The ban on gas and diesel vehicles is officially making its way across the globe, with Stockholm the next city in the queue.
The Swedish capital now has a plan in place to ban gas and diesel cars in part of the city beginning in 2025, according to Bloomberg.
The ban is going to begin in a 20 block area around the capital’s finance hub, the report says.
The same area also houses the city’s main shopping attractions. It’ll only allow “electric cars, some hybrid trucks and fuel cell vehicles”, the report says, citing rules reported by SVT that will be presented mid-week.
Stockholm is poised to become a trailblazer among major capitals by considering the prohibition on a scale previously unseen.
The proposal surpasses the efforts of cities like Paris, Athens, and Madrid, which have also set their sights on banning diesel cars.
In the same vein, some cities like London have implemented measures like low-emission zones, where drivers of older combustion engine vehicles are required to pay daily fees for access to the city center.
It’s uncertain whether the plan will boost electric vehicle sales in Sweden, given the current cost-of-living crisis affecting EV sales. Mobility Sweden recently lowered its 2023 forecast for new EV registrations from 40% to 35% of total registrations.
In other places, Brussels banned non-essential and non-local car traffic on 10 central city streets in December. London expanded its ultra-low emission zone in August, marking one of the world’s most ambitious vehicle emissions policies.
However, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delayed the UK government’s plan to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars until 2035.
In Norway’s capital, Oslo, known for its EV adoption, the municipal environment agency recommended introducing a zero-emission zone in the inner city. Initially, it would target heavy transport and trucks in 2025 before extending to cars in 2027.
Lars Stromgren, a local lawmaker who is responsible for traffic policy, told Bloomberg: “We want to create a better living environment for the people who live and work here.”
Source: Zerohedge.com
Pan-African supranational multilateral financial institution the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and exploration and production company Torxen Energy Resources have signed a $75 million development agreement for Petroleum Production License (PPL) 241, offshore Nigeria.
The deal was signed during the first day of African Energy Week (AEW) 2023’s strategic program, taking place in Cape Town on 17 October.
The deal was signed by Emmanuel Ogagarue, Managing Director and CEO of Torxen Energy Resources; Taiye Eyewuoma, Executive Director for Finance and Administration and CFO for Torxen Energy; and Rene Awambeng, Director and Global Head of Client Relations for Afreximbank.
The deal will allow Torxen Energy to use capital investment for various activities including drilling and the completion of two oil wells.
It will also facilitate the construction of a new oil platform within the License as well as the development of a new oil pipeline.
Providing financing solutions and advisory services for the expansion, diversification, promotion and development of African projects, the deal will serve to improve operational efficiency within the license while supporting the West African country’s crude oil production.
PPL 241 is situated offshore Nigeria in water depths of 20m in Oil Mining Lease 90, 24km from the Escravos area.
Positioned in one of the largest offshore fields in Nigeria, PPL 241 has been subject to extensive 3D seismic data.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Aggrieved workers of Kano Electricity Distribution Company in the Republic of Nigeria have locked the head office and all regional offices of the company to protest the poor handling of workers’ welfare by the management.
The aggrieved workers who are members of the Nigeria Union of Electricity Employees have been pushing management to address several issues affecting them, but their demands seem to have fallen on deaf ears.
The workers are accusing the Managing Director of betraying all the collective bargaining agreements reached with the union, arguing that the action of the MD and Management of KEDCo is unprecedented in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
A letter written by the Union and sighted by energynewsafrica.com listed over 12 unresolved issues by the management, including non-remittance of 68 months of staff pension, non-implementation of the promotional upgrade and its arrears from 2022, failure to release outstanding upgrade, non-implementation of electricity rebates to staff, wrongful termination of appointment of 8 staff, non-confirmation of appointment and non-payment of appraisal increment arrears of 2019, 2020 and 2021.
The workers vowed to keep the company shut until the remittances were confirmed paid.
Photos sighted by energynewsafrica.com showed Union leaders of NUEE standing in front of the main gate of KEDCO and holding the flags of the Nigerian Labour Congress.
