Iraqi News Monday AM 10-11-21
Iraqi News Monday AM 10-11-21
TLM724 Administrator BondLady’s Corner
Iraq .. 41% Participation Rate In The Parliamentary Elections, And Baghdad Is The Least Popular
Baghdad/PNN- The Independent High Electoral Commission of Iraq announced, on Monday, that the initial participation rate in the parliamentary elections that took place yesterday, Sunday, amounted to 41%.
This is an indication of waning confidence in political leaders, but the number of participants was not nearly as low as the election officials had feared earlier.
The elections are expected to sweep the ruling elite, which is dominated by Shiites and has the most powerful parties with armed wings.
There are also expectations that the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's bloc will obtain the largest number of parliament seats, according to what "Reuters" reported.
Al-Sadr opposes all forms of foreign interference, and pro-Iranian groups are his biggest rival.
Iraqi officials, foreign diplomats and analysts say that such an outcome will not significantly change the balance of power in Iraq or the region in general, but it may mean to the Iraqis that Sadr will increase his influence in the next government.
In the previous elections in 2018, the total turnout was 44.5%.
The Electoral Commission said early in the day that the lowest participation rate was in Baghdad, at between 31% and 34%.
Two officials from the Electoral Commission indicated to "Reuters" that the turnout of eligible voters nationwide reached 19% by midday, and the participation rates were weak in the polling stations visited by Reuters in different regions of the country.
The official in the commission, Mohamed Mustafa, said that the participation rate increased in the last hours of the voting.
Preliminary results are expected to be announced today.
Iraqi elections are usually followed by protracted negotiations lasting months over the president, prime minister and cabinet, according to the democratic system brought about by the US-led invasion in 2003.
This appears to be the lowest turnout in any election since 2003, according to Electoral Commission statistics at polling stations visited by Reuters across the country.
In Baghdad's Sadr City, a polling station in a girls' school witnessed a slow but steady influx of voters.
The volunteer in the elections, Hamid Majid, 24, said that he voted for his old teacher in the school, the candidate for the Sadrist movement.
He added: “She taught many of us in the area, so all young people vote for her. It is the right time for the Sadrist movement. People support them.”
These elections come several months ahead of schedule and are held according to a new law that was enacted to help independent candidates, and came as a result of massive anti-government protests two years ago.
“The competition, (method) and government formation will apparently remain the same, the same parties will come to share power without providing the population with basic services and jobs, and above all will continue to silence the opposition,” said Renad Mansour of the Chatham House Iraq Initiative. It is very worrying.”
Foreign Influence
The United States, Arab Gulf states, and Israel on one side and Iran on the other are competing for influence in Iraq, which is a gateway through which Tehran has been able to provide support to armed proxy groups in Syria and Lebanon.
The US invasion in 2003 toppled Saddam Hussein and brought to power the Shiite majority and the Kurds, who had been oppressed under Saddam.
But that unleashed years of brutal sectarian violence from which Iraq is still recovering, including the Islamic State's seizure of a third of the country between 2014 and 2017.
Secondary school teacher Abdul-Amir Hassan al-Saadi said he boycotted the elections, the first parliamentary vote since the 2019 protests and subsequent campaigns.
The demonstrations were brutally suppressed and around 600 people were killed over several months.
"I lost my son Hussein at the age of 17 after he was killed by a tear gas canister fired by the police during the Baghdad protests," added Al-Saadi, whose home is near a polling station in Baghdad's Shiite-majority Karrada district.
He went on to say: "I will not vote for murderers and corrupt politicians because the wound inside us, me and his mother, is still bleeding because of his loss."
Viola von Kramon, head of the European Union's election observation mission, said the relatively low turnout meant a lot.
"This is a clear signal, of course, and one can only hope that the politicians and the political elite in Iraq will hear it," she told reporters.
But some Iraqis have expressed their eagerness to participate in the parliamentary elections, the fifth vote in the country since 2003, and they hope it will bring change.
Abu Abdullah said in the northern city of Kirkuk that he came an hour before polling stations opened in preparation for casting his vote.
He added, "I have come since early morning to be the first voter to participate in an event that I hope will bring change... We expect the situation to improve dramatically."
And Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi is not a candidate in the elections, but negotiations after the vote may result in him taking office for a second term. There is no party that supports Al-Kazemi, who is considered close to the West.
