AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FTC Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FTCI) (“FTC Solar”), a leading provider of solar tracker systems, and Dunlieh Energy, (“Dunlieh”) announced today that FTC will be supplying trackers for over one gigawatt of solar projects for Dunlieh beginning in 2025.
The first project expected under the agreement is the Situla Energy Project, a 500-megawatt utility-scale solar and battery facility under development in Banner County, Nebraska, approximately 30 miles east of the Wyoming border. In addition to providing clean, renewable energy, the project is expected to generate more than 225 local construction jobs and contribute more than $1.4 million annually in nameplate capacity taxes, most of which will go to local schools and the county. Tracker delivery on the project is expected to begin in the second half of 2025.
“FTC Solar has impressive, high-quality tracker technology that is incredibly fast, safe, and easy to install,” said Thaer Flieh, CEO of Dunlieh Energy. “The Situla project is poised to provide great value to the community, and FTC’s highly constructible design will lend itself incredibly well for that and other future developments.”
“We’re very pleased to have been selected by Dunlieh for this one-gigawatt agreement,” commented Yann Brandt, FTC Solar’s President and CEO. “With our robust product lineup across 1P and 2P technologies, along with excellent customer service, we stand ready to help our new customer, Dunlieh, optimize each individual project site.”
FTC Solar adds this material supply agreement to a recently announced relationship with Strata Clean Energy as well as new project details with Sandhills Energy in the past quarter.
About FTC Solar Inc. Founded in 2017 by a group of renewable energy industry veterans, FTC Solar is a leading provider of solar tracker systems, technology, software, and engineering services. Solar trackers significantly increase energy production at solar power installations by dynamically optimizing solar panel orientation to the sun. FTC Solar’s innovative tracker designs provide compelling performance and reliability, with an industry-leading installation cost-per-watt advantage.
About Dunlieh Energy At Dunlieh Energy, we’re on a mission to accelerate the transition to clean energy by solving energy problems and bringing new generation capacity to areas that lack energy supply. Developing sustainable energy projects including solar PV, energy storage and green hydrogen, our goal is to build a green future for the next generation.
FTC Solar Contact: Bill Michalek Vice President, Investor Relations FTC Solar T: (737) 241-8618 E: IR@FTCSolar.com
Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but rather are based on our current expectations and projections regarding our business, operations and other factors relating thereto. Words such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “anticipate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions and as such are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. In addition, this press release contains statements about third parties and their commercial activity. We have not independently verified or confirmed such statements and have instead relied on the veracity of information as provided to us by such third parties related to such statements. You should not rely on our forward-looking statements or statements related to third parties or their commercial activities as predictions of future events, as actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements or statements related to third parties or their commercial activities because of several factors, including those described in more detail above and in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the section entitled “Risk Factors” contained therein. FTC Solar undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements or statements related to third parties or their commercial activities contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations, except as required by law.
SINGAPORE, Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Primech Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: PMEC) (“Primech” or the “Company”) and its subsidiary, Primech AI, are pleased to announce new strategic partnerships with Unity Group Holdings International Limited (1539.HK) (“Unity Group”), a renowned provider of energy solutions listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. These partnerships, formalized through separate Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), aim to harness Unity Group’s energy expertise and Primech AI’s robotic innovations to drive sustainability and technological advancements in their respective fields.
Unity Group (https://www.unitygroup.eco) operates in over 20 countries, offering innovative energy solutions that significantly reduce carbon footprints and operational costs for numerous global clients. This collaboration aligns with Primech’s commitment to environmental stewardship and marks a significant step in integrating sustainable practices and advanced technologies across its operations.
Details of the Partnerships:
Primech Holdings Ltd. will collaborate with Unity Group to explore and implement cutting-edge energy solutions in Singapore, focusing on enhancing energy efficiency within its extensive facilities management operations.
Primech AI and Unity Group will cooperate on the business development and trial deployment of the Hytron restroom cleaning robot into major properties in Dubai. This initiative aims to revolutionize facility maintenance with cutting-edge robotic technology, improving efficiency and reducing the environmental footprint of cleaning operations.
They will expand Unity Group’s technological footprint in Singapore and beyond, setting new standards for international collaboration in energy and robotic solutions.
Mr. Kin Wai Ho, CEO of Primech Holdings Limited, commented, “We are proud to partner with Unity Group to pioneer the integration of sustainable energy solutions and advanced robotics in our operations. These initiatives are pivotal as we continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in our industry, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of both environmental responsibility and technological innovation.”
Mr. Mansfield Wong, Co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of Unity Group, stated, “Our collaboration with Primech Holdings and Primech AI represents a significant opportunity to leverage our expertise in energy solutions alongside Primech’s innovations in robotic technologies. We are excited about the potential of our joint efforts to set benchmarks in sustainability and operational efficiency globally.”
About Unity Group Holdings International Limited Founded in 2008, Unity Group became the first energy service company to be listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. At the core of its operations is the Energy Management Contract (EMC) business model, which implements customized solutions designed to achieve optimal energy efficiency and maximize returns for clients. Unity Group employs industry-leading, effective, and practical research methodologies. These methodologies span innovative green technologies, data analysis, and machine learning. The outcomes of its research and development efforts manifest in its uniquely versatile, appropriate, and actionable green technology solutions. Currently, Unity Group operates in Mainland China, Malaysia, and the Middle East.
About Primech Holdings Limited Headquartered in Singapore, Primech Holdings Limited is a leading provider of comprehensive technology-driven facilities services, predominantly serving both public and private sectors throughout Singapore, with expanding operations in Malaysia. With a legacy of excellence and innovation in the facility services industry, Primech’s operating subsidiary, Primech A & P offers an extensive range of services tailored to meet the complex demands of its diverse clientele. Services include advanced general facility maintenance services, specialized cleaning solutions such as marble polishing and facade cleaning, meticulous stewarding services, and targeted cleaning services for offices and homes. Additionally, CSG Industries Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Primech Holdings, manufactures and supplies various high-quality cleaning products under its brand, extending its reach and capabilities within the industry. Known for its commitment to sustainability and cutting-edge technology, Primech integrates eco-friendly practices and smart technology solutions to enhance operational efficiency and client satisfaction. This strategic approach positions Primech Holdings as a leader in the industry and a proactive contributor to advancing industry standards and practices in Singapore and beyond. For more information, visit www.primechholdings.com.
About Primech AI Primech AI is a leading robotics company dedicated to pushing the boundaries of innovation in technology. With a team of passionate individuals and a commitment to collaboration, Primech AI is poised to revolutionize the robotics industry with groundbreaking solutions that make a meaningful impact on society. For more information, visit www.primech.ai.
Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements, including, for example, statements about completing the acquisition, anticipated revenues, growth, and expansion. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. These forward-looking statements are also based on assumptions regarding the Company’s present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future. Investors can find many (but not all) of these statements by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “likely to” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure that such expectations will be correct. The Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and other filings with the SEC.
RONKONKOMA, N.Y., Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pineapple Energy Inc. (Nasdaq: PEGY) (“Pineapple” or the “Company”), a leading provider of sustainable solar energy and backup power to households, businesses, municipalities, and for servicing existing systems, today announced that Scott Maskin, Interim CEO, will host a virtual Fireside Chat on November 14th, 2024 at 10:00 AM ET. The event will be moderated by Julien Dumoulin-Smith, Managing Director, Power, Utilities, & Clean Energy Equity Research group at Jefferies.
Mr. Maskin will discuss recent developments, provide an overview of Pineapple’s business and industry, outline strategies to enhance shareholder value, and answer questions from current and prospective shareholders.
The fireside chat will be available for viewing at Pineapple’s website, www.pineappleenergy.com.
Questions may be submitted in advance to ir@pineappleenergy.com with the subject line “Fireside Chat Questions.” The deadline for submitting questions is November 13that 5:00 PM ET.
Julien Dumoulin-Smith is a perennially #1 double ranked Institutional Investor (II) magazine analyst in both Utilities & Alternative/Clean Energy and was recently inducted into the II Hall of Fame for his cumulative accomplishments.
About Pineapple Energy Pineapple is focused on growing leading local and regional solar, storage, and energy services companies nationwide. Our vision is to power the energy transition through grass-roots growth of solar electricity paired with battery storage. Our portfolio of brands (SUNation, Hawaii Energy Connection, E-Gear) provide homeowners and businesses of all sizes with an end-to-end product offering spanning solar, battery storage, and grid services.
Forward Looking Statements This press release includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on the Company’s current expectations or beliefs and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances, including the Company’s expectations regarding its ability to effect the reverse stock split and regain compliance with Nasdaq’s continued listing standards. While the Company believes its plans, intentions, and expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, these plans, intentions, or expectations may not be achieved. For information about the factors that could cause such differences, please refer to the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, the statements made under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and in subsequent filings. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, except as required by law.
Safe Harbor Statement Our prospects here at Pineapple Energy Inc. are subject to uncertainties and risks. This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. The Company intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbor provided by the foregoing Sections. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations or forecasts of future events, can be affected by inaccurate assumptions, and are subject to various business risks and known and unknown uncertainties, a number of which are beyond the control of management. Therefore, actual results could differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this presentation. The Company cannot predict or determine after the fact what factors would cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements or other statements. The reader should consider statements that include the words “believes”, “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “estimates”, “plans”, “projects”, “should”, or other expressions that are predictions of or indicate future events or trends, to be uncertain and forward-looking. We caution readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional information respecting factors that could materially affect the Company and its operations are contained in the Company’s filings with the SEC which can be found on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Contacts:
Scott Maskin Interim Chief Executive Officer +1 (631) 823-7131 scott.maskin@pineappleenergy.com
Vancouver, B.C. , Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Trillion Energy International Inc. (“Trillion” or the “Company”) (CSE: TCF) (OTCQB: TRLEF) (Frankfurt: Z62) is pleased to provide an update on the velocity string installation program at the SASB gas field.
On October 27th the snubbing unit was positioned over the Akcakoca-3 well where 2 3/8” production tubing (“velocity string” or “VS”) was ran into the well through the existing 4 ½ tubing. The operation was completed on October 29th. The well continued to flow throughout the operation.
Following the VS installation, Akcakoca-3 production increased from approximately 2.0 MMcf/d (average production for the 27 days prior to installation) to 2.6 MMcf/d (average production first 4 days post VS). We continue to monitor production from the well at this time.
On October 30th, 2024 a 2 3/8th velocity string was ran into the West Akcakoca-1 well using the snubbing unit. The operation was completed by November 1st, where the velocity string reached a total measured depth (MD) of 3,496 meters. The West Akcakoca-1 well was not producing prior to the operation and gas production is expected to resume following nitrogen stimulation being applied.
Currently, VS is being run into the Guluc-2 well. The velocity strings are being installed with the objective of reducing water loading issues in the SASB gas wells.
About the Company
Trillion Energy International Inc is focused on oil and natural gas production for Europe and Türkiye with natural gas assets in Türkiye. The Company is 49% owner of the SASB natural gas field, a Black Sea natural gas development and a 19.6% (except three wells with 9.8%) interest in the Cendere oil field. More information may be found on www.sedar.com, and our website.
Contact
Arthur Halleran, Chief Executive Officer Brian Park, Vice President of Finance 1-778-819-1585 e-mail: info@trillionenergy.com; Website: www.trillionenergy.com
This news release may contain certain forward-looking information and statements, including without limitation, statements pertaining to the Company’s ability to obtain regulatory approval of the executive officer and director appointments. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and such information involves various risks and uncertainties. Trillion does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
These statements are no guarantee of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, delay, change of strategy, and assumptions that are difficult to predict and which may change over time. Accordingly, actual results and strategies could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. These factors include unforeseen securities regulatory challenges, COVID, oil and gas price fluctuations, operational and geological risks, changes in capital raising strategies, the ability of the Company to raise necessary funds for development; the outcome of commercial negotiations; changes in technical or operating conditions; the cost of extracting gas and oil may increase and be too costly so that it is uneconomic and not profitable to do so and other factors discussed from time to time in the Company’s filings on www.sedar.com, including the most recently filed Annual Report on Form 20-F and subsequent filings. For a full summary of our oil and gas reserves information for Turkey, please refer to our Forms F-1,2,3 51-101 filed on www.sedar.com, and or request a copy of our reserves report effective December 31, 2022 and updated January 31 2023.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
On 1 November 2024 the Environment Agency re-opened the initial consultation into an environmental permit application for an incinerator near Swadlincote.
Environment Agency re-opens initial consultation on plans for proposed site in Keith Willshee Way
Consultation to run from 1 November to 13 December 2024
Environment Agency will consider issues around any likely impact on human health and environment
Due to the high level of public interest associated with the site, the Environment Agency is re-opening the initial public consultation. The initial public consultation, ran between 28 June 2024 and 2 September 2024.
R&P Clean Power Limited has applied for the permit to operate an incinerator on Keith Willshee Way, Swadlincote DE11 9EN. The company has also separately applied to Derbyshire County Council for planning.
The company wants to incinerate up to 230,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste each year in an incinerator known as an Energy from Waste Facility.
The proposed facility will incinerate waste to produce energy in the form of electricity. Electricity from this process will be exported to the National Grid.
An environmental permit sets the conditions which R&P Clean Power Limited must meet when operating the proposed incinerator. It covers the management and operation of the site and the control and monitoring of emissions.
Issues that we consider in deciding on the permit are:
Relevant environmental regulatory requirements and technical standards.
Information on local population and sensitive sites.
Protection of human and environmental health.
Comments on whether the right process is being used for the activity, for example, whether the technology is appropriate.
Pollution control and any emissions to air, land and water.
Whether energy generated by waste incineration is recovered as much as possible.
Handling and storage of waste.
The impact of noise and odour from vehicle movements on site.
Plans to deal with litter and vermin on site.
Any permit conditions that may be needed.
The Environment Agency will consult with partner organisations, including the UK Health Security Agency, as part of the process.
Issues such as suitability of the site, operating hours and traffic management to and from it, are matters for the planning authority, not the Environment Agency.
The Environment Agency can only consider issues covered by the environmental permit and can only refuse a permit application based on technical information.
However, in order to build and operate the proposed incinerator, the company will need to be granted both planning permission and an environmental permit.
To obtain an environmental permit, the company will need to show they are putting in place the necessary measures to meet current standards to protect human health and the environment. In addition, they must explain how any risks that are identified, such as odour and emissions, are prevented or minimised, alongside producing a Fire Prevention Plan.
Once the consultation closes, the Environment Agency will review all the comments received before reaching a draft decision. R&P Clean Power Limited has the right to appeal if the permit is refused.
If the Environment Agency thinks it is likely to issue the permit, it will consult again on the draft permit and draft decision document. This means the public will be able comment again if they feel that there is additional information that we have not considered in our decision.
