<a href="http://thehill.com/policy/finance/314991-trump-team-prepares-dramatic-cuts">The Hill has reported</a> that Trump&#39;s team is proposing more than $10 trillion in budget cuts over the next ten years.&nbsp;

The departments of Commerce and Energy would either see programs under their umbrella eliminated, transferred to other agencies or have their budget majorly reduced, The Hill reports. The Transportation, Justice and State departments would also see significant cuts or programs abolished.

A Trump administration would privatise the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and abolish both the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowments for the Humanities, The Hill reports.

The proposed cuts adhere to a reported issued last year&nbsp;by the <a href="http://www.heritage.org/about">Heritage Foundation</a>, a conservative think tank working along&nbsp;the Trump transition&nbsp;team.

The Heritage Foundation describes their mission:&nbsp;&quot;To formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.&quot;

The Trump&nbsp;administration&#39;s full budget is expected to be released by mid- to late April. While it is vital in setting policy and providing a broad picture of their agenda, approval&nbsp;will be up to Congress. There is expected to be considerable blowback from some Republicans and Democrats.

<article about="/policy/finance/314991-trump-team-prepares-dramatic-cuts" typeof="sioc:Item foaf:Document">
 
The Hill reports that more proposed programs to eliminate&nbsp;at the Department of Justice include: The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services,&nbsp;Violence Against Women Grants and the Legal Services Corporation. Cuts or fund reductions would be in line for Civil Rights and its Environment and Natural Resouces division, The Hill Reports.

Meanwhile at the Department of Energy, nuclear physics and advanced scientific computing research would be reduced to 2008 levels, the Office of Electricity would be eliminated, as would the Office of Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy and the Office of Fossil Energy, which is aimed at decreasing carbon dioxide emissions, The Hill reports.

Some other candidates for programs up for elimination include: The Paris Climate Change Agreement and&nbsp;the United Nations&#39; Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, The Hill reports.

Running the Energy Department under a Trump administration will be&nbsp;noted climate change denier and former governor of Texas, Rick Perry, who is replacing nuclear physicist, Ernest Moniz.

Earlier in December, a survey with 74 questions sent by the Trump transition team to the Energy Department sought to know the names of individual&nbsp;workers and contractors who had attended UN climate meetings, as well as the names of those who had attended meetings on the social cost of carbon, <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-climatechange-idUSKBN1432JJ">Reuters reported</a>. The department refused to divulge this information.&nbsp;

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said at the time that the questionnaire was not &quot;authorised&quot; and that the person who sent it had been &quot;properly counselled&quot;, but didn&#39;t explain what consequences they faced, or&nbsp;why a team member apparently took it upon himself to learn which civil servants were engaged in projects a Trump administration appears&nbsp;hostile towards.

A White House spokesman at the time, Josh Earnest, said the questionnaire &quot;could have been an attempt to target civil servants&quot;.

(WION)
</article>

Public broadcasting, the arts, the Paris Climate Change agreement, Violence Against Women grants and more may be cut or eliminated

The Hill has reported that Trump's team is proposing more than $10 trillion in budget cuts over the next ten years. The departments of Commerce and Energy would either see programs under their umbrella eliminated, transferred to other agencies or have their budget majorly reduced, The Hill reports. The Transportation, Justice and State departments would also see significant cuts or programs abolished. A Trump administration would privatise the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and abolish both the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowments for the Humanities, The Hill reports. The proposed cuts adhere to a reported issued last year by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank working along the Trump transition team. The Heritage Foundation describes their mission: "To formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense." The Trump administration's full budget is expected to be released by mid- to late April. While it is vital in setting policy and providing a broad picture of their agenda, approval will be up to Congress. There is expected to be considerable blowback from some Republicans and Democrats. The Hill reports that more proposed programs to eliminate at the Department of Justice include: The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Violence Against Women Grants and the Legal Services Corporation. Cuts or fund reductions would be in line for Civil Rights and its Environment and Natural Resouces division, The Hill Reports. Meanwhile at the Department of Energy, nuclear physics and advanced scientific computing research would be reduced to 2008 levels, the Office of Electricity would be eliminated, as would the Office of Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy and the Office of Fossil Energy, which is aimed at decreasing carbon dioxide emissions, The Hill reports. Some other candidates for programs up for elimination include: The Paris Climate Change Agreement and the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, The Hill reports. Running the Energy Department under a Trump administration will be noted climate change denier and former governor of Texas, Rick Perry, who is replacing nuclear physicist, Ernest Moniz. Earlier in December, a survey with 74 questions sent by the Trump transition team to the Energy Department sought to know the names of individual workers and contractors who had attended UN climate meetings, as well as the names of those who had attended meetings on the social cost of carbon, Reuters reported. The department refused to divulge this information. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said at the time that the questionnaire was not "authorised" and that the person who sent it had been "properly counselled", but didn't explain what consequences they faced, or why a team member apparently took it upon himself to learn which civil servants were engaged in projects a Trump administration appears hostile towards. A White House spokesman at the time, Josh Earnest, said the questionnaire "could have been an attempt to target civil servants". (WION)

