Cop: Japan to ban building of new unabated coal plants
Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida has told the UN Cop 28 climate conference that Japan will stop building additional unabated coal-fired power plants.
"Japan will take the path to net zero emissions by ending the construction of new domestic unabated coal power plants, while ensuring stable energy [supplies]," Kishida said on 1 December.
The pledge is in line with the G7 target of fully or predominately decarbonising the power sector by 2035 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050, announced in April.
Japan already has two coal-fired units under construction. The country's largest power operator, Jera, plans to start commercial operations of its 650MW Yokosuka No 2 coal-fired unit in Kanagawa prefecture in February next year. Japanese power producer and wholesaler J-Power aims to build a new 500MW No 2 unit for its Matsushima coal-fired plant in Nagasaki prefecture by the financial year starting in April 2028 to replace two old coal-fired units with a combined capacity of 1GW. The upcoming Matsushima unit is set to have an integrated coal gasification combined-cycle component.
The vow is unlikely to cancel ongoing coal-fired plant projects given that the Yokosuka No 2 unit is near completion, while an environmental impact assessment on the new Matsushima unit began in September 2021. In addition, specifying unabated coal-fired plants in the pledge suggests the Japanese government may continue to allow new coal-fired plants with emissions reduction technology, such as ammonia co-firing.
Japan has operational coal-fired units with a combined generation capacity of about 52GW across the country as of early December, according to Japan Electric Power Exchange.
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India’s NTPC tests 20pc torrefied biomass co-firing
India’s NTPC tests 20pc torrefied biomass co-firing
Singapore, 13 May (Argus) — India's state-owned generator NTPC has demonstrated 20pc torrefied biomass-coal co-firing at a 110MW unit at its Tanda power plant in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. The test was part of NTPC's efforts to expand biomass co-firing across its coal-fired fleet as it aims to lower emissions. Each percentage point of biomass co-firing has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by approximately the same percentage, while also helping in mitigating air pollution caused by direct burning of agricultural waste in farmlands, NTPC said. The generator currently conducts 7-10pc non-torrefied biomass co-firing at NTPC's Dadri power plant, near Delhi. Torrefied biomass was found suitable for higher co-firing percentages without significant system modifications, NTPC said. The torrefied biomass was produced by heating biomass in the absence of oxygen to exhibit characteristics akin to high-quality coal. The gross calorific value and cost of torrefied biomass pellets were currently equivalent to imported coal, it added. Costs could be reduced with the maturity of technology and market in the long run, NTPC said. India's push to cut coal reliance NTPC's efforts are part of India's broader goal of cutting emissions as the country aims to trim reliance on coal in the coming years and attain net zero by 2070. Delhi had initially asked Indian utilities to adopt co-firing of at least 5pc biomass pellets by October 2022. But only a fraction of utilities followed the directives, which eventually prompted the federal power ministry to review the biomass co-firing policy. The ministry amended the policy in June last year and delayed the start date of co-firing, asking all coal-based thermal power plants with bowl mills to use a minimum 5pc blend of biomass pellets made primarily from agricultural residue, with effect from the start of India's 2024-25 fiscal year on 1 April. The threshold would increase to 7pc from the start of 2025-26, the ministry said. Plants with ball and race mills should co-fire the same percentages of torrefied biomass pellets made from agricultural residue during the same time frame, it said. India has surplus biomass supplies of about 230mn t/yr, largely from agricultural residue, the power ministry previously said. NTPC tenders NTPC has awarded biomass supply contracts totalling about 5.2mn t for 20 power plants operated by NTPC, and a joint venture plant. Out of which, it has so far co-fired 316,657t of biomass pellets at 13 NTPC power plants and at the joint venture plant. The generator is setting up biomass pellet plants at various locations to ensure a steady supply of pellets for co-firing. It has set up a 22 t/d non torrefied pellet plant at Lehra Mohabbat, Bhatinda in Punjab state. It is building a 100 t/d torrefied and 100 t/d non-torrefied pellet plant at joint ventureAravali Power's Jhajjar plant. It is also building a 50 t/d non-torrefied pellet plant at the Dadri plant. By Saurabh Chaturvedi Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
China, US pledge joint methane action at climate talks
China, US pledge joint methane action at climate talks
San Francisco, 13 May (Argus) — The US and China have pledged to further co-operate on methane reduction, among other topics, following a first meeting between the countries' new climate envoys in Washington during 8-9 May. The meeting follows video conferencing between the two sides in January under their "working group on enhancing climate action in the 2020s" initiative. China and the US reaffirmed their 2021 agreement to co-operate on reducing carbon emissions in the power generation sector, cutting methane emissions and boosting renewable energy in the " Sunnylands Statement on Enhancing Cooperation to Address the Climate Crisis " last November in San Francisco. China confirmed the appointment of Liu Zhenmin to replace Xie Zhenhua as the country's climate advsior in January. Liu's US counterpart John Podesta replaced John Kerry in January. Liu and Podesta discussed co-operation "on multilateral issues related to promoting a successful COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan" at the latest talks, the US state department said on 10 May. They also discussed issues identified in the Sunnylands statement, including energy transition, methane and other non-CO2 greenhouse gases, the circular economy and resource efficiency, deforestation,as well as low-carbon and sustainable provinces, states and cities. They plan to co-host a second event on reducing methane and other non-CO2 greenhouse gases in Baku and "conduct capacity building on deploying abatement technologies". It remains to be seen how the two new climate advisors will bring the two countries closer in climate negotiations. The Sunnylands statement and the close relationship of their predecessors were instrumental in bringing consensus at last year's Cop 28 UN climate summit in Dubai. China released a much anticipated methane plan last November, although Xie has flagged challenges with data monitoring in the sector. But China and the US have agreed to develop and improve monitoring to "achieve significant methane emissions control and reductions in the 2020s". China has also not signed on to the Global Methane Pledge to cut methane emissions by 30pc by 2030, from 2020 levels. The country's emissions may also rise more than expected after it redefined its meaning of energy intensity, according to the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Mexican power outages enter fourth day
