Author: Charlotte Gill

Vilnius becomes one of Europe’s smartest cities

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

Vilnius is one of the fastest growing cities in Eastern Europe. It is also a hub for political, economic, social and environmental change in Lithuania and the region as a whole.

Some years ago, a decision was made by the government of Vilnius to pursue smart solutions to the city’s challenges, and to engage its inhabitants in decision-making. The city also boasts the fastest internet connection in the world, a high quality of life, and the cleanest water and freshest air of any European city. The latest study by Eurostat shows 93 percent of inhabitants are satisfied with their life in Vilnius.

70%

Reduction in Vilnius’ energy consumption due to LED lighting

Those inhabitants represent a substantial market for investors. Approximately 16 million people live within 300km of Vilnius: other Baltic cities only have a potential market of about eight to 10 million. It is also a prosperous city: it generates nearly 40 percent of Lithuania’s GDP.

Smart management
The city’s smart and forward-thinking management has been recognised by analysts and the media, and the rise in foreign direct investment and its effectiveness has also been reported. The New York Times named Vilnius one of the world’s 10 best-managed cities, alongside Berlin, Barcelona, Cape Town, Copenhagen, Montreal, Santiago and Shanghai. Cities were evaluated not only on their quality of life but also on how wisely and well they are managed.

Arturas Zuokas, the city’s mayor, says: “It has been Vilnius’ priority to become open to citizens and those who are willing to make business in the city. We believe that smarter city management was the key to making Vilnius a convenient place to live and do business.”

Vilnius city government has introduced e-participation platforms, which have involved citizens in the decision-making processes of the city. The official website of Vilnius was developed to give greater information on the city agenda. The site also allows citizens to express their opinions and make suggestions by interacting with the City Council members, participating in polls, preparing e-petitions and even voting on the topics that are in the council’s agenda. The online platform also makes it easy to access one of more than 100 online services for businesses and residents provided by the City — from licensing to permits and official documents.

Zuokas says it would be hard to find another country in Europe that is so in tune to the needs of investors as Lithuania: “Vilnius, as a capital, is a business friendly city and is trusted by such high calibre companies as IBM, Barclays, Western Union, Teva Group, Thermo Fisher Scientific, CSC and others. Lithuania, as their choice for an investment, proves that we are a very sound place for international establishments to do business.” The Financial Times recently listed Vilnius as the sixth best city in Eastern Europe in its investment performance and ‘best to invest’ rankings.

The city also has a highly qualified population, with 97 percent of inhabitants speaking at least one foreign language.

Lighting the city
Over the next two years, the city of Vilnius will be modernising its street lighting. High-efficiency modern LED lighting fixtures will reduce energy consumption in the city by more than 70 percent. The technology will save over two million euros annually and will be implemented through a public-private partnership with Gemmo of Italy.

“This is probably the first time in Europe that a city’s entire lighting system has been totally modernised all at once,” says Zuokas. “Not only will it save our taxpayers money, but it will make the streets even safer at night and cut down on traffic accidents. This new best practice model will also serve to reduce environmental pollution, and that’s important.”

Marie Donnelly, Director of the European Commission’s Energy Directorate, spoke highly of the Vilnius lighting overhaul project. She described it is a good example for the EU of how to save energy and implement the best sustainable environmental solutions.

Improving infrastructure
For the past decade, the City of Vilnius has been taking an integrated transport management approach and seeking the most suitable IT solutions to improve its public transportation. A number of projects have improved the mobility of both citizens and city guests.

The traffic monitoring and regulation system was deployed some years ago, while all the traffic lights in the city have been renewed and connected into a single traffic-monitoring centre. It has had a tremendous impact on the traffic situation in the city: even though the number of cars increased by more than 40 percent during the past decade, the average journey time is shorter.

The public transportation system has also gone through positive changes. The City of Vilnius has introduced a single card for public transportation, together with dozens of new vehicles and fast-track buses to make journeys more comfortable and fast. What is more, a bike sharing system has been launched to extend the possibilities of moving in the city. It has become one of the most popular means of transportation around the city centre.

The city has recently launched the new mobile applications package Smart Vilnius. This mobile ticketing app allows commuters to buy tickets on their phones, plan a journey and see live timetables. The mobile parking app – which has become extremely popular since its launch – has a start-stop function that allows users to pay only for the exact time they are parked, and removes the hassle of finding the correct change for the parking meter.

