In a landmark first for any G7 nation, the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station site in central England will close its doors at the end of this month. It is signaling the end to polluting coal-powered electricity in the UK...

UK to shut last coal-fired power plant

China, under fire for approving new coal power stations as other countries try to curb greenhouse gases, has completed the first 1,000-megawatt unit of the Shanghaimiao plant, the biggest of its kind under construction in the country.

Its operator, the Guodian Power Shanghaimiao Corporation, a subsidiary of the central government-run China Energy Investment Corporation, said on Tuesday that the plant’s technology was the world’s most efficient, with the lowest rates of coal and water consumption.

Located in Ordos in the coal-rich northwestern region of Inner Mongolia, the plant will eventually have four generating units, and is designed to deliver power to the eastern coastal Shandong province via a long-distance ultra-high voltage grid.

China is responsible for more than half of global coal-fired power generation and is expected to see a 9% year-on-year increase in 2021, an International Energy Agency report published this month said.

Watch | COP26 Climate Summit: Several countries set coal phase out deadline

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82.3 exajoules were consumed by China.China consumes about 54.3 percent of the world's coal.

Beijing has pledged to start reducing coal consumption, but will do so only after 2025, giving developers considerable leeway to raise capacity further in the coming four years.

A report published this month by researchers at China’s State Grid Corporation said energy security concerns mean the country is likely to build as much as 150 gigawatts (GW) of new coal-fired power capacity over the 2021-2025 period, bringing the total to 1,230 GW.

(With inputs from agencies)

China, under fire for approving new coal power stations as other countries try to curb greenhouse gases, has completed the first 1,000-megawatt unit of the Shanghaimiao plant, the biggest of its kind under construction in the country.

China, under fire for approving new coal power stations as other countries try to curb greenhouse gases, has completed the first 1,000-megawatt unit of the Shanghaimiao plant, the biggest of its kind under construction in the country. Its operator, the Guodian Power Shanghaimiao Corporation, a subsidiary of the central government-run China Energy Investment Corporation, said on Tuesday that the plant’s technology was the world’s most efficient, with the lowest rates of coal and water consumption. Located in Ordos in the coal-rich northwestern region of Inner Mongolia, the plant will eventually have four generating units, and is designed to deliver power to the eastern coastal Shandong province via a long-distance ultra-high voltage grid. China is responsible for more than half of global coal-fired power generation and is expected to see a 9% year-on-year increase in 2021, an International Energy Agency report published this month said. Watch | COP26 Climate Summit: Several countries set coal phase out deadline 82.3 exajoules were consumed by China.China consumes about 54.3 percent of the world's coal. Beijing has pledged to start reducing coal consumption, but will do so only after 2025, giving developers considerable leeway to raise capacity further in the coming four years. A report published this month by researchers at China’s State Grid Corporation said energy security concerns mean the country is likely to build as much as 150 gigawatts (GW) of new coal-fired power capacity over the 2021-2025 period, bringing the total to 1,230 GW. (With inputs from agencies)

Despite global calls for cuts, China starts a massive coal-fired power plant

According to India's Central Electricity Authority (CEA), 63 of the 135 coal-fired power plants in the country have just two days or less of coal supplies left.

CEA reportedly said 17&nbsp;of the country's 135 coal-fired power plants have&nbsp;"zero coal stocks".&nbsp;

India is the second-largest importer and consumer of coal. India's power ministry had recently issued a directive to increase coal production "in the light of the increasing power demand".&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/electricity-crisis-chinese-switch-to-flashlights-generators-to-meet-emission-targets-ease-coal-shortages-416787">Also Read:&nbsp;China switches to flashlights, generators to meet emission targets &amp; ease coal shortages</a>

The ministry said compared to August last year, the energy consumption in August this year had increased by 15 per cent while the share of thermal &amp; lignite based generation had increased by 21 per cent.

