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Category: Renewable Energy

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mines Ministry Achieves Significant Milestones in Special Campaign 4.0

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 16 OCT 2024 3:58PM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Mines, under ongoing Special Campaign 4.0 launched on 1st October 2024, has made significant progress in first 15 days of the campaign with its theme “Sustainability”.  The campaign has achieved following key milestones over the past two weeks:

    1. Inauguration of Rooftop Solar Power Plant at GSITI, Hyderabad: Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy inaugurated a Rooftop Solar Power Plant at the Geological Survey of India Training Institute (GSITI), Hyderabad on 12.10.2024. This initiative is aligned with Ministry’s efforts to promote renewable energy and reduce dependency on non-renewable sources, reinforcing its dedication to sustainable development and energy independence.

    Further, Minister Shri G Kishan Reddy took tour of various sections and Departmental Canteen under this campaign.

    2. Visit by Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances, Shri V. Srinivas:
    Secretary (DARPG) Shri V. Srinivas visited the Ministry of Mines at Shastri Bhawan, on 10.10.2024. During the visit Ministry’s initiatives in optimizing office space, enhancing workplace efficiency, Record management and contributing to public welfare through the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) were showcased. The efforts underscore the Ministry’s goal of achieving efficient governance and community-focused growth.

    3. JNARDDC’s Waste-to-Art Sculpture:
    JNARDDC, an autonomous body of the Ministry of Mines, unveiled a stunning Waste-to-Art sculpture crafted from 1.6 tons of aluminum scrap. This innovative artwork, now installed at Ranilaxmibai Udyan Public Park along NH-6, symbolizes the Ministry’s focus on creativity, sustainability, and recycling. It serves as a visual representation of transforming waste into beauty, aligning with the broader objectives of Special Campaign 4.0.

    4. Deputation of Ministry officials to different Geoheritage and Geotourism sites :- Senior officers of the Ministry are being deputed to different Geoheritage and Geotourism sites to promote the spirit of Cleanliness among the Tourist and local people.

    In terms of pendency the Ministry has achieved 100% of its targets in IMC references and disposed off approx 80% of the public grievances in first 15 days of the campaign.Ministry of Mines is steadfast in its pursuit of sustainability and is committed to achieving 100% of its targets. The achievements of Special Campaign 4.0 so far reflect the Ministry’s dedication of creating a positive impact through renewable energy initiatives, waste to art, and community-centered activities.

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    (Release ID: 2065346) Visitor Counter : 54

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New chair of North Sea Transition Authority appointed

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Energy Secretary has appointed Liz Ditchburn to chair the North Sea Transition Authority.

    • the Energy Secretary has appointed Liz Ditchburn to chair the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA)
    • the new chair will head up the NSTA Board, which is responsible for regulating and influencing the UK’s oil, gas, offshore hydrogen and carbon storage industries
    • Ms Ditchburn brings more than 35 years of experience across UK and Scottish Governments to the role

    Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has today appointed Liz Ditchburn as the new chair of the North Sea Transition Authority, (NSTA) the body responsible for overseeing the UK’s offshore energy industries.

    As former Director General for Economy for the Scottish Government, Ms Ditchburn has more than 35 years of experience as a public sector leader in UK and Scottish Governments in both domestic and international settings.

    As chair, Liz Ditchburn will now head up the NSTA Board and oversee the organisation’s role in licensing and regulating the UK’s oil, gas, offshore hydrogen and carbon storage industries. The NSTA also continues to play a key role in ensuring the UK maximises the highly skilled expertise of its North Sea industries and workers to deliver the country’s clean energy transition.

    Since coming to office three months ago, the government has already taken rapid steps in accelerating the UK’s clean energy industries – with the launch of Great British Energy, the biggest ever investment in offshore wind and confirming up to £21.7 billion in funding over the next 25 years for carbon capture and storage and hydrogen projects.

    Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, said:

    I would like to thank Tim Eggar for his commitment as chair of the NSTA in such a crucial time for the industry.

    Liz will now continue this legacy, bringing a wealth of experience across government to an important role at the centre of our energy transition.

    Together with the NSTA, we will build on the expertise of our North Sea industries to deliver an orderly and prosperous transition.

    Chair of the North Sea Transition Authority, Liz Ditchburn said:

    Our North Sea industries have a huge potential to lead the way in the UK’s clean energy transition – from new offshore wind developments to the latest in carbon capture and storage.

    I’m looking forward to driving this work at the NSTA to ensure the sector can maximise this opportunity, bringing growth, and investment to Scotland’s North Sea communities and securing the long-term future of highly skilled jobs.

    Ms Ditchburn will take up the post on 22 October 2024, following on from her predecessor Tim Eggar’s term of over 5 years as NSTA chair coming to an end.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s Hubble Sees a Stellar Volcano

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has provided a dramatic and colorful close-up look at one of the most rambunctious stars in our galaxy, weaving a huge spiral pattern among the stars.

    Located approximately 700 light-years away, a binary star system called R Aquarii undergoes violent eruptions that blast out huge filaments of glowing gas. The twisted stellar outflows make the region look like a lawn sprinkler gone berserk. This dramatically demonstrates how the universe redistributes the products of nuclear energy that form deep inside stars and jet back into space.

    R Aquarii belongs to a class of double stars called symbiotic stars. The primary star is an aging red giant and its companion is a compact burned-out star known as a white dwarf. The red giant primary star is classified as a Mira variable that is over 400 times larger than our Sun. The bloated monster star pulsates, changes temperature, and varies in brightness by a factor of 750 times over a roughly 390-day period. At its peak the star is blinding at nearly 5,000 times our Sun’s brightness.

    When the white dwarf star swings closest to the red giant along its 44-year orbital period, it gravitationally siphons off hydrogen gas. This material accumulates on the dwarf star’s surface until it undergoes spontaneous nuclear fusion, making that surface explode like a gigantic hydrogen bomb. After the outburst, the fueling cycle begins again.

    This outburst ejects geyser-like filaments shooting out from the core, forming weird loops and trails as the plasma emerges in streamers. The plasma is twisted by the force of the explosion and channeled upwards and outwards by strong magnetic fields. The outflow appears to bend back on itself into a spiral pattern. The plasma is shooting into space over 1 million miles per hour – fast enough to travel from Earth to the Moon in 15 minutes! The filaments are glowing in visible light because they are energized by blistering radiation from the stellar duo.

    Hubble first observed the star in 1990. R Aquarii was resolved into two very bright stars separated by about 1.6 billion miles. The ESA/Hubble team now has made a unique timelapse of R Aquarii’s dynamic behavior, from observations spanning from 2014 to 2023. Across the five images, the rapid and dramatic evolution of the binary star and its surrounding nebula can be seen. The binary star dims and brightens due to strong pulsations in the red giant star.

    The scale of the event is extraordinary even in astronomical terms. Space-blasted material can be traced out to at least 248 billion miles from the stars, or 24 times our solar system’s diameter. Images like these and more from Hubble are expected to revolutionize our ideas about such unique stellar “volcanoes” as R Aquarii.

    The Hubble Space Telescope has been operating for over three decades and continues to make ground-breaking discoveries that shape our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope and mission operations. Lockheed Martin Space, based in Denver, Colorado, also supports mission operations at Goddard. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, conducts Hubble science operations for NASA.

    Media Contact:

    Claire AndreoliNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MDclaire.andreoli@nasa.gov

    Ray VillardSpace Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD

    Bethany DownerESA/Hubble

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Speech for the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, at the Canadian Climate Institute and Net-Zero Advisory Body’s Fourth Annual Climate Conference

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Speech for the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, at the Canadian Climate Institute and Net-Zero Advisory Body’s Fourth Annual Climate Conference

    October 10, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario

    Check against delivery. This speech has been translated in accordance with the Government of Canada’s official languages policy and edited for posting and distribution in accordance with its communications policy.

    Hello.

    Thank you Gaëtan for that great scene-setting intro.

    I would first like to recognize the fact that we are on the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg People.

    I am grateful to the caretakers of this land and water, and I ask that you join me in honouring the connection that the Anishnaabeg People have had to this land for millennia.

    This conference comes at a pivotal time.

    Building a cleaner and stronger economy in Canada is the course we are on.

    It is why we are all gathered here – we share a collective understanding and appreciation for both the economic opportunities and the environmental necessity in front of us.

    Now, I see many familiar faces around the audience.

    I know many of you have likely come from out of town.

    There are lots of hard-working people constructively working to attract and steer investment.

    Building a clean economy, like anything that is transformational, requires a vision and clear, bold steps to advance toward it.

    In every sector, we can see examples of that leadership—those stepping up with real vision.

    I think we just heard some great examples of that vision from the previous keynote.

    Two and a half years ago, the Government of Canada launched its climate plan, the most comprehensive plan in our history.

    We did our homework, building on the work of our predecessors, to give Canada a truly credible path towards carbon neutrality.

    Sector-by-sector, we showed how we could do it – how we could really do it – together.

    And since then, with the help of everyone in this room, we’ve put that plan into motion.

    Combine industry leadership, with a careful but ambitious balance of investments and regulatory tools: we are bending the curve on Canada’s emissions.

    I can tell you this is something I hear all the time.

    But more importantly our plan is working. Evidence of progress is rolling in.

    Recently, the Canadian Climate Institute, showed our country’s net emissions are starting to drop, between 2022 to 2023.

    The Institute also found that Canada’s economy continued to grow while emissions declined—what we call “decoupling.”

    What does that mean?

    It means growing the economy in 2024 does not mean more pollution.

    In fact, it points to the larger transformation underway.

    Now, Canadians may best associate our climate plan with carbon pricing.

    Could you blame them?

    But there are in fact over 100 measures we have put in place as part of our climate plan that serve as the foundation of a cleaner economy for Canada.

    Those measures have taken us from a place where, in 2015, we were projected to blow past our emission targets for 2030, to where we are now.

    Our emissions are now at their lowest point in 25 years.

    Never have we seen a drop in emissions, while our economy is chugging at full steam.

    This progress should not be taken for granted.

    We need to keep our horse in the race of a global economy that is moving faster than ever.

    I’m very pleased to share some exciting news from yesterday on how we’re trying to move the dial further on developing a clean energy economy.

    First: yesterday, the Deputy Prime Minister Freeland announced the guidelines for a Made-in-Canada sustainable investment taxonomy and mandatory climate disclosures for the largest Canadian private businesses.

    The sustainable investment taxonomy gives investors certainty on whether their investments are consistent with meeting global climate targets.

    It provides needed clarity that will boost financing from the private sector for sustainable activities across the Canadian economy.

    That includes things like building EV batteries, generating clean energy and decarbonization projects in heavy industries.

    The taxonomy will help direct investment to much-needed job-creating activities.

    Many of you will have seen the headlines on this…

    Simply put: Projects need to be credibly aligned with limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius to be considered a “green” or “transition” investment.

    Of course, developing these guidelines do not prevent investors from deciding where they wish to put their money.

    They are purely voluntary.

    But they do provide a common language on whether investments support climate goals or not.

    Similarly, requiring large businesses to provide climate-related financial disclosures to shareholders will help attract investment into sustainable activities across the economy.

    Disclosures help investors better understand how large businesses are thinking about and managing risks related to climate change.

    And we look forward to fleshing out that regulatory approach.

    We are building on the success of our Green Bond program.

    Like the taxonomy, Green Bonds direct financial flows towards those business opportunities that are key to reaching our net-zero targets.

    We have now launched Green Bonds twice in the market. First in 2022, and again earlier this year.

    Both times, the final book orders far exceeded the original offering.

    And because of that demand, we re-opened a third Green Bond this week.

    I am pleased to report that demand is still strong, and we are well over the offering amount.

    So, sustainable finance is the way to go.

    Let me give you another more tangible example.

    Last year, the Government of Canada delivered on the Clean Fuel Regulations, which encourages oil and gas refineries to lower the carbon intensity of their fuel production.

    Because of built-in incentives within this policy, we have already seen significant investments:

    Over $53 billion in investments have been announced across Canada in low-carbon intensity fuels such as green hydrogen, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel.

    For example, the oil refinery in Come-By-Chance, Newfoundland was converted into a major renewable diesel facility.

    The federal government supported Braya Renewable Fuels to commercialize its production of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel.

    It started operations in February 2024 and now produces up to 18,000 barrels per day of renewable diesel.

    Two hundred people work there full-time.

    These and similar companies now have the ability to create and sell valuable credits for supplying low carbon fuel to Canada.

    That’s progress.

    And it comes from creating the right support and incentive structures for the industry.

    I was delighted to listen to our previous speaker Adam Auer, the President and CEO of the Cement Association of Canada.

    It has taken determination to turn words into action, and guide the change we’ve witnessed in the cement industry over the past two years.

    It takes a lot of heat and energy to make cement using conventional processes.

    As you heard earlier this morning, the Cement Association of Canada decided they had to change.

    This industry released their roadmap to cleaner sources of fuel. And as you heard, they stuck to their plan.

    The results were apparent to me this summer, when I visited a green cement plant in St. Marys, Ontario.

    This is where carbon pricing—and in this case industrial carbon pricing—really gets a chance to shine.

    With money collected by the federal government from carbon pricing system on industry, we re-invested those revenues into an emissions reduction project at St. Marys Cement.

    There is so much misinformation coming at us through various channels that not everyone is sure carbon pricing works.

    It does, and here’s how:

    With money collected by the federal government from industrial pollution pricing, we re-invested in an emissions reduction project at St. Marys Cement.

    New kiln technology was installed that uses low-carbon fuels.

    This new process reduces the use of high-priced carbon-intensive fuels by up to 30%.

    This means less climate pollution and cleaner air for the town.

    It also increases the company’s long-term competitiveness and sustainability. And pride!

    Take a town like St. Marys with a population of under nine thousand people.

    A major employer in that town makes a significant low-carbon change in its production process.

    From that, we get direct positive results:

    • First, the sustainability of the jobs at the cement plant.
    • Second, the drop in greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to 9,400 gas-powered cars off the road for a year.
    • Third, they are saving energy costs for their business.

    Examples like this play out in countless communities across the country.

    Government has an important role in mobilizing the investments to get these projects underway.

    But how does Canada keep up the momentum? Well, let’s just look at the growing clean energy sector.

    Internationally, this sector has achieved lift-off.

    I mean, Europe is now at three quarters of renewable and clean energy sources. It’s incredible.

    Clean sources of power are reliable, they are increasingly cheaper to build and the energy generated is cheaper to store.

    Clean energy enterprises are in a state of super-evolution.

    In New Brunswick, the Burchill Wind Energy Project is one of the largest battery energy storage facilities in Atlantic Canada.

    It’s just outside of Saint John and is overseen by the Tobique First Nation.

    When I visited earlier this year, Tobique First Nation Chief Ross Perley, said it best:

    “One of our traditional values as a nation is to take care of the environment.

    Green energy projects are going to start taking over, and they’re going to dominate, and that’s the way to the future.”

    Chief Perley got it right.

    And it’s no coincidence that Indigenous Peoples in Canada are playing such a major role in the clean energy revolution. We see it from coast-to-coast-to-coast.

    Canada is already in a good position with the vast majority of our electricity from non-emitting sources.

    We know that demand will likely double over the coming decades.

    It is no longer a matter of doing the “right thing for the environment” but also the “right thing for business”

    Across the countries, companies are shifting investment towards cleaner industry to meet our future energy demands.

    That’s why we launched new investment tax credits for clean electricity production, which add to a range of programs supporting electricity.

    Labour groups have endorsed these credits because for employers to receive their full value they must commit to fair payment of good-paying union-level jobs.

    And we will launch the clean electricity regulations that back our strategy for a cleaner grid in Canada.

    There are so many opportunities awaiting, nationwide.

    You’re in this room because you have seen a business pivot or you have guided a business to respond to events, to adjust, to morph, to reinvent itself.

    Changing the way we power our daily lives and our Canadian society really starts with changing the way that we THINK.

    The federal government is here to guide growth, to support the science and to spark investment.

    Canada’s robust, clean economy will allow us to enjoy prosperous lives while respecting the natural environment, instead of destroying or exploiting it.

    The climate crisis requires us to be innovative together, to encourage each other, and to keep the conversations going.

    Thank you for your time, your thoughtfulness and for the perspective you’ll bring back home from this conference.

    Enjoy the day.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: OEUK news Skills passport enabling people to find new jobs in offshore wind goes live in 2025 17 October 2024

    Source: Offshore Energy UK

    Headline: OEUK news

    Skills passport enabling people to find new jobs in offshore wind goes live in 2025

    17 October 2024

    Joint RenewableUK and OEUK media release – Thursday 17th October 2024

    A new scheme to help workers across the UK’s energy mix, including oil and gas, to find new roles in offshore wind will be launched in January by RenewableUK and Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), supported by the UK and Scottish Governments.

    The Energy Skills Passport enables workers and employers to easily identify which qualifications and training standards, such as health and safety, are needed for specific roles in offshore wind. As part of the Energy Skills Passport, an interactive tool will provide clarity on which qualifications are mutually recognised across the sector to avoid any duplication of training courses, as well as mapping out potential career pathways. It will be managed jointly by OEUK and RenewableUK and will be available to a limited number of testers later this year before it is rolled out in full in the new year. The initial version focuses on the transition to offshore wind and future versions will include other parts of the energy sector.

    The UK’s oil and gas sector supports over 200,000 jobs and the UK’s offshore wind industry already employs 32,000 people – that number is expected to rise to over 100,000 by 2030. Research commissioned by OEUK shows that 90% per cent of oil and gas industry workers have skills which can be transferred to future offshore jobs in renewable energy. Roles which may be suitable for workers to transfer into in offshore wind include maintenance technician, commissioning technician, high-voltage senior authorised person and troubleshooting technician.

    RenewableUK’s Executive Director of Offshore Wind Jane Cooper said:

    “The upsurge in offshore wind jobs over the course of this decade and beyond creates excellent opportunities for highly-skilled oil and gas workers to bring their valuable experience to the clean energy sector. We’re working closely with our colleagues at Offshore Energies UK, and the UK and Scottish Governments, to make that transition as smooth as possible across all parts of the energy industry. The Energy Skills Passport is a great example of what we can achieve together and we’ll continue to look for other potential areas of work that can further support the transition of workers between sectors.”

    Offshore Energies UK’s Director of Supply Chain & People, Katy Heidenreich said:

    “Collaboration is key to unlocking the full potential of the UK’s offshore energy sector so we are proud to be driving this initiative with RenewableUK. This industry and its people have proven excellence and a broad range of transferable skills from engineering and construction to legal and commercial expertise. This passport can help them succeed right across our diverse energy mix. This is one way the UK can back its workforce to build a homegrown energy transition that leaves no-one behind. It’s part of the toolkit this industry is assembling to partner with government to solve the challenges and seize the opportunities of our energy future.”

