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EU Energy Ministers Endorse Faster Permitting Of Renewables

Photo-illustration: Pixabay (SailingOnChocolateRoses)

The EU Energy Ministers have agreed their position on changes to the Renewable Energy Directive and Energy Efficiency Directive, paving the way for faster build-out of renewables and streamlined permitting for wind farms. They agreed the Renewable Energy Directive should now include additional measures as proposed in the REPowerEU Action Plan to increase the EU’s energy security. EU Energy Ministers will now finalise the changes in negotiations with the European Parliament in autumn.

The EU Energy Council agreed its position on a revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). EU Energy Ministers included key elements of the REPowerEU Action Plan, the EU’s energy response to the war in Ukraine, in their amendments to the RED. In light of the ongoing war the ministers stressed the need to accelerate the deployment of home-grown renewables in order to strengthen EU’s energy security. They agreed the expansion of renewables and the linked expansion of on- and offshore grid infrastructure in Europe should be considered a matter of “overarching public interest” and “public safety”.

To deliver the necessary build-out of renewables the EU Energy Ministers agreed on clear deadlines for the permitting of new projects and facilitated permitting of repowering projects. For repowering only the environmental impacts that are additional to the already existing turbines will be subject to environmental impact assessments. To ensure that wind energy development goes hand in hand with biodiversity protection the European Council now encourages a population-based approach to biodiversity that will help maintain and improve the health of endangered bird populations.

“Europe now wants 510 GW of wind energy by 2030, up from 190 GW today. That’s 39 GW of new wind farms every year. Europe will only achieve that if it speeds up permitting. It’s very good that EU Energy Ministers have now agreed to do precisely that. All new wind farms should be permitted in maximum two years. Governments should ensure this deadline covers all permits, including the environmental impact assessment and grid permits.”, says WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson.

To achieve a 55 percent greenhouse gas reduction by 2030 as compared to 1990 levels, renewables must be used beyond the power sector. Member States committed to assessing and removing the barriers for corporate renewable power purchase agreements. This will make more clean and competitive wind energy available to corporate consumers and will support the broader decarbonisation of Europe’s economy especially in energy intensive industries.

Today electricity is only one quarter of all energy consumed in the EU. By 2050 it will be three quarters, 57 percent of the EU energy system will be electrified directly, another 18 percent will be electrified indirectly via renewable hydrogen and its derivates. With the adoption of specific sector targets, the EU Energy Ministers further strengthened the position of renewable hydrogen. They agreed a mandatory renewable hydrogen target in industry of 35 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2035 as well as an indicative renewable hydrogen target in transport of 5.2 percent by 2030.

Member States are now ready to start discussions with the European Parliament on the revised RED. The next step is for the European Parliament to vote its position on the Directive in its Industry and Energy Committee this 13 July. Final negotiations could then begin in autumn.

Source: WindEurope

Stellantis Expands Relationship With Vulcan Energy Becoming Shareholder In Decarbonized Lithium Company

Photo: Stellantis Vulcan

Stellantis N.V. and Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd. today announced Stellantis’ €50 million (A$76 million) equity investment in Vulcan and an extension of the original binding offtake agreement to 10 years. The equity investment will go towards Vulcan’s planned production expansion drilling in its producing Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field (URVBF). Vulcan is already producing geothermal energy from its URVBF and plans to produce lithium hydroxide with zero fossil fuels and net zero carbon footprint as part of the Zero Carbon Lithium™ Project.

“Making this highly strategic investment in a leading lithium company will help us create a resilient and sustainable value chain for our European electric vehicle battery production,” said Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO. “We continue our quest of forming strong relationships with partners who share our values as we collectively fight against global warming and provide clean, safe and affordable mobility to our customers.”  

“Stellantis’ significant investment in Vulcan and the Zero Carbon Lithium™ Project represents a strong statement by one of the world’s largest automakers regarding sustainable and strategic sourcing of battery materials,” said Vulcan Managing Director Dr Francis Wedin. “We are fully aligned with Stellantis’ decarbonisation and electrification goals, which represent some of the most ambitious in the industry. It is encouraging to see a leading automaker investing in local, low carbon lithium production for electric vehicles. As our largest offtaker, we look forward to deepening our relationship with Stellantis as a substantial shareholder in Vulcan and our Zero Carbon Lithium™ business.”

As part of the Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, Stellantis announced plans of reaching 100 percent of passenger car battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales mix in Europe and 50 percent passenger car and light-duty truck BEV sales mix in the United States by 2030. Stellantis will be the industry champion in climate change mitigation, becoming carbon net zero by 2038, with a 50 percent reduction by 2030.

Stellantis recently announced its North American lithium hydroxide supply agreement.

Source: Stellantis

Vouchers in the value of RSD 15,000 for 200,000 citizens

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic announced in his address to the public new support for about 200,000 eligible citizens in the form of vouchers in the value of RSD 15,000 for a vacation in Serbia.

“This is exclusive news that we have been working on for a long time and we will invest a lot of money in it”, Vucic said and explained that vouchers will be available to pensioners – all those who have exercised the right to a pension in Serbia and abroad, pupils, students and the unemployed registered at the National Employment Service.

