Seven Pacific island nations are advocating for heftier levies on global shipping emissions to be included in the International Maritime Organization's Net-Zero Framework. The United States and Saudi Arabia are leading efforts to make changes to the deal, with the US threatening sanctions on non-compliant governments. Liberia's proposal for transitional fuels like natural gas and biofuels has US support, while the Pacific countries are pushing for a universal levy on all ship emissions to fund a just transition to a greener shipping industry. Greece and Cyprus initially abstained from a vote on a new shipping emissions levy, but Greece later expressed support after meetings with the US and Saudi Arabia. The International Maritime Organization warns that without a universal levy, there could be a patchwork of regional levies on pollution, making a universal levy the most credible way to meet climate goals and distribute revenues for green investments globally.
Tag: Saudi Arabia
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This Startup Retrofits Buildings Using As Few New Materials As Possible
GeoStruXer, a startup in Bahrain, used innovative engineering solutions to stabilize a grain warehouse in Jazan, Saudi Arabia, known for its unstable geological conditions. By reducing the need for new materials and potential carbon emissions, the startup maintained the structure in an effective and sustainable way. Instead of installing 2,700 stabilizing micropiles as initially proposed, GeoStruXer used satellite technology and InSAR to accurately measure ground deformation and address the shifting of the building. This approach showcased the importance of understanding incremental shifting over time in engineering solutions for climate resilience. Additionally, GeoStruXer's use of AI and satellite data to model ground deformation accurately not only reduced the number of micropilings needed but also saved materials, costs, and minimized carbon dioxide emissions, ensuring the structure's sustainability for another 10 years. This approach is being applied in various projects to reduce material use, minimize cumbersome methods, and maximize structural performance, ultimately avoiding the emissions involved in building new structures. GeoStruXer's recognition with the Bentley-Envision award for sustainable infrastructure highlights the importance of integrating software like GeoStruXer to eliminate inaccurate assumptions, leading to reduced costs, materials, and emissions in construction projects. Bentley Systems' introduction of a sustainability award category further emphasizes the significance of evaluating the environmental, social, and economic impacts of projects, with GeoStruXer scoring the best in sustainability out of all 270 entrants in Bentley's infrastructure awards categories.
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World’s largest grid battery has been completed – in the oil capital of the world
A 7.8 gigawatt-hour battery energy storage system has been completed in Saudi Arabia, owned by Saudi Electricity Co. and with an offtake deal with National Grid SA. Sungrow manufactured over 1,500 PowerTitan 2.0 systems for the project, expected to meet the annual electricity needs of 400,000 households in Saudi Arabia. This project signifies the start of large-scale energy storage deployment in the Middle East, showcasing a significant step towards sustainable energy solutions in the region.