Mexican power outages enter fourth day
Mexico City, 10 May (Argus) — Mexican power grid operator Cenace issued its fourth consecutive day of operating alerts amid the heatwave gripping the country. Net electricity demand reached 47,321MW early today, with deployed electricity capacity slightly below at 47,233 MW, according to Cenace. Since 7 May, Cenace has declared emergency operating alerts as demand exceeded generation capacity during peak evening hours, prompting the grid operator to preemptively cut electricity supply across different states to maintain grid integrity. Power outages have lasted up to several hours in Mexico City and in major industrial states as power demand has outstripped supply by up to 1,000MW. Peak demand this week hit 49,000MW, just below last year's historic peak of 53,000MW during atypical temperatures in June. "We are very concerned about the unprecedented outages detected across 21 states, a situation that affects the normal functioning of Mexican companies," national business chamber Coparmex said. Peak electricity demand typically rises in June-July but temperatures this week have risen as high as 48°C (118° F) across some states. Mexico City reported a record high of 34.3°C on 9 May and high temperatures are forecast to continue into next week, Mexico's national weather service said. The inability of Mexico's grid to respond to increased demand is because of insufficient power generation capacity, non-profit think-tank the Mexican institute for competitiveness (Imco) said this week. "Despite the energy ministry's forecast that 22,000MW of new power capacity would enter service by 2026, only 1,483MW had entered service as of 2022" since late 2018, Imco said. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's administration pledged to build new generation capacity, including five gas-fired, combined-cycle plants, but recognized this week that delays had contributed to the power outages. "We have an electricity generation deficit because some of the combined-cycle plants were delayed, but we are working on it and it will soon be resolved," Lopez Obrador said on 9 May. Lopez Obrador's government has also curtailed private sector power development during his administration. Mexico needs to upgrade and expand its transmission network, industry associations say. "In order to resolve this problem, we believe that a reopening of the electricity market to the private sector is imperative," Mexico's wind energy association, Amdee, said. Mexico has 87,130MW of installed capacity, with 39.5pc from combined-cycle gas-fired power plants and 31pc in renewable power, including wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal and biomass, according to the latest statistics from the energy ministry. By Rebecca Conan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Floods stress Brazil energy sector vulnerability
Floods stress Brazil energy sector vulnerability
New York, 10 May (Argus) — Record flooding in Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul state over the past week underscores vulnerabilities in the country's energy system to extreme weather, which could also slow its pace of transition to cleaner energies. Nearly one week after record rainfall began flooding the state, power outages continue to plague it, with nearly 400,000 residents still in the dark. The flooding forced companies to suspend operations of critical infrastructure for the power sector, including three substations, 25 transmission lines, six hydroelectric plants and 11 power transformers. This led grid operator ONS to import power from Uruguay to meet domestic demand. With forecasts pointing to more rain, it is increasingly clear that it will take weeks if not months for the state to start returning to normal. The Rio Grande do Sul government estimates that the floods will cost the state R19bn ($3.6bn) . The tragedy in southern Brazil comes less than a year after a record drought struck the Amazon basin, which pushed water levels of the Amazon River and its tributaries to their lowest in 120 years. The drought reduced hydroelectric output from the region's plants and interrupted transport of fuel along key river corridors, leaving many households without power, because of the lack of diesel to operate generators used in off-grid communities. These crises highlight the country's failure to prepare for extreme weather and underscore the lack of investment in critical infrastructure, including in the energy sector. A study by the World Bank from 2023warned of the need to upgrade the country's aging infrastructure and of future power supply risks. Brazil's large hydroelectric plants have been operating for an average of 55 years, according to the study, and need investments to boost efficiency and to limit the impact of extreme weather. A total of 11 hydroelectric plants in Rio Grande do Sul are being monitored, including six that present an elevated risk of rupture, such as the 28MW 14 de Julho plant that experienced a partial rupture last week because of the heavy rains. Authorities will now need to change their focus, which has been largely on limiting the impact of dry weather on the electricity sector, especially following the 2021 droughts, that resulted in expansion of thermoelectric generation. More recently, electricity regulator Aneel has been focusing on making power distribution and transmission networks more resilient to extreme weather, especially after downed power lines resulted in extended blackouts for some 4mn consumers in the city of Sao Paulo and over 1.3mn consumers in Rio de Janeiro. The sector is working to make transmission towers more resilient to high winds. Several cities and states in Brazil have launched plans to prepare for climate change, but the bulk of these plans focus on increasing investments in renewable energy and emissions reduction. Increasingly, these plans will also need to focus on mitigating risk from floods, heat waves and landslides. Brazilian energy companies are also behind the curve in their preparations for climate change. Only 13pc of executives in the energy sector that participated in a recent survey conducted by consulting firm PwC Brasil said they have assessed the impact of climate change on their financial planning. State of climate Brazil faced 12 extreme climate events in 2023, according to the World Meteorological Association (WMO). This included a tropical cyclone that hit Rio Grande do Sul last year and affected more than 340,000 people and left nearly 50 dead. The WMO blamed the extreme climate events in Brazil on the "double-whammy of El Niño and longer-term climate change." Last year, eight Brazilian states recorded their lowest July-to-September rainfall in over 40 years, it said. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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