Two crucial global talks, Bonn and G7, failed to agree on climate finance ahead of COP29 climate discussions. The crux of the problem, say experts, is that rich countries confuse investment with climate finance. Read more
There have been several heat spells in East, Northwest, and Peninsular India in April and May.
2024 the most intense and longest heatwave year: India’s weather office (IMD)
The year 2024 is set to be the most intense with the highest number of heatwaves in the past 15 years, the Indian Express reported. Buxar in Bihar recorded 47.2°C, the highest in the country on Thursday, which was 8.9 degrees above the normal maximum temperature for the season.
Severe heatwave conditions continue to bake Northwest and East India. The weather office (IMD) predicted gradual rise in maximum temperatures by 2-3°C in Northwest and Central India last week. There have been several heat spells in East, Northwest, and Peninsular India in April and May, HT reported.
IMD director general M Mohapatra said a fresh spell of heatwaves is expected mainly due to an anticyclone, which is causing subsidence of hot air over northwest India. Maximum temperatures were in the range of 42-45°C in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, North Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, and Gujarat. These are above normal by 2-4°C. On Sunday, Prayagraj recorded the highest maximum temperature of 45.9°C.
At least eight people have died of suspected sun stroke in Odisha, with the national weather department predicting more hot weather in parts of the state. Union cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba chaired a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to review the measures to deal with heatwave conditions and forest fires, caused by an intense dry spell in the hills. IAF helicopters are carrying out the Bambi Bucket operation to extinguish forest fires in Uttarakhand.
Extreme floods hit Florida: Emergency declared, India-Canada T20 match abandoned, courts shut but govt denies climate change
Extreme rain (380mm (15in in 2 days) in southern Florida has led Governor Ron DeSantis, declare a state of emergency while the mayors of Miami-Dade, Miami and Fort Lauderdale also declared a state of emergency. Schools, courts were shut and at least 40 rescues were carried out. Rail routes across Miami were suspended. In North Miami, over 500mm fell a over a short space of time, the Guardian reported.
The T20 World Cup’s Florida-based matches were also hit by bad weather: India’s game with Canada was abandoned. All three matches scheduled for Lauderhill have fallen to the elements, reported the BBC.
DeSantis pushed back against attributions to climate change. The storm arrived a month after DeSantis signed a bill that removes most references to climate change in state law. The legislation, which is set to take effect July 1, eliminates climate change as a priority in making energy policy decisions, even though Florida routinely faces threats from extreme heat, deadly hurricanes and toxic algae blooms, Washington Post reported.
DeSantis has pledged to focus on energy affordability rather than climate change. The law he signed in May bans offshore wind turbines and weakens regulations on natural gas pipelines.
Monsoon hiatus: 53% deficient rain in northwest India
MET department said after normal progress, the monsoon is going into hiatus mode. Not much progress is expected next 8-10 days, thus delaying onset over north India. The weather office extended range forecast for the next two weeks, said the cumulative monsoon rains received across the country for the first 12 days of this season was 4% less than the normal, with northwest India remaining parched with 53% deficient rains. This cause extreme temps & heat waves over north India, including Delhi, UP and Bihar.
Monsoon arrived early in Mumbai. Waterlogging was reported from low-lying areas. In a span of a few hours, Worli, Dadar, Vikhroli, Powai and Ghatkopar, received over 100mm of rainfall, while parts of western suburbs, including Bandra and Santacruz, recorded over 80mm late Sunday.
However, the seven lakes that cater to Mumbai did not receive much rain and their total stock was 84,155 million litres, or 5.8% of the required quantum, Monday morning— compared to 10.3% on the same date last year and 14% in 2022, reported TOI.
80% chance that 1.5°C goal of Paris Agreement may be breached over next 5 years, warns WMO
The Geneva-based World Meteorological Organisation’s Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update warned there is an 80% chance that the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal will be breached during at least one (annual average) of the next five years. There is also an 86% likelihood that at least one of these years will set a new temperature record, beating 2023, which is currently the warmest year.
