Saudi and French Ministers Explore Opportunities to Enhance Industrial Cooperation

Paris, France, 13: His Excellency, the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Mr. Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, held discussions with his French counterpart, the French Minister of Industry, Mr. Roland Lescure, during an official visit to the Republic of France. The meeting took place in Paris and focused on exploring opportunities to strengthen industrial cooperation between the two countries, as well as addressing matters of shared interest.

The ministers reviewed the progress of joint projects and agreements, and examined promising investment opportunities in various industrial sectors. They also discussed strategies to boost trade exchange and facilitate non-oil exports.

Highlighting the depth of bilateral relations between the two friendly nations, the meeting emphasized the importance of reciprocal visits to broaden mutual ties, particularly in the industrial and mining sectors.

It is worth noting that the official visit of the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources to the Republic of France commenced yesterday. This visit aligns with the Kingdom’s commitment to bolster the industrial and mining sectors within its national economy, and to foster advancements in several promising industries. The visit also seeks to attract high-quality investments and expand the access of Saudi non-oil exports to the French and European markets.

New Report shows that renewable electricity has reached a record 30% share

Renewable electricity registers record growth, but renewable heat and fuels lag far behind, hindering a shift away from fossil fuels

With a record 30% share, renewable electricity is driving the energy transition. However, renewable-based electricity needs to more than double. Renewable-based heat and fuels need to grow much faster to ensure equitable access and security of supply.

Renewable energy growth is most noticeable in the power sector (electricity generation), whereas critical energy carriers such as renewable heat and renewable-based fuels remain neglected.
Solar photovoltaics (PV) had another record year of growth in 2022, with a 37% increase in additional installed capacity.
Grid-connected wind energy additions fell 17% relative to 2021, due to delays in permitting, disruption in supply chains, and rising material and shipping costs.
China was home to 44% of renewable energy deployment and also represented 55% of total investments in renewables. Renewable investments in Europe reached 11% and in the United States 10%, while Africa and the Middle East received the lowest share by region, at only 1.6%.

PARIS – Wide-ranging barriers are preventing renewable energy from contributing effectively to meeting the world’s climate and development goals, according to the Renewables in Energy Supply module, launched today as part of the annual Renewables 2023 Global Status Report (GSR) collection. These barriers include a lack of attention to all energy carriers, a failure to diversify renewable energy technologies beyond wind and solar power, deficiencies in policies, bottlenecks in permitting and grid connections, unequal investment levels in different regions, and continued large investments in fossil fuels.

The Renewables in Energy Supply module covers the way final energy is distributed among heat, fuel and electricity, geographies and technologies (bioenergy, geothermal power and heat, heat pumps, hydrogen, hydropower, solar PV, concentrated solar power (CSP), solar thermal heat, ocean power and wind power). Renewables in Energy Supply follows the release of the GSR 2023 Demand Modules, which explored renewable energy use in the key energy-consuming sectors of buildings, industry, transport and agriculture.

Energy carriers include electricity and heat as well as solid, liquid and gaseous fuels. Currently, the global energy supply is split mostly among heat (49%) and fuel (29%), with electricity having the lowest share (22%). In 2022, the share of renewables in the power sector reached 30%, mainly because the sector has received long-term policy attention that enabled market and technology development and drove down costs. Across all sectors, renewables cover only 12.7% of the total energy system, a relatively low share in the larger scheme of things.

“The record growth of renewables in the electricity sector is positive news. However, we need to more than double this growth and to achieve deep electrification of the heat and transport sectors. We also need to invest heavily in grid infrastructure to address climate change and to provide access to over 700 million people living without electricity, mainly in Africa and Asia,” said REN21 Executive Director Rana Adib.

Meanwhile, the other energy carriers – fuels and heat, which provide most of the world’s energy – have only dismal renewable energy shares of 3.6% and 9.2% respectively. This indicates that efforts are narrowly focused on transitioning the power supply. This limited focus is ultimately slowing the shift to a renewables-based system, delaying efforts to reach the Sustainable Development Goals and maintaining the status quo of energy insecurity.

