Latest news with #FatihBirol
Newsweek
a day ago
- Newsweek
Japan Nuclear Plant Reports Triple Drone Intrusion
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Three suspected drones recently intruded into a nuclear power complex in southwestern Japan, the country's nuclear watchdog said Sunday. Newsweek reached out to Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority by email with a request for comment. Why It Matters Japan strictly prohibits drone flights near nuclear power plants under its 2016 Drone Act, with violations punishable by up to a year in prison or a maximum fine of 500,000 yen or approximately $3,370. Since the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi disaster—triggered by a massive earthquake and tsunami—Japan's approach to nuclear energy has shifted dramatically. The government suspended all reactors until 2015, gradually restarting some under stricter safety standards while decommissioning others. What To Know The Nuclear Regulation Authority said that bright objects believed to be drones were spotted Saturday over the four-reactor Genkai nuclear power plant in Saga Prefecture, according to Kyodo News. The statement was more cautious than the organization's earlier remarks on Saturday, when officials reported the objects as definitely being drones, citing reports from plant operator Kyushu Electric Power Co. An official with the nuclear regulator described the incident as "extremely unusual." Local authorities told Kyodo News that no abnormal fluctuations in radiation levels were detected at the complex afterward, and residents were not instructed to evacuate. Police spokesperson Masahiro Kosho told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the aircraft have not been recovered. The identities and motives of the drone operators remain unknown, he added. Japan is cautiously turning back to nuclear power, with a new law allowing reactors to operate beyond 60 years taking effect in June. Nuclear-generated electricity reached 88.87 terawatt-hours last year—up 9.6 percent from the previous year, according to the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum. That's due to the reactivation of two boiling water reactors: Onagawa-2, operated by Tohoku Electric Power Co., and Shimane-2, run by Chugoku Electric Power Company. Imagery captured by Airbus on July 24, 2024, and provided by Google Earth shows Japan's Genkai Nuclear Power Plant in its southwestern Saga prefecture. Imagery captured by Airbus on July 24, 2024, and provided by Google Earth shows Japan's Genkai Nuclear Power Plant in its southwestern Saga prefecture. Aribus/Google Earth What People Are Saying A spokesperson for the Nuclear Regulation Authority told AFP: "No abnormalities were detected after the incident was reported, and no drones were found inside the plant's perimeter." Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) said at an event in Tokyo in March: "The restart of nuclear power plants is critical. I feel really bad that a country I really love, Japan, has so much idle capacity. I very much hope that soon, not only the Kashiwazaki Kariwa plant, but other nuclear power plants in Japan will come back, in a safe way." What Happens Next? While Genkai's No. 3 and 4 units resumed operation in 2018, units 1 and 2 are in the process of being decommissioned.
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First Post
21-07-2025
- Business
- First Post
Oil losing to rare earths as energy battlefront shifts, world faces new risks: IEA chief
Critical minerals have replaced oil and gas as the biggest concern in global energy security, according to International Energy Agency (IEA) chief Fatih Birol, highlighting a major shift in energy priorities amid the rapid rise of AI, electric vehicles, and clean power demand. read more Critical minerals have overtaken oil and gas as the top concern for global energy security, marking a significant shift in the world's energy priorities, International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol said, outlining the changing dynamics in the energy market amid the rapid rise of AI, electric vehicles, and clean power demand. Speaking in Paris, Birol noted that oil supply is no longer the primary challenge, as demand weakens amid rapid electrification. The soaring need for electricity—driven by artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and rising air-conditioning use—has pushed critical minerals to the forefront of energy concerns. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'A single medium-sized data centre consumes as much electricity as 100,000 homes,' Birol said, stressing the urgent need for steady and clean power to support tech expansion and AI development. The IEA's latest Global Critical Minerals Outlook warns that the refining of essential materials—such as cobalt, nickel, graphite, and rare earths—is dangerously concentrated. China now controls about 70 per cent of refining capacity for 19 out of 20 key minerals, raising serious supply security and geopolitical risks. Birol cautioned that this dependency could cause severe disruptions. Battery metal prices could spike by 40–50 per cent if supply shocks or export restrictions occur. He called for swift government intervention through public investment and policy tools like price-stabilisation mechanisms. 'In a world of high geopolitical tensions, critical minerals have emerged as a frontline issue in safeguarding global energy and economic security,' Birol said. 'This new analysis reviews what's at stake and outlines what must be done to strengthen the resilience and diversity of mineral supply chains—essential for reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy in the 21st century.' The IEA is urging a coordinated public-private push to secure mineral supply chains, calling for global cooperation, incentives, and the adoption of advanced technologies such as AI. The goal, Birol said, is to ensure the future of clean energy systems and digital innovation is not held hostage to fragile or monopolised supply routes. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Business Times
