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☆ China accounts for two thirds of world's planned new coal power - research
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"The more new coal projects come online, the steeper the cuts and commitments need to be in the future," said GEM's Flora Champenois, lead author of the report. Outside China, planned new capacity fell 20% last year, with no projects proposed either in the European Union or North America. India accounted for 60.5 GW of the proposed capacity while Indonesia is planning to build another 26 GW. Overall, worldwide coal-fired power capacity grew by 19.5 GW last year, with 45.5 GW of newly constructed capacity - mostly from China - offset by plant retirements totalling 26 GW. China's coal plant approvals last year were the highest since 2015, as local governments responded to concerns that power supply instability could undermine economic growth.

"The reality is that China has more coal power capacity than it needs," said Zhang Shuwei, director at Draworld Energy Research Centre. That's equivalent to about a hundred large coal-fired plants and enough to supply the whole of Britain. China's big jump in coal power approvals has sparked fears that there will be backsliding on its climate goals. Share of coal in China's energy mixAnalysts note existing coal plants could provide sufficient backup for renewables if they were plugged into a nationwide market, but China's power sector remains fragmented. "It would be far cheaper... to incentivise provincial trading than incentivising new loss-making coal," he said.

☆ Column: East Asia set to win scramble for wind power dominance by 2030
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Gavin Maguire | Thomson Reuters | Gavin Maguire Is The Global Energy Transition Columnist. He Was Previously Asia Commodities | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

EAST ASIAN DOMINANCEChina will remain the largest wind producer and top wind capacity developer, but South Korea, Japan and Taiwan will all post faster growth rates than China through 2030, according to GEM. While no other country will match the sheer scale of China's wind power additions, many will dwarf its growth rate as they play catch up with the world's green power leader. Combined, these East Asian countries are set to account for 36.2% of world wind capacity by 2030, GEM data shows, with the region remaining the largest hub for wind power. Wind power capacity breakdownGermany, Spain, France and Sweden plan to boost their collective capacity by nearly 40,000 MW by 2030, and will all rank among the top 10 global wind producers. Saudi Arabia looks set to be the largest wind power producer in the Middle East once it raises current capacity by 125% to 900MW.

☆ Column: Philippines set to go from renewable laggard to leader in SE Asia
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Gavin Maguire | Thomson Reuters | Gavin Maguire Is The Global Energy Transition Columnist. He Was Previously Asia Commodities | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The rapid expansion in renewable energy supplies comes at a potentially critical time for the country's energy sector. Previously, those strict ownership rules limited foreign participation in the Philippines' energy sector to a handful of oil and gas majors. More clean power generation should also help the Philippines close the clean energy gap with the rest of Asia. Philippines electricity generation mix by sourceIn turn, a greater proportion of power from clean sources should help the Philippines attract more manufacturing and other industries. Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia are all also expected to rapidly increase renewable energy supply capacity over the coming years, and may sporadically compete with the Philippines as green energy hot spots.

☆ Column: Future of nuclear power growth lies outside Europe and N. America: Maguire
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Gavin Maguire | Thomson Reuters | Gavin Maguire Is The Global Energy Transition Columnist. He Was Previously Asia Commodities | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Nuclear power generation by key regionThese divergent trends are being fuelled by contrasting and somewhat contradictory views of nuclear power's role in the global energy mix. In Western economies, nuclear power is commonly characterized as an outdated and potentially harmful component of a legacy energy system that requires urgent overhaul if ambitious climate targets are to be achievable by 2050. Similarly, the most recent expansion phase for nuclear power in the United States was in the late 1980s, meaning that many of the country's youngest plants are already in their fourth decade of deployment. China, by far the world's most aggressive renewable energy deployer, is also leading the charge in terms of planned expansions to nuclear power. The country is expected to account for 44% of the prospective total increases in nuclear capacity, which would see it handily leapfrog the United States as the global nuclear leader.

