EBRD Finances First-Ever Green Taxi Project

10.07.2022

More than 60 per cent of the nearly 900,000 residents of Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s capital and the country’s largest municipality will now be able to enjoy environmentally friendlier and safer taxi rides thanks to the introduction of electric taxis, a project supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

The latest project under the EBRD Green Cities programme for Dushanbe will help reduce the environmental impact of the Sayohon taxi company, which operates the popular brand Rakhsh Taxi. A financial package of up to 4.5 million US dollars, mobilised by the EBRD and consisting of an EBRD loan and a grant from the Bank’s Finance and Technology Transfer Centre for Climate Change (FINTECC) programme supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), will allow Sayohon to procure 100 electric vehicles and 30 charging stations as well as to create the necessary charging infrastructure.

Sayohon will not only expand its service but will also reduce CO₂ emissions by 1,240 tonnes per year. The replacement of dated internal combustion engines with electric ones will also allow Rakhsh Taxi to cut emissions of other pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide hat can cause severe respiratory problems.

As part of the project, Sayohon will commit to developing and implementing inclusive employment practices. In particular, it will help increase the number of women employees to at least 20 per cent of the total workforce and launch a specialised training programme for 250 employees on the management of electric vehicles.

Funded by the EBRD and GEF, FINTECC is part of a global drive towards climate technology transfer for developing economies.

EBRD Green Cities is supporting the development and implementation of Dushanbe’s Green City Action Plan (GCAP), a crucial tool to help the city set out its sustainable development vision and strategic objectives, in addition to the actions and investments required to address high-priority environmental issues.

To date, the EBRD has invested 892 million euros through 152 projects in Tajikistan’s economy.

Source: EBRD

A New Declaration to Help Save our Oceans

09.07.2022

rukavica_okean — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Last week, world leaders adopted a landmark declaration at the United Nations’ Ocean Conference in Lisbon to scale up science-based and innovative actions and address the ocean emergency of habitat loss, ocean acidification and ecosystem degradation.

More than 150 countries gathered at the conference, co-hosted by the governments of Portugal and Kenya, agreed to take actions to strengthen, among other things, marine pollution, blue economies and marine protected areas.

Marine pollution

Marine pollution accounts for at least 85 percent of marine waste, and plastic litter is the chief pollutant. Every minute, one garbage truck of plastic is dumped into our ocean. If nothing is done about it, by 2040, the equivalent of 50 kg of plastic per meter of coastline worldwide is projected to flow into the ocean yearly.

The Lisbon declaration “Our ocean, our future, our responsibility”, called on governments to do more to prevent, reduce, and eliminate marine plastic litter – including single-use plastics and microplastics – by contributing to comprehensive life-cycle approaches, encouraging recycling and environmentally sound waste management.

The declaration welcomed the decision made at the fifth UN Environment Assembly held in Nairobi, Kenya, earlier this year to establish an intergovernmental negotiating committee to develop a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. Member States gavelled a historic resolution to forge the agreement by 2024.

Blue economies

It is estimated that by the year 2030, the world’s coastal populations will contribute three trillion dollars to the global economy in sectors as diverse as fisheries, tourism, as well as emerging green and blue economies such as renewable energy and marine biotechnology. Blue economies will be even more crucial to countries across Africa and developing island nations.

The declaration recognized the importance of building sustainable, resilient and inclusive blue economies. This starts with acknowledging that the ocean is fundamental to life on our planet and our future as it provides countless services, including supplying oxygen, contributing to food security, creating countless jobs, and acting as a carbon sink.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Veronica Reverse)

The declaration further affirmed that the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean and the advancement of nature-based solutions are critical to ensuring a sustainable, inclusive and environmentally-resilient recovery from COVID-19, which has disproportionately hit developing nations.

Marine protected areas

Marine Protected Areas offer one of the best options for maintaining and restoring the health of the ocean by protecting species and ecosystems, engaging stakeholders in the planning and fair sharing of benefits and ensuring the long-term sustainable use of natural resources and tourism incomes.

Research shows that strong governance, in accordance with national legislation and international law, has the potential to influence human behaviors and reduce human-induced impacts on marine and coastal ecosystems.

The declaration acknowledged the need to establish greater, better-managed Marine Protected Areas. It noted the voluntary commitments by more than 100 Member States to conserve or protect at least 30 percent of the global ocean within Marine Protected Areas and other area-based conservation measures by 2030.

Indigenous Peoples, data, women and girls

Participating countries also agreed to take actions to strengthen, among other things, data collection; recognition of the role indigenous people play in sharing innovation and best practices; and participation of women and girls in the ocean-based economy.

Now that the global effort to protect our ocean has a new beginning, as Leticia Carvalho, Principal Coordinator of the Marine and Freshwater Branch at UN Environment Programme (UNEP) says, the work that lies ahead should be “driven by science, technology, innovation and finance.”

