Nuclear fusion – on the way or false hope?
The last two years have seen a number of projects reporting “significant” progress being made towards the goal of developing nuclear fusion energy. This form of energy replicates the processes that drive … Continue Reading ››
China’s massive investments in renewable energy
In early January 2017, China’s government announced a 2.5 trillion RMB (US$ 360 billion) investment programme in renewable energy as part of its 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020). This marks a continuation of the twin strategies of boosting the share of non-fossil fuel in … Continue Reading ››
Coal consumption in China: where is it heading?
Coal continues to be the bugbear of China's energy sector. When China’s current leadership took office in late 2012, they laid out a number of key policy priorities directly relevant to the energy sector. These included the broad goals of requiring … Continue Reading ››
The United Kingdom government’s decision in September 2016 to give final approval for Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant gives a boost not only to the future of nuclear energy in the UK, but also to China’s ambitions of becoming a major exporter of nuclear technology. China is … Continue Reading ››
I was a member of a delegation from the ASEAN Energy Market Integration (AEMI) Initiative invited to participate in the annual meeting of the ASEAN Power Grid Consultative Committee (APGCC) on 3rd May 2016 in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The delegation included three academics from Chulalongkorn University (Professor Suthipand Chirathivat … Continue Reading ››
China presses ahead with nuclear energy, but challenges remain
Whilst the expansion of nuclear energy capacity has largely stalled in Europe, the USA and Japan, China is one of the few countries to be adding to existing capacity and has the world’s largest fleet of new plants. Total … Continue Reading ››
China-Iran energy relations after the lifting of UN sanctions
Whilst Xi Jinping’s trip to Iran in January 2016 had great diplomatic significance, the primary objective was economic, and energy will have featured prominently among the many deals signed. This should pave the way for more inward investment … Continue Reading ››