Tuesday, October 8, 2024

WE NEED YOUR HELP!



As the domestic branch of the non-profit development organization, CCRES, our mission is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty while caring for the earth. 

CCRES research facility Sveti Rok works with small-scale farmers to help transform their farms into resilient, community-focused businesses that support their families and spark economic growth. We do this by providing educational content through our Blog and YouTube channel.


Our blog posts are amazingly and rapidly growing, but the YouTube channel is staggers. Our YouTube channel, the content you’ve come to rely on for insights into supporting smallholder farmers, may not be able to continue much longer.

No, the channel isn’t shutting down right this minute, but without hearing directly from you, we risk not having the ability to demonstrate our impact. Our mission as a non-profit organization is to uplift smallholder farmers, and your voice can help show our supporters the value the YouTube channel brings and help shape the direction of our content! 


How do you Like and Subscribe to our YouTube channel? First, you need to sign up for a YouTube account - for free. Then simply give a 👍 Like for the videos you like and appreciate and tap the Subscribe button below the video to help support the channel growth.

I follow back everyone who follows me. I strongly believe that I can learn something from every single person I come across. So I follow back everyone.

I wanted to personally thank you for subscribing to our YouTube channel. Your interest in our service is truly appreciated. 

Zeljko Serdar, CCRES

Thursday, September 5, 2024

EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has ended. (2027.)



Things you need to know about a report on the future of farming presented to Commission chief von der Leyen. Seven months of intense debate behind closed doors appears to have produced what election campaign tubthumping and rowdy street protests failed to deliver: the outline of the way forward for Europe's unsustainable food production model.





1. Farm subsidies

The report opens the can of worms that is the €300 billion-plus EU farm subsidy budget, and concludes it should stop rewarding the largest farms and instead support those on lower incomes. 

The current area-based scheme has been under fire for a long time, but significant change has proven slow and difficult. However, farm lobbies and other members have now agreed for the first time that income support should target small- and medium-sized farmers — the majority in the EU — “who need it most.”


On the other hand, this income-based program should not depend on whether farmers comply with additional environmental rules — meaning those that go beyond existing EU law, such as nitrate pollution or habitat protection rules.

Instead, a separate set of payments should be distributed among farmers that use sustainable practices, and would be handled by both agricultural and environmental authorities. The participants also asked for an “annual substantial increase” in environmental support.


2. Sustainable food systems

The next two elephants in the room were sustainable diets and meat consumption. The experts agreed that it was crucial to support ongoing reductions in the consumption of animal-based proteins — e.g. meat and dairy — in favor of plant-based alternatives. 

They also called for a review of EU food labeling legislation and urged that food marketing to children be addressed, while advocating tax reductions and other social and fiscal incentives. “The sustainable choice needs to become the choice by default,” the report said.

At the end of the previous mandate the Commission was set to publish a sustainable food systems framework to shift consumption patterns in that direction, but the initiative was shelved amid a tense debate.


3. Emissions

The agricultural sector is responsible for over 10 percent of the EU’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions — mostly from livestock. Yet although the EU has committed to reduce GHG emissions by at least 55 percent through 2030, no targets have been set for agriculture.

According to the report, “the diversity and complexity of agricultural systems ... call for tailored solutions.” It asked the EU executive to set customized emissions reduction goals for different types of agriculture.

Regarding animal farms, it proposed territorial action plans to ensure a just transition in regions with a high concentration of livestock (think pig farming in Catalonia or the Netherlands). This would foresee mechanisms such as voluntary buyout schemes — to reduce animal numbers — or reskilling programs to transition to alternative production systems with a focus on young farmers.


4. Environmental law

Participants also rallied behind some of the most controversial EU environmental bills, such as a law to rehabilitate degraded ecosystems — although advocating “the establishment of a well-resourced nature restoration fund” outside the farm budget.

The report drew particular attention to the EU’s outdated animal welfare rules, urging the passage of a revision that should have been presented by the EU executive last year, such as a ban on the use of farm cages. The document said the ban must be accompanied by “a species-specific and appropriate transition period.”

In addition, it proposed an EU-wide benchmark to assess farm sustainability according to a set of common criteria, as well as a just transition fund to facilitate an agri-food sector shift toward a healthier and more climate-friendly path.





5. This is just the beginning

Last but not least: None of the report’s recommendations are set in stone. Von der Leyen has committed to include the results of the stakeholder dialogue in a Vision for Agriculture and Food, to be put together during her first 100 days. Within the EU executive, however, some recommendations from the dialogue are expected to fare better than others, according to a senior EU official.

In addition, it’s not clear whether the broader food and agriculture sector will back the results, given that the report’s conclusions touched on issues that politically powerful farming groups have opposed, while its language on issues strongly backed by green NGOs was at times timid.

