As Thungela Resources’ CEO attempts to talk up the future of the Anglo American coal spin-off, SA’s second-largest coal export destination is planning to bring coal imports to an end. Thungela CEO July Ndlovu recently stated that a “just transition” for developing nations requires the continued operation of existing coal-fired power plants to avoid economic damage. However, even in the…
Read MoreMonth: May 2021
U.S. energy secretary sets expectations for greener LNG production
The days of promoting liquefied natural gas as “freedom gas” or “molecules of freedom” have ended at the U.S. Department of Energy. During a visit to Houston, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said the Biden administration would rather promote and sell a cleaner version of the superchilled fuel. The statement marks a policy shift from the Trump administration, which…
Read MoreOffshore Wind Power Connected To China’s Grid Tops 10 Mln Kilowatts
The installed capacity of offshore wind power connected to China’s grid network reached 10.42 million kilowatts by the end of April, according to the country’s National Energy Administration (NEA). China has made outstanding achievements in developing offshore wind power in recent years, the NEA said. In the first four months of 2021, the offshore wind power generation totaled 9.94 billion kilowatt-hours, NEA…
Read MorePutin is betting coal still has a future
European governments are drawing up plans to phase out coal, U.S. coal-fired power plants are being shuttered as prices of clean energy plummet, and new Asian projects are being scrapped as lenders back away from the dirtiest fossil fuel. And Russia? President Vladimir Putin’s government is spending more than $10 billion on railroad upgrades that will help boost exports of…
Read MoreSindh to start World Bank-assisted project next month
The Sindh government is going to start from next month a World Bank-assisted project to energise 200,000 homes in far-flung rural areas of the province using solar power. The decision to this effect was reached as Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah chaired a meeting here at the CM House. The project will be implemented in the districts of…
Read MoreWebinar on water, food security: Degradation of ecosystems due to deforestation, over-exploitation of natural resources
Islamabad: The experts speaking at the webinar on Saturday opined that the core reasons for the degradation of ecosystems they cited were the unchecked deforestation, use of land change and overexploitation of natural resources including subsurface water. Aquifers are depleting casing severe threat to water security as we have already reached below the required water per capita. The unsustainable adaptation…
Read MoreWhat NEPRA can do?
There has been some confusion or even controversy over Nepra’s role and responsibilities. It is a regulator, yes, but what it should be doing. Should it restrict itself to issuing tariffs or should it be doing much more. There are extreme views on it. One is minimal being restricted to tariff and the other being total sectoral control. One of…
Read MorePotential priorities of new energy minister
We have a new minister for energy. He is young and appears dynamic, therefore, there is every reason for pinning high hopes on him. Our energy supply chain substantially lacks the required agility. Failure to maintain a consistent exploration and production (E&P) programme, gradual exodus of E&P multinational companies (MNCs) and resultant compulsive spending of 35% of the annual budget…
Read MorePakistan begs China for power debt forgiveness
Pakistan’s debt problems are escalating as liabilities due on China-funded energy projects established under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) surpass $31 billion and Beijing declines to restructure $3 billion in liabilities coming due that Islamabad possibly won’t pay. The debt load, owed largely for the building of independent power producers (IPPs) on take-or-pay power generation contracts, is substantially more than…
Read MoreGovt mulls over proposal to unbundle K-Electric
ISLAMABAD: The government is considering unbundling K-Electric into separate generation, transmission and distribution companies instead of transferring it as a single entity to some other large foreign firm. The new policy consideration has officially come to the fore after recent spar between Karachi-based trade bodies led by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and K-Electric over…
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