Dubai to host second green energy conference

Dubai Municipality's vision for a sustainable future will be presented as a model example of embracing cleaner power production next month, when hundreds of regional experts gather to tackle sustainability challenges at the Green Energy Conference.

His Excellency Engineer Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality will deliver the keynote address at the one-day summit, which takes place on 11 February at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Lootah will highlight new initiatives to reduce energy consumption at Dubai Municipality in collaboration with Environmental Center for Arab Towns (ECAT) by over 20 per cent in the next three years, while adopting innovative solutions to save up to 10.5 Gigawatt hours (GWh) on energy consumption and 6,200 tonnes of C02 emissions per year.

In partnership with Dubai Municipality and ECAT, the second edition of the Green Energy Conference will run alongside Middle East Electricity, the region's largest and longest running energy event, taking place from 11-13 February.

More than 300 public and private sector stakeholders are expected to engage in high energy discussion and debate around some of the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the Middle East's burgeoning clean energy sector.

Anita Mathews- Director of Informa Energy Group, organizers of Middle East Electricity said"Energy consumption has grown so quickly in the region that some countries are having difficulty meeting demand, resulting in power cuts during peak times in summer."

"Continued growth in consumption and the level of investments required are likely to lead to an even wider gap between supply and demand. Key regional efforts to increase energy efficiency will be highlighted at the Green Energy Conference, but the most important aspect is to bring people together to instigate dialogue about this important issue and help them communicate with dignitaries from the region to make connections that can lead to real business outcomes."

Other expert speakers on the opening panel include Graeme Sims, Executive Director of Regulatory amp; Supervisory Bureau Dubai; Omar Al Wahaibi, CEO of the Electricity Holding Company Oman; and Ramani Hariharan, Director of Strategy amp; Communications, GDF Suez.

The conference will culminate in a presentation about sustainability, related approaches, indicators and country rankings by Professor Gurkan Kumbaroglu, President, Turkish Association of Energy Economics (TRAEE) and the Vice President at the International Association of Energy Economics (IAEE).

Now in its 39th year, Middle East Electricity is supported by DM and ECAT and is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai.

The three-day event, which focuses on the power, lighting, renewable and nuclear sectors, is co-located with Solar Middle East, the most comprehensive gathering of solar technology suppliers in the region.

Middle East Electricity 2014 is partnered with Power Nigeria in Lagos and Saudi Energy in Riyadh. To be involved as an exhibitor, sponsor or delegate, contact the Middle East Electricity team at: meelectricity@iirme.com

Germany only ‘moderate’ on climate protection

'Moderate' is the category in which Germany is placed in this year's Climate Change Performance Index. The index measures different indicators including emissions, energy efficiency, renewable energies and climate policy. This last category in particular is the reason Germany has slipped 11 places down the index from last year, landing at nineteenth place in the rankings.

'This drop is due to the fact that at the European Union level, Germany has blocked efficiency guidelines as well as emissions trading reform and climate policy in the motor industry,' says Christoph Bals, policy director of the environment NGO Germanwatch.

Germany blocks climate protection

The EU has committed to reducing energy consumption by 20 percent by 2020, aiming to achieve this with the help of the efficiency guideline which, following great contention, came into force in EU Institutions in December 2012. With a view to its own national industry, Germany argued for numerous exceptions and made political agreement difficult.

In terms of the motor industry, the EU's target aims for car emissions to be capped at 95 grams of CO2 per kilometer - an amount which should reflect the average emissions across the fleet of each car manufacturer, rather than the from individual cars produced. Germany is concerned this will put excessive strain on its own car industry, which unlike other European manufacturers brings larger, heavier vehicles to the market. They produce more CO2 than smaller, lighter cars. A few weeks ago, the German government resisted a European agreement for this reason.

Emissions trading - a central tool in EU climate protection policy - means that companies have to buy the right to emit greenhouse gases in the form of carbon credits. However, there are so many carbon credits on the market that the price is low and trade has become virtually ineffectual.

Evidence of more constructive policy?

After years of dispute, at the start of November 28, EU member states agreed to reform emissions trading. At the heart of the agreement was the idea that 900 million carbon credits should be taken off the market for the time being, and should not be traded until later. That way, the credits on the market will become more expensive.

For Jochen Flasbarth, president of the German Federal Environment Agency, the agreement prompts the hope that Germany will soon play a more constructive role in EU climate protection policy. However, he still sees a lack of sufficient pointers that Germany will also agree to a definite removal of credits from the market.

As it stands, Germany cannot expect to climb back as one of the top-10 climate protectors in Germanwatch's index in the coming year. Ultimately, CO2 emissions also play a role in its place on the index. Having dropped continually over two decades, Germany's CO2 emissions increased this year and last year.

China: cause for hope

Global CO2 emissions are at a record high. But according to Bals, the country with the highest CO2 emissions is a cause for hope - China. While the index still ranks China among the countries with a 'poor' climate protection rating, at number 46 China just escapes a 'very poor' rating, ranking above Greece for example.

