As the world acts to decarbonise transport, sales of electric cars are booming.
More than 10 million EVs were driven off dealers’ forecourts in 2022, according to the International Energy Agency, and this year that number is expected to jump to 14 million.
The IEA forecasts that by 2030 electric cars will reduce the use of oil by five million barrels a day.
In a global economy moving away from oil and gas, it is not just battery-powered electric vehicles that are coming to prominence.
Other alternative fuels, among them biodiesel, ethanol, hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), hydrogen and green ammonia may also play a role in the post-fossil-fuel economy.
As researchers reduce the lifecycle effects of alternative fuels – the environmental impact they have when taking into account all stages of their production as well as use – some could play an important role in road, sea and air transport.
Renewable diesel
Paul Hellier, an associate professor in engines at University College London who researches low and net zero carbon fuels, says HVO, or renewable diesel is "increasingly popular" and can be used on its own without being blended with a fossil diesel.
It already powers vehicles such as refuse lorries, for example.
"HVO is actually a very high quality fuel relative to a fossil diesel or a standard biodiesel," Dr Hellier says.
Its composition means that it could work well for aviation, an industry where electrification is less advanced than it is for road transport.
HVO reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90 per cent compared with standard diesel, although it is typically slightly more expensive than standard diesel.
Hydrogen
Another key alternative fuel is hydrogen, which can be generated sustainably using renewable energy, although there are challenges in hydrogen storage and delivery.
With hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen powers an electric motor, and the exhaust pipe gives off water vapour.
Toyota and Hyundai have production hydrogen-powered vehicles, while other manufacturers, including BMW, have models under development or in limited production.
BMW chairman Oliver Zipse said in August that hydrogen was expected to "gain substantially in importance as far as personal mobility is concerned".
"We think hydrogen-powered vehicles are ideally placed technologically to fit alongside battery-electric vehicles and complete the electric mobility picture," he added.
The UK government recently awarded a British company – Compact Syngas Solutions (CSS) – nearly £4 million ($5.05 million) to develop its method of generating hydrogen from waste. This waste may include waste wood that would have gone to landfill and released greenhouse gases as it decomposed.
The funding will help CSS develop a full-scale rig to demonstrate that it can separate and store CO2 generated during the hydrogen production process.
It plans to build 50 hydrogen modules at 15 UK sites, with each module said to be able to produce 750kg of hydrogen a day, enough to fuel a fleet of lorries.
CSS has had discussions with a UK company that has developed dual fuel technology for lorries.
"They would retrofit a hydrogen conversion to an existing diesel vehicle, so it de-risks it for everybody," says Paul Willacy, the managing director.
"It could still run on 100 per cent diesel or it could run up to 50 per cent hydrogen. It’s a nice stepping-stone technology while we get ourselves ready and so does the market."
Mr Willacy, who used to work in the oil and gas industry in locations including Kuwait, says hydrogen is likely to be a better solution than batteries for some vehicles, such as large excavators that would require batteries that would be prohibitively heavy and expensive.
Green ammonia
Another fuel attracting growing interest is ammonia produced using renewable power – or green ammonia – where vehicles use ammonia fuel cells to generate electricity to power the motor.
On Tuesday, Chinese carmaker GAC unveiled in Beijing what was described as the world’s first ammonia-powered car engine.
It claims a 90 per cent cut in carbon emissions compared with traditional internal combustion engines.
Shanwen Tao, a professor of chemical engineering and sustainable processes at the University of Warwick in the UK, is among those researching ammonia as a fuel for vehicles.
"[For] long-distance vehicles, the fuel-cell technology, particularly ammonia, has huge advantages over batteries," Prof Tao says.
As with hydrogen, refuelling would be quick, without the charge-time issues that affect electric vehicles. Prof Tao also says that ammonia fuel cells are cheaper to produce than those of hydrogen.
"Big progress has been made in direct ammonia fuel cells, so green ammonia is the rising star, in my opinion," he says.
There are toxicity concerns with ammonia, but the technology is attracting significant interest and the infrastructure and storage it requires could be simpler than with hydrogen.
Niche fuels
Demonstrating that other new technologies may emerge, Prof Tao is also interested in urea as a potential fuel for vehicles, again involving fuel cells that power an electric motor.
"I think direct ammonia fuel cells and urea fuel cells have a good chance of being used to power electric vehicles such as cars, vessels, ships, planes, trains, lorries and buses, etc, in the near future," he says.
Other more niche fuels are also being developed, some with regional links.
