IEA Executive Director - Fatih Birol received a visit from Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, the Secretary General of OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries), at the International Energy Agency (IEA) headquarters in Paris, France. During the meeting, Dr. Birol thanked Mr. Barkindo for his efforts in recent years to foster frank and open dialog between energy producers and consumers, in the interests of greater oil market stability. OPEC Secretary General visits IEA Executive Director...

New IEA report lays out recommendations to speed up technology development and overcome high costs of drastically reducing emissions from steel and cement production. G7 economies are well placed to be first movers on driving down carbon dioxide emissions from heavy industry, setting out a path for the rest of the world for this essential part of the transition to clean energy systems, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency. Achieving Net Zero Heavy Industry Sectors in...

While AC system protection is well known and applied throughout the power system industry, there is also protection needed for complex DC equipment. This includes DC traction power systems associated with railway electrification. Below are some of the methods of protection that a Power System Engineer may often encounter in DC traction power. Track Time Constant To properly apply system protection for DC traction power systems, a good understanding of the track time constant (L/R ratio) is re...

Volta Trucks, the disruptive full-electric commercial vehicle manufacturer and services provider, has confirmed the selection of Carrier Transicold as the sole supplier of refrigerated equipment for the full-electric 16-tonne Volta Zero. Carrier Transicold is a part of Carrier Global Corporation, the global provider of healthy, safe, sustainable, and intelligent building and cold chain solutions. The supply agreement follows a project in which Carrier Transicold engineers worked closely with th...

In 2021, Russia provided Germany with 55% of its natural gas imports, 35% of its oil imports and 50% of its hard coal imports. The war in Ukraine is causing a monumental shift in the country’s energy landscape, with increasing pressure to become independent of these fossil fuel imports. Gas is a key component for many industrial processes  – it keeps half of Germany’s 41.5 million households warm and accounted for 15.3% of German electricity generation last year...

RWE has successfully issued a further green bond with a total volume of €2 billion. The bond was issued in two tranches of €1 billion each with maturities in 2026 and 2030. For the first tranche, the yield-to-maturity amounts to 2.2%, based on a coupon of 2.125% p.a. and an issuance price of 99.652%. For the second tranche, the yield-to-maturity amounts to 2.9%, based on a coupon of 2.75% p.a. and an issuance price of 99.287%. The issuance met with strong interest from investors. G...

RWE is well on track to become a pioneer in the floating wind and to have one gigawatt either in operation or under construction by 2030.  To gain experience early and pave the way for commercial-scale floating wind, RWE is participating in multiple high-profile floating demonstration projects like the DemoSATH pilot project with Saitec Offshore Technologies. Pre-lay of the mooring system In early May, the anchor-handling vessel Maersk Mariner completed the installation of six mooring li...

Despite success rolling out renewables and diversifying natural gas supplies, Poland will have to redouble efforts to keep pace with new EU goals amid today’s supply challenges. Poland has made serious progress in improving the security and sustainability of its energy system in recent years. However, a major acceleration in its clean energy transition is needed to tackle the emissions resulting from coal’s dominant role in the power sector, according to the latest policy review by...

IQD, a company of the Würth Elektronik eiSos Group, has presented the IQCM-200, a disciplined OCXO, incorporating sync to a 1 PPS (pulse per second) input, as well as a 1 PPS output. Its exceptional holdover stability and accuracy makes this particular product a superlative Disciplined OCXO. IQCM-200 The IQCM-200 is part of a series of disciplined OCXOs available from IQD. This particular model is the smallest sized OCXO capable of achieving a holdover capability of 1.5µs over 24 ho...

New capacity for generating electricity from solar, wind, and other renewables increased to a record level worldwide in 2021 and will grow further as governments increasingly seek to take advantage of renewables’ energy security and climate benefits, according to the International Energy Agency. new renewable power capacity The world added a record 295 gigawatts of new renewable power capacity in 2021, overcoming supply chain challenges, construction delays, and high raw material prices,...