In a report by the News Agency of Nigeria sighted by this portal, Ado Ririwai, the North-West Chairman of the union, said the workers would not allow such an unwholesome attitude to continue.
Mr. Riruwai accused KEDCO of victimising union leaders who were trying to speak on behalf of the workers.
“This act is imperialist; it is the rights of workers to fight for what is theirs,” he said.
The union leader also accused the company of refusing to provide basic medical care to the workers “despite the hazards associated with their jobs.”
Reacting to the action of the workers, Management, in a statement, noted that the issues which necessitated the action of the workers had lingered over six years.
The statement said the current management, since taking over in July 2022, had prioritised staff welfare and retirements by settling as at when they were due.
The company said a robust plan had been drawn and the outstanding was being paid in batches due to the inability to settle all at once owing to current liquidity crises in the power sector.
“Management assures all concerned that it is currently engaging with relevant stakeholders to resolve the issue and discuss lasting solutions to all lingering matters,” the company said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana’s Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, and Ryan Collyer, CEO of Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (ROSATOM) responsible for Central and Southern Africa, have met in Cape Town, South Africa, to deepen discussions on co-operation between the two countries on the nuclear energy front.
During the discussion, Mr Ryan Collyer made reference to an initial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ghana and Rosatom in 2015 on nuclear co-operation which includes design and construction of nuclear power plants for the production of electricity and water desalination, nuclear research reactors and atomic particle accelerators, among others.
Ryan also spoke on their current proposal to Ghana to construct a Nuclear Power Plant in respect of which last information was sent to the Nuclear Power Ghana on Friday, 13th October 2023.
ROSATOM, he said, has commenced the construction of a fleet of Floating Nuclear Power Plants as part of their plans to supply power to Ghana’s grid through a Power Purchase Agreement.
“We are very committed to this project in Ghana and we want to ensure that this co-operation works,” he said.
He continued: “We are also very committed to our Floating Nuclear Power Plant efforts, all in the bid to strengthening the co-operation with Ghana.”
Collyer further spoke about the advantages of Small Modular Reactor in parallel for industry, drawing similarities to what pertains in Russia.
ROSATOM asked the Minister to assist them find a Ghanaian industry partner for a long-term agreement in this direction.
On his part, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister, recounted Ghana’s long-standing relations with Russia, citing the fact that Ghana’s quest for oil discovery was first led by Russians.
He said the Government of Ghana continues to support the Ghana Nuclear Power Programme by participating, funding and making various contribution and supports to the realization of the set goals of the programme
“Ghana has completed the phase 1 stage of the Nuclear Power Programme according to the IAEA milestones approach and has launched into the phase two stage of the nuclear power programme which requires comprehensive feasibility study and implementation works,” he said.
The Minister said Ghana’s main preoccupation is funding and therefore making efforts at attracting same.
He expressed satisfaction at the Request for further Information by Russia which demonstrates their seriousness to co-operate with Ghana.
The West African nation, he said, is looking at long term agreements which spans 40-50 years in the nuclear space as nuclear has become a critical part of the clean energy conversation across the globe.
He reiterated that Ghana is very much looking for a country that would demonstrate the commitment to funding and investing in nuclear projects as that is also the priority of the President.
In June 2022, President Akufo-Addo made a declaration on the approval by Cabinet for the inclusion of Nuclear in the national energy mix.
The Ministry of Energy, under the leadership of Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, continues to consolidate efforts in this regard towards the construction of a nuclear power plant also pursuant to the country’s clean energy agenda.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, on Friday, sealed four filling stations in Cross Rivers over issues bordering on irregularities and operating without valid licences.
The regulatory authority shut the stations during a two-day routine inspection across the state.
NMDPRA officials visited over 50 filling stations during the exercise, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The report quoted the Regional Coordinator of NMDPRA, George Ene-Ita, that some stations were sealed while other stations were cautioned.