As stated on the website vaucerisrbija.com, vouchers will be used for accommodation services lasting at least five nights and in catering facilities outside of the place of residence, as well as places of study of voucher users. The voucher cannot be used to pay for food, drinks, health and other services, sojourn tax and more.

Energy portal

Natural History Centre Opened In Ovcar Banja

Photo: The Government of the Republic of Serbia

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic opened, together with Minister of Environmental Protection Irena Vujovic, Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Tomislav Momirovic and Mayor of Cacak Milun Todorovic the Natural History Centre in Ovcar Banja.

On this occasion, Brnabic pointed out that RSD 200 million had been invested in various projects in this part of Serbia in the past 16 months, and that with the completion of a highway to Pozega, the traffic will be completely moved out from the Ovcar and Kablar Gorge.

When you have not been doing things since 1954, you cannot do them in a few weeks, she stated and said that Serbia has a responsible government that wants to do what was missed.

We also want to contribute to the protection of the environment, beauty and tourist potentials of Serbia, the Prime Minister emphasised, adding that Cacak will build a biomass power plant.

The Prime Minister added that a rehabilitation centre will also be built in the Ovcar and Kablar Gorge, which will be part of the Cacak General Hospital.

We are doing that together with the Serbian Orthodox Church, because “Vila Sirotica” is the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which will cede it for that purpose, and we will give other facilities, said Brnabic.

According to her, with the completion of the highway to Pozega, the traffic will be moved out from the gorge and it will be an opportunity to present all the beauties of the Ovcar and Kablar Gorge and Ovcar Banja.

Photo: Wikipedia/Damir Simović

We are working continuously on expanding protected areas everywhere, including the Ovcar and Kablar Gorge, the Prime Minister stated.

Brnabic previously visited the Ovcar and Kablar Gorge and Lake Medjuvrsje, where she attended a presentation of a mud extraction project, worth almost €40 million.

Vujovic specified that approximately RSD 30 million were invested in the construction and equipping of the Natural History Centre, which houses a part for scientific research activities and a museum with exhibitions of flora and fauna.

According to her, in this centre, visitors, especially the youngest ones, will be able to learn about the nature and importance of the environment, which is significant for raising awareness on this topic and contributing to our goal to develop systemic education for this area throughout Serbia.

The Minister recalled that last year the Decree on the proclamation of the area of exceptional characteristics “Ovcar and Kablar Gorge” enabled the revision of the protection and doubled the surface of the protected area, from 2,250 to 4,910 hectares, and that the first degree protection regime was established in certain parts.

Source: The Government of the Republic of Serbia

Safari Under Our Feet

Photo: Courtesy of Tomislav Tatić

They are certainly not the cutest creatures, and it is true that they can cause a lot of fear and distress in many, despite their size. It is an understatement that they are often unwanted guests in our homes, and encounters with them could end up in discomfort and pain.

Still, Tomislav Tatić finds none of the above true, rather fascinating creatures that provide an inexhaustible inspiration source. Observing them through his camera lens, Tatić noticed that every piece of grass is an exotic oasis of biodiversity and that the bugs we meet every day are much more interesting when we take a closer look. Here is what he said about his unusual models and his journey through this small yet huge world.

EP: What is macro photography, and when did you start with it?

Tomislav Tatić: Macro photography is a particular type of high magnification photography. When you take a macro picture of something that is otherwise micro, only then can you see all the things invisible to the naked eye, mobile phones, and other cameras. My interest in photography started in my teenage days when I got my first serious camera as a gift. In the years that followed, photography was a hobby, occupying every second of my spare time. It was a period when I was finding myself. Even then, I was attracted to macro photography, but it is so specific and requires more professional, and thus more expensive equipment, so it took me a little longer to buy it. I would like to point out the last year as a concrete and serious macro photography period.

EP: Why did you choose bugs (insects)?

Tomislav Tatić: I desire to bring people closer to these creatures around us since they are mostly “afraid” of them, but in fact, they have never really seen them. That fear is mostly unjustified, so I want to show that these creatures are fascinating and that we have no reason to be afraid of them. People are always striving for something far away. They are interested in going on a safari, to the zoo, water worlds… And they are not even aware of what kind of biodiversity they have exactly under their feet. To some extent, I understand that because when tourists come to Belgrade, they usually take selfies at the Pobednik monument (The Victor), and it would be really difficult to find a citizen of Belgrade with such a picture. I don’t think I have to travel to the other side of the world to find interesting animals I can photograph, because I have them on my lawn or in a nearby canal. Macro photography has opened up a whole new universe for me, hitherto unexplored. We have the exotic on our doorstep, only if we take a closer look.

Photo: Tomislav Tatić

EP: How do you choose what to shoot?