The Kurds have two main parties that govern the autonomous Kurdistan region of Iraq, and Sunnis are contesting these elections with two main blocs.
Iraq is safer than it was years ago, and sectarian violence has subsided since the defeat of the hardline Islamic State group in 2017 with the help of an international military coalition and Iran.
But rampant corruption and mismanagement deprive many people in the country of about 40 million people of jobs, health care, education and electricity.
Baghdad-based political analyst Ahmed Younis said, "Many Iraqis believe that the post-Saddam Hussein regime, which is based on sectarian quotas, is a failure, and that the widespread corruption and the growing influence of armed factions that operate without accountability have added to their disappointment and frustration.“.
Younis added that "the boycott of the elections has become an inevitable and inevitable matter, and this is what happened in today's elections." [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Palestine News Network https://alrafidain.news/News/8202767/ Palestine News Network
The European Union Is Considering Buying Gas Collectively After A Sharp Rise In Prices
the scientist | 12:05 - 12/10/2021 Follow up - Mwazin News European countries are considering the option of collectively buying natural gas in order to protect the bloc from sharp increases in energy prices.
Reuters reported that it had seen a draft document, in which it stated that the union would consider an option for a joint purchase of natural gas for member states.
According to the document, countries can collectively buy gas from a strategic reserve, and the participation will be voluntary.
The European Commission is due to publish this week a "toolbox" of measures that EU countries can take to respond to the sharp rise in energy prices, in response to calls from some countries for a response from the union to record high prices for gas and electricity.
According to a draft "toolbox" document, the Commission will study the potential benefits of a joint EU purchase of natural gas, an idea that governments, including Spain, have proposed in the past few weeks.
The agency indicated that the Commission declined to comment on the draft, and said that "it may be changed before the specified date."
Electricity and gas prices in Europe have jumped this year amid a shortage of gas supplies, offset by an increase in demand from economies recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic.
https://www.mawazin.net/Details.aspx?jimare=170803
A New Energy Source That Will Shake The Global Gasoline Throne
2021-10-11 Yes Iraq: Follow up The world is experiencing great developments in all fields and sectors, and one of the most important of these areas is the energy sector, and amid the confusion witnessed by the petroleum energy market in the world and the increasing demand and rising prices, an alternative energy source appears that may “shake the throne of gasoline in the world.”
With this great development, there is a possibility that petroleum derivatives, led by gasoline, will lose their primacy, as other materials have appeared, which can be safer and more effective, although gasoline is still the best option in terms of cost.
Hydrogen technology of all kinds appears to have reached a huge tipping point, and could explode with a total market potential of $11 trillion in 2050.
hydrogen energy
As of 2016, the world's attention turned increasingly to green hydrogen, as one of the non-polluting energy sources for the environment, and to reduce emissions that negatively affect the climate.
The desire to achieve the goals of combating climate change and zeroing greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 has led to a gradual increase in interest in green hydrogen all over the world.
Hydrogen is seen as an energy source in the future, and it is expected that it will focus on production from natural gas and renewable energy sources, while production is expected to be after several years using only renewable energy sources.
The European Union set out its new hydrogen strategy, last year 2020.
This new fuel, which is environmentally friendly, and may be more sustainable, will shake the throne of gasoline if it becomes easier to produce, more widely distributed and safer for public use.
While some of the leaders of green hydrogen around the world began to cooperate with each other with the aim of increasing the volume of production to nearly 50 times the current production during the next six years.
green hydrogen
The importance of the new fuel and its superiority over gasoline
Hydrogen energy experts in the world believe that this new fuel will shake the throne of gasoline for several reasons, the most important of which are:
Hydrogen energy is environmentally friendly and does not emit polluting gases, either during combustion or during production.
More sustainable compared to other fuels.
Easier and safer to produce
Versatile as green hydrogen can be converted into electricity or synthetic gas and used for domestic, commercial, industrial or transportation purposes.
Transportable that can be blended with natural gas in proportions of up to 20% and use the same gas pipelines and infrastructure.
Green hydrogen uses
Green hydrogen can be widely used, particularly in:
Hydrogen fuel cell electric cars and trucks.
An alternative to natural gas for cooking and heating in homes.
Hydrogen electric turbines that can generate electricity at times of peak demand to help stabilize the power grid.
Container ships powered by liquid ammonia made of hydrogen.