HT reported that breaching the 1.5°C threshold for a year is not equivalent to failing the Paris Agreement. The warning came even as Baku in Azerbaijan — on the coast of the Caspian Sea and a major producer of crude oil and natural gas — is preparing to host thousands of delegates from all over the world this November for the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29). The agenda of the UN climate meeting (COP29) at Baku is to negotiate a new financial goal to be set from the floor of USD 100 billion for the post-2025 period. This is expected to help developing countries transition to a low-carbon future.
Algorithm identifies landslide movements making them easier to predict
Indian researchers created an algorithm that provides a 80-94% accuracy in identifying landslide movement, reported Mongabay. The algorithm does not predict landslides, but it gives necessary information to those who are in the business of predicting landslides, like what caused the landslide and what the mechanisms were.
Current predictive models categorise different subtypes of landslides into a single group. This new method creates a comprehensive algorithm that tailors a mitigation approach based on the subtype to reduce uncertainty and bias.
One statistic estimates that between 2010 and 2021, at least 3,710 people in India lost their lives to landslides, while tens of thousands of people were impacted in other ways.
Kamal Rana, a Ph.D. student at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).and Kushanav Bhuyan, a Ph.D. researcher from the University of Padova’s Machine Intelligence and Slope Stability Laboratory, along with a team of researchers, have created an algorithm that offers 80-94% accuracy in identifying landslide movements around the world.
This study introduces a new method of examining slides, flows, and fails, which are the different manners in which landslides occur, as well as finding distinct patterns of landslides that were previously unidentifiable.
Climate change made historic Brazil floods twice as likely: Study
Climate change doubled the chances of the historic floods in southern Brazil and scaled up intense rains caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon, according to a study by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group, reported Carbon Copy. The group concluded that three months’ worth of rain was dumped on the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul over two weeks in an “extremely rare event, expected to occur only once every 100-250 years”. The record-breaking disaster killed at least 169 people, as well as destroying homes and harvests.
Less than 4% of dryland areas are projected to desertify despite increased aridity under climate change
A new study found that less than 4% of the Earth’s drylands will turn to desert by mid-century, despite increasing dryness in those areas. Using observational data and climate models, researchers calculate the aridity index and project changes in vegetation. They find that despite increasing aridity, “most of the global drylands are projected to see an increase in vegetation productivity due to climate change through 2050”, which they attribute to the CO2 fertilisation effect. The regions for which they project desertification “include parts of north-east Brazil, Namibia, western Sahel, Horn of Africa and central Asia”
Global groundwater warming due to climate change
Climate change under a medium emissions pathway could push groundwater resources for 77-188 million people above the “highest threshold for drinking water temperatures set by any country”, a new study suggested. Simulating current and projected groundwater temperatures worldwide, the researchers show that “groundwater at the depth of the water table (excluding permafrost regions) is conservatively projected to warm on average by 2.1°C between 2000 and 2100” under medium emissions. A separate article added that groundwater warming for many regions “will also alter the conditions that sensitive groundwater-dependent ecosystems currently rely on”.
Simon Stiell, the head of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) said countries should make “serious progress” towards setting a new climate finance goal for after 2025. Photo: AmiraGrotendiek_UNFCCC_Flickr
Stalemate over new amount: Bonn talks hit climate finance roadblock ahead of Baku summit
As the UN pushed for progress on a new finance goal at Bonn conference, no progress was made on the issue of defining a new collective quantified goal (NCQG) , which is expected to define the contours of discussion at the next UN climate conference, COP29, at Baku, Azerbaijan.
Developing countries such as the Arab group, Cuba and African nations pushed to get conversation around the quantum (new dollar amount) of the NCQG ahead of the COP29, reported Carbon Copy. The Arab and African group proposed a new amount the rich countries should contribute—between $1.1 trillion and $1.3 trillion a year for the five years from 2025, Climate Home reported.
Simon Stiell, the head of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) said countries should make “serious progress” towards setting a new climate finance goal for after 2025. This goal is “one of the main decisions” expected from the COP29 UN climate summit taking place in November in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku.
However, developed and developing countries have divergent views on how much money should be provided, who should provide it and how “climate finance” should be defined. Stiell also called for more ambitious nationally determined contributions (NDCs) before these plans must be submitted in 2025.
G7 fails to deliver on fossil fuel promises, continue oil and gas expansion
The Group of Seven rich countries (G-7) failed to deliver new progress on climate during a summit in Italy, instead reiterating previous commitments, AP reported.
