The Cop27 host has elevated its use of mazut, a heavy gasoline oil, in energy stations, regardless of its dangerous influence on well being and the surroundings
Cop27 host Egypt is growing its use of mazut — a polluting heavy gasoline oil— in 20 energy vegetation, to unlock fuel for export to Europe.
In June, the nation signed a deal with the European Union and Israel to spice up LNG gross sales to Europe, as a part of the continent’s sprint for fuel to switch Russian vitality imports.
The Egyptian authorities introduced it might ration fuel use and substitute it with different fuels at dwelling. At a press convention in August, prime minister Moustafa Madbouly mentioned Egypt anticipated to export 15% of its fuel manufacturing.
The primary different gasoline is mazut, a mix of heavy hydrocarbons that incorporates toxins like sulfides and heavy metals. It may be damaged down to supply diesel.
A whistleblower from the Egyptian Ministry of Electrical energy and Renewable Power advised Local weather House Information mazut was beforehand being phased out because of its dangerous well being impacts.
‘Oil and fuel commerce present’ promotes carbon seize at Cop27
Official information issued by the Egyptian Electrical energy and Shopper Safety Regulatory Company exhibits the pattern. In October 2022, the proportion of mazut consumption in energy vegetation reached 20.95%, whereas the identical month in 2021 it was 3.67%.
“Using mazut at present in stations as a substitute of pure fuel is in full contradiction with the local weather convention,” mentioned the whistleblower, talking on situation of anonymity. “How will we discuss concerning the local weather and lowering air pollution, and the proportion of diesel use will increase every single day?”
Plant closures
On Friday at Cop27 local weather talks, Germany and the US introduced assist for Egypt to shut 12 “inefficient” fuel vegetation with an put in capability of 5GW. That won’t mechanically finish the usage of mazut, as Egypt has 28MW of put in capability designed to run on mazut or fuel.
Requested concerning the gasoline change, Cop27 envoy Wael Aboulmagd advised Local weather House: “In our [national climate plan] we’ve made commitments that we intend to maneuver ahead on in all elements, adaptation but in addition on discount of emissions…
“As a creating nation, we’ve the prerogative to proceed to develop and for our emissions to proceed to extend, however cognizant of the emergency.”
Egypt seized the chance to extend fuel exports to Europe. The nation promoted fuel as a “excellent resolution” forward of internet hosting the UN local weather talks in Sharm el-Sheikh and mentioned fuel offers on the sidelines of Cop27.
Europe’s sprint for fuel might result in an oversupply of round 5 occasions the scale of Russian fuel imports by 2030, Local weather Motion Tracker estimates. This may be a “severe menace” to the Paris Settlement’s world warming restrict of 1.5C, the report warns.
Going into reverse
During the last 5 years, Egypt decreased the usage of mazut, aiming to drop it fully by 2021. In September of 2021, the nation bought lower than 1% of its electrical energy from burning mazut.
“Three years in the past, we held a gathering to enhance the efficiency {of electrical} networks and stations, and essentially the most detrimental level raised was that we nonetheless use [mazut],” mentioned the federal government supply.
UN cancels African vitality finance initiative over fraudster’s function
The Egyptian Electrical energy Holding Firm switched a minimum of 20 energy vegetation from mazut to fuel. Gasoline continues to be a fossil gasoline with a big local weather influence, however is much less dangerous to well being when burned. After Russia invaded Ukraine, this progress went into reverse.
“We had been stunned that lower than a 12 months in the past, the usage of mazut elevated by a big proportion, and it turned out that that is the nation’s technique to export fuel to Europe,” the supply mentioned.
The facility vegetation should not totally transformed to mazut, defined the supply, however solely partially. For instance, in a 500 MW plant, “you could discover that fuel is used to generate 300 MW and mazut to generate 200 MW”.
The opposite factor of Egypt’s fuel export plan is rationing consumption. Native advocacy group EgyptWatch mentioned that has concerned decreased road lighting and a 25C minimal temperature on air con in public venues.
“Dangerous in all respects”
The change again to mazut brings elevated air pollution. A 2013 research carried out by Assiut College discovered the ability vegetation belch out smoke and radioactive ash that settles on the bottom.
One other research by the Ain Sharms College discovered that air air pollution from mazut has “an adversarial impact on the respiratory system and the liver”.
Mazut is “dangerous in all respects,” the whistleblower mentioned. “It is polluting, uneconomical and damages machines and [power] stations.”
Campaigners mentioned Egypt’s fuel technique was “shortsighted”, losing a chance to guide on a quicker deployment of renewables in Africa.
“It’s disappointing that Egypt has determined to prioritize Europeans’ calls for over the legit wants of its residents which might be nonetheless struggling to entry clear and dependable vitality,” mentioned Landry Ninteretse, Africa Staff Lead at 350.org.
The story was edited on November 16 to incorporate a 2013 peer-reviewed research by Assiut College as a substitute of a 2019 paper that was not peer-reviewed.
This story is a part of an investigative collection wanting into the impacts of Europe’s sprint for fuel in creating international locations, reported in collaboration with Floodlight Information.