Donald Trump administration proposes more than $10 trillion in budget cuts over 10 years

A fully solar energy-fueled car seems no longer a dream. 
 
Sono Motors, a young German startup worked four years in a garage in Munich to develope and realize Sion, the most echo (and wallet) friendly car on earth. 
 
The car has a chassis with integrated solar cells and will be available in two models. The sedan version will cost approximately $18,000 and the economy version will be priced $13,500. 
 
It carries a 7.5-square-metres solar cells surface area and two kinds of batteries: either a 30 kWh battery which allows a range of 250 Km or a 14.4 kWh one which guarantee 120 Km. The batteries will automatically recharge every day, even if it is cloudy, and there is no need to plug them anywhere. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/1-20160913091820.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
THe German startuppers in their garage (photo:&nbsp;Sono Motors GmbH)
</div>
 
 
According to the German team the car can reach 140 Kmh, making it also comfortable to drive along highways.&nbsp; 
 
The best of it: cells are self-charging and can add 30 more free kilometres every day while driving. The charging system is also bidirectional, the car can also provide electricity up to 2,000 Watts allowing drivers to recharge their devices. 
 
When it comes to air-purification the team thought definitely out of the box. The entire filtering system is made of a natural moss integrated into the dashboard which requires no care since in draws water directly from the air. The moss filters the majorty of pollutant agents, like fine dusts produced by the industry and combustion engines. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/4-20160913092805.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Sion carries a natural moss as its air filter (photo: Sono Motors GmbH).
</div>
 
 
If succesfull this project will be a revolution in the automotive market, becoming an example on how it is possible to do business also saving the environment. 
 
&ldquo;It is not just about the carbon dyoxide coming out from the fuel exhausts, it is also about the gas flow worldwide while extracting oil where gas gets burnt 24X7 rather than getting uses. Every year 400 million tons carbon emissions are fled into the atmosphere&rdquo; says in the vehicle promo one of the three project managers. 
 
The first models will be produced against crowdfunding and are expected to be ready by 2018. 
 
&nbsp;(WION)

Sion models will cost less than $18,000 wit a range up to 250 Km and will be ready by 2018

A fully solar energy-fueled car seems no longer a dream. Sono Motors, a young German startup worked four years in a garage in Munich to develope and realize Sion, the most echo (and wallet) friendly car on earth. The car has a chassis with integrated solar cells and will be available in two models. The sedan version will cost approximately $18,000 and the economy version will be priced $13,500. It carries a 7.5-square-metres solar cells surface area and two kinds of batteries: either a 30 kWh battery which allows a range of 250 Km or a 14.4 kWh one which guarantee 120 Km. The batteries will automatically recharge every day, even if it is cloudy, and there is no need to plug them anywhere. THe German startuppers in their garage (photo: Sono Motors GmbH) According to the German team the car can reach 140 Kmh, making it also comfortable to drive along highways. The best of it: cells are self-charging and can add 30 more free kilometres every day while driving. The charging system is also bidirectional, the car can also provide electricity up to 2,000 Watts allowing drivers to recharge their devices. When it comes to air-purification the team thought definitely out of the box. The entire filtering system is made of a natural moss integrated into the dashboard which requires no care since in draws water directly from the air. The moss filters the majorty of pollutant agents, like fine dusts produced by the industry and combustion engines. Sion carries a natural moss as its air filter (photo: Sono Motors GmbH). If succesfull this project will be a revolution in the automotive market, becoming an example on how it is possible to do business also saving the environment. “It is not just about the carbon dyoxide coming out from the fuel exhausts, it is also about the gas flow worldwide while extracting oil where gas gets burnt 24X7 rather than getting uses. Every year 400 million tons carbon emissions are fled into the atmosphere” says in the vehicle promo one of the three project managers. The first models will be produced against crowdfunding and are expected to be ready by 2018. (WION)

German startup builds first cost-effective solar power cars

Solar Impulse 2 yesterday neared the end of its epic journey to become the first sun-powered airplane to circle the globe without a drop of fuel to promote renewable energy. 
 
