Category Archives: Energy

Prioritising the Health and Safety of Workers Across All Energy Sectors

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With almost 250 fatalities in the oil industry for every one death of a worker in wind power, the renewable energy sector appears to be a much safer environment in which to work. Of course, the production of oil has a long established history and a much larger workforce; the International Labour Organisation estimates that at least 6 million people work directly for the industry. However as the renewable energy sector continues to grow, it may yet present some of the same health and safety risks as fossil fuel industries. And due to new hazards such as the extreme height of wind turbines, … Continue reading →

التكسير الهيدروليكي لطبقات التربة وآثارها

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عملية التكسير الهيدروليكي, هي وسيله لتحفيز استخراج الغاز من الطبقات الغير مسامية عن طريق تدفق سائل بين الصخور في باطن الارض. وقد تمكنت التقنيات الحديثة في الحفر والتنقيب للوصول الي استخراج الغاز الطبيعي من طبقات ارضية كان يتعذر الوصول اليها سابقا باستخدام التقنيات التقليدية في الحفر والتنقيب. وتشمل هذه التقنيات ضخ سوائل غنية بالماء في بئر حتي يسبب ضغط السائل في عمق معين من التربة الي كسر وتشقق هذه الصخور. السائل الذي يتم ضخه يحتوي علي جزيئات صغيرة, مثل الرمال الغنية بالكوارتيز او مواد كيميائية التي تعمل علي خلق الشقوق والكسور في طبقات التربة الغير مسامية. عمليات التكسير الهيدروليكي في … Continue reading →

Eco-Friendly Additions You Can Make On Your House Before You Sell

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If there’s one thing 2020 has taught us, it’s that life is unpredictable. One would think that with the global pandemic, the real estate industry, like many others, would come to a grinding stop. But, according to HomeLight’s Q2 2020 survey, it took a dip in the spring and as of June, it rose back to pre-pandemic conditions! As this is a seller’s market, now would be the perfect time to sell your home. However, if you want to get the most you can for your home, you may want to consider doing some eco-friendly renovations and upgrades. Here are … Continue reading →

Reducing Energy Poverty is Crucial to Sustainable Development

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The world is currently facing an unprecedented health crisis, and as usual the vulnerable communities are hit the hardest.  Energy poverty (or lack of access to electricity) is worsening the humanitarian crisis amid COVID-19 pandemic, and is preventing the poor from securing social benefits and economic opportunities. Electricity, in modern life, is the foundation and lifeline for communities and economies to run and thrive. There is a growing international acknowledgement of the strong ties between poverty and lack of access to modern energy. For example, in impoverished communities, peoples’ well-being is in grave danger, because of the use of dirty … Continue reading →

How To Start Off-The-Grid Living

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The concept of off-the-grid living is gradually growing, aided with the global campaign for a better and sustainable living environment. This alternative lifestyle choice involves total disconnection from basic public utilities, including power, water, and telephone lines. While it’s an admirable process, it involves thorough preparation for those who want to try it. Here are the basic steps involved in getting an off-the-grid living started. 1. Build A Functional Living Space The first thing you’ll need to practice your off-the-grid lifestyle is a functional housing set-up influenced by your personal preferences. The first choice for habitation concerns whether you want … Continue reading →

10 Eco-Friendly Appliances to Make Your Kitchen Green

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Our world is going through some of the most troubling times in the recent past. With an uncertain present and future, it is the need of the hour to protect and preserve our planet and its invaluable resources dearly! This is why a majority of global organizations and corporates are looking forward to sustainable living and seeking eco-friendly alternatives. You, too, can contribute to make our planet a greener and better place to live for us and future generations. All it takes is a large heart, genuine willingness, and some awareness to swap your existing resources with their eco-friendly alternatives. … Continue reading →

The Concept of Energy Management

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Energy management is the best solution for direct and immediate reduction of energy consumption for businesses and households. For the last few decades we have been exploring various alternatives to conventional sources of energy like solar, wind and biomass energy. However, due attention must also be given to best utilization of energy, improvement in energy efficiencies and optimum management of energy resources. Infact, energy management deals with already existing sources and actual consumption. It includes planning and operation of energy-related production and consumption units. The main objectives of energy management are resource conservation, environment protection and cost savings. The central … Continue reading →

District Cooling in the Middle East: Potential and Challenges

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District cooling produces chilled water in a centralized location for distribution to buildings like offices and factories through a network of insulated underground pipes. The chilled water travels to different buildings, where the water circulates through refrigeration coils or uses absorption technology to enter the air-conditioning system. During winter, the source for the cooling can often be seawater, so it is a cheaper resource than using electricity to run compressors for cooling. What is District Cooling District cooling provides effective control over internal temperature of a building, requires less maintenance than a standalone air-conditioning system, consumes lesser space and reduces … Continue reading →

Energy Efficiency Perspectives for UAE

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With Abu Dhabi alone on track to generate more than 10,000 megawatts of electricity for the first time, discussion about improving energy efficiency in the United Arab Emirates is taking on a more critical tone. Daytime energy use in the hot summer months is still experiencing rampant year-on-year growth, with peak demand this year growing by 12 per cent. Lying at the heart of these consumption levels is the need for air conditioning, which accounts for about half of total electricity demand. Business and Government Action At the commercial level, considerable steps are being taken to reduce the Emirate’s carbon … Continue reading →

Desertec: What Went Wrong?

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A plan to power Europe from solar power plants in Sahara desert, popularly known as Desertec, seems to have stalled, but several large North African solar projects are still going ahead despite local concerns. Where did the Desertec project go wrong, and can desert solar power yet play a role in a democratic and sustainable future? If you use social media, you may well have seen a graphic going around, showing a tiny square in the Sahara desert with the caption: ‘This much solar power in the Sahara would provide enough energy for the whole world!’ Can this really be true? It is … Continue reading →

Waste-to-Energy Pathways

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Waste-to-energy is the use of modern combustion and biological technologies to recover energy from urban wastes. The conversion of waste material to energy can proceed along three major pathways – thermochemical, biochemical and physicochemical. Thermochemical conversion, characterized by higher temperature and conversion rates, is best suited for lower moisture feedstock and is generally less selective for products. On the other hand, biochemical technologies are more suitable for wet wastes which are rich in organic matter. 1. Thermochemical Conversion of Waste The three principal methods of thermochemical conversion of MSW are combustion (in excess air), gasification (in reduced air), and pyrolysis (in … Continue reading →

Energy Efficiency in Saudi Cement Industry

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Saudi Arabia is the largest construction market in the Middle East, with large development projects under way and many more in the planning stage. The cement industry in Saudi Arabia is evolving rapidly and annual clinker production was 75 million tonnes in 2018. The cement industry is one of the highest energy-intensive industries in the world, with fuel and energy costs typically representing 30-40% of total production costs. On an average, the specific electrical energy consumption typically ranges between 90 and 130 kWh per tonne of cement. Keeping in view the huge energy demand of the cement industry, the Saudi … Continue reading →