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Elmsbrook, the first community in the UK to achieve net zero emissions

The climate emergency continues to plague the planet. The spiral of consumption and pollution in which we are immersed is having increasingly dire consequences: according to data from the United Nations (UN), cities consume 78% of the world’s energy and produce more than 60% of greenhouse gas emissions. Against this backdrop, the UN’s challenge is clear: to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030 and to zero by 2050.

The good news is that many cities have already embarked on this path, and some are already close to achieving this goal. This is the case of Elmsbrook, a residential complex with 393 homes located 18 kilometers northeast of Oxford, where its inhabitants walk every day among a multitude of green spaces with plots, various playgrounds, sports and recreational facilities, meadows, ponds, a country park and dozens of interconnected paths for pedestrians and bicycles, with specific lanes for them.

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Elmsbrook is the first phase of North West Bicester, the UK’s first eco-town, according to A2Dominion, the developer, which expects to complete the project in the next few years with 6,000 homes. Sustainability in this eco-town is in every nook and cranny, not just in transportation and buildings. Residents can pick fruit from trees and grow their own produce in community plots and gardens. Care for biodiversity thus becomes another pillar: there are also bird cages, bee hives and insect hotels.

“I’ve always been interested in environmental issues, and, now, as I get older and have a family of my own, it’s even more important to me. I’m inspired by the projects I see in the UK where people are thinking differently about sustainability.” These are the words of Melissa Noakes, Director of Sponsorships and Events at Santander UK, who says that, precisely, Elmsbrook has inspired some of the financial institution’s sustainability goals. “We have this development next to our offices in Milton Keynes. We see how you can cycle anywhere and all the houses have solar panels on the roofs. They are totally sustainable, something that led me to think that we have to work together both individually and collectively to think about our impact on the planet, and especially the carbon footprint we leave.”

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Elmsbrook, a source of inspiration in F1

This has been the source of inspiration and the starting point for the challenge Santander has set itself in its return to Formula 1 as a Ferrari sponsor: to drive a sustainable model for racing in particular, and for the automotive sector in general. “We have a key objective with F1 and, to achieve it, we need a whole range of new technologies,” says George Bridges, senior advisor to the executive chairman of the Santander Group.

To this end, the bank is going to help the Scuderia in its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, thanks to its accumulated experience of having achieved it two years ago. To this end, it offers the Italian brand a range of solutions focused on the development of technological advances that contribute to the sustainability of the sector and of F1, which has the ambition of reaching net zero emissions by 2030.

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For some time now, racing has been moving in this direction, starting with the cars. Aerodynamics, brake design… The teams’ investment in technological advances has precisely enabled the automotive sector to combat carbon emissions. Since 2014, the fuel efficiency of single-seater racing cars has improved by 50%; and, in 2026, the progress will be even greater, because F1 is set to introduce a new carbon-neutral engine.

“We were the first bank in the world to finance renewable energy and our investment banking business has teams specialized in advising large clients on their green transition (…). In addition, our auto finance business in Europe, the United States and other markets is supporting the development of sustainable mobility solutions,” confirmed the bank. Therefore, with this sponsorship and working closely with Formula One Management (FOM), owner of F1, and Ferrari, “we have the opportunity to drive change, helping to reduce CO₂ emissions”.

Source: https://www.elconfidencial.com/medioambiente/2022-11-09/elsbrook-reino-unido-emisiones-netas-bra_3519628

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Government works for better regulations and to stimulate investment: SE

The Ministry of Economy assured that different federal government agencies are working in a coordinated manner to have a simpler regulatory framework that favors investments; in addition, they are also working to facilitate foreign trade with the United States.

“Internally, we are going to work in a very coordinated manner with other government agencies, in order to have a simpler, simpler and more transparent regulatory framework, which will also allow us to streamline all the procedures and formalities for companies. We are going to close synergies with other institutions, such as the SAT, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Treasury, etc.,” said the Secretary of Economy, Raquel Buenrostro.

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During the appearance before the Senate of the Republic, on the occasion of the Glosa of the Fourth Government Report of the President of the Republic, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, she added that with the United States they are working on establishing something called “corridors of trust”, which is an agreement so that certain products and companies can greatly streamline the procedures and services of foreign trade.

