Latest news with #PLN
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Sydney Morning Herald
How the humble motorbike became the latest tool of diplomacy in Asia
akarta's traffic makes the peak-hour crawl in Sydney or Melbourne seem like a hypersonic pleasure trip. The sun is often blotted out by smog. The city's pollution, caused not just by cars and bikes but by coal-fired power plants, consistently ranks as the worst in the world on real-time charts. Indonesian businesses see opportunity in this situation and in the millions of drivers for delivery and taxi companies that contribute to the clogged streets and the murky air in Indonesia's biggest city (population 36 million). So does Australia. It has made a $5 million concessional loan to Indonesian electric motorbikes rental company Electrum, which is pitching to these drivers to switch from fossil fuels to electric vehicles, and is backed by some heavy-hitting Indonesian corporates. The Electrum loan is part of a new dawn in solar-powered diplomacy that is rising as Australia's foreign aid programs switch tack to boost green business growth in Indonesia, our most important regional ally. The revamped aid approach is designed to tackle some of the low-income nation's most pressing problems and address an uncomfortable question for Australia: Why should countries such as Indonesia cut emissions and miss the economic benefits of polluting industries that enriched wealthy nations? Made wealthy by coal and gas exports, Australia is seeking to burnish its climate-action credentials by funding prospective green businesses that will help Indonesia's government juggle the goals of economic growth and pollution reduction. It is pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into KINETIK, that's the Indonesian acronym for the Australia Indonesia Climate, Renewable Energy and Infrastructure Partnership program. The Electrum loan is part of KINETIK's portfolio. Electrum's chief executive Jack Yang said the company's growth was fuelled by the Indonesian government's recognition that transport was a key tool for climate action. 'There's a clear direction there, and there's a wide range of initiatives in place and urban mobility is one of them.' Electric motorbikes could deliver about 20 per cent in savings compared with petrol-powered bikes, including the costs of Electrum's swap-and-go battery system, Yang said. Designed to make charging convenient for busy riders, vending machines installed across the city enable busy riders to lift spent batteries out of their bike and swap them for fully charged replacements. Electrum has rented out about 5000 bikes in Jakarta and Yang said the growth potential was massive given there was a total of 17 million motorbikes on the road across the city. The environmental benefits are high too; transport generates about one-quarter of all Indonesia's pollution, 95 per cent of which comes from road vehicles. Electrum is backed by Indonesia's giant state-owned energy company PLN (Perusahaan Listrik Negara) in partnership with Jakarta's dominant ride-hailing and delivery company, Gojek. Yang said investors in Indonesian businesses were prepared to pay a premium to put their money into cleaner technologies. 'If you diversify into clean energy technology, then you actually have a much higher premium. That means the shareholders are speaking that they want energy companies to consider new sustainable cleaner source of energy.' Harnessing that investment return is one reason for the creation of KINETIK. The other, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says, is that Australia views Indonesia as 'critical to navigating this time of global uncertainty'. 'I am here in Indonesia because no relationship is more important to Australia than this one,' Albanese said in Jakarta in May, on his first foreign visit since his election win. KINETIK is not bankrolling initiatives such as a traditional aid program, but is investing in businesses and entrepreneurs. Its goal is to invest its initial $200 million endowment in businesses that generate returns that can be pumped back into the other green ventures. 'We know that grants from government are never going to be sufficient to fully address the climate challenge, so it is critical to be able to stand up financing mechanisms to support solutions addressing the climate crisis,' said Kylie Charlton, a committee member of Australia Direct Investments, a government investment vehicle that provides funding for KINETIK. Charlton is also managing director of Australian Impact Investments. Indonesia has committed under the Paris Agreement on climate change to cut emissions 32 per cent below business-as-usual by 2030 and to reach net zero emissions by 2060. Switching to cleaner energy is a challenge for Indonesia given the nation has imposed local content laws designed to tackle poverty by boosting local manufacturing to increase jobs and boost the economy. This will increase reliance on electricity, which is almost entirely supplied by coal-fired power. In May, KINETIK announced a $15 million investment in Indonesian company Hijau, that installs and rents rooftop solar panels to commercial customers such as shopping malls. Independent committee member of Australia Direct Investments Jeremy Cleaver said Hijau was selected for its ability to generate a return, which would fuel further financing deals. 