Energy

In a region traditionally associated with pastoralism and mining, Beijing is relocating the facilities required for artificial intelligence because energy and land are cheaper there. However, there is little water available for cooling during the summer months, and 90 per cent of the jobs created are held by non-residents.

Despite its target of 70 per cent renewable energy by 2030, Colombo has suspended the feed-in tariff scheme for surplus energy. This is a setback for small-scale consumers, who will struggle to recoup their investment under this system. Meanwhile, a floating solar farm has been launched in Dambulla.

Despite its vast reserves, Ashgabat has never managed to find enough buyers. China has been the largest buyer of Turkmen gas for over fifteen years, whilst Europe is reviving the idea of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline to bypass Moscow. But the Turkmen government is looking instead to the TAPI pipeline to India (via Afghanistan)

Russian commentators are trying to portray the commissioning of the 220 kW Zes-Oyu substation as a sort of ‘surrender’ by Ulaanbaatar to Beijing. In reality, it is a pragmatic step that reduces the risk of emergency shutdowns in industrial regions and gives the country some room for manoeuvre in its dealings with Moscow.

Attacks by Houthis in Yemen have undermined the crown prince’s plan for growth and stability. The Israel-US war has thrown the cooperation model into crisis. The future of a region that has yet to overcome its divisions and rivalries hinges on how these mounting challenges are met.

Protests against price hikes have spread from the northeast to Idlib, Aleppo, Hama, and Homs. Meanwhile, in Kurdish-majority areas, mobilisations continue for the right to education in the mother tongue. President al-Sharaa is in Dubai for a summit on communication and media.

From Anatolia to Syria, new routes emerge to offset the blockades at Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb. For Amer Sabaileh, the Houthis need fewer resources to influence Red Sea traffic. A multitude of avenues exists to rethink energy security.

Hydropower plants, where workers were trapped, are not only meant to meet local energy needs but also serve for exports. The goal is to boost production capacity to 28.5 GW by 2035, up from the 4 GW generated by the existing 189 plants. Finding suitable places for solar power remains a challenge.

Progress has been made in large companies, where investments over three years have reduced energy intensity by 32 per cent. However, much remains to be done to improve the situation in public offices and private homes, which alone still account for 47.7 per cent of the country’s energy consumptionThe two sides of energy saving in Kazakhstan Progress has been made in large companies, where investments over three years have reduced energy intensity by 32 per cent. However, much remains to be done to improve the situation in public offices and private homes, which alone still account for 47.7 per cent of the country’s energy consumption

Queuing is the fundamental form of social organisation and political control in Russia. It offers an image of communal existence, where the all-powerful state distributes benefits from the top, and the people, like supplicants, are organised in a single chain at the bottom.

For Sri Lankan households, air conditioning uses average daily household electricity consumption. In a country hard hit by climate change, even fans are rarely used because of the high costs.

Unencumbered by the legacy technology of fossil fuel markets such as the US and Europe and startled by the Strait of Hormuz crisis, Asia is using an aggressive mix of incentives and penalties to win the race to EV dominance. For an Ember Energy expert, “EVs can help improve resilience against global oil market volatility and geopolitical disruptions”.