The European Union has temporarily ceased 88 million euros ($107 million) in budget support for Ethiopia until humanitarian agencies are provided access to those in need of aid in the northern Tigray region.
On Friday, EU High Representative Josep Borrell called on Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to fulfil the values inherent to the Nobel Peace Prize he was awarded in 2019 by working to end the ongoing conflict in Tigray.
“We are ready to help, but unless there is access for humanitarian aid operators, the EU cannot disburse the planned budget support to the Ethiopian government”, Borrell said.
“We receive consistent reports of ethnic-targeted violence, killings, massive looting, rapes, forceful returns of refugees and possible war crimes”, he added.
The top diplomat also called for a calming of tensions with neighbour Sudan and said that the involvement of other countries made the conflict a “direct threat to the stability of the whole region”
He said it was in the “best interest of Ethiopia and the wider region” to permit humanitarian access and to “resume the path towards an inclusive and sustainable peace”.
“Regional experiences are relevant here: Sudan stared into the abyss of civil war two years ago, before the parties to its political dispute stepped back and chose a peaceful transition instead. Ethiopia was the midwife to that transition, together with the African Union and the United Nations”.
“Maybe Khartoum can now return the important effort. But this requires that there first be a de-escalation of tensions between the two countries”, he said.
Ethiopia says it is becoming impatient with a Sudanese military build-up in territory populated by Ethiopian farmers on the Sudanese side of a border dispute.
Sudan’s foreign ministry accused the Ethiopian military aircraft of crossing their border in a “dangerous and unjustified escalation”.
While the reports of killings remain unsubstantiated due to a lack of international access to the region, the United Nations said on Thursday major violations of international law had taken place in Tigray at two refugee camps, home to those who fled repression in neighbouring Eritrea prior to the most recent flare-up in violence.
The body claims satellite imagery showed fires burning and fresh signs of destruction at the Shimelba and Hitsats camps but the UN refugee agency, which has criticised the lack of humanitarian access to the sites, has not said who they believe is responsible.
Eritrea’s Information Minister, Yemane Meskel, tweeted on Friday that the UNHCR “seems to indulge, yet again, in another bout of gratuitous & irresponsible smear campaigns against Eritrea”.
As it will be recalled, its botched scheme in 2004 of “resettling the Kunama language group in third countries in the West”;its preposterous Eligibility Guidelines of 2009 & 2011 peddled to wean the youth from National Service are some of its deplorable excesses in previous years
Both Asmara and Addis Ababa deny the presence of Eritrean troops in Tigray. However, a senior Ethiopian general has since confirmed that they had crossed into the northern region without invitation.
Over the past 7 years, the EU has provided 815 million euros of development aid to Ethiopia, which comes on top of 409 million euros for projects intended for supporting refugees and host communities in the African nation.
Why is there conflict?
Violence been raging since the 4 November, after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered a military offensive against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), a popular guerrilla organisation in the northern region.
Prime Minister Ahmed claims that the military manoeuvre was a response to the TPLF attacking a military installation where government troops were being housed in Tigray.
In September 2020, Tigray rebuked federal COVID-19 restrictions and held regional parliamentary elections. In response, federal authorities rejected the results, calling the local authorities a “junta” and “fugitives from justice” who must be “made accountable by law” following the November offensive.
The TPLF was the largest political organisation in a ruling coalition since 1991, which took power after the fall of the Derg military regime.
However, after the ascension of Abiy Ahmed to the office of the prime minister, the regional representatives were sidelined by the new government and withdrew in 2019.
<blockquote class="excerptCss" readability="10">
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh has slammed the European Union for its unreasonable, non-constructive, and unwise decision to blacklist Mr Faisal Mekdad, the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.
</blockquote>
<!-- content -->In a statement on Saturday, Khatibzadeh said the EU’s move to sanction the Syrian foreign minister will escalate the crisis in the Arab country and further complicate the political settlement of this crisis.
“Such an unpleasant measure will only result in further divergence and distrust between Brussels and Damascus. At a time when the Syrian crisis needs a political solution, blacklisting the country’s foreign minister as the person in charge of Syria’s foreign policy means nothing but obstructing the peace process,” the Iranian spokesman said.