If you wish to make comments about the application, please do so by 13 December 2024.
On October 22, 2024, Strathcona Resources Ltd. pleaded guilty in Kindersley Provincial Court to one violation of The Saskatchewan Employment Act and related to the same incident, Steel View Energy & Industrial Services Ltd. pleaded guilty to one violation of The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020.
Strathcona Resources Ltd. was fined for contravening clause 3-12 (a) (ii) of the Act (being a contractor, fail to ensure, insofar as is reasonably practicable, that every work process or procedure carried on at every place of employment or work site where an employer, employer’s worker or self-employed person works pursuant to a contract between the contractor and the employer or self-employed person that is not in the direct and complete control of an employer or self-employed person under contract with the contractor, is safe for, without risk to the health of, and adequate with regard to facilities for the welfare of all employers, workers, or self-employed persons at the place of employment, resulting in the serious injury of a worker).
As a result, the Court imposed a fine of $60,714.29 with a surcharge of $24,285.71 for a total amount of $85,000. One other charge was withdrawn.
Steel View Energy & Industrial Services Ltd. was fined for contravening clause 3-1 (a) of the regulations (being an employer, fail to comply with the duties of an employer at a place of employment including the provision and maintenance of a plant, systems of work and working environments that ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of the employer’s workers, resulting in the serious injury of a worker).
The Court imposed a fine of $39,285.71 with a surcharge of $15,714.29, for a total amount of $55,000.
The charges for both companies stemmed from a single incident that occurred on December 5, 2022, near Major, Saskatchewan when a worker was seriously injured when they were struck by an ejection clamp.
-30-
For more information, contact:
Shane Seilman Labour Relations and Workplace Safety Regina Phone: 306-520-2705 Email: shane.seilman2@gov.sk.ca
Contemporary economic challenges in Africa appear to be shifting the continent into a new era of development. From COVID-19 to war-induced inflation, many countries in Africa are facing significant economic challenges. The crises of recent years come on top of longer-term increases in debt, especially after the 2014 commodity price shock.
These circumstances have been the backdrop to recent conflicts, coups, and regime changes. But these contemporary crises follow a period of relatively successful state-led development in the first two decades of the 21st century, resulting in a hype about the new “African lions” and the emergence of an “Africa rising” narrative.
Two cases stand out as emblematic of this era: Rwanda’s vision of a Dubai-style financial and service hub, and Ethiopia’s rapid manufacturing and infrastructure ambitions.
Much has been written about the international factors behind this era of state-led development. The focus has been on the extension of private finance and the growth of “new” lenders such as China, India and Brazil. But these perspectives often overlook important questions. What has inspired ambitious African national plans over the last two decades? What assumptions were made about how development happens and how it should look?
In new research published in a special issue of a journal, we analyse these modernising visions. We unpick their differences and commonalities using cases from multiple countries.
Our emphasis is on understanding ideas, beliefs, and norms in shaping development plans. Such perspectives are often overlooked in the study of Africa. Scholars have often presumed that ruling elites are primarily interested in narrow material power or self-enrichment. We argue that ideas and beliefs underpin the goals and content of development plans.
The research covered in the special issue covers Angola, Eritrea and Tanzania, but in this article we will unpack our analysis of Ethiopia and Rwanda.
20th century modernist development
Many of the elements of development this century look like resurgent 20th century “high modernism”. This is a term coined by scholar James Scott to describe top-down, state-led, authoritarian programmes of economic development. These programmes typically used infrastructure and technology to engineer supposedly “backward”, “traditional” people and landscapes into efficient, modern, rational alternatives.
Perhaps the chief examples here are large dams. Historically, dams were viewed as the hallmark projects of modernisation. They could tame nature and deploy technology, whether electricity or irrigation, to found modern economies and workers. Ghana’s Akosombo Dam is one such project.
But building dams paused from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s as the World Bank and other major funders withdrew. Dam projects were seen as having too-high social and economic costs and as not performing well. Such negative impacts also generated significant protests.
Rwanda’s case
Underpinning Rwanda’s model is a concentrated Leninist-style power structure. The president and associated elites chart the path to progress. The party, with its affiliated companies and investment funds, is all powerful – not solely the state. Rwanda also revived mid-century plans, from dams to an east African railway corridor. Electricity was deemed central, resulting in a rapid, but overambitious five-fold increase in over 15 years.
This recent period was not just a reproduction of the 1960s, however. It had new elements. A Dubai-style aesthetic is central to the reinvented capital, Kigali, where the goal is to create a new corporate service hub, replete with skyscraper, conference centres, shopping malls and a new international airport. This replaces the 20th century obsession with industrial sites and brutalist concrete.
Rather than the state-led programmes of the 20th century, pro-market reforms have been incorporated. There’s an embrace of private enterprise, a stock market and investment. The country’s electricity boom was largely enacted by private firms and Rwanda consistently ranks as one of the top countries in the Ease of Doing Business index. It takes hours, not weeks, to set up a company and there’s a speedy regulatory bureaucracy.
In some cases, “neoliberal” reforms have been brought in, with private enterprise and investment in previously state-controlled domains. Rwanda embraced corporate investment and ownership while making business-friendly, low-tax reforms. The private sector was given a big role in Rwanda’s boom to build over 40 microhydro plants in 15 years.
New public management techniques, with individual incentives and civil service targets, were adopted.
Ethiopia’s case
Ethiopia focused on investments in large agricultural plantations and industrial parks. The result evoked 20th century modernisation drives. A broad-based infrastructure boom and an industrialisation strategy that moved agricultural produce up the value chain would transform the structure of the economy. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the Addis-Djibouti Railway and other megaprojects became symbols of this vision. The aim was to maintain state control of the commanding heights of the economy (electricity, water, telecommunications and aviation, among others), while building an industrial base that would absorb the surplus agricultural labour.
This was coupled with investments in education and health. In 2016, Ethiopia had the third highest ratio of public investment to GDP, but also one of the fastest economic growth rates globally.
Unlike Rwanda, this ideology has not survived. Progress in health, education and income was achieved but political tensions grew. By the mid 2010s, the material reality of people’s livelihoods could no longer keep up with the promises the ruling party had evoked. Dissent was not tolerated and led to mass protests, riots, and the eventual demise of the party. Since 2018, there has been a dramatic shift in ideology and vision with an openness to liberalisation, and a focus away from industrialisation to the service sector.
Continuity and change
Overall, our analysis reveals a combination of continuity and change during this period. It marks the triumph of an “African left”, with old titans like Tanzania’s Chama Cha Mapinduzi or Mozambique’s Frelimo joined by new revolutionary parties also inspired by Marxism.
The language of communism or socialism is not used explicitly. But a belief endures that top-down schemes and mega-infrastructure can catapult people into an “enlightened” future. Structural economic barriers are surmountable through technology and engineering.
Simultaneously, one cannot escape the language of the Davos establishment about the supremacy of markets, importance of foreign investment and pledges to tackle climate change and poverty. This illustrates the degree to which these illiberal modernisers are connected to international policymaking.
Our publication conceptualises this pattern of continuity and change, as a 10-point “illiberal modernisers” manifesto. Although holding considerable variation between countries, we argue that these these hegemonic ruling parties shared common goals of transforming society through an elite-defined programme.
Ultimately, the pattern of continuity and change demonstrates the importance of analysing ideas, beliefs, and values. Elites in Africa, just as elsewhere, are not only interested in power but are influenced by ideas about development.
– Visions of development have shifted in Africa over the past two decades: study explores how Rwanda and Ethiopia tried to shape the future – https://theconversation.com/visions-of-development-have-shifted-in-africa-over-the-past-two-decades-study-explores-how-rwanda-and-ethiopia-tried-to-shape-the-future-224988
Contemporary economic challenges in Africa appear to be shifting the continent into a new era of development. From COVID-19 to war-induced inflation, many countries in Africa are facing significant economic challenges. The crises of recent years come on top of longer-term increases in debt, especially after the 2014 commodity price shock.
These circumstances have been the backdrop to recent conflicts, coups, and regime changes. But these contemporary crises follow a period of relatively successful state-led development in the first two decades of the 21st century, resulting in a hype about the new “African lions” and the emergence of an “Africa rising” narrative.
Two cases stand out as emblematic of this era: Rwanda’s vision of a Dubai-style financial and service hub, and Ethiopia’s rapid manufacturing and infrastructure ambitions.
Much has been written about the international factors behind this era of state-led development. The focus has been on the extension of private finance and the growth of “new” lenders such as China, India and Brazil. But these perspectives often overlook important questions. What has inspired ambitious African national plans over the last two decades? What assumptions were made about how development happens and how it should look?
In new research published in a special issue of a journal, we analyse these modernising visions. We unpick their differences and commonalities using cases from multiple countries.
Our emphasis is on understanding ideas, beliefs, and norms in shaping development plans. Such perspectives are often overlooked in the study of Africa. Scholars have often presumed that ruling elites are primarily interested in narrow material power or self-enrichment. We argue that ideas and beliefs underpin the goals and content of development plans.
The research covered in the special issue covers Angola, Eritrea and Tanzania, but in this article we will unpack our analysis of Ethiopia and Rwanda.
20th century modernist development
Many of the elements of development this century look like resurgent 20th century “high modernism”. This is a term coined by scholar James Scott to describe top-down, state-led, authoritarian programmes of economic development. These programmes typically used infrastructure and technology to engineer supposedly “backward”, “traditional” people and landscapes into efficient, modern, rational alternatives.
Perhaps the chief examples here are large dams. Historically, dams were viewed as the hallmark projects of modernisation. They could tame nature and deploy technology, whether electricity or irrigation, to found modern economies and workers. Ghana’s Akosombo Dam is one such project.
But building dams paused from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s as the World Bank and other major funders withdrew. Dam projects were seen as having too-high social and economic costs and as not performing well. Such negative impacts also generated significant protests.
Rwanda’s case
Underpinning Rwanda’s model is a concentrated Leninist-style power structure. The president and associated elites chart the path to progress. The party, with its affiliated companies and investment funds, is all powerful – not solely the state. Rwanda also revived mid-century plans, from dams to an east African railway corridor. Electricity was deemed central, resulting in a rapid, but overambitious five-fold increase in over 15 years.
This recent period was not just a reproduction of the 1960s, however. It had new elements. A Dubai-style aesthetic is central to the reinvented capital, Kigali, where the goal is to create a new corporate service hub, replete with skyscraper, conference centres, shopping malls and a new international airport. This replaces the 20th century obsession with industrial sites and brutalist concrete.
Rather than the state-led programmes of the 20th century, pro-market reforms have been incorporated. There’s an embrace of private enterprise, a stock market and investment. The country’s electricity boom was largely enacted by private firms and Rwanda consistently ranks as one of the top countries in the Ease of Doing Business index. It takes hours, not weeks, to set up a company and there’s a speedy regulatory bureaucracy.
In some cases, “neoliberal” reforms have been brought in, with private enterprise and investment in previously state-controlled domains. Rwanda embraced corporate investment and ownership while making business-friendly, low-tax reforms. The private sector was given a big role in Rwanda’s boom to build over 40 microhydro plants in 15 years.
New public management techniques, with individual incentives and civil service targets, were adopted.
Ethiopia’s case
Ethiopia focused on investments in large agricultural plantations and industrial parks. The result evoked 20th century modernisation drives. A broad-based infrastructure boom and an industrialisation strategy that moved agricultural produce up the value chain would transform the structure of the economy. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the Addis-Djibouti Railway and other megaprojects became symbols of this vision. The aim was to maintain state control of the commanding heights of the economy (electricity, water, telecommunications and aviation, among others), while building an industrial base that would absorb the surplus agricultural labour.
This was coupled with investments in education and health. In 2016, Ethiopia had the third highest ratio of public investment to GDP, but also one of the fastest economic growth rates globally.
Unlike Rwanda, this ideology has not survived. Progress in health, education and income was achieved but political tensions grew. By the mid 2010s, the material reality of people’s livelihoods could no longer keep up with the promises the ruling party had evoked. Dissent was not tolerated and led to mass protests, riots, and the eventual demise of the party. Since 2018, there has been a dramatic shift in ideology and vision with an openness to liberalisation, and a focus away from industrialisation to the service sector.
Continuity and change
Overall, our analysis reveals a combination of continuity and change during this period. It marks the triumph of an “African left”, with old titans like Tanzania’s Chama Cha Mapinduzi or Mozambique’s Frelimo joined by new revolutionary parties also inspired by Marxism.
The language of communism or socialism is not used explicitly. But a belief endures that top-down schemes and mega-infrastructure can catapult people into an “enlightened” future. Structural economic barriers are surmountable through technology and engineering.
Simultaneously, one cannot escape the language of the Davos establishment about the supremacy of markets, importance of foreign investment and pledges to tackle climate change and poverty. This illustrates the degree to which these illiberal modernisers are connected to international policymaking.
Our publication conceptualises this pattern of continuity and change, as a 10-point “illiberal modernisers” manifesto. Although holding considerable variation between countries, we argue that these these hegemonic ruling parties shared common goals of transforming society through an elite-defined programme.
Ultimately, the pattern of continuity and change demonstrates the importance of analysing ideas, beliefs, and values. Elites in Africa, just as elsewhere, are not only interested in power but are influenced by ideas about development.
Barnaby Joseph Dye receives funding from the Economic and Social Science Research Council (UK).
Biruk Terrefe received funding from the Heinrich Böll Foundation (Germany).
The Official Partners sponsoring the UK’s Pavilion at COP29 are: AVEVA, Corporate Leaders Group, DP World, National Grid, Octopus Energy, SSE and Standard Chartered.
This year’s COP29 UK Pavilion Official Partners represent UK industry’s outstanding reputation for addressing climate change through enterprise and innovation.
Throughout the COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, the UK Pavilion will host a series of events including panel talks, roundtable discussions and networking receptions. These will raise awareness of the best of British climate leadership and share insights on climate change from UK organisations, policy and business.
The funding by the UK Pavilion sponsors reduces cost to the taxpayer, while enabling official partners to demonstrate the vital role industry plays in progressing the climate agenda.
National Grid and SSE are returning as official partners from COP26 in Glasgow, COP27 in Sharm-El Sheikh and COP28 in Dubai, while Octopus Energy is returning from COP28 – showing the ongoing commitment of these companies to cutting emissions and accelerating towards net zero, and to working with the government on this important mission.
The UK government has also welcomed 4 new businesses to the COP29 sponsor portfolio: AVEVA, Corporate Leaders Group, DP World and Standard Chartered, resulting in the highest ever number of official partners at a COP summit.
COP29 runs from 11-22 November and the UK Pavilion will be open for the duration of the conference.