Ene-Ita explained that while one of the sealed stations was operating without a licence, three others were sealed for under-dispensing products.
He said the exercise was embarked upon to ensure that operators followed the industry standard practice in their operations.
“As a regulatory authority, it is our responsibility that the users are protected from being fleeced by operators in any guise.
“They (operators) are supposed to give value for what the end users are buying; a litre should be a litre nothing more nothing less. operators must as a matter of responsibility dispense what is paid for.
“As for those operating without a valid license in the state, they should understand that it is no longer business as usual in Cross River; this is so for various reasons, including environmental protection, the safety of lives and property and so on.
“It is a delicate industry, and it doesn’t mean that anyone with money can just open a facility anyhow without due process, hence the need for proper licensing,” he said.
The filling stations that were sealed are located in South Calabar and Municipality Local Government Area of the state.
Anglo American Platinum, BMW Group South Africa (BMW SA) and Sasol have signed a deal to work together to develop infrastructure that will encourage the production and use of hydrogen-powered vehicles in South Africa.
The three companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Monday at the ongoing Green Hydrogen Summit in Cape Town, South Africa.
BMW will provide the hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles, while Sasol will supply the green hydrogen and mobile refueler.
Anglo American Platinum, which provides platinum group metals (PGMs) used in FCEVs and has been investing in hydrogen technologies for many years, will work closely with BMW and Sasol to help develop a local green hydrogen mobility ecosystem, a statement issued by Sasol said.
“These vehicles will operate on South African roads as part of an international trial to understand how the BMW iX5 Hydrogen performs in real-world conditions, following four years of development work,’’ the statement said.
Hydrogen vehicles are struggling to take off because of high costs and a fledgling fueling infrastructure.
Two years ago, Sasol, a top emitter of greenhouse gases in South Africa, partnered with Toyota Motor Corp on a pilot project to research the use of the fuel along freight corridors, while Anglo American invested as much as $70 million on a 220-ton hydrogen-fueled vehicle.
With Anglo American Platinum’s platinum group metals (PGMs) already present in the vehicles’ fuel-cell systems, the mining group would provide funding towards the project, said CEO Craig Miller, as part of its effort to drive the global market uptake of PGMs.
Miller noted that PGMs demand would increase by five-million ounces a year if FCEVs capture 10% of the global new-vehicle market, at 100 000 units a year.
BMW SA CEO Peter van Binsbergen explained that the iX5 Hydrogen refuels in three to four minutes, providing 500 km range on its 6 kg tank.
“FCEVs benefit from short refuelling times and long ranges, similar to using a diesel or petrol vehicle, but with the added benefit of zero emissions,” said Miller.
While the battery electric vehicle (BEV), with its generally shorter range, may currently be winning the new-energy-vehicle race, as it was cheaper than a FCEV, Van Binsbergen expected the price gap to start closing significantly by the end of the decade.
FCEVs also required less critical minerals than BEVs, he said, “and I’d rather support the PGMs industry in South Africa”.
China has, to date, secured a significant chunk of the global BEV battery value-chain.
Sasol EnergyBusiness executive VP Priscillah Mabelane said Sasol was currently producing 150 kg of green hydrogen a day, but that this could soon go to 3 t or 4 t a day as the energy group expanded its renewable energy production.
She said Sasol was targeting the electric mobility; chemicals; steel and sustainable fuels sectors with its production of green hydrogen.
“We produced our first batch of green hydrogen at our Sasolburg facility in June, and in 2024 we will ramp this up to commercial scale when a 69 MW wind farm, situated in the Eastern Cape, comes online.”
There are no plans for the creation of a natural gas cartel similar to the OPEC cartel in crude oil, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Friday.
“There are no discussions to set up a (gas) cartel,” Novak told RT Arabic TV as quoted by Reuters.
The Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) is an organization of gas producers and exporters, but it is not coordinating supply to the market the way OPEC does. Russia is a member of the GECF and its top energy official Novak said in the televised interview that the gas organization was “mostly about exchanging views.”