He strongly called on the European Union to reconsider its decision, especially at a time when it was expected to condemn the Zionist regime’s attacks and aggression against the Syrian territory in violation of the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and express its serious opposition to the US’ unjust sanctions against the Syrian nation.
Khatibzadeh described the decision as unwise.
The European Union added Mekdad to its sanctions list on Friday.
“As a Government Minister, [he] shares responsibility for the Syria regime’s violent repression against the population,” the European foreign affairs ministers said.
Mekdad was appointed as Syria’s top diplomat in November 2020.
The EU has imposed sanctions against the Syrian regime since 2011. The restrictive measures include travel ban and asset freeze for Syrian government officials and prominent business people benefiting from the war economy.
The sanctions also prohibit the import of oil, and apply export restrictions on equipment or technology that could be used for the war.
In total, 289 Syrian individuals and 70 entities are blacklisted by the EU.
LISBON, Jan. 15 — Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa met here Friday with the College of European Commissioners led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to discuss the program and priorities of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU).Costa said that the priority of the Portuguese presidency will be “economic recovery” to “ensure that all the instruments that were built become effective” and that the EU support funds reach the 27 member countries.All the EU financial instruments have to be made operational as soon as possible, he said.
In a joint conference with von der Leyen, Costa said the second priority is to ensure the social dimension of Europe is duly put forward in the face of challenges linked to climate change and the digital transition and without leaving anybody behind.
Von der Leyen said that the European Commission will support a fast, smooth rollout of vaccines in the European Union. She also highlighted the importance of the EU’s transatlantic ties and its relations with Africa and India.
Costa and von der Leyen formally invited the EU’s heads of state and government, their institutions, and the social partners to participate in the Social Summit, which will be held in May in Porto.
“With this event, we will send a very strong political signal: the European Union promotes a recovery that gives priority to the people and their well-being,” von der Leyen said.
The previous EU Social Summit took place in November 2017 in Gothenburg, Sweden, and resulted in the proclamation of the “European Pillar of Social Rights.”
Costa argued that the EU needs “a common commitment to make that pillar a reality,” because the “social dimension of the EU is absolutely fundamental.”
“Ecological and digital transitions are changing the way we live and work. To get out of the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the recovery must be inclusive, sustainable and resilient,” he concluded.
When distance learning has you glued to your computer too much, it’s nice to give yourself a break from screen time. Step away from your computer, put down the phone and have fun with these finds. Bonus: They’re all Pinoy products so you’ll be supporting local businesses.
It may be more challenging to find things to be thankful for while living in a pandemic but gratitude is so important at a time like this. It’s a way of teaching yourself to find the good in the bad, it’s a moment to celebrate the little things that make us happy, the everyday things that we may have previously taken for granted. Jot the things that you are thankful for in a Gratitude Journal. We found one by Frankie & Friends and another by Skit Books. Skit Books also has a Gratitude Journal for Kids. (frankiegeneralstore.com, skitbooks.com)
Make your own recycled paper.
Handmade papermaking kit
Try making your own recycled paper with this kit from Papemelroti. The kit includes a mold, deckle and instruction booklet. (shop.papemelroti.com)
Recipe Book
Have you been experimenting in the kitchen? It may be time to keep a record of your recipes. You can even put all your family recipes together in one place using this Recipe Book. Each page has space allotted for the recipe name, number of servings, preparation and cooking time, ingredients and directions. (skitbooks.com)
Make-your-own Comic Book
There’s a comic book inside of you just waiting to be unleashed. Use the pages of this Make-Your-Own Comic Book to tell your story—whether it’s about superheroes, your dog or tales from your childhood. (skitbooks.com)
The ’Pag Ako Yumaman ‘Hu u?’ Sa ’Kin ’Yang Piso Fare na ’Yan Travel Notebook
Just because we can’t travel now doesn’t mean you should shelve your wanderlust. Spend time with this notebook and recall your favorite travel memories and start dreaming about your future explorations. There are pages devoted to your bucket list, tips on saving while on trips, expectation vs. reality, a “Pag-ibig World Map” that you can color and many other surprises you can expect only from Tita Witty. (witty.ph)
Top 5 List Journal
We love lists. They help us make sense of our often chaotic life. This Top 5 List Journal gives you space for all kinds of lists—serious or not, fun or for productivity. Each page is split into a blank area and a lined one so you can get creative with doodles, stickers, washi tape or collages. (everydayexplorers.ph)
The Sunday Night Journal
Aurora Suarez created The Sunday Night Journal in hopes that people would use their Sunday nights as a time for self-care and so they can start a new week with positivity and purpose. “With the journal, you can say goodbye to the dreaded Sunday night (and Monday morning) blues,” she wrote on her website.