'This is an equity investment for Hijau, so it does not need to be paid back. But at some point, the investment will need to be sold, and hopefully, the fund will make a return, to later be invested in other opportunities,' Cleaver said. Hangga Fathana, assistant professor of international relations at Universitas Islam Indonesia, said Australia's investment strategy could strengthen the relationship with the Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's government by offering opportunities that were not available from other regional partners who were seeking strategic alignment with Indonesia. 'China offers capital, Korea and Japan come to Indonesia with technology and loans and Australia is offering trust, collaboration and values,' Fathana said. However, Australia faces challenges under Prabowo's goal to boost downstreaming – or investment in a wide range of local value-add industries such as minerals processing, manufacturing and agriculture. 'Any green initiative like what has been done by the Australian government, no matter how noble it is, is competing with this strong pull towards short-term economic gains.' China's influence on Indonesian policymaking was 'quite contentious', Fathana said, arguing that Australia sticks to its strategy. 'Australia needs to show what we call consistency and patience,' he said. China may achieve short-term results, but trust building could pay off in the long term. 'That's subtle but powerful especially for the younger generations of Indonesia who are more aware and more concerned about climate issues.' KINETIK is also backing Indonesian renewable power company Xurya. It builds green power supply, largely for foreign companies operating in Indonesia. Australia has invested more than $4 million in Asian fund manager Clime Capital and $8 million in AC Ventures, both of which have funded the company, which began seven years ago by installing solar panels on commercial premises such as factories and shopping malls under a zero-cost upfront leasing arrangement. Xurya managing director Eka Himawan said foreign companies were motivated by their commitment to climate action to reduce their reliance on Indonesia's coal-powered grid by installing solar panels, rather than economic factors. 'Usually, there's another driving factor behind it,' Himawan said. He said Indonesia's state-owned electricity supplier PLN was also working with Xurya to wean smaller islands off diesel fuel. While the islands of Borneo and Java are powered by coal, smaller islands such as Sulawesi rely on diesel generators. '[Diesel power] is expensive, and it's very dirty,' Himawan said. 'There's an economic driver for PLN to start looking at solar for more remote islands.' AC Ventures managing partner Helen Wong said ructions caused by the Trump administration's withdrawal of United States funding from international climate initiatives created a major headache for decarbonisation in low-income economies such as Indonesia. Most notably, the US has pulled its promised US$4 billion ($6.14 billion) contribution to the Indonesia Just Energy Transition Partnership, also known as JET-P, which is a US$20 billion joint fund to cut pollution in Indonesia's fossil-fuelled economy. 'If you look at South-East Asia as a whole, I think it's the fourth-largest energy consumer in the world, but right now 80 per cent of the energy is derived from fossil fuel,' Wong said. 'But the world needs to understand that Indonesia has the ability to change, to transition, but it can only do so with the help of developed nations. 'Notwithstanding the Trump withdrawal from JETP, we are very hopeful that other countries can step up.' Wong said the Indonesian government was also under public pressure to decarbonise, which also created opportunities for clean energy investments. 'Last year when Jakarta ranked as one of the most polluted cities in the world, there was a lot of social media about how most Indonesians are concerned about their health and the effects on children and the elderly. Loading 'It puts pressure on the government to act and to look at what is behind that pollution.' Rod Brazier, the Australian ambassador to Indonesia, said KINETIK was helping to build a pipeline of commercially viable projects and stronger investment ties between Australia and Indonesia. 'The Indonesian government response has been very positive,' Brazier said. 'Prime Minister Albanese and President Prabowo reinforced the value of KINETIK when they met in Jakarta in May.'
The Age
3 days ago
- Automotive
- The Age
How the humble motorbike became the latest tool of diplomacy in Asia
akarta's traffic makes the peak-hour crawl in Sydney or Melbourne seem like a hypersonic pleasure trip. The sun is often blotted out by smog. The city's pollution, caused not just by cars and bikes but by coal-fired power plants, consistently ranks as the worst in the world on real-time charts. Indonesian businesses see opportunity in this situation and in the millions of drivers for delivery and taxi companies that contribute to the clogged streets and the murky air in Indonesia's biggest city (population 36 million). So does Australia. It has made a $5 million concessional loan to Indonesian electric motorbikes rental company Electrum, which is pitching to these drivers to switch from fossil fuels to electric vehicles, and is backed by some heavy-hitting Indonesian corporates. The Electrum loan is part of a new dawn in solar-powered diplomacy that is rising as Australia's foreign aid programs switch tack to boost green business growth in Indonesia, our most important regional ally. The revamped aid approach is designed to tackle some of the low-income nation's most pressing problems and address an uncomfortable question for Australia: Why should countries such as Indonesia cut emissions and miss the economic benefits of polluting industries that enriched wealthy nations? Made wealthy by coal and gas exports, Australia is seeking to burnish its climate-action credentials by funding prospective green businesses that will help Indonesia's government juggle the goals of economic growth and pollution reduction. It is pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into KINETIK, that's the Indonesian acronym for the Australia Indonesia Climate, Renewable Energy and Infrastructure Partnership program. The Electrum loan is part of KINETIK's portfolio. Electrum's chief executive Jack Yang said the company's growth was fuelled by the Indonesian government's recognition that transport was a key tool for climate action. 'There's a clear direction there, and there's a wide range of initiatives in place and urban mobility is one of them.' Electric motorbikes could deliver about 20 per cent in savings compared with petrol-powered bikes, including the costs of Electrum's swap-and-go battery system, Yang said. Designed to make charging convenient for busy riders, vending machines installed across the city enable busy riders to lift spent batteries out of their bike and swap them for fully charged replacements. Electrum has rented out about 5000 bikes in Jakarta and Yang said the growth potential was massive given there was a total of 17 million motorbikes on the road across the city. The environmental benefits are high too; transport generates about one-quarter of all Indonesia's pollution, 95 per cent of which comes from road vehicles. Electrum is backed by Indonesia's giant state-owned energy company PLN (Perusahaan Listrik Negara) in partnership with Jakarta's dominant ride-hailing and delivery company, Gojek. Yang said investors in Indonesian businesses were prepared to pay a premium to put their money into cleaner technologies. 'If you diversify into clean energy technology, then you actually have a much higher premium. That means the shareholders are speaking that they want energy companies to consider new sustainable cleaner source of energy.' Harnessing that investment return is one reason for the creation of KINETIK. The other, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says, is that Australia views Indonesia as 'critical to navigating this time of global uncertainty'. 'I am here in Indonesia because no relationship is more important to Australia than this one,' Albanese said in Jakarta in May, on his first foreign visit since his election win. KINETIK is not bankrolling initiatives such as a traditional aid program, but is investing in businesses and entrepreneurs. Its goal is to invest its initial $200 million endowment in businesses that generate returns that can be pumped back into the other green ventures. 'We know that grants from government are never going to be sufficient to fully address the climate challenge, so it is critical to be able to stand up financing mechanisms to support solutions addressing the climate crisis,' said Kylie Charlton, a committee member of Australia Direct Investments, a government investment vehicle that provides funding for KINETIK. Charlton is also managing director of Australian Impact Investments. Indonesia has committed under the Paris Agreement on climate change to cut emissions 32 per cent below business-as-usual by 2030 and to reach net zero emissions by 2060. Switching to cleaner energy is a challenge for Indonesia given the nation has imposed local content laws designed to tackle poverty by boosting local manufacturing to increase jobs and boost the economy. This will increase reliance on electricity, which is almost entirely supplied by coal-fired power. In May, KINETIK announced a $15 million investment in Indonesian company Hijau, that installs and rents rooftop solar panels to commercial customers such as shopping malls. Independent committee member of Australia Direct Investments Jeremy Cleaver said Hijau was selected for its ability to generate a return, which would fuel further financing deals. 'This is an equity investment for Hijau, so it does not need to be paid back. But at some point, the investment will need to be sold, and hopefully, the fund will make a return, to later be invested in other opportunities,' Cleaver said. Hangga Fathana, assistant professor of international relations at Universitas Islam Indonesia, said Australia's investment strategy could strengthen the relationship with the Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's government by offering opportunities that were not available from other regional partners who were seeking strategic alignment with Indonesia. 'China offers capital, Korea and Japan come to Indonesia with technology and loans and Australia is offering trust, collaboration and values,' Fathana said. However, Australia faces challenges under Prabowo's goal to boost downstreaming – or investment in a wide range of local value-add industries such as minerals processing, manufacturing and agriculture. 'Any green initiative like what has been done by the Australian government, no matter how noble it is, is competing with this strong pull towards short-term economic gains.' China's influence on Indonesian policymaking was 'quite contentious', Fathana said, arguing that Australia sticks to its strategy. 'Australia needs to show what we call consistency and patience,' he said. China may achieve short-term results, but trust building could pay off in the long term. 'That's subtle but powerful especially for the younger generations of Indonesia who are more aware and more concerned about climate issues.' KINETIK is also backing Indonesian renewable power company Xurya. It builds green power supply, largely for foreign companies operating in Indonesia. Australia has invested more than $4 million in Asian fund manager Clime Capital and $8 million in AC Ventures, both of which have funded the company, which began seven years ago by installing solar panels on commercial premises such as factories and shopping malls under a zero-cost upfront leasing arrangement. Xurya managing director Eka Himawan said foreign companies were motivated by their commitment to climate action to reduce their reliance on Indonesia's coal-powered grid by installing solar panels, rather than economic factors. 'Usually, there's another driving factor behind it,' Himawan said. He said Indonesia's state-owned electricity supplier PLN was also working with Xurya to wean smaller islands off diesel fuel. While the islands of Borneo and Java are powered by coal, smaller islands such as Sulawesi rely on diesel generators. '[Diesel power] is expensive, and it's very dirty,' Himawan said. 'There's an economic driver for PLN to start looking at solar for more remote islands.' AC Ventures managing partner Helen Wong said ructions caused by the Trump administration's withdrawal of United States funding from international climate initiatives created a major headache for decarbonisation in low-income economies such as Indonesia. Most notably, the US has pulled its promised US$4 billion ($6.14 billion) contribution to the Indonesia Just Energy Transition Partnership, also known as JET-P, which is a US$20 billion joint fund to cut pollution in Indonesia's fossil-fuelled economy. 'If you look at South-East Asia as a whole, I think it's the fourth-largest energy consumer in the world, but right now 80 per cent of the energy is derived from fossil fuel,' Wong said. 'But the world needs to understand that Indonesia has the ability to change, to transition, but it can only do so with the help of developed nations. 'Notwithstanding the Trump withdrawal from JETP, we are very hopeful that other countries can step up.' Wong said the Indonesian government was also under public pressure to decarbonise, which also created opportunities for clean energy investments. 'Last year when Jakarta ranked as one of the most polluted cities in the world, there was a lot of social media about how most Indonesians are concerned about their health and the effects on children and the elderly. Loading 'It puts pressure on the government to act and to look at what is behind that pollution.' Rod Brazier, the Australian ambassador to Indonesia, said KINETIK was helping to build a pipeline of commercially viable projects and stronger investment ties between Australia and Indonesia. 'The Indonesian government response has been very positive,' Brazier said. 'Prime Minister Albanese and President Prabowo reinforced the value of KINETIK when they met in Jakarta in May.'
Daily Telegraph
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Telegraph
PLN grows Namibian uranium position
Don't miss out on the headlines from Stockhead. Followed categories will be added to My News. Special Report: Pioneer has acquired the Gaobis uranium project in a move that significantly expands its portfolio in uranium-rich southern Namibia. PLN picks up Gaobis uranium project in Namibia Project a natural extension to existing project in the country's south Plan is now to double down on high-priority drill targets The project adds ~350sqkm of prospective ground in proximity to the company's Warmbad project. Namibia, which is the world's third-largest uranium producer, contributing ~11 % of global output, offers a stable, transparent regulatory environment for uranium development. The geological setting of Gaobis mirrors the world-class Rössing mine and Henkries uranium deposit, which Pioneer (ASX:PLN) said highlighted strong potential for alaskite and paleochannel-hosted uranium mineralisation. It's also a natural extension of Warmbad, providing exploration potential and a clear pathway to rapid resource growth. Historic drilling results confirm mineralisation and include 23.9m at 100ppm U₃O₈ and 22.59m at 141ppm. The company plans to target a 1.7km-long radiometric anomaly as well as several walk-up, shallow drill targets primed for exploration. Building a big uranium district The company said picking up the project was part of a strategic expansion of the existing Warmbad project and further strengthened its portfolio of critical minerals essential to the global transition toward a low-carbon future. 'The Gaobis uranium project is an extension of the Warmbad project with excellent historic drill intercepts in alaskite granite from surface,' CEO Michael Beven said. 'The mineralisation associated with the historic drilling is open in all directions with the strongest radiometric anomalies along the fold hinge still untested. 'The addition of Gaobis provides Pioneer the opportunity to rapidly expand its uranium inventory by building on the previous work completed by Xemplar Energy once all required exploration permitting is complete.' Pioneer will now engage with Namibia authorities to advance permitting and development activities and refine the priority drill targets. This article was developed in collaboration with Pioneer Lithium, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing. This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions. Originally published as Pioneer expands Namibian uranium base with Gaobis acquisition
The Irish Sun
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Massive theme park with the most rollercoasters in Europe is giving away free tickets this summer
ONE of Europe's biggest theme parks is giving away free tickets this summer. To celebrate hitting a milestone anniversary, Advertisement 6 Energylandia has over 120 attractions for all ages Credit: Energylandia 6 There are lots of rollercoasters and water rides too Credit: Energylandia Marking its 11th anniversary, Energylandia is offering a "special birthday promotion" - which is good news for visitors as it saves money. Anyone who buys three tickets to the park, will get the fourth one free. Plus, for anyone under, or turning 18, and celebrating a birthday during the offer - you can buy a birthday ticket for 1 PLN (20p). As stated on Energylandia's Facebook, the promotion is valid for tickets bought between July 23, to October 26, 2025. Advertisement Read More on Attractions If you're planning to visit, make sure to book before July 27, 2025. The tickets mean you can use all the park attractions at no additional cost (excluding arcade games and food). At Energylandia you'll find over 120 attractions and 19 rollercoasters - which is the most in Europe - and a The biggest ride in the park is Advertisement Most read in Family Exclusive Exclusive It stands at 253 feet tall at its highest point and reaches top speeds of 88 mph. Hyperion joins nine other rides in the Extreme Zone which are fastest, tallest and most intense of the park. European theme park reveals brand new sweet-themed land 6 The amusement park even has its own waterpark Credit: Energylandia 6 There are pools to splash about in and watercoasters Credit: Instagram Advertisement Across the park are six zones; Fairytale Land, Family zone, Extreme zone, Water Park, Dragon Zone, Aqualantis and Sweet Valley. For those looking for a more chilled-out time with Here are family-friendly activities like bumper cars, a monster house and spinning teacups on the water. The Little Kids zone has rides for the little ones too with attractions for children between two and six. Advertisement Aqualantis has lots of water-based rides and Dragon Zone is a medieval-inspired area . Sweet Valley is literally like going through candyland with carousels, spinning teacups and a playground - all sweet themed of course. 6 There's even a wooden rollercoaster called Zadra Credit: Energylandia Energylandia has its own with more than 700 sunbeds, several swimming pools, and water slides including Bamboo Bay and Exotic Island. Advertisement It's popular with visitors too with one calling it a "world-class" theme park. Another wrote on There are other attractions there too like a 7D And there are live performances too, like a pirate adventure, magic shows, a character parade and circus. Advertisement You'll find UK airports that fly to Krakow include Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds and Liverpool. Standard tickets usually cost 219 PLN (£44.74) in the high season. Here's more on the Advertisement And the affordable UK theme park that on Sun Writer insists her family love more than Alton Towers - and it's cheaper. What is it like to visit the theme park? Lee Bell tried out the tallest and fastest rollercoasters the theme park has to offer... "Reaching heights that send me hurtling to the ground in a weightless free-fall, you'd think I was riding one of America's colossal coasters, but no. I'm on a ride called Hyperion in a seemingly quiet part of Poland. "From the moment I arrived, it was clear I was in for a hair-raising time. Hyperion intimidates with 1,500m of track that snakes around the car park, where carriages rush by careering riders at speeds of 88mph. "This isn't Energylandia's only spine-tingling treat either Standing almost as tall at the opposite end of the park is Zadra This part-wood, part-steel coaster, known as a 'hybrid' due to the two types of materials used, is the tallest of its kind in the world. "With a 206ft, 90-degree drop and three inversions, it's no wonder online community CoasterForce has ranked Zadra the third best coaster in the world. It is so intense riders are even made to wear goggles when riding the front row. "If being flung around a track at break-neck speeds isn't your jam, or if you want to give your now jelly-like legs a rest, there's plenty of less intense experiences to enjoy." - 6 There are plenty of rollercoasters at Energylandia in Poland
Daily Mirror
03-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
New night train to beautiful coastal city is one of Europe's longest
In total, it takes 19 hours to complete the trip, trundling through the pretty countryside of Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, and on into Croatia, during the just under 1,200-kilometer route. It will run four times a week A new train route from Warsaw to Rijeka has officially opened. On Saturday, the first PKP train from Warsaw to Rijeka in Croatia completed its journey. The new 'Adriatic Express' rail route has been hailed as the first sleeper to connect five European countries. It is run by the largest Polish rail operator, PKP Intercity, and traces a line southwest from Warsaw towards the tip of the Adriatic. In total, it takes 19 hours to complete the trip, trundling through the pretty countryside of Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, and on into Croatia, during the just under 1,200-kilometer route. It will run four times a week. The train has been launched in a bid to capitalise on renewed interest in tourism between the two countries. According to the Travel Croatia portal, Croatia welcomed more than 1.2 million Polish tourists last year. Discussions about the route began four years ago during the coronavirus pandemic, but were delayed by various lockdowns in Europe. It looks as if demand for it will be high, with 90% of the seats on the first train taken. There are 172 seats on the train, including 132 second class seats and 40 couchettes, Euro News reported. Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak said: "This is the beginning of a new chapter for holiday rail travel! This is not only a fast and convenient connection, but also a symbol of accessible European holidays - also from smaller towns!" The train leaves Warsaw at 2pm and arrives in Rijeka at 9am the following day—in time for breakfast. It returns at 7pm and arrives back in the Polish capital a little before 2pm. One-way fares on the new route start at around PLN 200 (£43). The connection is initially designed just for the tourist season and will operate until the end of the summer holidays, with the last night train from Warsaw scheduled for 28 August. There are plenty of reasons to make the 1,200km journey to Rijeka, which is a Croatian port city steeped in history. It sits in Kvarner Bay in the northern Adriatic Sea and is known as a gateway to Croatia's islands. Korzo, the main promenade, is lined with Habsburg-era buildings. The 19th-century Ivan pl. Zajc Croatian National Theatre has ceiling paintings by Gustav Klimt. The hilltop Trsat Castle complex, which includes a religious shrine, has sweeping views of the islands of Kvarner Bay.