Greater attention must be paid to renewable heat and renewable-based fuels and to the diversification of renewable energy technologies. While electricity is expected to play an increasingly important role in the global energy supply, the International Energy Agency (IEA) net-zero scenario and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) 1.5 degree Celsius scenario indicate that electricity will supply only half of the world’s total final energy in 2050.

“This clearly means that we cannot continue to neglect the other carriers – renewable heat and fuels – if we are serious about cutting emissions and addressing the climate, energy and poverty crises. It took time, investment and policy attention to expand to 30% renewable power. We now need to award heat and fuels similar policy attention to achieve the critical shift we need,” said Adib.

Efforts in renewable electricity need to be accelerated as well. Despite the strong focus on the power sector, the ongoing failure to build and extend electrical grids and to speed permitting processes are creating bottlenecks that are slowing the shift to a renewable-based power system. More than 1 terawatt of renewable energy projects are still waiting to be constructed and connected to the grid globally due to delays in permitting and lack of investment in grid infrastructure. The status of Energy Systems and Infrastructure will be addressed in an upcoming module to be released as part of the GSR 2023 collection.

“Even in the power sector, we are still not taking a systemic approach that builds renewable energy as a healthy economic sector and industry by investing in manufacturing capacities, and skilling people. We focus on a few technologies like solar PV and wind and their generation capacity, neglecting distribution and connection to grids,” said Adib. “Electricity generation from renewables means attention to infrastructure. It´s like you manufacture cars and wait for roads. When we built cars, we did it with confidence that roads will accompany the process. The same thought and action process must apply to renewables.”

Momentum has been building for the creation of a worldwide target for renewable energy in the power sector, to be announced at the United Nations Climate Conference (COP 28) in Dubai in November. Recently, leaders of the G7 countries made a historic pledge to collectively increase the world’s offshore wind power capacity by 150 gigawatts and its solar capacity to more than 1 terawatt by 2030.

“These announcements are welcome signals for both countries and renewable energy markets; however, science and experience tell us that to be effective, these targets need to be urgently translated into concrete actions that will speed the energy transition in all countries – including through national policies, technology development and sharing, equitable investments in all regions, fossil fuel phase-outs, and the removal of barriers and bottlenecks”, said Adib.

The limited approach to the carriers has also been mirrored in the technologies and geographies. Solar and wind power currently dominate the annual additions of renewable power – together contributing 92% – with only 8% coming from other renewables such as hydropower, geothermal, bioenergy, CSP and ocean power.

“The energy crisis, which resulted from the Russian Federation invasion of Ukraine, has shown the importance of security of supply. To shield us from new crises, policy makers must immediately ramp up efforts in all renewable energy technologies, including hydropower, geothermal, ocean, CSP and bioenergy. If we don´t quickly evolve these alongside solar PV and wind, we will still need to depend on coal, oil and gas, and nuclear for our energy supply well into the future,” said Adib.

Geographically, China led the world in renewable energy investments in 2022, with 55% of the global total energy, followed by Europe with 11% and the United States with 10%. Africa and the Middle East together received the lowest share of renewable investments, at only 1.6%. Most of the worldwide deployment in renewables was in China, which accounted for 44% of all solar capacity additions and 38% of all wind capacity additions, pointing to the high geographic concentration of renewable energy additions.

“Within Africa, a continent blessed with an abundance of renewable energy, a silent storm rages on – the prolonged energy crisis, an ignoble plight that the world regrettably chooses to disregard. It is our moral imperative to accelerate the deployment of a sufficient quantity of renewable energy and to ensure that this transition uplifts the most vulnerable, improving livelihoods and fostering sustainable development that reaches far beyond economic gains”, said Joel Nana from Sustainable Energy Africa.

Financial flows are still not shifting fast enough towards renewables and away from fossil fuels. Of the USD 640 billion in global power investments in 2022, 26% still went to fossil fuels and nuclear power, even though renewable electricity is the least-cost option. This means that we continue to lock in more emissions in the atmosphere by investing in fossil fuel technologies that will soon become obsolete – depriving people and the planet of the sustainability, development, health and jobs benefits of the energy transition.

“Renewable energy is now recognised as the necessary backbone for all energy systems. However, it also needs to be developed as an economic sector, with clear and strategic focus on building a profitable industry. Investment in manufacturing and skilled labour are now crucial to deliver a secure, sustainable and thriving sector,” said Chief Executive Officer of the Global Renewables Alliance Bruce Douglas.