The sponsors
AVEVA
Headquartered in the UK, AVEVA is a global leader in industrial software, driving responsible use of the world’s resources. Over 25,000 enterprises in over 100 countries rely on AVEVA to help them deliver life’s essentials: safe and reliable energy, food, medicines, infrastructure and more. By connecting people with trusted information and AI-enriched insights, AVEVA enables teams to engineer efficiently and optimize operations, driving growth and sustainability. AVEVA attends COP29 with a wholehearted commitment to ensure that COP29 remains the key mechanism for driving collaborative progress on net zero. With the industrial sector contributing to a quarter of global emissions, AVEVA aims to demonstrate digitalization’s critical role in decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors while enabling innovation in low-carbon paradigms that can support a just transition to a more sustainable future. Sponsoring the UK Pavilion is a key opportunity to collaborate with business, government and civil society leaders, supporting the transformation of UK economic interests to support COP objectives and accelerating the drive for net zero worldwide.
Caspar Herzberg, CEO, AVEVA:
As a UK-headquartered global leader in industrial intelligence software, AVEVA is proud to support the UK Pavilion at COP29. With industry responsible for a quarter of global emissions, industrial digitalisation is revolutionising decarbonisation strategies. Our work with more than 20,000 enterprises worldwide shows how cross-sector collaboration and untapped industrial data are driving breakthrough sustainability solutions. The UK continues to demonstrate leadership in sustainable industrial innovation, and alongside our government and industry partners, we’re committed to accelerating measurable action on our path to net zero.
Corporate Leaders Group UK
The UK Corporate Leaders Group (CLG UK) is a cross-sector, impact-driven business membership group that provides a strong corporate voice to support UK leadership for the transition to a climate neutral, nature positive and socially inclusive economy. CLG UK’s ongoing mission is to increase business and government leadership through a reinforcing virtuous cycle of increasing ambition and implementing action. It has convened and helped build consensus across the UK business community in support of the transition to competitive, climate-neutral, nature-positive and socially inclusive economies.
Beverley Cornaby, Director, UK Corporate Leaders Group:
The UK Corporate Leaders Group (CLG UK) is delighted to be sponsoring the UK Pavilion at COP29. The timing could not be more important, with the window of opportunity to transition to a clean future closing rapidly. CLG UK is urging governments to be decisive, provide clear policy frameworks and stay on course to meet net zero through strong delivery and implementation plans. To succeed, the UK government must bring business with it on its journey. That is where CLG UK is perfectly positioned to work with the UK Pavilion’s partners, businesses and change-makers to mobilise investment, technology and innovation to achieve our shared goals. We must work together to unlock the power of UK leadership, shift markets and economies, and maintain ambition for climate, nature and people.
DP World
DP World exists to make the world’s trade flow better, changing what’s possible for the customers and communities it serves globally. With a dedicated, diverse and professional team of more than 115,000 employees from 160 nationalities, spanning 78 countries on six continents, DP World is pushing trade further and faster towards a seamless supply chain that’s fit for the future. DP World is rapidly transforming and integrating its businesses – Ports and Terminals, Marine Services, Logistics and Technology – and uniting its global infrastructure with local expertise to create stronger, more efficient and sustainable end-to-end supply chain solutions that can change the way the world trades.
Rashid Abdulla, CEO & Managing Director, Europe:
DP World’s ambition is to streamline and sustain global trade while building a resilient, lower-carbon supply chain. At COP29 with the UK government, we will champion sustainable end-to-end solutions that address climate challenges head-on, playing our part in connecting stakeholders across sectors, promoting collaboration and creating shared value.
National Grid
National Grid plays a crucial role in connecting millions of people to the energy they use safely, reliably and efficiently. National Grid is pioneering ways to decarbonise the energy system; from building interconnectors to allow the UK to share clean energy with Europe, to investing in renewable energy generation in the United States.
Rhian Kelly, Chief Sustainability Officer, National Grid:
Collaboration across borders and the sharing of best practice is vital if the global ambition for a clean energy future is to be met. Energy networks are an important part of this, enabling clean, green energy to flow from where it’s generated to where it’s needed. National Grid is proud to support the UK Pavilion at COP29, and we look forward to sharing our experiences and learning more from the international community.
Octopus Energy
As a British-born company, Octopus Energy showcases how the UK is leading the world in green innovation, investing billions in clean technologies to drive meaningful change globally. With operations in 18 countries, and 54 million households running on its tech platform Kraken, Octopus is bringing cheaper power to millions of customers globally. Launched just eight years ago, Octopus is now the largest electricity supplier in the UK and one of the largest investors in renewables in Europe, managing a portfolio worth £7 billion. Its relentless focus on smart tech and innovations has unlocked the world’s largest virtual power plant and homes with zero energy bills, delivering clean solutions that save people money and power the world.
Zoisa North-Bond, CEO Octopus Energy Generation:
The UK is the vanguard of green innovation, brimming with the talent and technology needed to accelerate the global energy revolution – and COP is a great opportunity to showcase this. From microgrids to wind farms and EVs – the solutions to empower global communities and stop climate change are available today. By working with policymakers and industry leaders worldwide, we can make green energy accessible for all and drive the solutions that will power the world.
SSE
SSE is the UK and Ireland’s clean energy champion, investing over £20 billion into homegrown energy. Our purpose is to provide the energy needed today while building a better world of energy for tomorrow. We do this by developing, building, operating and investing in world-class electricity infrastructure that is vital to the clean energy transition. We were the first company in the world to develop a ‘just transition strategy’, aimed at ensuring the benefits of the clean energy transition are shared by workers and communities. SSE has aligned its business strategy to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), providing a powerful framework to guide the creation of shared value for shareholders and society.
Martin Pibworth, SSE Chief Commercial Officer:
At SSE, we’ve put delivering net zero at the heart of our strategy backed up with of a multi-billion-dollar investment programme focused on mission-critical clean energy infrastructure. COP29 provides the opportunity to speed up the pace of the transition working with a range of international partners to collectively deliver a global just transition.
Standard Chartered
Standard Chartered has an important role to play in supporting our clients, sectors and markets to accelerate the transition to a low carbon, climate resilient economy. We’re pleased to partner with the UK at COP29, creating a platform to bring together partners, stakeholders and decision makers to help deliver outcomes in support of the Paris Agreement. As a major financial hub, the UK has some of the deepest pools of internationally oriented capital and as a leading international cross-border bank, headquartered in the UK, Standard Chartered is uniquely positioned to mobilise this capital and investment towards our footprint markets across Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Marissa Drew, Chief Sustainability Officer, Standard Chartered:
We’re pleased to partner with the UK at COP29 and will use this platform, alongside the full breadth of our sustainable finance expertise, to help scale finance and innovative solutions in support of the Paris Agreement. The UK has some of the deepest pools of internationally oriented capital and as a leading international cross-border bank, headquartered in the UK, Standard Chartered is uniquely positioned to mobilise this capital towards sustainable and inclusive growth across our footprint markets in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
WASHINGTON — Last week, the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) – advocating for thousands of oil and natural gas producers that develop 90 percent of wells nationwide – held its fall Board of Directors meeting as part of its 95th Annual Meeting and announced the following board appointments.
Current IPAA Regional Director for Pennsylvania, Michael Hillebrand was announced as the new IPAA Chairman effective January 1, 2025. Hillebrand is President and CEO of Huntley & Huntley, LLC; Founder, Principal, and BOM of Olympus Energy, and current Chairman of the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association (PIOGA).
Jonny Heins, Senior Director of Corporate Affairs, Permian Resources was named an At-Large Director.
KateFarr, Senior Director of Government Affairs, Occidental Petroleum was named Chair of the IPAA Land & Royalty Committee.
Andrew Vecera, Director of Advocacy Services, Ryan LLCwas named Chair of the IPAA Tax Committee.
Jeff Eshelman, IPAA President and CEO: “The organizations these industry leaders are a part of show the breadth of our industry and IPAA, from small to large independent producers with operations in basins across the country providing energy to Americans. The IPAA team is grateful to have these men and women contribute their expertise and talent to our association.”
The grouping which originally began with Brazil, Russia, India, China – was coined in 2001 by then Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O’Neill – expanded to include South Africa in 2010.
The bloc was founded as an informal club in 2009 to provide a platform for its members to challenge a world order dominated by the United States and its Western allies.
Its creation was initiated by Russia.
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The group is not a formal multilateral organisation like the United Nations, World Bank or the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
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The heads of state and government of the member nations convene annually with each nation taking up a one-year rotating chairmanship of the group.
It now represents around 3.5 billion people – 45 per cent of the world’s population.
Its combined economies are valued at over $28.5 trillion – nearly a third of the global economy.
But which countries have recently joined? Which want to join now and why? And what does the expansion mean for the West?
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the 16th Brics Summit in Kazan, let’s take a closer look at how Brics is expanding.
Which countries joined recently?
Brics in 2023 invited six countries – Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – to become new members of the bloc.
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The formal invitation was made during a summit in August in Johannesburg.
While all BRICS members had publicly expressed support for growing the bloc, there were divisions among the leaders over how much and how quickly.
Members at the time said the move would help reshuffle a world order they view as outdated.
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In January, five of these nations – Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – said they were joining the BRICS bloc.
Argentina declined the invitation to join.
As per Al Jazeera, this came after President Javier Milei took office.
Milei has vowed to increase ties with the West.
However, Saudi Arabia later said it is not yet joining the group and that the matter is being considered by its leadership.
Ultimately, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, and UAE joined the bloc.
Which want to join now and why?
Dozens of countries have voiced interest in joining the grouping.
Algeria, Bolivia, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Turkiye, Comoros, Gabon, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia have all expressed interest in joining the forum.
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Turkiye, a Nato member, formally requested to join BRICS in September.
As p_er Bloomberg,_ Turkiye is looking to become part of the bloc as it eyes increasing its global influence.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration is looking further than its time-tested allies in the West, people familiar with the development told the outlet.
Erdogan’s government believes the centre of geopolitics is moving away from the developed economies.
Turkiye is also eyeing improving its economic relationship with Russia and China.
Turkiye under President Tayyip Erdogan is looking to join Brics. Reuters
This is a departure for the NATO member nation which has historically been suspicious of Moscow and been a US ally.
Turkiye is also thought to be upset over the lack of forward movement in its decades-long attempt to join the European Union.
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According to Al Jazeera, Thailand said it was interested in joining the grouping during the BRICS Dialogue with Developing Countries held in Russia in June.
Malaysia too expressed interest in becoming a member ahead of a visit from Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
The bloc “can help Malaysia’s digital economy grow faster by allowing it to integrate with countries that have strong digital markets and also take advantage of best practices from other members,” Rahul Mishra, associate professor at the Center for Indo-Pacific Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, told DW.
“Thailand would also be able to draw investments in important industries including services, manufacturing, and agriculture,” Mishra added.
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Bolivia’s President Luis Arce has expressed interest in BRICS membership.
His government has said it is determined to curb dependence on the US dollar for foreign trade, instead turning to the Chinese yuan, in line with BRICS leaders’ stated aim to reduce dependence on the US currency.
Algeria last July it has applied for BRICS membership and to become a shareholder in the New Development Bank, the so-called BRICS Bank.
The North African nation is rich in oil and gas resources and is seeking to diversify its economy and strengthen partnership with China and other countries.
The countries hope the bloc can level the global playing field. Most nations view BRICS as an alternative to global bodies viewed as dominated by the traditional Western powers and hope membership will unlock benefits including development finance, and increased trade and investment.
Dissatisfaction with the global order among developing nations was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic when life-saving vaccines were hoarded by the rich countries.
“That so many countries are willing to go to Russia, deemed a pariah state not so long ago for having violated international law by invading Ukraine, confirms a trend followed by an increasing number of countries in the world: They don’t want to have to choose between partners,” Tara Varma, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institute, told Al Jazeera.
Adam Gallagher, writing for USIP.org, noting the size of the bloc, said there are clear economic benefits to joining the grouping.
“Intra-BRICS trade is one area that the group has found its footing,” Gallagher said. He noted how the June 2024 BRICS foreign minister’s meeting encouraged “enhanced use of local currencies in trade and financial transactions” by Brics members.
Gallagher said that countries like Malaysia, who want to join the grouping, are looking to form alliances across the globe and preserve their strategic autonomy.
“For these countries, it’s not about taking sides. Some countries also believe BRICS membership will give them a greater voice and representation in international politics. It’s not all about anti-Western ideology,” Gallagher wrote.
James Chin, a professor of Asian Studies at the University of Tasmania told DW “both Thailand and Malaysia are seen as middle powers.”
“It’s better for them to join groups like BRICS so that they will have a larger voice in the international arena. But the major benefit will be trade,” Chin added.
What does the expansion mean for the West?
Experts say that these growing number of nations who want to join Brics shows that they want their financial independence – and that the established world order may be vulnerable.
“In the aftermath of the war in Gaza, Russia and China have more effectively harnessed this anti-Western sentiment, capitalising on frustrations over Western double standards as well as the use of sanctions and economic coercion by the West,” Asli Aydintasbas, a Turkish foreign policy expert, was quoted as telling the Brookings Institute as per Al Jazeera.
“It doesn’t mean that middle powers want to trade US dominance for Chinese, but it means they are open to aligning with Russia and China for a more fragmented and autonomous world.”
As per Al Jazeera, Brics members and their associates clearly want to decrease their reliance on the US dollar and Europe’s Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) network.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim walks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Anwar’s ceremonial reception at India’s Presidential Palace Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, India, August 20, 2024. REUTERS
This comes after Russia was cut-off from the system in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“China now has an alternative to the SWIFT payment system, though limited in use, and countries like Turkiye and Brazil increasingly restructure their dollar reserves into gold,” Aydintasbas added. “Currency swaps for energy deals are also a popular idea – all suggesting a desire for greater financial independence from the West.”
As per CFR.org, Western nations until now have talked down the bloc as a threat.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has said Brics isn’t a geopolitical rival, while Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has downplayed the de-dollarisation strategy of Russia and China.
But some argue that the West needs to do some serious introspection.
“The accusation that the West is arrogant toward the needs of the Global South is serious. It cannot be answered by offering ‘value-based partnerships’ and a ‘rules-based’ multilateralism when the interest of the BRICS is focused on changing those rules in global finance, trade, and other standard-setting procedures,” Günther Maihold, senior fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, was quoted as saying by CFR.org.
“Ignoring BRICS as a major policy force—something the U.S. has been prone to do in the past—is no longer an option,” Tufts University scholars wrote in 2023.
It remains to be seen how the US-led West will react.
Headline: Governor Cooper Proclaims Employ a Veteran Week
Governor Cooper Proclaims Employ a Veteran Week mseets
North Carolina will celebrate “Employ A Veteran Week,” Nov. 11-15, and a variety of events before and during that week will help connect veterans to jobs and other services, Governor Roy Cooper announced today.