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the halt of most of Russian pipeline gas supplies to Europe, the EU has turned to LNG imports and increased deliveries via offshore pipelines from Norway and North Africa to replace the Russian supply, which accounted for around one-third of all European gas imports before the war in Ukraine.
The EU aims to ditch Russian gas by 2027.
Having lost the European market, Russia has raised pipeline exports to China and its global LNG exports, which are neither sanctioned nor too shunned in gas-starved Europe.
This year, the exports of Russian gas giant Gazprom to Europe have slumped and dragged its profits down. Gazprom has reported a massive drop in its first-half net profit as deliveries to Europe plunged compared to the same period in 2022 when Russia was still supplying pipeline gas to its European customers.
The major drop in Gazprom’s gas deliveries to key customers was due to the halt of Russian pipeline gas exports to nearly all European countries.
Gazprom started to reduce supply via the Nord Stream pipeline to Germany in June 2022, claiming an inability to service gas turbine maintenance outside Russia due to the Western sanctions against Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine.
This was weeks before the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines at the end of September 2022, which definitively closed all pipeline gas routes of Russia’s gas to Germany.
Source: Oilprice.com
The Management of Jos Electricity Distribution Plc in the Republic of Nigeria has empathised with the victims of Saturday’s incident at the Kabong area, Rukuba Road, in Jos.
Six persons reportedly died after a high-tension line snapped onto the low-tension lines in a voltage supply outside limits.
A statement issued by Dr Friday Adakole Elijah,Head of Corporate Communications at Jos Electricity Distribution Company, expressed the company’s deepest sympathies to families who encountered losses as a result of the incident.
He said preliminary investigation revealed that the accident was a result of a high-tension line snap onto the low-tension lines which resulted in a voltage supply outside limits.
“The source feeder tripped off and inter-tripped the transmission end source from the Makeri Transmission Station.
“We will continue to be monitoring the situation closely and communicate the facts of this regrettable incident,” he stated.
He said an evaluation of the root causes is underway, and appropriate measures would be put in place to avert future occurrences.
“We are grateful to traditional and community leaders in the area for all their support in managing the effects of the accident,” he said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The Volta River Authority (VRA), managers of the Akosombo and Kpong Hydroelectric Power Dams in the Republic of Ghana, has stated categorically that it will continue the ongoing spilling of water from the Akosombo Dam until the water level returns to normal.
According to the state-owned largest power generation company, halting the ongoing spillage would threaten the integrity of the dam and the consequences could be devastating.
“The VRA will continue to monitor the inflows into the Akosombo reservoir and make a decision to close the spillage when the situation suggests so,” Ing Edward Obeng Kenzo, Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Engineering and Operations at VRA, said at a press conference which was attended by the VRA CEO, Mr Emmanuel Antwi -Darkwa, Ing Ken Arthur, Deputy Chief Executive in-charge of Services, and Hon Herbert Krapa, Deputy Minister for Energy, in Akosombo last Thursday.
He noted that the ongoing spillage is not the first time in the history of the Akosombo Dam, stating that similar exercise was undertaken in 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1991 and 2010.
He explained that these were all done to prevent the water from overtopping the dam.
Giving details about the level of volume of water which has necessitated the spilling, Mr. Abdul Koore Wahab, Manager in charge of Generation and System Planning said the volume of water in the Akosombo Dam currently stands at about 150 billion cubic meters.
According to him, VRA intends to spill the excess which is about 6,600 cubic meters.
He said as of Thursday, October 11, they had leaked about 0.4 cubic meters, representing less than one per cent.
Mr. Abdul Koore Wahab noted that the tracking of inflows into the dam at the moment indicates a level exceeding its operational of 276 feet.
According to him, their forecast indicates that the water level would rise to about 277.50 feet by November if nothing is done.
He warned that Ghana would lose the biggest dam in the West African nation if the water level rises to 277.50 feet.