When the experimental aircraft touches down in Abu Dhabi it will cap a remarkable 42,000-kilometre journey across four continents, two oceans and three seas. 
 
Solar Impulse 2 was expected to enter UAE airspace at around 1.30 am local time on Tuesday (2130 GMT Monday), and land in Abu Dhabi at around 4 am (0000 GMT). 
 
With Swiss explorer and project director Bertrand Piccard in the cockpit, it is due to arrive at Al-Bateen Executive Airport in the UAE capital where it began its historic series of flights on March 9, 2015. 
 
&quot;My deepest admiration and respect for your courage,&quot; UN Secretary General Ban-Ki moon told Piccard in a live-streamed conversation. &quot;This is a historic day not only for you but for humanity.&quot; 
 
By 1900 GMT yesterday, Solar Impulse 2 had travelled more than 2,500 kilometres in nearly 44 hours on its final leg, flying over the Gulf after crossing the vast Saudi desert and Qatar&#39;s northern tip. 
 
The aircraft was some 100 kilometres from touchdown at Abu Dhabi. 
 
Monaco mission control said it was in a holding pattern at 11,000 feet awaiting ideal landing conditions. 
 
Dubbed the &quot;paper plane&quot;, Solar Impulse 2 has been circumnavigating the globe in stages, with 58-year-old Piccard and his compatriot Andre Borschberg taking turns at the controls of the single-seat aircraft. 
 
It took off from Cairo on the final leg early on Sunday, having previously crossed Asia, North America, Europe and North Africa. 
 
&#39;Achieve the impossible&#39; 
 
Borschberg, 63, smashed the record for the longest uninterrupted journey in aviation history with the 8,924-kilometre flight between Nagoya, Japan and Hawaii that lasted nearly 118 hours. 
 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The last <a href="https://twitter.com/solarimpulse">@solarimpulse</a> flight today w/ <a href="https://twitter.com/bertrandpiccard">@bertrandpiccard</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Si2?src=hash">#Si2</a>. The adventure began 13 years ago... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/futureisclean?src=hash">#futureisclean</a> <a href="https://t.co/DNE1Snwpii">pic.twitter.com/DNE1Snwpii</a>
&mdash; Andr? Borschberg (@andreborschberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/andreborschberg/status/757006478746259457">July 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
 
No heavier than a car but with the wingspan of a Boeing 747, the four-engine battery-powered aircraft relies on around 17,000 solar cells embedded in its wings. 
 
Its broad wings and light weight make it particularly sensitive to turbulence. 
 
The plane has clocked an average speed of 80 kilometres an hour. 
 
The pilots use oxygen tanks to breathe at high altitude and wear suits specially designed to cope with the extreme conditions. 
 
They have had to withstand temperatures inside the tiny cockpit ranging from minus 20 degrees C (minus 4 degrees F) to plus 35 degrees C (plus 95 degrees F). 
 
The plane, equipped with a parachute and life raft in case of accident, flew at an altitude exceeding 30,000 feet (9,144 metres) over Saudi Arabia on Sunday. 
 
Piccard has said he launched the project in 2003 to show that renewable energy &quot;can achieve the impossible&quot;. 
 
His dream looks set to come true, but it has taken much longer than planned. 
 
The attempt was initially expected to last five months, including 25 days of actual flying. 
 
- &#39;For a better world&#39; - 
 
But the aircraft was grounded in July last year when its solar-powered batteries suffered problems halfway through the trip. 
 
The project has also been beset by bad weather and illness which forced Piccard to delay the final leg. 
 
While in the air, the pilot is constantly in contact with mission control in Monaco, where a team of weathermen, mathematicians and engineers monitors the route and prepares flight strategies. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a project for energy, for a better world,&quot; Piccard told journalists in Cairo before taking off on the final leg. 
 