Source: UNEP

Wind Farm Crni Vrh Worth EUR 100 Million One Step Closer To Construction

07.07.2022

vetroparkovi — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Xin)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Appolinary Kalashnikova)

The wind farm Crni Vrh, which will be located on the tripoint between Zagubica, Bor and Majdanpek, is a step closer to construction. The carrier of the project, “CRNI VRH POWER” d.o.o. Zagubica, has filed the request for giving approval for the Study of the Environmental Impact Assessment of the Project for the Construction of the Wind Farm “VE Crni Vrh” to the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

The wind farm will be built on cadaster parcels in the territory of the city of Bor, KO Zagubica and KO Laznica-Seliste in the territory of the municipality of Zagubica and KO Vlaole in the territory of the municipality of Majdanpek.

As announced earlier, the value of this local investment in the wind farm is estimated at around EUR 100 million. The installation of 32 wind generators – 11 in the territory of Bor, 4 in the territory of Majdanpek and 17 in the territory of Zagubica – is planned within the wind farm area.

In the past years, Bor has been interesting to investors in wind farms. At a recent session of the City Council of Bor, the draft decision on the preparation of the detailed regulation plan of the area of the wind farm Snaga Istoka, in the territory of the city, was adopted unanimously. As announced on the city’s website, the wind farm will spread along the stretch of Veliki Krs, Stol Mountain and Deli Jovan “with a power of 450 megawatt-hours”. The deadline for the preparation of the plan is one year.

Source: eKapija

Shell to Build Europe’s Largest Renewable Hydrogen Plant

07.07.2022

Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Marc Rentschler)

Shell, the Anglo-Dutch oil and gas company, plans to build Europe’s largest green hydrogen plant in Rotterdam, which will become operational in 2025, the energy giant announced on Wednesday (6 July).

According to a statement by Shell, the new hydrogen plant, Holland Hyrdogen I, will be able to produce up to 60,000 kilograms of renewable hydrogen per day. The renewable power will come from an offshore wind farm in Hollandse Kust, also partly owned by Shell.

The hydrogen produced will supply Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rotterdam by replacing some grey hydrogen usage within the facilities.

“Holland Hydrogen I demonstrates how new energy solutions can work together to meet society’s need for cleaner energy. It is also another example of Shell’s own efforts and commitment to become a net-zero emissions business by 2050,” said Executive Vice President Emerging Energy Solutions at Shell, Anna Mascolo.

“Renewable hydrogen will play a pivotal role in the energy system of the future, and this project is an important step in helping hydrogen fulfil that potential,” she added.

The creation of Holland Hydrogen I marks a significant milestone for both the Netherlands and Shell in the hydrogen economy, the press release concludes.

Source: EURACTIV.com

The construction of the first bifacial and the largest solar power plant in Serbia begins

06.07.2022

Bifacial solar power plants are becoming an increasingly common choice for investors due to their ability to collect the sunlight that bounce off the substrate and produce electricity more efficiently than power plants with monofacial panels.

The company MT-Komex was entrusted with the construction of the first bifacial solar power plant in Serbia, which will also be the largest solar power plant in the country at the moment.

The power plant will be located on the Toyo Tires company’s property. The construction contract was signed between the deputy general manager of Toyo Tires, Kenichiro Takasago, and the director of the MT-Komex, Miloš Kostić.

“The global goal of Toyo Tires is to become carbon neutral, and investing in renewable energy sources is the best choice. This is the right moment for us to build a solar power plant in Serbia because the laws regarding renewable energy have changed so that we can acquire the status of a prosumer. On the other hand, we have a large area of land at our disposal,” said Takasago for Energy Portal.

He adds that the solar plant will cover 10 to 15 per cent of Toyo Tires’ annual electricity needs, proving that the tire industry consumes a lot of electricity and is therefore under tremendous pressure to decarbonize as soon as possible.

Takasago announces that tire production will begin at the end of July, while the complete production equipment and the solar power plant will be in operation by the end of the year.

“We are planning to have a ceremonial opening of our solar power plant, which will be visited by people from the Government, other countries, even from Japan. This will be a really significant event both for MT-Komex, who built it and for us,” says Takasago.

When it comes to choosing a contractor, Takasago notes that they were looking for a company that would be their partner and help them make decisions about the construction of the power plant, and they found it all in MT-Komex.

“We are extremely honored that such a serious company as Toyo Tires entrusted us with the construction of the largest solar power plant on the ground, which has the power of 8.4 MW, i.e. active connection power of 7.2 MW. Our company, with 13 years of experience in the development, design and construction of solar power plants, managed to win this job at the tender as the most serious bidder,” said MT-Komex director Miloš Kostić.

He adds that in addition to Toyo Tires, MT-Komex is building solar power plants both on roofs of production halls and on the ground.

“Our team consists of 30 engineers/experts for renewable energy sources and 50 installers/electric fitters specially trained for the construction of solar power plants with many years of experience,” says Kostić.

