Energy - Renewables & Climate

Recent Articles

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  28.11.2023

  United Kingdom

  UK hydrogen production – further updates to LCHA terms

  Introduction On 21 November 2023, the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (“DESNZ”) shared an updated full-form front end agreement (the “Front End Agreement”) and Standard Terms and Conditions (the “Standard Terms and Conditions”) for the Low Carbon Hydrogen Agreement (together the “LCHA”) to members of the Hydrogen Production Business Model Stakeholder Forum.This article outlines the key updates made to the LCHA since the last draft update in August 2023. DESNZ notes that the revisions are in response to feedback from the stakeholder...

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  22.11.2023

  Middle East

  COP28 Ahead: Wave Energy - The Next Wave of Renewable Energy

  While solar and wind are the most prevalent renewable energy sources, other natural resources and occurrences can be harnessed to generate energy, such as the heat of the Earth and even the motion of the ocean. Waves have a higher energy density than other renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, biomass or geothermal. However, only half a gigawatt (GW) of ocean power had been installed globally as of 2021. Despite this, the International Renewable Energy Agency predicts a global potential of 70 GW by 2030 and 350 GW by 2050.Generating power from waves is not a new concept. Many wave energy...

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  17.11.2023

  Middle East

  Sustainable Aviation Fuels – The Journey Towards Sustainable Aviation

  In 2022, the aviation industry accounted for approximately 2% of global CO2 emissions and nearly 800Mt of carbon dioxide. Decarbonisation remains a major challenge for the aviation industry and  sustainable aviation fuels (“SAF”) and hydrogen (to be discussed at the COP28 Green Zone at the Global Sustainable Aviation Forum) are considered as important in reaching net-zero by 2050.Concerning hydrogen, the two main propulsion methods are combustion and fuel cells. Combustion involves burning hydrogen instead of kerosene, in a modified gas turbine, while fuel cells involve electricity...

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  15.11.2023

  United Kingdom

  Ofgem Approves Queue Management Process to Manage Transmission Connections

  Ofgem published its decision on 13 November 2023 in relation to CMP376 that the “WACM7” modification should be made to the Connection and Use of System Code (“CUSC”) in order to implement queue management (“QM”) milestones into construction agreements for connection to the transmission system. The impact of this is that National Grid Electricity System Operator Limited (“NGESO”) will have greater powers (and in some cases an obligation) to terminate projects that are not progressing against their milestones, thus speeding up the connection process...

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  07.11.2023

  MENA

  COP 28 Ahead: Hydrogen Ambitions in MENA

  During COP28, the fourth annual Hydrogen Transition Summit will be held to examine: (i) increasing hydrogen production; (ii) mobilising finance and de-risking investment for renewable and low-carbon hydrogen projects; (iii) policy frameworks to match global hydrogen supply and demand; and (iv) connecting the global supply chain.Low-carbon hydrogen is seen as increasingly important for achieving the rise of national and international decarbonisation goals. In May 2023, the Hydrogen Council Insights report[1] noted that globally there has been 38 megatonnes per annum (“MT p.a.”)...

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  05.10.2023

  Bulgaria

  Importers of electricity in the EU face new challenges

  On 1 October 2023, the Transitional period of the Carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) went into effect with additional reporting obligations for importers of electricity to the EU.The importers of “CBAM goods” include cement, iron and steel, aluminium, fertilisers and hydrogen as well as electricity.CBAM provides for two periods, a Transitional period with reporting obligations only before the the Definitive period commences on 1 January 2026 when importers will need to purchase CBAM certificates from the competent authorities of EU member states in order to import CBAM goods...

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