Green groups have hailed the outcome of grueling talks over the future of agriculture in the EU as broad acceptance, even from the industrial farming lobby, of the need for a fundamental transformation of food production in Europe after six decades of the Common Agricultural Policy.

A 110-page report published today – the result of seven months of a ‘strategic dialogue’ between NGOs, farmers’ unions and lobbyists for the industrial and organic agriculture sectors launched in the wake of protests across Europe last year – was endorsed unanimously.

“This agreement is not just a milestone, but hopefully a game-changer,” said Ariel Brunner, director of BirdLife Europe, one of the environmental groups that took part in the talks. After months of intense negotiations, we’ve finally reached a turning point where, despite the differing interests and politics, there’s a collective recognition that the status quo simply isn’t an option.”

Briefing journalists as the report was published, Brunner said the agreement should signal a return to “normal politics” after sometimes violent protests that forced European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to backtrack on aspects of the Green Deal, withdrawing a proposal to halve pesticide use and easing environmental controls.

“Ultimately, the problems of the farmers will not be solved by telling them that reality will go away, or by whipping that hatred against environmentalists,” Brunner said.

Presenting the report in Brussels, von der Leyen said it would feed into a “road map” – officially a ‘Vision for Agriculture and Food’ – that would be published in the first hundred days of her second five-year mandate, set to begin in November.

Greenpeace, another group that took part in the dialogue process, highlighted several positive aspects of a report it said reflected a “fundamental rethink” of Europe’s approach to food production.

One was a call to better target Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funding, which at €378bn representing nearly a third of the EU budget for the period 2021-7 – payments to farmers should be based on genuine need, not area farmed.

Moreover, the portion of direct payments linked to environmental measures should see a “substantial annual increase” from the current 32%, the report stated.


“It’s clear that subsidising rich landowners and choking the countryside with the excrement of millions of suffering pigs and cows isn’t helping the majority of farmers,” said Marco Contiero, agricultural policy director at Greenpeace EU.

“The EU must stop bankrolling mega-farms that pollute our rivers and drive droughts and floods, and instead help those farmers who are struggling, but making an effort to restore nature and provide for healthier diets,” Contiero said.

The environmentalist praised the dialogue process, which involved dozens of working group meetings and seven full plenary sessions, the last of which was an intense round-the-clock effort last week to achieve consensus on the text of the final report.

Unlike the often divisive public discourse, unsubstantiated claims could be immediately “put under scrutiny”, leading to an outcome that was “serious, robust, and based on evidence”, Contiero said.

To the relief on many conservationists, the process which was born out of a backlash against EU environmental rules, did not result in renewed calls to roll back key nature protection legislation.

In fact it concluded that governments should fully implement the EU Birds and Habitats Directives, the Water Framework and Nitrates Directives (the latter behind rolling protests in the intensively farmed Netherlands) – and the recently adopted Nature Restoration Law, which the centre-right European People’s Party tried hard to block in the European Parliament.


In some ways, the report breaks what amounted almost to taboos in EU and national policy-making, in particular noting that meat consumption needs to fall, with citizens deriving more of their protein from plants.

But it remains a compromise. The European Environmental Bureau noted it only contains “timid” language on moving away from industrial farming. Nevertheless, for the NGO umbrella group’s nature, health and environment director Faustine Bas-Defossez, it marked a “pivotal moment” in EU farming policy.

“This starts with an unequivocal call to overhaul the EU’s archaic farm subsidies policy to focus precious public funds on rewarding nature- and climate-friendly farming outcomes and redirecting funds to support the farmers in genuine need, which would end decades of wasteful, unfair subsidies that benefitted the largest farms at the expense of everyone else and the environment,” Bas-Defossez said.

Whether or not the consensus achieved in producing the report signals a true tectonic shift in the dynamics of agricultural policy making in Brussels remains to be seen, with the key test being the ‘vision’ paper expected early next year.

The traditional opponent of the green camp – the powerful farming lobby groups Copa and Cogeca – commended the “deliberative approach” to producing the report, one that involved all stakeholders.

They welcomed in particular the recommendations for a ‘temporary Just Transition Fund’ and ‘a well-resourced nature restoration fund’ outside the scope of CAP funding to support farmers in the transition.

In other ways, the industrial farming lobby was cautious. “Many stakeholders will share their views on this report in the coming days and weeks, and the Commission must listen to them,” Copa President Christiane Lambert said.

One thing is clear, however: The forum participants will sit together again soon, having proposed the formation of a new consultative body — the European Board for Agri Food (EBAF).