Solar panels on 8.2 hectares

Toyo Tires’ solar power plant will be located on the ground and will cover 8.2 hectares. The annual electricity production will amount to 10,148,927 kWh, which will save 8,119,141 kg of carbon dioxide annually.

MT-Komex decided to use a special construction that will allow bifacial solar panels to produce electricity 15 per cent more efficiently compared to classic, monofacial power plants.

The plan for this power plant is to acquire the status of buyer-producer, that is, to use green electricity for its own needs, while all excess will be handed over to the electricity distribution network.

The solar power plant construction will be completed by the end of this year when it will be put into operation.

Milena Maglovski

How to Create Favorable Environment for Investment and Innovation?

06.07.2022

More than 30 years ago, an international financial institution was established in the British capital, whose main goal was to support the transition from a centrally planned economy to an open market and democracy in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall. This institution, whose name is European and capital mostly American, is still considered a major investor in the private and public sector in 38 countries in Europe and Asia.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development started the first program in our country through assistance to FR Yugoslavia in 2001. Francesco Corbo, Regional Head Energy Europe for Western Balkans and Croatia at EBRD, told us about the EBRD’s priorities today compared to those two decades ago and what has changed in the EBRD’s operations in this area.

EP: It has been announced that from the end of 2022, all EBRD activity will be aligned with one aim: to help countries meet their goals under the Paris Agreement. It sounds like a huge volume of work. What does this actually comprise?

Francesco Corbo: The EBRD Climate Ambition Resolution includes the commitment to align all Bank activities with the objectives of the Paris Agreement by 2022. The Bank is assessing its direct and indirect investments for Paris alignment using methodologies developed jointly with other MDBs. In a nutshell, a project must meet several conditions to be determined as Paris aligned: consistency with a long-term low-carbon development strategy, a low likelihood of carbon lock-in – to give assurance that the project does not enable an emissions-intensive asset to continue operating when economically viable lower-carbon options could replace it, physical climate risks have been identified and addressed, and the activities do not undermine climate resilience in the local context.

The EBRD has been supporting its COO efforts to develop their low-carbon and climate-resilient policy roadmaps at the economy-wide and sectoral levels. Additionally, we work with clients to help them assess climate risks and to integrate climate resilience considerations into their operations.

EP: Many cities have joined the EBRD programme Green Cities, Belgrade and Skoplje among them. What can you tell us about the support the cities are getting through this programme, and when do you expect the results to be visible to their citizens?

Francesco Corbo: EBRD Green Cities is an initiative which supports cities to identify and plan priority investments that can help them become more sustainable, resilient and, in general, improve the quality of the environment. Participating cities receive assistance from the EBRD in developing feasibility studies, following which they can consider which projects should be their priority investment in the future. The EBRD and donors provide financing for these investments, and there have been lots of developments in the region. For example, in Sarajevo, as part of this programme, we financed energy efficiency improvements in public buildings, new electric trolleybuses, upgrade of water and sewerage network etc. These are the projects where citizens can see obvious results with better services of public utility companies, improved quality of air etc.

In focus:

EP: The EBRD has a certain fund for investments in green energy transition projects. What does this portfolio include? Is it more energy efficiency or renewable energy sources inclined to?

Francesco Corbo: Green energy transition projects cannot happen without enabling policies. We work with all governments in the region to strengthen their energy sector policy frameworks and align them with relevant EU Directives. On renewables, we are working in Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo*, North Macedonia and Serbia to introduce renewable auctions, helping policy-makers design and implement competitive bidding schemes that will aim to add up to more than 1GW of solar and wind capacity once implemented.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Dimitrije Milenković)

A key principle of EBRD support is that the framework needs to be replicable and scalable – therefore, the EBRD is not just supporting the first 100 MW project but laying the foundation for the first 1,000 or even 10,000 MW. Some results are beginning to come in as our first solar auction for 140MW in Albania, which yielded a price of below 25 EUR/MWh, with bids opened during the first wave of the pandemic in May 2020. This result sent a strong signal to other countries in the region, and the success was replicated when Albania concluded a follow-up solar PV auction in March last year.

And under the Regional Energy Efficiency Programme, REEP, we have delivered in total more than 75 policy products that promote energy efficiency markets. Most of these policies refer to improving energy performance in buildings. The building sector accounts for over 40 percent of total energy consumption in the Western Balkans, and renovating public and private buildings to meet minimum energy performance standards can make a very significant contribution to national decarbonisation goals. Such works also directly improve the living standards of citizens.

EP: The EBRD has invested more than EUR 6.6 billion across 286 projects in the country to date. Would you say it has been a success for one institutional investor so far, and please highlight some of the projects that could be considered the ones that have brought the most benefits?