“In addition, with this series of measures we can simplify, digitalize and systematize and we can reduce informality and unfair competition. Several advances have already been made, some of which have already been done by the SAT (Tax Administration Service), working together with the Ministry of Economy”, said the official.

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She added that the simplification of procedures has already begun and this favors Mexico, by making it more attractive as a first investment option, through the promotion of three main axes, one of which is to strengthen energy sovereignty, which includes energy transition and having clear objectives in terms of renewable energies.

In this sense, the Minister of Economy highlighted the use of solar panels, investments in hydroelectric plants and investments to integrate the lithium chain, the latter to take it to electro mobility and give priority to public transportation; in addition, to have a technological transition within the existing automotive plants.

He added that another axis on which we are working is the revision of the regulatory framework to facilitate issues related to the Economy; for example, decrees to eliminate tariffs and make food supply cheaper, as well as the suspension of the collection of compensatory quotas for fertilizers and the modification of norms to lower the calculation of railroad rates.

In addition, the identification of non-tariff costs or procedures and formalities that imply a logistics cost or a higher cost of inputs, in order to lower prices in the short term and have greater control over inflation, as well as the review of value chains.

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The last axis is commercial facilities and fiscal stimuli for strategic projects, which has to do with all the North American companies that want to relocate and that see Mexico as the main attractive country, companies in the electronic and electromechanical sector, which are the first ones that are being discussed and talked about to see where the best options are.

“This goes hand in hand with the development and the project of the inter-oceanic corridor route that connects the Gulf (of Mexico) and the Pacific, which gives much agility to foreign trade and can also be jobs,” said Raquel Buenrostro.

Source: https://www.milenio.com/negocios/gobierno-trabaja-por-mejores-regulaciones-y-por-inversion

 

 

 

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China reaffirms its commitment to fight climate change

Sharm el Sheikh. China, the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases and whose president, Xi Jinping, did not attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), yesterday reaffirmed its commitment to the global fight against climate change.

“Beijing’s determination to actively participate in global climate governance will not retreat or change,” Chinese climate emissary Xie Zhenhua said while participating in COP27.

“This year, extreme weather events were frequent, with severe damage on numerous continents,” commented Xie, speaking at a side event at the summit. He highlighted China’s actions to combat warming, such as its continued reduction in solar panel prices and its position as the largest manufacturer of electric vehicles.

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For his part, John Kerry, U.S. climate emissary, assured that President Joe Biden will maintain his fight against climate change whatever the outcome of the midterm elections. “Even if we lose, the president is determined to continue what we’re doing, and it can’t be changed by anyone who comes after us,” he added.

The poorest nations managed to include in the official COP27 agenda the chapter on “damages and losses”, which proposes compensations for the damage caused by two centuries of industrialization and intensive use of fossil fuels.

Poor countries: rich countries aggravate global warming
Rich nations believe that such payments should be voluntary and should not be linked to the possibility of facing lawsuits in international courts. Leaders of poor countries criticized rich governments and oil companies for aggravating global warming.

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Small island states, battered by increasingly violent storms and rising sea levels, asked the oil companies to pay back some of their huge profits.

“The oil and gas industry continues to generate nearly $3 billion a day in profits,” said Gaston Browne, prime minister of Antigua, speaking on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States.

Senegal’s President Macky Sall said developing African nations need more funds to adapt to climate change, and cannot immediately abandon fossil fuels as it would undermine their economic growth.

His Sri Lankan counterpart, Ranil Wickremesinghe, noted that the West has rushed to contribute billions of dollars to Ukraine, but is avoiding investing in climate change mitigation.

Southern nations would need more than $2.4 trillion a year to finance their fight against climate change, according to a report commissioned by the COP27 presidency released yesterday.

About half of that amount will have to come from outside investors, and the rest from public and private sources within nations.

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The aim of such investments is to “reduce emissions, strengthen resilience, address damages and losses caused by climate change, and restore land and nature,” the document said. Current investments are only 500 billion dollars.