Improvements are also being made to the city’s route planner app. It is being redesigned and will shortly include all kinds of transportation, from buses to city bikes, as well as the city’s car-sharing system. It will also serve as a smart tool for planning journeys by car: it will inform drivers about traffic jams and suggest routes to avoid them.

This approach to smart mobility was recognised by IBM, which awarded Vilnius a Smarter Cities Challenge grant. This money will help the city improve its transportation systems further, merging them and deploying different management and prediction tools.

“All the decisions and improvements we’ve been making on a daily basis, whether it was a transportation system or the new citizen’s participation platform, were small yet significant steps to becoming a smarter city,” says Zuokas. “Therefore we are very pleased to be recognised as a smart city by The New Economy this year. It is a meaningful recognition to Vilnius, which, right from its establishment, has always been a prosperous and fast-moving, tolerant and peaceful city that welcomes all cultures and ideas. I’d like to welcome all readers to our beautiful city and invite them to evaluate the city for themselves.”

Dr Alfredo Hoyos’ liposuction gives dramatic and desirable results

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

Alfredo Hoyos, MD is a Colombian plastic surgeon, creator of high-definition liposculpture and other advanced body contour techniques. He is also a painter and sculptor. He combines his techniques with different technologies, such as the ultrasound-assisted VASER, in order to get spectacular results in liposculpture.

Dr Hoyos has extensive experience as a tutor and trainer in VASER high-definition liposculpture. He has written a number of scientific articles and is about to launch a new book, High-definition Body Sculpting, in which he reveals details of his techniques and new technologies in body contouring. Tools and devices have been designed for him and recognised by the US Patent and Trademark Office.

He has changed the concept of body sculpting, creating living artworks of
patient’s bodies

Thanks to his skills in painting and sculpting, Dr Hoyos has a unique vision of the human body. He has changed the concept of body sculpting, creating living artworks of patient’s bodies.

The birth of the HD4 technique
When it comes to our shape, genetics inevitably play a huge role, and many cultural beauty ideals fall into the realm of diminishing returns; they are just not worth the effort. Take six-pack abs, for example: one must train hard and eat carefully to manage them, and, for most of us, it’s just not going to happen.

The high-definition technique is designed to craft and hone the curves, bumps and bulges that make up the idealised aesthetic silhouette. Dr Hoyos says: “Some people are satisfied with simple reduction and reshaping, but for others, who are wanting more, this procedure offers amazing results.” Many individuals are frustrated because the muscles they are exercising are not visible, says Dr Hoyos, while in others there are places where fat would be more appealing, such as the buttocks or hips.

Also, the female body is very different from the male; while in men a six pack, muscles in more squared shapes, and big muscular volume are desirable, in women these features will give the impression of a masculine body. A curvier outline, smooth but with a slight definition in the abs section, is desirable in women: a two-pack.

“After assessing the patient’s body type and discovering what the patient is looking for, the procedures customise accordingly,” Dr Hoyos says. “Each case requires a different mix of fat grafting, liposuction and finer liposculpting techniques. Some will have enough underlying musculature that they do not need fat grafting to reshape muscle, and instead require some liposuction and careful, fine lipolysis to bring out natural shapes”.

A patient before and after their liposculpture procedure
A patient before and after their liposculpture procedure

The newest version of the technique is known as ‘HD4 Lipo’. “We have evolved our technique to account for muscular dynamics, and the fact that people’s shapes change as they age,” says Dr Hoyos. “Muscles are in motion all the time and, if we do not sculpt with that in mind, the outcome will not be as convincing during movement. Also, as we age and lose volume or gain weight, we wish to maintain the natural look.”

Every day, patients ask for more natural but athletic results. That is the requirement that took Dr Hoyos to the next level of liposculpture, searching for incredible results in moderately fit patients: those healthy individuals who are unable to achieve the ideal body. HD4 Lipo was the answer for a lot of patients because it is the only liposuction technique available for moderately fit individuals, that produces ultra-athletic results, and integrates motion into surgical planning to produce natural definition through 360 degrees.

A procedure for every patient
After childbirth, women’s bodies might experience certain changes: some of these can be very subtle, but others can change their physiognomy completely. Women love their babies, but some also don’t like the changes to their bodies that come with pregnancy. Even more, they want to improve their bodies, so they are fitter than they were before, because they want their children to have healthy and beautiful mums.

Dr Hoyos designed two main procedures to fulfil all these mothers’ wishes. For mild to moderate changes, when there is too much skin laxity or stretch marks, a ‘mommy HD4’ is the procedure of choice. This repairs the abdominal muscles that have been over-stretched by the pregnancy through a small incision (less than a C-section scar) and add body contouring to achieve definition. This will erase the stigmata of the post-delivery belly and give a youthful appearance.