Francesco Corbo: To date, the EBRD has invested over EUR 7.3 billion in Serbia in close to 300 projects since 2001. The impact of our investments is visible in a stronger banking sector and better access to finance for SMEs, in the stronger private sector and local corporates that we supported to become regional champions and brands, like MK Group or Bambi, Knjaz Miloš and Nektar, in hundreds of women-led businesses that we supported with finance and advisory. We also contributed to better roads and railway connectivity which we supported with our partners EU and WBIF, better wastewater infrastructure in Subotica and urban transport in Belgrade and Novi Sad, to name only a few examples. More recently, we support Serbia’s efforts to improve waste management infrastructure, which is a sector that has been neglected for years. We finance the construction of the new landfill in Vinča and waste-to-energy plant, as well as several regional landfills across the country. This will help build modern waste management infrastructure in the country and provide new services to citizens, encouraging them to sort and recycle household waste.

Interviewed by: Nevena Đukić

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

SEEGAS Sets Out Possible Measures to Mitigate Gas Supply Risks in Case of Russian Gas Disruption

05.07.2022

gas_pipeline_gasovod — Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Quinten de Graaf)

The Energy Community held its fourth South-East European Gas (SEEGAS) Joint Steering Committee meeting in Vienna on 30 June and 1 July. Participants agreed that the risks of a Russian gas supply disruption in the region can only be addressed through further market integration and the harmonisation of market rules, as well as trading and post-trading structures on regional gas exchanges. The meeting focused on how to fast-track the integration of gas infrastructure and markets in central, southern and eastern Europe. In order to react to the ongoing gas crisis effectively, the meeting was joined by representatives from the European Commission, ACER, EBRD, USAID, ENTSOG, Europex and EFET.

An internal Energy Community risk assessment found that three Energy Community Contracting Parties – Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova and North Macedonia – might be highly exposed to disruptions because of reliance on limited infrastructure and insufficient financial resources to secure alternative natural gas supplies.

Participants agreed that the delay in signing interconnection agreements between Bulgaria – Turkey and Bulgaria – North Macedonia was one of the biggest regional challenges and the Bulgarian gas transmission system operator, Bulgartransgaz, welcomed proposed assistance from the EU to accelerate the process.

In this context, participants acknowledged the value of the SEEGAS project, which provides a much-needed platform for Energy Community and EU stakeholders to discuss critical issues including the importance of having in place interconnection agreements between EU Member States and Energy Community Contracting Parties, access to supplies and transmission capacity and removing regulatory bottlenecks. The Energy Community Secretariat will propose solutions on how these challenges could be overcome in a study to be published in September 2022.

The Ukrainian gas transmission operator GTSOU and the storage operator Ukrtransgaz also highlighted the importance of European companies working together with Ukraine to transit gas via this country and to store it in its facilities. Ukrtransgaz said over 1,000 domestic and non-resident clients had signed contracts to store gas in Ukraine in recent years and pointed out that many companies could use Ukrainian storage facilities to comply with EU-mandated targets for 2022.

The meeting took stock of plans by the EU to introduce a joint procurement platform and discussed the introduction of possible new measures including a gas price cap or destination clauses on volumes sourced via the joint procurement platform. Representatives of regional exchanges illustrated the impact of the recent price volatility and national government measures to stabilize markets on liquidity.

The SEEGAS Joint Steering Committee welcomed the decision of the EBRD to expand the Crisis Response Package currently supporting Ukraine and Moldova to neighboring countries.

Detailed information can be found in the conclusions of the meeting.

About SEEGAS: chaired by the Secretariat, SEEGAS is a well-established platform bringing together gas transmission system operators, gas exchanges and other stakeholders in the SEEGAS region to work together to support the creation of a competitive liquid gas market in accordance with the EU acquis, and ultimately benefit end-consumers through increased competition in gas trading.

Source: Energy Community

No Basis To Classify Lithium As Hazardous, Industry Groups Say

05.07.2022

Photo-illustration: Pixabay (andreas160578)

Electric vehicle battery material lithium should not be classified as a hazardous substance by the European Union because the scientific evidence on which the proposal is based is weak, seven industry groups said.

Lithium was added to the EU’s list of critical raw materials in 2020 because it is important for electric vehicles which are key to meeting targets for cutting carbon emissions.

The proposal by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), which cited studies based on lithium containing medicines used over the long term as a treatment for mood disorders, wants to classify lithium salts as dangerous for human health.

“The analysis finds only a quite weak association” between lithium exposure and developmental effects, said Violaine Verougstraete, chemicals management director at Eurometaux, which represents the metal industry.

“For fertility, the opinion is based on selected studies with serious limitations, contradicted by more robust guideline studies which showed no effect of lithium exposure.”

EU member states are currently giving their views on the proposal to a committee which meets on July 5-6 to discuss chemicals including lithium that have been recommended for classification as dangerous.

A final decision is expected at the end of 2022 or beginning of 2023.

Classifying lithium as dangerous would have a major impact on Europe’s energy transition goals, the industry groups including Eurometaux and Recharge, the European industry association for rechargeable lithium batteries, said in a letter to the EU.

“Europe is at a critical period in its energy transition, needing to stimulate new investment into a full electric vehicle battery value chain,” the groups said.