 Von der Leyen likes the idea. So watch this space. The recommendations come in the wake of intense consultations with stakeholders across the agricultural sector. These discussions reflect the deep divisions over the future of European farming, exacerbated by multiple crises, including extreme weather events, rising inflation, and pressure from low-cost global competitors.

The report suggests a paradigm shift in how CAP subsidies are allocated, advocating for means-tested support to ensure funds reach the farmers most in need. This marks a departure from the current system, which links payments to land size and environmental compliance. The recommendations also include initiatives aimed at reducing consumer meat consumption and voluntary buyout programs for farmers in areas of intensive animal farming.

Prof Peter Strohschneider, who led a similar consultation in Germany, chaired the dialogue process. While the recommendations are not binding, EU officials suggest they will shape the agricultural policy of the incoming commission later this year.

The report also underscores the need for broader climate action within the agricultural sector, which accounts for a significant portion of EU greenhouse gas emissions, particularly from livestock farming. Despite this, agriculture remains one of the few sectors without specific emissions reduction targets, highlighting the contentious nature of proposed changes.

As the EU seeks to balance food production with environmental sustainability, the proposed reforms could signal a shift in the future of European farming, with the CAP potentially moving toward a more income-based and environmentally conscious framework.

Friday, August 23, 2024

Croatian Renewable energy / read between the lines




In today's rapidly advancing world, the demand for a continuous energy supply is more pressing than ever, fueled by global population growth, industrial expansion, and technological advancements. This escalating demand poses a significant challenge, stirring a robust debate among energy professionals and industry watchers about whether renewable energy sources can meet this need.


Croatia appears to be the only country in the European Union that is directly hindering the green transition. Despite its enormous potential for developing renewable energy sources, it will ultimately face penalties for failing to meet European and its goals.


The shift toward renewable energy sources offers profound environmental benefits. For instance, switching to an Energy-Star water heater is equivalent to the impact of not driving a car for four years. This approach substantially reduces water usage and greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional fossil fuels.





Beyond environmental gains, renewable energy presents substantial economic advantages. It includes creating jobs in the fast-growing green technology sector, energy price stability due to the reduced costs of wind and solar power over time, and decreased dependence on imported fuels.


The societal impacts of increasing renewable energy usage are equally compelling, ranging from health benefits due to less air pollution to promoting energy equity and accessibility. It ensures clean, reliable energy is available to more communities worldwide.


Critics point to intermittency and storage, while proponents highlight recent technological advancements and successes in integrating these sources into the grid. This discourse is pivotal as people navigate toward sustainable energy solutions that can support their future without compromising reliability.


As an independent regulatory body in Croatia, HERA has failed, for over a year and a half past the deadline, to issue a Decision on the amount of the unit fee for connecting to the grid, jeopardizing the achievement of Croatia’s and the EU’s strategic energy transition goals and preventing over 2 billion euros of investment in renewable energy projects.





HERA is accountable to the Croatian Parliament, and MPs, especially the Chairman of the Economic Committee, must oversee HERA’s work and can request the issuance of this disputed Decision. The development of renewable energy sources is crucial for Croatia’s progress, for improving the standard of living of its citizens, and for enhancing the country’s competitiveness.


Croatia must increase its share of energy from renewable sources to meet the targets of the European Parliament and Council Directive (RED III) and the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), which oblige us to ensure that by 2030, at least 42.5% of final gross energy consumption comes from renewable sources. Croatia will only reach this target if HERA promptly issues the Decision on the unit fee for the connection.





Energy professionals must engage with the latest developments in renewable energy to contribute their expertise and innovation to fuel its growth. Their support for policies and practices that favor renewable energy expansion steers the global community toward a more sustainable and resilient energy future. To recap, HERA was required to issue the Decision on the amount of the unit fee no later than December 15, 2022. However, nineteen months later, Croatia still does not have a known connection fee to the electricity grid. Without knowing the connection fee, the development of new RES projects is halted because, without knowing the connection costs, investors cannot plan investments or secure project financing.

Tuesday, July 9, 2024

Why is it important to take good care of children?



The rise of homeschooling is making a transformative impact on education. I should start this by stating that neither of my kids is homeschooled. I have long been intrigued by the idea of it, but for various reasons, both kids have ended up at different traditional schools that suit their needs. 

The Croatian Education Act allows parents to educate their children at home. However, this is subject to certain conditions and regulations. For foreign residents or expatriates, homeschooling is also permitted, but they must adhere to the Croatian curriculum and education standards. Now that I see what is happening in the world, I would recommend homeschooling.

Homeschooling families typically design their curriculum or use pre-designed curricula tailored to their children's needs and interests. In many cases, homeschooling is a choice made by families seeking more flexibility, personalized instruction, or alignment with their educational values and beliefs.