The Sunday Night Journal is on its third volume and features 52 pages with prompts that allow you to connect with yourself. (yoursundaynight.com)
The Memory Book
Do you miss those days when you used to keep a diary? Do you keep telling yourself that you’ll go back to it again soon but never do? The Memory Book might just be the push you need. This five-year journal allots just a small space for each day, with each page divided into five years, making the idea of jotting down your thoughts and experiences not too daunting. Imagine how fun it would be to have five years’ worth of memories in one place. It’s a treasure you’ll end up keeping for a long, long time. (@thememorybook.ph on Instagram)
So Cards
“These cards aren’t designed for parties,” creator Miguel Luis warns. So Cards—Unstuck Yourself is “a deck made for intense introspection and self-reflection,” with questions like “What’s the difference between the person you present to the world and who you actually are?” and “What’s one apology you wish you had gotten but you never did?” Answering the questions requires vulnerability. They’re a great way to bond with someone you trust—maybe even over Zoom, with a friend you’ve missed. But you can go through the cards alone too and ask yourself the hard questions. (commonroomph.com)
Klaypel Kit
This eco-friendly kit is fun to do with kids. Each kit includes a wooden block with printed design, paper clay and sticks. (commonroomph.com)
This Sticker Book features the work of Maranao artists.
Medley: A Sticker Book
You’re never too old for stickers. Preorder is ongoing for this sticker book which includes a variety of styles and features the art of different Maranao artists. (theproject-a.com)
Ultimate Sticker Collection: Artist Portfolio
Because there’s no such thing as too many stickers, here’s another big dose. This #UltimateStickerCollab features 30 pages of stickers and the work of 25 different artists. You can get a Sticker Vault too so you can organize your sticker collection. (thecraftcentral.com)
Ultimate Artist Collab
Local artists and brands including Paper Station, Mamamu MNL, Andy Lam, Ink Scribbler and so many more have collaborated on this box which has the theme: “Better Days Ahead.” You’ll find a lot of goodness in it—12 sticker sheets, seven art prints, two ephemera prints and nine mini journaling cards. (thecraftcentral.com)
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is taking legal action at the global trade watchdog against the European Union and member states France and Lithuania for restricting palm oil-based biofuels, the government said.
The world’s second largest palm oil producer, which has called a EU renewable-energy directive “discriminatory action,” is seeking consultations under the World Trade Organization’s Dispute Settlement Mechanism, the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry said in a statement on Friday (Jan 15).
Minister Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said the EU proceeded with implementing the directive without considering Malaysia’s commitment and views, even after Malaysia gave feedback and sent economic and technical missions to Europe.
The EU directive “will mean the use of palm oil as biofuel in the EU cannot be taken into account in the calculation of renewable energy targets and in turn create undue trade restrictions to the country’s palm oil industry,” he said in the statement.
The ministry filed the WTO request with cooperation from the Attorney General’s Chambers and the International Trade and Industry Ministry, taking action it had warned of in July against EU Renewable Energy Directive II.Advertisement
Malaysia will act as a third party in a separate WTO case lodged by neighbouring Indonesia, the world’s biggest palm oil producer, as a sign of solidarity and support, the ministry statement said.
ROME, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) — The head of the Italian division of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei said Friday that Italy was in a position to close its long-standing “digital gap” with other countries in western Europe if it used the money from the European Union’s (EU) recovery fund effectively.