“Europe is playing catch-up with China, which is already over a decade ahead, now controlling most global processing for lithium and other battery metals … Europe has a narrowing window of opportunity to attract the investments needed, and lithium is a central material to our success.”

Classifying lithium as hazardous will hamper investment in European refining and recycling capacity and give an advantage to companies in the electric vehicle battery supply chain outside the European Union, the letter said.

The proposal doesn’t ban lithium imports, but if legislated it will add to costs for processing companies from more stringent rules controlling processing, packaging and storage.

Source: EURACTIV

EU – New Zealand Trade Agreement: Unlocking sustainable economic growth

04.07.2022

kontejneri_za_transport — Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Sebastian Herrmann)

The EU and New Zealand have today concluded negotiations for a Trade Agreement, which is set to open significant economic opportunities for companies and consumers on both sides. The deal also includes unprecedented sustainability commitments, including respect of the Paris Climate Agreement and core labour rights, which are enforceable through trade sanctions as a last resort.

Bilateral trade is expected to grow by up to 30 per cent thanks to this deal, with EU annual exports potentially growing by up to 4.5 billion euros. EU investment into New Zealand has a potential to grow by up to 80 per cent. The deal can cut some 140 million euros a year in duties for EU companies from the first year of application.

“New Zealand is a key partner for us in the Indo-Pacific region. This trade agreement brings major opportunities for our companies, our farmers and our consumers, on both sides. It can help increase trade between us by 30 per cent. It includes unprecedented social and climate commitments. This new agreement between the European Union and New Zealand comes at an important geopolitical moment. Democracies – like ours – work together and deliver for people”, said European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen.

New export opportunities for businesses big and small

The agreement will provide new opportunities for businesses by:

-Eliminating all tariffs on EU exports to New Zealand.

-Opening the New Zealand services market in key sectors such as financial services, telecommunications, maritime transport and delivery services.

-Ensuring non-discriminatory treatment to EU investors in New Zealand and vice versa.

-Improving access for EU companies to New Zealand government procurement contracts for goods, services, works and works concessions. The New Zealand procurement market is worth some 60 billion euros a year.

-Facilitating data flows, predictable and transparent rules for digital trade and a secure online environment for consumers.

-Preventing unjustified data localisation requirements and maintaining the high standards of personal data protection.

-Helping small businesses export more through a dedicated chapter on small and medium enterprises.

-Significantly reducing compliance requirement and procedures to allow for quicker flow of goods.

-Significant commitments by New Zealand to protect and enforce intellectual property rights, aligned with EU standards.

Source: European Commission

EBRD and EU to Support Transition to Solar Energy in North Macedonia

04.07.2022

Decarbonisation plans in North Macedonia are taking a big leap forward. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is lending EUR 25 million to ESM, the state-owned electricity company, to build a 30 MW photovoltaic (PV) project consisting of 10 MW on a portion of the exhausted coal mine of thermal power plant Oslomej, and 20 MW adjacent to the thermal power plant Bitola. The European Union (EU) is also supporting this development with a EUR 5 million grant funded through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF).

Andi Aranitasi, EBRD Head of North Macedonia, said: “This is a very important project for the country’s energy transition. It is a continuation of our previous work in backing the ambitious decarbonisation plans of North Macedonia by organising solar PV tenders and constructing the first-ever utility scale solar PV plant in the country. The project will help to address the need for energy security and sustainability in a competitive and affordable manner, through investments that will create high-quality jobs and new business ecosystems, while reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.”

The new solar plants are an extension of the first 10 MW PV plant constructed on the exhausted coal mines in Oslomej and are evidence of ESM’s and the country’s decarbonisation pathway. Once operational, the new facilities will produce nearly 48 GWh of electricity a year – enough to power 10,000 homes and replace 44,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The project will also support ESM’s efforts to rehabilitate the mine sites that used to supply the thermal power plants with coal.

Ambassador David Geer, Head of the EU Delegation to North Macedonia said: “We are seeing concrete actions in materialising the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans and in turning the Economic and Investment Plan into reality. The WBIF investment grant and the EBRD Loan, supporting the transformation of Oslomej and Bitola power plants from coal based to solar energy, represent a clear indication that the country is taking the right steps – moving to green energy, while implementing a socially just transition process. This investment was long overdue, and comes at the right time for North Macedonia, ensuring clean and secure energy supplies.”

The country, whose capital Skopje was recently named one of Europe’s most polluted cities, aims to source 38 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. Especially during the current energy crises, this operation will be one of the first projects to simultaneously address key just transition elements by moving towards clean energy use and energy security, while also introducing retraining and reskilling programmes to safeguard livelihoods, support regional development and create new economic opportunities.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Andreas Gücklhorn)

ESM, a public electricity generation utility owned by the government of North Macedonia, provides 90 percent of the country’s domestic electricity production – about 3,600 GWh from two thermal power plants and 1,250 GWh from eight hydropower plants. ESM also operates two combined heat and power facilities and the first wind farm in the country, producing about 100 GWh annually.