The People's Republic has two developments to thank for their improved rating. Firstly, the sharp increase in emissions has been curbed. 'If you look at the provisional numbers for 2012, you can see that the increase in emissions across the whole of China comes out three times slower than in any other year so far this century,' Bals explains.

Bals also sees positive developments in Chinese climate protection policy. 'For the first large provinces, China is introducing a policy limiting coal use, which will require a six-percent reduction in coal use yearly,' says Bals. He adds that this could be cause for hope that soon, the emissions will stop rising and instead remain at a stable level - even if this level is high.

Implementation often slow

Lina Li from the Chinese environmental organization 'Greenovation Hub' is rather less optimistic. Of course there are political developments on a national level, she says. But it would be a mistake to believe that all the decisions made in Beijing are immediately implemented on a local level, she adds.

'Because of the tricky central-to-local government relations, the local governments play a critical role in transforming national policy into local policy - they are important in implementation and enforcement,' Li says. 'If the local governments only view climate change policy something that they receive and not of their own interest, that needs to change in order for local transformation to be happening.'

Dispute between the EU and China

Greenwatch also sees progress in China with regard to the expansion of renewable energies - even if these are not yet taken into consideration for this year's index. For Lina Li, this progress is the positive effect of disagreements between China and the EU over solar panels that the EU feels China is selling too cheaply abroad. 'Now the government is forced to focus on the domestic market,' says Li. For this reason, the government has set itself the goal of increasing the amount of solar energy almost tenfold by 2015. In terms of expanding wind energy however, there are both political and technical obstacles.

Citizens lack awareness

As Li sees it, China's greatest obstacle in becoming a forerunner of climate protection policy is on a different level. Although the general public have put pressure on the government to cut back on producing energy from coal in order to improve air quality, on the whole, climate protection is not a big issue for the public.

'Public awareness is still at quite a low level - we haven't been able to link climate change to the immediate needs, demands and interests of the citizens yet,' she says. 'Even with droughts as bad as the ones we had this summer, which really impact on water and food supplies - even with this kind of thing happening, people don't make the connection and therefore aren't pushing for any more resolute policies.'

New generation solar panels

Though the use of solar panels is on the rise, it still only represents 1.5 percent of total energy consumption in Europe. There are many reasons for this, starting with the intermittent nature of solar energy due to bad weather, the difficulty of storing it, and the cost of solar panels. Researchers at the Institute for Microtechnology in Neuchatel, Switzerland are working on ways to make solar energy more cost-effective. This includes using less expensive metals such as copper, as well as new technology to better absorb sunlight. Christophe Ballif, director the Photovoltaics laboratory, shows our reporter the new generation panels. He explains how they contain more copper than silver, bringing down production costs. Engineers have also added a nanometric layer of silicon, increasing voltage, and thereby performance, by 15 percent. After it has been built, the solar panel undergoes resistance tests. For the hail test, balls of ice measuring four centimetres in diameter are launched at the panel at a speed of 27 metres per second. Researchers are particularly interested in how the panel’s thin layer of silicon will stand the shock. Once the artificial hail storm is over, the panel’s performance is measured again to see if it could take it. Then comes the weight test. Metal bricks weighing more than twelve kilos each are stacked onto the panels until the load reaches 1,000 kilos per square metre. The idea is to simulate strong winds and heavy snow. This will allow engineers to select the right material for building the panels. 'On top of the reliability tests, we also carry out tests on the panel’s electric performance, which are very important because they allow us to calculate how much electricity the unit generates. In order to do that, we use light tables, which simulate the sun’s spectrum and allow us to measure the unit’s electric efficiency,' says researcher Laure-Emmanuelle Perret. 'That kind of measurement allows us to establish whether there are any manufacturing defects, especially when it comes to the electrical connections,' she adds. In addition, researchers in Neuchatel have created a new panel called ‘terracotta’ because of its colour, which they hope will blend in better with roof tiles in cities across Europe. It is hoped that soon, new, more efficient and less costly technology will help create more cost-effective and efficient solar panels, making them a force to be reckoned with on the global energy market.

George Clooney is planning to retire

George Clooney thinks he's getting too old for acting.
The 52-year-old star has hinted he is thinking about retiring from the big screen in the near future to focus on his work as a producer and director.
'The Monuments Men' actor, who also wrote and directed the film, told BANG Showbiz at the movie's UK premiere at the Odeon in London's Leicester Square on Tuesday night (11.02.14): 'The audience kind of tells you when it's time to get out from in front of the camera, and it's getting close I think.'
But George insisted he is still very passionate about his career.
He said: 'Every time you can make a movie to tell a story that people don't know, it's good.'
The Oscar-winning actor also joked about how difficult it was to work with his co-star Matt Damon, who also attended the red carpet screening, on the movie, which is based on the true story of a team of soldiers who recovered millions of pieces of artwork stolen by the Nazis in WWII.
He said: 'It was hard to get him out of his trailer sometimes. I don't like to use the word diva and throw it around loosely, but you know.'
But George admitted he loves working with close friends and they inspired the characters.
Asked about securing the star-studded cast, he said: 'Most of these guys are friends of mine so that made it easier, but we wrote the parts for most of them.'
Bill Murray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin and Hugh Bonneville were among the other stars to attend the premiere.