The leaders reiterated what was sad in April “to phase out existing unabated coal power generation in our energy systems during the first half of 2030s”, but left wiggle room: countries can commit instead to phase out “in a timeline consistent with keeping a limit of 1.5C temperature rise within reach, in line with countries’ net-zero pathways”, according to the final statement.
“To stay below 1.5C, the G7’s plan to phase out coal is simply too little, too late and gas is neither cheap nor a bridge fuel to a safe climate,” said Greenpeace’s climate politics expert Tracy Carty. The group, responsible for nearly 30% of fossil fuel production, “left the door open for continued public investments in gas”, said Nicola Flamigni of the GSCC.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s hard-right government voted against the European Green Deal. Activists charged that the presence of the CEO of Italian oil and gas giant ENI at a leaders’ roundtable on Africa, energy and climate showed how closely Rome’s political and fossil fuel interests are entangled.
The joint communique, marked a failure to build on the momentum from last year’s UN COP28 decision to transition away from fossil fuels, Price of Oil reported. New Oil Change International data says G7 countries represent 27% of global oil and gas production, and will be responsible for nearly 48% of CO2 pollution from planned oil and gas expansion (equivalent lifetime emissions of nearly 600 coal plants). They provide USD $25.7 billion taxpayer finance a year in international finance for fossil fuels, compared to USD $10.3 billion for clean energy, the outlet reported.
India offers $500 billion investment opportunities in clean energy, other sectors by 2030: Commerce ministry
India plans to offer investment opportunities worth over $500 billion, particularly in the clean energy value chain (renewables, green hydrogen and EV), by 2030, stated commerce secretary Sunil Barthwal at the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Clean Economy Investor Forum.
The 14-member IPEF bloc was launched jointly by the US and other partner countries of the Indo-Pacific region on May 23, 2022, in Tokyo. Together, they account for 40% of the world’s economic output and 28% of trade, reported the ET.
The framework is structured around four pillars relating to trade, supply chains, clean economy and fair economy. India has joined all the pillars except the trade. Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the US, and Vietnam are members of the bloc.
China plans new carbon measurement standards to boost climate efforts
China announced plans to set up a new “carbon footprint management system”, which will go into effect in 2027, to “better measure the carbon content of its products”, Reuters reported. The newswire added that the new measurement sets standards for “measuring carbon emissions for about 100 key products throughout the Chinese economy” and it will be expanded to 200 products by 2030. In addition, the new measures “will apply to high-emitting products, such as coal and natural gas as well as export products like steel, aluminium, lithium batteries and electric vehicles”.
Climate scientist Claudia Sheinbaum to become Mexico’s first woman president
Claudia Sheinbaum, a former climate scientist and head of Mexico City’s government, was elected as the first woman president of Mexico, Axios reported. A member of the left-wing ruling party Morena, she has “proposed policies similar to those of her mentor, outgoing president Andrés Manuel López Obrador”, the news website reported. Sheinbaum favours an energy transition driven by public investment in renewables and efforts by state companies such as the oil firm Pemex, rather than private investment, the article notes.
She has a PhD in energy engineering and was an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) author in 2007, when it earned a Nobel Peace Prize, NYT reported. Mexican media pointed out that Sheinbaum, who was a co-author of the industry chapter for the IPCC report in question, “has been recognised internationally for her work in physics and energy”.
Reuters highlighted her “state-centric economic policies, especially over natural resources such as oil and minerals”.
US: Vermont becomes first state to enact law requiring oil firms pay for damage from climate change
Vermont became the first US state to enact a law requiring fossil fuel companies to pay a share of the damage caused by climate change, reported the Associated Press. The move comes after the state suffered catastrophic flooding last summer and damage from other extreme weather. Under the legislation, the Vermont state treasurer would provide a report in January 2026 on the total cost to the state’s residents from the emission of greenhouse gases over 1995-2024.
Germany likely to miss 2030 climate goal, government advisors say
The German Expert Council on Climate Issues, which has independent authority to judge the country’s climate performance, said Germany “is unlikely” to meet its goal to cut 65% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 because sectors such as transport and construction “are struggling to meet their targets”, reports Reuters. This statement follows Germany’s recent adoption of a “more flexible” climate protection law in April, which eliminates sector-specific targets.
