Solar

The importance of energy planning against Covid-19

25 April, 2020

The Covid-19 global pandemic has created unprecedented worldwide health and economic crisis. The energy sector, as a critical enabler of modern life, is uniquely affected by this crisis but is also essential for global and national response and recovery efforts.

The impact caused by the coronavirus crisis has highlighted how much modern societies rely on energy sources like electricity. Electricity is critical for operating the ventilators and other medical equipment in the hospitals treating the soaring numbers of critical patients. Billions of people are now confined to their homes, resorting to teleworking to do their jobs, e-commerce sites to do their shopping, and streaming video platforms to find entertainment.

A reliable energy supply underpins all of these services, as well as powering the devices most of us take for granted, such as microwaves, home water pumps, and light bulbs. 

Further, many countries have imposed lockdowns. India is amongst them. In a lockdown situation, the government machinery has put up all its efforts to ensure access to clean cooking fuels apart from providing 24×7 electricity. 

Due to restriction in movements and lockdown of many industries, the demand for transportation and electricity has gone down substantially. Economic activities have nearly come to a standstill. The oil refiners have slanted down crude processing due to demand crush in the transport sector. The electricity generators are bound to reduce their plant load factor (PLF), which ultimately impacts operational costs. Coal India Limited, which is the dominant thermal coal supplier to power generators, is facing challenges in their coal offtake.    

Given the close links between energy and economy, an impact analysis is needed to evaluate the sector and initiate suitable measures against unusual circumstances. 

Face mask production lines arrive at Etxebarria (Bizkaia)

Three mask production machines, manufactured at Mondragon Assembly’s Chinese subsidiary plant, were sent by road and reached the Cikautxo factory in Etxebarria.

The machines were requested by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism (Mincotur) in mid-March. The Mondragon Corporation welcomed the inter-cooperation between its businesses and its industrial capacity and accepted the proposal, putting the cooperatives Bexen Medical and Mondragon Assembly in contact so that the work could commence

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