20-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Critical minerals are the new battlefront of energy security, says IEA chief
[PARIS] Energy security remains a pressing issue, but the battleground is shifting from oil and gas towards critical minerals, said Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA). Speaking at the Amundi's World Investment Forum in Paris, he noted that oil is tilting towards a situation of oversupply, which has reined in its price even amid war. Weaker oil demand is also due to surging demand for electrification, particularly for data centres – and clean energy sources at that. 'Global electricity demand is growing much faster than in previous decades. A year ago, I said we're entering the age of electricity. Oil demand is slowing considerably.' Three sources are driving electricity demand – increased usage of air-conditioning; electric cars; and the boom in artificial intelligence (AI). In race for AI dominance, access to secure sources of power supply will be key, said Birol. 'There is no AI without electricity. One medium-sized data centre consumes as much electricity as 100,000 households. Technology companies want 24/7 electricity – which we cannot afford. And they want electricity to be as clean as possible.' The price of Brent crude oil spiked in mid-June to US$81 after the US strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. But it has quickly fallen since then, and now hovers at around US$69. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up 'We have a lot of oil in the market, with production coming from US, Canada and Brazil… This is the new reality – a lot of oil supply and more to come, while demand is getting weaker.' The IEA's July oil market report forecast world oil demand growth to rise by 700,000 barrels per day (bpd), its lowest rate since 2009 except for 2020 – during Covid. In contrast, world oil supply is forecast to rise by an average 2.1 million bpd this year to 105.1 million bpd, with non-Opec+ producers dominating growth. Still, the report also pointed out that price indicators belie a 'tighter physical oil market than suggested by the hefty surplus in our balances'. This is due to demand from summer travel and power generation, and the accelerated supply hike from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (Opec+) 'had not had much effect'. Critical minerals the new frontline Birol expects critical minerals to be the new frontline of energy security issues, thanks to the over-concentration of almost all refining supply in less than a handful of countries – the Democratic Republic of Congo for cobalt, Indonesia for nickel and China for graphite and rare earths. According to an IEA critical minerals report, the average market share of the top three mining countries for key energy materials has risen from 73 per cent in 2020 to 77 per cent in 2024. IEA's analysis of 20 energy-related and multi-sectoral minerals used in sectors such as technology and aerospace points to China as the dominant supplier of 19 of the 20 minerals, giving it an average market share of 70 per cent. Birol said in the conference: 'In my view, we cannot solve this problem with market instruments alone. There should be government involvement in terms of using different instruments such as (forms of) guarantees… The over-reliance by the entire world (on a few countries) for critical minerals is the most important energy security issue today.' IEA argues in its report that public financing can help to support new refining projects, but rule-based market mechanisms are also required to support their operation. 'Well-designed price stabilisation schemes, such as contract-for-differences and cap-and-floor models, can help smooth out price volatility and mobilise private investment without imposing excessive fiscal burdens,' it said. For now, markets appear 'well supplied' for critical minerals, but risks are rising due to export restrictions. A sustained supply shock for battery metals could increase global average battery pack prices by as much as 40 to 50 per cent, IEA said. Meanwhile, Birol said, investment in clean energy has more than doubled in the last 10 years, but fossil fuel investment has remained the same. Capital flows into energy is estimated to rise to US$3.3 trillion this year, of which US$2.2 trillion is going into renewables, nuclear, grids, storage, low-emissions fuels, efficiency and electrification; and US$1.1 trillion into oil, natural gas and coal. The outsized share of clean energy investment 'is a benefit of the Paris Agreement', he said. 'But of the US$2 trillion (into clean energy), 85 per cent is happening in the Western countries and China. Only 15 per cent is flowing into the emerging and developing countries which account for two-thirds of global population,' he added. IEA's recently released report Energy and AI projects electricity demand from data centres worldwide to more than double by 2030 to around 945 terawatt-hours (TWh), slightly more than the entire electricity consumption of Japan today. AI is forecast to be the most significant driver of the increase; electricity demand from AI-optimised data centres is expected to more than quadruple by 2030. AI, however, is a double-edged sword. It can help raise the efficiency of electrical grids, increase cost competitiveness and reduce emissions. But it may also raise vulnerabilities to risks such as cyberattacks. 'AI is one of the biggest stories in the energy world today – but until now, policymakers and markets lacked the tools to fully understand the wide-ranging impacts,' Birol said in a statement.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trane Technologies is a Key Contributor to the IEA's Four-Point Action Plan on Energy Efficiency