Speaking to the daily newspaper La Stampa, President of Huawei Italy Luigi De Vecchis said Italy’s 222-billion-euro (270-billion-U.S.-dollar) share of the recovery fund presented “an opportunity to end the digital divide between our country and the rest of Europe.”
A Huawei-Italy media office official confirmed the accuracy of the comments when contacted by Xinhua.
The EU recovery fund is financial backing for countries aimed at limiting the impacts of the global coronavirus outbreak.
De Vecchis, a former chief executive of the Siemens Network who took the reins of Huawei-Italy in 2018, said companies and government officials should work to convince skeptical elements in Italy that 5G antennae — “5G” is short for fifth-generation technology standards that allow for dense and high-speed wireless communication — are safe and necessary for Italy’s digital advancement.
He said that the coronavirus pandemic that has resulted in a dramatic increase in working from home is making the development of fast and easily-accessible communication networks more important than ever before.
“Current networks are inadequate and in Italy, there is a digital divide that goes beyond the limits of access in rural areas,” De Vecchis said. “To bring us to the level of other countries we have to develop fiber-optic networks and 5G.”
According to Pew Research Center, 70% of Americans identify as Christian. This includes evangelical Protestants, who make up the largest bloc in American Christendom, along with Catholics, mainline Protestants, Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The next-largest religious bloc in Pew’s study is Judaism, which comprises a little less than 2% of the population. Then Islam, which makes up less than 1%. Some have argued that the second-largest bloc, dwarfing both Judaism and Islam, are those who identify as “nothing in particular.” They come in at about 16% of the total population.
It is, however, debatable that the “nothing in particular” folks form a religious bloc. It’s like giving an empty space on my bookshelf a catalog number. However, there is another religious group that is much larger and more influential than all those listed above, with the possible exception of Christianity.
Unlike the “nothing in particular” group, this bloc clearly meets the criteria to be considered a religious group, though it is entirely overlooked by Pew and by most sociologists. This group has no official structure or hierarchy, but it invokes a god, possesses a historical narrative (or mythology, as some deem it), and reverences its saints.
This religion has received various labels over the years, but the one that has been around longest, given to it by Rousseau before the American Revolution, is “Civil Religion.” According to the sociologist Robert Bellah, Rousseau outlined the simple dogma of Civil Religion as: “the existence of God, the life to come, the reward of virtue and the punishment of vice, and the exclusion of religious intolerance.”
Isn’t this Civil Religion simply Christianity by another name? Not at all. While Civil Religion recognizes a sovereign God who operates in the affairs of nations, it does not acknowledge him to be the Father of Jesus. Neither does it confess Jesus as Lord, which is the fundamental requirement of biblical Christianity. Interestingly, every American president in history has mentioned God in an inaugural speech. Not one has mentioned Jesus Christ.
This does not mean that none of our presidents have been Christians but it does suggest that they have seen Civil Religion as publicly acceptable but Christianity as a private affair. They freely speak of God and ask his blessing at the end of their speeches, but is it the God of Jesus they invoke?
The American version of Civil Religion (there are others) borrows freely from Judaism and Christianity. Its metanarrative draws on the biblical story. It features an oppressed people, like Abraham’s descendants in Egypt (think Europe), who are liberated and make their way to the Promised Land (America), which becomes “a city set on a hill” and a light shining in darkness, revealing a better way to the world.
This idea led Ben Franklin to propose that the seal of the United States feature Moses lifting his rod and parting the Red Sea. Thomas Jefferson wanted it to display the children of Israel, led by the cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night. This is telling, given that Franklin was no orthodox Christian and Jefferson was no Christian at all. They believed in God, but they didn’t confess Jesus as Lord.
Civil Religion’s appropriation of Christian themes has led to great confusion for many Americans, who assume they are Christians because they believe in “God, the life to come, the reward of virtue and the punishment of vice.” But Ben Franklin’s creed does not make a person a Christian. Faith in Jesus does.
Civil Religion has often legitimized expansionism. Its providential god – the one Bob Dylan called the “God on our side” – has declared a “manifest destiny” that sanctions the removal of all obstructions, including indigenous peoples, and permits preemptive action against all threats, including people of other religions. At present, this includes Muslims. In the future, it could conceivably include Christians.
