06 FOREIGN NEWS
@ green | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER . 2023
IN THE first volume of the World Energy Transitions Outlook ( WETO ) 2023 released in June , the International Renewable Energy Agency ( IRENA ) identified the way forward to correct the 1.5 ° C climate pathway immediately . The report calls for raised global ambition in renewables deployment , enabled by physical infrastructure , policy , and regulations , and underlining institutional and workforce capabilities .
The WETO 2023 : 1.5 ° C Pathway positions electrification and efficiency as crucial transition drivers , enabled by renewable energy , clean hydrogen , and sustainable biomass and tracks implementation across all energy sectors .
According to the latest edition , progress has been made , mainly in the power sector , with record additions in the global renewable capacity of 300 gigawatts ( GW ) in 2022 . However , the gap between what has been achieved and what is required continues to grow .
More ambitious renewable energy targets are needed ; the world must add an average of 1,000 GW of renewable power capacity annually until 2030 and significantly increase the direct use of renewables in end-use sectors . With the first Global Stocktake concluding at COP28 in the UAE , WETO provides much-needed clarity on priority actions in the coming years .
IRENA ’ s Director-General Francesco La Camera said : “ We face the harsh reality that we are not on track to deliver on the Paris Agreement . Our only option is to follow the most promising , science-based pathway that puts renewable energy at the centre of the solution while leading countries to energy security , reduced energy costs , and forward-looking industrial development .
“ The energy transition must become a strategic tool to foster a more equitable and inclusive world . COP28 and the Global Stocktake
Annual renewable power must triple until 2030
IRENA ’ s World Energy Transitions Outlook calls for annual renewable power additions of 1,000 GW on average until 2030 to keep 1.5 ° C climate target within reach
must confirm our deviation from a 1.5 ° C pathway and provide a strategic blueprint to steer us back on track .”
The COP28 President-Designate , Dr Sultan al-Jaber , said : “ A goal alone is not enough . This report provides us with a solid pathway to implementation , and I welcome IRENA ’ s recommendations . I have called for a tripling of renewable energy by 2030 , which aligns with IRENA ’ s WETO report .
“ The speed at which the energy transition happens depends on how quickly we can phase up zero-carbon alternatives whilst ensuring energy security so that nobody is left behind . We also need the political will to create the conditions to scale renewables rapidly .
“ This must create the frameworks for end-to-end delivery and provide the accessible and affordable finance necessary for project pipelines . To meet our 2030 targets , we need urgent action to fast-track grid infrastructure expansions , reduce permitting timelines , and reduce the cost of capital in emerging markets and developing economies .
“ I was glad to recently reaffirm a shared commitment with the EU to ensure maximum support among parties at COP28 to triple renewable energy by 2030 . The COP28 Presidency also announced this week that Kenya will champion the drive in Africa for tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030 .”
Focusing on the enablers of a renewables-dominated system can help address the structural barriers hindering progress in the energy transition . WETO has identified that getting the 1.5 ° pathway back on track requires addressing the following barriers :
• lack of physical infrastructure ,
• absence of enabling policies and regulations ,
• misalignments in skills and institutional capacity . Adding speed and scale to the energy transition requires rewriting international cooperation . This necessitates an assessment of the roles and responsibilities of national and regional entities , international organisations , international financial institutions and multilateral development banks to ensure their optimal contributions to the energy transition . It also means ensuring that funds reach the world ’ s most vulnerable .
WETO provides the analyses and the narrative for COP28 and the call by the COP28 President-Designate to build coalitions that deliver end-toend support across the renewables ecosystem and enables us to triple renewable energy capacity as part of a just energy transition that leaves nobody behind .
IRENA works closely with countries to support developing and implementing renewable energy policies and strategies in line with the 1.5 ° C Pathway outlined in WETO .
The Agency also provides technical assistance and capacity building to help countries increase renewables ’ share in their energy mix .
Fukushima wastewater not toxic , says IAEA chief
AN INTERNATIONAl Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ) safety review concluded that Japan ’ s release of treated water stored at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station into the sea was consistent with IAEA Safety Standards .
Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi presented a report to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo , stating the discharge of the treated water would have a negligible radiological impact on people and the environment .
The report is the outcome of nearly two years of work by an IAEA Task Force of top specialists from within the Agency advised by internationally recognised nuclear safety experts from 11 countries . They reviewed Japan ’ s plans against IAEA Safety Standards , which serve as a global reference for protecting people and the environment and contribute to a harmonised high level of safety worldwide .
“ Based on its comprehensive assessment , the IAEA has concluded that the approach and activities to the discharge of ALPS treated water taken by Japan are consistent with relevant international safety standards ,” Grossi said in the report ’ s foreword .
“ Furthermore , the IAEA notes the controlled , gradual discharges of the treated water to the sea , as currently planned and assessed by TEPCO , would have a negligible radiological impact on people and the environment .”
After deciding in April 2021 to discharge the water stored at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station ( FDNPS ) into the sea , Japan requested the IAEA to conduct a detailed review of the plan ’ s safetyrelated aspects .
IAEA Director General Grossi accepted Japan ’ s request and committed to be involved before , during , and after the water discharges .
The water stored at the FDNPS has been treated through an Advanced Liquid Processing System ( ALPS ) to
Rafael Grossi
remove almost all radioactivity , aside from tritium . Before discharging , Japan will dilute the water to bring the tritium below regulatory standards .
Like elsewhere in the world , decisions related to nuclear safety are a national responsibility , and Japan ’ s Nuclear Regulation Authority ( NRA ) approved the plan in May .
The IAEA ’ s review addressed all key safety elements of the water discharge plan in three major components : assessment of protection and safety , regulatory activities and processes , independent sampling , data corroboration , and analysis .
Over the past two years , the Task Force has conducted five review missions to Japan , published six technical reports , and met many times with the Japanese government and Japan ’ s Tokyo Electric Power Company ( TEPCO ), the FDNPS operator , and analysed hundreds of pages of technical and regulatory documentation . Task Force members have also visited the site in eastern Japan several times to review discharge preparations there .
General Grossi said the report “ represents a significant milestone in the IAEA ’ s review ” but that “ our task is only just beginning ”.
“ The IAEA will continue to provide transparency to the international community , making it possible for all stakeholders to rely on verified fact and science to inform their understanding of this matter throughout the process ,” he said .
The IAEA ’ s safety review will continue during the discharge phase . The Agency will also have a continuous on-site presence and provide live online monitoring on its website from the discharge facility .
“ This will ensure the relevant international safety standards continue to be applied throughout the decades-long process laid out by the government of Japan and TEPCO ,” Grossi said . – @ Green