A psychiatrist who made the first non-stop balloon flight around the world in 1999, Piccard had warned that the last leg would be difficult because of the high temperatures. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s been two hours now I&#39;m flying into high up and down drafts. And I can&#39;t even drink. It&#39;s really exhausting...&quot; he tweeted on Sunday. 
 
Speaking to the BBC from the cockpit, Piccard described the final stage as a &quot;fantastic moment&quot; and likened the plane to a &quot;flying laboratory&quot;. 
 
&quot;We are testing all these new, clean and modern technologies in order to fly with an endless endurance,&quot; he said. 
 
While the pilots do not expect commercial solar-powered planes any time soon, they hope the project will help spur wider progress in clean energy. 
 
&quot;We have new insulation material, new LED lamps, we have new extremely light carbon fibre structures... All this can be used now on the ground,&quot; dividing &quot;by two the energy consumption and therefore the CO2 emissions of the world&quot;, Piccard said. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a complete revolution in the protection of the environment.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Solar Impulse 2 will cap a remarkable 42,000-kilometre journey without a drop of fuel when it touches down in Abu Dhabi

Solar Impulse 2 yesterday neared the end of its epic journey to become the first sun-powered airplane to circle the globe without a drop of fuel to promote renewable energy. When the experimental aircraft touches down in Abu Dhabi it will cap a remarkable 42,000-kilometre journey across four continents, two oceans and three seas. Solar Impulse 2 was expected to enter UAE airspace at around 1.30 am local time on Tuesday (2130 GMT Monday), and land in Abu Dhabi at around 4 am (0000 GMT). With Swiss explorer and project director Bertrand Piccard in the cockpit, it is due to arrive at Al-Bateen Executive Airport in the UAE capital where it began its historic series of flights on March 9, 2015. "My deepest admiration and respect for your courage," UN Secretary General Ban-Ki moon told Piccard in a live-streamed conversation. "This is a historic day not only for you but for humanity." By 1900 GMT yesterday, Solar Impulse 2 had travelled more than 2,500 kilometres in nearly 44 hours on its final leg, flying over the Gulf after crossing the vast Saudi desert and Qatar's northern tip. The aircraft was some 100 kilometres from touchdown at Abu Dhabi. Monaco mission control said it was in a holding pattern at 11,000 feet awaiting ideal landing conditions. Dubbed the "paper plane", Solar Impulse 2 has been circumnavigating the globe in stages, with 58-year-old Piccard and his compatriot Andre Borschberg taking turns at the controls of the single-seat aircraft. It took off from Cairo on the final leg early on Sunday, having previously crossed Asia, North America, Europe and North Africa. 'Achieve the impossible' Borschberg, 63, smashed the record for the longest uninterrupted journey in aviation history with the 8,924-kilometre flight between Nagoya, Japan and Hawaii that lasted nearly 118 hours. The last @solarimpulse flight today w/ @bertrandpiccard in #Si2. The adventure began 13 years ago... #futureisclean pic.twitter.com/DNE1Snwpii — Andr? Borschberg (@andreborschberg) July 24, 2016 No heavier than a car but with the wingspan of a Boeing 747, the four-engine battery-powered aircraft relies on around 17,000 solar cells embedded in its wings. Its broad wings and light weight make it particularly sensitive to turbulence. The plane has clocked an average speed of 80 kilometres an hour. The pilots use oxygen tanks to breathe at high altitude and wear suits specially designed to cope with the extreme conditions. They have had to withstand temperatures inside the tiny cockpit ranging from minus 20 degrees C (minus 4 degrees F) to plus 35 degrees C (plus 95 degrees F). The plane, equipped with a parachute and life raft in case of accident, flew at an altitude exceeding 30,000 feet (9,144 metres) over Saudi Arabia on Sunday. Piccard has said he launched the project in 2003 to show that renewable energy "can achieve the impossible". His dream looks set to come true, but it has taken much longer than planned. The attempt was initially expected to last five months, including 25 days of actual flying. - 'For a better world' - But the aircraft was grounded in July last year when its solar-powered batteries suffered problems halfway through the trip. The project has also been beset by bad weather and illness which forced Piccard to delay the final leg. While in the air, the pilot is constantly in contact with mission control in Monaco, where a team of weathermen, mathematicians and engineers monitors the route and prepares flight strategies. "It's a project for energy, for a better world," Piccard told journalists in Cairo before taking off on the final leg. A psychiatrist who made the first non-stop balloon flight around the world in 1999, Piccard had warned that the last leg would be difficult because of the high temperatures. "It's been two hours now I'm flying into high up and down drafts. And I can't even drink. It's really exhausting..." he tweeted on Sunday. Speaking to the BBC from the cockpit, Piccard described the final stage as a "fantastic moment" and likened the plane to a "flying laboratory". "We are testing all these new, clean and modern technologies in order to fly with an endless endurance," he said. While the pilots do not expect commercial solar-powered planes any time soon, they hope the project will help spur wider progress in clean energy. "We have new insulation material, new LED lamps, we have new extremely light carbon fibre structures... All this can be used now on the ground," dividing "by two the energy consumption and therefore the CO2 emissions of the world", Piccard said. "It's a complete revolution in the protection of the environment." (AFP)