A United Nations report denounced companies that claim a commitment to carbon neutrality, but do not reduce their emissions or use of fossil fuels.

The study indicated that the companies pretend to compensate for their lack of action with reforestation plans or the development of renewable energies, in what it described as “a toxic deception”.

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In the context of COP27, Greta Thunberg’s environmental group Friday for the Future protested against the policies of the German government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, an action joined by Vanessa Nakate, from Uganda, who pointed out that the African continent emits a tiny fraction of greenhouse gases.

Also participating was eleven-year-old Indian activist Licypriya Kangujam, who has repeatedly said she does not want to be compared to Thunberg.

Source: https://www.jornada.com.mx/notas/2022/11/09/mundo/china-reafirma-su-compromiso-de-lucha-contra-el-cambio-climatico

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Most new solar panels will retain 80% of their output after 30 years

Sandia National Laboratories has completed a five-year study of solar module degradation in the first few years of service life, examining 834 field PV modules representing 13 types from seven manufacturers in three climates.

The report, published in Progress in Photovoltaics, studied 23 systems in total. Six of those studied were found to have degradation rates that will exceed panel warranty limits in the future, while 13 systems demonstrated the ability to extend their lifetime beyond 30 years. “Useful life” in this study is defined as the amount of time a panel produces electricity above 80% of its lifetime start rate.

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The report noted that module costs have fallen 85% since 2010 due to economies of scale, increased efficiency in cell design, automation of production lines, larger modules, and changes in BOM components such as backsheets. He cautioned that while decreasing costs have made solar a central part of building energy infrastructure, changes in design and materials to reduce costs could lead to a lower degradation rate, which in turn could negate many of the positive results of lower module costs.

The degradation study revealed that degradation is very nonlinear over time and that there are seasonal variations in some module types. The mean and median degradation rate values of -0.62%/year and -0.58%/year, respectively, are consistent with the rates measured for older modules.

The report says that the market share of cell types has changed dramatically in recent years. In 2018, conventional aluminum back surface field (Al-BSF) designs dominated global solar cell production, accounting for up to 90%. By 2020, the market share changed to only 15% for AI-BSF and 80% for high-efficiency cell concepts, such as passivated emitter and back-cell (PERC), passivated emitter with locally diffused back-cell (PERL), fully diffused passivated emitter back-cell (PERT), silicon heterojunction (SHJ), and tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon). According to the report, long-term field data on these new cell and module technologies are lacking.

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This study sought to fill that data gap by studying each of these technologies in the field over time. It included 55% of the 2020 market in terms of number of companies represented.

Nominal power differences ranged from -3.6% to 4%, and initial power stabilization ranged from -3.3% to +0.6%. Flash-over-flash measurements showed variable performance and seasonality amplified the variations.

Overall, the degradation rates found in the work were within the values observed in the past from 1979 to 2014 in module technologies for the most expensive conventional PV technologies. The conclusion is that, although costs were drastically reduced in the last decade, module degradation rates do not seem to be affected, at least for the sample investigated in the report.

Source: https://www.jornada.com.mx/notas/2022/11/09/mundo/china-reafirma-su-compromiso-de-lucha-contra-el-cambio-climatico

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How this Indian desert school stays cool even in extreme heat

In Jaisalmer, a desert city in northern India also known as “the golden city” for its yellow sandstone architecture, temperatures can reach around 49 degrees Celsius in midsummer.

Here, buildings have long been designed to adapt to the heat. A tradition that New York architect Diana Kellogg preserved with her work on the Rajkumari Ratnavati School for Girls.

The project, which aims to empower women and girls through education in a region where the female literacy rate is the lowest in India, was commissioned by CITTA, a U.S. nonprofit organization that provides economic and educational support to women in remote and marginalized communities. It is the first step in a three-part architectural project that will also include a women’s cooperative center and exhibition space.

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Named “Building of the Year” in 2020 by Architectural Digest India, the sandstone eco-school opened in November 2021 and 120 girls are currently enrolled in its curriculum, according to Kellogg.

Natural cooling.