“Veterans strengthen our communities and enrich our businesses as citizens, skilled workers and leaders,” said Governor Cooper. “We owe veterans and their families a deep debt of gratitude for their service, and, as America’s most military and veteran-friendly state, North Carolina honors them by helping them get good jobs in growing industries.”
“It’s our privilege to serve our Veterans, the more than 20,000 military service members who transition from active duty in North Carolina each year, and their families, through our NCWorks Career Centers and other state programs,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “The talent found within our military community brings a strong work ethic, leadership experience, adaptability, integrity, and specialized training to our workforce—attributes every business needs to be successful—and part of what makes North Carolina such an attractive state for innovative companies.”
“Veterans bring invaluable skills and experiences to our communities and demonstrated resilience, leadership, and dedication during their service. The N.C. Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (NC DMVA) expresses our profound gratitude for their sacrifices,” said NC DMVA Secretary Grier Martin. “A successful transition to civilian life is important for a veteran and also harnesses their talents to benefit our economy.”
Local events focused on helping veterans find employment and access other services include:
Tuesday, Nov. 5 (9 a.m. – 4 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center – Union County will hold a Veterans Appreciation Event at 1125 Skyway Drive, Monroe, NC. Off-Base Transition Training (OBTT) workshops will be offered to veterans and their spouses at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon. A hiring event with at least two employers will take place from 1-4 p.m., with the first hour reserved for veterans. Lunch will be provided to the first 20 veterans to attend the workshops or the hiring event. To register, call 704-283-7541.
Tuesday, Nov. 5 (11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center -Iredell/Statesville will hold a Veterans Lunch and Learn session at 133 Island Ford Road, Statesville, NC. Attendees will learn about VA benefits, Iredell County Veteran Services and other resources.
Wednesday, Nov. 6 (8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center -Iredell/Statesville will offer Off-Base Transition Training (OBTT) workshops to veterans at 133 Island Ford Road, Statesville, NC. The general public is also welcome. Workshops include “Marketing Yourself & Other Job Search Tactics,” “Interview Skills,” “Networking & Professional Introductions,” and “Job Fair Strategies & On the Spot Interviews.”
Wednesday, Nov. 6 (9 a.m. – noon) – The NCWorks Career Center – Lincoln will present a Veterans Job & Resource Fair at Gaston College – Lincoln Campus, Room LC 139, 511 South Aspen Street, Lincolnton, NC.
Wednesday, Nov. 6 (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center – Onslow will present a Veterans Career Fair at the American Legion building, 146 Broadhurst Road, Jacksonville, NC. The event is open only to veterans and their dependents from 10 to 11 a.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 6 (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center – Cumberland County will hold a Veterans Hiring Event at 490 N. McPherson Church Road, Fayetteville, NC.
Wednesday, Nov. 6 (2 – 4 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center – Catawba and partners will present the annual Veterans, Students & Civilians Job Fair, with approximately 25 employers, at Appalachian State University’s new Hickory campus, 800 17th St. NW, Hickory, NC.
Thursday, Nov. 7 (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center -Iredell/Statesville will hold a Veterans Job and Resource Fair at 133 Island Ford Road, Statesville, NC. The general public is also welcome.
Thursday, Nov. 7 (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center – Hoke County will hold a Veterans Job Fair at 304 Birch Street, Raeford, NC, with at least four employers, plus Dress for Success. The general public is also welcome.
Thursday, Nov. 7 (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center – Cumberland County will hold a Veterans Hiring Event at 490 N. McPherson Church Road, Fayetteville, NC.
Thursday, Nov. 7 (10 a.m. – 3 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center – Pitt County will hold a Veterans Job Fair at 3101 Bismarck St., Greenville, NC. The first hour is reserved for veterans; members of the general public are welcome at 11 a.m.
Thursday, Nov. 7 (2-4 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center – Rowan will hold the “Veterans Day Expo” at 1904 S. Main St., Salisbury, NC. This event will include Off-Base Transition Training (OBTT) workshops with a focus on Networking & Professional Introductions at Job Fairs, Job Fair Strategies, and On-the-Spot Interviews, and Federal Hiring, as well as an Expo with community organizations presenting information on their services, and employers seeking to fill positions.
Thursday, Nov. 7 (10 a.m. – 1 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center – Craven will conduct the 4th Annual Veterans Day Job Fair at the National Guard Armory, 301 Glenburnie Drive, New Bern, NC. The job fair is also open to the general public.
Thursday, Nov. 7 (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.) – The 2024 Foothills Veterans Winter Stand Down will take place at the J.E. Broyhill Civic Center, 1909 Hickory Blvd., Lenoir, NC. The event provides access to medical services, food, clothing, employment services and more.
Thursday, Nov.7 (2:30 – 6 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center – Rockingham County will host a Veteran Job Fair. The event is also open to the public. At least five employers will participate, as will partnering organizations that offer resources to veterans.
Friday, Nov. 8 (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.) – Partners including the NCWorks Career Center – Craven will present the 9th Annual Craven County Veterans Stand-down at the National Guard Armory, 301 Glenburnie Drive, New Bern, NC.
Friday, Nov. 8 (10 a.m. – noon) – The NCWorks Career Center – Richmond County will hold an “Honoring Veterans” event to educate veterans and their dependents on services and benefits to which they are entitled, at 115 W. Franklin St., Rockingham, NC.
Tuesday, Nov. 12 (9 a.m. – noon) – The NCWorks Career Center – Haywood invites all Veterans to a “Thank A Vet” event, featuring breakfast as well as information on local veterans’ resources, at 1170 North Main Street, Waynesville, NC.
Wednesday, Nov. 13 (9 a.m. – 2 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center – Charlotte (Mecklenburg) will host a Veterans Hiring Event at 8601 McAlpine Park Drive, Suite 110, Charlotte, NC. Mock interviews and reviewing of resumes will be offered from 9 – 10 a.m. The hiring event will be open to veterans only from 10 – 11 a.m., and open to the public thereafter.
Wednesday, Nov. 13 (9 a.m. – 12 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center -Halifax/Northampton County will hold a Veterans Career Fair at 1560 Julian R. Allsbrook Hwy., Roanoke Rapids, NC.
Wednesday, Nov. 13 (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Centers – Pasquotank & Chowan Counties will hold a Veterans Day Job Fair & Resource Expo at the American Legion, 1317 W. Queen St., Edenton, NC. This event is open to Veterans and the general public.
Wednesday, Nov. 13 (10 a.m. – 3 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center – Cumberland and other partners will present a Women Veterans Career & Resource Fair at Soldier Support Building, 2843 Normandy Drive, Fort Liberty, NC.
Wednesday, Nov. 13 (10 a.m. – 3 p.m.) – NCWorks will present a Yancey County Veterans Stand Down event at Burnsville Town Center, 6 S. Main St., Burnsville, NC.
Wednesday, Nov. 13 (1 – 4 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center – Randolph County and partners will hold a Veteran-Centered Hiring Event at the National Guard Armory, 1430 South Fayetteville Street, Asheboro, NC. The first hour (1-2 p.m.) is reserved for Veterans only.
Wednesday, Nov. 13 (1 – 4 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center – Wilkes County will present a “Veterans and Job Seekers Job/Resource Fair” at 1320 West D Street, Suite #2, North Wilkesboro, NC.
Wednesday, Nov. 13 (3 – 7 p.m.) – NC4ME presents a “Beers & Careers” networking event for Veterans, Transitioning Service Members, Guard/Reserve Members and Military Spouses in the Camp Lejeune area, at Angry Ginger Irish Pub, 1202 Gum Branch Road, Jacksonville, NC. Register at Eventbrite.
Thursday, Nov. 14 (9 a.m. – noon) – NCWorks Veterans Services invites all Veterans to a “Thank A Vet” event, featuring breakfast as well as information on local veterans’ resources, at the Steve Youngdeer American Legion Post located at 1526 Acquoni Road, Cherokee, NC.
Thursday, Nov. 14 (9 a.m. – 2 p.m.) – NCWorks will present a Macon County Veterans Stand Down event at the Robert C. Carpenter Community Building, 1288 Georgia Road, Franklin, NC.
Thursday, Nov. 14 (11 a.m. – 2 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center – Greensboro (Guilford) will hold “Hire a Vet Day” at 2301 W. Meadowview Road, Greensboro, NC.
Friday, Nov. 15 (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.) – Partners including NCWorks will present the Rocky Mount Veteran Resource Fair, at Word Tabernacle Church, 821 Word Plaza, Rocky Mount, NC.
Monday, Nov. 18 (2 – 4 p.m.) – The NCWorks Career Center – Cabarrus will hold a “Veterans Day Expo” at 845 Church Street North, Suite 201, Concord, NC. This event will include resources for veterans and employers onsite.
The Department of Commerce, working in close partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor, has 50 NCWorks Veterans Services professionals (all of whom are veterans themselves). Their primary mission is to help veterans find good jobs and training opportunities. These professionals are located across the state at local NCWorks Career Centers, which serve veterans and other jobseekers, while also helping employers meet their talent needs. In many parts of the state, they also play a key role as partners in Veterans Treatment Courts. The department also partners with North Carolina For Military Employment (NC4ME) on special hiring events.
Contact information for each career center can be found at www.NCWorks.gov. In addition, veterans and employers can access services through the NCWorks Veterans Portal at veterans.ncworks.gov.
Since 2022, the Commerce department has added a new resource for veterans, in the form of a national partnership with the Hilton Honors Military Program. Through this partnership, when veterans, transitioning service-members and qualified military spouses need to travel related to their search for work (for example, to go to an in-person job interview or to required training), they may be eligible for free accommodations at a Hilton property. To participate, veterans should contact or visit their local NCWorks Career Center and ask to speak with a veterans representative.
Read the “Employ a Veteran Week” proclamation here.
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NCWorks Veterans Services are supported by the Jobs for Veterans State Grant from the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) of the U.S. Department of Labor as part of an award to North Carolina totaling $5,703,016, with 0% financed from non-governmental sources.
After years of steady progress, Canada’s climate plan is working to deliver greenhouse gas pollution reductions for Canadians
November 4, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario
After years of steady progress, Canada’s climate plan is working to deliver greenhouse gas pollution reductions for Canadians. Across the economy, Canadian workers and businesses are innovating to reduce greenhouse gas pollution while creating good jobs and cleaner air.
Canadians and their communities bear the brunt and pay the costs from increased extreme weather events due to climate change—costs that are reflected in the price of groceries, insurance, and local taxes. They understand that all sectors must do their fair share to decrease pollution and address climate change. The oil and gas sector is Canada’s largest source of greenhouse gas pollution, and emissions from part of the sector continue to grow. As an important part of the Canadian economy supporting 400,000 jobs, the oil and gas sector is well positioned to reinvest record profits into projects that drive cleaner production that will help create and sustain good jobs for generations.
Today, the Government of Canada introduced draft regulations to put a clear limit on greenhouse gas pollution from oil and gas production. The proposed regulations work by setting a cap on greenhouse gas pollution within the sector, equivalent to 35 percent below 2019 levels. They would create a cap-and-trade system designed to recognize better-performing companies and incentivize those that are higher polluting to invest in making their production processes cleaner.
The proposed regulations put a limit on pollution, not production, and have been informed by extensive engagement with industry, Indigenous groups, provinces and territories, and other stakeholders. The proposed regulations are carefully designed around what is technically achievable within the sector, while allowing continued production growth. Many oil and gas producers share our commitment to a strong, low-carbon economy, and some have already committed to significant methane emissions reductions and the implementation of carbon capture technology to reduce greenhouse gases.
Canada is the world’s fourth-largest producer of oil and the fifth-largest producer of gas. As demand for oil and gas peaks in the coming decade and begins to decline, the fuels extracted with the least amount of pollution will be in highest demand. The oil and gas greenhouse gas pollution cap will help the sector remain competitive as the global economy continues to decarbonize and allow Canada to quickly and effectively respond to shifting global demand.
The oil and gas greenhouse gas pollution cap is part of a suite of measures to cut pollution, including significant financial supports for carbon capture and storage and other clean technologies that also support workers, namely through the federal Canada Growth Fund and new investment tax credits.
The climate decisions we make today will help contribute directly to a cleaner, safer environment and good jobs for future generations. The oil and gas greenhouse gas pollution cap will stimulate the investment needed to innovate and build a thriving economy that works for everyone. Canada has a historic opportunity to act to combat the climate crisis and create a strong 21st century economy where we continue to be an energy supplier for the world.
The Government will continue to consult to inform the final regulations, which will be published in 2025.
The Government of Canada will continue to consult to inform the final regulations, which it plans to publish next year. Written comments in response to the proposed regulations can be submitted during the formal consultation period from November 9, 2024, to January 8, 2025.
According to Statistics Canada’s latest figures, operating profits in the oil and gas sector increased tenfold after the pandemic, from $6.6 billion in 2019 to $66.6 billion in 2022. Profits have remained strong with consecutive record years, and capital expenditures have been targeting new production rather than decarbonization. The draft regulation will encourage the sector to redirect these record profits into decarbonization.
The Canadian Climate Institute estimates that by 2025, Canada will experience annual losses in economic growth of $25 billion as a result of climate change, underlining the need to take urgent action for the sake of our economy, our environment, and our future.
According to the most recent National Inventory Report, Canada’s oil and gas sector accounted for 31 percent of national emissions in 2022, making it the largest contributor to Canada’s emissions.
Capping the greenhouse gas pollution from the oil and gas sector is one of the key measures outlined in Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, a sector-by-sector roadmap to reduce Canada’s overall emissions to 40–45 percent below our 2005 pollution levels in the most cost-effective way possible while building a stronger economy for the 21st century.
The Government of Canada has supported carbon capture projects such as Strathcona Resources, an oil sands company that has a $2 billion project with agreements to store up to two million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. The federal government also recently supported Entropy, an Alberta-based company, to scale up its carbon capture and sequestration technology at a natural gas facility, which will reduce emissions by 2.8 million tonnes over 15 years and support more than 1,200 good jobs for Albertans.
Early estimates from the Canadian Climate Institute show that Canada’s emissions have started to decline in 2023, the first year since the pandemic when the economy was back in full operation.
Environment and Climate Change Canada analysis shows that, with the oil and gas greenhouse gas pollution cap, oil and gas production is projected to grow by 16 percent by 2030–2032 from 2019 levels, provided the sector implements technically achievable decarbonization measures.
The oil and gas greenhouse gas pollution cap would regulate upstream oil and gas facilities, including offshore facilities, and would also apply to liquefied natural gas production facilities. These subsectors represent the majority of emissions from the oil and gas sector, with the upstream subsector representing about 85 percent of sector emissions in 2022. The emissions cap will cover activities such as oil sands extraction and upgrading, conventional oil production, natural gas production and processing, and production of liquified natural gas.