Solar plane nears end of historic round-the-world trip

The first solar-powered plane to circle the world took off from Cairo today for Abu Dhabi, in the final leg of its journey. 
 
Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard was behind the controls of Solar Impulse 2, which can fly for days on only energy from the sun. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a project for energy, for a better world,&quot; Piccard told journalists before taking off. 
 
Pilots Piccard and Swiss entrepreneur Andre Borschberg have taken turns flying the plane on its 22,000-mile (35,000-kilometre) trip around the world. 
 
Borschberg piloted the flight&#39;s Pacific stage, a 4,000-mile flight between Nagoya, Japan, and Hawaii. 
 
Solar Impulse 2 arrived in Cairo after a two-day flight from Spain, finishing the 3,745 kilometre journey with an average speed of 76.7 kilometres an hour. 
 
It had earlier landed in Seville after completing the first solo transatlantic flight powered only by the sun. 
 
The carbon fibre plane, with a wingspan exceeding that of a Boeing 747 and the weight of a family car can climb to about 8,500 metres (28,000 feet) and cruise at 55-100 kph (34-62 mph). 
 
&quot;The project is a big promotion of clean technologies around the world and the legacy of Solar Impulse is the created international community,&quot; Piccard said. 
 
The single-seat aircraft, no heavier than a car but with the wingspan of a Boeing 747, is clad in 17,000 solar cells. During night-time flights it runs on battery-stored power. 
 
It typically travels at a mere 30 miles (48 kilometres) per hour, although its flight speed can double when exposed to full sunlight. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Solar Impulse 2 is headed to its final destination, Abu Dhabi, with the flight expected to take between 48 and 72 hours

The first solar-powered plane to circle the world took off from Cairo today for Abu Dhabi, in the final leg of its journey. Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard was behind the controls of Solar Impulse 2, which can fly for days on only energy from the sun. "It's a project for energy, for a better world," Piccard told journalists before taking off. Pilots Piccard and Swiss entrepreneur Andre Borschberg have taken turns flying the plane on its 22,000-mile (35,000-kilometre) trip around the world. Borschberg piloted the flight's Pacific stage, a 4,000-mile flight between Nagoya, Japan, and Hawaii. Solar Impulse 2 arrived in Cairo after a two-day flight from Spain, finishing the 3,745 kilometre journey with an average speed of 76.7 kilometres an hour. It had earlier landed in Seville after completing the first solo transatlantic flight powered only by the sun. The carbon fibre plane, with a wingspan exceeding that of a Boeing 747 and the weight of a family car can climb to about 8,500 metres (28,000 feet) and cruise at 55-100 kph (34-62 mph). "The project is a big promotion of clean technologies around the world and the legacy of Solar Impulse is the created international community," Piccard said. The single-seat aircraft, no heavier than a car but with the wingspan of a Boeing 747, is clad in 17,000 solar cells. During night-time flights it runs on battery-stored power. It typically travels at a mere 30 miles (48 kilometres) per hour, although its flight speed can double when exposed to full sunlight. (AFP)

Solar Impulse 2 embarks on final leg of world tour

China wants to boost its domestic capacity to produce cutting-edge energy technologies in the next decade to challenge international energy majors in areas like offshore oil and gas exploration and building state-of-the-art thermal power plants. 
 