    The Co-Chair of the Offshore Wind Industry Council Richard Sandford said:

    “The Energy Skills Passport is a crucial step forward for workers to embrace opportunities in the offshore wind industry. It simplifies movement between essential offshore energy sectors, enabling workers to apply their knowledge to the energy transition. The milestone highlights effective collaboration between OEUK and RenewableUK, supported by the UK and Scottish Governments.”

    (ends)

    Notes

    For further information, contact

    1. RenewableUK’s members are building our future energy system, powered by clean electricity. We bring them together to deliver that future faster; a future which is better for industry, billpayers, and the environment. We support over 490 member companies to ensure increasing amounts of renewable electricity are deployed across the UK and to access export markets all over the world. Our members are business leaders, technology innovators, and expert thinkers from right across industry. RenewableUK’s events programme is available here.
    2. Offshore Energies UK is the leading trade body for the UK’s offshore energies industry. Its membership includes over 400 organisations with an interest in offshore oil, gas, carbon capture and storage, hydrogen, and offshore wind. Working together with its members, it is a driving force supporting the UK in ensuring security of energy supply while helping to meet its net zero ambitions.

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    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: TONGA’S REAFFIRM ITS COMMITMENT AND UNWAVERING FAITH ON RENEWABLE ENERGY

    Source: Tonga Government

    Figure 1: Guest of Honours; Crown Prince Tupouto’a (fourth from left), Crown Princess Sinaitakala Tuku’aho (third from left), Princess Halaevalu (front row), Development Partners and the rest of the delegation during the Commissioning the Solar Powered Mini-grid

    Niuafo’ou, Tonga 11th October, 2024 – Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala, Crown Princess Sinaitakala Tuku’aho and Princess Halaevalu commissioned the Solar Mini-grid system of Niuafo’ou. Minister of MEIDECC, Hon Fekita ‘Utoikamanu, HE Brek Batley, senior delegations from ADB, Tonga Power Limited, MEIDECC and the Prime Minister’s Office accompanied the guests of honor at the commissioning.

    Enthusiasm in the eyes of individuals who are granted the opportunity to enhance their access to electricity from limited hours each day to 24 hours per day, seven days a week was a was a significant milestone observed during the Commissioning of the solar mini-grid. The people of Niuafo’ou now have access to 24/7 electricity service generated from Renewable Energy.

    “I wish to reaffirm the Government’s commitment and Tonga’s unwavering faith on renewable energy as a key to addressing the single greatest threat to small island developing states – climate change”, said the Honourable Minister during the Commissioning.

    This is one of the Government’s ongoing efforts to improve quality and reliability of electricity supply that is generated from renewable energy. It is not just a technical shift from fossil fuels to renewable sources; it is a transformation that touches upon every aspect of Tongan lives especially in such remote communities like Niuafo’ou.

    The solar mini-grid was funded under the Tonga Renewable Energy Project (TREP) which was made possible through the kind assistance of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Australian Aid, and the Government of Tonga with the support of Tonga Power Limited  and the extraordinary efforts of the Principal Contractor, Infratec NZ and its sub-contractors during the installation stage.

    Tungua and Moungaone are in progress for the Haapai Islands and the 4 islands in Vavau (Hunga, Otea, Falevai, and Ofu) under the same project.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Progress for investment in Grangemouth’s future

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    UK and Scottish Governments step up plans to support workers at Grangemouth refinery, with immediate investment in skills and training.

    • UK and Scottish Governments respond to Petroineos’ decision to close the refinery with investment in local community
    • Forth Valley College mobilised to support affected workers with bespoke skills support
    • Energy Secretary reiterates UK Government’s willingness to engage on how the National Wealth Fund could fund viable Project Willow outcomes, working with trade unions and industry

    The UK and Scottish Governments are jointly stepping up plans to support workers at the Grangemouth refinery affected by the risk of redundancy, with immediate investment in skills and training. 

    In addition to UK Government and Scottish Government’s joint £100m investment in the Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth Deal, Forth Valley College will receive funding to deliver bespoke support for workers affected by Petroineos’ decision to decommission the oil refinery.  

    Backed by this £100m funding, workers at Grangemouth refinery at risk of redundancy will be contacted in the coming weeks and offered tailored support to access new jobs in the local area that will shape the future of Grangemouth as an industrial hub for years to come.   

    Forth Valley College will shortly begin contacting workers to start building a skills and support package to meet their individual needs, mapping their current skills and qualifications to the future skills needed for local clean energy roles in the area and analysing where the gaps are. 

    The UK and Scottish Governments will use the findings to deliver targeted interventions to upskill the local workforce ahead of redundancies next year.  

    It comes as UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Cabinet Secretary Gillian Martin attended a meeting of the Grangemouth Future Industry Board today (Thursday 17 October) at Forth Valley College alongside UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks, Scotland Secretary Ian Murray, local industry leaders, Falkirk Council, trade bodies and trade unions.  

    The £100 million Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth Deal will support projects and skills interventions in the local area. It is estimated that the Falkirk & Grangemouth Growth Deal will deliver over £628 million in economic benefits and create 1,660 jobs across the Falkirk Council area. 

    The Energy Secretary also reiterated the UK Government’s willingness to engage on how the National Wealth Fund could back projects that have the potential to yield a viable long-term future for the site, as part of the ongoing Project Willow investigation into a viable industrial Grangemouth.  

    Project Willow is urgently assessing credible options to begin building a new long-term industry at the refinery site, including low carbon hydrogen, clean eFuels and sustainable aviation fuels on the site. The Scottish Government will also soon publish the draft Grangemouth Industrial Just Transition Plan. 

    UK Government Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

    We continue to stand with Grangemouth workers and we are putting money on the table to secure workers good onward employment.

    By working in partnership with the Scottish Government, we’ve unlocked an unprecedented joint investment plan to support workers and secure Grangemouth’s future, and I will continue to spare no effort to drive this work forward.

    Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy Gillian Martin said:

    Our immediate priority remains to support the workers directly affected by the regrettable closure of the refinery. We will do everything we can to ensure they are supported to retrain and move into adjacent industries within the wider Grangemouth area.

    These workers are highly skilled and have an important contribution to make locally and nationally.  Our investment will help to unlock valuable new opportunities for them and ensure that their skills and experience continue to benefit industry in the area and the wider community.

    The new skills and training package is open to workers at both Grangemouth and Finnart Oil Terminal and will also be supported by the UK Government’s Office for Clean Energy Jobs.

    Kenny MacInnes, Principal of Forth Valley College, said:

    Forth Valley College are uniquely placed to help and upskill any Petroineos employees who are impacted as a result of the closure of the oil refinery, and we will be there to offer the necessary training and support with the help of funding from the Scottish and UK Governments.

    The College is proud to have had a long term partnership with the Grangemouth Refinery – helping to train their Modern Apprentices – and will continue to build on this in our role of making learning work for the people of Forth Valley to ensure they have the skills for the future.

    We are committed to working with PACE (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) and Falkirk Council to help guide former Petroineos employees onto courses at Forth Valley College which will help them transfer to new jobs in another industry or sector.

    Notes to editors 

    See details of the joint investment plan.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Leaders from 120 Member Countries to attend the Seventh Session of the International Solar Alliance Assembly in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Leaders from 120 Member Countries to attend the Seventh Session of the International Solar Alliance Assembly in New Delhi  

    ISA has evolved into a key platform for global solar cooperation, now encompassing 120 Member & Signatory Countries : Union Minister Pralhad Joshi

    Seventh Session of ISA will held in New Delhi from from 3rd to 6th November 2024

    Posted On: 16 OCT 2024 7:01PM by PIB Delhi

    The curtain raiser for the Seventh Session of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly was hosted today in New Delhi. Representatives from 60 countries participated in the event. 

    The assembly will be presided over by Shri Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy. The Seventh Session of the ISA Assembly is set to be a truly global event. Ministers, missions, and delegates from 120 Member and Signatory Countries, along with partner organisations and stakeholders, will come together to focus on initiatives to improve energy access, security, and transition.

    Shri Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy & President of the ISA Assembly, addressed the august gathering, stating, “ISA has evolved into a key platform for global solar cooperation, now encompassing 120 Member & Signatory Countries. This growing commitment demonstrates solar energy’s significant role in addressing our shared energy access challenges and the adverse effects of climate change. The progress made by ISA’s Member Countries in adopting solar energy is remarkable. Solar energy, available year-round and in abundance in some of our Member Countries, holds the potential to be the game-changer in the theatre of global climate action. Its attributes of being clean, reliable, free and easily accessible to all make it central to achieving universal energy access. Our efforts through the ISA focus on expanding solar infrastructure, creating green jobs, supporting livelihoods, and mitigating climate impacts.”

     

     

    Under the presidency of the Republic of India and co-presidency of the Republic of France, the seventh session of the International Solar Alliance Assembly will be held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, India, from 03 November to 06 November 2024. Ministers, mission heads, and senior government officials from 120 Member and Signatory Countries, prospective countries, partner organisations, the private sector, and key stakeholders will participate.

     

    Shri Ajay Yadav, Joint Secretary, MNRE, Government of India, in his opening remarks, noted, “Global solar deployment presents its challenges: investments, infrastructure, and indigenisation. Countering these challenges demands targeted efforts to support the sector’s expansion. Further highlighting ISA’s role and substantial contributions, he said, “To address these challenges through various programmes, initiatives, and collaborations with governments, private enterprises, and international organisations and by working with its Member Countries, ISA creates opportunities to diversify global supply chains and boost solar energy demand, contributing to manufacturing capacity growth.” Elaborating on the focused efforts, he added, “We proudly count 120 among our Member & Signatory Countries, with 102 ratifying the ISA Framework Agreement, showcasing our growing global influence. With the firm support of Member Countries, ISA has successfully launched initiatives to accelerate solar adoption, foster innovation, and enhance capacity-building efforts.”

    Dr Ajay Mathur, Director General of the International Solar Alliance, said, “The International Solar Alliance stands at the forefront of global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDGs 7 & 13 on affordable and clean energy and climate action respectively. The International Solar Alliance is a force for change. It harmonises and aggregates demand for solar finance, technologies, innovation, research and development, and capacity building. This initiative is more than just a coalition; it is a revolutionary movement reshaping our energy landscape and our planet’s future. Adding further, he said, “As we approach the mark to last five years to realise the goals defined by the 2030 Agenda, this session of the ISA Assembly is an important nudge to accelerate our actions and raise our ambitions. All stakeholders must make this decade count in favour of climate action. Our work at the ISA directly supports the implementation of the Paris Agreement and contributes to the broader UN framework for sustainable development. ISA is working with Member Countries to help shape conducive policies to bring in investments in solar energy, a sustainable pipeline of solar-powered projects, and help build skills to sustain solar projects in the long term.”

    At this assembly, the fulcrum of the discussions will be the means and modes that will be adopted to accelerate solar deployment across Member Countries, especially in regions with limited energy access.  Additionally, updates on the following ISA’s flagship initiatives for entrepreneurs, skill enhancement and capacity building, mobilising finance, and advocacy for solar as energy as a choice will be presented:

    • SolarX Startup Challenge, launched by ISA in collaboration with Invest India in 2022, at COP27 in Egypt, the challenge aims to foster entrepreneurship by supporting scalable and replicable solar energy business models in ISA’s Member Countries.
    • The STAR-C initiative, launched in 2022 by ISA, UNIDO, and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, France, aims to build capacity and align skills with national training needs. It enhances quality infrastructure and standards for photovoltaic and solar thermal products to drive economic growth and job creation.
    • Global Solar Facility: launched in 2022, enhances solar investments in underserved regions, particularly Africa, using tools like the Solar Payment Guarantee Fund and Solar Insurance Fund.
    • The First International Solar Festival, launched in September 2024, brought together corporates, academia, youth, community leaders, and other stakeholders to exchange ideas, promoting creativity and international cooperation for a future driven by solar energy.

     

    The Assembly’s seventh session will be followed by a day-long series of sessions styled as a ‘High-Level Conference on New Technologies for Clean Energy Transition’ on 5 November 2024 hosted in collaboration with the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, the Government of India, the Asian Development Bank, and the International Solar Energy Society. The conference’s third edition will be attended by the ministerial delegations of the ISA Member Countries, policymakers, subject matter experts, and industry leaders. Through its deliberations, the Conference aims to inspire real-world change and make significant strides toward achieving global climate goals by fostering collaboration, sparking innovation, and sharing knowledge by focusing on promoting solar energy to cut carbon emissions, find ways to expand energy access and boost economic growth. The Conference will also witness the release of the third edition of ISA’s World Solar Reports on Technology, Finance, and Markets.

    The Assembly proceedings will conclude on 6 November 2024 with a visit to a farm site on the outskirts of New Delhi showcasing the practical implementation of agrivoltaic systems. The site in Najafgarh is maintained by the India Agrivoltaics Alliance, an initiative of the National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI), along with like-minded organisations dedicated to advancing the concept of agrivoltaics in India, which involves the simultaneous use of land for both agriculture and solar energy generation.

    ABOUT THE ISA ASSEMBLY

    The Assembly is the apex decision-making body of ISA, representing each Member Country. This body makes decisions concerning the implementation of the ISA’s Framework Agreement and coordinated actions to be taken to achieve its objective. The Assembly meets annually at the ministerial level at the ISA’s seat. It assesses the aggregate effect of the programmes and other activities in terms of deployment of solar energy, performance, reliability, cost and scale of finance. 120 countries are signatories to the ISA Framework Agreement, of which 102 countries have submitted the necessary instruments of ratification to become full members of the ISA. The Republic of India holds the office of the President of the ISA Assembly, with the Government of the French Republic as the co-president.

    The Seventh Session of the ISA Assembly will deliberate on initiatives of ISA that impact energy access, security, and transitions with a focus on:

    • Empowering Member Countries to adopt solar energy as the energy source of choice
    • Make energy access universal by supporting solar entrepreneurs to scale up local solutions
    • Mobilise finance to speed up solar deployment

    ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL SOLAR ALLIANCE

    The International Solar Alliance is an international organisation with 120 Member & Signatory Countries. It works with governments to improve energy access and security worldwide and promote solar power as a sustainable way to transition to a carbon-neutral future.

    ISA’s mission is to unlock US$ 1 trillion of investments in solar by 2030 while reducing the cost of the technology and its financing. It promotes the use of solar energy in the agriculture, health, transport and power generation sectors. ISA Member Countries are driving change by enacting policies and regulations, sharing best practices, agreeing on common standards, and mobilising investments. Through this work, ISA has identified and designed and tested new business models for solar projects; supported governments to make their energy legislation and policies solar-friendly through Ease of Doing Solar analytics and advisory; pooled demand for solar technology from different countries, and drove down costs; improved access to finance by reducing the risks and making the sector more attractive to private investment; increased access to solar training, data and insights for solar engineers and energy policymakers.

    ISA was formed at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Paris in 2015 and is partnering with multilateral development banks (MDBs), development financial institutions (DFIs), private and public sector organisations, civil society, and other international institutions to deploy cost-effective and transformational energy solutions powered by the sun, especially in the least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

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    Navin Sreejith

     

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Appalachian Hydrogen Hub – Phase 1 Award Virtual Community Briefing

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    In July 2024, OCED awarded the Appalachian Hydrogen Hub—led by Battelle—with $30 million for the first tranche of funding out of the total project federal cost share of up to $925 million to begin Phase 1 of its project plan. This recording of the virtual community briefing features a conversation between OCED and the Hub’s team to provide an overview of the current project plans and engagement opportunities for the Appalachian Hydrogen Hub, held on August 16, 2024. Visit http://www.energy.gov/oced/h2hubs to learn more.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDcFFYtYHJI

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister of State Sh. Jitendra Singh emphasizes collaboration and innovation as key drivers of India’s climate action

    Source: Government of India

    Union Minister of State Sh. Jitendra Singh emphasizes collaboration and innovation as key drivers of India’s climate action

    National Action Plan on Climate Change quintessential to India’s climate strategy and adaptation efforts:- Dr. Jitendra Singh

    Dr. Singh urges citizens for collective efforts in climate fight, encourages simple daily steps towards sustainability

    Posted On: 16 OCT 2024 6:46PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh has said that there is an urgent need for decisive action to combat climate change, a challenge that is no longer a distant threat but an immediate reality affecting lives, economies, and the future of the planet. He was addressing the Times Now Global Sustainability Alliance’s 6th edition of the SDG Summit 2024 in New Delhi today. The theme for the address was Game Changing India’s Science Based Targets for Climate Change.

    Recognizing India’s responsibility as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, Dr. Singh reaffirmed the country’s commitment to balancing sustainable development with global climate change mitigation efforts. He highlighted the importance of science-based targets, which, in alignment with the goals of the Paris Agreement, aim to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, with aspirations to restrict it to 1.5 degrees.

    He outlined India’s key climate targets, which include:

    A reduction of 33-35% in greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 2030, using 2005 levels as a baseline.

    A commitment to increasing non-fossil fuel energy capacity to 500 GW.

    An ambitious goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070.

    The Minister of State underscored the importance of collaboration in achieving these targets, urging stronger partnerships between government, industry, academia, and civil society. He highlighted that innovation will be central to India’s strategy, whether through advancements in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, or green technologies. The government is committed to supporting research and development to drive these innovations under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

     

    Dr. Singh pointed to the robust policy framework established by the Government of India to guide climate action, with the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) playing a pivotal role. The NAPCC, launched in 2008, comprises eight key missions that address various aspects of climate adaptation and mitigation:

    1. National Solar Mission: Aims to promote solar energy technologies and achieve 100 GW of solar power capacity by 2022.

    2. National Wind Energy Mission: Focuses on expanding wind energy capacity and encouraging innovation in wind technology.

    3. National Mission for Energy Efficiency: Seeks to enhance energy efficiency through programs such as the Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme.

    4. National Mission on Sustainable Habitat: Aims to promote energy efficiency in buildings, urban planning, and waste management.

    5. National Water Mission: Focuses on water conservation and equitable distribution, addressing the impacts of climate change on water resources.

    6. National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem: Works to protect the fragile Himalayan ecosystem through research and monitoring.

    7. National Mission on Agricultural Adaptation: Aims to build resilience in agriculture by promoting sustainable practices and crop diversification.

    8. National Mission on Green India: Seeks to increase forest cover, restore degraded ecosystems, and enhance ecosystem services.

    Moreover, He emphasized that India has developed various sector-specific strategies to strengthen its climate goals. These goals include:

    Energy Sector: Investments in renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and biomass, alongside the implementation of smart grids and energy storage.

    Transportation: Promotion of electric vehicles (EVs) and enhancement of public transportation systems.