In cases where there is too much skin laxity and/or stretch marks, an ‘HD4 tummy tuck’ is the procedure of choice. While a regular abdominoplasty stretches the skin while taking out the extra tissue and stretch marks, the HD4 tummy tuck adds a new belly button and definition: giving the impression of a renewed body, with an athletic appearance, but without the annoying stigmata of surgery. Under a bathing suit, nobody will notice a tummy tuck was performed.

Based on his good experience with international patients in Bogotá, Dr Hoyos is going to open a new office for plastic surgery in Europe. With a team of three other plastic surgeons, Dr Hoyos is bringing high-definition sculpting to Europe. The desirable six-pack (in men) and two-pack (in women) are possible thanks to the investigation and art of Dr Alfredo Hoyos.

For further information contact international@alfredohoyos.com

Australia repeals carbon-pricing policy; environmentalists concerned

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

After years of fraught discussion, Australia’s Senate has voted to abolish the country’s tax on carbon emissions, first introduced under the previous Labour government. The stance falls in line with Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s “pledge in blood” to “axe the tax”, and has been welcomed by Liberals who have long maintained the policy punishes legitimate businesses.

The carbon-pricing scheme came into effect only two years ago, and was but a single facet of Australia’s complex stance on climate policy. Public concerns over the country’s wayward emissions have long come up against the might of the country’s mining and hydrocarbons sectors, which together represent a significant share of the national economy.

Public concerns over the country’s wayward emissions have long come up against the might of the country’s mining and hydrocarbons sectors

The senate voted 39 to 32 in favour of repealing the law, with Abbott pledging to replace the policy with a taxpayer-funded AUD2.55bn emissions reduction plan. “Scrapping the carbon tax is a foundation of the government’s economic action strategy,” said Abbott. Speaking later to Australian families, he added: “We are honouring our commitments to you and building a strong and prosperous economy for a safe and secure Australia.”

However, the policy change was not welcomed by all. The Climate Institute, for one, released a damning indictment of the government’s stance. The organisation’s CEO, John Connor, called it: “An historic act of irresponsibility and recklessness.”

“With the Senate’s vote today, Australia not only lurches to the back of the pack of countries taking action on climate, but sees the responsibility of emission reductions shift from major polluters to the taxpayer,” he added. “The last seven years have been a sorry and sordid tale of greed, incompetence and rotten luck, which has reduced Australian policy making to scaremongering, self-interest and reckless short termism.”

Other sources have seen the decision as proof that a carbon tax may not be the best fix in global effort to tackle climate change. “Today’s decision is a very significant development for climate policy,” says Benny Peiser, Director of the Global Warming Policy Foundation. “It is proof that unilateral carbon taxes or other costly climate policies are unsustainable in the absence of an international agreement.”

The ruling coalition government has proposed a “Direct Action” scheme, which would offer grants to companies whose efforts contribute to Australia’s 2020 emissions cut target of five percent on 2000 levels.

Kashagan oil field dangerously close to becoming its own oil disaster

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

It could be a humorous riddle: what has taken 10 oil companies 20 years and $30m but has yet to yield the prophesied returns? Why of course, it’s the fabled Kashagan oil field; the chagrin-inducing mega-project that continues to embarrass companies and flush their cash down the Caspian Sea. The project, once sold as the biggest oil development in the world, now seems to be nothing but a risible series of mishaps and fiascos.

When the Kashagan reserves were discovered deep under the Caspian Sea, it was speculated that the fields could be the largest in the world outside the Middle East. It was no surprise that so many big players in the oil and gas industry seemed keen to get involved. The offshore reserves were discovered in 2000, off southwestern Kazakhstan; it was said at the time that output from the Caspian Sea could be comparable to that of the Ghawar field in Saudi Arabia.

It was swiftly picked up by an international consortium of 10 big players, led by Shell, Exxon Mobile, Total, Eni and Kazakh state-run oil company KazMunaiGas. Between them and their partners, the companies fleshed out a plan to develop Kashagan by 2006, with Eni taking charge in the first phase of the development.

5,500km2

Size of the oil field

$30bn

Spent over budget

13bn

Recoverable barrels of oil in the field

Projected costs were around $57bn, to be split between the interested parties; exploring the five underwater fields was always likely to be a gargantuan task. The bigger oil companies would combine their expertise to build a number of artificial islands in the northern part of the Caspian, close to Atrayu in Kazakhstan. In an area of over 5,500sq km, five separate fields were predicted to deliver up to eight million barrels of oil a year, when running at capacity.