Tomislav Tatić: Sometimes bugs pick me. For example, I wake up in the morning, fix some coffee and go out on the balcony, and a sweet spider is waiting for me, weaving a web on a tree in the yard during the night. If that’s not the case, I choose bugs that I haven’t photographed too often before. The environment is also important, and so is the background. If I were painting big animals, I wouldn’t move an elephant to make the background more beautiful. It’s the same with bugs; it doesn’t matter that they are small. I love when they are in a natural environment and look after their business. Sometimes the beetle is beautiful, but the environment is not, so that’s not it. There are other situations when the bugs I shoot are simply not in the mood to pose at that moment.

Interviewed by: Danijela Isailović

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine ELECTROMOBILITY.

Inside The Push To Eliminate Lead From Paint

Photo-Ilustration: Pixabay (garageband)

While many use paint to cover the blemishes on their walls, each coat they apply could end up leaving a stain on the planet. Despite legally binding controls in 87 countries, lead is still commonly used in paint, and experts warn that it’s time to stop brushing aside the hazardous chemical’s human and environmental health impacts.

Every year, an estimated 900,000 people die from lead exposure. Lead exposure can also result in increased risk of antisocial behavior, cardiovascular disease and reduced fertility. Studies have found that childhood exposure to lead results in economic losses of 977 billion US dollars annually.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is taking the lead in addressing this critical issue through pushing for stricter legislation and providing technical support. Alongside the Global Environment Facility, it recently published Lead Paint Reformulation Technical Guidelines to help manufacturers phase out lead. This builds upon UNEP’s long-running advocacy work, including a successful 20-year campaign to end leaded fuel. 

“Lead is extremely hazardous, and there’s no known level of exposure considered safe,” says Mihaela Claudia Paun, UNEP Programme Management Officer. “We must establish laws to phase out lead in paint. The newly released guidelines support evidence-based policymaking and inform decisions at all stages of the policy development process.”

Putting the lid on lead

Lead is commonly added to make paint more vivid and moisture-resistant. But the production, use and decay of lead paint all release the chemical into the air, dust, and soil. From there, it is inhaled, ingested and comes into contact with skin. Lead paint is particularly popular in playgrounds and on furniture. Young children, people with occupational exposure and many living in older houses are especially vulnerable.

However, lead exposure is preventable. The most effective measure is introducing laws that eliminate it at its source, say experts. In 2011, UNEP and the World Health Organization formed the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint. A voluntary partnership between governments, academia, non-governmental organizations and paint companies, it is dedicated to phasing out paints that have intentionally added lead.

The Alliance helps States develop and implement laws to curb the use of lead paint. It also encourages industry to voluntarily stop the manufacture, import and sale of lead paints  and supports civil society groups and other stakeholders to raise awareness about the health and environmental impacts of lead paint

The Alliance has recommended that there be no more than 90 micrograms (mg) of lead in each kilogram of paint, a total that experts say provides the best available health protection while still being technically feasible.

In 2012, only 52 countries had mandatory legal requirements focused on lead in paint. Now, with support from the Lead Paint Alliance, 87 countries have such laws, and the Alliance is aiming to reach the 100 mark by 2023. UNEP is also working to introduce stricter lead limits in countries that have existing laws to ensure they can better protect human and environmental health.

UNEP data shows that 100 low- and middle-income countries have yet to set legal limits on lead paint, while six countries with lead paint laws had limits of 1,000 mg/kg or higher.

“While continuing to support countries to adopt lead paint laws, the Lead Paint Alliance is also looking at the issue of compliance and enforcement for countries that have already adopted such a law to ensure effective application on the ground,” says Sandra Averous-Monnery, UNEP’s Officer in charge, Head of Knowledge and Risk Unit.

Reforms and reformulation

Regardless of national laws, paint manufacturers should strive to limit or eliminate lead content from their products, according to the Alliance. Paint manufacturers from China, Ecuador, Indonesia, Jordan and Nigeria participated in a paint reformulation pilot project that informed UNEP’s technical guidelines.

Photo-Ilustration: Pixabay (Pexels)

“In countries where lead paint laws are yet to be enacted, more and more paint companies are moving towards voluntarily phasing out lead and aligning with stricter regulations,” says Averous-Monnery. “This is a good signal for the rest of the industry and governments. It demonstrates corporate social responsibility and prepares them for when a stricter legal limit is implemented.”

A recent lab test of an Ecuadorian company’s yellow paint found a lead content of 34,689 mg/kg before reformulation efforts. With technical guidance from UNEP, the company was able to produce an alternative paint that had less than 56 mg/kg of lead content. This is done through paint reformulation, which involves substituting lead pigment with less hazardous alternatives and may also require changes in the production process.

Binghua Wang, assistant general manager of Zhejian Tiannu Group Paint, an SME in China that participated in the pilot reformulation project, told UNEP that the company joined the project to protect human health and prepare itself for the future.

“There is ongoing public concern in our country about the effects of the use of lead paint on human health and the environment,” she says. Her company participated in the paint pilot project to support the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and prepare for the introduction of new national lead paint standards, she says.  

To picture a future free of lead paint, more paint manufacturers and countries should take action and improve legally binding controls, experts say.

“Countries and stakeholders have materials available to adopt lead pant laws for a success similar to the end of leaded fuel,” says Averous-Monnery. “This success would be possible only if all the stakeholders, regardless of whether they are partners of the Lead Paint Alliance or not, are committed and engaged.”

