Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The context is transitioning from fossil energy to renewables. One key aspect of this is transport via gasoline or diesel vehicles and its transition to electric motors driven by batteries or hydrogen. The fossil fuel industry should be concerned about the efficiency and cost of sustainable transport, because that will determine the speed of the transition which will likely affect the decline of oil production and perhaps the oil and gas industry itself. Elon Musk knows batteries. He builds them: to propel cars and trucks, at one bookend, to grid-scale behemoths that store and stabilize electrical power for hundreds of homes and commercial enterprises, at the other bookend. Last week, May 12, 2022, Musk said hydrogen “is the most dumb thing I could possibly imagine for energy storage.” This is not the first time, as Musk has made similar negative comments in past years. A few years ago, Musk told reporters that hydrogen … [Read more...] about Is Elon Musk Right Or Wrong To Dismiss Hydrogen Use For Low-Carbon Energy Storage?
International fuel truck
Russia’s Invasion Kills Nord Stream 2 And Gives Rise To Renewables
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Nord Stream 2 should be juxtaposed next to the Berlin Wall — two dying breeds of oppression and a sign that a new day is coming. If the dilapidated Wall represents the fall of communism, Nord Stream 2’s demise embodies autocracy’s death and the rise of renewable energy. Despite the European Union’s dependence on Russian oil and gas, it has said it would speed up its transition to going green — and separate itself from the Russian economy. The continent aims to increase its share of renewable energy to 32% by 2030 while also ending its reliance on Russian fossil fuels. Indeed, its underlying premise is that Russia’s kingpin, Vladimir Putin, is an international menace not just to peace-loving countries but also to environmental security. “ Let's dash into renewable energy at lightning speed ,” said Frans Timmermans, who heads the EU Green Deal. “Renewables are a cheap, clean, and potentially endless source of energy, and … [Read more...] about Russia’s Invasion Kills Nord Stream 2 And Gives Rise To Renewables
Thousands queue for petrol, gas in Sri Lanka amid warnings of food shortages
- A + A COLOMBO (May 20): Thousands of people queued for cooking gas and petrol in Sri Lanka's commercial capital on Friday and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe warned of a food shortage as the island nation battles a devastating economic crisis. Lines formed in many parts of Colombo, a city of around 900,000 people, as residents tried to stock up on fuel, which is mostly imported and is in extremely short supply with the government running out of foreign exchange. "Only about 200 cylinders were delivered, even though there were about 500 people," said Mohammad Shazly, a part-time chauffeur in a queue for the third day in the hope of procuring cooking gas for his family of five. Hundreds of others were in line, with empty cylinders by their side. "Without gas, without kerosene oil, we can't do anything," Shazly said. "Last option what? Without food we are going to die. That will happen hundred percent." Tourism-dependent Sri Lanka, where India and China jostle … [Read more...] about Thousands queue for petrol, gas in Sri Lanka amid warnings of food shortages
A call for sustainable recovery effort in Asia-Pacific
Workers load coal onto a truck at the Jharia coalfield in Dhanbad in India's Jharkhand state last year. The Asia-Pacific accounts for about three-quarters of global coal consumption. (AFP photo) The unique and populous Asia-Pacific region is made up of 58 countries of which 12 are classified as least developed countries (LDCs) under the United Nations classification. This means they are recognised as countries that have "low levels of income and face severe structural impediments to sustainable development". Given their underlying vulnerabilities, the countries and populations of the Asia-Pacific bear the brunt of the uneven effects of the pandemic. As we have seen, the pandemic exposed common fragilities of under-resourced and inadequate health, economic and social systems across the Asia-Pacific region. This demanded major overhauls within the limited capacities of Asia-Pacific nations who are still fighting against extreme poverty, to achieve sustainable development, and the … [Read more...] about A call for sustainable recovery effort in Asia-Pacific