The latest analysis from the International Energy Agency shows that global demand for fossil fuels, including oil, will peak by 2030 without any more policy action to reduce emissions. With further policy action, oil demand would peak even sooner.
Hermine Landry Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change 873-455-3714 Hermine.Landry@ec.gc.ca
Media Relations Environment and Climate Change Canada 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free) media@ec.gc.ca
Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Ted Cruz (R-TX), U.S. Representative Dan Crenshaw (R-TX-02), and colleagues filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to rehear or rehear en banc City of Port Isabel v. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The amicus brief aims to ensure that federal courts correctly interpret and apply the Natural Gas Act, which encourages the development of natural gas resources and infrastructure. The brief highlights the interest to protect American jobs, strengthen national security, and restore energy independence.
“In the Natural Gas Act (NGA), Congress said that building LNG facilities is strongly in the public interest of the United States. NGA Section 3 sets up a ‘general presumption favoring authorization’ of LNG facilities. To that end, Congress dictated that FERC ‘shall’ approve an application to export natural gas ‘unless, after opportunity for hearing, it finds that the proposed exportation . . . will not be consistent with the public interest.’ […] The Commission’s job is to approve LNG facilities unless they are clearly ‘not . . . consistent’ with the public interest. It is not the Court’s job to make the public-interest determination for FERC by deciding that environmental whimsy is more important than building LNG facilities,” wrote the members.
“In this case, the federal regulators at FERC did what Congress asked them to do: they considered and explained the environmental effects of their decision to fulfill the public interest. Then they approved the construction of these much-needed LNG facilities in South Texas. The panel should have let FERC’s decision stand. Instead, the panel used NEPA to elevate other interests over the public interest dictated by Congress. Most critically, the panel barely mentioned the NGA’s presumption in favor of exporting LNG, much less tried to reconcile that statutory mandate with its use of NEPA to vacate FERC’s approval,” continued the members.
“Building LNG facilities is in the public interest, sometimes irrebuttably so. Congress established this strong regime for LNG production to promote domestic economic growth. Its effects are particularly felt in Texas, Louisiana, and other energy producing States, given the abundant energy resources in such States and their access to global markets. This regime is intended to reduce America’s reliance on imported energy from foreign adversaries and protect the Nation’s security, particularly at a time when our allies and partners are seeking trusted and reliable sources of LNG. Respectfully, federal courts cannot overcome such critical, congressionally established public interests by insisting on more paperwork,” concluded the members.
Cassidy, Cruz, and Crenshaw are joined by U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), John Barrasso (R-WY), John Kennedy (R-LA), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and U.S. Representatives Steve Scalise (R-LA-01), Brian Babin (R-TX-36), Michael C. Burgess (R-TX-26), Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX-34), Wesley Hunt (R-TX-38), August Pfluger (R-TX-11), and Randy Weber (R-TX-14) on the amicus brief.
Read the full amicus brief here.
Both major parties in Australia see a significant role for gas as the world shifts to clean energy in a bid to avert dangerous climate change.
The Albanese government says new sources of gas are needed to meet demand during the energy transition. And the Coalition, if elected, would expand gas use as it prepares for nuclear power.
Of course, some people argue that the grave threat of climate change means we should not burn any gas. Others say the strong growth in renewable energy generation and storage means Australia won’t need gas into the future.
So who is right? As I explain below, renewable energy is a huge part of the solution but doesn’t solve every problem. So keeping some gas-fired generators in the electricity mix, and using them only when necessary, is a sensible compromise.
Getting to grips with gas
There are almost 40 large natural gas-fired generators in Australia, and they are an important part of the National Electricity Market.
According to Open Electricity — a platform for tracking Australia’s electricity transition – the gas facilities generate around 4% of the electricity we consume and comprise about 17% of overall generation capacity.
The data also shows gas plants in Australia run at just 9% of their overall capacity, meaning they are idle much of the time. Some gas plants get used quite a lot, others only rarely. But when the plants are called on – during times of peak electricity use – their services are vital.
Overnight, our demand for electricity dips. But when we wake in the morning and start toasting bread and boiling kettles and the like, electricity demand picks up.
Demand eases off in the middle of the day as the sun rises high in the sky and Australia’s booming rooftop solar reaches its peak electricity output. But when the sun sets and rooftop solar is no longer producing, electricity use peaks. This early-evening demand creates a big challenge to the system.
That’s why we need technologies that can produce electricity at any time of day or night – and do it quickly. That’s where gas-fired generation – and other “dispatchable” forms of electricity – come in.
How do gas fired generators work?
Gas generators come in two main types.
An “open cycle generator”, also known as a Brayton cycle turbine, is essentially a jet engine. It combusts gas in a chamber to create enormous pressure that spins large fans. This drives a shaft that spins in the generator to produce electricity.
This technology is relatively cheap to build and can start up very quickly – but it’s also quite inefficient to operate. It uses a lot of expensive fuel, and creates a lot of waste heat.
The second type is known as a “combined cycle generator”. It also uses a Brayton cycle gas turbine. But it captures exhaust heat from the turbine and uses it to create steam, which in turn powers a second turbine (known as a Rankine cycle). This significantly increases the amount of electricity produced for the same amount of gas burned.
So while this technology is relatively efficient, it’s also more expensive to build and takes longer to ramp up and down.
Other types of gas generators exist, but they’re a relatively small part of Australia’s fleet.
A video explaining how gas turbines work.
Gas is not the only option
Gas plants are not the only facilities capable of firming up Australia’s electricity grid as the share of renewables increases.
Hydro power can also quickly ramp up to meet the evening peak. However the potential for building new conventional hydro in Australia is very limited due to the lack of large river systems and the significant environmental impact on rivers and surrounding areas.
Coal-fired generators have potential to ramp up production, but are generally not designed to do this every evening. Plus, Australia’s fleet of old coal plants is on a fast path to retirement.
To maintain the delicate balance of supply and demand, more will be required of gas and hydro, to produce electricity, and batteries and pumped hydro, to store it.
Pumped hydro works by using excess renewable energy to pump water up a hill. When electricity demand is high, the water is released and passes through a turbine, producing power.
The potential for pumped hydro energy storage in Australia is large, and some projects are likely to be economically viable. But the projects can face challenges, as demonstrated by delays and cost blowouts facing Snowy 2.0 in New South Wales.
Large-scale lithium-ion batteries are relatively easy to install. Many projects have been built or are in the pipeline. But batteries are not great for long-duration energy storage.
All this means gas-fired power generation is likely to have a future in Australia in coming decades.
The downsides of gas
Methane is the main component of natural gas. It’s also a potent contributor to global warming.
During natural gas production and transport, gas leaks inevitably occur. This is a problem for climate change.
So too is the carbon dioxide produced when the gas is burned to produce electricity.
To tackle climate change, we must dramatically reduce the amount of gas we use in our electricity system. Gas use should also be eliminated for heating and cooking in our homes and, where possible, in industry.
So where does that leave us?
Unfortunately, no perfect solution exists to Australia’s electricity supply-demand conundrum.
The most likely, most economic and most environmentally acceptable approach is to use a “portfolio” of technologies: lots of batteries and pumped hydro but also some gas.
Because to keep the system stable and reliable, we need some capacity that will mostly sit idle, getting used on only a few occasions. For that reason, the technologies should be relatively cheap to build and able to run for extended periods when wind and solar generation are abnormally low.
Gas-fired power – especially open cycle generators – meets that requirement. Pumped hydro and batteries do not.
The gas plants we keep in the grid will not often be used, and so will produce relatively low amounts of carbon dioxide.
Nuanced questions remain. What will it cost to keep a gas network operating to serve a fleet of gas generators that run only for a few days a year? Gas pipelines have to be kept pressurised, and the cost of running a gas extraction network for small demand may also be uneconomical.
Non-fossil options such as biogas, hydrogen or synthetically produced methane are possible longer term options. But they are also expensive. And new technologies – such as flow batteries, thermal energy storage and cryogenic energy storage – are on the horizon.
So, keeping some gas-fired generators on standby, and using them sparingly as needed, is a reasonable approach. It allows us to reduce emissions as much as possible, and keep our electricity system secure and affordable.
Roger Dargaville receives funding from the Woodside-Monash Energy Partnership, RACE for 2030 CRC, and he consults for industry and government bodies.
Headline: How energy companies are using AI to capture and store carbon, even underground
During a time of both rapid transformation and intense scrutiny, today’s energy industry leaders are increasingly turning to advanced solutions in AI and data management to drive sustainability and efficiency as the global community works to combat climate change. This is a time-sensitive effort, as increased energy demand and the continued role of fossil fuels mean emissions could keep rising through 2035.1 As energy leaders look to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the carbon capture and storage (CCS) industry has become a key component in the approach. Industrial carbon management (ICM) encompasses a range of technologies designed to capture, transport, and store carbon dioxide (CO2) underground to prevent it from entering the atmosphere. Microsoft is actively collaborating with energy companies on industrial carbon management solutions. One example of this collaboration is Northern Lights, a partnership between the Norwegian government and energy companies Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies, which is now fully operational. This groundbreaking initiative was established to accelerate decarbonization and address emissions as we all work towards a more sustainable future.
Microsoft for energy and resources
Achieve more in the energy and resources industry with trusted data and AI solutions
Transforming the global energy industry is not a small feat, nor one that happens without the collective work of dedicated partnerships and innovative technology. The standardized data model and secure data sharing in Microsoft Azure Data Manager for Energy along with operations data management powered by Azure AI and Microsoft Copilot can accelerate innovation across the end-to-end CCS value chain. Copilot and Azure Data Manager for Energy put data and AI to work, integrating industry datasets, applications, and other cloud services—managing intensive workloads at global scale, and quickly ingesting data for analytics and decision-making. These are high-impact capabilities that ultimately help energy companies accelerate their transition to more sustainable practices by reducing time, costs, and risks associated with their complex operational requirements.
Enhancing energy operations with modern data management
Data modernization is a critical component in advancing sustainability and CCS efforts within the energy sector. By leveraging Azure Data Manager for Energy, energy companies can efficiently manage and analyze vast amounts of data—enabling more accurate and comprehensive simulations of subsurface reservoirs. This capability is essential for identifying optimal CO2 storage locations and ensuring the safe and efficient injection and storage of carbon dioxide.
The platform’s robust, scalable, and secure data management solutions allow for real-time data integration and continuous model refinement, which are crucial for making informed decisions and mitigating risks. Additionally, Azure Data Manager for Energy’s high-performance computing capabilities enable rapid simulations, which significantly reduce the time required for planning studies and optimizing reservoir performance. These high-impact capabilities ultimately help energy companies accelerate their transition to more sustainable practices by reducing time, costs, and risks associated with their complex operational requirements.
Harnessing the power of AI with Copilot
Along with data modernization and robust data analytics, Azure Data Manager for Energy users will have the option to take advantage of Copilot to interact with well data. Azure Data Manager for Energy helps ingest and organize domain-specific data from across the enterprise data landscape to enhance data access, analysis, and application interoperability. Developed in alignment with OSDU® standards, Azure Data Manager for Energy helps get the right data organized within the right domain workflow while providing trustworthy data delivery that sets the stage for improved and timely analysis.
However, the enterprise data landscape for any analysis may extend beyond domain-specific data types and require reports with different file types, as well as images, data and records stored in other databases, spreadsheets, and shared folders. Further, the entire value chain extends into data from operations, supply chain, health, safety and environment (HSE), enterprise resource planning (ERP), legal and compliance, and even social media—some of which may be hosted on external platforms.
In these scenarios, generative AI capabilities can help users optimize data for enhanced insights—faster. One example of how to approach this is with Microsoft Fabric, an end-to-end analytics and data platform. Fabric can help integrate the data in Azure Data Manager for Energy with other adjacent data sources, ultimately preparing it for analysis and other interactions through AI and Copilot. This means users can potentially run traditional AI-powered workflows such as automated interpretation of data or event prediction through machine learning-driven algorithms. They can also leverage Copilot to chat with the data or implement intelligent search, domain-based intelligent assistants, or cross-domain intelligent advisors.
In doing so, end users—people in roles across geoscience or petrophysics—have an easier and faster way to interact with and query their data, both within and outside Azure Data Manager for Energy. Plus, data engineers and data scientists have a foundation from which to build similar solutions for their end users. The Copilot capabilities also mean simplified research processes and the generation of valuable data insights, enabling enterprise and business unit leaders, as well as data scientists and geophysicists, to make more informed decisions and take advantage of greater efficiencies in reservoir management.
Optimize carbon capture and storage and enhance reservoir management
Building on the capabilities of Copilot and Azure Data Manager for Energy, we can further optimize CCS to work towards a more sustainable future. Reservoir modeling is a critical aspect of modern energy management, playing a vital role in the underground storage of CO2. This multidisciplinary field involves the integration of geological, geophysical, thermal, and engineering data to create detailed models of subsurface reservoirs. Reservoir engineers create models that simulate the behavior of fluids within the reservoir to predict future performance and optimize injection and production strategies. With global energy demand projected to increase 47% by 2050,2 the need for sustainable energy solutions and CCS is paramount.
Microsoft is working with partners to provide the efficiency, predictive power, and speed of reservoir simulations and optimizations. Built on top of Azure Data Manager for Energy, customers can now leverage Azure’s robust enterprise capabilities in security, scalability, and reliability, while accessing its domain-specific solutions and maintaining full control over their data.
Traditionally, identifying optimal CO2 storage locations requires lengthy studies, sometimes spanning months or even years. The work Microsoft is doing with partners transforms this process by enabling scalable and efficient simulations. This will enable engineers to run numerous models in parallel, leveraging high-performance computing to quickly analyze vast datasets and identify the best storage locations. The ability to perform rapid simulations at scale significantly reduces the time required for planning studies.
Explore more energy solutions and resources
At Microsoft, our dedication and commitment to accelerating the energy transition to carbon-free resources is matched only by the power of our partner ecosystem and the knowledge-sharing that makes it all possible. With Azure Data Manager for Energy, industry leaders can connect to an open ecosystem of interoperable applications from independent software vendors (ISVs) and the Microsoft ecosystem of productivity tools. By harnessing capabilities and features from across Microsoft and partner solutions, energy leaders can optimize value across their entire enterprise while working towards sustainability goals.
Ready to dive deeper? Check out additional resources to learn more.
Accelerate the energy transition today
1McKinsey & Company, Global Energy Perspective 2024, September 2024.
2S&P Global, Global energy demand to grow 47% by 2050, with oil still top source: US EIA, October 2021.
Uwa Airhiavbere
Chief Commercial Officer, Worldwide Energy and Resources Industry
Uwa Airhiavbere is the Chief Commercial Officer of Microsoft’s Worldwide Energy & Resources Industry group, overseeing commercial strategy and growth initiatives. He previously had a successful career at General Electric in the Oil & Gas Division. Uwa holds an Executive MBA from Cornell University, an MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University, and a BA in Business Economics from Brown University.