Faith in Jesus and belief in the God of Civil Religion produce different results. Faith in Jesus leads to an all-encompassing spiritual formation that brings with it a way of life – a Jesus way of life. Civil Religion lacks this coherency. Incapable of bringing a way of life, it offers only a tenuous hold on power. Shayne Looper is the pastor of Lockwood Community Church in Coldwater, Michigan. His blog, “The Way Home,” is at shaynelooper.com.
n’);document.write(‘n nn’);} THE New Year’s Eve Schengen deal is only for a framework and does not guarantee an EU treaty, the Chief Minister warned this afternoon.
Both the UK Foreign Secretary and the European Commission have confirmed in recent days that there is a lot of hard negotiation to come to avoid a hard Brexit for Gibraltar.
The Chief Minister Fabian Picardo was speaking to Parliament on its first session since the Christmas break.
“The framework is the basis for the negotiation now of the UK/EU Treaty,” said Picardo.
“It has no public international legal value of itself.
n’);document.write(‘n nn’);}
“It is not an agreement to prevent a hard Brexit.”
This had been confirmed by UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab only yesterday.
“The political framework covers issues of key importance to Gibraltar and the surrounding region, including on border fluidity.
“It creates the basis for a bespoke model for Gibraltar’s future relationship with the EU that will permit an absence of physical checks at the land border with Spain, and therefore ensure fluidity of movement of people and goods between Gibraltar and the EU.
“The Governments of both the UK and Gibraltar judge that this framework provides a firm basis to safeguard Gibraltar’s interests.”
In the meantime, free movement will continue at the land frontier, Raab assured.
UK support
“The UK and Gibraltar are committed to ensuring that cross-border arrangements can continue in the interim, until a new treaty enters into force,” said Raab.
“Arrangements have been agreed with Spain that include provisions for the border (goods and people), road transport, healthcare, waste disposal, and data.
“In addition, the UK Government provided financial and other support to ensure that Gibraltar was fully prepared for the end of the Transition Period.
“We remain steadfast in our support for Gibraltar, and its sovereignty is safeguarded.”
This was echoed by Mrs Clara Martínez Alberola, Deputy Director-General, Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom at the European Commission.
“This [framework] has first to be reflected in a draft, a mandate by the Commission, and we will need to take into consideration all the provisions relating to Schengen, goods, transport, level playing field, etc,” said Martinez.
“Then we will have to negotiate it with the UK authorities in the form of an agreement, that we should not forget will be an EU-UK agreement, and not anything else.
“So we will see this develop probably in the next weeks and months.”
EU got this: The European Commission could be more involved in Gibraltar than ever
Prosperity
Following the leaking of the proposed treaty in a Spanish newspaper, Picardo confirmed it would ‘reset’ the relationship with Spain and the EU in all areas.
“The framework provides that the treaty to be negotiated will deal with maximised and unrestricted mobility of persons between Gibraltar and the Schengen area,” said Picardo.
“Spain, as the neighbouring Schengen member state, will be responsible as regards the European Union for the implementation of Schengen.
“This will be managed by the introduction of a FRONTEX operation for the control of entry and exit points from the Schengen area at the Gibraltar entry points.”
He suggested that while Gibraltar has no experience of the European Common Market, some aspects of it would have to exist for free movement of goods.
“We are not going to join it but we are considering a bespoke arrangement, which permits potential suppression of customs controls.
“This will require an in-depth consideration of issues with out business community.
“We have already established a Treaty Liaison and Advisory Committee to advise us on these matters.”
Finally, the Chief Minister said that the only way to have shared prosperity was to keep things the way they were as much as possible.
“Remember that Gibraltar will need to be an engine of economic growth and to do so we will only agree to arrangements which preserve our prosperity,” he added.
“It is in that way that we will be able to continue to create more private sector employment in and around Gibraltar for the benefit of Gibraltar and the whole region around us.”
Organic waste – whether from households, agriculture or agroforestry – can be used as energy resource, but is often underexploited. A team of EPFL scientists has developed a methodology to better incorporate this resource into existing power grids and gas distribution systems, depending on local availability and demand.