China lags behind competitors like Anglo-American oil majors or Japanese and German power turbine makers in the most advanced technologies for deepwater oil and gas production and the most efficient electric generation. But, as the world&#39;s biggest energy consumer, the country yearns to be at the forefront of these technologies to meet internal energy needs and to shift its export economy from less high-tech industries. 
 
A new catalogue, released this week by three ministries including the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), proposes increasing China&#39;s energy independence by 2025. The report also seeks export opportunities in technical areas such as deepwater drilling for oil and natural gas, highly efficient so-called ultra-super-critical thermal power plants, as well as renewable electric generation and storage technology. 
 
&quot;Our self-designed capacity is comparably weak, and the core technologies are not in our hands,&quot; said the plan. 
 
The report, led by the National Energy Administration, did not specify which companies would lead this development. But, in the oil and gas sector, China&#39;s state-owned companies including China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and its listed subsidiary PetroChina, Sinopec Group, and China National Offshore Oil Corp will likely take leading roles. 
 
China Petroleum Technology and Development Corp, an equipment provider affiliated to CNPC, already has exports worth US$ 3.7 billion per year. 
 
&quot;In offshore oil drilling we&#39;d like to cut the reliance on imports by improving the self-sufficiency,&quot; said Yang Shuangquan, General Secretary of the China Petroleum and Petrochemical Equipment Industrial Association (CPEIA). 
 
&quot;(The plan) draws up... major development projects for the oil industries in exploiting natural gas, shale gas and offshore oil. The latter two will remain as China&#39;s strategic moves to ensure energy supply,&quot; he added. 
 
In renewables, Goldwind is the leading Chinese wind turbine maker and likely to play a role. The biggest investors in thermal and gas power generation are the state-owned China Huaneng Group, China Datang Corporation, along with its listed renewable subsidiary, China Guodian Corp, China Huadian Group Corp, and China Power Investment Corp. 
 
Yang said that no specified investment figures had yet been published, but that the ministry of finance would come up with follow-up strategies for implementation soon, without mentioning a specific time-frame. 
 
To make breakthroughs in these key technologies, the government wants to showcase live projects by 2020, leading to the formation of new, internationally competitive production chains by 2025. 
 
The plan also bolsters government efforts to shift away from less technologically advanced industries such as coal and steel and into more complex sectors. 
 
This includes increasing renewable technology usage, but also employing ultra-super-critical coal power generators, modern natural gas turbines, and large nuclear power plants. 
 
For renewables, China wants to build offshore wind turbines that can produce 10 megawatts (MW) of electricity, beyond the current technology at 7 MW, and modern solar cells. 
(Reuters)

As the world's biggest energy consumer, China yearns to be at the forefront of energy-sector technologies to meet internal needs

China wants to boost its domestic capacity to produce cutting-edge energy technologies in the next decade to challenge international energy majors in areas like offshore oil and gas exploration and building state-of-the-art thermal power plants. China lags behind competitors like Anglo-American oil majors or Japanese and German power turbine makers in the most advanced technologies for deepwater oil and gas production and the most efficient electric generation. But, as the world's biggest energy consumer, the country yearns to be at the forefront of these technologies to meet internal energy needs and to shift its export economy from less high-tech industries. A new catalogue, released this week by three ministries including the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), proposes increasing China's energy independence by 2025. The report also seeks export opportunities in technical areas such as deepwater drilling for oil and natural gas, highly efficient so-called ultra-super-critical thermal power plants, as well as renewable electric generation and storage technology. "Our self-designed capacity is comparably weak, and the core technologies are not in our hands," said the plan. The report, led by the National Energy Administration, did not specify which companies would lead this development. But, in the oil and gas sector, China's state-owned companies including China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and its listed subsidiary PetroChina, Sinopec Group, and China National Offshore Oil Corp will likely take leading roles. China Petroleum Technology and Development Corp, an equipment provider affiliated to CNPC, already has exports worth US$ 3.7 billion per year. "In offshore oil drilling we'd like to cut the reliance on imports by improving the self-sufficiency," said Yang Shuangquan, General Secretary of the China Petroleum and Petrochemical Equipment Industrial Association (CPEIA). "(The plan) draws up... major development projects for the oil industries in exploiting natural gas, shale gas and offshore oil. The latter two will remain as China's strategic moves to ensure energy supply," he added. In renewables, Goldwind is the leading Chinese wind turbine maker and likely to play a role. The biggest investors in thermal and gas power generation are the state-owned China Huaneng Group, China Datang Corporation, along with its listed renewable subsidiary, China Guodian Corp, China Huadian Group Corp, and China Power Investment Corp. Yang said that no specified investment figures had yet been published, but that the ministry of finance would come up with follow-up strategies for implementation soon, without mentioning a specific time-frame. To make breakthroughs in these key technologies, the government wants to showcase live projects by 2020, leading to the formation of new, internationally competitive production chains by 2025. The plan also bolsters government efforts to shift away from less technologically advanced industries such as coal and steel and into more complex sectors. This includes increasing renewable technology usage, but also employing ultra-super-critical coal power generators, modern natural gas turbines, and large nuclear power plants. For renewables, China wants to build offshore wind turbines that can produce 10 megawatts (MW) of electricity, beyond the current technology at 7 MW, and modern solar cells. (Reuters)