See more articles from this author
Sverre Brandsberg Dahl
General Manager, Energy, Microsoft Cloud for Industry
Sverre is the General Manager for Microsoft Cloud for Industry, Energy team. Here he works with a range of engineering teams to bring the latest technological developments in Cloud Computing and AI to the energy industry. With a passion for technology and innovation, he is helping to position Microsoft with customers, partners, and governments as they accelerate their adoption of cloud technology, while giving equal focus to the transition to clean power and emissions management.
See more articles from this author
Neeraj Joshi
Chief Technology Officer, Energy and Resources, Microsoft
Neeraj Joshi serves as the Chief Technology Officer for WW Energy & Resources in IPS, where he leads in-depth technical collaborations to drive digital transformation within the Energy sector. With over two decades of experience at Microsoft, he is deeply passionate about data and is committed to assisting strategic customers in modernizing their solutions. Mr. Joshi holds an MBA from the University of Washington and an MS in Computer Engineering from UT Austin.
Four wind farms nestled in the mountains of northern Greece have become prominent landmarks in the area. These wind farms are part of the Thrace Wind Power Project, led by China Energy Guohua Investment Europe Renewable Energy S.A..
Since commencing operations in 2019, the project has generated approximately 160 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, supplying power to more than 30,000 households in Greece.
Speaking ahead of the International Day of Clean Energy, the company’s deputy general manager, Wu Bate, told Xinhua that the Thrace Wind Power Project was launched following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between China and Greece under the Belt and Road Initiative in 2018.
As China’s first wind power investment in Greece, the project comprises four wind farms equipped with 34 turbines, with a total installed capacity of 78.2 megawatts.
“The project reduces carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 150,000 tons annually and saves 53,000 tons of standard coal, equivalent to planting 360,000 trees,” Wu said. “It has played a pivotal role in supporting Greece’s energy transition.”
In recent years, Greece has accelerated its shift toward renewable energy. According to the Greek government’s revised National Energy and Climate Plan, renewable energy is projected to account for 75 percent of electricity generation by 2030, increasing further to 95 percent by 2035. Data from the Hellenic Wind Energy Association shows that wind power contributed 23.5 percent of Greece’s total electricity generation in 2023.
“The cooperation between Greece and China on renewable energy has been remarkable,” said Konstantinos Loukidis, the company’s development manager.
“Developing renewable energy projects not only optimizes Greece’s energy mix and enhances energy independence, but also attracts investment, fosters innovation, creates jobs, and drives economic growth,” he added.
Currently, Chinese companies are actively participating in investment and construction in Greece’s renewable energy sector.
Wu Bate highlighted the significant potential for further cooperation between China and Greece in the renewable energy sector.
“In the future, both sides will build upon this platform to deepen collaboration in areas such as wind power and photovoltaics, achieving mutual benefits and win-win outcomes while injecting powerful momentum into the global green transition,” the deputy general manager said.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Danny K Davis (7th District of Illinois)
Washington, DC: November 1, 2024 – Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) welcome the opportunity provided by the joint Request for Information(RFI) on the use and conservation of federal benefits for foster youth, as well as other ways federal agencies may play an appropriate role supporting broader Federal, State, and local efforts to improve the outcomes of foster youth who receive federal benefits, published today by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Children’s Bureau, an office of the Administration for Children & Families (ACF) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
In December 2022, Representatives Davis, Bacon, and Raskin urged the Biden Administration to use its executive branch authority to limit the state practice of using the assets and benefits of foster youth to reimburse state costs of care until more comprehensive legislation is enacted. Although Congress will need to act to permanently stop this practice all together, SSA and HHS have statutory and regulatory authority to stop or at least limit this practice now.
In August 2023, the Biden Administration encouraged reform efforts and reminded states and tribal child welfare agencies of their responsibility to foster youth when serving as a Social Security Representative Payee for foster youth via a joint letterissued by SSA and ACF. Further, SSA has taken multiple additional stepsto educate its staff and child welfare agencies about the responsibilities of an agency Representative Payee, and ACF has hosted webinars focused on state and local efforts to conserve the federal benefits of foster youth.
Importantly, states can stop this practice without any action by the federal government, and many are working to do so. Four states and jurisdictions (Arizona, Oregon, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia) have enacted comprehensive reform, and an additional six states or jurisdictions (California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New Mexico, and New York City) have adopted substantial reforms to protect some of the assets and benefits of orphaned and disabled foster youth. Nine more (Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Washington) have adopted more limited reform ranging from legislation, executive order, resolution, agency policy, state trust, or litigation. Unfortunately, the majority of states still choose to bolster their own financial security rather than help the orphaned and disabled youth, often without the youth, their attorneys, or other caring adults knowing.
Today, SSA and the Children’s Bureau took a critical step to better protect foster youth. The Request for Information from youth, families, and stakeholders on how the use and conservation of federal benefits could improve outcomes for foster youth will serve as the foundation for agency reform – giving the agencies important perspectives on what actions are possible and how to implement those actions to best improve child well-being.
“I thank Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley and Administration on Children, Youth and Families Commissioner Rebecca Jones Gaston for taking the important step of collecting information from youth, families, and stakeholders about how Federal, State, and local governments can use and conserve the federal benefits of foster youth to improve their well-being,” said Rep. Davis. “I proudly lead legislation to protect the benefits and assets of foster youth by stopping states from taking the youths’ funds. This new request for information serves as a foundation for future agency action. I am proud to have partnered with Representatives Don Bacon (R-NE) and Jamie Raskin (D-MD) to urge executive branch action to help states stop this practice until more comprehensive legislation is enacted. My home state of Illinois is a national leader in this area, and I greatly appreciate the Biden-Harris Administration’s multiple steps to encourage states to protect foster youth.”
“Foster youth should be able to keep their social security benefits and not be stolen from them by their state,” said Rep. Bacon. “In 2020, Nebraska received over $2.6 million in social security benefits from youth in care. That is their money and being a foster youth is hard enough without the expectation that they pay for the care they received when they were placed into the care of the state due to no fault of their own. The Executive Branch must take action to address this problem.”
“States have a duty to care for vulnerable foster children, yet many smash their piggy banks and seize their Social Security benefits to reimburse the costs of their care,” said Rep. Raskin. “I am grateful to Commissioner O’Malley, the Social Security Administration and Children’s Bureau for heeding our calls and taking a closer look to ensure federal benefits are best serving all children and young people in foster care. I have been working to solve this problem since my time in the Maryland State Senate, and today I’m proud to stand with Rep. Danny Davis and Rep. Don Bacon to applaud this further step by the Biden-Harris administration to protect foster kids across America.”
“Foster youth deserve a fair chance to benefit from their benefits. Now that a majority of states have initiated or taken action to protect foster youth assets, this RFI paves the way for meaningful rules that will help beneficiaries in care thrive. We are grateful for the leadership of SSA and Commissioner O’Malley and look forward to collaborating with SSA and ACF on behalf of impacted youth.” Amy C. Harfeld, JD,National Policy Director, Children’s Advocacy Institute
“Child welfare agencies have long been taking Social Security benefits from foster children who are disabled or have deceased parents, leaving the children penniless. I applaud the leadership of the Social Security Administration—and the efforts of Representatives Davis, Bacon, and Raskin—in this important step towards better protecting foster youth’s resources for their struggle against the odds as they leave foster care.” Daniel Hatcher,Professor of Law at the University of Baltimore and author of The Poverty Industry
“Listen to courageous foster youth like Marissa Pike, Katrina White, Ian Marks, Justin Kasieta, and Anthony Jackson. The Center for the Rights of Abused Children remains focused on stopping states from taking foster youth’s federal benefits and delivering comprehensive reform in a child-centric way. We appreciate federal policymakers engaging on this issue, and we encourage governorsand state legislatorsto take action today.” J. Kendall Seal,Vice President of Policy, Center for the Rights of Abused Children.
A copy of the letter by Reps. Davis, Bacon, and Raskin is available here.
CALGARY, Alberta, Nov. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — South Bow Corp. (TSX & NYSE: SOBO) has received an unsolicited “mini-tender” offer from TRC Capital Investment Corp. (TRC Capital) to purchase up to 3 million South Bow common shares, or approximately 1.4% of South Bow’s outstanding common shares, at a below-market price of C$31.95. South Bow does not endorse TRC Capital’s unsolicited offer, has no affiliation with TRC Capital or its offer, and does not recommend or endorse this unsolicited mini-tender offer.
South Bow cautions shareholders that the mini-tender offer has been made at a below-market price for the South Bow common shares. TRC Capital’s unsolicited offer price of C$31.95 per share represents a discount of 4.6% to the closing price of the South Bow common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange on Oct. 28, 2024, the last trading day before the mini-tender offer was commenced, and a discount of 7.4% to the closing price on Nov. 1, 2024.
Shareholders are urged to obtain current market quotations for their shares, consult with their broker or financial advisor, and exercise caution with respect to TRC Capital’s unsolicited offer. Shareholders who have already tendered their shares should consider taking actions to withdraw them, including reviewing the withdrawal procedures in TRC Capital’s offering documents.
TRC Capital has made similar unsolicited mini-tender offers for shares of other public companies. Mini-tender offers are designed to avoid many investor protections like disclosure and procedural requirements applicable to most take-over bids and tender offers under Canadian and U.S. securities laws. The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have expressed concerns about mini-tender offers, including the possibility that investors might tender to such offers without understanding the offer price relative to the actual market price of their securities.
The SEC states that “bidders make mini-tender offers at below-market prices, hoping that they will catch investors off guard if the investors do not compare the offer price to the current market price.” The SEC has published investor tips about mini-tender offers, which can be found at www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/minitend.htm.
Brokers, dealers, and other market participants are encouraged to exercise caution and review the letter regarding broker-dealer mini-tender offers dissemination and disclosures at www.sec.gov/divisions/marketreg/minitenders/sia072401.htm.
South Bow requests that this news release be included in any distribution of materials relating to TRC Capital’s mini-tender offer for South Bow common shares.
About South Bow
South Bow safely operates 4,900 kilometres (3,045 miles) of crude oil pipeline infrastructure, connecting Alberta crude oil supplies to U.S. refining markets in Illinois, Oklahoma, and the U.S. Gulf Coast through our unrivalled market position. We take pride in what we do – providing safe and reliable transportation of crude oil to North America’s highest demand markets. Based in Calgary, Alberta, South Bow is the spinoff company of TC Energy, with Oct. 1, 2024 marking South Bow’s first day as a standalone entity. To learn more, visit www.southbow.com.
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
11.01.24
$7.7M Awarded to WA Tribes to Boost Drinking Water Safety and Supply
$3.4M to Lummi, $2.3M to Kalispel, $1.8M to Makah, $111K to Colville, & $74K to Hoh for water infrastructure projects
EDMONDS, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, announced that five tribes in Washington state will receive grants totaling $7,768,391 for projects to address inadequate water infrastructure and improve the safety and supply of drinking water for their members.
The money comes from the Bureau of Reclamation’s Tribal Domestic Water Program, one of many important investments championed by Sen. Cantwell in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
The Lummi Tribe received $3,410,000 for a project to increase water supply, upgrade arsenic treatment, and manage saltwater intrusion risk.
“This money will fund important planning projects for water treatment, alternative water sources, and assessing saltwater intrusion risk,” said Sen. Cantwell. “The projects will help secure supplies of safe, available drinking water for members of the Lummi Tribe.”
The Tribe will complete a study for an alternative water source, prepare plans and designs for a water treatment plant, and complete necessary environmental compliance and permitting. The Tribe will also complete a Saltwater Intrusion Risk Study and Saltwater Intrusion Risk Management Plan, which aim to mitigate the contamination of freshwater aquifers by the ocean.
The Kalispel Tribe of Indians received $2,357,536 for water infrastructure planning and design.
“This funding will jumpstart a Kalispel Tribe project to develop new water sources that the Tribe will own and operate, ensuring reliable access to safe drinking water,” said Sen. Cantwell.
The Tribe will plan, design, and acquire permits for a domestic drinking water project on the Kalispel Reservation. The project will provide planning and design to develop new water sources owned and operated by the Tribe, and to integrate the new sources with the existing system, providing access to safe, regulated, and clean drinking water to underserved homes and public facilities.
The Makah Tribe received $1,813,991 for their Community Water System Critical Infrastructure, Community Health & Safety project.
“The Makah Tribe will use these funds to address water quality and availability issues by finding and developing new sources of water,” said Sen. Cantwell.
The Tribe will evaluate and identify alternative water supply sources to address water quantity and quality issues impacting water availability for the Makah Community Water System and the health of the community.
The Confederated Tribes of the Colville received $111,995 for their Keller Water System Main Loop Replacement Design project.
“The Colville Tribe will use this funding to replace water infrastructure that was destroyed in a flood, reestablishing a second supply of water for residents of the rural town of Keller,” said Sen. Cantwell.
The Tribe will replace a crucial component of the water system for the isolated Tribal town of Keller, WA. Recent severe floods broke a looping line for the town’s water system. Now the town is reliant on a single water supply line, at risk of interruptions to its water supply from impacts to the main trunk line and water quality degradation from line dead ends. This project proposes to design a replacement looping line suspended from the Silver Creek Road bridge, which will be more resilient in the face of future flood events.
The Hoh Indian Tribe received $74,869 for their Hoh Tribe Highlands Water System Expansion Plan Development project.
“This funding will help the Hoh Tribe build infrastructure to ensure that they can provide enough safe drinking water to meet current and future needs,” said Sen. Cantwell.
The Tribe will develop a Water System Plan to guide the development of an expanded water delivery system and long-term system management in the Highland area. The plan will confirm current water use amounts, estimate future water demand, develop a water system piping network, water quality monitoring and reporting protocols and procedures, and formulate a long-term operations and financial plan.
Tribal Domestic Water Program funding is available to communities in the 17 western U.S. states served by the Bureau of Reclamation, which will implement the program in two phases. The phase one funding is for planning, design, or construction in fiscal year 2024; and phase two funding will be for construction in fiscal years 2027 and 2028.
The IRA invests an overall $550 million to ensure communities or households have reliable access to clean domestic water supplies in historically disadvantaged communities.
Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
JACKSON COUNTY, W.Va. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) traveled to Jackson County, W.Va. where she toured BHE Renewables’, a Berkshire Hathaway Energy business, first-of-its-kind solar energy microgrid-powered industrial site. The new plant, which will operate under the PCC subsidiary Titanium Metals Corporation, Inc. (TIMET), will employ approximately 200 people to manufacture titanium products for the aerospace and other industries, and is considered one of the largest development announcements in the state’s history. Senator Capito has been supportive of the project and last visited the site for the groundbreaking ceremony in March 2023.
