TODAY: Adani is coming for MENA’s hydrogen + India’s 62-meter waste landfill
Good morning, wonderful people. It’s a relatively quiet day on the climate news front in MENA, but we’re happy we’re getting some World Cup action again tonight after a two-day hiatus, with Argentina and Croatia kicking off the semi-final round at 11pm Dubai time.
THE BIG CLIMATE STORY- Saudi Arabia’s 2023 budget goes big on renewables: KSA is considering 10 renewable energy projects to generate some 7 GW, according to the country’s approved 2023 budget.
ALSO- EBRD, GCF give Moroccan SMEs some green love: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Green Climate Fund are providing a loan of up to EUR 25 mn to Morocco’s Banque Centrale Populaire for on-lending, with a focus on SMEs working on climate change mitigation and adaptation.
^^ We have chapter and verse on these stories and more in the news well, below.
WATCH THIS SPACE- Adani Group wants to feed MENA’s hydrogen drive: India’s Adani Group signed a tech development and licensing agreement with Australia’s Cavendish Renewable Technology (CRT) for CRT’s electrolyzer technologies, Zawya reports. The aim is to develop hydrogen tech for mass production to meet the demand of MENA and India.
This isn’t Adani’s first foray in the region’s hydrogen space: The conglomerate was said to be exploring the feasibility of hydrogen production in Morocco and Oman last month. Adani also previously signaled it may invest in 10 GW of renewables projects in Morocco to supply green ammonia.
PSA- Egypt is hosting a climate hackathon next month: Egypt-based energy solutions company Elsewedy Electric, VC outfit Flat6Labs and the Knowledge Hub Universities are organizing a clean and deep tech hackathon program from 13-16 January, according to a statement (pdf). The hackathon will enable graduates of Elsewedy’s Graduate Development Program and Coventry University students to pitch tech solutions for climate-focused sectors including smart cities, agritech, energy, industry 4.0, and water management.
THE BIG CLIMATE STORIES OUTSIDE THE REGION- EU closes in on agreement to impose levy on imported goods with heavy emission footprints: The EU Parliament convened yesterday to discuss the proposed Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which would impose a carbon tariff on imported goods that contribute to emissions. The CBAM would require the purchase of carbon certificates for cement, iron, and steel imports, among other polluting industries, to protect local industries and expedite the continent’s green transition. (Reuters | Bloomberg | Euronews)
Nuclear fusion will probably be all the rage today: US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is set to announce news of a “major scientific breakthrough” on nuclear fusion in a media briefing today, media outlets report the US Department of Energy as saying. (Reuters | Bloomberg | CNN | CBS | Washington Post)
Wait, what’s nuclear fusion? It’s literally the type of reaction that powers the sun — it involves smashing together molecules of, say, hydrogen using a laser in a process that releases more energy than you put in to create the reaction in the first place. The announcement will likely see US scientists have for the first time produced more energy from a fusion reaction than it consumed.
^^ We get deeper into the nuclear fusion breakthrough in the news well, below.
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HAPPENING TODAY-
Tunisia will host the International Renewable Energy Congress today through Thursday in Hammamet. The event will provide a platform for researchers and industry leaders to showcase trends in the renewable energy sector.
CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-
Saudi Arabia will host the Future Minerals Forum on Tuesday, 10 January to Thursday, 12 January at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center. The forum will discuss the region’s critical minerals supply and creating resilient and responsible minerals value chains for the energy transition.
FURTHER DOWN THE LINE- UAE renewable energy firm Masdar will host Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week from Saturday, 14 January to Saturday, 21 January. The event will gather eight presidents and prime ministers and 30k participants in a series of conferences and summits including the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Forum, the World Future Energy Summit, Masdar’s Green Hydrogen Summit, The International Renewable Energy Agency’s Youth Forum, and the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum.
Check out our full calendar on the web for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events, national holidays and news triggers.
IMAGE OF THE DAY- Macabre methane monument: Delhi’s Bhalswa landfill stands 62 meters high with thousands of kgs of waste dumped in it daily as “Delhi doesn’t have a concrete solid waste action plan in place,” CNN reports, citing the country’s Center for Science and Environment. The landfill emits greenhouse gasses and toxins polluting the air and water and 14 fires have broken out so far this year as the methane in the trash overheats.