 of 128.7 billion kilowatt-hours, according to the Destatis website.

Moreover, last year, wind energy surpassed the share of coal in the production of electricity. More precisely, in 2022, coal was the most important energy source with 33.2 percent, while wind energy’s share was much lower, only 24 percent. Although wind occupied the first place, coal was the second most important energy source in 2023.

Regarding other energy sources, natural gas increased by 3.9 percent to a 13.6-percent-share in 2023.

Due to the shutdown of the last nuclear power plants in April 2023, the electricity delivered from nuclear plants dropped significantly compared to the previous year and accounted for only 1.5 percent of the delivered electricity. In 2022, it accounted for 6.4 percent.

Energy portal

SUPPORTING A BETTER LIFE FOR CITIZENS AND A MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE SOCIETY

10.03.2024

Anon-profit, regional organization that advocates for socio-economic development, environmental protection and improvement of civil society, the Foundation for the Development of Northern Montenegro (FORS Montenegro) was founded 17 years ago, based on the idea of helping municipalities, public institutions, and public companies implement strategies and action plans, under the auspice of projects funded by the European Union programme. FORS has different fields of activity – from ecology, health and emergency situations to sports, culture and other areas.

We spoke with Veselin Šturanović, Executive Director of FORS Montenegro, about the Foundation’s work, its contribution to improving the quality of life of citizens, projects to improve environmental protection, the interest shown by municipalities and public companies in cooperation with the Foundation, as well as the well-deserved recognition.

He says that initially, the Foundation mainly worked with municipalities from the northern part of Montenegro – Pljevlja, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Nikšić, Plav and Rožaje. Still, over time, their work spread to the entire country. The Foundation is exclusively project-oriented and has no other income, so the team size depends on the number of projects they implement.

“There are four people in our permanent team, and when the number of projects increases, we hire more associates. We consistently perform tasks and try to raise the figurative bar every day because it is beneficial for achieving a good working form,” says Mr. Šturanović and adds that their job is not easy because there are no working hours. They are always available to their partners. Because they are convinced that they are doing the right thing, the work at the Foundation is fulfilling, and because of that, it is much easier to do it.

IN FOCUS:

Q: In what way and through which projects do you contribute to boosting environmental protection and the development of the local community?

A: The environment is one of the directions the Foundation focuses on, and the current situation in that segment could be better because worldwide, countries need to pay attention to the warnings our planet has been sending us. As part of the projects, we cooperate with services responsible for environmental protection, which can adopt preventive and punitive policy measures. Those two things should work side by side, and we must not give up on insisting that everyone is sanctioned in line with the relevant regulations and in proportion to the violation they committed. Combining these two factors and the proper application of regulations should bring better results.

Our task is to help public services that deal with the environment in various ways, helping them acquire proper equipment, like a utility company getting a waste collection truck, acquire the equipment they need or help them replace the worn one. Our goal is to inform the state and local decision-makers with the data and analysis that will serve them in planning and adopting acts required for regulating disposal and waste management. We are also trying to help them do their job better to meet the needs of citizens in the best possible way, which is our general goal.

Via projects such as the Cross-Border Initiative for Environmental Protection and the Cross-Border Green Deal, we try to help as much as possible. The goal of the first project, which was implemented in Nikšić and Trebinje, was to boost the capacity of institutions dealing with environmental protection through training, procurement of valuable equipment and vehicles for rubbish removal and inspection activities, as well as informing the population about the importance of improving the solid waste management system and complying with standards.

The goal of the second project, which is underway, is to improve the quality of services in the environmental protection and waste management sectors and raise the population’s awareness about the importance of environmentally responsible behavior in preserving the environment and natural resources. The second project envisages the procurement of rubbish collection vehicles for the utility company in Berane and the procurement of all-terrain vehicles for environmental protection services. We will start implementing the NRGCOM project (Creating Adequate Operational Conditions for Energy-Sustainable Communities in the Danube Region). In addition to us from Montenegro, our project partners come from Serbia and ten other countries located in the Danube Basin. The project goal is to encourage the expansion of energy communities by creating an appropriate environment for their adequate functioning.

Q: How do you identify problems that need to be solved or improved? Why did you choose the slogan “Action, Not Words”?

A: Every person who shares a problem they face in business helps us draft a project. We don’t just sit in an office the entire day; we talk to people, analyze their needs, and put them in the context of a valid strategy in that area. Then, we compare it with what the donor requires and single out the best ideas. We chose the motto “Action, Not Words” because we don’t want to talk too much – anyone can do that. We want to show through action what we support. This, in our opinion, is the only correct way.