Dr Hellier is collaborating with researchers in Oman who have developed a biodiesel made from date pits.
"I think we’ll see a bit more of that. In different places around the world there are different local feedstocks to make these fuels," he says.
Ultimately he expects there to be "several alternative fuels" used at significant levels, depending on the application.
"I think we’ll go away from what we’ve had for decades and decades, which has been really two or three fuels fractionated from fossil oil that have served a huge variety of purposes," Dr Hellier says.
Perhaps working against this is the historical tendency, cited by Tim Lenton, professor of climate change and earth system science at the University of Exeter in the UK, for people to "go all in on one technology".
Diverse options
So some alternative fuels being touted as the next big thing may fall by the wayside.
Prof Lenton, who is writing a book on tipping points that may lead to the adoption of particular technologies, says that he would like to see a diverse range of options used, with the most appropriate technology employed for any given purpose.
He says some manufacturers are "hedging their bets" by building lorry platforms suitable for hydrogen and battery technology. The solution adopted may depend on context, he says.
In many countries the time taken to recharge a battery may be less of an issue because drivers must have lengthy rest periods for safety reasons. But in Brazil, where drivers often work in pairs, recharging time "would make it really difficult to switch to battery technology".
"For HGVs you can build a good case for hydrogen fuel cells," Prof Lenton says, with renewable electricity producing green hydrogen at times when domestic and industrial electricity demand is lower.
"I can see that happening in future. That could support a niche for green hydrogen for which the primary use would be goods transport."
Match info
Manchester United 1 (Van de Beek 80') Crystal Palace 3 (Townsend 7', Zaha pen 74' & 85')
Man of the match Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)
It
Director: Andres Muschietti
Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor
Three stars
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SECRET%20INVASION
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The Bio
Favourite Emirati dish: I have so many because it has a lot of herbs and vegetables. Harees (oats with chicken) is one of them
Favourite place to go to: Dubai Mall because it has lots of sports shops.
Her motivation: My performance because I know that whatever I do, if I put the effort in, I’ll get results
During her free time: I like to drink coffee - a latte no sugar and no flavours. I do not like cold drinks
Pet peeve: That with every meal they give you a fries and Pepsi. That is so unhealthy
Advice to anyone who wants to be an ironman: Go for the goal. If you are consistent, you will get there. With the first one, it might not be what they want but they should start and just do it
PROFILE BOX
Company name: Overwrite.ai
Founder: Ayman Alashkar
Started: Established in 2020
Based: Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai
Sector: PropTech
Initial investment: Self-funded by founder
Funding stage: Seed funding, in talks with angel investors
The specs: 2019 Subaru Forester
Price, base: Dh105,900 (Premium); Dh115,900 (Sport)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 182hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 239Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.1L / 100km (estimated)
Eyasses squad
Charlie Preston (captain) – goal shooter/ goalkeeper (Dubai College)
Arushi Holt (vice-captain) – wing defence / centre (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Olivia Petricola (vice-captain) – centre / wing attack (Dubai English Speaking College)
Isabel Affley – goalkeeper / goal defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Jemma Eley – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Alana Farrell-Morton – centre / wing / defence / wing attack (Nord Anglia International School)
Molly Fuller – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Caitlin Gowdy – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Noorulain Hussain – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai College)
Zahra Hussain-Gillani – goal defence / goalkeeper (British School Al Khubairat)
Claire Janssen – goal shooter / goal attack (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Eliza Petricola – wing attack / centre (Dubai English Speaking College)
Naga
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US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
TO ALL THE BOYS: ALWAYS AND FOREVER
Directed by: Michael Fimognari
Starring: Lana Condor and Noah Centineo
Two stars
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
THE BIO
Age: 30
Favourite book: The Power of Habit
Favourite quote: "The world is full of good people, if you cannot find one, be one"
Favourite exercise: The snatch
Favourite colour: Blue
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Day 1 results:
Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)
Open Women
New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)
Poland Statement
All people fleeing from Ukraine before the armed conflict are allowed to enter Poland. Our country shelters every person whose life is in danger - regardless of their nationality.
The dominant group of refugees in Poland are citizens of Ukraine, but among the people checked by the Border Guard are also citizens of the USA, Nigeria, India, Georgia and other countries.
All persons admitted to Poland are verified by the Border Guard. In relation to those who are in doubt, e.g. do not have documents, Border Guard officers apply appropriate checking procedures.
No person who has received refuge in Poland will be sent back to a country torn by war.