Furthermore, in favour of decarbonisation and meeting the country’s renewable energy target, in 2020 the EBRD provided technical assistance to support the regulatory and legal aspects of introducing renewable energy auctions in three renewable energy tenders for 162 MW combined solar PV capacity. These are the first tenders in the Western Balkan region to be developed with exposure to wholesale power prices, one on public and one on private land, while the third is a public-private partnership tender for 100 MW solar PV capacity on ESM’s former coal mine in Oslomej.

The EBRD Shareholder Special Fund (SSF) provided EUR 75,000 for environmental and social due diligence, and EUR 74,000 for the development of basic design and technical specifications for the plants. The EBRD will support ESM with a nationally accredited market-relevant curricula programme to define redeploying and retraining opportunities for a significant share of the affected local workforce, with an approximate budget of EUR 200,000 to be funded from an international donor and SSF under the Gender and Economic Inclusion TC Framework.

To date, the EBRD has invested EUR 2.3 billion in 161 projects in the economy of North Macedonia.

Source: EBRD

ABB Collaborates With Microsoft On Energy Efficiency To Reinforce Commitment To Low-Carbon Society

03.07.2022

ABB announced that Microsoft has joined its Energy Efficiency Movement. Launched in March 2021 by ABB, the #energyefficiencymovement is a multi-stakeholder initiative to raise awareness and spur action to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions to combat climate change.

Companies are invited to join the movement and make a public pledge as a way of inspiring others to take action. Microsoft represents one of the largest corporate partners to join the initiative to date.

Energy efficiency is taking on greater urgency throughout industry as companies look for opportunities to decarbonize amid soaring energy costs and pressure from customers, employees and governments to make strides on sustainability. A recent survey commissioned by ABB found that energy efficiency is clearly top of mind for executives around the world. It revealed that 89 per cent of industrial leaders surveyed will increase investment in the energy efficiency of their operations in the coming five years, with 54 per cent aiming to achieve net-zero emissions in that timeframe.

“The greenest energy is the energy we never use,” said Tarak Mehta, President, Motion business area, ABB. “With 45 per cent of the world’s electricity used to power motors in buildings and industry, improving energy efficiency is an essential strategy to fight climate change. Digitally connected energy-efficient solutions are critical to accelerating progress and I am delighted Microsoft and ABB are making common cause to enable greater energy efficiency in our operations and those of our customers.”

“Microsoft is joining the ABB Energy Efficiency Movement to help accelerate global progress on energy efficiency and carbon reduction,” said Elisabeth Brinton, Corporate Vice President Sustainability, Microsoft. “Microsoft is committed to become carbon negative by 2030 and 100 per cent powered by renewable electricity by 2025, and these goals are well aligned to both ABB and the Movement’s aims. This will further support our existing collaboration to help customers in sectors like manufacturing, transportation, and cities to make better decisions at scale and drive meaningful efficiency gains.”

For its part, ABB reduced greenhouse gas emissions from its operations in 2021 by some 28 per cent on a year-over-year basis. In its comprehensive Sustainability strategy 2030, ABB has affirmed it will reach carbon neutrality by decade’s end. Beyond its own operations, ABB has also committed to help its customers in reducing their annual CO₂emissions by at least 100 megatons by 2030, the equivalent of removing 30 million combustion cars from the roads each year. With partners like Microsoft, Deutsche Post DHL Group and Alfa Laval, the ABB Energy Efficiency Movement brings together an ecosystem of like-minded industry leaders to accelerate efforts in decarbonization.

Having recently celebrated five years of successful collaboration in the context of ABB Ability^TM, ABB’s portfolio of digital solutions, the announcement regarding the Energy Efficiency Movement further cements Microsoft and ABB’s joint efforts to push technology boundaries in empowering customers to address sustainability. Using Microsoft Azure’s platform-as-a-service capability, along with AI and machine learning-based analytics, cloud computing and edge technologies, ABB Ability solutions are powering a range of industrial use cases that help organizations optimize how they make use of energy in powertrains, facilities and other physical assets. A new ABB whitepaper highlights some of the opportunities presented by digitalization and the industrial Internet of Things in bringing about more energy-efficient operations.

Source: ABB

More Funding For Sustainable Farm-based Proteins, As George Eustice Visits Innovative Farm

02.07.2022

The Environment Secretary will announce funding to improve the efficiency and sustainability of farm-based protein production.

Speaking at the Devon County Show, Environment Secretary, George Eustice, will announce further funding for research projects that will help boost farmers’ businesses and help improve the environmental impact of farming.

The recent Food Strategy committed to spend £270 million on research and development in the Farming Innovation Programme up to 2029. This Programme is designed to bring together farmers, growers, businesses and researchers for collaborative, industry-led research and development that will drive up the productivity, profitability and resilience of England’s farming sectors, whilst helping to improve the environment.