Source: UNEP

IRENA And OPEC Fund Join Forces To Unlock Investment In Energy Transition

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OPEC Fund) are ramping up efforts to advance renewable energy investment and enable access to sustainable finance in emerging and developing economies.

 

A Memorandum of Understanding signed today in Vienna by IRENA’s Director-General Francesco La Camera and the Director-General of the OPEC Fund, Dr Abdulhamid Alkhalifa, formalises the cooperation. In pursuit of the common objective of a just, inclusive and equitable energy transition aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement, both sides agreed to mobilise finance, unlock investment and support project development on the ground.

 

 

IRENA’s Director-General Francesco La Camera said: “The global energy transition must dramatically accelerate. To achieve net zero and universal energy access, our World Energy Transitions Outlook shows that we must nearly treble the speed of deployment of renewables and massively redirect investment towards transition. Our cooperation with the OPEC Fund will help unlock much needed capital in developing countries to bring economic growth, sustainable prosperity and jobs to people through renewables projects on the ground.”

 

OPEC Fund Director-General Abdulhamid Alkhalifa added: “We promote an inclusive and just energy transition that leaves no one behind. Our cooperation with IRENA will help to provide the necessary funds and facilitate access to innovative financing solutions, knowledge and technologies, as well as technical assistance for project development and capacity building to support the energy transition in our partner countries, particularly in Africa.”

 

At a practical level, both sides will closely collaborate to provide technical assistance and capacity building to project developers, creating a pipeline of bankable projects ready to be financed. They will also work to attract potential investors. The parties will also explore cooperation under the IRENA-managed Energy Transition Accelerator Financing (ETAF) Platform, the Climate Investment Platform (CIP), and OPEC Fund initiatives such as the planned Energy Access and Transition Trust Fund.

 

Both sides will also closely collaborate at UN Climate Conferences COP27 in Egypt in November 2022 and COP28 in the United Arab Emirates in November 2023.

 

Source: IRENA

 

Interdepartmental Working Group Formed To Achieve Goals Of Green Agenda

Photo: The Government of the Republic of Serbia

At a session, the government of the Republic of Serbia passed an amended decision on temporary restriction of exports of basic agri-food products important to the population.

Given that Serbia, like many other countries, is facing increasing challenges due to pollution and climate change, members of the Government decided to form an Interdepartmental Working Group for Public Finance Reform to achieve the goals of the Green Agenda.

The establishment of the Working Group is a step towards achieving greener, more efficient and less carbon-intensive development.

At the session, consent was given to the Development Programme – a green programme of cooperation between science and economy, which is one of the programmes of public interest for the Republic of Serbia.

 

The programme will be implemented through scientific research projects and will aim at practical support of cooperation between science and business sector, based on the use of available scientific potentials and financing of research projects, as well as application of their results to further development of society and economy as a whole.

This support will play a significant role in solving vital problems of society and introducing young researchers to scientific research, as well as strengthening the professional capacity of scientific research institutions and creating new project teams.

As a programme of public interest, the “Prism” Programme of the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia was adopted, which determines the conditions for announcing and the procedure for conducting a public call for scientific research projects in various fields.

It is necessary that the submitted projects are based on excellent ideas that in the future can have a significant impact on the development of science and research and the economy and society as a whole, development of research of strategic importance for agriculture, food production and environmental protection, experimental, practical and clinical research, social sciences and humanities in Serbia and raising the level of science in artificial intelligence.

The government has also set up a Commission for the Regulatory Framework for Improving the Employment of Roma in the Public Sector, a national minority recognised as a vulnerable and hard-to-employ population group.

The session also adopted the Strategic Master Plan for the Development of Tourism in Belgrade for the area of the archaeological site Belo brdo, Vinca.

At the suggestion of the Ministry of Culture and Information, the Government decided to declare the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in Drenovac, the Holy Trinity in Brdarica and the Holy Great Martyr George in Macvanski Pricinovic as cultural monuments, having in mind their cultural and historical significance.

Energy portal

New EIB-EBRD-WB Enterprise Survey: Are Companies In The Western Balkans Prepared For Another Crisis?

Photo: Unsplash (Christian Lue)

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its economic fallout come just as firms in the Western Balkans are recovering from the COVID-19 shock. Today’s presentation “Business resilience in the Western Balkans at times of repeated shocks”, presented by the EIB’s Chief Economist Debora Revoltella at the Western Balkans Investment Framework Strategic Board in Rome, examines how firms in the region weathered the sharp downturn caused by the pandemic and how prepared they are to face future challenges. The results are derived from the report entitled Business Resilience in the Pandemic and Beyond, recently launched and jointly published by the EIB, the EBRD and the IMF, which covers a broader region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

“The war in Ukraine is testing again the resilience of the Western Balkan economies as they recover from the pandemic,” said Debora Revoltella. “New risks and heightened uncertainty are putting cross-border flows and trade under pressure. This matters as our analysis shows that firms’ resilience and innovation capacity are linked to their participation in global value chains and trade. In this phase of potential deglobalisation trends, the Western Balkans should build on its competitive advantage of strong ties with the European Union and reinforce it further, as a springboard for faster development.”