Coal is also responsible for causing global pollution with China being the top coal consumer. China has been hit by a power crisis even as the Chinese government recently ordered railway companies and local authorities to ramp up coal supplies quickly.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-run-up-to-cop26-summit-glasgow-records-hottest-summer-410318">Also Read:&nbsp;In run up to Cop26 summit, Glasgow records hottest summer</a>

The Communist nation is under increased pressure to stop its coal-fired power projects. In order to address the criticism, President Xi last month had pledged not to build new coal-fired power projects abroad during his address to the UN General Assembly.

China is the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter and relies heavily on coal to meet its domestic energy needs. It is also under increased pressure from international organisations&nbsp;who have set their focus on China's coal energy needs at the COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Glasgow later this month.

President Xi has however not confirmed his participation at COP26 in Glasgow. Reports say&nbsp;China's top economic planning body has been asked to devise a plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions amid growing pollution concerns worldwide.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/climate-change-summit-cop26s-president-alok-sharma-flew-to-30-countries-in-7-months-403428">Also Read:&nbsp;Cop26 summit president flew to 30 countries in 7 months</a>

British PM Boris Johnson had sent an invitation to President Xi to attend the meeting. In fact, British cabinet minister and president Alok Sharma of COP26 had said that the "ball is very much in their court" referring to China's participation at the conference.

Alok Sharma had visited Beijing earlier and held talks with Chinese officials while emphasising that the Chinese government wanted to make "COP26 as a success".

The COP26 conference will begin in Glasgow, Scotland from October 31.

(With inputs from Agencies)

According to India's Central Electricity Authority (CEA), 63 of the 135 coal-fired power plants in the country have just two days or less of coal supplies left. CEA reportedly said 17 of the country's 135 coal-fired power plants have "zero coal stocks".

According to India's Central Electricity Authority (CEA), 63 of the 135 coal-fired power plants in the country have just two days or less of coal supplies left. CEA reportedly said 17 of the country's 135 coal-fired power plants have "zero coal stocks". India is the second-largest importer and consumer of coal. India's power ministry had recently issued a directive to increase coal production "in the light of the increasing power demand". Also Read: China switches to flashlights, generators to meet emission targets & ease coal shortages The ministry said compared to August last year, the energy consumption in August this year had increased by 15 per cent while the share of thermal & lignite based generation had increased by 21 per cent. Coal is also responsible for causing global pollution with China being the top coal consumer. China has been hit by a power crisis even as the Chinese government recently ordered railway companies and local authorities to ramp up coal supplies quickly. Also Read: In run up to Cop26 summit, Glasgow records hottest summer The Communist nation is under increased pressure to stop its coal-fired power projects. In order to address the criticism, President Xi last month had pledged not to build new coal-fired power projects abroad during his address to the UN General Assembly. China is the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter and relies heavily on coal to meet its domestic energy needs. It is also under increased pressure from international organisations who have set their focus on China's coal energy needs at the COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Glasgow later this month. President Xi has however not confirmed his participation at COP26 in Glasgow. Reports say China's top economic planning body has been asked to devise a plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions amid growing pollution concerns worldwide. Also Read: Cop26 summit president flew to 30 countries in 7 months British PM Boris Johnson had sent an invitation to President Xi to attend the meeting. In fact, British cabinet minister and president Alok Sharma of COP26 had said that the "ball is very much in their court" referring to China's participation at the conference. Alok Sharma had visited Beijing earlier and held talks with Chinese officials while emphasising that the Chinese government wanted to make "COP26 as a success". The COP26 conference will begin in Glasgow, Scotland from October 31. (With inputs from Agencies)

India stares at coal crisis as COP26 eyes China's coal-fired power projects

Warning that construction of a huge coal-fired power plant near the Sundarbans could pose a serious threat to the delicate ecosystem of the world&#39;s largest mangrove forest, the United Nations has urged Bangladesh to halt its construction.

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Pollution from &nbsp;$1.7-billion power plant would &quot;irreversibly damage&quot; the Sundarbans, the UN&#39;s culture and science agency UNESCO said, international news agency AFP reported.&nbsp;

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The cluster of low-lying islands in the Bay of Bengal, spread across India and Bangladesh, is famous for its unique mangrove forests.&nbsp;

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Scheduled to open in 2018, the planned 1,320 megawatt Rampal plant is a joint project between India and Bangladesh. It will be powered annually by nearly five million tons of coal transported by boat along the ecosystem&#39;s fragile waterways, according to AFP.&nbsp;

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The plant would also discharge nearly 125,000 cubic metres a day of chemically-tainted water used to cool generators, according to design specifications.