SWORDS, IRELAND / / July 18, 2025 / Trane Technologies (NYSE:TT), a global climate innovator, was a key contributor to the to the International Energy Agency's (IEA) CEO Four-Point Action Plan for energy efficiency published following the IEA's 10th Annual Global Conference. The conference, co-hosted by IEA Executive Director Dr. Fatih Birol and European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen, was held in Brussels last month and focused on implementing the COP28 goal of doubling energy efficiency progress this decade. The plan also followed the company's pledge, signed last month at the conference, to promote business as a key force in implementing energy efficiency technologies. As a signatory of the IEA's CEO Letter of Commitment, Trane Technologies agrees to advance energy efficiency for industrial productivity, decarbonization, and competitiveness. Speaking at the conference, Jose La Loggia, CEO EMEA at Trane Technologies, stated: "The absurdity of rejecting heat into the atmosphere is a misguided, traditional energy practice that needs to change. The world needs to adopt the readily available sustainable solutions that can integrate heating and cooling systems by reusing waste heat, thereby enabling high levels of energy efficiency." La Loggia participated in the roundtable where the Brussels CEO Four-Point Action Plan was developed. This strategic plan, launched in partnership with the Energy Efficiency Movement and co-hosted by the European Commission, aims to accelerate public-private collaboration to double energy efficiency progress by 2030 through a system perspective approach, shared expertise, risk mitigation, development and innovation and strengthened industrial competitiveness. These initiatives aim to strengthen public-private collaboration for stronger action on energy efficiency. Through its actions at the conference, Trane Technologies affirms its 2030 Sustainability Commitments, which include achieving carbon neutral operations by 2030 and reducing absolute energy consumption by 10% by 2030 from a 2019 baseline. Explore Trane Technologies' 2024 Sustainability Report to learn how the company is integrating energy-efficient processes into its operations. # # # About Trane TechnologiesTrane Technologies is a global climate innovator. Through our strategic brands Trane® and Thermo King®, and our portfolio of environmentally responsible products and services, we bring efficient and sustainable climate solutions to buildings, homes and transportation. Visit the International Energy AgencyThe IEA is at the heart of global dialogue on energy, providing authoritative analysis, data, policy recommendations, and real-world solutions to help countries provide secure and sustainable energy for all. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Trane Technologies on Contact Info:Spokesperson: Trane TechnologiesWebsite: info@ SOURCE: Trane Technologies View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Axios
18-07-2025
- General
- Axios
Agency tackles "most urgent energy challenge": clean cooking access
The International Energy Agency is launching the next phase of its work to expand access to cleaner cooking in sub-Saharan Africa, where progress has been slower than in other regions. Why it matters: Widespread use of polluting fuels like wood, charcoal and dung — and open fires or inadequate stoves — is a massive health and economic problem. Lack of low-polluting cooking methods contributes to 815,000 premature deaths annually in Africa, IEA said in a new report. Energy Secretary Chris Wright in January described access to clean cooking fuels as "the most urgent energy challenge on the planet today." Threat level: "Women and girls pay the highest price, spending hours each day collecting firewood or other biomass, and breathing in harmful smoke that leads to serious long-term health impacts," IEA head Fatih Birol writes. This also comes at the expense of education, the report notes. Yes, but: It's a solvable problem with existing tech and fuels like liquid petroleum gas, advanced biomass cookstoves, and electrification. IEA estimates that clean cooking access for every African household would take less than 0.1% of annual global energy investment over 15 years. Driving the news: The report explores policies and infrastructure across Africa, where there's lots of action but more needed on finance and policy. It's a very granular, country-specific look at the landscape and solutions needed — think stuff like LPG cylinder safety and tariff policies that avoid thwarting bioethanol while keeping duties on alcohol, to name just two. IEA has a new policy and infrastructure roadmap to full access in Africa by 2040 that requires an estimated $37 billion in investment. It follows work like a 2024 summit that brought new financing pledges. State of play: Diplomatic attention has already risen at recent Group of 7 and Group of 20 summits. And a number of countries in Africa and elsewhere have made big gains and launched new efforts, with a suite of new policies of late. Over the past five years, countries like Kenya and Nigeria are extending access to 2.7% of their population annually, IEA said. But clean cooking nonetheless lacks the profile of some other energy topics. The big picture: Daniel Wetzel, who heads IEA's sustainable transitions unit, notes it crosses global health, development, and energy agendas. "Because it's straddling these different pieces, sometimes it gets lost," he said in an interview. "But ... from a solutions perspective, the energy industry is the key to unlocking it, and all the benefits are the ones that are accruing to women, to health, to emissions and ... greater prosperity," he said. "How do you tie it together, how do you elevate it? This is where the IEA and Dr. Birol has really wanted to come in — using that convening power to move it up the agenda," he said.
