Day: March 30, 2020

Global economic activity is on hold at the moment, but 2019 was a boom year for wind energy, with more than 60GW of capacity installed around the world. New figures from the Global Wind Energy Council’s (GWEC) Global Wind Energy Report show that installations were 19% higher than the year before and the second-highest ever. Total capacity is now 651GW. However, the market needs to grow even more if we are to meet our climate targets, the organization says. China and the US dominate the global market for onshore wind…

Read More

The lockdown enforced by the Sindh government in the province amid coronavirus fears is an opportunity for the relevant authorities to evaluate the urban sprawl, mass transportation and industrial needs of Karachi and curb harmful carbon emissions here, stated the National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH). NFEH president Naeem Qureshi, in a statement released on Saturday, said that the lockdown in the city – one of the biggest industrial hubs of the world – has lowered the level of air pollution. “With public transportation completely halted, minimal use of…

Read More

The World Health Organization says the virus that causes COVID-19 doesn’t seem to linger in the air or be capable of spreading through the air over distances of more than about 3 feet. But at least one expert in virus transmission said it’s way too soon to know that. “I think the WHO is being irresponsible in giving out that information. This misinformation is dangerous,” says Dr. Donald Milton, an infectious disease aerobiologist at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health. The WHO says that “according to current evidence,” the virus is…

Read More

Coal, the dirtiest and usually the cheapest option for energy, is now the world’s most expensive fossil fuel. Oil’s epic collapse over the past month means the global crude benchmark is now priced below the most widely traded coal contract on an energy-equivalent basis, according to Bloomberg calculations. Australia’s Newcastle coal on ICE Futures Europe settled at $66.85 a metric ton on Friday, the equivalent of $27.36 a barrel of oil. Brent futures ended at $26.98 a barrel. While coal use in the U.S. and Europe has fallen because of cheap natural gas and renewables, as…

Read More

The federal government can exercise the clause of force majeure against Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to pull the power sector out of pressure due to outbreak of COVID-19 in the country, said power sector experts. They said the need for any such measure in an emergency situation like the present one when the power division has stopped the distribution companies from disconnections and extended payment dates to facilitate the consumers, including domestic, commercial and industrial. There are around 42 IPPs that contribute significantly to electricity generation in Pakistan. It is…

Read More