Artificial intelligence is the latest buzz—geeky stuff that can improve energy efficiency, productivity, and outcomes. But it is a fledgling concept, making room for errors. And that’s why the smart move is to test a problem and simulate solutions, sharing the best outcomes industrywide. Artificial intelligence — or AI for …
Read More »China’s Investment Boom is Fueling Growth in Central Asia
China and Kazakhstan are planning a new rail connection and border crossing in the Bakhty-Ayagoz area, expressing hope that the new route can cut freight transit times. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced the move during the May 24 Eurasian Economic Forum, attended by representatives of the Eurasian Economic Union. Kazakhstan’s …
Read More »Global Plastic Treaty Talks Limp on despite Blockade by Oil-Rich Countries
Getting 170-plus countries to agree on a global treaty to fight plastic pollution was never going to be easy. But negotiators didn’t think clearing the first hurdle would be this hard. A second round of U.N. talks for an international plan to tackle plastic pollution limped toward its conclusion Friday, …
Read More »Japan Wants to Beam Solar Energy Back to Earth from Space
Countries around the world seem to be in a race to set up solar power plants in space and beam energy back to Earth. The United Kingdom and China have already displayed interest in building such a technology and now, Japan seems to be the latest member to join the …
Read More »The Battle over Doing away with Fossil Fuels
Western oil companies are facing increasing pressure from investors as well as climate activists to set stringent targets in reducing fossil fuel production. The argument is that fossil fuels have to be phased out if climate change goals like reducing carbon emissions is to be met. Dutch oil major Shell …
Read More »Is Green Hydrogen Being Overhyped?
The global discourse on addressing climate change, energy transition, and investments is currently dominated by the topic of green hydrogen. The media frenzy surrounding the expanding array of projects, subsidy schemes, and international strategies is fueled by the influence of Washington’s IRA plans and the EU’s energy strategic projects. It …
Read More »The Green Energy Transition – Clouds on the Horizon?
With net zero commitments increasing pressure on the energy industry to move away from fossil fuels, there is a race to market for renewable energy projects. Whilst renewable energy may be part of the solution for global warming, these projects face their own problems. This can range from inflation and …
Read More »A New Era of Renewable Energy Owned by the Consumer
Governments worldwide are encouraging private companies to move away from fossil fuels and invest heavily in green energy and related technologies. In doing so, they are also trying to expand the consumer market, pushing the public to accept a movement away from fossil fuels, such as the natural gas used …
Read More »The World won’t Decarbonise Fast enough unless Renewables make Real Money
Amid the misery of war in Ukraine and the global energy crisis, there is a glimmer of good news. The green transition has speeded up. True, a spike in natural-gas prices fuelled greater demand for coal, the dirtiest of fossil fuels. But it also led consumers to use energy more …
Read More »Nuclear Fusion is not A Silver Bullet Solution
When the idea of re-creating the process that powers the sun here on Earth felt more like a thought experiment or a science fiction premise than a viable part of our global energy mix, it was easy to imagine equally far-fetched outcomes. We imagined that fusion would be limitless, unstoppable, …
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