Western Balkans — the impact of COVID-19

To date, firms have come through the pandemic better than initially feared. They lost 29 percent of turnover and shed 9 percent of their labour force, with the pandemic hitting contact-intensive services and smaller and medium-sized businesses especially hard. Nevertheless, massive policy support helped to prevent large-scale bankruptcies, with only 3 percent of firms in the region filing for insolvency or closing permanently.

The report shows that firms that were integrated into global value chains, those that had been more innovative in the past, those that were more digitalised and those with better quality management adapted better during the pandemic. They expanded their online presence, switched to remote work, adjusted production or took advantage of the available policy support more effectively.

Government programmes played a stabilising role by mitigating the stress of vulnerable firms, such as smaller businesses, standalone firms and those lacking overdraft facilities.

 

Openness to trade in the Western Balkans drives resilience, innovation and competitiveness

The report finds that the economies of the Western Balkans generally invest more in innovation than benchmark economies, although the process is led by adapting new technologies developed elsewhere. Opening up the global economy has been key to enable these countries to improve their comparative advantages and increase their competitiveness. The industrial composition of regions more integrated in global value chains is clearly focused on higher value-added products, while those that are less integrated are trading mainly manufacturing products with lower value added or raw materials.

Photo: European Investment Bank

The evidence in the report indicates that trade integration with developed economies, in particular the European Union, access to information and know-how through participation in global value chains, foreign licensed technology and modern management practices are among the most important ingredients for boosting innovation in the Western Balkans.

 

Financial gaps

Photo: European Investment Bank

The financial systems in the Western Balkans have held up well so far. Firms continue to rely largely on bank credit for external finance. Capital markets are underdeveloped, and the availability of venture capital, private equity and leasing is very limited. The share of credit-constrained firms in the Western Balkans is significantly higher among small firms compared to large ones (16 percent versus 7 percent). These credit constraints result from insufficient transparency of SMEs, as well as limitations in the risk assessment capacity of intermediaries. Going forward, the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine are likely to further impede firm financial access. Over time, higher policy rates will translate into tighter financing conditions, with the credit demand-credit supply gap even greater for SMEs. This is a concern, as having access to finance, including overdrafts, was a source of resilience for firms during the pandemic.

 

Green economy

The region is slowly shifting from a dependence on coal and oil to nuclear power and renewable energy, strengthening its energy security. However, until 2018, the region relied heavily on fossil fuels to generate three-quarters of its electricity. Several countries continue to provide generous subsidies that lower the price of gas and other fossil fuels for consumers, slowing down the motivation to cut emissions.

SMEs in the Western Balkans typically lack the incentives for greening their business models. Physical climate risk is already affecting SMEs in the Western Balkans, with 10 percent of Enterprise Survey respondents reporting losses from extreme weather events in the three years preceding the interview. Nevertheless, the study documents a limited awareness among SMEs of environmental issues since only 21 percent of SMEs are investing in energy efficiency, and among those not adopting any climate measures 59 percent of firms consider that such investment is not a priority. More specifically, the report shows that climate investments depend on both managerial capacity and access to finance. Effective intervention will address both financing constraints and bottlenecks in managerial awareness and capacity.

Source: European Investment Bank

The Right Time For Women’s Entrepreneurship and Initiatives

That morning, Aleksandra Lazović Lønningen threw away the expired food package again. In her home in Norway, in front of an open refrigerator, she thought about how much money was wasted in this way. And while she was checking to see if the remaining groceries were out of date, an idea came to her. What would happen if there was an application that would send notifications and remind us of food about to expire?

Thus, the idea of Eat Me App was born. At that moment, Aleksandra did not know whether a similar application had already existed. She was simply led by the thought that such help in the kitchen would be handy. And not to mention the money savings. 

“Living in Norway encouraged me because I had the opportunity to see some good examples of how civil initiatives formulate problems whose solutions then successfully develop legitimate businesses,” Aleksandra says.

However, besides the problems you solve, enthusiasm and a team are needed for development. As in a puzzle, that last element was missing. While support for green projects in Norway was not a novelty, in Serbia at the time, issues of climate change and sustainable development were just entering public discourse. However, the door to change inevitably opened and Aleksandra came to Belgrade with her husband and baby. At the Academy of Circular Economy in the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Aleksandra met Sanja Dramićanin. They recognized each other for their enthusiasm, strong will and insight into the potential for a green women’s entrepreneurial venture, Aleksandra says. “Sanja, as a business professional in the field of IT, fell in love with the idea of combining her profession and sustainable development. Eat Me App is the result of a true pioneering endeavor that is built out of love and the desire for a better and high-quality relationship with the environment and ourselves. We had all the skills we needed to get started.”