Many energy resources are available locally, like biomass from households, farms and agroforestry operations, but how can we make the best use of them? Scientists at EPFL’s Group of Energy Materials (GEM), based in Sion, set out to answer this question with an energy-optimization approach that can feed both power grids and gas pipelines. Their system uses a gasification process to turn biomasses into hydrogen, and further into methane, with the help of reversible solid-oxide cell technology (rSOCs). GEM scientists are specialized in this technology, which can both store electricity as methane (Power2Gas) and convert the methane back into electricity – with high yields in both directions.
Biomass refers to all matter that is organic: wood, agricultural waste, food waste, manure, etc. It served as the main energy source for mankind before the industrial revolution led to the widespread adoption of fossil fuels (carbon and then oil/gas), and still accounts for 10% of global primary energy supply. Biomass is considered a renewable energy source as long it is produced in at least the same quantity as it is consumed, without net deforestation nor competition with food production. It is used in the form of biofuels, for generating heat, electricity, gas and various chemicals and cosmetics.
Completely reversible technology
The GEM scientists’ idea was to identify the optimal configurations for biomass plants operating at a scale between 1 MW and 100 MW, in a multi-purpose mode: to generate power fed into the electrical grid in case of electricity demand; when there is no demand for electricity, to produce hydrogen and/or methane (the main component of natural gas) and inject it into the natural gas grid.
“Our study aims to come up with the optimal design for a biomass plant and its organic-matter supply chain,” says Maria Perez Fortes, a GEM scientist. “We applied our approach for the conditions in 2 countries : one in Denmark, representative of northern Europe, and one in Italy, representative of southern Europe. In both cases, we assessed the needs of the local power grid, how much and what kind of biomass streams are locally available, what the associated transportation costs are, and a number of other factors. Our goal was to develop an effective grid-balancing approach that relies more heavily on renewable energy, consuming power when the supply is high (to store it as gas) and generating it when the supply is low. That’s why we decided to use reversible solid-oxide cells –the only technology that can switch seamlessly between electricity and gas production.”
The advantages of the proposed system configuration are its flexibility and continuous operation, in either of the production modes, thereby eliminating plant shutdowns. It can be used to generate or store electricity or natural gas, and can adjust supply to meet demand. The system can be particularly useful in conjunction with other local renewable-energy systems (like solar panels and wind farms) that are dependent on weather conditions, to cover any gaps in power production. By providing a method for adding local biomass streams to power grids and gas pipelines, GEM’s methodology can optimize power and gas distribution networks and and their coupling, secure a steady supply of electricity that is adjusted to demand in real time, and enable utilities to manage their assets more efficiently.
This study was carried out over the past two years as part of the Waste2Grids project, an EU-funded research project (Grant 826161) coordinated by EPFL-GEM, and more specifically by Maria Perez Fortes, scientist, and Ligang Wang, the project’s scientific coordinator. Both have recently been appointed professors: Dr. Perez at TU Delft in the Netherlands and Dr. Wang in Beijing (NCEPU).
LISBON, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) — Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa met here Friday with the College of European Commissioners led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to discuss the program and priorities of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU).
Costa said that the priority of the Portuguese presidency will be “economic recovery” to “ensure that all the instruments that were built become effective” and that the EU support funds reach the 27 member countries.
All the EU financial instruments have to be made operational as soon as possible, he said.
In a joint conference with von der Leyen, Costa said the second priority is to ensure the social dimension of Europe is duly put forward in the face of challenges linked to climate change and the digital transition and without leaving anybody behind.
Von der Leyen said that the European Commission will support a fast, smooth rollout of vaccines in the European Union. She also highlighted the importance of the EU’s transatlantic ties and its relations with Africa and India.
Costa and von der Leyen formally invited the EU’s heads of state and government, their institutions, and the social partners to participate in the Social Summit, which will be held in May in Porto.
“With this event, we will send a very strong political signal: the European Union promotes a recovery that gives priority to the people and their well-being,” von der Leyen said.