Policymakers, educators, and stakeholders must acknowledge and accommodate the diverse needs of families to foster an inclusive educational ecosystem that supports homeschooling alongside traditional schooling options. By doing so, they can leverage the power of education diversity and cultivate a more dynamic and student-centered approach to learning.





Taking good care of children is crucial for several reasons:


Physical Health: 

Children are in a critical stage of physical development. Proper nutrition, healthcare, and safety measures are essential to ensure their physical well-being and growth.


Emotional Well-being: 

Children's emotional well-being is equally important. They need love, support, and a nurturing environment to develop emotionally and form healthy relationships.


Cognitive Development: 

Providing children with a stimulating environment that encourages learning and exploration is vital for their cognitive development. 


Social Skills: 

Children learn how to interact with others, communicate, and build relationships through their interactions with caregivers and peers. Proper care and guidance help them develop important social skills.


Education: 

Children who are well-cared for are more likely to succeed in school. They are better able to focus on learning and development when their basic needs are met.


Prevention of Abuse and Neglect: 

Taking good care of children can prevent abuse and neglect. Providing a safe and supportive environment reduces the risk of harm and promotes healthy development.


Future Success: 

Children who receive good care are more likely to grow into confident, well-adjusted adults who can contribute positively to society. Investing in children's well-being today can lead to a brighter future for them and for society as a whole.





In summary, taking good care of children is important because it sets the foundation for their physical, emotional, and cognitive development, as well as their future success and well-being. It is a responsibility that should be prioritized by families, communities, and society as a whole. 


#Prevention #Abuse #Neglect  #children #Education #Development #PhysicalHealth #SocialSkills #FutureSuccess #society #zeljkoserdar #mentor

Thursday, July 4, 2024

Energy storage and battery manufacturers.

 


Think of energy storage, and what do you think of it? Probably lithium and nickel. But what about salt and bricks? One of the big challenges for the energy transition is storage. It’s a particular problem for industrial-scale buildings and areas that need a lot of energy. Currently about half the energy demand is heat, and electric batteries are (most of the time) the ones providing it.

China’s 2023 solar exports hit a record high with over 40% growth for all equipment. The surge was dominated by modules that reached a new high of 227 GW. Meanwhile, cells had the most rapid growth at 61.6% to 38 GW.  

The country consolidated its control over module supply chain manufacturing, with its share exceeding 80%. Our research reveals that Asia Pacific (excluding China) hosts most Chinese overseas facilities, totalling over 70 GW of production capacity for cell and module. 


However, despite this record growth, export revenue dropped by 5.6% to US$49 billion due to a decline in prices driven by oversupply. As more markets continue to adopt local content requirements (LCRs), China will start to face increasing constraints for solar exports. In response to growing LCRs, Chinese players are globalizing manufacturing capacity to offset a loss in exports.

Europe, the US, and Southeast Asia are among the top markets for Chinese manufacturing investment. Consequently, Chinese storage investors and manufacturers have grown their overseas footprint to 22 countries.  

However, due to a loose trade policy, only a maximum of 20% of the overseas capacity planned by Chinese battery manufacturers will be applied in the energy storage segment.

Environmental concerns and talent shortages are hindering the operation of overseas factories. However, despite high capex and long construction cycles, Chinese manufacturers are still investing in overseas facilities to get closer to the downstream market and expand customer relationships.  

They are also attracted by government subsidies at all levels to absorb investment and create jobs, including grants, tax breaks, and low-interest loans.  

Our research finds that the large regional variation in lead time is due to the dominance of Asian sources for raw materials and manufacturing equipment, as well as challenges in obtaining environmental impact assessments and permits. Likewise, obtaining safety, production and sales licenses vary across regions, as does construction efficiency, and the availability of talent to run factories.

Europe and the US are the top lithium-ion battery export markets for Chinese players. All the while, China is cooperating closely with South Korea in the battery supply chain, with considerable import and export volumes being exchanged. 

Our insights reveal that Chinese manufacturers are likely to maintain their export advantage on energy storage products due to their high productivity and low costs. Elsewhere, factories outside of China still face various long construction cycles, slow production capacity ramp up, and unverified product quality. 

Indeed, most overseas production capacity has been allocated to electric vehicles (EVs), limiting the local supply flowing into the energy storage sector, thus leaving a huge opportunity for China's exports. 

Nevertheless, Chinese manufacturers should be cautious of persistent oversupply in the energy storage segment. In 2023, Chinese investment into battery capacity increased by nearly 30%, shifting from EVs to energy storage systems (ESS).  

What’s more, China‘s planned energy storage capacity for 2030 has already far exceeded the world’s demand, exacerbating competition among Chinese manufacturers.   