The artificial islands are organised around the main Island D, a large structure connected to 12 oil wells through underwater piping. Oil and gas are produced simultaneously, and delivered to the shore through a 92km-long pipeline. The project was nothing if not ambitious; it was estimated initial production would yield up to 370,000 barrels of oil per day, rising to 1.5 million barrels a day.

But the best-laid plans can go spectacularly wrong, and the once so promising Kashagan development has been haemorrhaging money since ground was broken. The 2005 deadline for initial production came and went, and still there was no sign of oil. The project was always designed as a partnership with the Kazakh government, and both sides have systematically blamed one another for the delays and failures. As of 2014, the project is eight years behind schedule and $30bn over budget – and there is still no end in sight.

The blame game
Neither the consortium of oil companies nor the Kazakh government is willing to accept responsibility for the problems Kashagan has faced. Total et al accuse the local officials of holding back key decisions that have put the project far behind schedule: the Kazakhs blame the consortium for the miles of leaky pipeline that forced the most recent halt in production. Essentially, after 20 years and close to $90bn, the consortium has achieved little more than building the world’s most expensive plumbing problem, as The Wall Street Journal recently described the project. But with an estimated 13 billion recoverable barrels on the table, neither side is willing to back off.

The site opened fleetingly in 2013 before the leaky pipeline forced it shut again. Now, in a completely predictable turn of events, further investigations have revealed the gas pipes connecting the islands to the shore will need to be completely replaced, adding at least another two years and countless dollars to the already overstretched affair. The cracks have been caused by the corrosive nature of the hydrogen sulphide found in the natural gas. As of yet, there are no plans to solve this issue. Before being shut down, Kashagan was yielding fewer than 75,000 barrels a day – much less than expected. The fact the corrosive gas was not detected earlier, after almost a decade of building, is nothing short of astounding.

Shale boom
There is nothing to say that, when Kashagan finally starts yielding results, it will not eventually pay for itself, given the price per barrel of oil has increased dramatically in the 20 years the project has been under development. But the recent rise in popularity of alternative fossil fuels, including shale gas, has shone a light on the many shortcomings of mega-projects such as this one.

Though costs vary from region to region, a shale gas well can be drilled in Louisiana for as little as $8m, and the investment can be recouped very fast, according to The New Orleans Advocate. Shale gas is much cheaper than oil per cubic metre, but it is relatively inexpensive to extract and easy to transport. According to the US Energy Information Administration, oil and gas production in the US surpassed that of Saudi Arabia last year. The US has so far enjoyed the majority of the spoils from the so-called shale boom, but other countries, such as the UK and China, are scrambling to get in on the action.

But the shale gas industry is still adjusting to its new scale and influence, and it is unclear how the oil and gas markets will adapt to an energy-sufficient US in the long run. It is also unclear if shale exploration in other countries can ever be as successful as it has been in North America. Still, developments such as Kashagan are likely to become a thing of the past, as investors look for cheaper, easier places to put their money.

What hope remains
Kashagan might be an outdated, unworkable model, but far too much has been invested already for the companies involved to simply cut their losses and get out. Exploring Kashagan will always be a challenge; the wells are deep under the sea, and under immense pressure. The region has an inhospitable climate and ice sheets form and drift around the northern Caspian, potentially damaging equipment. At one time, it was thought the volume of recoverable oil and gas in the five underwater fields was worth the costly investment and the hassle of exploration. That remains true, especially as constraints in the global oil market have kept demand and prices high despite the shale boom.

For the time being, the consortium of interested parties has no choice but to plough through, face up to its own previous mistakes, and try to make the best of a comically bad situation. But when Kazakhstan’s Minister for Economy and Budget Planning tells The Financial Times that “it is better for us to manage this situation well and it will not come back again for such problems in the future”, it seems both foolishly optimistic and wildly unlikely that he will get his wish.

Australia digs while the world burns

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

Australia is home to one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world: from kangaroos to giant mosquitos, from the Great Barrier Reef to the world’s largest mangrove. It is certainly one of most exuberant countries in the world when it comes to wildlife. According to the Wilderness Society, there are only 17 countries classed as ‘megadiverse’ – that is, countries with an “extraordinarily high levels of biodiversity”. Australia is one of only two developed nations that fall into the category. Collectively, these nations hold around two thirds of the world’s biodiversity. Australia has more species endemic to its shores than 98 percent of the world’s countries. Most people agree it is a veritable treasure trove of plant and animal life, of incalculable value, and that this biodiversity should be preserved at any cost. Prime Minister Tony Abbott, however, is not most people.