Designing a comfortable learning space can be a challenge in the heart of the Thar Desert, where climate change is making dry spells longer and more intense. Kellogg, who often designs high-end residential projects, was motivated by a trip to Jaisalmer in 2014, and wanted the building to symbolize the hope and resilience of the desert by fusing aspects of traditional Jaisalmer architecture with modern design.

“There are methods of refreshing spaces that have been used for centuries. What I did was put them together in a combination that worked,” Kellogg said, adding that the school’s indoor temperatures are approximately 11 to 16.5 °C lower than outside.

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For the structure, Kellogg chose to use locally sourced sandstone, a weather-resistant material that has long been used in buildings in the area, including the fort in Jaisalmer, a part of the city that is home to a quarter of its population and a Unesco World Heritage Site.

“It is very plentiful in this area. It’s very reasonable (in price) and the very talented stonemasons work magic with the stone,” Kellogg said. “It really keeps the heat in and also keeps it cool at night.”

Among the traditional techniques Kellogg incorporated into the design was lining the interior walls with lime plaster, a porous, natural material that cools and helps release trapped moisture.

Drawing inspiration from other buildings in the region, he also installed a jali wall, a sandstone grid that allows wind to accelerate in a phenomenon called the “venturi effect,” cooling the courtyard space while sheltering it from the sun. High ceilings and windows release rising heat into the classrooms, while a canopy of solar panels provides shade and energy.

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The structure, tilted in relation to the prevailing winds, has an elliptical shape, chosen for its ability to capture and circulate fresh air, but also for its symbolic connotations of femininity, which match the spirit of the project. Kellogg calls it “a big, tight hug.”

Comfort in sustainability

While many of the heat-fighting techniques used at the school could in principle be applied elsewhere, their effectiveness and sustainability would vary from site to site, Kellogg admits. Particular wind directions and different sandstones would regulate temperatures differently than the materials found and used in Jaisalmer, for example.

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Air conditioning is not used anywhere in the building, not only because of its environmental impact but also because it is not common in the area. By adopting, instead, traditional and natural cooling mechanisms with which the students are familiar, he believes they can gain a sense of comfort from their surroundings, leading to greater confidence.

Source: https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2022/11/07/escuela-desierto-india-fresca-calor-extremo-trax

 

 

 

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How Joe Biden can help save the planet at COP27

Joe Biden and other rich country leaders will get a lot of criticism from poorer countries when they arrive later this week at the UN climate conference in Egypt, COP27. But if the U.S. president unites his policies on geopolitics, trade and climate, he can change the narrative.

Biden can push the Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP), which aims to accelerate the decarbonization of developing economies, with countries such as India. This will promote Western interests while saving the planet.

The countries of the Global South will rightly criticize the rich for once again reneging on their promise to give $100 billion a year in climate finance. The US deserves the lion’s share of the blame.

States like Pakistan will also complain that they are already suffering the consequences of climate change despite having done little to cause it. Again, the US deserves most of the criticism, although other rich countries and China are also major culprits.

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Many countries, both rich and poor, are also unhappy with the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden’s landmark climate legislation. It’s great that the White House is subsidizing the deployment of green technologies at home. But this legislation also has protectionist overtones, as it encourages domestic production at the expense of foreign manufacturers.

Biden risks alienating potential friends, while stressing the importance of alliances to contain China. As the U.S. reduces its dependence on rare earths, solar panels and similar Chinese-made products, it need not manufacture all of it domestically.

It will be cheaper to spread production among friendly countries according to their comparative advantage. That is the goal of “friendly offshoring,” a plan to create trade links with allies, which has been advocated by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Does Biden’s left hand know what the right hand is doing?

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The U.S. and other rich countries have a number of policies that could accelerate just transition in the Global South. They now need to be brought together in a coherent package. The G7 has created a $600 billion partnership for infrastructure and investment in the developing world as a green alternative to China’s New Silk Road.

South Africa announced at the 2021 climate conference the first JETP, an $8.5 billion partnership with rich countries that is supposed to unlock huge amounts of private capital. Indonesia, Vietnam and Senegal could unveil their own collaborations this month. One with India is also in the works, although it will take longer.