China plans to boost energy-sector technology capacity over next decade

<div style="text-align: justify;">Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar will attract two-thirds of all investment in power-generating plants between 2016 and 2040 in spite of persistently cheap coal and gas prices, a new report has found. 
 
The forecast by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the energy research unit of information company Bloomberg, expects some $7.8 trillion to be invested globally in renewables over the period, compared with $1.2 trillion for new coal plants - largely in India and other Asian emerging markets. 
 
Gas will attract a relatively small $892 billion, the report&nbsp;said, despite a projected glut of the fuel leading to lower power generating costs. 
 
&quot;One conclusion that may surprise is that our forecast shows no golden age for gas, except in North America,&quot; according to report co-author Elena Giannakopoulou. 
 
&quot;As a global generation source, gas will be overtaken by renewables in 2027. It will be 2037 before renewables overtake coal,&quot; Giannakopoulou said. 
 
While good news for helping decarbonise the world&#39;s electricity system, it is still not enough to meet the United Nations target to limit global warming below 2&ordm;C. 
 
Another $5.3 trillion in zero-carbon power investment by 2040 is needed to prevent carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere rising above the limit of 450 parts per million, the report says. 
 
Rising coal use in India and emerging Asia will push global carbon emissions five per cent above 2015 levels by 2040, to 700 megatonnes, it said. 
 
In China, weaker growth and a rebalancing of the economy away from heavy industry, as well as more renewables, will mean emissions peak by as early as 2025. 
 
For Europe renewables will dominate with a 70 per cent share in the continent&#39;s power mix by 2040, while the United States&#39; share will jump from 14 per cent last year to 44 per cent. 
 
A breakdown of renewable investments shows that of the $7.8 trillion overall, onshore and offshore wind accounts for $3.1 trillion, with solar taking $3.4 trillion and hydro-electric $911 billion.</div>

Bloomberg New Energy Finance foresees an investment worth $7.8 trillion in power-generating plants between 2016 and 2040

Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar will attract two-thirds of all investment in power-generating plants between 2016 and 2040 in spite of persistently cheap coal and gas prices, a new report has found. The forecast by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the energy research unit of information company Bloomberg, expects some $7.8 trillion to be invested globally in renewables over the period, compared with $1.2 trillion for new coal plants - largely in India and other Asian emerging markets. Gas will attract a relatively small $892 billion, the report said, despite a projected glut of the fuel leading to lower power generating costs. "One conclusion that may surprise is that our forecast shows no golden age for gas, except in North America," according to report co-author Elena Giannakopoulou. "As a global generation source, gas will be overtaken by renewables in 2027. It will be 2037 before renewables overtake coal," Giannakopoulou said. While good news for helping decarbonise the world's electricity system, it is still not enough to meet the United Nations target to limit global warming below 2ºC. Another $5.3 trillion in zero-carbon power investment by 2040 is needed to prevent carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere rising above the limit of 450 parts per million, the report says. Rising coal use in India and emerging Asia will push global carbon emissions five per cent above 2015 levels by 2040, to 700 megatonnes, it said. In China, weaker growth and a rebalancing of the economy away from heavy industry, as well as more renewables, will mean emissions peak by as early as 2025. For Europe renewables will dominate with a 70 per cent share in the continent's power mix by 2040, while the United States' share will jump from 14 per cent last year to 44 per cent. A breakdown of renewable investments shows that of the $7.8 trillion overall, onshore and offshore wind accounts for $3.1 trillion, with solar taking $3.4 trillion and hydro-electric $911 billion.