The ongoing spillage has displaced hundreds of residents in parts of Greater Accra and Volta Regions who are living downstream of Akosombo Dam.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo, will on Monday, October 16, 2023, pay a working visit to the Akosombo Hydroelectric Power Dam in the Eastern Region and some of the communities severely flooded by the ongoing spillage of water from the Akosombo Dam.
The Director for Communications at the Jubilee House, the Seat of Government, Mr. Eugene Arhin, disclosed this in a post on his Facebook, Sunday.
According to him, President Akufo-Addo would be joined by the members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee which was set up last week to coordinate the government’s response to the flooding and bring relief to affected people.
The Volta River Authority began the controlled spilling of Akosombo and Kpong Hydroelectric Power Dams on September 15, 2023.
The power generation company said the spillage is to protect the dams due to consistent inflows into the reservoir of the Akosombo Dam.
The exercise has resulted in the flooding of most communities downstream, displacing hundreds of settlers.
Areas severely flooded include Mepe, Sogakope, Adidome, Ada and surrounding towns.
Last Wednesday, the Volta River Authority (VRA) donated two trucks of relief items to the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) to be distributed to the victims.
Residents of the affected communities are calling on the government to intensify support efforts for them.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Six people were electrocuted at Kabong community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau in the Republic of Nigeria on Saturday after a high-tension line snapped onto the low-tension lines in a voltage supply outside limits.
According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria, a faulty line emitted sparks and electrocuted the victims in their various homes at about 3 a.m.
The report said the unfortunate incident resulted in some houses and shops being razed in the community, leaving scores of residents in tears.
Commenting on the incident after visiting the scene, the sole administrator of the Jos North Local Government Council, Istifanu John described it as very unfortunate.
He said the accident inflicted other losses on the state and called on the JED to fix all faults that might have triggered the nightmare.
“This is pathetic because it is an avoidable situation.
“Those that lost their lives didn’t go anywhere to look for trouble; they died in their homes.
“As a government, we are pained by this development.
“We call on JED to ensure that all faulty power sources are fixed to avoid this monumental loss in the future,” he said.
Mr John consoled the bereaved families and called on residents to be wary about their use of electric appliances.
Solomon Odidi, who is a spokesperson for the traders association in the community, blamed the incident on erratic power supplied by the Jos Electricity Distribution Company only at night.
He commended the Plateau Fire Service for its timely response, which, he said, minimised the number of casualties and saved further damages.
Mr Odidi appealed to the government to support the bereaved families and those whose properties were destroyed in the accident.
Burkina Faso’s military junta has signed a deal with Russia to build a nuclear power plant to boost the electricity supply in the West African nation.
The deal, which was signed on Friday, October 13, 2023, followed talks between Ibrahim Traore, leader of the junta, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in July, during the Russia-Africa summit.
Traore requested Putin’s support in setting up a nuclear power plant in Burkina Faso, which he said would help meet the country’s energy demands.
“We have a critical need for energy. This is an important point for me because we need, if possible, to build a nuclear power station in Burkina Faso to produce electricity,” he said.
“Our position is rather strategic because we are in the heart of West Africa and we have an energy deficit in the sub-region.”
Burkina Faso is one of the countries with the least access to electricity globally, with only 21 per cent of people connected to the grid.
The deal is part of the country’s target to achieve 95 per cent electricity access for urban areas and 50 per cent for rural areas by 2030.
In 2017, Russia signed a deal to build two nuclear power plants in Nigeria but the project is yet to begin.
The deal was reported to have been worth US$20 billion.
Currently, in Africa, South Africa is the only country that produces nuclear power on a commercial scale.
Some of the countries in Africa that have initiated processes to establish nuclear power plants include Ghana, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
South Africa’s much-awaited Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) is expected to be submitted to the Cabinet for deliberation and approval before the end of October 2023, according to the sector minister, Gwede Mantashe.
The Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) informs South Africa’s energy planning by specifying which generation technologies would be used to meet demand.
Speaking to the press after addressing participants at the Africa Oil Week in Cape Town, Mantashe said proposals for the IRP are being developed based on mathematical modelling.
