Healthtech

• [New] The UAE has led the region in climate change policy since the Paris deal, initially committing to generate 24% of its energy from clean sources by 2021 and later increasing that target to 50% by 2050.
• [New] After 2035, sales of gas-powered vehicles would be banned in California, a state where more than 50% of greenhouse emissions are generated by transportation.
• [New] Madison-based Alliant Energy announced in May that it intends to add 1 gigawatt of solar power in Wisconsin by the end of 2023, and also that it would phase out coal from its electricity generation by 2040 and reach net zero by 2050.
• [New] 2021 will see continued growth in global wind and solar development resulting in double digit growth in renewable generation.
• [New] In 2021 Hyundai Motor Group will concentrate efforts to become a global electric vehicle powerhouse by launching dedicated electric vehicles built on the E-GMP, including Hyundai Motor's IONIQ 5, Kia's crossover electric vehicle and Genesis luxury brand's crossover electric vehicles.
• [New] Two new nuclear reactors under construction at Georgia's Vogtle nuclear power plant will almost double the plant's generating capacity and have planned startup dates in 2021 and 2022.
• [New] In 2021, joining 31 regional emissions trading systems, China will start a national ETS to initially cover power and heat generation from coal and gas plants.
• [New] Global equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines is estimated to generate economic benefits of at least US$ 153 billion in 2020-21, and US$ 466 billion by 2025, in 10 major economies.
• [New] The Vuzix Next Generation Smart Glasses, coming later in 2021, will combine most smart phone and smartwatch capabilities all in a pair of comfortable glasses that enable hands-free connectivity while engaged in the real world.
• [New] 2021 could be a do-or-die year for Europe's efforts to catch up with China and the United States in rolling out super-fast fifth-generation (5G) telecoms networks.
• [New] Others, such as China, have recovery plans to which coal is central, and have declined to join the commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
• [New] Ahead of 2021's action plan, the Scottish government published a policy statement setting out how developing hydrogen capacity could help with both meeting emission reductions targets and in generating new economic opportunities in Scotland.
• Europe's major economic powers will need to invest more than 55 billion euros in flexible generation capacity - mainly natural gas - by 2030.
• India will look to be more innovative in its approach to garner additional investments worth Rs1.75 lakh crore for having 35 GW of renewable power generation capacity in 2021 to meet the ambitious target of 175 GW of clean energy capacity by 2022.
• Japan unveiled a plan Friday to achieve its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 that calls for tripling renewables' share of power generation to at least 50%.
• Japan laid out a green growth strategy on Friday that includes a goal to replace new gasoline-powered vehicles with electric cars by the mid-2030s to reach net zero carbon emissions and generate nearly $2 trillion a year in green growth by 2050.
• By 2023, power generation in Alberta will be producing a bit more than 20 megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year - less than half the 2015 level.
• Based on the high renewables' scenario of the European Commission's Energy Roadmap 2050, which calls for a 97% share of renewable energy sources by 2050, a significant change in the European power generation mix is expected.
• To help counter that, Timera Energy says the seven European countries need to invest at least 25 billion euros ($30 billion) in flexible generation capacity, namely gas, by 2025 and 55 billion euros by 2030.
• The nuclear power plants in Russia are expected to generate record-high 214.965 billion kWh of electricity by the end of 2020.
• Led by solar power, renewable energy could account for 80% of the growth in electricity generation over the next decade.

Last updated: 10 January 2021