Building on more than two decades of experience developing new isolation manufacturing technologies and integrated circuits (ICs) for high-voltage systems, Texas Instruments (TI) introduces a new portfolio of solid-state relays, including automotive-qualified isolated drivers and switches, that deliver industry-renowned reliability to help make electric vehicles (EVs) safer. The new isolated solid-state relays also provide the smallest solution size, while reducing the bill-of-materials (BOM)...

The second edition of GreenTech Americas was a great success with 170 exhibitors from 15 countries and 3,736 professionals from 19 countries. Practices on sustainability, success stories, and technological tools were exchanged to increase the productivity of the industry at this international protected horticulture event on 27 – 29 April 2022, at the Querétaro Congress Center, in Mexico. The next edition of GreenTech Americas will be staged from 21 – 23 March 2023. Quotes fr...

King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden led a high-level delegation of officials, academics, and business leaders on a visit to the IEA’s headquarters in Paris where they discussed the emerging global energy crisis and the importance of clean energy technologies with IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol and other senior figures from the Agency. The King’s visit was part of the Royal Technology Mission organised by the Swedish Sovereign and the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. The...

In the eyes of software engineer Robin Meindersma, software shouldn’t be seen as an execution task, but rather a creative process. Successful software can, after all, best be built with the right culture and the right people—not code monkeys. To Robin’s frustration, however, this view is not yet widely held across the industry. Here is his journey of how he discovered and developed a passion for agile software development, and found an employer that aligns with his views. Con...

Worldwide electricity use is responsible for a quarter of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. However, by taking simple steps companies and consumers can cut down the usage of electricity–especially coming from burning coal or gas–to save billions of dollars while reducing millions of tons of CO2 emissions. These changes include replacing toxic fluorescent and inefficient incandescent light bulbs with LED lamps that use significantly less electricity, using energy-efficient appliance...

In the effort to free Germany from its dependency on Russian gas, an important milestone has now been reached: on behalf of and in the name of the German government, RWE has chartered two so-called Floating Storage and Regasification Units (FSRU). FSRUs are special ships that offer a rapid interim solution for landing liquefied natural gas (LNG) until the first LNG terminals on the German mainland are completed. RWE will also manage the operation of the vessels. Floating Storage and Regasifica...

With energy and fuel prices soaring, small and medium businesses (SMEs) are increasingly looking at green energy solutions to help cut costs. The latest NatWest Sustainable Business Tracker has shown a fast growing trend among SMEs to invest in sustainable energy and transport. This comes in a variety of forms: Electric vehicles for their fleets Charging equipment for electric transport Solar and green energy generation This is of particular interest for ZPN Energy! EVs (electric vehic...

Volta Trucks, the disruptive full-electric commercial vehicle manufacturer and services provider, has confirmed that Paneltex has been appointed as the supplier of ambient cargo boxes for the full-electric Volta Zero. The agreement is for the 16-ton and 18-ton Volta Zero variants and was announced at the CV Show 2022, in Birmingham, UK. Truck as a Service model In a move to innovate in the commercial vehicle market, Volta Trucks is seeking to provide better-integrated solutions that reduce ti...

RWE Gas Storage West is contributing towards ramping up the European hydrogen economy as part of the GET H2 initiative. In this context, a new section for hydrogen is to be constructed at the natural gas cavern storage facilities at Kottiger Hook by 2026. Most of Germany's first commercial hydrogen cavern storage facility is to be built on the existing RWE site. environmental impact assessment RWE submitted the required planning notice to the district government in Arnsberg, formally starting...

As winter gives way to spring, it’s time to start paying attention to the lawn and garden once again. Before the user starts the springtime outdoor chores, it’s best to make sure that their equipment is in working order and ready to tackle all the garden tasks on the list. Schumacher can help users get the best out of their lawn and garden, whether they are tending a lawn that’s the envy of their neighbors or planting a vegetable garden. It can help user charge and maintain th...

