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World Energy Outlook 2022 Outlook for solid fuels
Recent developments have dealt a blow to the idea that global coal demand might soon subside. The drop in coal demand in 2020 was more than offset by a strong rebound in 2021, taking it very close to its all-time high. In advanced economies, where coal use had been declining, demand increased by nearly 10%. In emerging market and developing economies, which account for just over 80% of global coal use today, demand rose by 5%.Coal production in 2021 struggled to keep pace with one of the largest ever annual increases in demand. Markets have been further upended…
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Theresa Gebhardt
Caspian and Black Sea Programme Officer.
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China’s Official Energy Finance in Emerging and Developing Economies Case 6. CNOOC investment in Guyana: Whiptail Oil Field
Project overview and impact Guyana has become a dynamic upstream oil market, transforming from a non-producer to an emerging oil exporter within the decade. Since the first discovery of oil in the Stabroek Block in 2015, six large-scale developments have been approved, turning the area into a central pillar of the country’s economic strategy. Production is expected to exceed 1.3 million barrels per day by 2027, making Guyana one of the largest per-capita oil producers globally. The government’s production sharing contract allocates 14.5% of total crude output to the state, with the remainder…
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Multiple Benefits of Energy Efficiency for Business Quality and reputation
Greater efficiency can reduce defects and improve production quality Energy efficiency improvements often involve tighter control and optimisation of production processes. By improving precision and stability in how equipment operates, firms can reduce variability in output and limit the occurrence of defects. These effects are particularly important in manufacturing sectors where small deviations can affect product quality and increase waste.For example, an industrial bakery in Switzerland implemented a highly efficient centralised cooling system with CO₂-refrigerant and advanced controls. The system allowed for a more constant controlled temperature and reduced downtime, improving product quality and consistency, all while reducing…
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Outlook for Biogas and Biomethane Biogas and biomethane outlook to 2050
The landscape for biogases is very different now compared to our last Outlook in 2020, with total demand 32% higher in 2040 in the STEPS than in the New Policies Scenario at the time. Whereas natural gas prices in 2020 were at record lows, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 triggered interest in developing biomethane to substitute imported natural gas. The revised figure is driven in part by strengthened policy incentives, notably in Europe and China. There is a strong continued use case for biogases in the Outlook scenarios. Electricity's share in total final consumption increases from 20…
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Artificial intelligence and EVs
GEVO 2026 - Chapter 8 Progress in AI and computing power is disproportionately benefiting EVs, particularly for automated driving and integrated vehicle control. Sensors and chips integrate well with the stable, high-voltage power supply of EV batteries. At the same time, the benefits of AI and increased computing power are not exclusive to EVs. AI‑enabled energy management systems are increasingly used to optimise hybrid vehicles, and AI techniques are accelerating the design, testing and optimisation of all vehicles. Advances in AI underpin progress in autonomous vehicles Just two decades ago, state-of-the-art autonomous vehicles were confined to test…
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RABA/IKARUS Project (AIJ)
The RABA/IKARUS project seeks to transfer technology to enable Hungarian industries to produce buses with compressed natural gas engines. The technology will be provided by Deltec, a producer of gas-fuelled engines, and the TNO research organisation, both in the Netherlands. Participating firms are the Hungarian RABA, producer and installer of bus engines, and IKARUS, the Hungarian bus manufacturer. It is estimated that some 3-4 000 buses (mostly diesel powered) provide transportation in the major Hungarian cities. The installation of CNG engines on all Budapest buses that currently have an old diesel engines would prevent emissions of 6…
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InvestEU equity investments for critical and strategic raw materials
…raw materials. This initiative is crucial for the EU's digital and green transitions.Funding Breakdown:EU Contribution: EUR 25 million from the Horizon Europe Programme.EBRD Contribution: EUR 25 million.Additional Leverage: EUR 50 million.Objective:To support the exploration and sustainable development of critical raw materials (CRM) to reduce supply chain risks and ensure resources for industrial sectors while maintaining EU environmental and social standards.To support the EU's Critical Raw Materials Act and the REPowerEU Plan.Target Regions:EU Member States where the EBRD operates: Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic…
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Fuel price cap
In an effort to shield domestic consumers from the effects of the global energy price crisis, the Hungarian government enacted a fuel price cap, set at HUF 480 per liter in November 2021. The cap initially translated into a domestic average price reduction of HUF 506 for gasoline and HUF 512 for diesel. It was extended several times, and now runs until October 2022. However, following the shutdown for maintenance of MOL’s main refinery, which fully covers 100% of Hungary’s fuel needs, the fuel price cap implementation was restricted in August 2022 to privately-owned vehicles, farm machineries…
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Modernisation Fund
The Modernisation Fund is a dedicated funding programme to support 10 lower-income EU Member States in their transition to climate neutrality by helping to modernise their energy systems and improve energy efficiency. The beneficiary Member States are Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The Modernisation Fund will support investments in: generation and use of energy from renewable sources, energy efficiency, energy storage, modernisation of energy networks, including district heating, pipelines and grids; Just transition in carbon-dependent regions, redeployment, reskilling and upskilling of workers, education, job-seeking initiatives and start-ups. The Modernisation Fund…