The previous EU Social Summit took place in November 2017 in Gothenburg, Sweden, and resulted in the proclamation of the “European Pillar of Social Rights.”
Costa argued that the EU needs “a common commitment to make that pillar a reality,” because the “social dimension of the EU is absolutely fundamental.”
“Ecological and digital transitions are changing the way we live and work. To get out of the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the recovery must be inclusive, sustainable and resilient,” he concluded.
This study was coordinated by EPFL’s Group of Energy Materials (GEM), based in Sion and directed by Jan Van Herle. Credit: EPFL
Organic waste—whether from households, agriculture or agroforestry—can be used as energy resource, but is often underexploited. A team of EPFL scientists has developed a methodology to better incorporate this resource into existing power grids and gas distribution systems, depending on local availability and demand.
Many <a href="https://techxplore.com/tags/energy+resources/" rel="tag" class="textTag" rel="nofollow">energy resources</a> are available locally, like biomass from households, farms and agroforestry operations, but how can we make the best use of them? Scientists at EPFL's Group of Energy Materials (GEM), based in Sion, set out to answer this question with an energy-optimization approach that can feed both <a href="https://techxplore.com/tags/power+grids/" rel="tag" class="textTag" rel="nofollow">power grids</a> and gas pipelines. Their system uses a gasification process to turn biomasses into hydrogen, and further into methane, with the help of reversible solid-oxide cell technology (rSOCs). GEM scientists are specialized in this technology, which can both store <a href="https://techxplore.com/tags/electricity/" rel="tag" class="textTag" rel="nofollow">electricity</a> as methane (Power2Gas) and convert the methane back into electricity—with high yields in both directions.
Biomass refers to all matter that is organic: wood, agricultural waste, food waste, manure, etc. It served as the main energy source for mankind before the industrial revolution led to the widespread adoption of fossil fuels (carbon and then oil/gas), and still accounts for 10% of global primary energy supply. Biomass is considered a renewable energy source as long it is produced in at least the same quantity as it is consumed, without net deforestation nor competition with food production. It is used in the form of biofuels, for generating heat, electricity, gas and various chemicals and cosmetics.
Completely reversible technology
The GEM scientists’ idea was to identify the optimal configurations for biomass plants operating at a scale between 1 MW and 100 MW, in a multi-purpose mode: to generate power fed into the electrical grid in case of electricity demand; when there is no demand for electricity, to produce hydrogen and/or methane (the main component of natural gas) and inject it into the natural gas grid.
“Our study aims to come up with the optimal design for a biomass plant and its organic-matter supply chain,” says Maria Perez Fortes, a GEM scientist. “We applied our approach for the conditions in two countries: one in Denmark, representative of northern Europe, and one in Italy, representative of southern Europe. In both cases, we assessed the needs of the local power grid, how much and what kind of biomass streams are locally available, what the associated transportation costs are, and a number of other factors. Our goal was to develop an effective grid-balancing approach that relies more heavily on renewable energy, consuming power when the supply is high (to store it as gas) and generating it when the supply is low. That’s why we decided to use reversible solid-oxide cells –the only technology that can switch seamlessly between electricity and gas production.”
The advantages of the proposed system configuration are its flexibility and continuous operation, in either of the production modes, thereby eliminating plant shutdowns. It can be used to generate or store electricity or natural gas, and can adjust supply to meet demand. The system can be particularly useful in conjunction with other local renewable-energy systems (like solar panels and wind farms) that are dependent on weather conditions, to cover any gaps in power production. By providing a method for adding local biomass streams to power grids and gas pipelines, GEM’s methodology can optimize power and gas distribution networks and and their coupling, secure a steady supply of electricity that is adjusted to demand in real time, and enable utilities to manage their assets more efficiently.
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EPFL's Group of Energy Materials (GEM): <a href="https://www.epfl.ch/labs/gem/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">www.epfl.ch/labs/gem/</a>
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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to keep most of Europe on pause, the EU aims for a breakthrough in its space program. The continent is seeking more than just a self-sufficient space industry competitive with China and the US; the industry must also fit into the European Green Deal.