Robots to pose new challenge for governments in creating jobs for humans

In a world where robots do retail shopping, autonomous cars take the roads processing images of everything that goes on in the streets, Artificial Intelligence does more and better than humans, and 3D printing manufactures functional products in multiple materials, how will governments address the challenge of human jobs being made redundant?

In a plenary session at The Government Summit in Dubai on ‘The World in 2050,’ Dr. Peter Diamandis, Co-Founder of the Singularity University and Founder of the X-Prize, observed that harnessing the power of quantum computing and genome sequencing, alongside the evolution of AI and robotics, will be a fundamental decision governments will have to make in relation to human job creation.

“Some 50 percent of our service jobs will be up for grabs to Artificial Intelligence, and how we handle it is our challenge,” he said.

However, Dr. Diamandis painted an optimistic note highlighting that the world today is witnessing the greatest era ever in innovation, as well as enjoying the most peaceful time in human history.

Underlining the power of computing, Dr. Diamandis said the era of robotics is not a distant future but a short-term reality, with robots already undertaking complex and critical functions such as in healthcare, which makes undertaking complex surgeries independent of physical geographies.

He said the advances in 3D printing, likewise, is making manufacturing geography-independent, while robots will further pose intense competition to the labour force, making countries independent of external labour. “In such a scenario, the cost of labour will drop significantly, and will be just the cost of powering the machines.”

Dr. Diamandis said the world has changed from thinking ‘local and linear’ to being ‘global and exponential’ which extends the limits of possibilities. “Ina local and linear world, the changes were gradual with everything that affects a human being happening in the distance of a day’s walk.”

Today, however, the world is changing year to year led by the exponential growth of technology, he said. “This could lead to disruptive stress or disruptive opportunity,” adding that according to reports, nearly 40 percent of the Fortune 500 companies today will cease to exist in a decade’s time due to the technological disruption and their inability to adapt to the changes.

He said that computing power is growing at an exponential rate which is independent of wars or financial crises. “Faster, cheaper computing is driving a whole array of technologies today, and technology convergence is leading to unexpected results that change the world.”

Dr. Diamandis also pointed out the power of quantum computing, which will make encryption redundant, while a trillion sensors will soak up everything around, opening up questions on privacy. On the 3D printing front, he said the world is witnessing unprecedented revolution with anything from motorcycles to prosthetic limbs and even food, being manufactured by machines.

On the human front, technological advancements are prolonging life expectancy and transforming healthcare. “Today, 100 (years of age) is the new 60.”

While challenges are posed by technological advancements to humanity, Dr. Diamandis said there is tremendous opportunity that is as yet untapped, such as solar power and water, adding that the world can easily steer into an era of abundance. 

iOS 8 and iWatch to focus on fitness

A report from 9to5Mac claims that iOS 8 and the mythical iWatch will focus on user health. 

Thanks to a multitude of sensors and a wrist-wearable, the devices will be able to track just about everything, from the number of miles you have walked, to your hydration levels and even your blood glucose levels.

iOS 8 will apprently court all the computations and integrated it into an app called Healthbook, which will also monitor user's vitals, provide medication reminders, and tell you how fat you are. Okay, maybe not the last one (although it could).

iOS 8 is expected to arrive in the latter half of the year.

Martin Schulz under fire after Israeli-Palestinian comments in the Knesset

European Parliament President Martin Schulz came under fire Wednesday after making remarks in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, about the different water supply for Palestinians and Israelis in the Gaza Strip.

In his speech, Schulz said that when he was in Ramallah earlier in the week, a young Palestinian had asked him 'why an Israeli can use 70 cubic liters of water daily and a Palestinian only 17?' He then added, 'I haven't checked the data. I'm asking you if this is correct.'

The remarks caused the Knesset to break out in turmoil. Right-wing Jewish Home Party member Moti Yogev shouted at him, 'Shame on you, you support someone who incites against Jews.' Yogev and Naftali Bennett, Economy Minister and Jewish Home party leader, then left the hall.

Bennett immediately took to his Facebook page: 'I will not tolerate duplicitous propaganda against Israel in the Knesset … and especially not in German.'

Likud Party member Moshe Feiglin, known for his extreme statements, was absent for the speech because, 'it is inappropriate that a speech is given in the parliament of the Jewish state, in the language used when our parents were thrust into the railway wagons and in the crematoria,' he wrote on Facebook.

Israeli media have said the water shortage of the Palestinians is mainly due to the lack of infrastructure, and that the blockade of the Gaza Strip had been largely abolished.

In his speech, Schulz also said 'the Palestinians have the right to self-determination and equality,' and that they want to 'live in peace and have unlimited freedom of movement,' which he said they are denied in Gaza.

Shortly before his Knesset speech, Schulz had complained of sensitivity in Israel against criticism from Europe. 'Mutual criticism is quite normal in a democracy,' he told Israeli journalists. 'The EU stands by its special relationship with Israel, but that does not mean that it has to agree with every decision of the Israeli government,' stressed Schulz.