White Rivers Media’s research based service, ‘Capital Z’ facilitates brands to decode Gen Z better

WRM’s ‘Capital Z’ is a research-based service lab to help build brand intelligence by structured decoding of Gen Z’s social and commercial sensibilities.

Mumbai, 13th June 2023: White Rivers Media recently rolled out its proprietary generation-focused research service lab ‘Capital Z’, which leverages its up to the minute knowledge reserve for brand-generation alignment. As a think tank to C-suite decision-makers, its findings will be pivotal in designing offerings that are a seamless fit for both the evolved values and needs of the next-gen power buyers, that is Gen Z.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CtOFqMVyO4F/

Accounting for about 27% of India’s total population, Gen Z is one of the dominant drivers of the digital economy at present. Most industry verticals have already outlined the shift in their consumption and contribution patterns but are yet to derive long-term actionable intelligence.

A more systematic understanding of this dynamic demographic is critical, now more than ever, to build generation-focused brand solutions that serve the dynamic interests of zoomers.

Capital Z and its bouquet of primary and secondary research services aim to strengthen impact across multiple sectors including Media/Entertainment, Banking, Insurance & Finance, Real Estate, Sports & Fitness, D2C to name a few. Capital Z has already onboarded some initial sets of key brands.

Shrenik Gandhi, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, White Rivers Media, said, “At WRM, we believe in ‘being the most’, and to make the most of the crest of Gen Z in the digital world, our new venture ‘Capital Z’ joins in. With an overwhelming supply of information at their fingertips, Gen Z is malleable regarding brand choices and quick to switch interests. It’s a walk on thin ice for brands to position themselves in this landscape—a problem that our new lab will resourcefully solve.”

Team Capital Z works closely with the stakeholders at the business end to identify trends, insights and behavioural patterns to curate a Gen Z first brand strategy.

“Today, Gen Z makes decisions under the influence of their peers, opinion leaders, current fads, and pop culture. They believe in a two-way communication approach and value sustainable concepts. Considering this generation’s exponentially growing role in redefining the digital economy, it is the need of the hour that brands take a revolutionary, methodical approach to make a meaningful difference,” said Mitesh Kothari, Co-founder, and Chief Creative Officer, White Rivers Media on the launch of Capital Z.

The research lab is spearheaded by Keren Benjamin and Swejal Gangan and led by a dedicated team of in-house researchers. One can know more about these services here –
https://www.whiteriversmedia.com/CapitalZ/

POCO Growth Spurt: Brand Achieves Astounding 68% YoY Growth Powered by Multiple Launches

Bangalore, [13th June 2023] – POCO India, a leading smartphone brand, has emerged as the fastest-growing brand in the online channel with an exceptional performance by securing a remarkable 68% year-on-year growth in a market that experienced a significant decline of 10% growth as validated by the Canalys, one of India’s leading analyst firms. This outstanding achievement reflects POCO India’s unwavering commitment to providing innovative and affordable smartphones that exceed consumer expectations.

POCO India’s strategically implemented several initiatives, a consumer-focused approach and dedication to delivering exceptional value products resulted in an impressive 60% repeat purchase rate among its loyal customer base. POCO India also introduced enticing loyalty programs that have received great traction amongst youth, establishing strong brand loyalty.

Capitalizing on the immense potential of the online space, POCO India has also achieved the status of the number-one brand in the online channel and on Flipkart for the first quarter of 2023. This achievement further solidifies POCO India’s position as a trusted and preferred brand among Indian consumers. Meanwhile, POCO X5 Pro continues to emerge as the highest-selling model on the platform, reflecting its exceptional popularity and appeal to smartphone enthusiasts.

Adopting a data-driven marketing approach, POCO India accomplished a significant milestone by partnering with renowned cricketer Hardik Pandya as its first brand ambassador. This strategic collaboration enabled POCO to extend its reach to a wider audience, amplify brand visibility, and generate compelling and authentic content that deeply connected with consumers.

Looking ahead, POCO India is dedicated to further expanding its market presence and offering a diverse range of products that cater to the evolving needs of Indian consumers. By leveraging strategic online and offline partnerships, providing exceptional customer experiences, and embracing innovative technologies, POCO India aims to consolidate its position as a trailblazer in the Indian smartphone market.