The problem is not so much money, but time. The hydrogen market faces a range of challenges, from policy uncertainty to lack of offtake, renewable feedstock sourcing, and supply chain challenges. However, hydrogen’s key problem in 2024 is that it’s simply too expensive to produce and transport. 

Costs have risen for all renewable markets since 2020, and hydrogen is no exception. For one thing, hydrogen projects are capital intensive, and higher risk means higher than average rates for borrowing in what is already a high-rate environment. For another, the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE), a key element of the levelised cost of hydrogen (LCOH), has surged.  

Policy support in the form of production-side incentives and decarbonization mandates is helping to reduce both price and offtake risk, which in turn is enabling first-mover projects to obtain debt more cheaply. However, aside from electricity costs, a series of other issues remain that continue to impact hydrogen production costs.  

Currently, engineering, procurement and construction firms (EPCs) and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have a lack of experience of commercial-scale hydrogen projects. As a result, EPC capacity is constrained, and project cost estimates tend to be high. At the same time, economies of scale are not yet being realised.  

Similarly, project developers and owners themselves often lack experience. They are therefore likely to go back to the drawing board multiple times to reduce costs and potentially change scope in what is a relatively new and unpredictable market. Meanwhile, higher contingency costs and additional supervision add to owner budgets. 

In time, though, capital costs will decrease as OEMs and EPCs develop greater expertise. Standardization will reduce the amount of engineering required for each project, while OEMs will be able to increase manufacturing and diversify suppliers to reduce risk. 

Where you need heat, you need a big battery. Or do you? There are plenty of options on a residential scale, but what about industrial?

In California, a company called Rondo is approaching the issue of heat delivery to commercial-scale buildings with a novel solution: they’re using bricks to store energy at half the cost of green hydrogen or chemical batteries. 

Finally, another innovative way of storing energy in the form of heat comes from the Norwegian-based company Kyoto. What they call the Heatcube is a structure of vertical tanks filled with molten salt, that are charged by renewable electricity at periods of low cost. Installed at the site where heat is needed, the Heatcube stores it at 500c for use when required. An effective power-sourcing strategy will also be important, particularly in the near term, with geographies needing to play to their strengths in this respect and optimize accordingly.

Wednesday, June 26, 2024

Verne: Journey to the future of mobility



Rimac launches Verne as self-driving two-seater


Meet Verne. Hello, world! Let's journey together!

Verne: Journey to the future of mobility

26.06.2024


Verne, a redefined approach to urban autonomous mobility in cities, has been introduced. Founded by Mate Rimac and two of his closest colleagues and friends from Rimac Group - Marko Pejković, now CEO of Verne, and Adriano Mudri, the designer of Nevera and Chief Design Officer at Verne.


The unveil event was held at the new Rimac Campus outside of Zagreb. The three founders showed a radically different autonomous vehicle design and the functionalities that the future mobility service will have.


The new service and its ecosystem are based on three key elements: a fully autonomous electric vehicle, a bespoke app, and specialised infrastructure. The first service will be launched in Zagreb in 2026.


URBAN AUTONOMOUS MOBILITY ECOSYSTEM





New urban autonomous mobility ecosystem is based on three key elements:


Fully autonomous electric vehicle


The vehicle is built on a completely new platform designed around safety and comfort, engineered solely for autonomous driving using the Mobileye Drive autonomous platform. It is completely rethought, conceived, designed, and engineered as a safe and comfortable autonomous vehicle. Built from the ground up it is free from the compromises and disadvantages necessary in using a legacy platform built for human driving.


Mobility service platform (MSP)


It’s a re-envisioning of the ride-hailing app and mobility platform. The customers can personalise the vehicle’s settings via app before ordering a ride. That way, the vehicle will be set exactly how you like it with the comfort, lighting, temperature and even scent. Even though the customer will never own the vehicle, it will be tailored to feel like your own. On the backend, Verne uses all the benefits an autonomous connected fleet provides to make the service run smoothly and efficiently in every city.


Infrastructure


In each city where Verne will operate, there will be a specialised infrastructure called the “Mothership”. It is a place where the Verne vehicles will be inspected, maintained, cleaned and charged daily. This ensures that the customer always gets a safe and clean vehicle.


Additionally, Verne is building its first production facility in Croatia to produce autonomous electric vehicles that will be deployed worldwide.