“BHE Renewables has the potential to transform and spark development in Jackson County. My staff and I have been involved in this process from the very beginning because we recognize the importance of smart economic growth to our state. I enjoyed the opportunity to see the progress firsthand today and learn more from the leaders about what’s ahead,” Senator Capito said.
In addition to today’s visit, Senator Capito spent the rest of the week meeting with community leaders and professionals from a wide range of industries, as well as touring businesses and projects that are contributing to economic development across West Virginia.
On Monday, Senator Capito delivered the keynote address at the Keystone Space Collaborative’s 2024 Conference in Pittsburgh, Pa. This event examines the impact of a thriving space industry on the regional Appalachian economy and job market. Learn more about the eventhere.
On Tuesday, Senator Capito, who serves as Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS), delivered remarks at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new West Virginia University (WVU) Medicine Thomas Orthopedic Hospital. The orthopedic hospital offers inpatient and outpatient surgical units, physical therapy, occupational therapy, as well as six orthopedic, spine, and nerve physician offices. Senator Capito also visited the West Virginia Hospital Association’s (WVHA) LEAD (Learn, Excel, Achieve, Deploy) pilot program training for new health care managers. Learn morehere.
On Wednesday, Senator Capito participated in the West Virginia Energy Summit in Charleston, W.Va. where she met with leaders in the energy space, delivered remarks, and received the inaugural West Virginia Women in Energy “Woman of the Year” award. Next, Senator Capito spoke to members of the West Virginia Broadcasters Association about some of the issues that are important to the industry. Learn more about the visitshere.
In case you missed it, Senator Capito also joined Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business Network’s, “Mornings with Maria” on Tuesday to discuss border security, inflation, and more. You can watch Senator Capito’s interviewhere.
Photos from this week’s events are below:
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) at the BHE Renewablessolar energymicrogrid-powered industrial sitein Ravenswood, W.Va. on Friday, November 1, 2024.
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) attends the 2024 Keystone Space Conference in Pittsburgh, Pa. on Monday, October 28, 2024.
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) at the WVU Medicine Thomas Orthopedic Hospital ribbon cutting ceremonyin Charleston, W.Va. on Tuesday, October 29, 2024.
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) at the WVHA LEAD pilot program trainingin Charleston, W.Va. on Tuesday, October 29, 2024.
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) accepts the first annual West Virginia Women in Energy “Woman of the Year” award and provides acceptance remarks at the 2024 Governor’s Energy Summit in Charleston, W.Va. on Wednesday, October 30, 2024.
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) participates in the Women in Energy Breakfast at the 2024 Governor’s Energy Summit in Charleston, W.Va. on Wednesday, October 30, 2024.
HOUSTON, Nov. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (the “Company”) (NYSE: KYN) today provided a summary unaudited statement of assets and liabilities and announced its net asset value and asset coverage ratios under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) as of October 31, 2024.
As of October 31, 2024, the Company’s net assets were $2.2 billion, and its net asset value per share was $12.97. As of October 31, 2024, the Company’s asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 675% and the Company’s asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to total leverage (debt and preferred stock) was 483%.
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES OCTOBER 31, 2024 // (UNAUDITED)
(in millions)
Investments
$
3,002.2
Cash and cash equivalents
35.7
Accrued income
11.2
Current tax asset, net
6.6
Other assets
0.5
Total assets
3,056.2
Notes
409.7
Unamortized notes issuance costs
(2.8
)
Preferred stock
163.1
Unamortized preferred stock issuance costs
(1.3
)
Total leverage
568.7
Payable for securities purchased
5.1
Other liabilities
13.3
Deferred tax liability, net
275.1
Total liabilities
293.5
Net assets
$
2,194.0
The Company had 169,126,038 common shares outstanding as of October 31, 2024.
Long-term investments were comprised of Midstream Energy Companies (96%), Utility Companies (3%) and Other Energy (1%).
The Company’s ten largest holdings by issuer at October 31, 2024 were:
Amount (in millions)*
% Long Term Investments
1.
The Williams Companies, Inc. (Midstream Energy Company)
$ 309.5
10.3
%
2.
Energy Transfer LP (Midstream Energy Company)
281.1
9.4
%
3.
MPLX LP (Midstream Energy Company)
273.6
9.1
%
4.
Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (Midstream Energy Company)
258.3
8.6
%
5.
ONEOK, Inc. (Midstream Energy Company)
226.8
7.6
%
6.
Targa Resources Corp. (Midstream Energy Company)
220.0
7.3
%
7.
Cheniere Energy, Inc. (Midstream Energy Company)
194.5
6.5
%
8.
Kinder Morgan, Inc. (Midstream Energy Company)
184.9
6.2
%
9.
Western Midstream Partners, LP (Midstream Energy Company)
138.6
4.6
%
10.
Pembina Pipeline Corporation (Midstream Energy Company)
132.3
4.4
%
*
Includes ownership of common and preferred units.
###
Portfolio holdings are subject to change without notice. The mention of specific securities is not a recommendation or solicitation for any person to buy, sell or hold any particular security. You can obtain a complete listing of holdings by viewing the Company’s most recent quarterly or annual report.
Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (NYSE: KYN) is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, whose common stock is traded on the NYSE. The company’s investment objective is to provide a high after-tax total return with an emphasis on making cash distributions to stockholders. KYN intends to achieve this objective by investing at least 80% of its total assets in securities of Energy Infrastructure Companies. See Glossary of Key Terms in the Company’s most recent quarterly report for a description of these investment categories and the meaning of capitalized terms.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer or sale is not permitted. Nothing contained in this press release is intended to recommend any investment policy or investment strategy or consider any investor’s specific objectives or circumstances. Before investing, please consult with your investment, tax, or legal adviser regarding your individual circumstances.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This communication contains statements reflecting assumptions, expectations, projections, intentions, or beliefs about future events. These and other statements not relating strictly to historical or current facts constitute forward-looking statements as defined under the U.S. federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements involve a variety of risks and uncertainties. These risks include but are not limited to changes in economic and political conditions; regulatory and legal changes; energy industry risk; leverage risk; valuation risk; interest rate risk; tax risk; and other risks discussed in detail in the Company’s filings with the SEC, available at www.kaynefunds.com or www.sec.gov. Actual events could differ materially from these statements or our present expectations or projections. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Kayne Anderson undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein. There is no assurance that the Company’s investment objectives will be attained.
An aerial drone photo taken on June 4, 2024 shows a view of an offshore platform of the Shengli Oilfield in Dongying City, east China’s Shandong province. [Photo/Xinhua]
The world’s first mobile thermal-injection platform was recently delivered in China’s Shandong province, offering new opportunities to tap into China’s vast potential for heavy-oil recovery, according to the country’s major marine oil-mining company.
China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) announced on Thursday that “Recai No.1” or “Thermal Recovery No.1”, the mobile thermal-injection platform developed and built by China, has been delivered in waters off Weihai, Shandong.
The two-deck platform is 82 meters long and 42 meters wide, with a total deck area of over 3,000 square meters, a weight of over 10,000 tonnes and a height equivalent to a building of more than 20 stories.
Equipped with four legs that are over 70 meters high, the platform can operate in waters at the depth of 35 meters, and withstand typhoons up to category 16.
According to CNOOC, the platform features a number of pioneering technologies, including the mobile thermal-injection system and the compensation technology for high-temperature, high-pressure steam pipelines.
It is equipped with three steam boiler systems that can simultaneously inject high-pressure steam at temperatures exceeding 350 degrees Celsius into six oil wells, reducing the viscosity of heavy oil and turning it into more fluid and easily extractable crude oil.
The platform can be towed to different oil-recovery platforms by tugboats to carry out rapid thermal injection, effectively reducing the development costs of heavy oil and realizing large-scale thermal recovery of heavy oil.
Heavy oil refers to crude oil that is relatively viscous and has poor fluidity, making it difficult to extract. Unlike the cold-recovery method used for conventional crude oil, heavy oil is typically developed by thermal recovery.
Heavy oil makes up more than two-thirds of the world’s proven crude oil reserves. As one of the world’s four major producers of heavy oil, China has an estimated heavy-oil resource volume of about 19.87 billion tonnes. In the Bohai Sea area with which Shandong province has a coastline, heavy-oil reserves account for nearly half of the total proven crude oil reserves in the area.
Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development
This week, collaboration, networking and celebrations were in order as members from Regional Development Australia (RDA) committees nationwide met in Busselton for the 2024 RDA National Forum and inaugural Awards Dinner.
The inaugural awards celebrated strategies to drive economic growth and resilence in our regions, and acknowledged the significant contribution RDAs make to supporting local economies, places, people, and services.
As representatives for their local communities, RDAs collaborate with regional stakeholders to forge new opportunities and to help build a better future.
In a competitive field, four winners were crowned for initiatives and projects undertaken by their respective committees in the past 12 months:
RDA Pilbara was the winner in the Investing in Industries and Local Economies category for the Pilbara Hydrogen Hub – delivering significant benefits by driving economic growth and diversification through large-scale renewable hydrogen production and export.
RDA Tropical North was the winner in the Investing in Places category for their Tropical North Economic Development Strategy – this strategy will lead to sustainable growth, enhance economic diversity, and improve infrastructure through targeted investments.
RDA Townsville and North West Queensland was the winner in the Investing in People category for their Coordinated Approach to Strategic Workforce Planning – a framework to build a resilient workforce for regional growth.
RDA Loddon Mallee was the winner in the Investing in Services category for their Digital Summit – enhancing connectivity, fostering digital job creation and building capacity, ultimately driving economic growth and resilience in the region.
More than 150 members reconvened for the National Forum, collaborating on regional solutions and innovative ideas specific to this year’s theme ofBig Challenges, Big Opportunities.
The forum hosted three panels focussing on areas critical to regional development: Innovation and Connectivity, Housing and Skills, and Net Zero and the Energy Transition.
Expert speakers provided insights and strategies to not only tackle issues, but turn them into opportunities for economic and skills growth in local comunities.
To view the full list of 2024 RDA Awards winners, runners-up and special commendations, visit: https://www.rda.gov.au/awards.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Development and Local Government, Kristy McBain MP:
“Our regions are home to innovative and talented individuals that are committed to harnessing opportunities in their own backyard – with this year’s inaugural RDA Awards a real testament to this.
“From diversifying economies, to supporting industries with their transition to net zero – the expertise of RDAs is ensuring we continue to build a better future in our regions.
“They’re not doing this work for a pat on the back, but it’s important we take the time to celebrate their positive and proactive contribution to regional Australia – congratulations to this year’s award winners.”
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will launch the Muse Fest HK 2024 in November, rolling out over 70 fabulous programmes in LCSD museums and art spaces. With the same theme “Hong Kong H.A.S. (History. Art. Science.) Museums”, the 10th edition of the Museum Festival enables members of the public to immerse themselves in Hong Kong’s rich and distinctive cultural heritage and artistic diversity, offering an alternative museum experience. Most activities are free, and members of the public are welcome to join on the spot.
The inaugural event of the Muse Fest 2024, “Fun@Museum Carnival”, is being held today and tomorrow (November 2 and 3) at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre (HKCC) Piazza, Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA), Hong Kong Space Museum (HKSpM) and Salisbury Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui. The carnival features a variety of programmes. There are performances of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) items such as “Vital Lion Dance” opening performance and “Puppetry Encounters” performance today. The Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Vincent Liu, officiated at the opening ceremony of the Muse Fest HK 2024 and eye-dotting for lion dances this morning. Addressing the ceremony, Mr Liu said this year marks the 10th Edition of Muse Fest. The opening carnival this year focuses in “Chinese Cutlure”, promoting the development and inheritance of Chinese culture and history through diversified performances and interactive workshops. With the theme of “Hong Kong H.A.S. (History. Art. Science.) Museums” this year, Muse Fest will continue to broaden citizens’ scope of knowledge in these areas.
The booths of flower button, lion dance and lion head crafts by the ICH Office are well received, with visitors busy taking photos with the lion head. Some also made lion head crafts to experience this ICH item which combines martial arts and performing arts. In the afternoon, the carnival invited a seasoned puppet group to perform classic plays such as “Daming Prefecture”, “Zhong Kui Getting Drunk” and “Sun Wukong Thrice Beat the Bony Demon”, winning great applause from audiences.
In addition to the popular ICH-related programmes, the booths of the Conservation Office have also attracted many passers-by. They have been engaged in learning the use of wax materials in artefacts protection, or making their own light clay cake model magnets with a wooden cake mould. The Gear Up – Nano World Outreach Programme booth, presented by the Science Promotion Unit of the Hong Kong Science Museum, has been surrounded by children viewing the comic-style panels and interactive exhibits introducing nano science. Apart from the booth activities, the carnival has invited Community Cultural Ambassadors 2024 the Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble and Chinese and Western music ensembles of the Music Office to deliver live performances at the HKCC Piazza to boost the atmosphere. The Hong Kong Public Libraries promotes theme-based reading through the Library-on-Wheels outreach truck and storytelling sessions by Story Ambassadors, while the Interactive Storytelling Device – Joyful Reading of Three Kingdoms – allows participants to acquire knowledge through playing games. Meanwhile, the HKSpM has organised a treasure hunt named Cosmic Voyage, inviting visitors to follow the hints on the treasure map and find out the answers at the Exhibition Hall to learn about the universe and space science in various aspects.
The carnival will continue tomorrow with more extraordinary events. The Pok Fu Lam Village Fire Dragon Association and Pokfulam Kaifong Welfare Association will bring the fire dragon dance performance to Tsim Sha Tsui tomorrow from 4pm to 6pm. Locals residents and tourists can join the parade and learn about the traditions and historical significance of the fire dragon dance. Visitors can touch and take a closer look at the unicorn head and create postcards at the unicorn booth. In addition to the above mentioned lion head crafts booth, a waxing in conservation activity, “Gear Up – Nano World” outreach programme -Nanoboy Ornament Workshop, Library-on-Wheels with Storytelling Sessions and the Interactive Storytelling Device. Those interested in movies should not miss the animated film screening of “Chang An” to be held at the Lecture Hall of the HKMoA, which is organised by the Film Programmes Office.
Various museums will host fun days during weekends in November. The Sheung Yiu Folk Museum Fun Day will be held on November 9, featuring a photo-taking corner, video screenings and workshops to enhance visitors’ understanding of Hakka culture and customs. The “Spark Joy @Oi!” Fun Day 2024 at Oil Street Art Space on November 10 will feature handpan music performances, workshops and guided tours by artists. The Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence (MWRCD) and the Hong Kong Heritage Museum will offer a variety of activities on November 16 for the public. The Hong Kong Railway Museum Fun Day and the ICH Office’s ICH Fun Day at the Sam Tung Uk Museum will be staged on November 17 and November 23 respectively. Demonstrations and education activities will be held at the Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery Fun Day on November 30 to enhance the public’s knowledge of the Fireboat Alexander Grantham and the history of Hong Kong’s sea rescue. Moreover, the Conservation Office will arrange the Guardians of Museum Artefacts at the Shenzhen Museum: The Behind the Scenes of Conservators talk on November 16 at the HKMoA where the specialist from the Shenzhen Museum will introduce preventive conservation work.