    Agriculture: Focus on climate-resilient crops, improved irrigation, and sustainable farming practices.

    Urban Development: Encouragement of sustainable urban planning, green building practices, and waste management initiatives.

    Water Resources: Promotion of water conservation, rainwater harvesting, and enhanced river basin management.

    Disaster Management: Strengthening resilience against climate-induced disasters through improved early warning systems and community preparedness.

    Dr. Singh urged every citizen to actively participate in the fight against climate change, emphasizing that simple changes in daily life can have a significant impact. He stressed the importance of fostering a culture of sustainability and urged all stakeholders to collaborate towards a resilient and sustainable future.

    He congratulated the organisers and wished success to the event.

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    NKK/GS

     

    (Release ID: 2065522) Visitor Counter : 23

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: California Hydrogen Hub – Phase 1 Award Virtual Community Briefing

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    In July 2024, OCED awarded the California Hydrogen Hub—led by the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES)—with $30 million for the first tranche of funding out of the total project federal cost share of up to $1.2 billion to begin Phase 1 of its project plan. This recording of the virtual community briefing features a conversation between OCED and the ARCHES team to provide an overview of the current project plans and engagement opportunities for the California Hydrogen Hub, held on August 5, 2024. Visit https://www.energy.gov/oced/h2hubs to learn more.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdDB4II4sJ0

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub – Phase 1 Award Virtual Community Briefing

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    In July 2024, OCED awarded the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub—led by the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association (PNWH2)—with $27.5 million for the first tranche of funding out of the total project federal cost share of up to $1 billion to begin Phase 1 of its project plan.

    This recording of the virtual community briefing features a conversation between OCED and the PNWH2 team to provide an overview of the current project plans and engagement opportunities for the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub, held on August 8, 2024.

    Visit https://www.energy.gov/oced/h2hubs to learn more.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibhsc14-BoA

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI: Israel Acquisitions Corp. Announces LOI with Gadfin Aero-Logistics Systems

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TEL AVIV, Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Israel Acquisitions Corp. (NASDAQ: ISRL) today announced that it has signed a non-binding letter of intent (“LOI”) for a proposed business combination (the “Combination”) with Gadfin Aero-Logistics Systems (“Gadfin”), an Israeli technology company specializing in all-weather unmanned aerial delivery for necessary cargo such as medical supplies.

    Through the company’s patented technology, its unmanned aerial vehicles, powered by Hydrogen Fuel cells, that are able to deliver medical supplies and other cargo with ease, even under harsh weather conditions to long range destinations. This makes it possible to significantly improve logistics delivery in both combat zones and for civil purposes.

    “Israeli entrepreneurs have been known as lead innovators in technology, and Gadfin’s unmanned aerial vehicles are no exception,” says Izhar Shay, Executive Chairman of Israel Acquisitions Corp. “The company’s technology has the ability to revolutionize the speed of delivery of necessary medical supplies and other important cargo, including into high-risk areas. We look forward to partnering with Gadfin and supporting the growth of their business.”

    “We are excited to partner with Israel Acquisitions Corp and bring our unparalleled technology to the Nasdaq markets,” says Eyal Regev, Gadfin CEO. “With this public listing, we will be able to accelerate our production and bring to the market new models fulfilling backlog orders. This will bring this much needed technology to remote locations, hospitals, and other civil areas.”

    Israel Acquisitions Corp expects to announce additional details regarding the Combination when a definitive Business Combination Agreement is executed, which is expected in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    About Israel Acquisitions Corp.
    Israel Acquisitions Corp. is a Cayman Islands exempted company incorporated as a blank-check company formed for the purpose of entering into a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. The Company intends to focus on high-growth technology companies that are domiciled in Israel, and that either carry out all or a substantial portion of their activities in Israel or have some other significant Israeli connection. The management team is led by Chairman, Izhar Shay, Chief Executive Officer, Ziv Elul, and Chief Financial Officer, Sharon Barzik Cohen.

    Forward Looking-Statements
    This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements,” including with respect to the initial public offering and search for an initial business combination. No assurance can be given that the offering discussed above will be completed on the terms described, or at all, or that the proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement for the initial public offering filed with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC’s website, http://www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

    Contact:
    contact@israelspac.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Clean Energy Industries Rally Behind Illinois Bills to Save Ratepayers $3 Billion Through Grid Modernization

    Source: American Clean Power Association (ACP)

    Headline: Clean Energy Industries Rally Behind Illinois Bills to Save Ratepayers $3 Billion Through Grid Modernization

    HB5856 and SB3959 will increase the reliability of the Illinois energy grid, protect ratepayers from rising costs, future-proof the economy, and help the state achieve climate goals
    ILLINOIS, October 15, 2024 – Illinois clean energy industries are unified in supporting HB5856 and SB3959, new legislation that will future-proof Illinois’ energy grid and economy, lower consumer costs, meet climate goals, create family-sustaining careers, and mitigate increasing risks of blackouts.
    “Clean energy is the future, and it’s my duty to work toward that future for the benefit of all Illinois residents,” said State Rep. Barbara Hernandez (D-Aurora), lead House sponsor of HB5856. “HB5856 and SB3959 will provide many benefits to Illinois for decades to come, from lowering consumer costs to ushering in thousands of jobs to preventing dangerous blackouts to bolstering our power grid to make Illinois an attractive investment for energy-intensive tech companies.”
    These bills establish the first clean energy storage procurement mandate for the state to ensure a more reliable grid and address challenges that are slowing down renewable energy resource development. HB5856 and SB3959 would save Illinois consumers $30 per month on their energy bills, prevent more than $7 billion in blackout-related expenses, and create as much as $16 billion in economic benefits.
    “Illinois has an ambitious plan to be a national leader in the climate change fight while supercharging the state’s clean energy economy,” said State Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago). “While Illinois is on the right path to meet its goals, it is at risk of not meeting its more immediate deadlines, which will arrive as early as 2030. HB5856 and SB3959 are thoughtful, strategic bills that will help unleash the clean energy economy’s full potential while strengthening our electric grid to make it more reliable, encouraging development and job growth, and creating additional protections for consumers and all ratepayers.”
    The clean energy industries collectively agree that HB5856 and SB3959 are necessary to address the urgent need for more clean energy storage in Illinois. Federal, regional, and state regulators identify Illinois as at risk for falling short of energy needs. This means the state will face challenges in maintaining a reliable grid and that consumers may experience increased and unpredictable energy rates. Legislative action is needed now because deploying large-scale energy storage resources takes time. Illinois residents are already feeling the impact of regulators’ projections, as the July 2024 PJM Interconnection energy capacity auction saw an 833% increase in energy prices, due to an anticipated energy capacity shortfall that will increase power bills by as much as $30 per month for millions of Illinois residents within the PJM Interconnection territory. HB5856 and SB3959 will directly address this risk by providing incentives to supercharge more solar and wind energy and storage developments for a more diverse, reliable power grid.
    “HB5856 and SB3959 are critical to building on the success of the landmark Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) in Illinois,” said Andrew Linhares, Senior Manager, Central Region at Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). “The Illinois clean energy economy has flourished in recent years but there’s more work to be done to secure the state’s clean energy future. This thoughtfully crafted legislation will help unleash the full potential of solar and storage and help Illinois achieve 100% clean energy by 2050.”
    A recent study by Mark Pruitt, former director of the Illinois Power Agency, founder of The Power Bureau, and a professor at Northwestern University, found that HB5856’s and SB3959’s target to create at least 8,500 MW of clean energy storage would provide up to $3 billion in consumer cost savings, save up to $7.3 billion in blackout-related costs through increased grid reliability, and generate up to $16.3 billion in economic activity in Illinois by 2050. The study also found that energy storage is the most cost-effective, immediate, and attainable long-term solution. Not only would HB5856 and SB3959 create those benefits, but they would also ensure Illinois meets the clean energy mandates established by CEJA.
    “American Clean Power (ACP) was proud to help lead this collaborative effort to ramp up the procurement and deployment of storage and solar technologies in a way that delivers for the people of Illinois,” said Erika Kowall, Director of Midwestern State Affairs for ACP. “HB5856 and SB3959 will meet the state’s clean energy goals, unleashing the full potential of clean energy’s cost efficiency and economic benefits. We appreciate the leadership of Sen. Cunningham and Rep. Hernandez for swiftly taking up this legislation and hope it can be implemented quickly.”
    “Energy storage will improve the reliability of the Illinois electric grid, and this legislation can’t come at a more important moment,” said Trish Demeter, Managing Director of Advanced Energy United. “The sooner we can begin adding more energy storage, the sooner we can address energy capacity shortfalls due to the ever-growing energy demand from residents and businesses, retiring power stations, and continued investments from energy-intensive industries, while providing savings to consumers and supercharging the Illinois economy.”
    “All of these pieces work together – storage, grid reliability, ratepayer savings, climate goals, and equity,” said Lesley McCain, Executive Director of Illinois Solar Energy and Storage Association. “HB5856 and SB3959 tie together each of these pieces to move Illinois closer toward achieving its climate goals. Energy storage is essential to creating a more reliable grid. A more reliable grid is critical to protecting residents from rising prices and attracting investments from new businesses. Incentivizing growth in these areas will accelerate progress toward our climate goals, which will remove high-polluting energy generators from low-income areas. More growth will stimulate the creation of more high-quality job and career opportunities for all Illinois residents. We’ve made great progress toward the aggressive climate goals established by CEJA, but we must keep learning, adapting, and growing if we want to achieve those goals.”
    Interconnection is another important topic addressed by HB5856 and SB3959. Interconnection is the process of connecting an energy generating system, such as a new residential solar panel installation or a community solar array, to the existing power grid. Currently, the process varies significantly from project to project, which can result in large, unanticipated costs to connect a system to the energy grid. Oftentimes, the large, unanticipated cost arises after the development is completed, which can terminate a project even if the system is built and ready to be energized. HB5856 and SB3959 aim to increase transparency and predictability on the interconnection process to reduce surprise changes and costs and maintain the integrity and safety of the power grid.
    “There are many critical stages to solar energy project development, and interconnection is one of the most critical,” said Carlo Cavallaro, Midwest Regional Director of Coalition for Community Solar Access. “When the system has been built and all that is left is to connect it to the grid, this is not when a project should be stalled or failed. Unfortunately, it happens more than one might think, so HB5856 and SB3959 address this in a way that makes the process more transparent and collaborative. If we can make this process more efficient, then it’ll benefit all ratepayers because the process will be cheaper and faster; and it will help us add new clean energy resources to the grid and reach our clean energy goals faster.”
    “Building on CEJA’s landmark goals, HB5856 and SB3959 are a progressive, evidence-based approach that will establish Illinois’ energy grid as the nation’s leader in clean, affordable, and reliable electricity. It will positively benefit electricity customers, improve grid reliability, and send a bold message far and wide that Illinois is open for clean energy business,” said Jeff Danielson, Vice President of Advocacy at Clean Grid Association. “We’re proud to stand with Illinois’ new generation of energy leaders in the Senate and House, who are focused on building the grid of tomorrow right here in the heartland of America. They are standing up for the clean energy opportunities Illinois’ citizens deserve and showing that a reliable grid and business investments of the future go hand-in-hand. The rest of the Midwest, indeed the USA, will take notice.”
    HB5856 and SB3959 address the following:
    Grid Resilience and Reliability
    Establishes an 8.5 GW utility-scale cumulative storage procurement target for the Illinois Power Agency. Storage is a critical component of a stable and resilient grid, as it provides on-time support for grid infrastructure during high-usage Peak Load periods.
    Creates a storage + solar/wind ecosystem that empowers increased storage development at all scales and multi-tech, from behind-the-meter to utility-scale.
    Creates incentive programs for customers to adopt technology that reduces peak loads, behind-meter storage that reduces peak loads or exports, and combined community solar + storage developments.
    Establishes a robust storage and Virtual Power Plant (VPP) ecosystem that makes it less likely a grid will need to tap non-renewable and high-pollutant fuels during periods of high usage, and ensures the grid uses clean, renewable sources that work together regardless of whether or not the sun is shining or the wind is blowing, increasing the overall reliability of the grid in a sustainable way.
    Economic Benefits, Consumer Protections, and Agency Modernization
    Creates a VPP program to provide cost-savings by tapping devices such as rooftop solar and storage to inject power to the grid during peak times, rather than burning extra non-renewable fuel to meet periods of peak demand.
    Implements a more efficient interconnection process to encourage more clean energy development.
    Fosters utility-scale solar development through new IPA storage procurement targets.
    Creates new incentives that eliminate barriers for ratepayers to adopt solar and storage.
    Creates guaranteed savings for consumers by requiring utilities to pass clean energy savings through to consumers.
    Uncaps the residential Illinois Shines Block to eliminate waiting lists and enable more households to install solar, which will create more demand and jobs for clean energy developers and contribute to a more stable grid.
    Stimulates new storage, solar, and wind development, which will lead to the creation of new high-quality clean energy jobs in every corner of Illinois.
    Modernizes IPA procurement processes to ensure efficient procurement of clean energy and keeps Illinois on track to achieve CEJA goals.
    HB5856 and SB3959 can be read in its entirety HERE. To learn more about the legislation, visit http://www.solarpowersillinois.com/legislation-hb-5856.
    ###
    About Solar Powers Illinois Solar Powers Illinois is a collaborative partnership between the Illinois Solar Energy and Storage Association, Coalition for Community Solar Access, and Solar Energy Industries Association that works to promote the adoption of solar power in Illinois for consumers, businesses, and communities through education, advocacy, and action.
    About Advanced Energy United
    Advanced Energy United educates, engages, and advocates for policies that allow our member companies to compete to repower our economy with 100% clean energy. We work with decision makers at every level of government as well as regulators of energy markets to achieve this goal. The businesses we represent are lowering consumer costs, creating millions of new jobs, and providing the full range of clean, efficient, and reliable energy and transportation solutions. Together, we are united in our mission to accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy in the United States. Advanced Energy United is online at AdvancedEnergyUnited.org and @AdvEnergyUnited.
    About Clean Grid Association (CGA)
    Clean Grid Association (CGA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization based in St. Paul, Minn., whose mission is to advance renewable energy in the Midwest. CGA has been an active stakeholder in the MISO process at the state and regional levels and a leading organization working on transforming state energy policy. CGA’s membership includes businesses investing in wind, solar, storage, hydrogen and transmission projects, as well as environmental nonprofit organizations, public advocacy groups & clean energy advocates who come together to build the clean energy grid of the future. Learn more at cleangridalliance.org.
    About Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA)
    CCSA is a national trade association representing over 130 community solar developers, businesses, and nonprofits. Together, we are building the electric grid of the future where every customer has the freedom to support the generation of clean, local solar energy to power their lives. Through legislative and regulatory advocacy, and the support of a diverse coalition — including advocates for competition, clean energy, ratepayers, landowners, farmers, and environmental justice — we enable policies that unlock the potential of distributed energy resources, starting with community solar. For more information, visit https://www.communitysolaraccess.org and follow the group on X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and Youtube.
    About Illinois Solar Energy and Storage Association (ISEA)
    The Illinois Solar Energy and Storage Association (ISEA) is a non-profit organization that promotes the widespread application of solar and other forms of renewable energy through our mission of education and advocacy. Representing over 150 solar businesses, ISEA is the state resource for renewable energy related policy developments, educational classes, events and access to local renewable energy businesses. http://www.illinoissolar.org.
    About Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)
    The Solar Energy Industries Association® (SEIA) is leading the transformation to a clean energy economy, creating the framework for solar to achieve 30% of U.S. electricity generation by 2030. SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies and other strategic partners to fight for policies that create jobs in every community and shape fair market rules that promote competition and the growth of reliable, low-cost solar power. Founded in 1974, SEIA is the national trade association for the solar and solar + storage industries, building a comprehensive vision for the Solar+ Decade through research, education and advocacy. Visit SEIA online at www.seia.org and follow @SEIA on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: How a Clean Energy Simulator Is Helping Build a Better Grid

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    A Sweeping Research Platform Can Now Mimic Steady, Predictable Water Power (and More)

    NREL’s energy simulator can mimic the grids of the future—and now, this massive, virtual and real-world research platform can simulate water power, too. Photo by Werner Slocum, NREL

    Say you want to study something big—like a community power grid, a massive pipe system, or roadways crisscrossing the entire United States—but none of it exists, at least not yet. How do you study these invisible labyrinths to make sure they will be safe and efficient?

    Good question, and here is the answer: You do that at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on a platform called the Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (or ARIES, for short).

    NREL’s experts have built a research platform that can create 3D simulations of entire power grids—either existing or theoretical—that contain thousands or even millions of different energy technologies. For example, researchers can populate an existing grid with wind turbines, solar panels, batteries, nuclear facilities, electric vehicles, or even smart devices, like our cell phones, to see how they could impact our future grid.

    But until recently, one grid puzzle piece has not been well represented.

    “The part that has been missing is: How can we simulate or represent water power devices?” said Rob Hovsapian, a mechanical engineer at NREL and an ARIES research advisor who helped introduce hydropower into the platform.

    With ARIES, researchers can play out and plan for almost any future grid scenario. For example: How could huge amounts of renewable energy impact different community grids? And how could hydropower help our power system weather hurricanes, cold snaps, cyberattacks, and other disruptions?

    “It allows us to do those ‘what if’ scenarios,” Hovsapian said. “In the real world, you’re limited to what’s there.”

    Now that ARIES has integrated water power into its grid simulations, researchers can explore even more “what if” scenarios to prepare for the grid to come. Photo by Bryan Bechtold, NREL

    Now, we can ask “what ifs” about water power technologies, like hydropower and the more nascent marine energy (sometimes called ocean energy because it often comes from powerful ocean waves, currents, and tides, but it can refer to energy from river currents as well). Though very different, both water power technologies generate predictable energy, making them a dependable partner for more variable energy sources, like wind energy and solar power. Those renewables, along with energy storage (like batteries), have been part of ARIES for a good while now. It was time to sprinkle a little water into the mix.

    “Now that we can use ARIES to simulate hydropower, we can study more scenarios in more locations and even potential future energy systems,” said Jerry Davis, the laboratory program manager for ARIES. “We want to represent as many renewable generation sources as we can.”

    But that is harder than it might sound.

    A Hydropower Simulator Helps a Remote Alaskan Village

    When fishers return to the harbor in the remote village of Cordova, Alaska, they enter a cove full of mast spikes resembling hundreds of mini-church spires. Those fishers—and there are a lot in Cordova—bring in salmon, halibut, rockfish, and trout but also something less desirable: a 400% increase in energy demand, which can strain the small village’s microgrid, a standalone power system that depends on just two hydropower plants and diesel generators (and diesel must be flown or boated in, often at great expense).

    And that is a problem.