The US and its allies have pressed the World Bank and other development banks to better use their balance sheets against climate change. This is a first step toward raising the vast war chest needed to finance just transitions. Rich countries will have to use more public finance to attract trillions in private capital.

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The geopolitical risk of inaction is enormous. If rich countries do not push for just transitions in the Global South, developing countries will not accept being trapped in poverty. Some will turn to China. Others will take the dirt road to development. And millions of their citizens will flee to rich, colder countries to escape poverty and climate catastrophe. That will fan the flames of intolerant nationalism in Europe and the US.

Developing countries don’t just want to fight climate change. They want to get out of poverty and create good jobs. It is in America’s interest to help them. That means opening up trade opportunities and transferring technology, as well as investing in their green industrial revolutions. Of course, it will cost money. Developing and emerging economies, excluding China, need $1 trillion a year in investment, according to the Rockefeller Foundation. Most of it will have to come from private investors, although rich countries should use more public money to push it. But that investment can be very profitable. And the cost is negligible compared to fighting a cold war, let alone a hot one, with China.

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The JETP with South Africa focuses on energy. The country produces and consumes large amounts of coal. It therefore needs help to close mines and thermal power plants, retrain workers and grow renewables. Energy will also be at the core of other JETPs. Indonesia produces and consumes a lot of coal, and Vietnam is a big consumer. Others, like Bangladesh, suffer from being too dependent on fossil fuel imports. Europe now pays more for gas, and there have been widespread blackouts in the Asian country, which needs help to accelerate renewables.

But energy is not everything. Countries also need to transform agriculture, transportation, heavy industry and construction. And they need help adapting to the ravages of climate change. Lula’s election as Brazil’s president is a great opportunity to save the world’s rainforests and make agricultural practices more climate-friendly. Forestry and land use must also be central to partnerships with Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

India, the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, is the best example of why joined-up thinking is needed. It uses a lot of coal because it produces very little oil and gas. Narendra Modi also has big aspirations in solar or green hydrogen. The prime minister wants to export them, as well as use them at home. India sees the opportunity to displace China in some of the supply chains of the green industrial revolution. And it has several big industrialists, such as Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani, who are betting big on it.

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If the US and other rich countries negotiate an economy-wide transformation with India, they will kill two birds with one stone: climate and China. When Biden leaves COP27, he will go to Indonesia to attend the G20 summit. Now is the time to think big and act boldly.

Source: https://cincodias.elpais.com/cincodias/2022/11/07/opinion/1667819961_988047.html

 

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WTO chief seeks to revive green trade talks

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, Nov 8 (Reuters) – The director general of the World Trade Organization told Reuters she aims to revive negotiations on a global environmental trade deal as part of efforts to give the trade watchdog a bigger role in tackling climate change.

Talks on eliminating tariffs and other trade barriers on goods such as solar panels or smart heating controls that can address climate change are seen as an important step toward reducing the cost of environmental protection.

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However, WTO discussions collapsed in 2016 after disagreements between China and Western countries over which products should be on the environmental list.

“We would like to see the revival of an environmental goods and services agreement,” Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told Reuters on the sidelines of the COP27 climate summit on Monday night.

She said the talks should also be expanded to include services. These could include air pollution mitigation or wastewater treatment.

“There is a need to have a favorable trade regime for renewables and other environmentally friendly products,” he said, while noting that tariffs for fossil fuel products are lower than for renewables in many countries.

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The world trade body’s ability to strike multilateral deals has been in doubt after a years-long drought, but the signing of several pacts in June helped restore faith and renew its ambition.

Exploratory discussions on a possible revival of a green trade deal began at the 164-member body, although Okonjo-Iweala said some countries had expressed concerns, without naming them. She suggested starting with a preliminary list of some 50 to 60 products that could be gradually lengthened.

Source: https://www.infobae.com/america/agencias/2022/11/08/cop27-jefa-de-la-omc-busca-reactivar-las-negociaciones-sobre-comercio-verde

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Premarket | U.S. midterm elections have investors on edge

ASIA-PACIFIC

Asian stock markets closed Tuesday with ups and downs amid continued global uncertainty and recession fears in several countries in the region.