NEW CHAPTER, NEW NAME - VERNE





Adriano Mudri, Chief Design Officer (CDO) at Verne announced a new brand: “It was tricky to find the right name for our new endeavour that fits the vision. But once it clicked, it clicked, and it was easy to decide. We named ourselves after the Jules Verne, the famous author, who is said to be ‘the man who invented the future’. Just as he used the theme of travel as the driving force in his storytelling, we use it as our inspiration in shaping a future filled with imaginative innovation


and tangible achievement. His faith in the future and his spirit sparked the curiosity in generations of scientists and explorers. Making things that sometimes seem impossible, possible.”


HOW IS OUR APPROACH DIFFERENT - WE WANT TO GET THE USER EXPERIENCE RIGHT





At Verne, we believe it’s not about being the first, but it’s about creating the perfect customer experience. We want to make a difference with our holistic integrated approach, which is designed around the best possible experience.Co-founder of Verne, Mate Rimac: “The end result would be the best possible mobility experience for everyone. This means that every customer will have a better service than the best mobility service enjoyed by the very rich, through the service that is affordable for all. You will have a safe and reliable driver, a vehicle with more interior space and comfort than the best limousines today, and a service that will be tailored to your needs in every possible way. The service will also provide customers with much more than just transportation from point A to point B.


It frees up your travel time, allowing you to think, learn, or relax. Improving your life with every trip. We are shifting the attention from the technology itself to its benefits. Verne will transform travel time into a chance for personal growth, discovery, and enjoyment. In essence, enriching lives in every journey you take”.


VERNE VEHICLE - KEY FACTS AND DESIGN


Verne is nothing like you can currently see on the streets. It is developed on a new purpose-built platform that uses all the benefits of the autonomous-only approach, without a steering wheel or pedals.


AUTONOMOUS DRIVING SYSTEM – MOBILEYE





The cooperation with Mobileye, a world leader in autonomy, enables Verne’s autonomous capabilities. The vehicle will be fully autonomous, with a system capable of driving in dynamic urban traffic.


For the past several years, the company has been cooperating with Mobileye. Mobileye's advanced AD platform Mobileye Drive will be integrated into the Verne vehicle and together with a sophisticated sensor set of cameras, radar and lidar enable the automated driving capabilities. The platform is designed to be highly flexible and scalable, to meet the demands of autonomous driving in a variety of locations, on different road types, under varying weather conditions and even taking local driving styles into account, within its operational design domains. All of this is crucial for Verne’s future rollout plans.


VERNE VEHICLE - INTERIOR DESIGN AND UX


The Verne vehicle will have two seats and an interior concept that completely redefines the idea of a vehicle space.


Adriano Mudri said: “Why a 2-seater? Because the data shows that 9 out of 10 rides are used by 1 or 2 people. Therefore, we can satisfy most of all trips with a two-seater and create unmatched interior space in a compact-sized vehicle. We completely redefined interior space. More space than a Rolls-Royce to relax and spend your time well.We optimized the door opening so people can just step in and sit down straight away. Sliding doors were designed not to obstruct traffic flow around the vehicle while still arriving in style. Once inside, passengers can stretch out their legs and get super comfortable. We wanted to make the interior less automotive and more like a living room. There is no typical dashboard, no steering wheel, and no pedals. But an ultra-wide 43-inch display that you can use. This is for entertainment but also to get information about the journey during the ride.”


The Verne vehicle is the perfect place to listen to your music or watch movies. With unmatched comfort, the ultrawide screen and 17 speakers for superb audio quality.


The cabin will be preconditioned and set just the way you like it regardless if it’s hot or cold outside.


The ambiance - sound, and light can accompany your every mood. To calm you, to invigorate, to entertain. The extra-large seats enable 5 different levels of comfort and enjoyment to either work, relax or rest.


Between the seats, there is a Touchpad for interaction with the in-vehicle system, where you can easily adjust the vehicle’s settings. Here is also a key feature that lets you be in control of the most important parts of the ride - the Median. The Median is physical switch used to start and stop the ride, giving an additional sense of control over the autonomous vehicle to the customer.


Above you will be a rounded sunroof - the Halo ring. Nothing like you have ever seen before, it is a portal to new journeys and enables new views of the cities.


Finally, Verne made sure to develop materials that are fit for purpose, to requirements of durability and misuse but at the same time also make it look and feel inviting, premium and cozy.


VERNE VEHICLE - EXTERIOR DESIGN


A key signature of the design, the one that makes Verne stand out in an urban environment, is the general proportion of the vehicle. The unique shape is a result of designing the vehicle from the inside out, as well as the safety-first approach. Verne merged a smooth, encircling, spaceship-like canopy on top with an elegant and solid lower body.