    Cordova’s microgrid—and everything it powers, including hospitals and homes—is vulnerable to spikes in energy demand from the summer fish bonanza and Alaska’s dangerously cold winters as well as extreme weather events, like avalanches and droughts. The village needed solutions—novel ways for their microgrid to bob and weave with all these changes, so they can match energy supply to demand, especially when their economy or lives depend on it.

    But you cannot simply tinker with such a critical system, hoping your manipulations do not cause a blackout or irreparable damage. Nor can you study something that does not exist, like batteries or solar panels that have yet to be installed.

    That is where NREL and ARIES come in.

    The ARIES platform uses data from real-world wind turbines, solar panels, hydropower generators, and more to create a highly accurate virtual simulation of different grid scenarios and how they might react to changes in energy demand, weather, and higher levels of renewable energy. Graphic by Josh Bauer, NREL; photo by Joe DelNero, NREL

    The village was one of the first communities to directly benefit from ARIES’ hydropower emulation platform, which, like the rest of ARIES, relies on hardware and software to accurately simulate the town’s spiderweb of energy devices. ARIES’ software programs, which are built on real-world data, can mimic actual grids (like Cordova’s microgrid), so researchers can manipulate the Cordova system in the safety of a computer simulation. Soon, ARIES will also be able to connect actual hardware, like a hydropower generator, to these virtual simulations so the system can receive live feedback from real tech and learn from it.

    For hydropower, ARIES’ simulation capability is especially valuable. Although researchers can install experimental solar panels and wind turbines at a laboratory field site, they cannot replicate hydropower plants—they are simply too big and too specific to certain river sites or geography.

    Instead, Mayank Panwar, a senior research engineer at NREL, and Hovsapian built what they call a Real-Time Hydropower Emulation Platform, which can mimic real-world hydropower facilities in real time—one second in the hydropower simulator equates to one second in the real world. As of today, their 2.5-megawatt emulator uses data from actual hydropower plants (including those in Cordova) to inform its simulations.

    “As we add more and more technologies to ARIES and there’s more and more variability and uncertainty with the grid, such as wind and solar, hydro will play a key role in providing stability to the grid,” Hovsapian said. “But how would we quantify that? ARIES will be an ideal environment for us to do that.”

    With ARIES, Hovsapian can ask more “what if” questions, like what if this hydropower plant in Cordova is paired with a 10-megawatt battery or 3 megawatts of solar panels instead of 1? And how do these changes impact the grid’s reliability? Thanks to ARIES, Cordova has their answers—and a more resilient grid, too.

    No other system in the world can accomplish this kind of plug-and-play simulation, Hovsapian said.

    And it is not just hydropower that benefits.

    Getting Marine Energy to Communities Quickly

    Marine energy is still in the early stages of development, but these technologies can be valuable sources of clean energy for communities that have ample flowing water and little else. Like Cordova, the Alaskan village of Igiugig also relies on expensive shipments of diesel fuel. Many island communities off the coast of Maine struggle to maintain stable power when weather whips through. Communities in Hawaii, where energy costs are typically higher than in the rest of the country, also often depend on costly imported fuels.

    And yet, all three of these areas have one powerful thing in common: hefty amounts of water. With energy from river currents, waves, and tides, each community could improve its energy resilience and potentially achieve its clean energy goals, too.

    There is just one problem: Before communities opt to install one of these nascent devices, they need greater confidence that the technologies can deliver on their promise—and that is exactly what ARIES can provide.

    Prabakar (right) uses the ARIES research platform to simulate how marine energy technologies, like river current devices, could slot into existing grids and improve a community’s energy resilience. Photo by Joe DelNero, NREL

    “A big part of our mission is de-risking energy technologies, so communities are comfortable deploying them,” Davis said.

    At NREL, researchers are studying marine energy technologies “to make sure that things don’t fail in the field,” said Kumaraguru Prabakar, a research engineer at the laboratory. “Even if a small river generator is powering a small house, it is powering the grid, so you have to make sure it’s safe.”

    And for that—and more complicated analyses—he needs ARIES.

    Right now, Prabakar is examining how marine energy technologies slot into preexisting grids. Currents tend to be consistent, but rivers are still subject to freezes and droughts. Waves and tides are predictable but do not always churn out the same amount of power throughout the day or year. With ARIES, Prabakar can assess how these variations might impact different power systems and whether other solutions, like energy stored as green hydrogen, could balance out these fluctuations.

    ARIES’ biggest gift might be time. In the last decade, researchers used to take years to validate new energy technologies, Prabakar said. But now, with ARIES, experts can significantly speed up that process (ARIES can even pair up with similar simulators at other national laboratories to pull in even more data, capabilities, and answers). Speed is especially critical to accelerate the development of marine energy technologies so they can help fight climate change sooner rather than later.

    “If somebody comes up with an idea to add water power, they should be able to deploy it in less than 12 months,” Prabakar said.

    “It’s exciting,” Hovsapian added. “There are a lot of changes coming, and ARIES can help us prepare.”

    Learn more about the Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES), the nation’s most advanced platform for energy system integration research and validation at scale. And subscribe to the NREL water power newsletter, The Current, to make sure you do not miss a water power update.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Crown LNG Announces Filing of First Half 2024 Financial Statements on Form 6-K

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Crown LNG Holdings Limited (“Crown” or “Crown LNG” or the “Company”), a leading provider of LNG liquefaction and regasification terminal technologies for harsh weather locations, today announced that on October 16, 2024, Crown filed the unaudited financial statements of Crown LNG Holding AS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Crown, for the six-month period ended June 30, 2024 on Form 6-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The filing is available online through the SEC’s website.

    Crown LNG continues to execute against its strategic priorities – moving its India and Scotland projects toward Final Investment Decision, pursuing revenue generating M&A, and exploring possibilities for liquefied natural gas export facility development. These priorities were laid out and discussed in the Crown’s Corporate Update, which is available on the Crown LNG Investor page here.

    About Crown LNG Holdings Limited
    Crown LNG is a leading provider of offshore LNG liquefaction and regasification terminal infrastructure solutions for harsh weather locations, which represent a significant addressable market for bottom-fixed, gravity based (“GBS”) liquefaction and floating storage regasification units, as well as associated green and blue hydrogen, ammonia and power projects. Through this approach, Crown aims to provide lower carbon sources of energy securely to under-served markets across the globe. Visit http://www.crownlng.com/investors for more information.

    Crown LNG Contacts

    Investors
    Caldwell Bailey
    ICR, Inc.
    CrownLNGIR@icrinc.com

    Media
    Zach Gorin
    ICR, Inc.
    CrownLNGPR@icrinc.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Action to boost jobs and investment for clean energy in Scotland

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    UK government accelerates “skills passport” and with Scottish Government strikes deal for Great British Energy to work with Scottish public bodies.

    • Energy Secretary visits Aberdeen as UK and Scottish Governments partner to make billions available in funding across the UK including for Scotland’s clean energy industry

    • UK and Scottish Governments strike new deal for Great British Energy to work with Scottish public bodies to support clean energy supply chains

    • UK Government also confirms the speeding up of delivery of a ‘skills passport’ to support oil and gas workers to move into offshore wind

    The UK Government will take decisive action to help make available billions of pounds in funding across the UK including for Scotland’s clean energy industry, the Energy Secretary has pledged ahead of a visit to Aberdeen.  

    The Energy Secretary will visit Aberdeen with Great British Energy Chair Juergen Maier for the first time since the city was announced as the headquarters for the UK’s new publicly-owned energy company. 

    Following the visit, the UK Government is set to sign a new agreement with the Scottish Government today (Thursday 17 October) to boost Great British Energy’s ambitions to support clean energy supply chains and infrastructure.  

    By developing partnerships with Scottish public bodies in the clean energy sector – including Crown Estate Scotland, the Enterprise Agencies and the Scottish National Investment Bank – Great British Energy can deliver quickly and effectively, avoid duplication, and deliver maximum impact and value for money from Scottish projects. 

    Scotland has a strong pipeline of opportunities and is at the forefront of floating offshore wind development, and Great British Energy is in prime position to help accelerate this work by harnessing expertise in project development, investment and work with local communities. 

    Great British Energy has £8.3 billion of funding over this Parliament, and work is underway with the energy industry in Scotland to use this for public investment to create new private sector jobs and drive projects in Scotland.  

    Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:  

    Scottish energy workers will power the United Kingdom’s clean energy future- including in carbon capture and storage, in hydrogen, in wind, and with oil and gas for decades to come as part of a fair transition in the North Sea.  

    Unlike in the past we’re also working closely with the Scottish Government with a new agreement to ensure our publicly owned company Great British Energy is primed to accelerate clean energy investment in Scotland.

    This follows the announcement in the summer of a partnership between Great British Energy and The Crown Estate, covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland, which could support the leveraging of up to £30-60 billion of private investment. 

    Ahead of the visit, the UK Government has also confirmed that oil and gas workers will be supported to move more easily into careers in the renewable sector, including offshore wind, as the UK government accelerates delivery of a ‘skills passport’.  

    The passport is an industry led initiative overseen by RenewableUK and Offshore Energies UK and supported by the UK and Scottish Governments which will align standards, recognise transferable skills and qualifications and map out career pathways for suitable roles. A digital tool for workers is set to be piloted by January 2025.   

    The UK Government’s Office for Clean Energy Jobs is working closely with Skills England to support other British workers on the energy transition, which by 2030 could create hundreds of thousands of new jobs across the UK.  

    Many of the skills required for the transition already exist, with research from Offshore Energies UK showing that 90% of oil and gas workers have transferable skills for offshore renewable jobs.  

    Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy Gillian Martin said:  

    I welcome this collaborative agreement committing Great British Energy to work with our public bodies to maximise investment into Scotland.  Scotland already has a strong pipeline of clean energy and supply chain opportunities, is at the forefront of floating offshore wind development, and has a depth of knowledge and experience on community & local energy. We look forward to working with Great British Energy to ensure it delivers real benefits for the people of Scotland and a just energy transition.  

    To make sure that no offshore energy workers are left behind, the Scottish Government provided initial funding of £3.7 million between 2022 – 2024 for the development of the industry-led Skills Passport.

    Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray said:  

    The UK government will support our world class, world leading offshore workforce with the recognition they deserve and support the transition to renewable jobs in the future.  

    This is an area the UK Government and Scottish Government can and should work in partnership to deliver for Scotland and harness the potential we have to truly lead the world in renewables jobs. That’s why we have set out to reset the relationship between Scotland’s two governments to deliver better outcomes for Scots.  

    It should be easier to switch between oil and gas and renewables work offshore. The present situation, where training in one industry isn’t recognised in the other, cuts off opportunities for oil and gas workers. The fact some workers are paying out of their own pockets is scandalous. 

    We need to cut that red tape and deliver a skills passport that allows offshore workers to move flexibly back and forth between both industries in the years and decades to come.

    Great British Energy Chair Juergen Maier said: 

    The clean energy transition is a huge opportunity for Scotland, which is already at the cutting edge of technology like floating offshore wind, and Great British Energy is well positioned to help accelerate the development of key supply chains and infrastructure. 

    By working closely with the Scottish Government, alongside The Crown Estate in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, we can help to drive forward investment and create jobs across the country.

    RenewableUK’s Executive Director of Offshore Wind Jane Cooper said:  

    The upsurge in offshore wind jobs over the course of this decade and beyond creates excellent opportunities for highly-skilled oil and gas workers to bring their valuable experience to the clean energy sector. We’re working closely with our colleagues at Offshore Energies UK, and the UK and Scottish Governments, to make that transition as smooth as possible across all parts of the energy industry. The Energy Skills Passport is a great example of what we can achieve together and we’ll continue to look for other potential areas of work that can further support the transition of workers between sectors.

    David Whitehouse, Chief Executive Officer, Offshore Energies UK comments: 

    This package of announcements contains significant measures for firms, their workers and their supply chains across the UK. The skills passport is an important part of the toolkit industry is assembling in recognition of the integrated nature of the energy landscape. Those working in our domestic oil and gas sector have powered the country for the last fifty years and will play a critical role in our energy future. The sector is committed to working in partnership with government to leverage our industrial strengths to deliver a managed transition that creates opportunities for people and communities around the country.

    In Wales, the UK Government is already discussing how Great British Energy could work in partnership with their publicly-owned renewable energy developer, Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru, and other public bodies to deliver on shared priorities with the Welsh Government.  

    The UK Government is also working closely with the Northern Ireland Executive on opportunities for Northern Ireland, to help accelerate the clean energy transition across the United Kingdom. 

    Yesterday (Wednesday 16 October) the Energy Secretary also confirmed that Liz Ditchburn has been appointed as Chair of the North Sea Transition Authority, which regulates and influences the oil, gas, carbon storage and offshore hydrogen industries. Liz is a highly experienced public sector leader and will help to deliver the UK Government’s plans for a phased, responsible and prosperous energy transition in the North Sea. 

    Notes to editors

    The skills passport will show how these offshore workers’ skills and qualifications can be recognised by employers across various sectors, facilitating their smooth transition into the renewable energy sector. It will identify where oil and gas health and safety standards will be recognised in the offshore wind sector and map out different career pathways into the wind industry.   

    See figures on clean energy jobs.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing explores new growth avenues by nurturing high-tech industries

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    A technician operates a device at a workshop of Beijing CRS Medical Device Co., Ltd., a precision manufacturing company specializing in the research, production and sales of sterile dental implants in Beijing, Oct. 13, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, Oct. 15 — In a sleek, automated workshop at the Daxing International Airport Economic Zone in southern Beijing, technicians from dental implant manufacturer CRS are meticulously checking their implants for any defects under microscopes.

    CRS, a precision manufacturing company specializing in the research, production and sales of sterile dental implants, began production here last month. The firm aims to produce one million implants annually. Its products are designed to be competitive by minimizing stress on bone and soft tissues, improving structural stability and simplifying clinical procedures.

    Su Hanqi, general manager of Beijing CRS Medical Device Co., Ltd., recalls that it took just an hour to choose the economic zone for their operations. “The one-stop services offered by the zone significantly reduced our efforts in navigating processes and approvals, while a range of supportive policies has fostered an exceptionally conducive entrepreneurial environment for us,” Su said.

    To promote the development of the medical and health industry, the economic zone and Daxing District offer policies that include monetary incentives for R&D, innovation application, mass production and space rentals.

    Su said that due to the support, overall operating costs are estimated to decrease by 30 percent. “For a manufacturing enterprise like ours, being able to focus on production and R&D is crucial.”

    The economic zone where Su’s firm operates aims to develop a series of industrial clusters in sectors such as life sciences, health, medical devices, logistics and international aviation. This aligns with the city’s broader goal of becoming a global hub for scientific and technological innovation.

    Data from the Beijing municipal government shows that, from January to August this year, investment in high-tech manufacturing and high-tech services grew by 72.7 percent and 19.4 percent year on year, respectively, driven by policies aimed at accelerating the development of new quality productive forces. This surge has fostered deeper integration between technological and industrial innovation, aligning with the national push for new quality productive forces.

    According to the resolution adopted at the third plenum of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held in July this year, the country seeks to establish a mechanism for ensuring funding increases for industries of the future, and improve the policy and governance systems to promote the development of strategic industries such as next-generation information technology, AI, aviation and aerospace, new energy and biomedicine, among others.

    The picture taken on Aug. 20, 2024 shows the Daxing International Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Zone in Beijing. [Photo/Xinhua]

    A 20-minute drive from Daxing airport is the Daxing International Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Zone, home to Hypower, one of the world’s largest hydrogen refueling stations. With a maximum daily capacity of 4.8 tonnes, the station can meet the hydrogen needs of 800 hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles.

    Nearby, a workshop of SinoHytec, a Chinese high-tech company specializing in the R&D and commercialization of hydrogen fuel cells, showcases fuel cells of various capacities to visitors.

    A technician is pictured working at a hydrogen fuel cell manufacturing company located at Daxing International Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Zone in Beijing, Aug. 20, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    According to Bao Jianpeng, deputy director of production operations at SinoHytec, the company’s fuel cells have been used in more than 15,000 vehicles.

    “All the components of our fuel cell systems are home-grown. Another significant breakthrough is that the fuel cells we produce, which previously could only operate above zero degrees Celsius, can now function at temperatures as low as minus 35 degrees Celsius,” he said.

    The demonstration zone is focused on creating an industrial ecosystem incorporating hydrogen production, storage, transportation and refueling, fuel cell and components production, as well as testing and certification services for fuel cell vehicles and core components.

    The demonstration zone has already attracted over 20 enterprises in the hydrogen industry, including Hypower and SinoHytec, according to the Daxing district government.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE’s speech in delivering “The Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address” to LegCo (5)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    IV. Develop New Quality Productive Forces Tailored to Local Conditions

    75. The core element of new quality productive forces is to achieve high‑quality economic development through technological empowerment. Hong Kong is striving to become an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre by promoting the upgrading and transformation of traditional industries while actively nurturing emerging ones. We will spare no effort in developing new quality productive forces tailored to local conditions.

    (A) International I&T Centre

    Optimise the Strategy and Institutional Set-up for the Development of New Industrialisation

    76. We will draw up a medium to long‑term development plan for new industrialisation in Hong Kong. We will also press ahead with the establishment of the Hong Kong New Industrialisation Development Alliance to promote closer collaboration among the Government and the industry, academia, research and investment sectors, building a co‑operative platform for new industrialisation in Hong Kong. This includes providing more financing opportunities and fostering I&T co‑operation between newly‑listed companies in Hong Kong and local universities.

    Establish the Third InnoHK Research Cluster

    77. The InnoHK research clusters have become home to about 2 500 research and development (R&D) personnel from Hong Kong and around the world. The Government has already started preparatory work to establish the third InnoHK research cluster, which will focus on advanced manufacturing, materials, energy and sustainable development. The target is to attract world‑class R&D teams to collaborate with local institutions, promoting R&D and bringing in talents.

    Increase Research Funding

    78. The Government will launch a new round of Research Matching Grant Scheme totalling $1.5 billion to attract more organisations to support research endeavours of institutions.

    Increase Investment for I&T Industries

    79. We will increase investment and guide more market capital to invest in I&T industries, reflecting a revamped approach of Government in this. Relevant measures include:

    (i) setting up a $10 billion I&T Industry‑Oriented Fund – We will set up a fund‑of‑funds to channel more market capital to invest in specified emerging and future industries of strategic importance, including life and health technology, AI and robotics, semi‑conductors and smart devices, advanced materials and new energy. The goal is to systematically build an I&T ecosystem;

    (ii) optimising the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund – We will redeploy $1.5 billion to set up funds jointly with the market, on a matching basis, investing in start‑ups of strategic industries, to further enhance Hong Kong’s start‑up ecosystem; and

    (iii) maximising the impact of the HKIC as “patient capital” – The HKIC will continue to attract I&T enterprises to establish their presence and settle in Hong Kong by channelling and leveraging market capital.

