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At least 118 countries at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai have backed a pledge to improve energy efficiency rates by 4% each year until 2030. In its simplest form, energy efficiency can simply mean using appliances, technology, or electronics that are designed to consume less energy, such as heat pumps or LED lighting. Industries worldwide could save $437 billion per year by 2030 with improved energy efficiency, according to an October 2023 industry collective report by the Energy Efficiency Movement. As a result, energy efficiency improved globally this year by about 1.3% compared with last year, slower than the 2% improvement posted in 2022 due largely to rising energy demand, the IEA's annual Energy Efficiency report said. In the U.S., energy efficiency is beating the global average efficiency improvement rate this year at 4%, with $86 billion allocated for the goal under the Inflation Reduction Act.

Persons: Andrew Boyers, Larissa Gross, Sofie Irgens, Nick Eyre, Gloria Dickie, Katy Daigle, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, International Energy Agency, BE, European Union, Industries, Energy, U.S . Department of Energy, IEA, Oxford University, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Watchfield, Swindon, Britain, Dubai, leakages, India, Africa, U.S, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands

A general view of a wind turbine at Westmill Wind Farm & Solar Park, which is owned by the community and supports local renewable energy, at Watchfield, near Swindon, Britain, September 24, 2021. "More than 110 countries have joined already," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the COP28 summit on Thursday of the renewables pledge. A draft of the renewable energy pledge, seen by Reuters, called for "the phase down of unabated coal power" and ending the financing of new coal-fired power plants. Africa receives just 2% of global investments in renewable energy. Somalia has the highest onshore wind power potential of any African country, yet one of the lowest electrification rates in the continent, according to the International Energy Agency.

Persons: Andrew Boyers, Ursula von der Leyen, Najib Ahmed, Kate Abnett, Richard Valdmanis, William Mallard Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, European Union, United Arab, BP, Reuters, International Energy Agency, ___, Thomson Locations: Watchfield, Swindon, Britain, United States, United Arab Emirates, China, India, South Africa, Vietnam, Australia, Japan, Canada, Chile, Barbados, COP28, Africa, Somalia

☆ Britain solves half of its wind power problem
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( George Hay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Andrew Boyers Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 16 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Maybe UK wind isn’t a busted flush after all. Britain needs 50 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030, against 14 GW completed now and around 13 GW in development. It will also increase by 52% for floating offshore wind projects, from 116 pounds per MWh to 176 pounds per MWh. In AR6, offshore wind will also be given a separate funding pot in recognition of the high number of projects ready to participate. The UK aims to deliver 50 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030, including up to 5 GW of floating offshore wind.

Persons: Andrew Boyers, Sweden’s Vattenfall, Jefferies, Denmark’s, LCPDelta, Neil Unmack, Streisand Neto Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Jefferies, Grantham Research, Thomson Locations: Watchfield, Swindon, Britain, British

☆ The UK is delaying the switch to electric cars. Automakers are furious
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

A relaxation of 2030 would undermine all three,” Ford (F) UK chair Lisa Brankin said in a statement. “We and the whole automotive industry [need] clarity on the [EV] topic,” the German carmaker said in a statement shared with CNN. ‘Confusion’ will delay switch to EVsThe UK auto industry has been clawing its way back from rock bottom after car manufacturing hit a 66-year low in 2022. Reducing emissions from road transport “is the only way that you will achieve net zero,” Hawes told the BBC. The government’s own independent adviser on climate policy, the Climate Change Committee shares that view.

Persons: carmakers, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, “, ”, Sunak’s, ” Ford, Lisa Brankin, Brankin, carmaker, Mike Hawes, ” Hawes, Jobs, Sadiq Khan, ” Sunak, “ We’re, Alok Sharma, Simon Clarke, EVs, — Gemma Blundell, Doyle, Anna Cooban, Laura Paddison, Rob Picheta Organizations: London CNN, BMW, Oxford, Swindon, CNN, Fiat, Peugeot, Fiat Chrysler, France’s, India’s Tata Group, Society of Motor Manufacturers, Traders, BBC, Conservative Party, Labour Party’s London, Conservative Locations: Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Canada, Sweden, Ellesmere Port, Liverpool, Britain, London, Glasgow

☆ BMW will invest $750 million to keep making the Mini in Oxford
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —BMW announced Monday that it would invest £600 million ($750 million) in building two new electric versions of the Mini in the United Kingdom. The commitment by the German automaker will secure the future of Mini production in Oxford, where the original classic version of the small car was born 64 years ago. Almost a year ago, BMW told the Times newspaper that it planned to shift all Mini production from Oxford to China for efficiency reasons. “Mini has always been aware of its history — Oxford is and remains the heart of the brand,” Stefanie Wurst, head of the Mini brand at BMW, said Monday. Robots work on the Mini production line at the BMW plant in Cowley, near Oxford.