DENSO, a mobility supplier announced its global year-end financial results for its fiscal year ending March 31, 2022. DENSO’s product and technology developments, partnerships, and other actions and achievements continue to be guided by its Two Great Causes: Green – achieving carbon neutrality by 2035 – and Peace of Mind – creating a safe and seamless world for all. carbon neutrality, and digitalization "This fiscal year was a year of desperate efforts to rebuild...

RWE Renewables, one of the companies in offshore wind, will collaborate with Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.) and GNOwind Alliance to build a program that will accelerate the engagement of Louisiana’s supply chain with offshore wind and benefit all Louisianians. Over the next six months, GNO, Inc. will host a series of informational workshops and company-specific interviews with the aim of identifying existing Louisiana companies with transferable capabilities for offshore wind. The...

Volta Trucks, the disruptive full-electric commercial vehicle manufacturer and services provider, has revealed the forthcoming 7.5- and 12-ton Volta Zero variants – the second product family in its full-electric vehicle range. The 7.5- and 12-ton Volta Zeros have been designed by Volta Trucks’ partner, Astheimer Design in Warwick, UK alongside Volta Trucks’ own engineering teams. The new full-electric vehicles bear a close but evolutionary visual relationship to the larger 16-...

The International Energy Agency (IEA) announces that a High-Level Advisory Group of global energy, climate and finance leaders, chaired by UN Special Envoy Michael R. Bloomberg, will provide strategic input for a forthcoming IEA special report that will explore how to put the world’s coal emissions on a path toward net zero amid the major energy security and affordability challenges that are affecting countries worldwide with particularly severe economic impacts in the developing world. I...

DENSO Corporation, a global mobility supplier, and United Semiconductor Japan Co., Ltd. (USJC), a subsidiary of global semiconductor foundry - United Microelectronics Corporation, have announced that the companies have agreed to collaborate on the production of power semiconductors at USJC’s 300mm fab to serve the growing demand in the automotive market. IGBT line An insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) line will be installed at USJC’s wafer fab, which will be the first in Japa...

In only a few weeks’ time, RWE’s Inden Opencast Mine will no longer produce just lignite, but also solar power. After officially breaking ground, building work has commenced for a utility-scale photovoltaics system with integrated battery storage.  solar modules The solar modules will produce a peak electric output of 14.4 megawatts (MW). The “RWE indeland Solarpark” is the first of its kind in Europe and combines around 26,500 solar modules and a battery stor...

Orcan Energy is launching a new, particularly powerful solution for utilizing waste heat on board ships: the efficiency PACK M 150.200.  Included in the new product are Orcan's innovative ORC modules, specially designed for the marine market, which are now able to convert any waste heat from ships even more efficiently directly into electrical energy, thus reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. efficiency For ship operators, this means an improvement in the EEDI (Energy Efficiency...

Canyon State Electric has been named Arizona’s Best Place to Work and Best Electrical Contractor by Ranking Arizona this week in their 2022 edition magazine. This is the fifth year in a row that Canyon State Electric has earned the ‘Best Place to Work’ title. Canyon State Electric has a staff of nearly one hundred electricians, construction specialists, and virtual designers, who build dozens of structures throughout the valley each year. Renowned apprenticeship training prog...

Homecare medical devices have to potentially withstand more challenging and uncontrolled conditions than those used in the clinical environment. This article looks at the standard that applies to electrical equipment safety, its particular requirements, and the way they can be met with off-the-shelf products. impact on lifestyle Statistics say that users are all living longer (on average), with the best figure achieved by Japanese women at over 87 years, based on 2019 data. Ironically, th...

Aggreko partners with Invictus Games The Hague 2020 to deliver top-notch energy transition heating and ventilation solutions. Invictus Games “Most of us will never know the horrors of war. Many men and women suffer life-changing injuries after serving their country. How do these men and women find the motivation to keep going and not be defined by their injuries?" With this powerful introduction the Invictus Games foundation presents itself, a sporting event born in 2014 and promot...