In addition to the day-time events, museums also offer exciting night-time activities. The Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, in celebration of its 40th anniversary, will host An Evening with Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware for two nights. On November 23, where visitors can enjoy the outdoor immersive light show titled “Gentle Smoke of Tea” at the museum’s façade and “The Sound of Art” concert at the lawn. On November 24, in addition to the light show, visitors can explore the indoor “Gardens of Four Seasons” interactive display and visit the museum exhibitions.
This year’s Muse Fest will continue to launch a mega publication and souvenir sale, offering up to 50 per cent discounts for selected museum publications and souvenirs.
LCSD Museum Pass holders may also enjoy exclusive admission to experience a variety of special programmes during the festival period. For the event “Meet the Curator – Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence”, assistant curators of the MWRCD will introduce the curation and stories behind the exhibitions, and how the curatorial team delivers the history of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence to audiences. They will also take you on a special tour to permanent and thematic exhibitions of the museum. For another exclusive programme, “The Fireboat Then and Now Guided Tour – A Fireman Leads the Way”, a retired firemen who served on the fireboat will share the bits and pieces of the adventurous experience in the historic vessel as docent.
Apart from the museums under the management of the LCSD, a total of 27 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao collaborative partners (including those in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Museum Alliance) participate in this year’s Museum Festival, bringing much excitement to the activities. The Shenzhen Museum will launch Hong Kong Museum Festival 2024 Shenzhen Branch – “The Beauty of Ingenuity” series of research activities to enable members of the public, especially young people to explore the profound depth of Chinese traditional culture through carefully-designed courses, including wood carving and gilding, a woodworking activity with mortise and tenon joinery, seal engraving and printmaking.
For more details of the Muse Fest 2024, please visit the website at: https://www.museums.gov.hk/mf2024.
Defendant Facilitated Russia’s Acquisition of Millions of Dollars of U.S.-Made Dual-Use Electronics Used in Radar, Surveillance, and Military Research and Development
Vadim Yermolenko, 43, a dual U.S.-Russian national and resident of New Jersey, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the United States for his role in a transnational procurement and money laundering network that sought to acquire sensitive dual-use electronics for Russian military and intelligence services.
“This defendant joins the nearly two dozen other criminals that our Task Force KleptoCapture has brought to justice in American courtrooms over the past two and a half years for enabling Russia’s military aggression,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This defendant admitted to playing a central role in a now-disrupted scheme with Russian intelligence services to smuggle sniper rifle ammunition and U.S. military grade equipment into Russia. The Justice Department will never stop working to aggressively disrupt and prosecute both the criminal networks and the individuals responsible for bolstering the Russian war machine.”
“The illegal export of sensitive, dual-use technologies in support of Russia’s war effort poses a significant threat to the United States and its allies and must not be tolerated,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The defendant in this case played a key role in exporting U.S. technology that in the hands of our adversaries could pose great danger to our national security. The FBI and its partners will continue to focus on protecting strategic innovation at home and hold accountable anyone who facilitates illegal transfers to hostile nations like Russia.”
“To facilitate the Russian war machine, the defendant played a critical role in exporting sensitive, dual-use technologies to Russia, facilitating shipping and the movement of millions of dollars through U.S. financial institutions,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “This plea highlights my Office and our law enforcement partners continued commitment to use all tools available to prosecute those who unlawfully procure U.S. technology to send to Russia.”
According to court documents, the defendant was affiliated with Serniya Engineering and Sertal LLC, Moscow-based companies that operate under the direction of Russian intelligence services to procure advanced electronics and sophisticated testing equipment for Russia’s military industrial complex and research and development sector. Serniya and Sertal operated a vast network of shell companies and bank accounts throughout the world, including the United States, that were used in furtherance of the scheme to conceal the involvement of the Russian government and the true Russian end users of U.S.-origin equipment.
The defendant and his co-conspirators unlawfully purchased and exported highly sensitive, export controlled electronic components, some of which can be used in the development of nuclear and hypersonic weapons, quantum computing and other military applications. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) levied sanctions and imposed additional export restrictions on Serniya, Sertal, and several individuals and companies used in the scheme, calling them “instrumental to the Russian Federation’s war machine.”
Sertal was licensed to conduct highly sensitive and classified procurement activities by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), Russia’s principal security agency and the main successor agency to the Soviet Union’s KGB. The Serniya network’s Russian clients included State Corporation Rostec, the state-owned defense conglomerate; State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom (Rosatom); the Ministry of Defense; the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR); and various components of the FSB, including the Department of Military Counterintelligence and the Directorate for Scientific and Technological Intelligence, commonly known as “Directorate T.”
To carry out the scheme, the defendant helped set up numerous shell companies and dozens of bank accounts in the U.S. to illicitly move money and export-controlled goods. During the period charged in the indictment, more than $12 million passed through accounts owned or controlled by the defendant. These funds were used in part to purchase sensitive equipment used in radar, surveillance and military research and development. In one instance, money from one of the defendant’s accounts was used to purchase export-controlled sniper bullets, which were intercepted in Estonia before they could be smuggled into Russia.
Co-defendant Alexey Brayman previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and is awaiting sentence. The case against co-defendant Vadim Konoshchenok, a suspected FSB operative, was dismissed after Konoshchenok was removed from the United States as part of a prisoner exchange negotiated between the United States and Russia. Defendant Nikolaos Bogonikolos’ case remains pending. Defendants Boris Livshits, Alexey Ippolitov, Svetlana Skvortsova, and Yevgeniy Grinin remain at large.
The FBI, BIS, and IRS are investigating the case.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and Estonian authorities provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Artie McConnell, Andrew D. Reich, and Matthew Skurnik for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture and the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states.
Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Orenburgneft (part of Rosneft) held a tour of the enterprise’s production facilities for activists of the all-Russian “Movement of the First”. The event was organized as part of the federal project “Visiting a Scientist”.
Oil workers provided 25 students from Buzuluk colleges – future operators of oil and gas wells and laboratory technicians of chemical analysis – with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the profession and become familiar with technological processes in real production.
In the corporate museum of Orenburgneft, the children were told about the history of the industry, the discoveries of pioneering oil workers, and modern technologies used at the enterprise. At the Savelyevskoye field, future oil workers learned about the main stages of oil production, learned how salts, water, associated petroleum gas, and other impurities are removed from well output.
In the chemical analysis laboratory, students learned methods for determining the density of oil and its water content to confirm the quality of the finished product.
Orenburgneft is implementing a set of measures to develop the human resources potential of its employees and train future specialists in the oil industry. Last year alone, more than 500 schoolchildren and students visited the company’s production facilities.
As part of Rosneft’s continuous education program “school – college/university – enterprise”, with the support of Orenburgneft, “Rosneft classes” with in-depth study of mathematics, physics, chemistry and computer science have been created in the region.
Students from partner colleges and universities, including Samara State Technical University, Orenburg State University, Ufa State Oil University and others, undergo practical training at the oil production facility.
In addition, Orenburgneft became one of the initiators of the creation of a new educational and production center in the region based on the Buguruslan Oil College within the framework of the federal project “Professionality”.
Reference:
JSC Orenburgneft, a subsidiary of Rosneft, is the largest oil producing enterprise in the Orenburg region. Cumulative production exceeds 460 million tons of oil.
Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft November 2, 2024
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
The school was attended by over 85 young scientists from Novosibirsk, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk, Kemerovo, Tomsk, Kirov and Biysk. They represented such leading Russian universities as Lomonosov Moscow State University, St. Petersburg State University, Institute of Problems of Chemical and Energy Technologies SB RAS (Biysk, Altai Krai), Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Moscow), FRC Krasnoyarsk Scientific Center SB RAS, Vyatka State University (Kirov), Institute of High-Current Electronics SB RAS (Tomsk), L.V. Kirensky Institute of Physics SB RAS (Krasnoyarsk), A.F. Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute RAS (St. Petersburg), Kuzbass State Technical University named after T.F. Gorbacheva (Kemerovo), MISiS University of Science and Technology (Moscow), Siberian Federal University (Krasnoyarsk), Federal Research Center of Coal and Coal Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Kemerovo).
This year, lectures and presentations with oral and poster presentations were held in NSU buildings. The school program included six plenary lectures, oral and poster presentations of participants — 43 in total, as well as four master classes. Master classes first appeared in the school program last year, and they are very popular. This time, master classes were held on small-angle X-ray scattering, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and diffraction methods.
— We try to change the topics of plenary lectures every year. The lectures of the employees of the SKIF Collective Use Center Ya. V. Zubavichus and D. V. Dorokhova on synchrotron radiation sources and the basics of their use were of great interest. Also this year, for the first time, a round table on the use of artificial intelligence in scientific research activities was held within the framework of the school. This topic is relevant, artificial intelligence is beginning to be used in various areas of human activity, including science, and this year the Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry were awarded to works that used artificial intelligence, — commented Christina Shefer, senior lecturer of the Faculty of Natural Sciences of NSU, a representative of the organizing committee of the school.
Four plenary lectures were devoted to research methods: two to diffraction methods, indispensable in the study of the structure of materials, one lecture to the application of synchrotron methods for in situ/operando studies of functional materials, and another lecture to the application of electron microscopy in combination with synchrotron methods.
In addition to lectures, reports and master classes, excursions to scientific organizations of the Novosibirsk Akademgorodok were organized for the participants.
— Summing up the results of the past school, we are already thinking about what will happen next year. When forming the program, we, of course, take into account the feedback from the participants. We know for sure that there will be presentations, both oral and poster presentations. Participation with reports is useful for presenting and discussing the results of your work, forming new scientific connections and developing cooperation in the field of synchrotron research. We will definitely hold master classes. Moreover, it is especially useful when the master class is preceded by a lecture on a similar topic. There is a desire to continue discussing the topic of artificial intelligence in a round table format, — said Christina Schaefer.
The school turned out to be rich in its program, there were many interesting reports and many questions for the speakers. Based on the results of the school, the report evaluation committee selected the best of the poster and oral presentations.
Poster presentations:
1st place: Konstantin Sergeevich Nechaev, MISIS University of Science and Technology, Moscow. Authors: K.S. Nechaev, N.M. Vazhinsky, M.V. Gorshenkov, A.S. Fortuna. Topic: Study of thermodynamic stability and magnetic properties of the ferromagnetic phase of the Mn-Al-Ga ternary alloy depending on the grinding time.
2nd place: Ksenia Sergeevna Kuzmina, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk. Authors: Kuzmina K.S., Kasatova A.I., Kasatov D.A., Nazimov V.P., Moskalensky A.E., Korobeynikov M.V., Petrichenkov M.V., Uvarov M.N., Taskaev S.Yu. Topic: Creation of a Fricke dosimeter for boron neutron capture therapy
Oral presentations:
1st place: Nikita Dmitrievich Luchinin, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow. Authors: Luchinin N.D., Fedotov S.S. Topic: Application of synchrotron radiation to study phase transformations of Na/K-ion battery materials.
2nd place: Dmitry Anatolyevich Ulybin, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk. Author: Ulybin D.A. Topic: Software library for calculating the strategy of X-ray diffraction single-crystal experiment.
3rd place:
Anastasia Sergeevna Mikaeva, Rzhanov Institute of Semiconductor Physics SB RAS, Novosibirsk. Authors: Mikaeva A.S., Golyashov V.A. Subject: Study of the electronic structure of the (111) surface of PbSnTe:In films using angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy.
Artem Vyacheslavovich Tarasov, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg. Authors: Tarasov A.V., Rybkin A.G., Shikin A.M. Topic: Electron spin structure of quasi-two-dimensional systems with a combination of spin-orbit and exchange interactions.
The project is part of the events Priority-2030 programs, implemented with the aim of training personnel in areas related to X-ray, synchrotron, and neutron methods of diagnosing materials and devices, including personnel for the specialized center for synchrotron research, the Siberian Ring Photon Source (SKIF), which is being created in the Novosibirsk Region.
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Headline: Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Gaston County
Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Gaston County
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will open Sunday, November 3, in Dallas (Gaston County) to assist North Carolina survivors who experienced loss from Tropical Storm Helene. The Gaston County DRC is located at: Dallas Civic Center206 S. Oakland St.Dallas, NC 28034Open: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., Sunday through SaturdayA DRC is a one-stop shop where survivors can meet face-to-face with FEMA representatives, apply for FEMA assistance, receive referrals to local assistance in their area, apply with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for low-interest disaster loans and much more. FEMA financial assistance may include money for basic home repairs, personal property losses or other uninsured, disaster-related needs, such as childcare, transportation, medical needs, funeral or dental expenses. To find additional DRC locations, go to fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a zip code to 43362. Additional recovery centers will open soon. All centers are accessible to people with disabilities or access and functional needs and are equipped with assistive technology. Homeowners and renters in 39 North Carolina counties and tribal members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians can visit any open center, including locations in other states. No appointment is needed. It is not necessary to go to a center to apply for FEMA assistance. The fastest way to apply is online at DisasterAssistance.gov or via the FEMA App. You may also call 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service, such as video relay, captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. barbara.murien… Sat, 11/02/2024 – 19:02
A 200-tonne pure electric mining dump truck has been put into service in a coal mine in north China’s Shanxi Province to assist with industrial upgrading in this major coal-producing region.
The vehicle can transport raw coal continuously for six hours on average per charge and is being used in the Anjialing Coal Mine operated by ChinaCoal Pingshuo Group Co., Ltd.
By replacing traditional vehicles fueled by oil with this electric model, the mining operation can reduce fuel oil consumption by 600 tonnes a year in the open pit mine, while cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 1,800 tonnes annually in the mining area.
The developer and producer of the truck, the Hunan Xiangdian Green Energy Intelligent Control Co., Ltd., is a manufacturer of electric trucks and electric locomotives used for mining in China.
Ji Wei, general manager of the company, said that compared with a traditional 220-tonne fuel truck that consumes about 4,000 liters of fuel per day of work, the pure electric vehicle uses about 12,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity a day — which means a reduction of 40 percent in costs for the mining operator.
The mining company is intending to purchase more such electric mining vehicles to further reduce energy consumption in its mining activities.
Coal output in Shanxi, China’s largest coal-producing region, accounted for about 26.9 percent of China’s total output during the January-September period of 2024, according to the provincial statistics bureau.
Over the years, Shanxi has continued to upgrade its coal industry. In 2023, the province established 118 intelligent coal mines and introduced smart technology to 1,491 mining faces.