    Attract International Start-up Accelerators to Establish a Presence in Hong Kong

    80. The Government will launch the I&T Accelerator Pilot Scheme with a funding allocation of $180 million at a one‑to‑two matching ratio between the Government and the institution, up to a subsidy ceiling of $30 million. The Scheme aims to attract professional start‑up service providers with proven track records in and beyond Hong Kong to set up accelerator bases in Hong Kong, fostering the robust growth of start‑ups.

    Develop the Low-altitude Economy

    81. Low‑altitude economy, which refers to economic activities in airspace below 1 000 metres, presents a wide array of application scenarios including rescues, surveys and delivery of goods and passengers. Formulating a management system for low‑altitude economy will help drive development in areas such as telecommunication technologies, AI and the digital industry, unlocking the low‑altitude airspace as a new production factor for our economy.

    82. The Government will establish the Working Group on Developing Low‑altitude Economy. Led by the Deputy Financial Secretary, it will formulate development strategies and inter‑departmental action plans, starting with projects on low‑altitude applications. It will designate specific venues for such purposes, draw up regulations and design the institutional set-up, and study and map out plans to develop the required infrastructure and networks. Relevant measures include:

    (i) exploring low‑altitude flying application scenarios – We will press ahead with pilot projects and designate venues to explore deploying drones for delivery, surveys, building maintenance, aerial photography, performances, search and rescue, and other possibilities;

    (ii) amending relevant regulations – This includes relaxing restrictions on beyond‑line‑of‑sight flying activities, as well as those on weight and loading of drones, encouraging market research and investment, facilitating technology tests and developing aerial tours;

    (iii) promoting interface with the Mainland – We will explore with the Mainland authorities the joint establishment of low‑altitude cross‑boundary air routes, immigration and customs clearance arrangements and supporting infrastructure; and

    (iv) studying and planning for low‑altitude infrastructure – In the long run, we need a highly effective, intelligent and digitalised low‑altitude infrastructure system for the real‑time management on networks of low‑altitude activities. It will strategise solutions for complex management and safety issues arising from such activities. The working group will embark on technical studies and planning of support facilities for low‑altitude activities (such as vertiports and charging stations), communications network, air route network, management of low‑altitude flying activities and so on to lay the foundation for the low altitude economy.

    Promote Development of Communications Technology

    83. Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites are less costly than traditional ones. The Government will conduct a study on streamlining the vetting procedures of licence applications for operating LEO satellites. The Government will also make available more suitable radio spectrum to the market in a timely manner.

    Advance R&D of Aerospace Science and Technology

    84. Hong Kong’s research teams have been actively engaged in R&D of aerospace science and technology. This year, a Hong Kong resident was selected as a preparatory astronaut. We are very grateful for our country’s support for Hong Kong in developing aerospace‑related technologies. The Government will set up a research centre under the InnoHK research cluster to participate in the Chang’E‑8 mission, contributing to national aerospace development.

    Promote Development of New Energy

    85. The Government will earmark around $750 million under the New Energy Transport Fund to subsidise the taxi trade and franchised bus companies to purchase electric vehicles, and launch the Subsidy Scheme for Trials of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Heavy Vehicles.

    86. We will further promote the development of new energy by:

    (i) setting a target for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) consumption – We will speed up the reduction of carbon emissions by the aviation industry and cater to the increasing demand of international airlines for SAF;

    (ii) developing SAF and green maritime fuel supply chains – We will formulate the long‑term plan for industry development in respect of fuel supply and demand, storage and bunkering; and

    (iii) promoting green and low carbon hydrogen energy – We will actively support the industry to establish a solar‑to‑hydrogen facility for demonstration, introduce a bill next year to ensure the safe use of hydrogen fuel, and formulate the approach of hydrogen standard certification suitable to Hong Kong.

    (B) Regional Intellectual Property Trading Centre

    87. Hong Kong’s intellectual property (IP)‑intensive industries accounted for about 30% of our Gross Domestic Product and of total employment respectively. We will strengthen our position as a regional IP trading centre by expanding the IP trading ecosystem of the I&T sector and creative industries.

    Enhance the Legislative Framework for IP

    88. The Government will strengthen protection for the products of innovation and creativity yielded by R&D efforts. Measures include putting forward a proposal next year to enhance the Copyright Ordinance regarding the protection for AI technology development, launching a consultation in 2025 on the registered designs regime currently under review, and proposing legislative amendments to streamline IP litigation processes for the High Court to manage and hear these cases more effectively.

    89. Next year, the Trade Marks Registry under the Intellectual Property Department (IPD) will launch a new AI‑assisted image search service to facilitate the public’s search of the trademark database.

    90. With the Central Government’s support, Hong Kong will participate in the World Intellectual Property Organization Lex‑Judgments Database next year, sharing important IP case precedents of local courts, to showcase to the international community the quality of our IP‑related judicial judgments.

    Strengthen Training of IP Talents

    91. The Government will continue to discuss with the patent agent sector and stakeholders to plan for the introduction of regulatory arrangements for local patent agent services, covering qualification, registration, and other areas, aiming to nurture professional talents and enhance service quality.

    92. The IPD will collaborate with the Qualifications Framework Secretariat to develop practical teaching materials for deployment by training providers, benefitting personnel across 23 different industries.

    (C) International Health and Medical Innovation Hub

    93. To expedite patients’ access to advanced diagnostic and treatment services, and to foster new quality productive forces in biomedical technology, the Government will complement technological innovation with institutional innovation, developing Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub.

    Reform the Approval Mechanism for Drugs and Medical Devices

    94. The Government will expedite the reform of the approval mechanism for drugs and medical devices, including:

    (i) extending the “1+” mechanism to all new drugs, including vaccines and advanced therapy products, and improving the approval mechanism to speed up registration, facilitating good drugs for use in Hong Kong;

    (ii) devising the timetable for the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation and the roadmap towards adoption of “primary evaluation”, as well as formulating strategies and measures to facilitate R&D of drugs and medical devices; and

    (iii) taking forward preparatory work for legislating for the statutory regulation of medical devices.

    Strengthen Biomedical Technology R&D and Translation

    95. The Government will enhance Hong Kong’s clinical trial capability on all fronts and facilitate the translation of innovative biomedical research results into clinical applications by:

    (i) joining hands with Shenzhen to establish the GBA Clinical Trial Collaboration Platform, extending the R&D network and expediting clinical trials;

    (ii) establishing the Real‑World Study and Application Centre to open up local health and medical databases and promote co‑operation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen to integrate data generated from the “special measure of using Hong Kong‑registered drugs and medical devices used in Hong Kong public hospitals in GBA”. This will accelerate approval for registration of new drugs in Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas; and

    (iii) supporting R&D, clinical trials and application of advanced biomedical technology in Hong Kong, attracting global top‑notch innovative enterprises and research organisations to set up operations in Hong Kong.

    (D) Promote Integrated Development of Digital Economy and Real Economy

    96. A robust system to promote integration of real economy and digital economy is one of the key drivers of new quality productive forces. The Government will expedite the development of digital economy, which includes accelerating the digital transformation of industries, strengthening digital infrastructure, exploring development of a data‑trading ecosystem, and exploring on a pilot basis facilitation arrangements for cross‑boundary data flow within the GBA.

    Accelerate Development of Digital Trade

    97. The Government will push forward reforms in the digitalisation of enterprises and trade. Measures include fostering participation in discussions among the international community about the development of digital economy and exploring the inclusion of relevant provisions in bilateral trade agreements during the negotiation process, with a view to promoting digital trade and cross‑boundary e‑commerce.

    98. The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau is developing the Trade Single Window to provide a one‑stop electronic platform. It will help the industry lodge import and export trade documents for trade declaration and customs clearance. Separately, the HKMA has established a working group to conduct an in‑depth study into the changes in future supply chains and make recommendations. The scope of study covers promoting the digitalisation of trade through areas such as talents and financial infrastructure, as well as the technology and legal framework, with the goal to lower trade cost and upgrade the trade ecosystem.

    Establish a New Fintech Innovation Ecosystem

    99. The Government will continue to promote the development of innovative financial services including Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), mobile payment, virtual banks, virtual insurance and virtual asset (VA) transactions. The FSTB will shortly issue a policy statement, setting out its policy stance regarding the application of AI in the financial market. Other measures include:

    (i) promoting the use of CBDCs for cross‑boundary payment – The HKMA is actively testing and exploring more add‑on technology solutions and use cases related to cross‑boundary trade settlement on the mBridge platform, and will further widen the participation of both the public and private sectors;

    (ii) enhancing the regulation of VA trading – The FSTB will complete the second round public consultation on the regulatory proposals for over‑the‑counter trading of VA and put forward a proposed licensing regime for VA custodian service providers;

    (iii) promoting real‑world asset tokenisation and developing a digital money ecosystem – The HKMA is taking forward Project Ensemble, a financial market infrastructure project, to explore the application of real‑world asset tokenisation and the use of digital money for interbank settlement, facilitating the development of the relevant asset trading. Separately, the HKMA also allows potential stablecoin issuers to test business plans and use‑cases through the stablecoin issuer sandbox, and will work with the FSTB to introduce a bill on the regulation of fiat‑referenced stablecoin issuers later this year; and

    (iv) promoting the development of the digital securities market – The HKMA will soon launch the Digital Bond Grant Scheme to encourage more financial institutions and issuers to adopt tokenisation technology in capital market transactions.

    Facilitate Cross-boundary E-commerce Logistics Services

    100. To develop Hong Kong into a cross‑boundary e‑commerce logistics and distribution centre, the Government will review existing procedures to enhance the efficiency of cross‑boundary goods’ distribution, strengthening the competitiveness of our city.

    Promote Smart Construction and Management of Public Rental Housing Estates

    101. The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA) has selected 10 Public Rental Housing (PRH) estates as pilot sites for smart estate management. Next year, it will establish a central platform for property management and introduce digital technologies in daily estate management work, enhancing management effectiveness and service quality. The HKHA will also progressively apply the Project Information Management and Analytics Platform in new public housing projects starting next year, enhancing works efficiency by project management digitalisation and adopting three‑dimensional digital maps and virtual digital models, etc.

    Promote LawTech

    102. The DoJ will set up the Advisory Group on Promoting the Development of LawTech to formulate policies and measures on LawTech and promote its application in relevant sectors.

    (To be continued.)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: I&T will drive city’s development: CE

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Delivering his 2024 Policy Address, Chief Executive John Lee said today that Hong Kong must harness new quality productive forces and technological innovation as it seeks to achieve high-quality economic development.

    Mr Lee outlined that in its efforts to become an international centre for innovation and technology (I&T), the city is upgrading and transforming traditional industries, while actively nurturing emerging ones. He vowed that no effort will be spared in developing new quality productive forces tailored to local conditions. 

    Measures announced in Mr Lee’s speech include the drawing up of a development plan for new industrialisation, the setting up of a third InnoHK research cluster, a new round of $1.5 billion in funding under the Research Matching Grant Scheme, a revamping of the Government’s approach to I&T investment, and the launch of an I&T Accelerator Pilot Scheme.

    Besides drawing up a medium to long‑term development plan for new industrialisation, Mr Lee said the Government will also press ahead with the establishment of the Hong Kong New Industrialisation Development Alliance. He explained that this will promote closer collaboration among the Government, industry, academia, and the research and investment sectors, expand financing opportunities, and foster I&T co‑operation between newly‑listed companies and local universities.

    In terms of research and development (R&D), Mr Lee highlighted that preparatory work is underway to establish a third InnoHK research cluster. He mentioned that the existing two such clusters are now home to about 2,500 R&D personnel from Hong Kong and around the world, and iterated that the new cluster will focus on advanced manufacturing, materials, energy and sustainable development. 

    In addition to the new round of funding under the Research Matching Grant Scheme, which encourages organisations to support research endeavours by institutions, Mr Lee pledged that the Government will increase its own investment in I&T industries and guide more market capital to invest in the sector. This will include setting up a $10 billion I&T Industry‑Oriented Fund, a “fund of funds” that will channel market capital to invest in emerging industries of strategic importance, including life and health technology, AI and robotics, semi‑conductors and smart devices, advanced materials, and new energy.

    The Chief Executive added that $1.5 billion from the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund will be redeployed to set up funds that will invest – jointly with the market, on a matching basis – in start‑ups operating in strategic industries. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Investment Corporation will continue to channel and leverage market capital to attract I&T enterprises to establish operations in Hong Kong.

    Announcing plans to allocate $180 million to establish an I&T Accelerator Pilot Scheme, Mr Lee said it will offer institutions government funding on a one-to-two matching basis, with a subsidy ceiling of $30 million. He explained that the scheme will attract professional start‑up service providers to set up accelerator bases in Hong Kong, thereby fostering the robust growth of start‑ups.

    Mr Lee also outlined plans to unlock the potential of Hong Kong’s low-altitude airspace economy. A working group led by the Deputy Financial Secretary will be established to formulate development strategies and action plans for this issue, and will collaborate with Mainland authorities in exploring the joint establishment of low‑altitude cross‑boundary air routes, as well as immigration and customs clearance arrangements. It will also carry out studies and make plans for the establishment of effective systems, networks and infrastructure for managing low-altitude activities.

    With regard to Low Earth Orbit satellites, Mr Lee announced that the Government will conduct a study aimed at streamlining vetting procedures in relation to licence applications for their operation. He also revealed that the Government will set up a research centre to participate in the Chang’E‑8 lunar mission.

    In relation to new energy development, around $750 million under the New Energy Transport Fund will be earmarked to subsidise the taxi trade and franchised bus companies to purchase electric vehicles, and to launch the Subsidy Scheme for Trials of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Heavy Vehicles.

    Mr Lee added that the Government will speed up the reduction of carbon emissions by setting a target for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) consumption, and formulate a long-term plan for the development of SAF and green maritime fuel supply chains. Furthermore, it will support industry in establishing a solar-to-hydrogen demonstration facility, and introduce a bill next year to ensure the safe use of hydrogen fuel. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Policy Address: Reform for Enhancing Development and Building Our Future Together

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, today (October 16) announced his third Policy Address entitled “Reform for Enhancing Development and Building Our Future Together”, setting out a range of initiatives to create new impetus for economic development, improve people’s livelihood and enhance their quality of life.         Mr Lee said, “In this Policy Address, I will continue to follow through the ‘four proposals’ put forward by President Xi Jinping in his important speech delivered on July 1, 2022. I will also outline our vision and objectives for reforms and changes, as well as the related key measures and key performance indicators.     “Reform is a continuous process. Over the past two years, my team and I have focused on economic growth and on improving people’s livelihood through development, with the well-being of the people of Hong Kong close to our hearts. This Policy Address will deepen our reforms and explore new growth areas.”Consolidate and enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international financial, shipping and trade centre      Hong Kong has established strengths as an international centre for finance, shipping and trade, which are closely intertwined and can be developed in a synergistic and complementary manner.     On the financial front, the Policy Address sets out the strategic development of Hong Kong as an international financial centre on all fronts. It strives to reinforce Hong Kong’s status as the world’s largest offshore Renminbi business hub, enhance the asset and securities markets, and develop Hong Kong into an international gold trading market through measures such as building world-class gold storage facilities and strengthening the trading mechanism and regulatory framework. This will in turn drive demand for related services such as collateral and loan businesses, opening up new growth areas of the financial sector.     On the shipping side, the existing Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board will be reconstituted into the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board. Additional funding will be provided to enhance its research capabilities, strengthen its Mainland and overseas promotional work and step up manpower training, encouraging more Mainland and overseas maritime service enterprises to establish presence in Hong Kong, promoting the sustainable development of Hong Kong’s maritime industry. The Government will advance the development of Hong Kong into a green maritime centre, while at the same time exploring the introduction of tax concessions and facilitate international commodity exchanges to set up accredited warehouses in Hong Kong, so as to establish a commodity trading ecosystem, especially for the storage and delivery of non-ferrous metal products, further promoting the development of Hong Kong’s maritime and trading services.     In respect of the trade sector, the Government will establish a high-value-added supply chain service centre. Through measures such as enriching a high value-added supply chain services mechanism and enhancing export credit services, as well as making good use of the new opportunities brought about by the Second Agreement Concerning Amendment to the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) Agreement on Trade in Services, the Government will seek to attract Mainland and overseas enterprises to set up their headquarters or corporate divisions in Hong Kong. The Government will continue to vigorously expand Hong Kong’s global economic and trade networks, with particular emphasis on strengthening Hong Kong’s economic and trade ties with and marketing efforts in emerging markets, so as to enable Hong Kong to exert a greater role in the country’s opening up to the world. Moreover, the Government will reduce the import duty on liquor, fostering trading of liquor and boosting development of high value-added industries.Develop new quality productive forces tailored to local conditions     The core element of new quality productive forces is to achieve high quality economic development through technological empowerment. The Government is striving to expedite Hong Kong’s development into an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre. On top of the additional investment put in over the past two years, a $10 billion I&T Industry-Oriented Fund will be set up to guide more market capital to invest in specified emerging and future industries of strategic importance, including life and health technology and artificial intelligence. The Government will also launch the I&T Accelerator Pilot Scheme to attract professional start-up service providers to set up accelerator bases in Hong Kong, fostering the robust growth of start-ups.     The Policy Address also proposed the establishment of the Working Group on Developing Low-altitude Economy. Starting with projects on low-altitude applications, the working group will designate specific venues for such purposes, draw up regulations and design the institutional set-up,  study and map out plans to develop the required infrastructure and networks, and promote interface with the Mainland, pushing forward development of the low-altitude economy.    At the same time, the Government is committed to promoting new energy development, such as green maritime fuel, sustainable aviation fuel and hydrogen energy. The Government will also expedite the reform of the approval mechanism for drugs and medical devices, establish the Real-World Study and Application Centre, and join hands with Shenzhen to establish the GBA Clinical Trial Collaboration Platform to enhance Hong Kong’s clinical trial capability and accelerate registration of new drugs, developing Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub.Build Hong Kong into an international hub for high-calibre talents     To boost synergy and effectiveness of policies, the Policy Address introduced the establishment of the Committee on Education, Technology and Talents to co-ordinate and drive the integrated development of education, technology and talents. In addition to reforming various aspects of the talent admission regime to build a quality talent pool for long-term development, the Government will endeavour to create the “Study in Hong Kong” brand to attract overseas students, launch a pilot scheme to support the market to flexibly increase the supply of self-financed and private student hostels, and map out the development plan of the Northern Metropolis University Town. These measures aim to expedite the development of Hong Kong into an international hub for post-secondary education, bringing in more global high-calibre talents.Promote integrated development of culture, sports and tourism and foster economic diversification     Promoting integrated development of culture, sports and tourism is the objective of this term of Government in setting up the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau. The Government will reinforce the development of the West Kowloon Cultural District to take a leading role in establishing an industry chain for the arts and culture and creative industries of Hong Kong. The Government will also strive to develop the Kai Tak Sports Park into a sports and mega event landmark, building an international sports mega event hub. The Government will publish the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0, putting emphasis on promoting areas including culture, sports, ecology and mega events, with a view to revitalising Hong Kong’s tourism industry. A Working Group on Developing Tourist Hotspots will be set up to strengthen cross-departmental co-ordination, and to identify and develop tourist hotspots of high popularity and with strong appeal in various districts.     Hong Kong is facing economic restructuring. To assist small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to cope with the prevailing challenges, the Government will put in place a range of support initiatives. Key measures include: relaunching the principal moratorium to offer SMEs flexibility in managing cash flows; injecting $1 billion into the BUD Fund (Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales) to facilitate upgrading of enterprises; expanding the scope of the Digital Transformation Support Pilot Programme to cover the industries of tourism and personal services; and launching the Incentive Scheme for Recurrent Exhibitions 2.0. In addition, a Working Group on Promoting Silver Economy will be set up to implement measures in five areas, namely consumption, industry, quality assurance, financial and security arrangements, and productivity, meeting the growing needs of the elderly and help the industry to seize business opportunities.Take forward the Northern Metropolis as growth engine and deepen GBA collaboration     To take forward the development of the Northern Metropolis, it was announced in the Policy Address to explore the establishment of a pilot industrial park in the Northern Metropolis by granting it to a company established and led by the Government. The company will, in accordance with the Government’s industrial policies, be responsible for formulating the park’s development and operation strategies. To expedite the development, the Government will adopt, on a pilot basis, a large-scale land-disposal approach, for collective development by successful bidders. In addition, the Steering Committee on the Hong Kong Shenzhen I&T Park in the Loop, chaired by the Chief Executive, will formulate the overall strategy, planning and layout for the development of the Hong Kong Park. The Development Outline for the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone will be published later this year. Improve people’s livelihood in pursuit of happiness     This year, the Policy Address outlined a number of new measures on different livelihood areas, including land creation and housing construction and healthcare, making Hong Kong a better place to live and enjoy life.     On housing, a system on the renting of subdivided units (SDUs) in residential buildings will be devised, through legislation, to tackle the long-standing problem of SDUs at its roots in an orderly manner. The Government will also enhance the housing ladder to allow more people to realise their aspiration for home ownership.     Regarding healthcare, as noted in the Policy Address, the Government will deepen the reform of the healthcare system, strengthen public and primary healthcare services and promote the development of primary healthcare on all fronts, and boost healthy fertility. The Government also supports the plan, by local universities, to establish a third medical school. The Government will set aside sites in Ngau Tam Mei to build a new campus and an integrated medical teaching and research hospital.     To improve people’s livelihood, the Government will continue to take forward and enhance various measures for targeted poverty alleviation and focusing on different needs of the underprivileged. Meanwhile, the Government will regularise the funding provision for Care Teams and increase funding in the next term of service to strengthen support for their work. The Policy Address also proposed to reform the roles of the Employees Retraining Board to devise skills-based training programmes and strategies for the entire workforce, and lift the restriction on educational attainment of trainees.     Mr Lee concluded, “This Policy Address deepens the reforms that I have introduced since I became Chief Executive. It presents enhanced measures to boost the economy and improve people’s livelihood. It seeks to address the prevailing needs of our people, while mapping our vision and long-term goals for building a brighter future for Hong Kong. I am confident that Hong Kong will continue to go from strength to strength and attain new heights. Through our united efforts to reform and innovate, our economy will go even stronger and our people will lead a better life, making Hong Kong a shining city.”     A Supplement offering more backgrounds and details of various policy measures has been compiled with this year’s Policy Address. For related information and key initiatives of the Policy Address, please visit http://www.policyaddress.gov.hk.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: MAST Upgrade – helping answer the big questions in fusion physics