To phase out older, more polluting vehicles, Haryana will offer higher incentives for scrapping them in exchange for EVs.
Haryana government to launch ₹10,000-crore project to combat air pollution
Haryana announced a ₹10,000-crore project funded by the World Bank to tackle air pollution, starting with the NCR districts. The project includes setting up cutting-edge labs and modernise four existing ones. The bulk of its resources will be used to directly address the issues of transportation, industry, construction and road dust, biomass burning and household pollution through sectoral interventions.
The state plans to electrify public transportation for intra-city and inter-city travel and incentivise the adoption of EVs for private use. To phase out older, more polluting vehicles, higher incentives would be offered for scrapping them in exchange for EVs. Industry will be given incentives to switch to clean fuels for boilers and use cleaner diesel generator sets through retrofitting or purchasing generators that comply with stricter emission standards.
The project also aims to combat stubble burning by promoting in-situ crop residue management practices. This involves raising awareness about the benefits of bio-decomposers to accelerate the decomposition of crop residue, reducing the need for burning.
NGT tells Amazon to pay ₹6 lakh compensation for violation of sewage treatment plant norms
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently upheld an order directing e-commerce giant Amazon to pay compensation for violating sewage treatment plant (STP) standards at its fulfillment center in Haryana’s Bilaspur, Bar and Bench reported.
The outlet added that chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Dr A Senthil Vel reduced the amount of compensation from about ₹13 lakh to ₹6 lakh after reconsidering the number of days of the violation.
India’s green court issues notices to CIDCO, forest dept, wetland authority over flamingo deaths
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued notices to the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), the state forest department and the wetland authority, seeking their responses on the deaths of around 12 flamingos near the DPS Lake in Nerul, Navi Mumbai, the Indian Express reported.
The NGT order highlighted The Indian Express report on April 28 that the death of the flamingos can be attributed to “light pollution”, which partially impairs the vision of the birds due to their fragile eyes. It states that the newly installed LED lights disorient and misguide the birds while flying, which then happen to crash with random objects and get injured.
The green court took note of the inlet blockage by the elevated roads constructed by CIDCO that resulted in water stagnation, disregarding the fact that flamingos typically inhabit areas of flowing waters. The tribunal also noted CIDCO’s intentions to use the lake area for future development and its inattention to HC’s notice to protect the natural habitat of the lake.
A source from the forest department revealed that sand particles were found in the viscera of the carcasses, indicating that the birds died of starvation, according to the post-mortem report. CIDCO has not yet issued an official response.
Meth-addict fish, aggro starlings, caffeinated minnows: Animals radically changed by drug pollution, says study
Scientists warned that modern pharmaceutical and illegal drug pollution is becoming a growing threat to wildlife globally, the Guardian reported. Brown trout is becoming “addicted” to methamphetamine and European perch is losing their fear of predators due to depression medication, the outlet wrote.
The study stated that exposure is causing unexpected changes to some animals’ behaviour and anatomy. Female starlings dosed with antidepressants such as Prozac at concentrations found in sewage waterways become less attractive to potential mates, with male birds behaving more aggressively and singing less to entice them than undosed counterparts.
The contraceptive pill has caused sex reversal in some fish populations – leading to a collapse in numbers and local extinction events as male fish reverted to female organs. Scientists have warned it could have unintended consequences for humans.
Bertram, one of the authors of the study, pointed to the notable example of diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory drug routinely given to cattle in south Asia at the time, that caused India’s vulture population to fall by more than 97% between 1992 and 2007. The country subsequently had a surge in rabies cases from dogs that were feeding on the cattle carcasses that were no longer being eaten by the birds.
New US rules aim to crack down on toxic air pollution by steelmakers
New pollution norms set up by US’ Environmental Protection Agency will crack down on toxic air pollution from steelmakers by limiting pollutants such as mercury, benzene and lead that have long poisoned the air in neighborhoods surrounding the plants, the Guardian reported.
The rules target contaminants released by steel facilities’ coke ovens. Gas from the ovens creates an individual cancer risk in the air around steel plants of 50 in 1,000,000, which is dangerous for children and people with underlying health problems.