Keeping in mind that they emphasize love as the initiator of their activities, we asked them what it encompasses. Both authors agree that love and respect for their families and home, for their shortcomings, and the land that feeds us is the real energy source from which they build a vision and create. During the quarantine in 2020, Aleksandra and Sanja developed the concept and product, investing their own money, and the first version of the application appeared before the end of 2020. They officially started working when they founded the company in May 2021. and are currently preparing to launch new versions of the app for both Android and iOS users.

How Eat Me App works 

This mobile app sends notifications to users about the expiration date of groceries. In that way, they have an insight into the statistics on used and unused food and the monetary value of discarded food. It is this moment that is crucial to raise awareness of the problem. Sanja and Aleksandra believe that in the first week of using their application, the user is guaranteed to either save or see how much financial loss he is threatened with if he does not do something with the groceries. That is why the authors of the application, with their creative advice on how to store and use food, help the users to reduce food waste. As a result, their users achieve significant savings in the household budget. But how exactly does Eat Me App work? 

“The application provides the possibility of donating and exchanging food among users. We are currently in the testing, mapping and needs assessment phase with our customers regarding food exchange and donation options. Everything we do is done with the LEAN approach to reduce resource consumption and at the same time involve users in the development of the application from the very beginning. It should be emphasized that the goal of the application is to enable all of us to have a more responsible and aware attitude towards food and towards ourselves, keeping in mind our habits”, Aleksandra says.

The application can be used by everyone who has a smartphone, and for now, there are no negative reactions, only useful feedback and questions. They are currently working intensively on contact with users to find out where the problems that need to be solved are hiding. “The ways in which we interact with customers are still being defined. Our goal is to learn from users and offer them interesting ways to interact with the application so that the very learning and adopting new models of thinking and behaving is both effective and efficient,” our interlocutor says.

Prepared by: Milica Radičević

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine ELECTROMOBILITY.

Energy And Climate Committee Advances Negotiations On 2030 Energy And Climate Targets

Photo-Ilustration: Pixabay (PIRO4D)

The 9th Energy and Climate Committee met on 20 June in Vienna to negotiate the 2030 energy and climate targets for the Energy Community Contracting Parties.

The adoption of 2030 targets is needed to accelerate the clean energy transition and set the countries on the path to decarbonisation by 2050.

Discussions were led by the European Commission, represented by Mechthild Wörsdörfer, Deputy Director General (ENER) in Vienna and Clara de la Torre, Deputy Director General (CLIMA). The meeting was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Mining and Energy of Serbia, Zorana Mihajlović and overall supported by the Energy Community Secretariat Director Artur Lorkowski.

All Contracting Parties provided concrete feedback on the target values for renewables, energy efficiency and GHG reduction proposed by the European Commission. Beyond exchanges during the plenary session, the meeting also served as an opportunity to advance substantially with bilateral discussions.

Deputy Director General Wörsdörfer and Director Lorkowski summarized the overall discussions by acknowledging the commitment of all Contracting Parties to finalize the negotiations during the informal Ministerial Council 8-9 July.

Source: Energy Community

ABB E-mobility Opens Its Largest DC Fast Charger Production Facility In Italy

Photo: ABB

ABB E-mobility has today strengthened its position as the world leader in EV charging solutions with the opening of the company’s largest DC fast charger production site to date – the E-mobility Centre of Excellence in Valdarno, Tuscany.

The full range of ABB DC charging solutions will be produced at the site, supporting the electrification of all transport sectors and exemplifying ABB E-mobility’s commitment to building a zero-emission future with smart, reliable charging solutions for electric vehicles.

Having already sold in excess of 680,000 EV chargers across more than 85 markets, ABB E-mobility’s $30 million investment in the new Valdarno facility means it has now more than doubled its production capacity over the last two years, with the opening of the new 16,000mValdarno plant enabling the creation of more than 10,000 additional DC chargers a year.

Frank Mühlon, CEO of ABB E-mobility, said: “The opening of our new Valdarno facility demonstrates ABB E-mobility’s commitment to building a zero-emission future. In addition to increased production capacity, the investment made in Valdarno helps to expand our innovative R&D activity, ensuring we can continue to cement our reputation as the world leader in electric vehicle charging solutions, delivering future proof e-mobility solutions for the vehicles of today and tomorrow.”

The new state-of-the-art manufacturing site sets a new benchmark for the sector, producing one DC fast charger every 20 minutes thanks to its seven production lines. 15 testing facilities are able to simulate over 400 charging sessions per day, while integrated automation solutions connect the shopfloor to the innovative automatic warehouse, ensuring optimized stock control, full traceability and efficient operations, supported by AGVs and handling vehicles.

In addition, the new facility will support ABB E-mobility’s continued drive to innovate. Having invested 14 percent of 2021 revenues into R&D, the Valdarno location will house a 3,200mspace for development and prototyping. Here, around 70 of the site’s 500-plus employees will be dedicated to implementing innovative solutions, new software, and product life cycle management tools to fully integrate R&D activities with manufacturing. ABB E-mobility employs more than 350 R&D experts globally and has a portfolio of over 350 granted patents.

