Category: Energy and Power

Prof.Halil Hasar, Director of Climate Change, has delivered a speech at a conference hosted by the Embassy of Singapore in Ankara recently.

Hasar, COP31 Chief Climate Diplomacy Offi cer and Director of Climate Change, was the guest speaker at the 25th edition of the Conference Series organized by the Embassy of Singapore to strengthen bilateral relations and enhance diplomatic knowledge-sharing between Trkiye and Singapore.

The upcoming COP31 summit in Antalya took center stage during the event.

Hosted by Singapore’s Ambassador Kok Li Peng, the gathering provided a platform for Climate Change Director Hasar to share key insights on the COP31 preparatory process and the Global Action Agenda.

Emphasizing Trkiye’s climate vision, Hasar noted, ‘As Trkiye, our goal on the road to Antalya is to build consensus, strengthen international cooperation, and deliver concrete actions at COP31.’ Hasar also outlined technical details regarding COP31, elaborating on Trkiye’s position within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP processes, COP31 governance and organization, Trkiye’s candidacy process, prep work, and the COP31 Action Agenda, while detailing the country’s broader climate policies with attendees.

The government is set to launch a Tree Monitoring App to strengthen monitoring and data management under its ambitious program to plant 250 million trees over the next fi ve years, offi cials said at the second meeting of the Support Taskforce for the initiative recently.

The meeting, held at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, was chaired by State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam, MP.

The taskforce reviewed the progress of the nationwide plantation programme, which is being implemented in line with the government’s election commitment to enhance forest cover, protect biodiversity and address the impacts of climate change.

Offi cials discussed implementation progress submitted by focal point representatives from various ministries and emphasized the need for stronger inter-agency coordination to ensure the programme’s succes

Bangladesh’s state – backed contingent liabilities for state – owned enterprises (SOEs) and autonomous bodies have reached Tk 400.12 billion, raising concerns over growing fi scal risks and pressure on public fi nances.

According to offi cial estimates, the energy and power sector accounts for the largest share of sovereign guarantees, followed by Biman Bangladesh Airlines and state-run fertilizer companies.

The liabilities are linked to large-scale borrowing for power plants, aircraft purchases and fertilizer imports.

A recent World Bank and Policy Research Institute (PRI) study found that ineffi ciencies and subsidies in SOEs cost the government about Tk 882 billion, or 1.7% of GDP, in a single fi scal year.

The Finance Ministry has introduced measures, including a 0.25% upfront fee on sovereign loan guarantees, to limit future risks.

Offi cials said no SOE has defaulted on guaranteed loans so far.

The government has moved to build a 100MW skidmounted, gas-fi red power plant on the Bhola island to utilize the long-stranded natural and diversifi ed energy sources to cope with the mounting energy demand across the country.

State-run Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) was set to fl oat a tender soon to select a contractor for building the plant within the shortest possible time, a senior BPDB offi cial said recently.

He said the power plant would be fast-tracked to meet the growing electricity demand while reducing reliance on the costly imported liquefi ed natural gas (LNG).

Building the plant might take around six months after awarding the project to the bid winner, he said.

The electricity to be produced from the plant could be transmitted immediately through the existing power transmission lines, said the offi cial.

Skid-mounted power plants are a modern solution for power generation, offering several advantages over traditional on-site construction methods.

Escalating tensions in the Middle East and renewed disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz could cost Japan more than ¥7 trillion in additional energy expenses this year if the crisis persists, according to a new analysis by climate advocacy group 350.org.

The report estimates that higher oil and gas prices since the outbreak of the Iran confl ict have already imposed an additional US$18.75 billion burden on Japan.

Even if the Hormuz crisis eases quickly, Japanese consumers are still expected to face more than ¥4 trillion in extra energy costs by the end of 2026.

The warning comes as Brent crude oil has climbed back above US$100 per barrel, driven by renewed US-Iran hostilities and disruptions to Saudi oil shipments linked to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.

At a press briefi ng, 350.org urged Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to reconsider plans for new oil and gas investments, including projects in the United States, and instead accelerate investments in domestic renewable energy and energyeffi ciency measures.

Global liquefi ed natural gas (LNG) trade climbed to a record 437 million tonnes in 2025, registering 6.3 percent year-on-year growth, according to the International Gas Union’s (IGU) World LNG Report 2026.

However, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are expected to make 2026 one of the most challenging years for the global LNG market.

The report said global LNG trade expanded by approximately 25 million tonnes last year, driven primarily by higher exports from the United States, Qatar, Malaysia, Angola and Nigeria.

Canada and the MauritaniaSenegal LNG project also entered the export market with their fi rst cargoes, further diversifying global supply.

Investment in new LNG production also accelerated.

Developers approved 68.4 million tonnes per year (mtpa) of new liquefaction capacity in 2025, the highest annual total since 2019.

Two fl agship fuel pipeline projects built by the state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) at a combined cost of nearly Tk12,000 crore have remained largely idle long after commissioning, causing mounting fi nancial losses and delaying expected savings in petroleum transportation.

The stalled projects are the 110-kilometre double pipeline under the Single Point Mooring (SPM) project and the 250-kilometre underground pipeline designed to transport petroleum products directly from Chattogram to Dhaka.

The SPM project, built at a cost of Tk8,300 crore, was commissioned in March 2024, while the 250-kilometre pipeline, costing Tk3,365 crore, was commissioned on August 27, 2025, at Padma Oil’s Guptakhal terminal in Patenga.

However, commercial operation has yet to begin.

Offi cials said a revised process for appointing the project operator has further delayed the launch, leaving the costly infrastructure unused and the anticipated economic benefi ts unrealized.

Canada has taken a major step toward d eveloping one of the world’s largest carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects after the federal government, the Alberta government and fi ve major oilsands producers signed an agreement to advance the Pathways Project.

The agreement, signed on July 2, establishes a framework to move forward with the multibillion-dollar project while supporting increased oilsands production and the proposed new West Coast oil pipeline.

The Pathways Project will transport carbon dioxide captured from multiple oilsands facilities in northern Alberta through a dedicated pipeline network to a permanent underground storage hub near Cold Lake, Alberta.

The project is scheduled to begin operations by January 2032, with full completion targeted for 2035.

Bangladesh’s transition to electric mobility is gathering momentum as the government introduces supportive policies, fi scal incentives, and investment initiatives to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and modernize transportation.

While interest from local and international investors is growing, signifi cant challenges remain, including inadequate charging infrastructure, high vehicle costs, limited domestic manufacturing, and regulatory gaps.

With coordinated policy implementation, expanded public transport electrifi cation, and sustained private-sector investment, electric vehicles could become a cornerstone of the country’s energy security, industrial development, and low-carbon future.

International partners have announced US$900 million in new fi nancial commitments to expand clean cooking access across Africa, raising fresh momentum ahead of the Second Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa, as governments and development partners seek to improve energy access for nearly one billion people.

The announcement was made during a high-level virtual meeting co-chaired by Kenyan President William Ruto and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, alongside senior representatives from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the African Union (AU), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the United States Department of Energy.

According to the IEA, the new pledges add to the US$2.2 billion mobilized during the inaugural Paris Summit in 2024.

Of that amount, around US$740 million has already been deployed across 22 African countries, supporting clean cooking initiatives and energy access programs.