TSG Foundation conducts Mock Test for aspirants studying in Ograbraj Coaching Centre

With students already undergoing free coaching classes for MTS and other Group C examinations at Ograbraj Coaching Centre, the TSG Foundation on Monday evening conducted a mock test for students.

The purpose of this Mock test was to develop competitive ability in the students. Moreover, through this test, students can also know their ranking and will get a chance to know how much preparation they have done for their exam so far.

The mock test was conducted in the same way as MTS exams are conducted by using OMR sheets.

Teachers of the Coaching Centre expressed faith that students will put up a better show in the MTS and other Group C exams to be held on July 11th.

“This initiative will prove to be very encouraging for the students preparing for competitive exams. We will evaluate and hand over the results and answer keys to the students. Such mock tests will help alleviate fear among students when going for the exam,” said Mr. TSG Bhasker, Chairman, TSG Foundation.

SPH Engineering and WG Drones Share Secrets to Building Successful Drone Show Businesses with Ready-to-Fly Drones

June 13, 2023 – Riga, Latvia – SPH Engineering’s Drone Show Technologies, a leading provider of drone show solutions, is pleased to announce a live webinar in collaboration with WG Drones, a renowned manufacturer of Ready-to-Fly drones. The webinar aims to explore the potential and advantages of utilizing Ready-to-Fly drones in building successful businesses, particularly in the drone show industry. Join the event on June 15th, 5 pm (GMT+3).

The webinar will feature an esteemed lineup of industry experts who will share their knowledge and insights on various topics related to Ready-to-Fly drones and drone show businesses. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the latest trends, visions, and steps to launching a successful drone show business.

The webinar will be hosted by esteemed speakers who bring a wealth of expertise to the event:

– Antonio Aguilera: Founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Watergush and WG Drones, Antonio has 20 years of experience in electronic design, automation, embedded systems, and full-stack programming. His deep understanding of these fields allows him to spearhead innovative and cutting-edge projects.

– Gerard Paez: Operations Manager at WG Drones, Gerard is responsible for ensuring efficient operations and managing the supply chain. His academic background in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Aeronautical Design and Manufacturing equips him with valuable expertise in advanced manufacturing processes.

– IlzeMozalevska: Lead Sales Manager of Drone Show Technologies at SPH Engineering, Ilze is a knowledgeable professional with extensive experience in providing clients with top-notch drone-based solutions. She brings exceptional leadership abilities and expertise in managing sales processes.

– Aleksander Levandovskiy: Head of Drone Show Technologies at SPH Engineering, Aleksander is a visionary leader who has played an integral role in building the Drone Show Software brand. With his wealth of knowledge and experience, he has taken part in launching some of the largest drone shows worldwide.

This webinar is a must-attend event for anyone interested in exploring the limitless potential of drone show technology. To secure your spot, please register for the webinar.

CODE New Delhi Wraps Up with Resounding Success, Unleashing Entrepreneurial Potential in India

13, June 2023: Expand My Business, a leading platform for entrepreneurial growth, is elated to announce the successful completion of Day 2 of the Convention of Digital Entrepreneurs (CODE) New Delhi. The two-day event, which concluded on June 11, 2023, witnessed an exceptional gathering of industry leaders, innovative startups, and investors, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing in the digital landscape.

“CODE 2023 has been an extraordinary event that has exceeded our expectations. We are delighted to witness the incredible energy, enthusiasm, and passion demonstrated by the attendees. This convention has not only facilitated knowledge sharing and networking but has also paved the way for new partnerships and growth opportunities for entrepreneurs across India,” said Nishant Behl, Founder of Expand My Business.

The second day of CODE New Delhi kicked off with the highly anticipated Founders’ Conference, where founders from renowned brands shared their insights on building companies that make a lasting impact. Speakers such as Aastha Grover (Head, Startup India), Manish Amin (Co-Founder & CIO, Yatra.com), Gaurav Porwal (SVP E-Commerce, Tata Digital) and Pradeep Kumar ‘Prady’ (India CEO, Neil Patel Digital India) captivated the audience with their inspiring journeys and valuable advice.