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    UKAEA and worldwide team tackle fusion physics’ major challenges as MAST Upgrade begins its fourth round of experiments.

    Wide angle of MAST Upgrade machine

    A worldwide team is spearheading a series of ambitious experiments using the UK’s compact tokamak, Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak (MAST) Upgrade, starting today at UKAEA’s Culham Campus.  

    Over the next 100 days, the UK’s national fusion energy laboratory will work with more than 100 scientists from 37 institutions worldwide on MAST Upgrade’s fourth round of experiments.  

    The scientists aim to conduct over 50 experiments, the largest number ever run by MAST Upgrade in an experimental campaign, to generate up to 1,600 plasma pulses. A “pulse” refers to the duration a plasma is confined within a fusion energy machine’s inner vessel.  

    To create fusion, fusion fuel and a confined environment with high temperatures and pressures are needed. 

    The research findings from MAST Upgrade are essential for advancing global knowledge of plasma physics.  

    MAST Upgrade is a compact fusion machine designed in the shape of a cored apple, in contrast to other ring-shaped tokamaks. It tests plasma science theories with deuterium fuel – an isotope of hydrogen – using real-world experiments.  

    This will be MAST Upgrade’s fourth scientific campaign and will focus on these two areas: 

    1. Maximising the core plasma pressure to determine effects on the plasma’s properties. 

    2. Understanding the methods to control the plasma’s exhaust. 

    MAST Upgrade has played a key role in providing the foundation for the design of the UK’s prototype fusion energy powerplant, Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP), to be sited at West Burton in Nottinghamshire. 

    The experiments will see MAST Upgrade operate at higher temperatures (35 million degrees Celsius from 15 million degrees Celsius), creating conditions closer to those expected in future machines, such as STEP.  

    James Harrison, MAST Upgrade Science Leader at UKAEA, said: “A diverse team of researchers from across the world will be contributing to this effort. This will be the most exciting scientific campaign MAST Upgrade has undertaken to date, with a clear focus on understanding how to confine and stabilise high-performance fusion plasmas while ensuring effective power exhaust.” 

    MAST Upgrade is renowned by the fusion industry for addressing one of fusion’s major challenges: plasma exhaust, the intense heat that escapes from the plasma.  

    Dr Fulvio Militello, Director of Plasma Science and Fusion Operations, added: “Previous results have demonstrated the effectiveness of MAST Upgrade’s innovative Super-X divertor, showing a 10-fold reduction exhaust temperature without impacting the hot core plasma. This campaign aims to build on these impressive results and will explore whether more compact and cost-effective divertors can achieve similar reductions in exhaust temperature.” 

    MAST Upgrade received significant enhancements to its operating system this year, including the addition of a cryoplant – a facility that produces and distributes the cooling power required for the magnets, thermal shields, and cryopumps to reduce the pressure inside the machine’s inner vessel, and raise the plasma’s temperature. The £5 million enhancements were funded by UKAEA and the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council.  

    Equipped with world-class diagnostics, MAST Upgrade can conduct a wide range of measurements supporting an extensive research programme aimed at delivering sustainable fusion energy. 

    “By utilising our world-leading facilities and expertise at UKAEA, we aim to lead the charge in fusion research. MAST Upgrade’s fourth round of experiments will accelerate our scientific progress by deepening the understanding and optimisation of future tokamak designs and fusion powerplants, bringing us one step further to commercial fusion energy,” Dr Militello, concluded.  

    UKAEA will be publishing regular updates from MAST Upgrade’s scientific campaign across its digital channels.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Awarding of Nuclear Test Medals marked at City Hall

    Source: City of Norwich

    A veteran of the UK’s nuclear testing programme in the 1950s received recognition for his participation in the tests in the Pacific with a presentation at Norwich City Hall today.

    David Freeman, 85, of Thorpe St Andrews, was presented with the medal by Lord Mayor Cllr Vivien Thomas.

    He was joined by the family of the late Robert (Bob) Carman, 84, from Norwich, who are recipients of the Nuclear Test Medal on Mr Carman’s behalf. Widow Pam Carman, daughters Sally Williams, Alison Carman and Sonia Billing, with grand-daughter and great grand-daughter Kasey and Lorena Williams, joined with Mr Freeman for the presentations and tea in the Lord Mayor’s parlour.

    Both Mr Freeman and Mr Carman, alongside thousands of services personnel, were at Christmas Island for the nuclear tests in 1957. Mr Freeman, who was a regular in the RAF for 12 years working with safety equipment, took part in the first test on November 8, 1957. Mr Carman, who passed away at the age of 88 in 2018, was in the Royal Engineers and was also present on that day and then took part in a second test.

    Mr Freeman, who was 18 at the time of the tests, said: “They kept everything very secret. There were rumours but we didn’t know what was about to happen. It’s something you never forget – the heat, the blast, tremendous winds. You could see the shock waves building up across the sky, and then there was torrential rain bringing down all the rubbish out of the cloud. Some of the sand turned to glass crystals. It’s a miracle that any humans were left standing.”

    Mr Freeman said there was no after care following the tests. “We were just sent home. About 6 to 7 weeks afterwards my gums started to bleed. I was told to take aspirin. Not long afterwards, I started losing my teeth. Even now I have to blend a lot of my food due to that. I still can’t get access to my medical records from that time.”

    Mr Freeman has also suffered other debilitating health issues with a long-running cough and lung problem, bowel and blood cancers, an aneurysm and he has suffered a heart attack. He also lost the sight in one eye. “But I feel I am one of the lucky ones – I am still here.”

    Mr Carman’s daughters said their father also felt he was lucky and whilst he had health issues, including prostate cancer, he “didn’t want to make a big deal of it”.

    The Carman family met with Mr Freeman after hearing him talk on Chatterbox about the Nuclear Test Medal.

    Alison Carman said: “David wanted more veterans to come forward as a lot of people are unaware of being able to receive the medal.”

    She said: “My dad used to tell us stories about the big piles of driftwood which after the bomb had exploded just turned to ash. He also said they held their hands up in front of their faces during the blast and could see all the bones in their hands. Today’s event has been lovely. It’s just a shame Dad couldn’t be here for it.”

    Mr Carman wrote down his recollection of the events on Christmas Island for his family. He said:

    “There was this huge bright flash. My goggles went white, then there was a searing blast of heat which we all felt pass through our backs and neck, and then the tremendous blast, the huge thunderclap and the island shook.

    “I turned around and it was awesome, like a giant golden ball of curling flames above the palm trees as it turned into the mushroom shape. We were allowed back to camp and our tents and belongings were thrown everywhere.”

    For the second test, he said: “The tremendous blast did not rock the island quite so much, but the heat felt like a razor cutting through my neck. I remember the Bay of Wrecks where we went a short time after the explosion. There was not a piece of driftwood to be seen. It had been evaporated by the heat. There was not a sound to be heard. The birds were all gone.”

    Lord Mayor Cllr Vivien Thomas said: “Sadly, there are lots of families whose fathers have passed away who wouldn’t know about these medals.”

    She said: “It’s been a pleasure to welcome you here, to hear your stories and to pass on the medals on behalf of all of us in gratitude for what you experienced. The events which happened all those years ago should be recognised as part of our history, as should the suffering they generated.”

    The Nuclear Test Medal was released in 2023. Around 40,000 British personnel took part in the testing of atomic and hydrogen bombs in the 1950s and 1960s, and around 2,000 are believed to be still alive. 22,000 veterans are expected to be eligible for the new honour, marking their service and contribution to the United Kingdom’s nuclear test programme. The medal can be awarded posthumously to a veteran’s legal next of kin.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Students Harness Power of New Kestrel Supercomputer for Cutting-Edge Energy Research and Innovation

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    Surendra Sunkari, a high-performance computing (HPC) engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, examines Kestrel. Photo by Joe DelNero, NREL

    Students pursuing careers in energy research had a unique opportunity this year to use Kestrel—the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE’s) third-generation supercomputer hosted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

    This summer, NREL completed the full buildout of Kestrel, reaching 44 petaflops of computing power focused on renewable energy and energy efficiency research. Students from across the country were invited by EERE to apply for access to this powerful tool to advance their research and to expand EERE’s computational efforts for the energy transition. Last fall, over 25 students from 15 universities across the United States applied to use Kestrel for the 2024 spring and summer semesters.

    Students like Yifan Hu at Iowa State University used Kestrel to study the effect of solar wind and other space weather phenomena on solar energy infrastructure. Using the supercomputer’s advanced central processing unit nodes, his team tested new scalable algorithms to provide robust and accurate methods to model solar wind using a numerical method called the relativistic Vlasov-Maxwell system, with the goal of understanding the effects of solar wind on the stability and efficiency of solar power plants to improve power grid reliability and resilience. Access to Kestrel enabled Hu to receive computing results within a week, which led to the submission of two journal articles currently under review.

    Rajat Goel, a chemical engineering student at the University of California, Davis used Kestrel’s high-performance graphics processing units to simulate uranium and its defects, an extremely complex problem that requires significant computational power. Goel researched developing future protective coatings for nuclear reactors to prevent uranium hydride formation, as it is highly toxic and incredibly flammable. Using Kestrel, he significantly reduced the time needed for these simulations. Nuclear energy plays a role as a noncarbon energy source by generating carbon-free power. Ensuring its safe and reliable production is an important factor toward achieving the Department of Energy’s 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target.

    Hu and Goel’s research projects highlight Kestrel’s ability to address large-scale challenges, particularly in enhancing energy resiliency. Meanwhile, across the country, students used the supercomputer for different yet equally impactful energy research.

    Stanford University student Mark Benjamin used Kestrel’s advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning capabilities in his manufacturing research project to apply AI models, including convolutional neural networks to model drag and convolutional autoencoders to represent realistic car shapes. The project goal was to set new standards for vehicle design and optimization, aiming to improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

    Students from the University of Minnesota, led by Suryanarayan Ramachandran, used computational fluid dynamics codes on Kestrel to design novel engines that use hydrogen for combustion. This project leveraged an Exascale Computing Project code called AMRex Combustion PeleC to perform first-of-its-kind high-fidelity three-dimensional simulations of explosive hydrogen reactions, called oblique detonation waves, to investigate how hydrogen combustion can be used for future hypersonic propulsion systems, advancing fuel technologies research to reduce fossil fuels.

    Tackling complex energy challenges requires powerful computational resources along with support to ensure the productive use of these resources. Students received help getting their accounts set up and running their workflows on Kestrel from the User Operations staff in the Computational Science Center at NREL. Providing students with access to Kestrel not only advances current research but also shapes the future of clean energy technologies by equipping students with advanced skills to lead in the field of energy innovation and research.  

    Students interested in using Kestrel for their energy research should keep an eye out for future opportunities at nrel.gov/news.

    Read blog posts about the installation of NREL’s Kestrel high-performance computing system.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: High Efficiency Electrolyser Cells Complete Key Durability Test

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc. (the “Company” or “Next Hydrogen“) (TSXV:NXH, OTC:NXHSF), a designer and manufacturer of electrolyzers, is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed an extended durability test of its GEN2 electrolysis cells used in the efficient production of green hydrogen. The GEN2 cells will now be deployed in Next Hydrogen electrolysers at customer sites for commercial operation.

    Next Hydrogen previously reported that it has achieved leading efficiency of its GEN2 cells in October of 2023(1). The GEN2 cell performance of lower than 1.9 V per cell at 1 amp/cm2 and at 70oC exceeds reported US Department of Energy (DOE) technical targets status for energy efficiency, while maintaining a 2 times higher peak operating point(2). Further, a turn-down of 10% demonstrated best-in-class performance and an optimal solution for direct connection to renewables to produce green hydrogen.

    Equally important is the cell performance durability, and widely accepted testing protocols have been applied to confirm minimal degradation under intermittent operation as required for renewable energy supplied systems. Furthermore, 3,000 hours of cyclic testing have recently been successfully surpassed, providing the confidence to commercially deploy.

    The GEN2 cells will be applied to Next Hydrogen’s modular product line in sizes of 0.75MW, 1.5MW and 2.25MW and offer the best commercially available performance features.

    Raveel Afzaal, President and CEO of Next Hydrogen, stated, “This represents a significant milestone for us as we move into product commercialization. We are also upsizing our products and plan to demonstrate an even larger and more efficient GEN3 product version in 2025 based on leveraging our GEN2 success.”

    About Next Hydrogen
    Founded in 2007, Next Hydrogen is a designer and manufacturer of electrolyzers that use water and electricity as inputs to generate clean hydrogen for use as an energy source. Next Hydrogen’s unique cell design architecture supported by 40 patents enables high current density operations and superior dynamic response to efficiently convert intermittent renewable electricity into green hydrogen on an infrastructure scale. Following successful pilots, Next Hydrogen is scaling up its technology to deliver commercial solutions to decarbonize transportation and industrial sectors.

    Contact Information

    Cautionary Statements
    This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements”. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the risks associated with the hydrogen industry in general; delays or changes in plans with respect to infrastructure development or capital expenditures; the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to costs and expenses; failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals; health, safety and environmental risks; uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans with respect to infrastructure developments or capital expenditures; currency exchange rate fluctuations; as well as general economic conditions, stock market volatility; and the ability to access sufficient capital. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, there will be no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Rain may have helped form the first cells, kick-starting life as we know it

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Aman Agrawal, Postdoctoral Scholar in Chemical Engineering, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering

    How did early cells keep themselves distinct while allowing for some amount of exchange? UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering/Peter Allen, Second Bay Studios, CC BY-ND

    Billions of years of evolution have made modern cells incredibly complex. Inside cells are small compartments called organelles that perform specific functions essential for the cell’s survival and operation. For instance, the nucleus stores genetic material, and mitochondria produce energy.

    Another essential part of a cell is the membrane that encloses it. Proteins embedded on the surface of the membrane control the movement of substances in and out of the cell. This sophisticated membrane structure allowed for the complexity of life as we know it. But how did the earliest, simplest cells hold it all together before elaborate membrane structures evolved?

    In our recently published research in the journal Science Advances, my colleagues from the University of Chicago and the University of Houston and I explored a fascinating possibility that rainwater played a crucial role in stabilizing early cells, paving the way for life’s complexity.

    The origin of life

    One of the most intriguing questions in science is how life began on Earth. Scientists have long wondered how nonliving matter like water, gases and mineral deposits transformed into living cells capable of replication, metabolism and evolution.

    Chemists Stanley Miller and Harold Urey at the University of Chicago conducted an experiment in 1953 demonstrating that complex organic compounds – meaning carbon-based molecules – could be synthesized from simpler organic and inorganic ones. Using water, methane, ammonia, hydrogen gases and electric sparks, these chemists formed amino acids.