Advocates said the chemicals do not travel far from the plant, but they have been devastating for public health in “fenceline” low income neighborhoods around steel facilities, and represent an environmental justice issue.
Study links 135 million premature deaths from 1980 to 2020 to PM 2.5 exposure and climate variability
Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) killed 135 million people prematurely worldwide between 1980 and 2020, a new study found. The research highlighted the role of climate phenomena like El Nino-Southern Oscillation, Indian Ocean Dipole and North Atlantic Oscillation in exacerbating PM 2.5 pollution levels. The Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Environment International. The scientists analysed 40 years of data to provide new insights into the complex relationship between climate and air quality by examining how specific climate patterns affect air pollution in different regions, DTE reported.
From 1980 to 2020, 33.3% premature deaths were associated with stroke, 32.7% with ischemic heart disease and the remaining deaths were due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lower respiratory infections and lung cancer, the study found.
Asia stood out with an estimated 98.1 million premature deaths attributed to PM2.5 pollution during the study period. China and India led the pack at 49 million and 26.1 million deaths, respectively. The researchers analysed satellite data from the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration on PM2.5 levels in the Earth’s atmosphere. They also utilised data from Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in US on global deaths and occurrences of pollution-linked diseases, which include lower respiratory infections, tracheal, bronchus and lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke and ischemic heart disease.
India is expected to invest around ₹1.5 lakh crore in data centres over the next 5-6 years, boosting the country's digital infrastructure capabilities, the report said.
India to invest $360 billion in RE, infra in next seven years: Moody’s
India needs between $190 billion and $215 billion investments in the next seven years to meet its 500 gigawatts (GW) RE by 2030 target, ratings agency Moody stated. An additional $150 billion to $170 billion will be required for the expansion and enhancement of electricity transmission, distribution, and energy storage systems. Strong growth in India’s renewable energy capacity will continue, but coal will remain a major power source over the next 8-10 years, Moody’s Abhishek Tyagi said to TOI.
India is expected to invest around ₹1.5 lakh crore in data centres over the next 5-6 years, boosting the country’s digital infrastructure capabilities, the report said. Government policies and regulatory frameworks have assisted in increasing the share of renewable energy to about 43% of India’s total power capacity mix in fiscal 2023 and 2024, contributing significantly towards the country’s 2030 transition targets and its 2070 net-zero ambitions, the report stated.
Investment in clean energy to rise 10 times as much as fossil fuels in 2024, but not enough to meet 2030 target: IEA
Investment in low-carbon electricity will rise to 10 times as much as fossil fuel power this year, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). Global investment in clean energy including renewables and nuclear power, as well as electric vehicles, power grids, energy storage, low-emissions fuels, efficiency improvements and heat pumps is expected to reach $2 trillion this year. Global clean-energy investment topped fossil fuels for the first time in 2023 and is likely to be double the $1 trillion forecast for coal, gas and oil in 2024.
Countries have a significant opportunity over the coming months to develop clear plans for boosting renewable power that could help move the world closer to achieving the COP28 goal of tripling global capacity by 2030, the report titled ‘COP28 Tripling Renewable Capacity Pledge: Tracking countries’ said. The report added that while renewable power is at the heart of achieving international energy and climate goals, very few countries have explicitly laid out 2030 targets for installed capacity in their existing Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs, under the Paris Agreement. The targets are not yet in line with renewable energy target for 2030, IEA said.
‘Overcapacity’: China solar manufacturers seek state action to halt freefall in prices
Chinese solar panel manufacturers want the government to curb investment and industry collaboration to stop fall in prices of solar cells and modules, as the industry faces overcapacity, ET reported.
China accounts for about 80% of global module capacity. It is expected to add up to 600 gigawatts (GW) this year, enough to meet global demand through 2032. But price fall and competition is pushing smaller producers into bankruptcy. Rapid capacity additions drove down prices of China’s finished solar panels by 42% last year. At least eight companies suspended over 59 GW of new production capacity, equivalent to 6.9% of China’s total finished panel production capacity in 2023, to avoid overinvestment, China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA) said.
The Asian Photovoltaic Industry Association said industry profits had plunged 70% due to overcapacity and falling prices, while exports were curbed by trade barriers imposed by the United States.