Q: Why do donors choose to cooperate with FORS? What is the basic criterion for supporting your projects?

A: FORS gets projects only at competitions launched in the EU, as the EU is our main donor. They search for organizations that can best fulfil their mission and goals. Our experience is that those organizations that best represent what they want to achieve will get funding for their project. It is also very important if a certain organization has experience in the respective field, has previously successfully implemented projects in similar fields, and has established capacities to administratively and financially implement what it proposed in the project. These factors are considered when projects are evaluated, and they will tell you whether you are above or below the line for approval. Those below the line will take a chance next time.

Interviewed by: Mirjana Vujadinović Tomevski

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS

CHARGE&GO EXPANDS ITS NETWORK TO THE REGIONAL MARKET IN 2024

09.03.2024

The issue of electromobility in Serbia is becoming more and more topical, and there are more and more electric vehicles in traffic. Experts in this field expect around 4,000 electric cars to be registered in our country in the coming year, but this is still a small number to discuss the market for these vehicles.

On the other hand, the leaders of the company Charge&GO are working hard to develop electromobility in our country and expand their network of chargers. The plans for the next year are ready and written in detail. The beginning of January will mark the expansion to the Macedonian market, then to the territories of Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Many chargers are ready for the entire area of North Macedonia, and the company will announce the exact locations soon.

Along with the expansion of the network of chargers in the company Charge&GO, they are working hard on perfecting the application that is available for IOS and Android phones. All users of this application can easily see the entire list of chargers in their country, as well as in the countries of the region and the whole of Europe. The process of using the application is completely simplified. The plan is to add a favorite charger section, making charging easier for users. They will no longer have to search for chargers, but with one click, they will choose one of the chargers that suit them best and that they have saved in the application.

IN FOCUS:

Twenty-four-hour customer support is available from November 21 for users with any problems while charging or registering. If a customer needs immediate on-site support, whether it’s a question about using a charger or they need help registering or downloading an app, customer support is there for customers at any time of the day or night to solve a problem or provide advice. If a more detailed answer is needed, the case is forwarded to another department, and the client receives the answer the next day.

The Charge&GO application works according to the prepaid and postpaid system, depending on the client’s choice. Suppose the user of the network registers as a legal entity until the end of the current year. In that case, he has at his disposal a free charger visibility service abroad through the Charge&GO application, while charging is charged at the prices that are more common in the country where the charger is used.

To influence the increase of electromobility, the company plans to enable individuals to charge their vehicles abroad as well. From February 2024, anyone who plans to travel abroad with an electric car will have the opportunity to sign a postpaid service contract and will have the opportunity to use roaming charging services. This practically means that during the period spent abroad, he will be able to charge his car at any charger and pay the bill for these services at the end of the month. An application will not even be needed for abroad; it is possible to use an RFID card after crossing the border, with which vehicles can be charged at almost 400,000 chargers of the largest European e-roaming network.

Prepared by: Milica Radičević

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS

Belgrade Car Show and Motopassion from 21 to 27 March 2024

09.03.2024

There are no unknowns when it comes to holding the DDOR BG Car Show 08 and the 16th Motopassion International Motorcycle Fair. This unique fair manifestation and the most significant annual event in Southeast Europe’s automotive and motorcycle industry sector will be held at the Belgrade Fair in the traditional spring term from March 21 to 27, 2024.

For the eighth time in this fair format, exhibitors and visitors will be able to see for themselves the importance of sustainability and technological progress in the automotive and motorcycle industry, as well as to explore a wide range of vehicles and a variety of engines, including electric cars, hybrids and those with classic engines, and to get to know with the latest trends and learn more about the future of mobility.

According to the announcements of the participants and organizers, about thirty car brands and as many motorcycle brands will be presented in the fair halls. About 40 new models are expected in the auto sector and more than that number in the motorcycle sector. The Serbian Association of Vehicles and Parts Importers, which gathers all potential exhibitors at the fair, has also announced for this fair the presentation of all new models from all brands represented on our market, the latest achievements of the entire auto-moto industry and the most diverse possible range of performance, design, technical and technological innovative solutions in all sectors of this industry. It is about new technologies that are current in the auto industry today and those that will be in the near future.