    The Miller-Urey experiment showed that complex organic compounds can be made from simpler organic and inorganic materials.
    Yoshua Rameli Adan Perez/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    Scientists believe the earliest forms of life, called protocells, spontaneously emerged from organic molecules present on the early Earth. These primitive, cell-like structures were likely made of two fundamental components: a matrix material that provided a structural framework and a genetic material that carried instructions for protocells to function.

    Over time, these protocells would have gradually evolved the ability to replicate and execute metabolic processes. Certain conditions are necessary for essential chemical reactions to occur, such as a steady energy source, organic compounds and water. The compartments formed by a matrix and a membrane crucially provide a stable environment that can concentrate reactants and protect them from the external environment, allowing the necessary chemical reactions to take place.

    Thus, two crucial questions arise: What materials were the matrix and membrane of protocells made of? And how did they enable early cells to maintain the stability and function they needed to transform into the sophisticated cells that constitute all living organisms today?

    Bubbles vs droplets

    Scientists propose that two distinct models of protocells – vesicles and coacervates – may have played a pivotal role in the early stages of life.

    Miniature compartments, such as lipid bilayers configured into capsules like liposomes and micelles, are important for cellular organization and function.
    Mariana Ruiz Villarreal, LadyofHats/Wikimedia Commons

    Vesicles are tiny bubbles, like soap in water. They are made of fatty molecules called lipids that naturally form thin sheets. Vesicles form when these sheets curl into a sphere that can encapsulate chemicals and safeguard crucial reactions from harsh surroundings and potential degradation.

    Like miniature pockets of life, vesicles resemble the structure and function of modern cells. However, unlike the membranes of modern cells, vesicle protocells would have lacked specialized proteins that selectively allow molecules in and out of a cell and enable communication between cells. Without these proteins, vesicle protocells would have limited ability to interact effectively with their surroundings, constraining their potential for life.

    Coacervates, on the other hand, are droplets formed from an accumulation of organic molecules like peptides and nucleic acids. They form when organic molecules stick together due to chemical properties that attract them to each other, such as electrostatic forces between oppositely charged molecules. These are the same forces that cause balloons to stick to hair.

    One can picture coacervates as droplets of cooking oil suspended in water. Similar to oil droplets, coacervate protocells lack a membrane. Without a membrane, surrounding water can easily exchange materials with protocells. This structural feature helps coacervates concentrate chemicals and speed up chemical reactions, creating a bustling environment for the building blocks of life.

    Thus, the absence of a membrane appears to make coacervates a better protocell candidate than vesicles. However, lacking a membrane also presents a significant drawback: the potential for genetic material to leak out.

    Unstable and leaky protocells

    A few years after Dutch chemists discovered coacervate droplets in 1929, Russian biochemist Alexander Oparin proposed that coacervates were the earliest model of protocells. He argued that coacervate droplets provided a primitive form of compartmentalization crucial for early metabolic processes and self-replication.

    Subsequently, scientists discovered that coacervates can sometimes be composed of oppositely charged polymers: long, chainlike molecules that resemble spaghetti at the molecular scale, carrying opposite electrical charges. When polymers of opposite electrical charges are mixed, they tend to attract each other and stick together to form droplets without a membrane.

    Coacervate droplets resemble oil suspended in water.
    Aman Agrawal, CC BY-SA

    The absence of a membrane presented a challenge: The droplets rapidly fuse with each other, akin to individual oil droplets in water joining into a large blob. Furthermore, the lack of a membrane allowed RNA – a type of genetic material thought to be the earliest form of self-replicating molecule, crucial for the early stages of life – to rapidly exchange between protocells.

    My colleague Jack Szostak showed in 2017 that rapid fusion and exchange of materials can lead to uncontrolled mixing of RNA, making it difficult for stable and distinct genetic sequences to evolve. This limitation suggested that coacervates might not be able to maintain the compartmentalization necessary for early life.

    Compartmentalization is a strict requirement for natural selection and evolution. If coacervate protocells fused incessantly, and their genes continuously mixed and exchanged with each other, all of them would resemble each other without any genetic variation. Without genetic variation, no single protocell would have a higher probability of survival, reproduction and passing on its genes to future generations.

    But life today thrives with a variety of genetic material, suggesting that nature somehow solved this problem. Thus, a solution to this problem had to exist, possibly hiding in plain sight.

    Rainwater and RNA

    A study I conducted in 2022 demonstrated that coacervate droplets can be stabilized and avoid fusion if immersed in deionized water – water that is free of dissolved ions and minerals. The droplets eject small ions into the water, likely allowing oppositely charged polymers on the periphery to come closer to each other and form a meshy skin layer. This meshy “wall” effectively hinders the fusion of droplets.

    Next, with my colleagues and collaborators, including Matthew Tirrell and Jack Szostak, I studied the exchange of genetic material between protocells. We placed two separate protocell populations, treated with deionized water, in test tubes. One of these populations contained RNA. When the two populations were mixed, RNA remained confined in their respective protocells for days. The meshy “walls” of the protocells impeded RNA from leaking.

    In contrast, when we mixed protocells that weren’t treated with deionized water, RNA diffused from one protocell to the other within seconds.

    Inspired by these results, my colleague Alamgir Karim wondered if rainwater, which is a natural source of ion-free water, could have done the same thing in the prebiotic world. With another colleague, Anusha Vonteddu, I found that rainwater indeed stabilizes protocells against fusion.

    Rain, we believe, may have paved the way for the first cells.

    Droplets with meshy walls resist fusion and prevent leakage of their RNA. In this image, each color represents a different type of RNA.
    Aman Agrawal, CC BY-SA

    Working across disciplines

    Studying the origins of life addresses both scientific curiosity about the mechanisms that led to life on Earth and philosophical questions about our place in the universe and the nature of existence.

    Currently, my research delves into the very beginning of gene replication in protocells. In the absence of the modern proteins that make copies of genes inside cells, the prebiotic world would have relied on simple chemical reactions between nucleotides – the building blocks of genetic material – to make copies of RNA. Understanding how nucleotides came together to form a long chain of RNA is a crucial step in deciphering prebiotic evolution.

    To address the profound question of life’s origin, it is crucial to understand the geological, chemical and environmental conditions on early Earth approximately 3.8 billion years ago. Thus, uncovering the beginnings of life isn’t limited to biologists. Chemical engineers like me, and researchers from various scientific fields, are exploring this captivating existential question.

    Aman Agrawal does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Rain may have helped form the first cells, kick-starting life as we know it – https://theconversation.com/rain-may-have-helped-form-the-first-cells-kick-starting-life-as-we-know-it-238291

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Why isometric exercises are so good for you

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    Published: 14 October 2024 at 12:00

    VIEWPOINT: ARU experts explain why wall sits and planks can improve heart health

    By Dan Gordon, Chloe French and Ruby Cain, Anglia Ruskin University

    Exercise is great for improving heart health. But the thought of hitting the gym or going for a jog might put some people off from doing it. And, if you have a heart condition already, such dynamic exercises may not be safe to do.

    The good news is, you don’t necessarily need to do a vigorous workout to see heart benefits. You can even improve your heart health by holding still and trying really hard not to move.

    Isometric training, as this is called, is becoming increasingly popular as a way of reducing blood pressure and hypertension, and improving strength and muscle stability.

    Normally, to build strength and force, our muscles need to change length throughout a movement. Squats and bicep curls are good examples of exercises that cause the muscle to change length throughout the movement.

    But isometric training involves simply contracting your muscles, which generates force without needing to move your joints. The harder a muscle is contracted, the more forceful it becomes (and the more forceful a muscle is, the more powerfully we can perform a movement).

    If you add weight to an isometric exercise, it causes the muscle to contract even harder. A wall sit and a plank are examples of isometric contractions.

    Isometric exercises are associated with a high degree of “neural recruitment”, because of the need to maintain the contraction. This means these exercises are good at engaging specialised neurons in our brain and spinal cord, which play an important role in all the movements we do – both voluntary and involuntary. The greater this level of neural activation, the more muscle fibres are recruited – and the more force generated. As a result, this can lead to strength gains.

    Isometric exercises have long been of interest to strength and power athletes as a means of preparing their muscles to generate high forces by activating them. But research also shows isometric exercises are beneficial for other areas of our health – including reducing hypertension and promoting better blood flow.

    There are a couple reasons why isometric exercises are so good for the heart.

    When a muscle is contracted, it expands its size. This causes it to compress the blood vessels supplying this muscle, reducing blood flow and raising the blood pressure in our arteries – a mechanism known as the “pressor reflex”.

    Then, once the contraction is relaxed, a sudden surge of blood flows into the blood vessels and muscle. This influx of blood brings more oxygen and (crucially) nitric oxide into the blood vessels – causing them to widen. This in turn reduces blood pressure. Over time, this action will reduce stiffness of the arteries, which may lower blood pressure.

    When blood flow is reduced during an isometric movement, it also reduces the amount of available oxygen that cells need to function. This triggers the release of metabolites, such as hydrogen ions and lactate, which stimulate the sympathetic nervous system – which controls our “fight of flight” response. In the short term, this leads to an increase in blood pressure.

    But when an isometric exercise is done repeatedly over many weeks, there’s a reduction in sympathetic nervous system activity. This means blood pressure is lowered and there’s less strain on the cardiovascular system – which makes these exercises good for the heart.

    Isometric exercises may be even more beneficial for heart health than other types of cardiovascular exercise. A study which compared the benefits of isometric exercise versus high-intensity interval training found isometrics led to significantly greater reductions in resting blood pressure over the study period of between two and 12 weeks.

    How to use isometric exercise

    If you want to use isometric training to reduce blood pressure, it’s recommended that you should do any isometric contraction for two minutes at around 30-50% of your maximum effort. This is enough to trigger physiological improvements.

    You can start by doing this four times a day, three-to-five times per week – focusing on the same exercise. As you progress, you can start to vary the exercises you do, add weights to the exercise, or add in more than one isometric exercise.

    Some good isometric exercises to begin with include a static squat, a wall sit or a plank. Even during these small bouts of exercise, your heart rate, breathing and arterial pressure will all increase – the same responses that occur during more conventional whole-body exercises, such as cycling and running.

    The beneficial improvements in blood pressure start to manifest around 4-10 weeks after starting isometric training – though this depends on a person’s health and fitness levels when starting out.

    Isometric training appears to be a simple, low-intensity mode of exercise that offers big benefits for cardiovascular health – all while requiring little time commitment compared with other workouts.

    Dan Gordon, Professor of Exercise Physiology, Anglia Ruskin University; Chloe French, PhD Candidate in Sport and Exercise Science, Anglia Ruskin University, and Ruby Cain, PhD Candidate, Anglia Ruskin University

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

    The opinions expressed in VIEWPOINT articles are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARU.

    If you wish to republish this article, please follow these guidelines: https://theconversation.com/uk/republishing-guidelines

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Godzilla at 70: The monster’s warning to humanity is still urgent

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Amanda Kennell, Assistant Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures, University of Notre Dame

    The monster in the 2023 movie “Godzilla Minus One.” Toho Co. Ltd., CC BY-ND

    The 2024 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations. Many of these witnesses have spent their lives warning of the dangers of nuclear war – but initially, much of the world didn’t want to hear it.

    “The fates of those who survived the infernos of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were long concealed and neglected,” the Nobel committee noted in its announcement. Local groups of nuclear survivors created Nihon Hidankyo in 1956 to fight back against this erasure.

    Atomic bomb survivor Masao Ito, 82, speaks at the park across from the Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima in May 15, 2023.
    Richard A. Brooks/AFP via Getty Images

    Around the same time that Nihon Hidankyo was formed, Japan produced another warning: a towering monster who topples Tokyo with blasts of irradiated breath. The 1954 film “Godzilla” launched a franchise that has been warning viewers to take better care of the Earth for the past 70 years.

    We study popular Japanese media and business ethics and sustainability, but we found a common interest in Godzilla after the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and meltdown at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. In our view, these films convey a vital message about Earth’s creeping environmental catastrophe. Few survivors are left to warn humanity about the effects of nuclear weapons, but Godzilla remains eternal.

    Into the atomic age

    By 1954, Japan had survived almost a decade of nuclear exposure. In addition to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese people were affected by a series of U.S. nuclear tests in the Bikini Atoll.

    When the U.S. tested the world’s first hydrogen bomb in 1954, its devastation reached far outside the expected damage zone. Though it was far from the restricted zone, the Lucky Dragon No. 5 Japanese fishing boat and its crew were doused with irradiated ash. All fell ill, and one fisherman died within the year. Their tragedy was widely covered in the Japanese press as it unfolded.

    The Castle Bravo hydrogen bomb test on March 1, 1954, produced an explosion equivalent to 15 megatons of TNT, more than 2.5 times what scientists had expected. It released large quantities of radioactive debris into the atmosphere.

    This event is echoed in a scene at the beginning of “Godzilla” in which helpless Japanese boats are destroyed by an invisible force.

    “Godzilla” is full of deep social debates, complex characters and cutting-edge special effects for its time. Much of the film involves characters discussing their responsibilities – to each other, to society and to the environment.

    This seriousness, like the film itself, was practically buried outside of Japan by an alter ego, 1956’s “Godzilla, King of the Monsters!” American licensors cut the 1954 film apart, removed slow scenes, shot new footage featuring Canadian actor Raymond Burr, spliced it all together and dubbed their creation in English with an action-oriented script they wrote themselves.

    This version was what people outside of Japan knew as “Godzilla” until the Japanese film was released internationally for its 50th anniversary in 2004.

    From radiation to pollution

    While “King of the Monsters!” traveled the world, “Godzilla” spawned dozens of Japanese sequels and spinoffs. Godzilla slowly morphed from a murderous monster into a monstrous defender of humanity in the Japanese films, which was also reflected in the later U.S.-made films.

    In 1971, a new, younger creative team tried to define Godzilla for a new era with “Godzilla vs. Hedorah.” Director Yoshimitsu Banno joined the movie’s crew while he was promoting a recently completed documentary about natural disasters. That experience inspired him to redirect Godzilla from nuclear issues to pollution.

    World War II was fading from public memory. So were the massive Anpo protests of 1959 and 1960, which had mobilized up to one-third of the Japanese people to oppose renewal of the U.S.-Japan security treaty. Participants included housewives concerned by the news that fish caught by the Lucky Dragon No. 5 had been sold in Japanese grocery stores.

    At the same time, pollution was soaring. In 1969, Michiko Ishimure published “Paradise in the Sea of Sorrow: Our Minamata Disease,” a book that’s often viewed as a Japanese counterpart to “Silent Spring,” Rachel Carson’s environmental classic. Ishimure’s poetic descriptions of lives ruined by the Chisso Corp.’s dumping of methyl mercury into the Shiranui Sea awoke many in Japan to their government’s numerous failures to protect the public from industrial pollution.

    The Chisso Corp. released toxic methylmercury into Minamata Bay from 1932 to 1968, poisoning tens of thousands of people who ate local seafood.

    “Godzilla vs. Hedorah” is about Godzilla’s battles against Hedorah, a crash-landed alien that grows to monstrous size by feeding on toxic sludge and other forms of pollution. The film opens with a woman singing jazzily about environmental apocalypse as young people dance with abandon in an underground club.

    This combination of hopelessness and hedonism continues in an uneven film that includes everything from an extended shot of an oil slick-covered kitten to an animated sequence to Godzilla awkwardly levitating itself with its irradiated breath.

    After Godzilla defeats Hedorah at the end of the film, it pulls a handful of toxic sludge out of Hedorah’s torso, gazes at the sludge, then turns to stare at its human spectators – both those onscreen and the film’s audience. The message is clear: Don’t just lazily sing about imminent doom – shape up and do something.

    Official Japanese trailer for ‘Godzilla vs. Hedorah’

    “Godzilla vs. Hedorah” bombed at the box office but became a cult hit over time. Its positioning of Godzilla between Earth and those who would harm it resonates today in two separate Godzilla franchises.

    One line of movies comes from the original Japanese studio that produced “Godzilla.” The other line is produced by U.S. licensors making eco-blockbusters that merge the environmentalism of “Godzilla” with the spectacle of “King of the Monsters.”

    A meltdown of public trust

    The 2011 Fukushima disaster has now become part of the Japanese people’s collective memory. Cleanup and decommissioning of the damaged nuclear plant continues, amid controversies around ongoing releases of radioactive water used to cool the plant. Some residents are allowed to visit their homes but can’t move back there while thousands of workers remove topsoil, branches and other materials to decontaminate these areas.

    Before Fukushima, Japan derived one-third of its electricity from nuclear power. Public attitudes toward nuclear energy hardened after the disaster, especially as investigations showed that regulators had underestimated risks at the site. Although Japan needs to import about 90% of the energy it uses, today over 70% of the public opposes nuclear power.

    The first Japanese “Godzilla” film released after the Fukushima disaster, “Shin Godzilla” (2016), reboots the franchise in a contemporary Japan with a new type of Godzilla, in an eerie echo of the damages of and governmental response to Fukushima’s triple disaster. When the Japanese government is left leaderless and in disarray following initial counterattacks on Godzilla, a Japanese government official teams up with an American special envoy to freeze the newly named Godzilla in its tracks, before a fearful world unleashes its nuclear weapons once again.

    Their success suggests that while national governments have an important role to play in major disasters, successful recovery requires people who are empowered to act as individuals.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Godzilla at 70: The monster’s warning to humanity is still urgent – https://theconversation.com/godzilla-at-70-the-monsters-warning-to-humanity-is-still-urgent-237934

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: National Tripartite Alliance remains strong during changes

    Source: US International Brotherhood of Boilermakers

    Amid a time of significant change within the Boilermakers union, newly elected International President Tim Simmons set the tone for the 37th MOST National Tripartite Alliance conference held near San Diego Aug. 26-29.  Simmons gave a powerful message, emphasizing the union’s perseverance and the need to serve the members. 

    Simmons acknowledged recent news about indictments handed down by the Department of Justice and the federal investigation into the union, as well as the unprecedented changes in the union’s leadership.

     “We have a constitution that directs us…and we have followed the [Boilermakers union] constitution faithfully. We have made other changes, which our members have appreciated, our contractors have applauded and that have strengthened our organization.”

    He upheld that the union’s future is secure, while also recognizing that the path forward will likely not be without challenges. Simmons pointed to the Boilermakers’ history in steam and the doom that lay over the union when the locomotive steam engine was replaced by diesel—eliminating the bread-and-butter work of many Boilermakers. 

    “It was the dedication and adaptability of union Boilermakers that allowed us as an organization to change course and redirect our resources into new industries and technologies,” he said. “That same determination is alive and well today.”

    He also reaffirmed his commitment to working together with the International Executive Council, staff, local lodge leaders and members to press forward and ensure Boilermakers continue to be the skilled craftspeople contractors and owners know and trust to man their projects. 