While addressing the conference and highlighting the pace at which the Indian startup ecosystem is growing, Aastha Grover pointed out that over 99,000 startups have become a part of Startup India, 49% of which are based in Tier 2 & 3 locations. Speakers at the conference also emphasised the importance of making the approach at the right time to grab maximum eyeballs from the investors in the B2B space.

Continuing from Day 1, Investor Summit provided early-stage founders with unparalleled funding opportunities. The Showcase provided an exceptional platform for startups to pitch their ideas and vision to a wider audience. Entrepreneurs were able to present their innovative concepts and gain exposure to potential customers, partners, and investors. This interactive session demonstrated the immense talent and creativity present in the startup community.

CODE 2023 witnessed participation from 200 exhibitors, 50 speakers and 8k footfall. It also hosted India’s largest Digital Services Expo, which enabled tech service providers from all over the country showcased their cutting-edge products and services. This gathering of industry leaders and exhibitors provided a unique opportunity for attendees to explore the latest digital advancements and forge valuable business relationships.

With an impressive lineup of speakers, including Aastha Grover (Head, Startup India), Gaurav Porwal (SVP E-Commerce, Tata Digital), Jaideep Singh Kalra (Director & Head Business Banking North India, HSBC), and many others, CODE New Delhi delivered a comprehensive learning experience for attendees. The event covered a diverse range of topics, from digital marketing strategies to technological innovations, providing valuable insights to empower entrepreneurs on their journey to success.

Expand My Business extends its heartfelt appreciation to all the speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees who contributed to the success of CODE New Delhi. The overwhelming response and positive feedback received have further reinforced the commitment to nurturing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in India.

greytHR Academy’s New Courses aim to Empower 100,000+ Participants for Enhanced Employability

Bengaluru: 13 June 2023: greytHR Academy today announced the launch of new courses with an aim to certify over 1,00,000 young professionals and students. The greytHR Academy was launched in 2019 with the aim of imparting practical HR and payroll knowledge. Its well-curated range of courses and training programmes caters to the HR and Payroll domain.

Established by the country’s leading cloud-based HRMS provider, Greytip Software, greytHR Academy is aiming to achieve this milestone via its dedicated online LMS platform, Udemy, and by leveraging partnerships with academic institutions. Comprising industry-relevant courses across domains such as HR Operations, Payroll Statutory Compliance, New Labour Codes, TDS for Indian payroll and many more, greytHR Academy also facilitates entry-level staff training on the usage of greytHR’s technology platform, along with blended learning programmes that combine both elements.

In a bid to expand its course offerings and cater to approximately 4.3 million students who are enrolled for B.Com. and BBA courses across various universities in India, greytHR Academy has introduced a Career Education Programme. This programme is designed specifically to enhance the skill sets of students in the Commerce and Business streams. This HR Tech-based course will be launched in the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) format and will cover topics, such as Payroll Processing, which are often excluded from the course curriculum at most educational institutions. On completion of the online course, students will be given the opportunity to practice payroll processing using greytHR software and participate in monthly or bimonthly live training sessions to familiarise themselves with the greytHR software. The greytHR Academy Career Education Programme will empower students with the ability to take up payroll processing-related jobs. It also eliminates the need to undergo an additional training or apprenticeship programme when they join their first organisation in the same domain.

Speaking on this occasion, Girish Rowjee, Co-founder and CEO, greytHR said, “I am filled with immense pride and delight to be a part of the transformative impact of greytHR Academy. It started as a sincere endeavour to provide HR training but has now evolved into a pivotal educational initiative. I firmly believe that empowerment leads to positive change, and our academy is poised to positively impact how students and HR professionals prepare for industry-specific job roles.

The introduction of our Career Education Programme for B.Com. and BBA students holds immense significance. We are unwavering in our commitment to expanding our range of courses and supporting participants on their career journeys. My hope is that this initiative will truly make a difference in the lives of our participants, empowering them to unlock their full potential and seize promising employment opportunities.”

In addition to the Career Education Programme, greytHR Academy offers the Digital HR Certification Programme for graduates and professionals. Certified participants of this programme will stand out among the pool of HR professionals. Eligible participants can also benefit from the placement assistance offered by the Academy team.