IN FOCUS:

The fact that the global trade fair industry concerning the automotive sector is still recovering from the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic also speaks of the potential and impact of an event such as the BG Car Show. In comparison, relatively few car fairs will be organized under the auspices of OICA this year – Washington and Geneva before Belgrade, then Bangkok, Birmingham, Milan-Monza, Hanover (commercial and transport vehicles), Paris and Sofia after. Although it is not under the OICA umbrella, being in such a company for the BG Car Show means prestige and praise for the organizers.

At this fair, the spotlight will be on electric vehicles, their performance, autonomy, the advantages of this technology, charging infrastructure, subsidies, and sustainability. The focus is also on hybrid vehicles, which combine traditional engines and electric drive, and technologies that reduce emissions and save fuel, providing an optimal balance between efficiency and performance. It also includes an exclusive selection of classic cars with improved features, from the latest models of sports cars to luxury sedans. These cars continue to offer top performance and innovative technologies tailored to traditional motor enthusiasts.

We should not forget the increasing interest of both visitors and exhibitors in the sector of the supporting automotive industry, garage-service equipment, spare parts, both standard and universal equipment, and compatible and supporting equipment for environmentally advanced vehicles. An updated, innovative selection of chargers for electric vehicles and solar modules for use in the auto industry and other appropriate infrastructure is also expected.

Exactly the same fair enthusiasm and development logic prevails on the occasion of the Motorcycle Fair – Motopassion, especially because the sale of motorcycles, quads and scooters grows from year to year at a rate of as much as thirty per cent.

The most visible fair participants list includes banks, leasing and insurance companies, professional organizations, clubs, associations and specialized media. Visitors will be offered a rich accompanying professional program, which is full of informative, educational and entertaining content, competitive activities, test drives and other benefits for both exhibitors and visitors.

The BG Car Show was organized as a biennial exhibition and sales event for the first time in 2006 as part of the rearrangement of fairs under the auspices of the OICA, and the traditional International Car Show switched to a biennial rhythm. The BG Car Show has more than successfully replaced the Salon in the years when it was dormant, both in terms of the wealth of content and the interest of exhibitors and visitors.

Source: Belgrade Fair

ABB secures $150 million traction contract to power Australia’s QTMP trains and announces new facility in regional Queensland

08.03.2024

ABB has been awarded a USD$150 million contract in February 2024 to supply complete traction packages, as well as engineering and service support for each of the 65 six-car passenger trains to be delivered by the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program (QTMP) in Australia. As part of the contract, which was awarded by Hyundai Rotem Company (Korea), ABB will also establish a Traction Center of Excellence to support with the production of the traction packages. Hyundai Rotem Company are a joint venture partner with Downer EDI Rail Pty Ltd, the country’s leading provider of through-life asset management for passenger rollingstock.

Downer EDI Rail Pty Ltd was awarded a contract by the Queensland Government to manufacture 65 new electric multiple units (EMUs), a type of train that has multiple carriages or cars, each with its own electric propulsion system. All 65 of these advanced passenger trains are expected to be fully operational by 2032, in time for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. They will be deployed across the Southeast Queensland rail network, including the Cross River Rail, a new rail line in Brisbane. The QTMP will also support Queensland’s population and economic growth with investment in new manufacturing facilities and supporting more than 1,300 jobs in construction, manufacturing and operation over the life of the program.

Edgar Keller, President of ABB’s Traction Division, said: “ABB is honored to play a pivotal role in the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program, delivering cutting-edge technology that propels Australia’s rail infrastructure into a new era. This transformative project not only stands as a testament to our dedication to sustainable and efficient rail networks but also reflects our commitment to supporting local markets and employment opportunities in Australia and New Zealand, to create value through our domain and technology expertise.”

ABB’s traction converters use patented multilevel converter topology. This technology, in conjunction with semiconductor advancements, delivers the most efficient traction chain on the market. This offers reduced operating costs, a smaller environmental footprint, lower audible noise and reduced mechanical stress. To support the project, ABB is establishing a local Traction Center of Excellence, which will include a traction converter, traction motor and battery service center, in Maryborough, Queensland. With the transfer of production of traction converters and traction motors to Australia, ABB is not only creating new job opportunities, but is also helping to develop the local industry’s knowledge around traction systems which is one of the most complex sub-systems of trains. Furthermore, the establishment of the new facility will also ensure that customers of ABB in Australia and New Zealand are better served.