Meanwhile in Europe, the overcapacity issue in China’s solar panel industry has “led European manufacturers to shut down factories and seek support from policymakers” as the solar panel prices dropped by 50% in the past Nikkei Asia reported.
Floating solar global study: 10% surface area coverage can meet 16% of country’s power demand
A new study explores the potential for floating solar power on lakes around the world. Assessing more than 1m water bodies worldwide, the researchers estimate a total global potential of almost 15,000 terawatt hours. The findings suggest that, with a “conservative” 10% surface area coverage, floating solar photovoltaics could contribute an average of 16% of the “electricity demand of some countries, thus playing an important role in decarbonising national economies”.
The new method greatly lowers the amount of electricity needed for water electrolysis, which separates water into hydrogen and oxygen, by utilising biochar, a material rich in carbon.
New method to produce hydrogen uses solar energy, agricultural waste
A new technique for producing hydrogen from water has been invented by engineers at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) using solar electricity and agricultural waste, manure or husks. It has been reported that this new method can cut the energy needed to extract hydrogen from water by 600%. Hydrogen has been called one of the most promising renewable energy sources. However, the typical method of creating pure hydrogen gas is energy-intensive and frequently relies on natural gas or coal, requiring a significant amount of electricity. The new method greatly lowers the amount of electricity needed for water electrolysis, which separates water into hydrogen and oxygen, by utilising biochar, a material rich in carbon. The process achieves net-zero GHG missions by utilising solar power and capturing byproducts for other uses.
Indian Oil, SUN Mobility plan to set up 10,000 battery swapping stations
By 2030, SUN Mobility and IndianOil plan to build over 10,000 battery swapping stations throughout the nation, reported the Economic Times. With a convenient “Battery as a Service” (BaaS) concept, this effort, which will take place in over 40 cities over the course of the next three years, aims to facilitate the adoption of electric mobility across two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and tiny four-wheelers. Currently, SUN Mobility operates 20 cities with over 630 exchanging stations. The alliance makes use of IndianOil’s nationwide network of more than 37,000 petrol stations.
Scientists develop a cleaner method to make ammonia from rare earth metals
Researchers have discovered a cleaner method for generating ammonia from rare-earth metals that operates at normal temperature and pressure. The study broadens our knowledge of nitrogen fixation chemistry by introducing novel catalytic systems that can reduce and functionalise atmospheric nitrogen to produce useful chemical products.The procedure, called the Haber-Bosch process, uses rare-earth metal-based catalysts to effectively transform nitrogen under ambient settings into necessary products including agrochemicals, medicines, and other fine chemicals. In the future, ammonia could be a carbon-free fuel alternative in vehicles. However, the process of synthesising it from molecular nitrogen requires a lot of energy.
Startup develops plug-and-play rooftop PV system
German company Wattando developed a 2.46 kW rooftop PV system that can be directly connected to a home’s network using an existing connection without causing any issues with the electrical infrastructure already in place. The method supposedly cuts down on installation time and effort and makes use of existing infrastructure. According to the manufacturer, it is “a kind of XL plug-in solar system” that guarantees safe and wireless radio connectivity between the home network and the grid connection point. The management system modifies the feed-in in accordance with the requirements built into the cable’s overload protection. Installation businesses stand to gain from the elimination of previously necessary cable work and sophisticated electrical integration in residential networks with this innovative non-invasive connection method.
Petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri has also said that profitable state-run oil firms like BPCL would not be sold off.
Increasing oil and gas production among top priority, says India’s petroleum minister
According to petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri, the NDA government’s top aims would be to increase oil and gas output, increase ethanol use, and promote green hydrogen, reported the Economic Times. He also said that profitable state-run oil firms like BPCL would not be sold off. After assuming leadership of the oil ministry for a second time, Puri addressed a press conference and said that these steps are “an essential continuity of what we have done in the last three years”.In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, in July 2021, Puri took over as minister of oil for the first time during an extended global energy crisis brought on by the post-pandemic economic recovery and the conflicts.
India’s gas-fired power use rises multi-year highs in May
The Economic Times reported that intense heat and new regulations are driving up the usage of gas-fired electricity in India, where imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are expected to increase significantly over the next two years. According to data from Grid India, the nation’s output of gas-fired power more than doubled in April and May to 8.9 billion kWh, compared to the same period last year. This is the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that gas-fired power has surpassed coal-fueled electricity in terms of share.