    “We are here to listen to each other’s concerns and put our heads together to plot a path forward,” Simmons said. “We owe this to you, and we owe it to our brothers and sisters in the field who want to be able to provide for their families. 

    “The Boilermakers union has faced storms before, and we will do so again—but we will persevere. We were forged by those generations that came before us, and we will build on their foundation to make better the lives of those who come after us.”

    Sonya Bohmann, Executive Director of the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention, underscored the critical issue of elevated suicide rates within the construction sector. Notably, the industry’s suicide rate is four times higher than the national average, making it the second highest among U.S. industries. Bohmann emphasized the importance of understanding mental health as a continuum, where individuals may fluctuate between thriving and struggling due to various life events. 

    She advocated for viewing mental health challenges as illnesses, rather than as moral failings. She highlighted that until the 1970s, suicide was considered a crime, leading to stigmatizing language that persists today. 

    Several factors contribute to the heightened suicide risk in construction, including high stress levels, demanding work conditions, and a culture that often stigmatizes seeking help. Additionally, the industry employs a significant number of veterans, who may face challenges stemming from combat-related traumas, further elevating the risk. 

    To address these challenges, CIASP is dedicated to creating a zero-suicide industry by providing resources and tools for suicide prevention and mental health promotion in construction. Bohmann advocates for peer-to-peer support, fostering social connectedness, and encouraging leadership to prioritize mental health alongside safety. She also stresses the importance of open conversations about mental health, suggesting that simple actions like checking in with colleagues or sharing supportive messages can make a significant difference.

    For immediate assistance, individuals can contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which offers 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors. 

    Nuclear energy is gaining momentum on Wall Street, signaling a shift in this long-overlooked sector, according to Hilary Lane, Director of Fuel and Radiation Safety at the Nuclear Energy Institute. With 94 reactors across 53 U.S. sites, nuclear power provides about 18% of the nation’s energy and nearly half of its clean electricity. Its efficiency is notable, with a power capacity factor over 90%, far exceeding wind and solar’s 25-30%.

    The recent completion of Vogtle Units 3 and 4 in Georgia, each at 1,100 MW, marks a significant milestone for the industry. Looking ahead, nuclear capacity is expected to triple from 100 gigawatts to 300 gigawatts over the next 25 years, driven by advanced nuclear technologies. These range from micro-reactors to large-scale reactors capable of powering cities.

    Beyond electricity, advanced nuclear can produce hydrogen and provide industrial process heat. Sectors like data centers, oil and gas and artificial intelligence are exploring nuclear energy to meet their growing energy needs. Projects such as TerraPower in Wyoming, which is converting coal plants to nuclear, and X-energy in Texas, which is collaborating with Dow Chemical, highlight nuclear’s industrial potential.

    Federal support for nuclear is increasing, with new legislation and tax credits boosting the sector. Bipartisan backing at the state level is also rising, with many states lifting restrictions and exploring ways to accelerate nuclear energy’s growth.

    MOST Programs Administrator Mark Garrett shared training updates and changes to drug testing and OSHA 10. He said that he’s spoken with apprentice coordinators in different areas and is informed about those who are coming into the union who may already have an OSHA 10 certificate. If he can verify a member has passed OSHA 10, they don’t need to retake it. 

    “It streamlines the process and gets people to your jobsites,” he said. 

    Garrett also said that in July, the MOST Board of Trustees decided to remove testing for marijuana metabolites. He said if a contractor or owner requests this testing, it’s still available.

    Garrett said the new mental health program introduced last year has received positive feedback. “I feel like we can’t talk enough about the mental health program.” 

    Caucus reports delivered by chairmen representing each sector of the tripartite alliance detailed opportunities for improvement, but also praised successes. John Burnett with Chevron, chairman of the owners’ caucus, kicked off the reports noting several areas of importance to improve safety: hands-free standard for bolting, rigging training specific to the type of work to be performed, drug testing policies and concerns about opioid use, ongoing focus on significant injuries and fatalities, and attention to detail in permitting. 

    The owners’ caucus also identified staffing and productivity, quality and access requirements as topics to address.

    “We need more up-front discussions about manpower availability and experience, especially at the local level,” Burnett said. “We need more transparency on per diem to obtain quality craftsmen. And contractors should continue to raise the level of expectations. It’s something the owners are passionate about.”

    Owners had a frank discussion about quality, manpower, availability and experience. Burnett stressed the need for transparency in communicating needs among the owners, contractors and Boilermakers to ensure the best quality of work is produced. 

    Reporting for the contractors’ caucus was chairman Mike Bray, Senior Executive Consultant for Riggs Distler and Company, Inc. The caucus homed in on the need to understand referral rules, the need for open solicitation to man smaller work projects and the need for selectivity. Bray said contractors also want to better understand the M.O.R.E. Work Investment Fund—what’s available to help win work and how to go about utilizing the M.O.R.E. Work program.

    Training was also tops on their list, and Bray called for more or updated confined space training (some jobsites don’t accept MOST programs’ certification), advanced training on robotics, use and care of cordless tooling, and torquing and tension training. Also, he said, training is needed in new technology.

    “With new technology, we really have to train our people to get involved, to get into the scheduling and costing aspects of the business so that we can use Boilermakers on these jobs,” Bray said.

    Anthony Howell, AAIP and Executive Director-Construction Sector Operations, represented the labor caucus as chairman.

    Dovetailing with earlier reports, he began with the issue of travel cost and expenses Boilermakers incur to man projects, and he explained that being able to use per diem to offset those costs could make a big impact on recruiting.

    “It’s the first question they ask before they know anything else about us or the job: What’s the per diem?” he said.

    And, he said, the caucus also identified a need for better communication about the M.O.R.E. Work Investment Fund resources.

    “I spoke with some of the owners yesterday, and they told me how they appreciate how hard Boilermaker business managers and reps worked to respond to their needs,” he said. 

    “Anything that can be done to spread out work is good,” Bray said. “Those who are doing that are getting better manpower fulfillment.”

    The National Association of Construction Boilermaker Employers is 49 years old and continues to evolve by identifying and solving safety concerns. NACBE Executive Director Ron Traxler detailed programs offered by the organization, which was began as the result of tripartite discussions to address issues.

    “We’re like a three-legged stool,” Traxler began. “NACBE remains committed to our partnership. We do have a partnership with the IBB. We are stronger together. We all know that there have been some changes, but that’s what we do, we maximize on our strengths. We are stronger together and we must continue to work together.”

    He noted that combined, 417 years of experiences sits on the NACBE Board of Directors. He stressed the importance of being involved in the organization and its programs, especially those involved with safe working conditions. 

    “Safety is paramount, and we collaborate with MOST to educate and develop programs,” Traxler said. “We all need a safe work environment.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chancellor announces new plans to secure UK investment

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Chancellor closes the International Investment Summit promising the government is bringing investment and jobs back to Britain.

    In a speech to some of the world’s biggest businesses and investors, Rachel Reeves revealed that restoring fiscal stability will be at the centre of her first Budget on 30 October. She made the case that it is the only way to ensure government and business can invest with confidence. 

    The Chancellor went on to set out how two new bodies will drive long-term investment in Britain as the government works hand in hand with business to create new high skilled jobs right across the UK, helping make people better off. 

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, MP said: 

    When we said we would end instability, make growth our national mission and enter a true partnership with business we meant it.  

    The decisions which lie ahead of us will not always be easy. But by taking the right choices to grow our economy and drive investment we will create good jobs and new opportunities across every part of the country. That is the Britain we are building. 

    The first announcement from the Chancellor was that from today the UK Infrastructure Bank will operate as the National Wealth Fund (NWF), with its headquarters in Leeds. 

    The National Wealth Fund will catalyse tens of billions of pounds of private investment into in the UK’s clean energy and growth industries, including green hydrogen, carbon capture and gigafactories.

    Building on UKIB’s leadership and expertise, the NWF will go further, able to make investments that maximise the mobilisation of private investment. This will include the ability to trial new blended finance solutions with government departments that take on additional risk to facilitate higher impact in individual deals and performance guarantees. 

    The National Wealth Fund will have a total of £27.8 billion and will work with key industry partners, including mayors, to support delivery of their investment plans. 

    The Government will also bring forward legislation to give the NWF a broader mandate than just infrastructure, ensuring it is a permanent part of government’s investment offer. 

    John Flint, CEO, at the National Wealth Fund said: 

    It is a huge privilege to be entrusted with the responsibility of leading the National Wealth Fund. Building on the strong foundations we have laid as UKIB, we will hit the ground running, using sector insight and investment expertise that the market knows and trusts to unlock billions of pounds of private finance for projects across the UK.

    With additional capital to deploy against a bigger mandate, we stand ready to help the market invest with confidence, in support of the Government’s growth ambitions.

    Alongside this the Chancellor, together with Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds, announced a new British Growth Partnership as part of the British Business Bank (BBB). 

    The BBB already supports the UK’s fastest growing, most innovative companies deploying £3.5bn to support over 23,000 businesses last year. 

    The British Growth Partnership will allow it to do more by creating a new way for the British Business Bank and institutional investors to invest in innovative companies together.

    Leveraging the British Business Bank’s market expertise, these long-term investments will be made independently of government on a fully commercial basis. In the coming months, the British Business Bank will seek to raise hundreds of millions of pounds of investment for this fund, with the aim of making investments by the end of 2025.

    Additionally, the government will implement a set of reforms to the British Business Bank’s financial framework that will increase its impact and increase its ability to respond flexibly to the market, including by putting the British Business Bank’s £7.9bn set of commercial programmes on a permanent footing.

    Louis Taylor, CEO, British Business Bank said:

    Today’s announcement is a strong endorsement of the British Business Bank’s 10-year track record, market access and capabilities. By establishing the British Growth Partnership, the Bank will encourage more UK pension fund investment into the UK’s fastest growing, most innovative companies. 

    In addition, reforms to the Bank’s financial framework, putting our £7.9bn commercial programmes on a permanent footing, means we can flexibly re-invest our investment returns over the long term to increase growth and prosperity across the UK.

    Today’s measures follow the Government announcing more than £24 billion of private investment for pioneering energy projects and thousands of jobs in the green industries secured ahead of International Investment Summit.

    This adds to the announcement last week that up to 500 UK manufacturing jobs are set to be supported as bus operator Go Ahead confirms a major £500 million investment to decarbonise its fleet. This includes creating a new dedicated manufacturing line and partnership with Northern Ireland-based UK bus manufacturer Wrightbus.    

    And it also builds on the Government confirming funding to launch the UK’s first carbon capture sites in Teesside and Merseyside. Two new carbon capture and CCUS enabled hydrogen projects will create 4,000 new jobs, in a boost for the economy and British industry, helping remove over 8.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year – the equivalent of taking around 4 million cars off the road.    

    Further quotes:

    Dame Julia Hoggett, CEO, London Stock Exchange Plc said:

    It is critically important for the growth of the UK economy that home grown companies are able to access the investment they need to grow, scale and stay in the UK. 

    Access to meaningful UK capital at the scaling phase has been a long-recognised challenge and so we are delighted that British Growth Partnership is being established to help address this problem. This will also facilitate more investment by UK pension schemes into scaling UK companies, providing greater returns for their savers and giving UK investors a greater stake in the UK economy.

    Sir Nicholas Lyons, Group Chair, Phoenix said:

    The UK needs scale and skills to convert our brilliant science and technology start-ups and university spinouts into the successful and sustainable companies of tomorrow.  British Growth Partnership will complement the private sector DC pension industry’s undertakings under the Mansion House Compact to expedite this, directing investment to deliver the best returns for our pension savers.

    Professor Sir John Bell, President, Ellison Institute of Technology said:

    Making sure the best innovative British companies can access the capital they need to scale and stay in the UK is critical for the future of the economy. The Chancellor’s announcement today of the new British Growth Partnership, in addition to confirming £7.9bn of permanent capital for the British Business Bank, are both very welcome and significant steps forward in solving this problem

    Sir Jonathan Symonds CBE, Non-Executive Chair, GSK said:

    This is a welcome step; encouraging institutional investment into the UK’s high-growth-potential companies can provide a real boost to the economy and generate better returns for individuals’ pension investments

    Brent Hoberman, Chairman and Co-Founder, Founders Forum Group, Founders Factory, firstminute capital said:

    It’s great to see the new government taking concrete steps to amplify the Mansion House reforms.   This new British Growth Partnership should help UK startups access further scale up capital to create more world leaders.

    Saul Klein, Co-founder, Phoenix Court and Member of the Council for Science and Technology said:

    The UK has more than 750 venture backed companies generating more than $25m in revenue – this is more than France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands combined. These companies have created over 200,000 new jobs and continue to grow but the UK still has $35bn less scale up capital to support these companies than the United States’ Bay Area alone.

    The government’s continued support for the British Business Bank and its focus on addressing this scale up opportunity will be very much welcomed by these 750 companies as well as the cohorts coming behind them.

    Peter Harrison, Group Chief Executive, Schroders plc said:

    These are further helpful initiatives in creating an environment where risk capital can flow into strategically important industries. Every step is welcome in supporting future economic growth.

    Edward Braham, Chairman, M&G said:

    We welcome the creation of the British Growth Partnership which should unlock much needed investment into the UK’s high growth innovative businesses.

    The combination of private and public sector partnerships, underpinned by long term patient capital, is essential to create the conditions for sustainable growth. 

    As a leading international investor, M&G has a proud history of supporting the progress of businesses and communities across the UK, investing in new innovative companies and private assets such as housing, hospitals and transport.

    Steve Bates OBE, CEO of the BioIndustry Association, said:

    Our world-leading, innovative life sciences and biotech sector is a unique competitive advantage for economic growth. The sector attracts expert global investors but a lack of investment from UK-based institutional investors means the economic and social returns are too often lost overseas.

    The British Growth Partnership will help turbo-charge innovative businesses with fresh UK-based capital, enabling them to scale in the UK and deliver more returns to the British economy, and to ordinary people saving for their retirement. This is a win-win-win for UK life science businesses, for UK pension savers and for the forward-thinking financial services sector.

    Kate Bingham, Managing Partner, SV Health and Former Chair UK Vaccine Taskforce welcomed the announcements saying:

    The UK has the potential to be a global leader and hub for healthcare breakthroughs with its strong entrepreneurial and academic base, together with our expertise and innovation in data science and artificial intelligence.

    Making the British Business Bank independent of government as well as launching the British Growth Partnership enables the Bank to catalyse institutional investment, including from pension funds, into brilliant UK companies that are supercharging the development of revolutionary medical treatments including smarter medicines for cancer, Alzheimer’s and blindness.

    Dom Hallas, Executive Director, Startup Coalition said:

    Tech startups and scaleups need a stable and improving funding environment to compete globally. The British Business Bank’s role in helping create that landscape is critical and today’s announcement will help the UK continue to build VC-backed tech companies across the country that are ready to compete with the very best.

    Michael Moore, Chief Executive, BVCA said:

    It is extremely welcome that the Government and the British Business Bank have brought this hugely significant programme forwards so quickly.

    The prize is to get significant new capital into the growth equity and venture capital funds that are creating new industries and backing innovative businesses that will be the backbone of the British economy of tomorrow. The British Business Bank has a vital role catalysing institutional investment into fast growing British businesses and this announcement will boost that work substantially.

    Just 3% of the pensions investment into UK led growth equity and venture capital funds is from UK pension funds. Alongside the Government’s pensions review this major new vehicle can be the start of a major shift that sees UK pensions savers get the improved retirement income that can come from backing funds which deliver active ownership and long-term investment in business.

    Kerry Baldwin, Co-Founder, Managing Partner, IQ Capital said:

    The launch of the British Growth Partnership and the confirmation of a permanent capital allocation for the British Business Bank are two crucial steps forward in solving the lack of access to domestic capital for the UK’s most promising growth companies.

    I very much welcome the Chancellor’s announcement today, she has been hugely engaged with the venture capital and technology sector, and champions the incredible societal impact that our sector enables through investments into innovative technologies across the UK.

    The British Business Bank has been at the heart of powering the next generation of UK venture and growth funds and the launch of the new fund is welcome as part of the pension reforms.  This fund will enable access to world-leading science and innovative investments which increase productivity by transforming legacy industries through the adoption of novel technologies and also by providing growth capital to the next generation of globally leading frontier technologies which are solving pressing critical global issues from climate change to energy transition.

    Dr Andrew Williamson, Managing Partner, Cambridge Innovation Capital, and member of BVCA Council said:

    Since its formation in 2018, British Patient Capital has played a central role in the growth of the UK’s knowledge-intensive innovation ecosystem.  It has built a world leading team and investment platform with a strong track record of investing in UK deeptech and life sciences companies and the venture capital funds that support these companies. 

    The British Growth Partnership will make the Bank’s extensive expertise available to a broader range of institutional investors, providing attractive returns for those investors and increasing the capital available for leading UK start-up and scale-up businesses.

    Duncan Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Northern Gritstone said:

    We at Northern Gritstone believe that skilled partnerships that channel patient investment into long-term growth and innovation are more important than ever for the UK. 

    By establishing the British Growth Partnership, the British Business Bank is creating a pathway for pension funds and institutional investors to support the future today. Through investment we can create and scale the world class businesses of tomorrow in the UK which is the platform for growth for our economy over the decades to come.

    Irene Graham OBE, CEO, ScaleUp Institute said:

    The ScaleUp Institute has long evidenced the important role of development banks and Sovereign Wealth Funds to global scaleup economies.  The Government’s  placement of the British Business Bank commercial initiatives into permanency, with greater  flexibility, alongside the creation of the great British Growth Partnership are very much welcome and represent significant milestones for the UK economy. 

    Alongside a National Wealth Fund these entities and commitments should further address structural, regional and sectoral disparities and ensure our innovative scaling businesses across the country are better connected, at all stages of growth, to the vital patient capital and institutional funds to enable their global scale and continue to foster our international competitiveness.

    Lisa Quest, Managing Partner UK and Ireland, Oliver Wyman:

    Today’s announcement is a significant milestone for the UK economy. The National Wealth Fund will increase investment across key sectors and accelerate the UK’s clean energy transition. I look forward to the many contributions this initiative will unlock for years to come.

    Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas, Chair of the Taskforce and CEO of the Green Finance Institute said:

    The NWF creates an opportunity for simplification and scale. The challenge now is to ensure it delivers private capital at the pace we need, through innovative risk-sharing transactions in new technologies.

    On top of today’s announcements, the government expects both successful bidders of the Long-Term Investment for Technology and Science (LIFTS) competition, Schroders and ICG, to begin making investments via their new funds in late 2024. Supported by pensions capital from Phoenix Group, the aim is to generate over a billion pounds of investment into UK science and technology companies.

    Updates to this page

    Published 14 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –