New energy suppliers, faster adoption of renewables and lower power consumption should help the EU get through another winter “without any major disruptions”, a bloc official has said.
Europe, which is looking to reduce its reliance on Russian natural gas exports, has boosted imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US and the Middle East.
“We have taken the decision to make sure that we go into the winter with gas reserves filled up [to] at least 80 per cent. We managed that last year and we want to do the same thing this year,” Andrea Fontana, the EU ambassador to the UAE, told The National in an interview last week.
Russia now makes up for less than 10 per cent of the EU’s overall natural gas imports, and it will continue to be replaced by other sources, Mr Fontana said.
“Meanwhile, the nuclear power plants that were undergoing maintenance have restarted their operations and gas reserves are monitored and more prioritised … I think that we are going to be fine,” said Mr Fontana.
“But, there can always be surprises.”
European gas demand was lower due to an unusually warm winter and as efforts aimed at reducing consumption reaped rewards. The European natural gas benchmark was last trading at about €53 per megawatt hour on Thursday after surging to €343 in August last year.
However, a rebound in LNG imports from China and a complete halt in Russian supply could result in the region falling short by about 27 billion cubic metres of gas in 2023, the International Energy Agency said in a report last year.
Watch: Ukrainian President calls for more arms more quickly at Davos
Following an embargo on Russian crude exports in December, the EU recently banned imports of refined products from the country. The bloc, along with the G7, also imposed price caps on Russian shipments of diesel, naphtha and fuel oil.
“We are sanctioning Russian energy products because we believe that this is the main way Russia is funding this horrible war,” said Mr Fontana.
“We did not manage to completely isolate [Russia], but we see that their capacity to innovate [and] grow in new markets and new products has been severely depleted.
“The sanctions are having an effect, but perhaps not as big as we wanted, and the main reason is that not all countries are following our lead.”
Russian oil exports in January rose by 300,000 bpd from a month ago to 8.2 million bpd, the IEA said in its monthly oil market report on Wednesday.
The country’s export revenue stood at $13 billion, slightly higher than in December, but down 36 per cent from the same period a year ago, the agency said.
Meanwhile, the EU is moving ahead with its renewable energy plans.
This month, the bloc launched the Green Deal Industrial Plan to boost the “competitiveness” of Europe's net-zero industry and support the fast transition to climate neutrality.
The programme, which is a part of the European Green Deal, comes partly in response to the US Inflation Reduction Act, which includes hundreds of billions in federal subsidies for green technology.
The American legislation has been met with some opposition in the EU amid concerns that it would put European companies at an unfair disadvantage.
“We have been calling on the US to do more in the [clean energy] area, so it’s good that these steps were taken … where we see a problem within the IRA is the fact that it links the financial incentives to certain geographies and … that is not good for competition,” said Mr Fontana.
Investment in low-carbon projects is expected to increase by $60 billion this year, 10 per cent higher than 2022, led by wind and a “significant” rise in funding for hydrogen and carbon capture, according to Rystad Energy, an energy consultancy.
To ward off a near-term gas shortage, European countries have signed multiple energy agreements with Gulf exporters.
In November, QatarEnergy signed two sales and purchase agreements with ConocoPhillips to deliver up to 2 million tonnes per annum of LNG to Germany.
On Wednesday, Adnoc and German power company RWE announced the delivery of the first shipment of LNG from the UAE to Germany.
There is “no negotiation” taking place with players in the region currently, but talks will start soon with the UAE about a possible green hydrogen partnership, Mr Fotana said.
“We are working with our Emirati partners to identify areas where … a partnership could arise and I think that the most promising one for the moment is green hydrogen,” he said.
Day 1, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dimuth Karunaratne had batted with plenty of pluck, and no little skill, in getting to within seven runs of a first-day century. Then, while he ran what he thought was a comfortable single to mid-on, his batting partner Dinesh Chandimal opted to stay at home. The opener was run out by the length of the pitch.
Stat of the day - 1 One six was hit on Day 1. The boundary was only breached 18 times in total over the course of the 90 overs. When it did arrive, the lone six was a thing of beauty, as Niroshan Dickwella effortlessly clipped Mohammed Amir over the square-leg boundary.
The verdict Three wickets down at lunch, on a featherbed wicket having won the toss, and Sri Lanka’s fragile confidence must have been waning. Then Karunaratne and Chandimal's alliance of precisely 100 gave them a foothold in the match. Dickwella’s free-spirited strokeplay meant the Sri Lankans were handily placed at 227 for four at the close.
ODI FIXTURE SCHEDULE
First ODI, October 22
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Second ODI, October 25
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
Third ODI, October 29
Venue TBC
Pakistan T20 series squad
Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shahzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammed Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammed Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Amir Yamin, Mohammed Amir (subject to fitness clearance), Rumman Raees, Usman Shinwari, Umar Amin
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
FIXTURES
All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday
Sevilla v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
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Eibar v Valencia (9.30pm)
Atletico Madrid v Alaves (11.45pm)
Sunday
Girona v Getafe (3pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7.15pm)
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Barcelona v Deportivo la Coruna (11.45pm)
Monday
Malaga v Real Betis (midnight)
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
LIKELY TEAMS
South Africa
Faf du Plessis (captain), Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Lungi Ngidi.
India (from)
Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wkt), Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.
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The Word for Woman is Wilderness
Abi Andrews, Serpent’s Tail
The Light of the Moon
Director: Jessica M Thompson
Starring: Stephanie Beatriz, Michael Stahl-David
Three stars
RESULTS - ELITE MEN
1. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 57:03
2. Mario Mola (ESP) 57:09
3. Vincent Luis (FRA) 57:25
4. Leo Bergere (FRA)57:34
5. Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 57:40
6. Joao Silva (POR) 57:45
7. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 57:56
8. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 57:57
9. Gustav Iden (NOR) 57:58
10. Richard Murray (RSA) 57:59
Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company
2019 ASIA CUP POTS
Pot 1
UAE, Iran, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia
Pot 2
China, Syria, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Qatar, Thailand
Pot 3
Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Palestine, Oman, India, Vietnam
Pot 4
North Korea, Philippines, Bahrain, Jordan, Yemen, Turkmenistan
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Adele: The Stories Behind The Songs
Caroline Sullivan
Carlton Books
The biog
DOB: 25/12/92
Marital status: Single
Education: Post-graduate diploma in UAE Diplomacy and External Affairs at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: I love fencing, I used to fence at the MK Fencing Academy but I want to start again. I also love reading and writing
Lifelong goal: My dream is to be a state minister
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Women & Power: A Manifesto
Mary Beard
Profile Books and London Review of Books
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
RESULT
Uruguay 3 Russia 0
Uruguay: Suárez (10'), Cheryshev (23' og), Cavani (90')
Russia: Smolnikov (Red card: 36')
Man of the match: Diego Godin (Uruguay)
The specs: 2018 BMW X2 and X3
Price, as tested: Dh255,150 (X2); Dh383,250 (X3)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder (X2); 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder (X3)
Power 192hp @ 5,000rpm (X2); 355hp @ 5,500rpm (X3)
Torque: 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (X2); 500Nm @ 1,520rpm (X3)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (X2); Eight-speed automatic (X3)
Fuel consumption, combined: 5.7L / 100km (X2); 8.3L / 100km (X3)
The Vines - In Miracle Land
Two stars
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