☆ China's energy transition sees 'staggering' progress on renewables — and a coal power boom
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

'A hot, still summer evening is the worry'The International Energy Agency said earlier this month that, while still rising, global carbon emissions may at least be reaching a plateau. Energy-related carbon emissions added less than 1% in 2022 to a new high of more than 36.8 billion tons. Comparatively, global emissions from energy gained by 6% in 2021. "Getting China's emissions to peak has an indispensable role in peaking and declining global emissions — and the success of the overall global effort," said Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at CREA. In 2020, China's Xi announced plans for the world's second-largest economy to strive for peak carbon emissions in 2030 and for carbon neutrality by 2060.watch now

☆ Column: Latin America on track to harness solar power potential
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Gavin Maguire | Thomson Reuters | Gavin Maguire Is The Global Energy Transition Columnist. He Was Previously Asia Commodities | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

LITTLETON, Colorado, March 2 (Reuters) - Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have the largest solar power development pipeline outside Eastern Asia and North America, making the bloc a key renewable hot spot to track over the coming decade. Solar power currently generates only 3%-4% of the electricity produced across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), according to data from think tank Ember. But with nearly 250 projects constructing 19,429 megawatts (MW) of solar power capacity, the region's solar power supply potential is primed to jump by at least 70% from current levels once projects are completed, GEM data shows. Collectively, those five countries account for over 88% of current installed solar capacity and about 97% of planned capacity additions that are already in construction. That compares to $0.07/kWh for China, $0.10/kWh for the United States, and $0.07/kWH for India, the top three global solar producers.

☆ Column: China widens renewable energy supply lead with wind power push
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Gavin Maguire | Thomson Reuters | Gavin Maguire Is The Global Energy Transition Columnist. He Was Previously Asia Commodities | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

China added more wind generation capacity in the past two years than over the previous seven, and in 2022 generated 46% more wind power than all of Europe, the second largest wind generation market, according to data from think tank Ember. MAJOR MILESTONESWhile China has deployed record volumes of both solar and wind power capacity over the past decade, wind generation capacity has grown more steeply than solar capacity since 2020. For industrial scale electricity generation, wind power is often preferred over solar due to the ability for wind turbines to generate electricity around the clock, while solar power generation drops off as the sun sets. Beyond cementing China's place in the international green energy hierarchy, the climb in wind power capacity has helped redraw the energy mix across several key provinces. China’s wind power generation by key ProvinceIn addition, higher generation of renewable power has helped cap power costs for consumers just as the prices of coal and natural gas have pushed sharply higher on international markets.

India's coal arrivals are already heading higher, with data from commodity analysts Kpler pointing to a rise in thermal coal imports to 10.19 million tonnes in February, up from 9.71 million tonnes in January and the most since November. It's likely that thermal coal imports may decline over the coming years, but predictions that this trade will end by 2030 are ambitious. Where India will see increasing coal imports is in higher-grade metallurgical coal, used primarily to make steel. Given that each GW of generation requires around 3 million tonnes of coal annually, this implies the coming capacity additions will only need another 100 million tonnes, well below the 500 million tonnes extra the industry believes it will deliver by 2030. Overall, it appears the positive mood of India's coal sector is justified, especially in the short term.

☆ China's new coal plant approvals surged in 2022, highest since 2015, research says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

China approved the construction of another 106 gigawatts of coal-fired power capacity last year, four times higher than a year earlier and the highest since 2015, driven by energy security considerations, research showed on Monday. Over the year, 50 GW of coal power capacity went into construction across the country, up by more than half compared to the previous year, the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air, or CREA, and Global Energy Monitor said. "The speed at which projects progressed through permitting to construction in 2022 was extraordinary, with many projects sprouting up, gaining permits, obtaining financing and breaking ground apparently in a matter of months," said GEM analyst Flora Champenois. Many of the newly approved projects are identified as "supporting" baseload capacity designed to ensure the stability of the power grid and minimize blackout risks, the CREA-GEM report said. However, many are being built in regions which already have a clear capacity surplus, and power supply problems would be better addressed by improving grid reliability and efficiency, the authors said.

☆ China's new coal plant approvals surge in 2022, highest since 2015 -research
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SINGAPORE, Feb 27 (Reuters) - China approved the construction of another 106 gigawatts of coal-fired power capacity last year, four times higher than a year earlier and the highest since 2015, driven by energy security considerations, research showed on Monday. Many of the newly approved projects are identified as "supporting" baseload capacity designed to ensure the stability of the power grid and minimise blackout risks, the CREA-GEM report said. However, many are being built in regions which already have a clear capacity surplus, and power supply problems would be better addressed by improving grid reliability and efficiency, the authors said. China suffered a wave of blackouts in September 2021 as a result of coal supply shortages, cutting off thousands of homes and factories. However, renewable power capacity additions have remained at record levels, with solar installations at 87 GW in 2022 and expected to rise further in 2023.