Source: ABB

WHICH KIND OF PACKAGING WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE EU’S LIST OF BANNED PRODUCTS?

08.03.2024

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Rich Smith)

The European Union continues to tackle environmental, plastic and waste-related issues. There is an agreement in place between the European Parliament and the Council on the revision of existing rules regulating the use and recycling of packaging waste, to improve the sustainability and safety of packaging used in the EU.

Certain single-use plastic products such as plastic straws, cutlery, plates, balloon sticks, cups and food and drink containers made from polystyrene are banned under the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive, as well as all products made from oxo-degradable plastic. The EU has also looked at many other materials and microplastics and is gradually tightening its rules.

As each European produces almost 190 kilogrammes of this type of waste per year, the new initiative aims to ensure that all packaging can be recycled, to drastically reduce unnecessary and harmful packaging and to increase the use of recycled content in new packaging materials.

As stated on the European Parliament’s official website, certain types of single-use plastic packaging, such as packaging for unprocessed fresh fruits and vegetables and food and drinks used in cafes and restaurants, such as sachets for spices, sauce, sugar and the like, mini packaging for cosmetic products and shrink wrap for suitcases at airports will be included in the list of banned packaging from January 1st, 2030.

Also, the use of PFAS substances in packaging that comes into contact with food will be banned. The mentioned substances are synthetic chemicals used to achieve higher packaging resistance. Although often useful for waterproof clothing, firefighting foam and many others, they will not be used in food packaging.

The targets also apply to food suppliers who should provide their own containers for their customers and should have at least 10 per cent of their products packaged in reusable packaging.

The decision to implement these new rules reflects a broad commitment to reducing the environmental impact of packaging, thus encouraging the use of sustainable materials and innovation in the packaging industry.

Energy portal

HOW CAN SATELLITES AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REDUCE METHANE EMISSIONS?

07.03.2024

technology-2609356_1920 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay (StockSnap)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Amelia Bates)

Although it seems that in the fight against the climate crisis, the strongest focus is on reducing carbon dioxide emissions, last year’s UN Conference on Climate Change showed that there is a problem that needs to be addressed even more urgently and that is methane emissions. Methane is a gas that has an even stronger greenhouse effect than carbon dioxide. An assessment by the International Energy Agency (IEA) showed that man-made methane is responsible for about 30 per cent of the global temperature increase that has taken place in recent years. Countries around the world have come to grips with this gas, enacting various legal obligations, penalties and recommendations to combat this problem, but it is very difficult to assess to what extent they are enforced. Here, three factors come to the rescue – satellites, algorithms and artificial intelligence.

By joining forces, Google and the Environmental Defense Fund have come up with a way in which the aforementioned three factors can contribute to the reduction of methane emissions. The Environmental Protection Fund’s new satellite, named MethaneSAT, will locate and measure emissions from oil and gas operations around the planet, as these industries represent the second largest source of human-caused methane emissions after agriculture. Although there are already satellites that monitor global methane emissions, this satellite has been significantly improved so that it can record with much greater precision the specific locations from which these emissions are released. According to reports, the satellite will orbit the Earth 15 times a day at an altitude of over 350 miles.

What role does Google play?

Google Maps is perhaps the most well-known online service created by this company when it comes to data and illustrations generated by satellites. Google Earth could be classified as a more advanced form of map, as it offers a 3D view of our planet, with additional interesting features. You can travel to many locations on our planet and use the “pin” option to go down to a certain street, and then move along it and thus see the actual recorded footage. By increasing the advanced capabilities of such online services, we arrive at one that answers the question as to what role Google plays in all of this – it is the Google Earth Engine platform for monitoring the environment on a planetary level.

The Environmental Protection Fund’s vision is to make data collected by satellites available to interested parties around the world to accelerate efforts in reducing methane in the oil and gas industry.

Availability, visualization and additional benefits will be available thanks to the aforementioned platform which generates a multitude of geospatial data and tools – both satellite images and written concrete data – for their analysis in one place. Once the information collected by the MethaneSAT satellite is fed into this platform, users will be able to combine it with other environmental data sets and analyze it using a variety of tools. In order to implement all this, computers used for this purpose have to provide fast and secure processing of a large amount of data, which is again made possible by Google Cloud.

The satellite is supposed to be launched next month. Humanity has benefitted a lot from the use of such satellites in the past, but it remains to be seen whether this way of mapping methane-emission locations will really help to reduce this problem.

Katarina Vuinac

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