Photo: ABB

The Valdarno facility also aims to achieve gold level LEED certification – the globally recognized independent standard for the design, construction and operation of eco-friendly buildings. Rainwater is collected for irrigation use, 100 percent of production waste is recycled, and the entirety of the energy needs are met by certified renewable sources – including a photovoltaic system delivering 720MWh of electricity and preventing 338 tons of CO2 per year.

The site’s electrical distribution is also optimized thanks to ABB Ability Energy and Asset Manager, a platform that monitors and efficiently manages over 9,000 devices throughout the facility – including thermal regulation, lighting and air handling units – resulting in a potential energy saving of 60 percent in comparison to traditional solutions.

Through its sustainability strategy 2030, ABB has committed to enabling a low carbon society by supporting customers in reducing their CO2 emissions, while also achieving carbon neutrality across its own operations. With transportation accounting for up to 29 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions, the development and production of smart, reliable charging solutions in Valdarno will enable a swift environmental transition towards more efficient electric vehicles of any range: from cars to buses and to heavy vehicles.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 105,000 talented employees in over 100 countries.  

Source: ABB

RFPs for implementation of pilot projects under USAID Better Energy

 

Serbia Better Energy Activity (Better Energy), a 5-year project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). In November 2021, USAID awarded the Serbia Better Energy Activity (Better Energy) to Chemonics International, Order No. 7200AA19D00023/72016922F00001.

Better Energy seeks to improve energy efficiency in local heating supply and to reduce Serbia’s dependency on fossil fuels usage by pilot projects in improving district heating system efficiency.

 

Serbia Better Energy Activity (Better Energy) is inviting all eligible offerors to submit their proposals as response to the following:

 

1.PROCUREMENT OF EQUIPMENT AND INSTALLATION SERVICES

Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 01:

Provision of Dynamic Network Leak Detection System Equipment

Published on: June 21, 2022

Submission deadline: July 12, 2022

Please access and download the RFP documentation here.

 

 2.PROCUREMENT OF SERVICES

Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 02:

Providing Project Documentation for Main Project Design According to the Provided Concept Design for 16 Thermal Substations of DHP Knjazevac

Published on: June 22, 2022

Submission deadline: July 13, 2022

Please access and download the RFP documentation here.

 

 3.PROCUREMENT OF EQUIPMENT AND INSTALLATION SERVICES

Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 03:

Provision of Equipment for the Thermal Substation S3 of the DHP of the Municipality of Knjazevac

Published on: June 22, 2022

Submission deadline: July 13, 2022

Please access and download the RFP documentation here.

 

4.PROCUREMENT OF EQUIPMENT AND INSTALLATION SERVICES

Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 04:

Provision of SCADA System and Equipment for Substations in Public Utility Enterprise JKP Energana Sombor

Published on: June 22, 2022

Submission deadline: July 13, 2022

Please access and download the RFP documentation here.

 

Austria Doubles Speed of Solar Panel Rollout

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Andreas Gucklhorn)
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

More than double the solar panel capacity of 2020 was installed in 2021, making the past year by far the Austrian solar industry’s best, the photovoltaic industry association said on Monday.

Austria has one of the world’s largest shares of renewable electricity, bolstered by a successful early hydropower boom. With the country’s inhabitants and nature conservationists blocking further projects, renewables policy has turned towards wind and solar.

“The industry has achieved incredible things in the past year,” explained Herbert Paierl, chairman of the Austrian solar PV industry association. “The record year of 2021 must now be taken as a basis and motivation for further expansion – further expanding performance will be demanding for everyone,” he added.

He highlighted the massive grid expansion that would be necessary, the need for designated areas and faster permitting.

In total, 740 Megawatts (MW) of capacity were installed, bringing the country’s total up to 2783 MW and doubling the 2020 number of 340 MW. Solar covers around five per cent of Austria’s electricity demand.

Like the country’s wind turbine rollout, most new PV installations were concentrated in eastern Austria, with lower Austria host to about one in five of 2021’s newly built installations.

Austria aims to achieve 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2030, which will need around 10,000 MW of solar capacity, according to analyst projections.

Source: EURACTIV.de/EURACTIV.com

Global Energy Crisis Shows Urgency Of Accelerating Investment In Cheaper And Cleaner Energy In Africa

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Today’s crippling spikes in energy prices underscore the urgency and the benefits for African countries of accelerating the scale up of cheaper and cleaner sources of energy, the IEA says in a new special report released today.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sent food, energy and other commodity prices soaring, increasing the strains on African economies already hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. The overlapping crises are affecting many parts of Africa’s energy systems, including reversing positive trends in improving access to modern energy, with 25 million more people in Africa living without electricity today compared with before the pandemic, according to the Africa Energy Outlook 2022.

At the same time, Africa is also already facing more severe effects from climate change than most other parts of the world – including massive droughts – despite bearing the least responsibility for the problem. Africa accounts for less than 3% of the world’s energy-related CO2 emissions to date and has the lowest emissions per capita of any region.

Despite these challenges, the report finds that the global clean energy transition holds new promise for Africa’s economic and social development, with solar, other renewables and emerging areas such as critical minerals and green hydrogen offering strong growth potential if managed well. Increased international ambitions for cutting emissions are helping set a new course for the global energy sector amid declining clean technology costs and shifting global investment patterns. African countries are poised to benefit from these trends and attract increasing flows of climate finance.