Green steel refineries that burn hydrogen as a heat source instead of coal.
green hydrogen
Disadvantages of green hydrogen
High cost: The energy needed to extract green hydrogen is expensive, which makes obtaining hydrogen more expensive.
Hazardous gas: Hydrogen is a highly volatile and flammable element and therefore comprehensive safety measures are required to prevent leaks and explosions.
High Energy Consumption: Hydrogen production in general and green hydrogen in particular requires more energy than other fuels.
What is green hydrogen?
Green hydrogen is formed through a process known as electrolysis.
Here, a device known as an electrolyzer breaks down the compound into its constituent elements using an electric current.
This compound is often water that breaks down into hydrogen and oxygen.
If the electricity used comes from renewable sources, such as wind and solar, the subsequent hydrogen is known as "green".
According to the International Energy Agency, less than 1% of hydrogen today is produced through the electrolysis of water, while the current market for hydrogen, which uses fossil fuels resulting in carbon emissions, is dominated by “gray” production.
The EU's strategy focuses on the development of "clean and renewable" or green hydrogen.
This is produced through the electrolysis of water, using carbon-free electricity from solar or wind sources. Another low-carbon option, blue hydrogen, is produced using fossil fuels in which carbon emissions are captured and stored.
Significant change in hydrogen fuel production
Today, the world is witnessing a remarkable change in this field for two reasons:
Availability of electricity in large quantities: Instead of storing excess electricity in several groups of batteries, it can be used in the process of electrolysis of water, and then storing the electricity in the form of hydrogen.
Increasing the efficiency of electrolysis machines: Companies are seeking to develop electrolysis machines that can produce green hydrogen at the same cost as producing regular and blue hydrogen, and this is what analysts expect in the next ten years.
Although there is no direct focus on the issue of renewable energy, the increasing investments that are taking place in this field reveal more progress and development.
Among these efforts are the Green Hydrogen Catapult initiative, which was co-founded by Saudi clean energy group ACWA Power, Australian project developer CWP Renewables, European energy giants, as well as Chinese wind turbine manufacturer, and Italian gas group.
This initiative aims to produce more than 25 gigawatts of easily transportable green hydrogen by 2026.
green hydrogen
Arab investments in hydrogen
Months ago, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, inaugurated the "Green Hydrogen" project at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai.
According to a statement by the Dubai Government Media Office, the project was implemented in cooperation between Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Expo 2020 Dubai and Siemens Energy at the authority's external testing facilities in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Energy Complex.
The project is the first of its kind in the MENA region to produce green hydrogen using solar energy.
The station has been designed and built to be able to accommodate future applications and test platforms for various uses of hydrogen, including transportation and industrial uses.
The project supports the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to provide 75% of the energy production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050.
As well as the Dubai Green Mobility 2030 initiative, which aims to stimulate the use of sustainable transportation.
In this context, Oman is also planning to build one of the world's largest green hydrogen plants in a move to make the oil-producing country a pioneer in renewable energy technology, according to the Guardian newspaper.
The newspaper reported that the project, which will start work in 2028, is located on the Arabian Sea in the Central Governorate, with the aim of producing 25 gigawatts of wind and solar energy.
This comes to reduce the Gulf state's dependence on oil within the framework of the Oman 2040 vision, which was launched during the reign of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq.
The $30 billion project is built on a consortium of companies, including national oil and gas company Okiyo and Hong Kong-based renewable hydrogen developer InterContinental Energy.
https://yesiraq.com/مصدر-طاقة-جديد-سيهز-عرش-البنزين-عالميً/
Al-Kazemi’s Advisor: The Rise In Oil Will Fill The Deficit And Cancel Borrowing
Yes Iraq 54 minutes ago Iraq news Yes Iraq: Baghdad The financial advisor to the Prime Minister, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, confirmed on Monday that the rise in oil prices will prompt the government not to borrow to fill the budget deficit.
Saleh said, "The rise in oil prices will fill the deficit in the budget, but this rise needs to be sustained and throughout the fiscal year."
He added that "the budget in which the price of a barrel is set at 45 dollars, and therefore what concerns us is calculating the average price of a barrel during one year," expecting that "the average price of a barrel during 12 months is 65 dollars a barrel or a little more."
He pointed out that "this price would fill in whole or part of the deficit in the budget instead of going to borrowing to fill this deficit," noting that the budget was built on a deficit of 27 trillion dinars during the current year.
