Portugal’s second PV auction draws world record low bid of $0.0132/kWh

Although Portugal’s second solar energy auction is not expected to be finalized until tomorrow, financial newspaper Expresso has revealed the 700 MW procurement round secured a world record lowest bid of €0.0112/kWh ($0.0132). If confirmed, that price would be $0.0003 lower than the $0.0135/kWh bid submitted by French energy group EDF and China’s JinkoPower in a 2 GW tender held in Abu Dhabi,…

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IEEFA: Pakistan’s new 27-year power plan risks locking in long-term overcapacity, leaving imported coal and LNG plants stranded

3 September 2020 (IEEFA Pakistan): Pakistan risks locking itself into building more power capacity than it needs as a result of over-optimistic energy demand growth forecasts that do not take into account the impact of COVID-19, according to a new IEEFA report. Pakistan’s state-owned National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) published its latest long-term power plan – the Indicative Generation Capacity…

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CPEC aimed at decreasing China’s reliance on strategic chokeholds: Pentagon

WASHINGTON: Under its One Belt, One Road (OBOR) policy, China is pursuing projects in Pakistan that would decrease Beijing’s reliance on strategic choke points, says a Pentagon report released on Wednesday. The 2020 Pentagon report on China’s military power also shows that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has surpassed the US military in terms of navy size, land-based missiles and advanced air…

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The plastic industry thinks chemical recycling can help solve our plastic problems, but others disagree

APlastics recycling is failing. Globally, over 350 million metric tons of plastic are produced annually, but according to the OECD, only 14-18% of that is recycled. And now that China has stopped importing the world’s plastic waste, we’re being forced to deal with it domestically. The problem is, most plastics just aren’t recyclable. And even those that are degrade in…

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Doing the right thing the wrong way

After extensive discussions in the cabinet’s energy and economic coordination committees, the government agreed to the demand of the oil industry to switch the petroleum pricing mechanism from a monthly to fortnightly basis on Arab Gulf Mean oil prices published in Platts Oilgram. The key objectives of the change in the pricing mechanism were to “ensure fair competition … alignment…

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NEPRA reserves decision on tariff hike

ISLAMABAD: After questioning the justification for furnace oil-based expensive power generation, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Tuesday reserved judgement on 86 paisa per unit increase in electricity rates demanded by ex-Wapda distribution companies (Discos). “The decision will be issued after carrying out analysis with regards to the statements made by National Power Control Center (NPCC) during the…

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Turkish investors urged to boost tourism in Pakistan’s northern areas

Pakistan is keen for Turkey investment in the country’s northern areas bordering China to help boost tourism in the scenic region. The investment offer was extended by Ali Amin Gandapur, Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, in a meeting with Gokhan Umut, head of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) in Pakistan.  Around two million tourists visit these picturesque Gilgit-Baltistan…

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