Abbott has been carefully cultivating a dangerous record when it comes to environmental policies. Since assuming office in 2013, he and Environment Minister Greg Hunt have campaigned for the delisting of rare Tasmanian forests as a World Heritage site, approved the exemption of Western Australia from federal laws protecting endangered white sharks, and approved construction work on ports and coal terminals that will dredge the sea bed and potentially harm the Great Barrier Reef. These have not been popular moves, but Abbott has ploughed ahead, undeterred.

The Abbott government has consistently made the case that environmental concerns will always lose when pitted against economic benefits

“This crowd have been in office for less than six months. Imagine the damage they can do in three years,” wrote a disgruntled reader in The Sydney Morning Herald. “We, the people, do not want your bloody coal terminal. You, the decision makers, should be forced to pay for your avarice and environmental vandalism,” wrote another.

A recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has given some credence to the concerns expressed by the zealous readers of the Herald. In its Climate Change 2014 report, the organisation is clear about the need to lower global carbon emissions, and cited carbon pricing as a positive step towards achieving that goal. It is in direct contradiction to a recent policy reversal by the Australian government in which the cap-and-trade emissions trading scheme was scrapped entirely.

Curbing emissions
The IPCC report is primarily concerned with the mitigation of the effects carbon emissions are already having on the global climate. Research by over 1,250 specialists concluded that, to limit average temperature rises to only two degrees above pre-industrial levels, there would need to be a drastic increase in the use of low-carbon energy by 2050. The IPCC report concludes the required investment to power the shift towards lower-carbon energy consumption would shave only 0.06 percent off expected annual economic growth rates. In the meantime, carbon pricing can be an efficient and viable solution to keeping emissions down.

“Carbon pricing was a positive step in the right direction and if Australia did link it to the European scheme, the price wouldn’t be high. Scrapping it is seen as a backwards step,” Professor David Stern, one of the lead authors of the IPCC report and lecturer at the Australian National University told The Guardian. “It’s a cost-effective incentive for everyone to look for their best option to lower emissions. Most of the mentions of Australia in the IPCC report are around its emissions trading scheme. The report makes clear that carbon pricing is a cost-effective model, if done correctly.”

The carbon pricing policy was launched in Australia under the previous Labour government, but Abbott’s Liberal-led coalition has long taken issue with it. Dubbed ‘the carbon tax’ by its opponents, the policy is now being replaced altogether.

Hunt recently announced an extension of the pre-existing Emissions Reduction Fund, which includes cash rewards for private companies that lower emissions, as well as a tree-planting initiative.

“The carbon tax was a AUD7.6bn hit on the Australian economy in its first year of operation, yet there was no meaningful reduction in emissions. The carbon tax truly is a policy failure,” said Hunt in a statement. “The Australian Government is a step closer to replacing the destructive carbon tax with an effective, practical and simple approach to reduce emissions. The Emissions Reduction Fund is the centrepiece of the Coalition Government’s Direct Action Plan to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by five percent below 2000 levels by 2020.”

However, critics of similar schemes, such as Stern, have suggested such reward schemes as the one currently being proposed by Hunt and the Australian government actually cost more in the long run as taxes need to be raised to pay for the subsidies, while carbon trading schemes actually generate revenue. “The carbon price has long-term benefits for our nation and Australians can see that,” WWF-Australia Climate Change National Manager Kellie Caught told The Australian. “Not only does the carbon price raise revenue for the budget, it tackles climate change by making polluters pay, drives investment in renewable energy, and helps save the Great Barrier Reef.”

Coal heart
Australia remains a major coal producer, however, and up to 85 percent of the country’s energy comes from coal plants. In the latest budget, the Abbott government granted the mining industry handouts worth over AUD100m to keep exploring for new sources of coal and iron ore. Plans are afoot for the opening of nine mines in the near future, which could yield 27 billion tonnes of coal. With a combined area of 96,000sq mi, the Galilee Basin is among the biggest coal deposits in the world. But the University of Technology, Sydney, has warned that, if all the plans are approved and mines are excavated, the extra yearly emissions generated will equate to putting an additional 7.59 million cars on the road within the next decade and a half.