The Environment Secretary will confirm that in July, £12.5m from the Farming Innovation Programme will be set aside for research and development focused on ‘sustainable farm-based proteins’, in partnership with UKRI this funding will be made available for farmers, growers, businesses and academics to collaborate on projects that seek to improve the efficiency and sustainability of farm-based protein production, including protein crops like beans and peas and traditional livestock production, in order to help boost domestic production of healthy and sustainable food.

This might be achieved through the development of new methane reducing feeds and supplements, or the breeding of new sustainable and resilient crops and livestock.

The Environment Secretary will also showcase an example of innovative technology that is helping farmers capture the methane from slurry stores and turn it into biomethane, creating an additional income stream for farmers. Bennamann in Truro, Cornwall has pioneered this innovative approach building on world-leading science to help livestock farms of any size to cover their manure slurry lagoons, capture the fugitive emissions they produce, establish energy independence and improve business profitability through lower bills and sales of high value biomethane.

Environment Secretary, George Eustice, said:

Improving farm profitability and tackling environmental challenges requires

Photo-illustration: Pixabay (JillWellington)

us to allow the natural cycle of life to operate fully. Rather than seeing farm wastes like slurry as a problem and a cost, we need to start recognising that they are actually a resource that could be monetised to boost farm incomes.

Cornwall has a long history of pioneering new technology and it is at the forefront of new approaches that could revolutionise the way we manage farm yard manure to create a new income stream for farmers and generate a green fuel that significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Bennamann is working with the Local Authority and six of its farms to turn waste methane into biomethane. The biogas results from the anaerobic digestion of manure stored in the slurry lagoon on each farm, which can then be processed into a sustainable, commercially viable product as compressed gas or liquid fuel. That fuel will be able to power lorries and tractors, heat households and businesses, provide hot water and even charge electric vehicles. The Council plans to run its road maintenance vehicle fleet on this greener source of fuel. There is even a New Holland methane tractor in production, with Bennamann able to supply the tractor’s fuel on farm at a fixed period discounted price from the waste on farm.

For a 150 head dairy farm, the system creates biomethane worth approximately £30,000 in additional income for the dairy farm and it removes about half of the methane generated by the herd, making a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Source: GOV.UK

Limited Prices Of Basic Foodstuffs

01.07.2022

At session, the government of the Republic of Serbia adopted the Decree on limiting the price of basic foodstuffs, in order to protect the market and prevent distortions in the formation of prices of goods that are extremely important for supplying consumers, especially poorer category.

At session, the Decision on temporary restriction of exports of basic agri-food products important for the population was passed, which determines the amount of sunflower seed oil in retail packages for which exports are allowed on a monthly basis.

At the session, the Decree on the temporary measure of limiting the price of gas and compensating for the differences in the price of natural gas procured from imports or produced in the Republic of Serbia in case of disturbances on the natural gas market was adopted.

This regulation aims to eliminate the consequences of the jump in the price of that energy source, mitigate the consequences of the energy crisis and protect economies and citizens who are instructed in its use, as well as to ensure normal supply to all consumers and provide these entities with the right to compensation.

The government also adopted an amended Decree on the limitation of the price of oil derivatives, which extends the restriction until 31 July of the current year.

Given the global disturbance in the market of petroleum products and the energy crisis in the world, the Government adopted a Decision on a temporary ban on the export of Eurodiesel EN 590 in order to prevent shortages and ensure a secure supply of the market with this derivative.

Due to the increase in producer prices of petroleum products in the previous period, and in order to preserve macroeconomic stability and standards of citizens and uninterrupted supply of oil derivatives to the market, the session decided to temporarily reduce excise duties on petroleum products – leaded gasoline, unleaded gasoline and gas oils by 20 percent.

This Decision shall apply from 1 July 2022 and ending on 31 July 2022.

The government of Serbia also adopted amendments to the Decree on criteria, conditions and manner of calculation of receivables and liabilities between the buyer-producer and electricity supplier, which further simplified the procedure for energy production for own needs from RES.

The changes will enable additional shortening of procedures and reduction of costs for customers-producers who use the entire produced electricity only for their own consumption, and do not deliver excess energy to the transmission, distribution or closed distribution system.

Source: The Government of the Republic of Serbia

UN Environment Programme And European Investment Bank Join Forces To Reduce Pollution In The Marine And Coastal Environment

01.07.2022

plastic waste ocean — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Naja Bertolt Jensen)

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) launched the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Mediterranean Pollution Hot Spots Technical Assistance initiative, which aims to reduce pollution in the Mediterranean marine and coastal environment.

As part of the USD 5 million Hot Spots Pollution project, the initiative aims to promote adequate and sound water, wastewater, solid waste and industrial emissions management in the Southern Mediterranean region, thereby reducing health risks and enhancing access to safe drinking water and sanitation services.

The initiative was launched on the sidelines of the UN Oceans Conference in Lisbon by Vice President of the EIB, Ricardo Mourinho Félix, and Susan Gardner, Director of UNEP’s Ecosystems Division. The two agreed to support preparation of priority investment projects to reduce pollution in the marine and coastal environments of the three Southern Mediterranean countries, namely Egypt, Lebanon and Tunisia.