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In its latest report published on Tuesday, UNESCO has said the plant&#39;s construction would result in &nbsp;&#39;substantial increase in shipping and dredging in the area&#39;.

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The report has recommended that the plant should&nbsp;be relocated &quot;to a more suitable location, where it would not impact negatively on the Sundarbans&quot;. It&#39;s pertinent to mention that the present site is just 14 kilometres (nine miles) north of the Sundarbans.

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Rejecting that the project is &#39;politically motivated&#39;, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina earlier defended the project.&nbsp;

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However, several campaigners on Tuesday marched to the Indian embassy in Dhaka with a letter urging the Indian prime minister to scrap the project. According to the&nbsp;rights group, Avaaz Foundation, over&nbsp;&nbsp;800,000 people from all over the world have joined a campaign calling on the Exim Bank of India to pull funds from the project.&nbsp;

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The state-owned Exim Bank of India has promised to provide over Rs 10,000 crore&nbsp;to the project, with&nbsp;70 per cent&nbsp;of its funding, and raises this money from major international banks including JPMorgan, Credit Agricole, and Deutsche Bank, Avaaz said in a press statement.&nbsp;

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Luca Nicotra, Avaaz Senior Campaigner said: &ldquo;The Exim Bank of India and other big banks are dishing out billions for a crazy coal project next to a World Heritage Site, promoting dirty energy and ecological devastation. People from all over the world are telling them unless they pull their funds out fast they will be dealing in the deaths of the last Bengal Tigers.&rdquo;

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(WION with inputs from AFP)&nbsp;

Over?800,000 people from across the world have expressed concern over ?$1.7-billion power plant near Sunderbans, says Avaaz, a rights group

Warning that construction of a huge coal-fired power plant near the Sundarbans could pose a serious threat to the delicate ecosystem of the world's largest mangrove forest, the United Nations has urged Bangladesh to halt its construction. Pollution from $1.7-billion power plant would "irreversibly damage" the Sundarbans, the UN's culture and science agency UNESCO said, international news agency AFP reported. The cluster of low-lying islands in the Bay of Bengal, spread across India and Bangladesh, is famous for its unique mangrove forests. Scheduled to open in 2018, the planned 1,320 megawatt Rampal plant is a joint project between India and Bangladesh. It will be powered annually by nearly five million tons of coal transported by boat along the ecosystem's fragile waterways, according to AFP. The plant would also discharge nearly 125,000 cubic metres a day of chemically-tainted water used to cool generators, according to design specifications. In its latest report published on Tuesday, UNESCO has said the plant's construction would result in 'substantial increase in shipping and dredging in the area'. The report has recommended that the plant should be relocated "to a more suitable location, where it would not impact negatively on the Sundarbans". It's pertinent to mention that the present site is just 14 kilometres (nine miles) north of the Sundarbans. Rejecting that the project is 'politically motivated', Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina earlier defended the project. However, several campaigners on Tuesday marched to the Indian embassy in Dhaka with a letter urging the Indian prime minister to scrap the project. According to the rights group, Avaaz Foundation, over 800,000 people from all over the world have joined a campaign calling on the Exim Bank of India to pull funds from the project. The state-owned Exim Bank of India has promised to provide over Rs 10,000 crore to the project, with 70 per cent of its funding, and raises this money from major international banks including JPMorgan, Credit Agricole, and Deutsche Bank, Avaaz said in a press statement. Luca Nicotra, Avaaz Senior Campaigner said: “The Exim Bank of India and other big banks are dishing out billions for a crazy coal project next to a World Heritage Site, promoting dirty energy and ecological devastation. People from all over the world are telling them unless they pull their funds out fast they will be dealing in the deaths of the last Bengal Tigers.” (WION with inputs from AFP)

UNESCO report over threat to Sunderbans prompts global outcry