The Galilee Basin mines are being developed by Gina Rinehart, the wealthiest woman in the world, along with the Adani Group of India. Three large mines are already being built: the first of which will be about 15-miles wide when finished. The Queensland Government recently granted approval for the AUD16.5bn project, despite widespread condemnation from environmental experts. There are concerns about the effect the mines will have on groundwater due to the mines’ close proximity to the underlying Great Artesian Basin. And, though the mines themselves are problematic from an environmental perspective, the impact the mined coal will have is almost immeasurable.

Most of the coal mined in Galilee will be exported, meaning an additional 4,800 ships will travel through the Great Barrier Reef each year. Specialised ports on the Queensland coast are being expanded to service the Galilee Basin mines. Up to 150 million tonnes of material will be dredged from around the reef, posing an “unprecedented” threat to the corals, according to a report by the Australian Marine Conservation Society. “The Great Barrier Reef is expected to degrade under all climate change scenarios, reducing its attractiveness,” the report states. “Evidence of the ability of corals to adapt to rising temperatures and acidification is limited and appears insufficient to offset the detrimental effects of warming and acidification.”

But mining remains a powerful and lucrative industry in Australia, and, as growth forecasts continue to be revised down, it is unlikely the government will be willing to antagonise it. Abbott’s coalition has set a target of reducing carbon emissions by five percent of what they were in 2000 – a figure roughly in line with other similarly developed countries. But, according to Australia’s independent Climate Change Authority, the country’s target should be closer to 15 percent of 2000 levels in order to be “credible”.

It is unlikely the government will review its targets. The Abbott government has consistently made the case that environmental concerns will always lose when pitted against economic benefits: a policy that might be popular with industry chiefs, but which is unlikely to be sustainable in the long term. Numerous steps have been taken to speed up the dismantling of environmental safeguards; in the new budget, Abbott has confirmed the long-rumoured scrapping of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), despite the agency still having about AUD1bn in unallocated funds. When it was founded less than two years ago, ARENA was given an AUD2.5bn budget to foment the development of renewable energy in the country, support research and share expertise. “Axing the Australian Renewable Energy Agency is a damning reflection on the backward thinking of the Abbott government. The Abbott government has no vision for the future, or indeed, the present day,” the leader of the Green Party, Christine Milne, told the Environment News Service.

Against the grain
ARENA is not, by a long shot, the only environmental initiative on the chopping block. The Clean Energy Finance Corporation, launched last year and responsible for AUD10bn in investment in clean energy companies, is also being discarded. The coalition is also reviewing the Renewable Energy Target, a measure Abbott’s Liberal Party ostensibly backed before the election to support the goal of supplying 41,000GWh of clean energy by 2020. “What’s disappointing here is that the coalition really went out of its way prior to the election to restate their commitment to ARENA,” Kane Thornton, Deputy Chief Executive of the Clean Energy Council, told The Sydney Morning Herald.

Meanwhile, the world’s leading climate change experts and economists are all standing behind reports such as the IPCC’s, which call for a drastic reduction in carbon emissions and a revaluation of the energy industry. But the Australian government seems resolute in playing by its own rules. It is a deeply problematic attitude. Because the country has been blessed with such abundant resources, decisions taken by local government can have a global impact. If the Galilee Basin is explored in the way Rinehart and the Adani Group hope it might, the consequences of the copious unmitigated carbon emissions will be felt everywhere.

UPDATE: The Australian government has repealed its carbon-pricing policy

The time for the unbridled exploration of coal is long passed; politicians, economists and scientists agree. Abbott, Hunt, and the rest of Australia’s coalition government and their coal mining chums should heed the advice of the IPCC and the Climate Change Authority and review their policies. Owen Pascoe, WWF Australian spokesperson asked it best in a statement: “The IPCC has made it clear what the world needs to do – the question for Australia is now what sort of country are we going to be? Are we going to sit back and hope the United States, Europe and China will do the work to save our Great Barrier Reef and protect our country – or are we going to pitch in and do our fair share?”

Why solar panels could be a firm’s best investment ever

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

More and more companies across the globe are installing solar panel systems on the unused roof space of their commercial properties. The so-called photovoltaics (PVs) are selling like never before, as the cost of electricity and pressures on businesses to lower carbon outputs increase. Because businesses’ energy outputs are far higher than those of homes, companies must bear the burden of the strict targets that European, US and Australian governments have set to reduce carbon emissions and meet renewable energy goals. By installing solar panels, businesses are benefiting from lower overheads as well as receiving income from government-backed schemes.