“We managed to achieve a very sleek design despite the additional content, compared to regular cars. We deeply integrated cameras, radars, short and long-distance-lidars, and their cleaning systems. At the same time, we were able to simplify the appearance by removing the typical human-driven vehicle features. We got rid of the windshield wipers. The same goes for side-view mirrors. This makes the aerodynamic performance more efficient and allows for easier cleaning. One typical element of an automobile we kept is the trunk. So you don't need to worry if you‘re going to the airport with a lot of luggage or just finished a major grocery shopping”, Mudri stated.


The design merges the usually exclusive comfort of an executive limousine onto a vehicle with the dimensions of a compact car. This has never been done before.


RIDE-HAILING APP


This is all you need to start the journey. With the app, you can easily hail the vehicle, check its real-time location, see how long it will take to pick you up, and rest assured that it won’t be cancelled. Each ride can be personalized - from temperature to scent - ensuring that every journey is not just about reaching a destination, but about enjoying the beauty of the ride. This effortless experience gives you the peace of mind and convenience that you deserve. The more customers customize the vehicle, the deeper the comfort and sense of ownership.


INFRASTRUCTURE - MOTHERSHIP AND PRODUCTION FACILITY


Key part of our ecosystem and the service is the infrastructure, or as we call it - the Mothership.


“Mothership is a home where our Verne vehicles are taken care of. Here is where the Verne vehicles get inspected daily, get maintained daily, get cleaned daily, and get charged, so that they are always safe, clean, and ready to take you on a new adventure. The first Mothership will be built in Zagreb, next to our HQ”, said Marko Pejković, CEO of Verne.


Pejković also announced that the company is starting to build a production facility in Zagreb.


More info:

https://www.letsverne.com/

 info@verne.team

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Spirulina




Protein in spirulina can reduce the body's absorption of cholesterol, lowering cholesterol levels. This helps keep your arteries clear, reducing strain on your heart that can lead to heart disease and stroke-causing blood clots. Its protein also lowers triglyceride levels.

Your choice. Who doesn't believe, there is a big pharmacy near? As those most affected are the sick, the poor and the least educated, free market successes appear to pose unsolvable challenges to social justice in public health.


Massive advertising to physicians and the public gets increasingly sophisticated: ghostwriting, professional guidelines, targeting consumer groups, and manipulating media for disease mongering. Pervasive lobbying and political ties limit the independence of regulatory bodies. Obligation to shareholders overriding public health considerations is not unique to the pharmaceutical industry. The chemical, tobacco, and food industries share similar tactics: proclaiming doubts about safety issues, buying researchers, and infiltrating universities, boards, media, and legislative agencies.


Your choice.


#spirulina #ccres #hcoie #zeljkoserdar

Tuesday, June 4, 2024

Bonn Climate Change Conference




Setting a new goal for climate finance from developed nations to developing nations will be a key task at COP29 later this year.

At the conference in Bonn, countries are tasked with reaching agreements that will serve the negotiations at the UN climate conference in Azerbaijan. It will help to narrow down what the climate finance goal could look like post-2025 and intermediary goals for spending on things like mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage. It will also help determine what form this finance takes - grants or loans.

We estimate that renewables are on course to generate 66% of EU electricity by 2030. This is a rapid and significant increase on the level in 2023 (44%) but falls short of the 72% REPowerEU target.

We need to see higher renewable contributions within member states' national plans, matched with faster permitting with quality for the deployment of wind and solar, along with the expansion of the EU's grid network in an inclusive and nature-positive manner.

The proposal to triple renewable energy capacity was signed by 118 countries under the so-called Global Pledge in Dubai.

“With these goals we are providing them [industries and investors] with clarity and predictability about the future… They will know how much additional capacity we need by 2030 and this will help them plan their business and investments,” European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said at the COP28.

Thirteen EU countries have backed the idea of further accelerating the deployment of renewable energy in a position paper published after the Commission communication on the 2040 climate target in February.

Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain said such feat will be a “key task” for the next Commission as well as to ensure a robust energy system integration to make the energy system fit for integrating the projected amounts of renewable energy sources.

Countries need to accelerate implementation and move their ambitions higher to align with the tripling goal in yet another effort to limit global warming to 1.5°C as set out in the Paris Agreement.

The amount of renewable energy capacity added worldwide has tripled since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015.

Many countries have turned to solar and wind following a sharp drop in cost, along with efforts by governments to lower emissions and strengthen their energy systems. The cost of solar and wind technology has dropped by 40% since 2015, making them more competitive with fossil fuels.

This report makes clear that the tripling target is ambitious but achievable – though only if governments quickly turn promises into plans of action… By delivering on the goals agreed at COP28 countries worldwide have a major opportunity to accelerate progress towards a more secure energy system.

Goal to triple renewable power by 2030 is achievable but countries need to put more effort on implementing energy and climate pledges, the International Energy Agency said.