“Untreated discharges of wastewater represent a major problem for Mediterranean ecosystems and the health of the population living in the region. Many large coastal cities still lack a wastewater treatment system, and many existing systems are based on outdated and inefficient technologies,” said Susan Gardner. “This joint GEF-EIB-UNEP project will pool resources to decrease pollution and improve the marine ecosystems and the health of people living in the Mediterranean region.”

According to the 2021 State of Finance for Nature report, in order for the world to meet its climate change, biodiversity and land degradation targets, a total of USD 8.1 trillion is required between now and 2050. The Technical Assistance initiative is a step forward toward bridging this gap.

The Mediterranean Basin is one of the most highly valued seas in the world. The region comprises a vast set of coastal and marine ecosystems that deliver valuable benefits to all its 250 million coastal inhabitants. But the Mediterranean Sea is facing multiple pressures caused by human activities, including chemical contamination, eutrophication, pollution by marine litter and over-exploitation.

The technical assistance provided under the Mediterranean Hot Spots Investment Programme (MeHSIP) will be geared towards helping promoters accelerate the preparation of financeable projects in the water and environment sectors that will tackle these pressures.

Ricardo Mourinho Felix, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank said: “The state of the Mediterranean Sea is crucial for biodiversity conservation, the availability of clean water resources and to sustain jobs that rely on it. The EIB is one of the largest lenders to the global water sector. I am pleased to intensify our long-standing cooperation with UNEP to support the depollution of the Mediterranean. It will contribute to the objectives of the Clean Ocean Initiative set up to improve the health of the oceans globally.”

The USD 5 million Mediterranean Pollution Hot Spots Investment Project is one of the, USD 42 million, GEF-funded MedProgramme’s child projects implemented by UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan – Barcelona Convention.

The launch of the Technical Assistance initiative marks progress toward realising commitments taken at the 22nd Meeting of the Contracting Parties (COP 22) to the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols on regional prevention and pollution reduction measures from wastewater treatment plants.

Source: UNEP

Latvia, Austria, Slovakia have EU’s largest gas stores

30.06.2022

After clinching a deal on mandatory gas storage last month, Latvia, Austria and Slovakia currently have the largest gas stores for next winter compared to annual consumption.

Slovakia, for example, has already filled its stores to 36 per cent of its yearly consumption, data published by the association of gas infrastructure operators shows.

It also has a storage facility in Czechia connected to the Slovak distribution network. With these stores, Slovakia has more than half of the consumption covered and should survive the next winter without major restrictions even if Russia completely stops gas imports to Europe.

Within the EU, only Austria and Latvia have higher storages when not counting Slovak facilities in Czechia, although numbers are not known for Estonia and Lithuania. Austria has reserves equal to 43.3 per cent of the annual consumption, while Latvia leads the EU with more than 78 per cent.

European Union negotiators agreed last month on mandatory gas storage obligations for EU countries, aiming for the bloc’s stores to be at least 85 per cent full by 1 November 2022.

The agreement, which aims for storage to be shared between EU countries “in a spirit of solidarity”, follows a winter of concern about low EU gas storage, high energy prices and disruptions in the supply of Russian gas.

Slovakia’s economy ministry has previously announced that it wants to have enough gas in the storage tanks to last the next winter before the Nord Stream 1 pipeline is shut down for repairs. How long the reserves would last also depends on how cold the winter will be.

There is, however, a catch. Not all gas in Slovak storage tanks necessarily belongs to Slovakia. Any company, including foreign ones, can have gas stored. The government can, however, block this gas for the benefit of vulnerable consumers if needed.

However, the shutdown of Nord Stream 1 is expected in the next few days. Fear is that Russian President Vladimir Putin will use this shutdown to stop the imports completely. EU countries, therefore, prepare for the worst. Germany has already declared the second warning level of its three-levels crisis plan.

Germany has reserves filled only to 14.55 per cent. According to German Economy Minister Robert Habeck, the country faces the threat of industrial shutdowns if limited supplies do not improve by winter.

Source: EURACTIV.com/EURACTIV.sk

1...656667...385 Page 66 of 385

More:

More:

More:

More:

More:

More:

In focus:

More:

More:

More:

More:

More:

More:

More:

More:

More:

Newsletter

Calendar of events

2024 October

Events for 31 October

Events for 1 November

Events for 2 November

Events for 3 November

Events for 4 November

Events for 5 November

Events for 6 November

Events for 7 November

Events for 8 November

Events for 9 November

Events for 10 November

Events for 11 November

Events for 12 November

Events for 13 November

Events for 14 November

Events for 15 November

Events for 16 November

Events for 17 November

Events for 18 November

Events for 19 November

Events for 20 November

Events for 21 November

Events for 22 November

Events for 23 November

Events for 24 November

Events for 25 November

Events for 26 November

Events for 27 November

Events for 28 November

Events for 29 November

WRITE US