Rooftops are among the best locations for solar panels, and so the unused space on top of commercial buildings is a key market for the solar panel industry. What’s more, regulators are working hard to ease up on planning permissions for solar panels in order to increase the amount installed.

Until very recently, planning permission was needed for a commercial system to be installed in countries such as the UK. In other countries, lack of funding and state support has also hindered solar panel sales. However, recent changes mean a commercial system (up to 50kW) is now classed as ‘permitted development’ in the UK. Similarly, the US and Australia have invested millions in state subsidies for solar in order to promote PV installation.

[R]ecent studies have shown solar applications mounted on commercial buildings are set to surge in the coming years

As a result, recent studies have shown solar applications mounted on commercial buildings are set to surge in the coming years. A Morgan Stanley report said US commercial PVs smaller than 100kW are expected to increase by 40 percent, while large-scale commercial projects are expected to jump by almost 70 percent before 2018. These projections respectively double and triple the growth rate of ground-mounted systems, which have conventionally been the biggest segment in the solar industry. This primarily comes down to the ease of rooftop installations, which don’t require additional investment in ground space.

Saving big
For many firms, savings associated with solar are obvious, but concerns regarding installation prices are still tangible. The price for a commercial solar panel installation will vary depending on how much space is needed for the PV, what size of system is being installed and what type of solar panels are used. A 50kW system, which is about the size of two tennis courts, will cost approximately £100,000 to £130,000 to install. The majority of commercial installations will be smaller than this and therefore more affordable. In addition, the long-term savings on electricity and earnings on excess solar energy can enable the system to eventually pay for itself and generate a profit.

Recent forecasts indicate electricity prices in Europe are set to rise an average of 2.6 percent every year until 2030. Excess energy generated by solar panels can be fed into the electricity grid, leading to a feed-in-tariff, which is basically a payment for your contribution to the overall supply of electricity. This lowers the overall expense of electricity and is considered an increasingly good investment as the prices for solar match up with more traditional energy types.

For instance, a new study from Eclareon – the EU consultancy on new energy – recently analysed the competitiveness of PV technology with retail electricity prices for commercial consumers and assessed local regulation in seven different countries: Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico and Spain. According to the study, the cost of PV generation in the commercial segment decreased in all the cities analysed in the last six months of 2013, with European countries such as Germany, Italy and Spain having reached parity with traditional electricity. However, high installation prices still remain in Latin American countries and, as electricity prices in these markets continue to drop, PV technology is still not entirely competitive against grid electricity.

The report concluded the growth in commercial solar sales is driven mainly by reduced installation prices, as well as tax shield benefits. “In countries such as Brazil and Mexico, self-consumption is being encouraged by an effective regulatory mechanism, which allows consumers to feed their excess generation into the grid for later consumption,” explained David Pérez, a partner at Eclareon.

The report added that poor regulation can hinder the solar market. This is the case in Spain, where the latest policy changes include a fee on on-site self-consumption and allows for no compensation for the excess PV generation fed into the grid. In accordance with this, the consultancy concluded solar energy consumption will only be fostered if grid parity is combined with governmental support.

“In Italy and Germany, both at grid parity and with proper regulation, PV systems for self-consumption represent a viable, cost-effective and sustainable power generation alternative,” explained Pérez. “With subsidy-free generation from PV becoming a profitable alternative in many countries, the debate about the potential impact on revenues for DSO and tax collectors is gaining relevance.”

Across the Atlantic, several US cities have streamlined the permitting process, and fostered commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy programmes. These programmes give commercial property owners loans to install onsite renewable energy or undergo energy efficiency upgrades, and enable them to pay back these loans over a number of years through property taxes.

Profitable investment
Many firms are investing in solar projects and buying their own solar panels for roof installation, because not only does it allow for massive economic savings on electricity bills, but it also contributes to the ever-elusive sustainable image that modern-day firms are looking to achieve.

For example, Google, which, with its energy-intensive data centres, should be contributing greatly to global carbon emissions, has managed to maintain its reputation as one of the greenest companies in the Fortune 500. As part of its corporate social responsibility policy, Google has been investing heavily in renewable energy technology. Earlier this year, the tech giant set up a $75m fund for the installation of solar panels in 3,000 homes in California, Colorado and Arizona, in addition to investing $168m in a major solar project in the Mojave Desert and a $94m investment in four other solar projects.

