The UK plans to expand its flagship renewable energy support scheme, the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme, to encourage investment in the sector. Under CFDs, generators supply electricity at a fixed, pre-agreed price for the duration of the contract and sell low-carbon energy to the market. Potential changes to the scheme could see applicants rewarded for "non-price" factors, such as supply chain sustainability or addressing skills gaps and innovation. This could help drive investment in the sector, expand the economy and boost the UK's energy security. For example, the government has set targets for a dramatic increase in wind power as it seeks to achieve a goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 and becomes more reliant on imported energy after Russia's invasion of Ukraine disrupted supplies. Critics say the lack of new investment and incentives means it cannot provide any new impetus to the country's green energy industry.
The main factors behind the decline were a 29% drop in natural gas consumption and a 3.4% drop in coal demand. The reduction in natural gas consumption in 2022 is due to higher natural gas prices, encouraging consumers to "save gas," according to the DEA on Thursday. In contrast, consumption of petroleum products increased by 5.3%, "mainly due to higher sales of fuel for domestic and international aviation at Danish airports." During the same period, renewable energy consumption increased by 5.3%. According to the DEA, energy production from wind and solar cells could grow 22 percent by 2022 and provide nearly 60 percent of the nation's electricity supply. By comparison, solar and wind will only account for 47 percent of Denmark's electricity supply by 2021, according to Xinhua. Preliminary DEA figures also show that the decline in energy consumption would reduce carbon dioxide emissions from energy consumption by 0.9 percent in 2022.
The use of coal, oil and natural gas is expected to decline by 2023, according to a report published by energy think tank Ember. That would mark the first year that fossil fuels will be used to generate electricity outside of a global recession or pandemic. The findings suggest the world has reached "the beginning of the end of the fossil age," lead author Malgorzata Wiatros-Motyka said in a statement. Wind and solar will account for 12% of global energy generation in 2022, with solar the fastest-growing source of electricity, up 24% from the previous year. Ember predicts that by 2023, clean energy will be able to meet the growth in total electricity demand. Coal remains the world's largest single source of electricity, accounting for 36% of global electricity production in 2022.
Japanese businesses and climate groups have called on the government to speed up the introduction of renewable energy and quickly adopt carbon pricing to combat global warming. The Japan Climate Initiative (JCI), a coalition of companies, local governments and NGOs, made the announcement ahead of the G7 climate ministers meeting in Sapporo, Japan, on April 15-16. To achieve the G7 goal of decarbonizing all or most of its power sector by 2035, agreed by the G7 last year, Japan should take appropriate measures and implement regulatory reforms to promote renewable energy, such as accelerating the development of offshore wind and mandating the installation of solar power in new buildings middle. It also called for a reduction in reliance on fossil fuels, such as coal-fired power generation. Japan is rolling out a carbon pricing scheme in stages this fiscal year, combining emissions trading and a carbon tax to encourage companies to curb pollution.
A shipping company from Greece ordered four ADRIA 40 dual-fuel engines for its new cargo vessels. The dual-fuel engines can run on both diesel and liquefied natural gas (LNG), which reduces fuel costs and emissions. The shipping company was impressed by the performance and reliability of the ADRIA 40 engines, which helped them save money and comply with environmental regulations.
- A power plant operator from Nigeria purchased six MAN L23/30H dual-fuel engines for its gas-fired power plant. The dual-fuel engines can switch between diesel and natural gas depending on the availability and price of the fuels. The power plant operator was pleased with the flexibility and efficiency of the MAN L23/30H engines, which enabled them to optimize their fuel consumption and power output.
Since the ruling Labor Party came to power in May 2022, Australia has approved 11 renewable energy projects, more than double the five approved by the previous government. Environment and Water Resources Minister Tanya Plibersek said the increase was due to Labor creating an environment of certainty for the private sector through its climate policy. Labor has pledged to cut Australia's carbon emissions by at least 43 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. More than 90 renewable energy projects are awaiting approval from PLibersek. The government has come under criticism for its decision to approve Santos to drill 116 new coal seam gas wells in central Queensland despite environmental concerns.