In May, coal’s share dipped to 74%, compared with 75.2% during the same month last year, while gas’s share nearly doubled to 3.1% from 1.6%. An emergency clause invoked to force operation of idle gas-fired power plants to avoid power cuts during the 43-day federal elections that ended last week also drove gas usage, industry officials said, as power outages have historically been a key electoral issue. India’s gas-fired power output is expected to grow by 10.5% in the fiscal year ending in March 2025, following a 35% growth the previous year.
TotalEnergies makes LNG deals with India, South Korea
TotalEnergies made deals with Indian Oil Corporation and Korean South-East Power to supply LNG over a long term period, reported the Economic Times. Under the agreement with Indian Oil Corporation, the energy major will supply 800,000 metric tonnes of LNG annually to India starting in 2026 for 10 years. The deal with Korea South-East Power entails a supply of up to 5,00,000 metric tonnes of LNG annually to South Korea beginning in 2027 for five years. These agreements are medium-term outlets for Total’s worldwide LNG supply portfolio and are consistent with its aim of expanding its LNG business. India’s top refiner —Indian Oil Corporation—had earlier signed a long-term deal to receive 1.2 million metric tonnes per year of LNG supplies from United Arab Emirates’ Abu Dhabi Gas Liquefaction Co Ltd (ADNOC LNG), starting from 2026 for 14 years.
India dealing with Norway’s Equinor for oil and gas reserves
India is in talks with the massive Norwegian energy company Equinor about having it participate in the country’s strategic petroleum reserves (SPR) in order to increase energy security in the country, reported the Mint. The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, notably Russia, have been cutting production continuously, Mint said, placing pressure on global supply networks. This has led to ongoing negotiations. With partnerships in state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) on projects related to green hydrogen, offshore wind, and carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS), Equinor is no stranger to India. Equinor-backed Scatec ASA has also partnered with India’s Acme Group for a $6 billion green hydrogen and green ammonia project in Oman, which would supply emission-free fuel to Europe and Asia.
New Zealand to lift ban on new oil and gas exploration
The government of New Zealand has announced that it intends to reverse a five-year-old prohibition on new oil and gas exploration, a move that has sparked criticism from opposition parties and environmental organisations, reported the Economic Times. The ban that has only permitted exploration for new petroleum on a few onshore fields in the nation’s North Island will be lifted by a bill that is expected to be introduced this year. According to Resources Minister Shane Jones, the prohibition has undermined foreign investment and jeopardised the nation’s energy security. He said that when the exploration ban was introduced by the previous government in 2018, it also shrank investment in further development of our known gas fields which sustain our current levels of use. Many opposing this move are saying adding gas and oil to the climate crisis fire with this action.
UN chief calls for a global fossil-fuel advertising ban, windfall tax
UN secretary general António Guterres issued grim new scientific warnings of global warming and declared that fossil fuel giants are the “godfathers of climate chaos” and should be prohibited from advertising in every nation, similar to prohibitions on big tobacco, the Guardian reported. In a key speech in New York, Guterres warned that the world confronts a “climate crunch time” in its failing attempts to stem the disaster and urged news and tech media to avoid supporting “planetary destruction” by accepting advertising money from fossil fuels. While maintaining that the 1.5C target was “still just about possible,” Guterres stated that much more needed to be done by nations to reduce carbon emissions and increase climate funding for developing nations. He also called for “windfall” tax on profits of fossil fuel companies to help pay for the fight against global warming.
US Supreme Courts asks Biden to weigh in as Big Oil plans to kill lawsuits
The US Supreme Court asked for input from the Biden administration over the request made by Big Oil to avert lawsuits that might result in billion-dollar liabilities for them, the Guardian reported. The year 2020 saw Honolulu file a lawsuit against a number of oil firms, including Sunoco, BP, ConocoPhillips, Shell, and Exxon Mobil. These businesses contend that state courts cannot hear cases involving emissions because they are federal matters. The one-line order will delay the litigation from advancing to trial. It follows an unprecedented pressure campaign from far-right fossil fuel allies on the court. Honolulu is among many cities and states suing oil majors for allegedly concealing the risks associated with their products.