The benchmark index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the Hang Seng, closed today with losses of 0.23% in a session in which some of the large digital stocks were the main negative players.

Among the sub-indices, only the one that houses precisely the technology stocks, Trade & Industry, registered losses, specifically of 0.72 %, while the rest rose: Real Estate (0.11 %), Finance (0.36 %) and Services (0.95 %).

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The worst performers were e-commerce giant Alibaba (-3.73 %) and dealer group Zhongsheng Holdings (-3 %).

Also at the bottom of the list were other big names in the digital sector such as the conglomerate specializing in home-delivered food Meituan (-2.75 %) or the ‘Chinese Google’, Baidu (-2.56 %).

Other companies fared better, especially in the case of Macau casino operator Sands China (+3.64 %) or solar panel manufacturer Xinyi Solar (+3.3 %).

EUROPE

European stock markets moved with ups and downs at Tuesday’s opening, as mining companies led the falls due to concerns about the slowdown in China’s demand, and investors were also cautious ahead of the mid-term elections in the US that will determine the control of Congress.

The Stoxx 600 index was up 0.2 percent. The European basic resources index was down 0.8%, tracking declines in base metals prices as hopes that China will ease its strict ‘zero Covid’ strategy lost steam.

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Luxury giants, including LVMH and Hermès International, which have greater exposure to China, were also down 0.9% and 1.3%, respectively.

Pandora soared 7.5%, to the top of the Stoxx 600, after the Danish jewelry maker reported third-quarter sales just above expectations.

Macroeconomic releases in Europe included French exports, imports and trade balance, as well as retail sales in Italy and the Eurozone.

U.S. US

US investors will open higher as attention turns to the event of the day: the elections that will determine control of Congress.

Markets are now looking ahead to the US mid-term elections later in the day, with analysts expecting a Republican victory that would lead to a possible split in the government. A conclusive result could take days.

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These votes will be key as control of Congress and President Joe Biden’s agenda for his remaining two years in office are at stake.

Republicans are leading in the polls and many analysts believe that the most likely outcome is a divided government, with the Republican party controlling the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate going into the second half of Biden’s term.

The corporate earnings season continues. Internationally, today is the turn of Occidental Petroleum, Bayer and Walt Disney, among others.

The Redbook retail sales index will also be released.

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OIL

Oil prices fall as recession worries and worsening Covid-19 outbreaks in China sparked fears of lower fuel demand, outweighing supply concerns.

Brent crude lost 0.9% to US$96.99 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 1.2% to US$90.62 a barrel.

Both benchmarks hit their highest level since August yesterday amid reports that leaders in China, the world’s top crude importer, were considering exiting the country’s tight Covid-19 restrictions.

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However, Chinese health officials over the weekend reaffirmed commitment to their strict zero Covid policy. In addition, recent data showed that the country’s exports and imports unexpectedly contracted in October.

“I think the ongoing blockades, not to mention the doubling of zero-Covid over the weekend, are not only roiling the oil market, but continue to push back the reopening narrative negatively for prices,” said Stephen Innes, manager at SPI Asset Management.

Source: https://www.valoraanalitik.com/2022/11/08/premercado-elecciones-ee-uu-inversores

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Colombia is the third most advanced country in the region in terms of energy transition

In 2021, Latin America reached 60% of installed renewable energy production capacity, mainly due to hydroelectric sources, according to data from the Latin American Energy Organization (Olade). Colombia is the third country in the region that is making the most progress in this area with 65.93%, according to the Energy Transition Index (ETI) of the World Economic Forum. The nation that stands out the most is Uruguay, with 70.59%, followed by Costa Rica, with 66.17%. Brazil is fourth, with 65.87%, and Chile, with 65.08%.

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This index measures the performance of the energy systems of 115 countries in two areas: transition readiness and system performance. Factors such as economic development and growth, energy security and environmental sustainability are taken into account. In these pillars, the region scored an average of 65.8 and a percentage of 58.6%, with economic development and growth being the weakest points in Latin America.