It is noteworthy that oil prices rose to more than $80 a barrel after recording low prices of less than $30 with the spread of the Corona epidemic, which affected Iraq’s general budget, which depends by 93% on oil revenues.
Iraq’s general budget for 2021 set the oil price at $45, with exports amounting to 3.250 million barrels per day, and a deficit of 28 trillion dinars. https://alrafidain-news.translate.goog/News/8202806/
The Ministry Of Electricity: We Intend To Deliver Energy Production To 35,000 Megawatts Within 3 Years
power station in Iraq. "Internet"
energy Economy News – Baghdad The Iraqi Minister of Electricity, Adel Karim, confirmed that Iraq can provide electric power around the clock within three years, pointing out that the government has raised the price of energy supplied in the country.
Karim said, in a statement reported by "Rudaw" network, and followed by "Al-Iqtisad News", that "we were able in a short period of time to reform the electricity system in Iraq in a way that is not easily damaged again, by taking some technical measures and raising the rate of power generation," adding:
"For the first time we were able to With a production of 21 thousand 141 megawatts, and we seek to increase production capacity in a short time."
The minister stated that there are some parties that are trying to disrupt the electricity system by targeting the network and the poles carrying electric energy, stressing that the ministry faced the problem immediately and overcame it.
Regarding the parties responsible for the attacks targeting the towers, Karim confirmed that "it is not yet clear who is behind these attacks, and none of them has been arrested, but the Prime Minister said in one of the National Security meetings that the security forces arrested one of the ISIS affiliates, and he admitted that they were planning To carry out attacks targeting electric towers and disrupting the country's electricity network, but they did not achieve their goal."
With regard to the sources of electric power in Iraq, the minister explained that there are power plants in the country that operate using gas produced in Iraq and another part imported from Iran, and other thermal steam-powered plants, and hydroelectric plants that have stopped due to water scarcity this year.
He continued: In the summer, we did not import not a single megawatt of energy from Iran, but 151 megawatts were imported from Turkey out of 25,141 megawatts, and the rest was produced locally.
Karim said that Iran was unable to export electricity to Iraq due to problems it faces in energy production, adding that the problem of Iranian debts owed by Iraq led to Iran reducing the amount of gas exported to the country, and this in turn led to a reduction in the electric power produced by 4500 megawatts, adding that Iraq did not record Any debts in favor of Iran this year, and all debts belong to the last year due to the problems of the general budget, pointing out that Iraq is about to pay it off.
The minister stated that the provision of electric energy varies from one governorate to another, as the governorates north of Baghdad are supplied by 12-14 hours, while energy is available in the governorates south of Baghdad from 16 to 24 hours, and the climatic situation plays a role in this.
Karim revealed the Iraqi government's efforts to bring the volume of electric power produced in the country to 35 thousand megawatts during the next three years in the medium term, and to increase the capacity produced by 5-7 megawatts during the next year, noting that Iraq today needs 35,000 megawatts to cover its need from Energy, and its need increases annually at the size of 1500 megawatts.
The Iraqi Minister of Electricity confirmed that electricity can be provided 24 hours a day during at least three years, indicating that the ministry has taken some steps to invest clean energy (solar) in electricity production.
Iraq will not depend entirely on gas imported from Iran and is working to secure multiple sources to provide it, and the "large" gas wealth in the Kurdistan Region can be exploited for energy production purposes, according to Karim.
With regard to the electricity situation in the Kurdistan Region, the Iraqi Minister of Electricity said that the problem of electricity in the region is not related to the lack of produced energy, and if financial dues are paid to investors, electricity can be provided in the Kurdistan Region 24 hours a day, noting that the privatization of the electrical sector and other sectors It can solve many problems.
The minister confirmed that there are more than one million cases of violations and abuses on the electric line network, and the government will raise the price of electricity in the country, because the state budget does not bear the costs of production and energy savings, stressing that the increase will occur gradually and will not affect the poor class much.
Karim touched on the rampant corruption in the country and that corruption has become a "disease" that ravages the body of the state, pointing to the arrest of several people in his ministry on charges of corruption and their expulsion from the ministry in cooperation with the Integrity Commission and the Audit Bureau, and said: "I cannot be certain that I ended the phenomenon in the ministry completely." However, it has significantly reduced corruption. Views 476 Date added 10/10/2021 https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=26559
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