Countries are not on track to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030, despite their national energy and climate pledges, an analysis from the International Energy Agency (IEA) warns today (June 4).

Official commitments in national energy and climate plans currently amount to 1300 gigawatts, IEA stated, only 12% of the goal set at COP28 of tripling capacity. If countries  implemented all their pledged ambitions for 2030 however, that would amount to 11,000 gigawatts of installed global renewable capacity.

This is led by European countries, the report stated, which contribute a fifth of the pledged global total — the second highest contributor after China. Germany alone makes up a quarter of Europe’s ambition on renewable capacity, followed by France, Italy, Spain and the UK, which together contribute another third. 

Following the first Global Stocktake (GST) which measured collective progress towards Paris Agreement goals, this is an opportunity to work out what a good NDC looks like. Bonn provides an opportunity to interpret the outcome of the GST in a way that puts the world on track to limit global warming to 1.5C.

It’s also a chance for ambitious, early movers to get ahead, deliver their NDCs early, and help accelerate the global shift to renewable energy.

The EU is one of these potentially ambitious early movers as it discusses its next 2040 emissions reduction target. But, currently lacking a clear way forward and with European Elections imminent, it remains to be seen what progress the bloc can make at the conference in Bonn.

Thursday, May 23, 2024

Steže se obruč oko Anthonyja Faucija




Objavljen memorandum s dokazima koji teško inkriminiraju bliske suradnike dr. Faucija.

U Sjedinjenim Državama jučer je kongresni Committe on Oversight and Accountability objavio priopćenje za medije s dramatično teškim optužbama na račun jednog od najbližih suradnika dr. Anthonyja Faucija, a u kojem upozoravaju na važnost vlastitog memoranduma pod naslovom "Allegations of Wrongdoing and Illegal Activity by Dr. David Morens, Senior Advisor to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases former-Director, Dr. Anthony Fauci" (Optužbe o zlouporabi i nezakonitim radnjama dr. Davida Morensa, višeg savjetnika Nacionalnog instituta za alergije i zarazne bolesti, bivšeg ravnatelja, dr. Anthonyja Faucija). 

Dokumenti koje je objavio kongresni Committe on Oversight and Accountability, ključni i najvažniji istražni komitet Zastupničkog doma, a njihovi zaključci su doista spektakularni te dovode dr. Faucija u jako neugodnu situaciju.

To je drugi strahoviti udar na ionako nagriženu reputaciju američkog epidemiološkog cara Faucija u razmaku od samo nekoliko dana, koji je tijekom pandemije propagirao strogu epidemiološku politiku, ali i s gađenjem poricao svoje direktne ili indirektne veze s etički problematičnim istraživanjem opasnih virusa u kineskim laboratorijima. 

Prije samo nekoliko dana, naime, već je snažno odjeknulo suspendiranje financiranja američke neprofitne organizacije EcoHealth dr. Petera Diszeka, bliskog Faucijiu, koji je dobivao milijune dolara jer "nije uspio adekvatno nadzirati i izvješćivati ​​o rizičnim eksperimentima s virusima na Institutu za virologiju Wuhan, kršeći uvjete savezne potpore i zahtjeve za biosigurnošću".

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"Dokazi putem e-pošte sugeriraju da je dr. Fauci koristio svoju osobnu e-poštu za obavljanje službenih poslova. Ovo postavlja ozbiljna pitanja o tome je li dr. Fauci sudjelovao u zavjeri među najvišim razinama NIH-a za skrivanje službenih zapisa povezanih s podrijetlom COVID-19."








To be continued


Wednesday, May 15, 2024

California's grid faces collapse




From Croatia's point of view, the "rush-to-green" policies of the Biden administration and congressional Democrats are based on a false premise that intermittent power generation can meet energy demand in the United States. 

This belief, and its forced reliance on China for the components necessary to implement the policy, is detrimental to Americans’ standard of living and safety. 

Most of my colleagues and I support renewable energy from wind, solar, geothermal, and, potentially, hydrogen. We also help clean, renewable energy that comes from one of the oldest sources of energy production — hydropower. 

The truth of the matter is that in many places we've seen how the US energy grid is already dangerously close to failing because we're not paying enough attention to sustaining the grid. This is going to result in blackouts. And we've already seen them. 

Currently, renewables cannot provide that always-on, always-available energy that USA requires. In its "rush-to-green," the administration forced certain energy generation, like coal and natural gas, to be taken offline or made it extremely difficult to operate.  

Renewables will be a part of energy matrix, but they must work in tandem with always-on baseload power generation. This is due to renewables’ ability to only generate power intermittently, not 24/7/365. From households to municipalities to manufacturing, Croatia like America relies upon always-on, always available electricity 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.