Renewable energy to attract two-thirds of power plant investments

A solar-powered airplane finished crossing the United States on Saturday, landing in New York City after flying over the Statue of Liberty during its historic bid to circle the globe, the project team said. 
 
The spindly, single-seat experimental aircraft, dubbed Solar Impulse 2, arrived at New York&#39;s John F. Kennedy International Airport at about 4 a.m. local time after it took off about five hours beforehand at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Pennsylvania, the team reported on the airplane&#39;s website. 
 
&quot;Such a pleasure to land in #NYC! For the 14th time we celebrate sustainability,&quot; said the project&#39;s co-founder Andre Borschberg on Twitter after flying over the city and the Statue of Liberty during the 14th leg of the trip around the globe. 
 
The Swiss team flying the aircraft in a campaign to build support for clean energy technologies hopes eventually to complete its circumnavigation in Abu Dhabi, where the journey began in March 2015. 
 
The solar craft&#39;s cruising speed, akin to that of a car, required pilots to take up meditation and hypnosis in training to stay alert for long periods. 
 
Borschberg alternates with fellow pilot Bertrand Piccard at the controls for each segment of what they hope will be the first round-the-world solar-powered flight. 
 
On April 24, Piccard landed in San Francisco, completing a trans-Pacific crossing after a nearly three-day trip that began in Hawaii. The flight took more than three times the 18 hours Amelia Earhart took to fly solo from Hawaii to California in the 1930s. 
 
The propeller-driven Solar Impulse flies without a drop of fuel and its four engines are powered solely by energy collected from more than 17,000 solar cells built into its wings. 
 
Surplus power is stored in four batteries during the day, to keep the plane aloft on extreme long-distance flights. 
 
The carbon-fiber plane, with a wingspan exceeding that of a Boeing 747 and the weight of a family car, is unlikely to set speed or altitude records. It can climb to 28,000 feet (8,500 m), and cruise at 34 to 62 mph (55 to 100 kph). 
 
In a precursor of their globe-circling quest, the two men completed a multi-flight crossing of the United States with an earlier version of the solar plane in 2013.

The plane collects energy from more than 17,000 solar cells built into its wings. It can climb to 28,000 feet and cruise at 34 to 62 mph

A solar-powered airplane finished crossing the United States on Saturday, landing in New York City after flying over the Statue of Liberty during its historic bid to circle the globe, the project team said. The spindly, single-seat experimental aircraft, dubbed Solar Impulse 2, arrived at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport at about 4 a.m. local time after it took off about five hours beforehand at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Pennsylvania, the team reported on the airplane's website. "Such a pleasure to land in #NYC! For the 14th time we celebrate sustainability," said the project's co-founder Andre Borschberg on Twitter after flying over the city and the Statue of Liberty during the 14th leg of the trip around the globe. The Swiss team flying the aircraft in a campaign to build support for clean energy technologies hopes eventually to complete its circumnavigation in Abu Dhabi, where the journey began in March 2015. The solar craft's cruising speed, akin to that of a car, required pilots to take up meditation and hypnosis in training to stay alert for long periods. Borschberg alternates with fellow pilot Bertrand Piccard at the controls for each segment of what they hope will be the first round-the-world solar-powered flight. On April 24, Piccard landed in San Francisco, completing a trans-Pacific crossing after a nearly three-day trip that began in Hawaii. The flight took more than three times the 18 hours Amelia Earhart took to fly solo from Hawaii to California in the 1930s. The propeller-driven Solar Impulse flies without a drop of fuel and its four engines are powered solely by energy collected from more than 17,000 solar cells built into its wings. Surplus power is stored in four batteries during the day, to keep the plane aloft on extreme long-distance flights. The carbon-fiber plane, with a wingspan exceeding that of a Boeing 747 and the weight of a family car, is unlikely to set speed or altitude records. It can climb to 28,000 feet (8,500 m), and cruise at 34 to 62 mph (55 to 100 kph). In a precursor of their globe-circling quest, the two men completed a multi-flight crossing of the United States with an earlier version of the solar plane in 2013.

Solar plane lands in New York City during bid to circle the globe

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