Persons: London CNN —, Mini Cooper, ” Stefanie Wurst, Tolga Akmen, Susannah Streeter, Hargreaves Lansdown, Rishi Sunak, ” Organizations: London CNN, London CNN — BMW, Swindon, BMW, Times, Oxford, Government, Getty, Tata Group, Rover, Hargreaves Locations: United Kingdom, Oxford, China, Leipzig, Germany, Cowley, AFP

☆ Fact Check-COVID traffic light system not reintroduced in Swindon Tesco
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A traffic light system at the entrance to a Tesco supermarket in the English town of Swindon was accidentally switched on for a brief time in August, a spokesperson for the UK’s biggest supermarket group told Reuters, and is not evidence of the company reintroducing social distancing measures, as is being claimed online. We’ve got the old traffic light system back in operation. Perhaps some lockdowns heading our way?” he asks, while stood outside the town’s Extra store (located here: tinyurl.com/y3ek3epd). However, a spokesperson for the supermarket group told Reuters the traffic light system was accidentally switched on for a brief period at the Swindon Tesco Extra in August and that it has not been reintroduced in any of its stores. The traffic light system was briefly and accidentally switched on at the Tesco Extra in Swindon, according to the company, which said the social distancing measure is not being reintroduced in any of its stores.

Persons: We’ve, Read Organizations: Tesco, UK’s, Reuters, Facebook, Swindon Tesco Locations: Swindon, Swindon , Wiltshire

☆ UK PM Sunak faces first test of comeback credentials in local polls
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Alistair Smout | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

With voters going through a cost-of-living crisis and inflation stubbornly high at about 10%, local council votes in much of England on May 4 give Labour an opportunity to prove their electoral credentials. Swindon has returned lawmakers representing the winning party at every national election since 1983, making it a bellwether and a key target for Labour, who chose the town for the launch of their local election campaign. "Whilst Sunak's personal poll ratings aren't great, they're not toxic in the way that his predecessors have been," he said. David Renard, the Conservative leader of Swindon Borough Council, said the national picture might hinder his attempts to focus the campaign on more local issues. In its town centre, many voters expressed unhappiness with the Conservatives but some had a degree of sympathy for Sunak personally.

☆ Fact Check-Tweet about UK Home Office repatriating British twins who left home to fight in Ukraine stems from satire account
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A satirical tweet about the UK Home Office trying to repatriate 15-year-old British twins, who left the country to fight in Ukraine, is being taken seriously by people online. The post also includes an image from at least six years ago which has been digitally altered. Comments on the Facebook post suggest other people have taken it seriously, with one user replying: “Disgusting! However, the tweet stems from an account which appears to produce satirical content. ‘News’ articles on the account’s website, which was described as a satire website by Indy100 (here), also appear satirical in nature (www.bazake.co.uk/news).

☆ UK car production is at its weakest since 1956. And the industry is losing the EV race
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

London CNN —UK car manufacturing hit a 66-year low in 2022, as the closure of two plants, a global shortage of semiconductors and the effect of Covid lockdowns in China on auto supply chains crippled output. “The relationship between the UK and the EU, especially as you electrify, is still fundamental to the success of UK car manufacturing,” he said. UK factories made a record 234,066 electric vehicles in 2022, almost a third of all UK car production. Aston Martin and Jaguar Land Rover, owned by India’s Tata Motors (TTM), are also positive about the prospects for electric vehicle manufacturing in the United Kingdom. “Our continued investment in our UK facilities … will herald an exciting new era of electric car production in the UK,” the company said.

Bought from McLaren by private equity firm Greybull Capital in 2021, McLaren Applied has adapted an efficient inverter developed for F1 racing for EVs. Fry says McLaren Applied is working with around 20 carmakers and suppliers, and the inverter will appear in high-volume luxury EV models starting January 2025. NO TIME TO LOSESome suppliers like Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Actnano have had long relationships with EV pioneer Tesla (TSLA.O). Coakley said CelLink was working with U.S. and European carmakers, and with a European battery maker on battery wiring. But it has now also developed battery packs, electric powertrains, e-axles and is working with around 20 customers, including carmakers and an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft maker.

☆ Un bebeluş din Marea Britanie a stat patru luni cu o baterie blocată în gât
▼ + stars: | 2021-01-13 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +1 min

Un copil de 11 luni care a refuzat mâncare solidă vreme de luni întregi avea o baterie blocată în gât, informează BBC, citat de digi24.ro. Doctorii credeau că Sofia-Grace Hill avea amigdalită sau o infecție virală, până când o radiografie a dezvăluit că avea o baterie plată cu diametrul de 2,4 centimetri în esofag. Copilul din Marea Britanie a fost supus unei operații de două ore pentru îndepărtarea obiectului și apoi a trecut pe o dietă lichidă. După o vizită la spital în luna mai, o radiografie a dezvăluit că copilul avea o baterie blocată în esofag și aceasta îi afectase puternic gâtul pentru că se corodase. Sofia-Grace Hill a avut un tub introdus în gât pentru a fi hrănită, dar și pentru a preveni sufocarea.

Persons: Sofia, Hill, El, Grace, Grace Hill, Janet McNally Organizations: BBC Locations: Sofia, Bristol

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