☆ China approved equivalent of two new coal plants a week in 2022, report finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“China continues to be the glaring exception to the ongoing global decline in coal plant development,” said Flora Champenois, a research analyst at GEM. Throughout 2022, China granted permits for 106 gigawatts of capacity across 82 sites, quadruple the capacity approved in 2021 and equal to starting two large coal power plants each week, said the report. To ease the power crunch, coal plants boosted their output, with daily thermal coal consumption hitting a record high in August. It added that for China to truly cut down on carbon emissions, it needs to start phasing out its “vast coal power plant fleet” rather than continue growing it. Besides the plants’ environmental impact, their “politically influential owners … have an interest in protecting their assets,” said the report.

☆ New technique from U.S. national lab promises to strip carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and factories at record-low cost
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Just as importantly, industrial processes such as making iron, steel, cement, fertilizer, pulp and paper, and bioenergy could all reduce their carbon dioxide emissions this new technique. "We have the technology to be able to capture carbon dioxide from those industrial point sources. PNNL's technique removes carbon dioxide at the source, rather than sucking it out of the air. The technique of vacuuming up existing CO2 out of the air is known as direct carbon capture, and is exemplified by the Swiss company Climeworks. Graphic courtesy Nathan Johnson at Pacific Northwest National LabWhat happens with the rest of the carbon dioxide?

☆ Column: A gasier Asia would emit less CO2, but may lift global power costs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Gavin Maguire | Thomson Reuters | Gavin Maguire Is The Global Energy Transition Columnist. He Was Previously Asia Commodities | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Asia coal and gas power production & emissionsTop polluter Asia relies on coal for roughly 57% of electricity production, BP Statistical Review of World Energy data shows, so switching out coal for gas offers a potential way for power producers there to cut emissions without drastically overhauling current power supply systems. Asian power firms plan to build out natural gas pipeline infrastructureHowever, power producers across the region are planning to expand existing networks and link major consumer hubs to distant suppliers. According to a Global Energy Monitor study released in February 2022, more than 70,000 kilometres (43,000 miles) of gas pipelines are under construction globally, with more than 45,000 kilometres in Asia. Global gas markets have been drastically disrupted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine since the Global Energy Monitor study was published, and surging gas prices have clearly cooled Asia's near-term appetite for gas in some areas. However, more Asian gas supplies and use will also allow power producers to lower emissions, which for many of the attendees of the COP27 talks is of greater consequence for global energy markets.

REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk//File PhotoSummary Registry by NGOs Carbon Tracker, Global Energy MonitorFirst global registry of world's fossil fuel assetsShows burning all known reserves would blow CO2 targetsLONDON, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Carbon Tracker and Global Energy Monitor said on Monday they had launched the first global registry of oil and gas reserves, production and emissions with data for more than 50,000 fields. It could also help activists in their efforts to pressure producers or governments to cut fossil fuel output. The Global Registry of Fossil Fuels contains data for fields in 89 countries, covering 75% of global production the non-governmental organisations which developed it said. While there is little doubt that much of the world's oil and gas reserves will have to stay underground to avoid a dramatic worsening of the climate, the registry has put a number on this. It is not straightforward to calculate the life-cycle emissions of a unit of oil, gas or coal, often relying on calculations rather than measurements which can differ widely.

☆ Nigeria is oil rich and energy poor. It can’t wait around for cheaper batteries
▼ + stars: | 2021-11-03 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

But it’s coming under huge pressure from developed countries to abandon fossil fuels and shift to renewable energy in order to help save the climate. AKINTUNDE AKINLEYE/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockLike the United States, Europe and Britain, Nigeria sees a prominent role for renewable energy, notwithstanding its investments into gas power. “In Nigeria, clean energy is central to our government’s plan to transition to net-zero emissions,” Osinbajo, the vice president, continued. In Nigeria, energy poverty is itself a major driver of emissions, according to Olu Verheijen, the founder of Lagos-based energy advisory business Latimer Energy. This means that in some cases, certainly for Nigeria, gas has an important role to play in providing power.

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