“Africa has had the raw end of the deal from the fossil fuel-based economy, receiving the smallest benefits and the biggest drawbacks, as underlined by the current energy crisis,” said Fatih Birol, the IEA Executive Director. “The new global energy economy that is emerging offers a more hopeful future for Africa, with huge potential for solar and other renewables to power its development – and new industrial opportunities in critical minerals and green hydrogen.”

“The immediate and absolute priority for Africa and the international community is to bring modern and affordable energy to all Africans – and our new report shows this can be achieved by the end of this decade through annual investment of $25 billion, the same amount needed to build just one new LNG terminal a year,” Dr Birol added. “It is morally unacceptable that the ongoing injustice of energy poverty in Africa isn’t being resolved when it is so clearly well within our means to do so.”

The Africa Energy Outlook 2022 explores a Sustainable Africa Scenario in which all African energy-related development goals are achieved on time and in full. This includes universal access to modern energy services by 2030 and the full implementation of all African climate pledges.

With demand for energy services in Africa set to grow rapidly, ensuring affordability is an urgent priority. Increased energy efficiency is essential for this, since it reduces fuel imports, eases strains on existing infrastructure and keeps consumer bills affordable.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Expanded and improved electricity grids provide the backbone of Africa’s new energy systems in this scenario, and are powered increasingly by renewables. Africa is home to 60% of the best solar resources worldwide, but it currently holds only 1% of solar PV capacity. Already the cheapest source of power in many parts of Africa, solar is set to outcompete all other sources continent-wide by 2030. Renewables – including solar, wind, hydropower and geothermal – account for over 80% of new power generation capacity added by 2030 in the Sustainable Africa Scenario.

While renewables are the driving force for Africa’s electricity sector this decade, the continent’s industrialisation relies in part on expanding natural gas use. More than 5 000 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas resources have been discovered to date in Africa that have not yet been approved for development. These resources could provide an additional 90 bcm of gas a year by 2030, which may well be vital for Africa’s domestic fertiliser, steel, cement and water desalination industries. Cumulative CO2 emissions from the use of these gas resources over the next 30 years would be around 10 billion tonnes. If these emissions were added to Africa’s cumulative total today, they would bring its share of global emissions to a mere 3.5%.

Africa’s vast resources of minerals that are critical for multiple clean energy technologies are set to create new export markets but need to be managed well, with Africa’s revenues from critical mineral exports set to more than double by 2030.

A number of low-carbon hydrogen projects are underway, focused primarily on producing ammonia for fertilisers, which would strengthen Africa’s food security. Africa has huge potential to produce hydrogen using its rich renewable resources. As much as today’s energy demand could be produced at internationally competitive price points by 2030.

Achieving Africa’s energy and climate goals means more than doubling energy investment this decade. This would take it over USD 190 billion each year from 2026 to 2030, with two-thirds going to clean energy.

“Multilateral development banks must take urgent action to increase financial flows to Africa for both developing its energy sector and adapting to climate change,” said Dr Birol. “The continent’s energy future requires stronger efforts on the ground that are backed by global support. The COP27 Climate Change Conference in Egypt in late 2022 provides a crucial platform for African leaders to set the agenda for the coming years. This decade is critical not only for global climate action but also for the foundational investments that will allow Africa – home to the world’s youngest population – to flourish in the decades to come.”

Source: IEA

Why the World is Missing its Chance for Clean Energy

Foto: Facebook (screenshot)
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

A green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic would have helped countries to build back better while driving economic growth and job creation. But the latest Renewables 2022 Global Status Report paints a different picture. According to the reportthe global energy transition the world had hoped for is simply not happening.

The rebound in economic activity we experienced led to a four per cent increase in global energy demand, which was met mainly by fossil fuels and was further compounded by the spike in energy prices following the war in Ukraine.

The greatest success for renewables in 2021 was indeed in the power sector but the report finds that we do not use enough renewables to heat and cool our homes. Meanwhile, the industry sector is the largest energy user, accounting for more than a third of global final energy demand, whilst progress in the transport sector remains slow.

We sat down with Niklas Hagelberg, Coordinator on Climate Change at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), to find out more about the global energy crisis and what can be done to transition to an energy-efficient economy.

This year’s report sends a clear warning that the global energy transition is not happening. What can countries, companies and other stakeholders do to speed up the transition?

Niklas Hagelberg (NH): Indeed, it is alarming that even in the energy sector, which has cost-effective solutions, we haven’t yet seen a drop in emissions. To speed up the transition, every household and company needs to shift to renewable energy, thermal heating and cooling districts, and low carbon transport modes. But this cannot happen at the required speed if governments are not making it easier to rapidly install renewable energy production, secure connection to the grid and promote its use. Permitting processes must be reduced drastically. We also need direct support for the shift in heating and cooling and the energy that supports the transport sector. Lowering public transportation tariffs, as Deutsche Bahn has done for the summer months, is an example where we can avert emissions in mobility almost completely.