He did not say whether certain energy generation technologies would be included or excluded, as that would be “putting the cart before the horse.
“I can tell you that it will be a multi-pathway IRP that we will see,” he said.
The current IRP 2019 maps out South Africa’s energy planning up to 2030.
Asked when the 2023 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) would be ready and if reports that wind energy would be excluded from the plan were true, Mantashe said to suggest a specific form of energy technology would be excluded before the plan is presented to the cabinet was to make “assumptions”.
“We have completed a model for the IRP. We are now composing a proposal. To say something will be excluded will be putting the cart before the horse. There will be a public consultation process and it will be a multifaceted set of proposals and consultation.”
The Minister also remarked that the department is ready to issue Bid Window 7 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme but said Eskom is not ready.
“Eskom must give assurance that they have an offtake agreement with us,” he said.
Secondly, Eskom must also ensure it has transmission capacity.
“If we do not get that from Eskom, we are in big trouble.”
The government was unable to award bids for wind projects in round six of the REIPPPP owing to grid constraints.
The current grid constraints are due to an unpredictable surge in renewables, happening much faster than planned, Eskom’s strategic grid planning manager, Ronald Marais told wind energy industry players at a conference last week.
Currently, the National Energy Crisis Committee has a workstream set up to deal with grid capacity constraints as well as potential financing solutions for grid expansion.
Ghana’s downstream petroleum regulator, National Petroleum Authority (NPA), has fined seven Petroleum Products Marketing Companies (PPMCs) for engaging in illicit distribution of petroleum products.
The companies are Andev Co Ltd, Beap Energy, BF Petroleum, Anasset Co Ltd, Cost Energy, Compass Oleum and Concord Oil Ltd.
They are to pay fines for violation of Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF) regulations, making false UPPF representations to the Authority, and engaging in third-party supplies.
A statement issued by NPA warned that failure by the affected companies to pay the fines will lead to a three-month suspension of their operations.
In the case of Andev Co. Ltd, it would pay a total fine of GHS90,000.00. This comprises GHS10,000.00 for violating UPPF regulations and GHS10,000.00 each for eight counts of making false UPPF representations to the Authority.
Beap Energy is to pay a total fine of GHS20,000.00, comprising GHS10,000.00 for violating UPPF regulations and GHS5,000.00 each for two (2) counts of third-party supplies.
Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, Chief Executive of National Petroleum Authority
For BF Petroleum, the company will pay a total fine of GHS95,000.00. This constitutes GHS10,000.00 for violating UPPF regulations, GHS5,000.00 each for ten (10) counts of third-party supplies and GHS5,000.00 each for seven (7) counts of lifting petroleum products without cross-zonal authorization.
Anasset Co. Ltd is to pay a total fine of GHS50,000.00. This comprises GHS10,000.00 for violating UPPF regulations, GHS10,000.00 each for four (4) counts of making false UPPF representations to the Authority.
Another company, Cost Energy is to pay a total fine of GHS 665,000.00, comprising GHS10,000.00 for engaging in third-party supplies and GHS5,000.00 each for one hundred and thirty-one (131) counts of third-party supplies.
Compass Oleum Ltd will pay a total fine of GHS350,000.00. This constitutes GHS10,000.00 for violating UPPF regulations, GHS5,000.00 each for fifteen (15) counts of lifting petroleum products without cross zonal authorization and GHS,5000.00 each for fifty-three (53) counts of engaging in Third Party supplies.
Concord Oil Ltd is to pay a total fine of GHS65,000.00. This comprises GHS10,000.00 for violating UPPF regulations, GHS5,000.00 each for four (4) counts of engaging in third-party supplies and GHS5,000.00 each for seven (7) counts of lifting Petroleum products without cross-zonal authorization.
The NPA cautioned that any company that fails to comply with the approved rules and regulations stipulated by the Authority would be subjected to further sanctions.
The UPPF ensures that prices of petroleum products are the same across the country.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