According to the study, Uruguay is the country that stands out the most in the region, since nearly 98% of the energy produced in that country comes from renewable sources, especially hydroelectric, solar and wind power. Now, the country is betting on reaching the carbon neutral goal in 2050, a challenge that the government calls the “second energy transition”. The aim is to decarbonize the rest of its economy, which still depends on fossil fuels, as is the case of the transportation sector.

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In the case of Costa Rica, the country has also been working with about 98% renewable energy since 2014, driven mainly by hydroelectric (67.5%), followed by wind (17.0%), geothermal (13.5%), backup plants (1.16%) and solar panels (0.84%), according to the World Economic Forum.

Both in the region and globally, the country ranks high in the use of green energy. In the case of Colombia, most of the renewable energy generated comes from hydroelectric plants, representing 67.2% (11,974 MW) of the total energy matrix, according to the Ministry of Mines and Energy. Regarding solar and wind energy production, the portfolio has indicated that the country’s plants have a capacity to generate 1,365 MW. In addition, with the projects under development, it is estimated that in the next few years it will have a capacity of more than 4,500 MW of renewable sources.

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According to the National Planning Department, by 2023 Colombia will multiply 100 times its energy production from non-conventional renewable energy sources. Likewise, the State expects to meet its commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050, which will imply greater investment.

How does the region compare with the world?

More than a quarter of the energy produced in Latin America comes from renewable energy, which is double the global average, according to the World Economic Forum. While most countries globally seek to decarbonize their economies and increase production from renewable sources by 2050, almost two-thirds of the region’s nations have already done so. One of the most interesting cases is Brazil, which despite being a major oil producer in the world, 86% of its energy comes from nuclear or renewable sources.

Source: https://www.larepublica.co/globoeconomia/colombia-es-el-tercer-pais-de-la-region-que-mas-ha-avanzado-en-la-transicion-energetica-3483686

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French electrician invents solar and geothermal heating system to cut his bill by three times

A French electrician’s invention makes it possible to couple solar panels to a geothermal heat pump to reduce your bill by three times.

Twelve years ago, Roger Dolmazon invented a junction box linking a heat pump to solar photovoltaic panels.

The French electrician’s invention could help the world. Roger Dolmazon won a medal at the Lépine international competition with his invention, which is a junction box that allows coupling photovoltaic panels to a geothermal heat pump.

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He then launched himself onto the international scene with his invention. He already received a prize in Strasbourg, during the European Lépine competition.

How it works.

When he invented his switch cabinet, people thought he was crazy. Besides, he has been using it for 25 years to heat himself.

In 2010, when fuel prices reached record highs, the electrician’s invention began to arouse interest, as it would enable him to make significant savings. He filed a French patent, followed by a European patent the following year.

In 2013, consecration came with awards won in various innovation competitions. At that time, he was selling his ingenuity all over the world. It cost 4,500 euros and was connected by a professional plumber. His cabinet could be adapted to any heat pump. The invention was christened “La Sybérienne”.

This geothermal heating system makes it possible to couple thermal energy (heat pump) and solar energy, and thus to heat without any energy input, autonomously.

The coupling system is managed by an electronic regulation and ensures the connection between the solar collectors and the heat pump.

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The system already exists in the buffer tanks, but this one is more elaborate. The system is connected to an electronically controlled coupling cabinet that is activated according to the need for heat and the temperatures of the system components.

Four modes are possible.

The system can operate in classic geothermal mode, in which case the heat pump uses the buried surface collector to produce heat. It can also operate in solar-only mode with the solar collectors.

The third possibility is called “geosolar”, and the heat pump then receives energy directly from the solar collectors.

Finally, it has a storage mode, which allows it to discharge the solar collectors directly into the ground through the buried collector.

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“Thanks to my system, I have reduced my bill three times,” the inventor proudly explained.

The inventor believes that he has achieved significant energy savings with his innovative system, and that it also allows the system to be more efficient, because the water heated by the sun is at a higher temperature than the water normally used by the pump. Then, when temperatures are mild, the junction box ensures 100% solar heating, without any energy consumption. It should be noted that this invention dates back to 2009, and we have not found any recent news about its commercialization.

Source: https://ecoinventos.com/sistema-de-calefaccion-solar-y-geotermica