‘Strategic autonomy’ in space
“I believe we need a more offensive and aggressive strategy,” said the European Commissioner Thierry Breton as he laid out the main priorities for the EU space program over the next seven years. Breton said that the European Union must move quickly to reduce its dependence on third countries.
“Strategic autonomy” is Brussels’s latest catchphrase that echoed throughout Breton’s and other EU officials’ speeches during the 13th European Space Conference earlier this week. As Europe plans to address economic needs within its borders, its aerospace program is set to focus inwards as well.
Breton mentioned having independent EU-wide internet coverage as another important target. Noting that “attacks on the internet are not fiction anymore”, Breton explained that the EU must construct a secure broadband network.
He also emphasized that the European Commission needs to promote entrepreneurship and innovation in space, while continuing to expand its existing projects. Otherwise, he said, Galileo and Copernicus – Europe’s major satellite projects – will soon become obsolete.
After these plans receive approval from European governments and the European Parliament, €15 billion ($18.2 billion) will fund space sector projects during the 2021-2027 period, in addition to current funding from national governments and private investments.
The EU plans to expand its satellites quickly to secure its place in the space race
Meeting the competition and climate goals
During the past decade, the number of satellite launches and space missions has surged internationally. China’s lunar rover landed on the far side of the moon. Private companies in the US have made rapid advancements too. SpaceX successfully returned two of its reusable rocket cores to Earth.
As vital infrastructure like transportation and communications rely more and more on space technology, there’s a greater sense of urgency for the EU to realize its own space ambitions.
The continent’s other pressing objective is to become carbon neutral by 2050. Expansion of EU aerospace activities – now heavily dependent on the production of metal and fuel – must comply with the European Green Deal.
Alignment of these two goals might not be straightforward, but in the view of EU officials, the space program has a role to play in fighting climate change, fostering green technologies like clean fuels and optimized farming. Additionally, data and services from space are used to constantly monitor the Earth and measure things like CO2 levels.
EU officials and entrepreneurs mentioned clean fuel production and satellite monitoring missions as two promising areas to help achieve Europe’s Green Deal and other environmental targets.
The EU aims to become climate neutral by 2050
Clean energy in space and on Earth
One of the areas in which European space companies have a leg up, is the production of liquid hydrogen as fuel. When liquid hydrogen burns, it produces enough propelling force to launch a rocket, but emits only water vapor and warm air. However, it’s highly energy-intensive to produce, creating a large carbon footprint. The focus of European firms working on this energy option is to mitigate the impact of liquid hydrogen production on the environment.
“Hydrogen (as fuel) is expensive today but tomorrow it will be cheap and green,” said Xavier Vigor, Vice President of Air Liquide, a supplier of industrial gases.
European rockets have used liquid hydrogen as their fuel for decades. ArianeGroupe, the continent’s largest launcher company, aims to launch its carbon-neutral rockets running on hydrogen produced from biomass by 2030. The company also plans to bring the clean fuel to the transport industry. If they succeed, ships and airplanes will be able to travel around the globe, producing no carbon emissions.
“I am really thankful for the decisionmakers in Europe who made the decision to use hydrogen for European launchers. This was a brilliant bet,” said Jean-Christophe Henoux, ArianeGroup’s Vice President of Future Programmes.
Satellites monitoring climate change
EU officials are confident in their satellite program will also help in the fight against climate change. The EU space program will continue to design missions focused on CO2 monitoring and a polar observation by its satellites.
“Satellite programs such as Galileo and Agnus have already had an important contribution to minimizing our environmental footprint,” said Rodrigo da Costa, the head of the European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency (GSA), in a press briefing.
Copernicus, the EU’s Earth observation system, has monitored climate change since 2017, providing historical data and climate models for the future.
European satellites continue to provide data on climate change
“We believe we can create synergies between navigation and Earth observation,” said da Costa. Better navigation helps shorten transportation routes, which cuts fuel consumption. This is how EU satellite programs can contribute to the implementation of the Green Deal, according to da Costa.
Full details of the European space plan have yet to be worked out. The European Commission will meet to decide on them in the coming weeks. After that, a consortium of aerospace and telecom companies will start working to operationalize the plan.