Google claims to have been carbon neutral since 2007 and has reduced emissions by nine percent since 2011. In actual terms, the firm is emitting less carbon per million dollars of revenue for the fourth year running (meaning its footprint is growing more slowly than the business itself). This is an attractive quality for those investors looking to invest in firms with sustainable and environmentally friendly policies.

“We urge other companies to follow Google’s lead in not only investing in clean energy but also participating in reporting, to ensure that greenhouse gas emissions across businesses remain transparent,” said Mark Kenber, CEO of the non-profit organisation, the Climate Group. “As research has shown before, there is obvious investor demand for consistency of carbon disclosure among businesses,” The Carbon Disclosure Project, an international organisation, reported that investors making up a combined $87trn in assets had called for over 5,000 public companies to report on their carbon emissions this year. So it’s worth considering that going solar and cutting down on carbon emissions might not only be a financially and environmentally sound investment, but also an essential one for firms looking to attract investors and capital.

Mexico brings in legislation to slice up Slim’s telecoms monopoly

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

Mexico’s government has finally signed into law a number of major telecoms sector reforms designed to force media magnate Carlos Slim to split up his vast América Móvil empire. The long-delayed anti-monopoly legislation requires dominant industry players with over 50 percent of the market to share infrastructure with rival players and lower their prices, while inhibiting them from entering a number of different markets.

“This reform will promote greater competition, more and better conditions, better coverage and service quality, as well as lower prices and costs,” said Mexico’s President Pena Nieto to government officials and major industry executives in Mexico City shortly after he signed the reforms into law.

If the reforms have the desired effect, the country’s telecoms industry could emerge transformed

The new laws bolster last year’s reforms, which likewise sought to strengthen competition in the market and curb Slim’s dominance. Previous reforms included the creation of the Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones, which was established to uphold telecoms regulation and healthy competition. However, on-going delays in signing additional reforms into law have left the organisation lacking in power.

América Móvil, a major corporate force on the world stage and Mexico’s largest mobile network operator, occupies approximately 70 percent of the nation’s mobile market and 60 percent of the fixed-line business. However, the corporation is being forced to concede some of its piece of the pie in an effort to avoid new regulations that could threaten its competitiveness.

It’s as yet unknown how exactly Slim will reduce his market share, though possible solutions include a major sell-off, or splitting select divisions into separate businesses. For example, the company could make its infrastructure and mobile business into separate entities and avoid costly regulations in the process.

If the reforms have the desired effect, the country’s telecoms industry could emerge transformed, paving the way for improved quality of service and more competitive consumer pricing. Competition, or lack thereof, is a major challenge for corporations in Mexico, and many will be hoping that other sectors follow suit.

Uganda’s female entrepreneur Moghe takes capital to new heights

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

After decades of civil strife and uncertainty, the East African region is emerging as a hot spot for business and investment. Uganda endured a challenging past that saw most of its economic infrastructure completely destroyed: but now the country is rebuilding with new confidence inspired by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who was instrumental in bringing peace and stability to a scarred nation.

And contrary to the norm, leading the new drive to economic recovery is a woman: Amina Hersi Moghe (MBS). She has turned around several multimillion-dollar projects that have dramatically changed the face of Kampala. What is even more surprising is that Moghe was able to do this during a particularly hard time for the global economy following the financial crisis.

[Mogue] has turned around several multimillion-dollar projects that have dramatically changed the face of Kampala

After completing a 40,000sq ft shopping mall and 164 luxury apartments in the heart of Kampala, Moghe is now working to kick-start a sugar-milling project that seeks to improve the welfare of over 600 rural women in Pacilo Parish, approximately 300km from Kampala. The sugar project aims to employ over 1,500 people directly with over 5,000 out growers. On this project, Moghe is working in partnership with the Gulu Women Entrepreneurs Association, whose aim is to develop the districts of Amuru, Atiak, Kamdin and Noya Districts in Northern Uganda.

The entrepreneur
Moghe started her journey in business at an early age and began sharpening her skills by running errands for her parents across the Kenya-Uganda border. Later, she decided to relocate and set up business in Kampala, where she opened a hardware shop. Today, Kingstone Hardware Store is one of the largest distributors of construction materials in the city.

After capturing the construction materials sector, Moghe diversified her business to real estate and began the construction of one of the biggest and most eye-catching malls in Kampala: the Oasis Shopping Mall, which houses Nakumatt (the leading supermarket in East Africa), banks, restaurants and retail shops.

Moghe’s investments in property have been getting bolder over the years. At the same time she was building the Oasis Shopping Mall, Moghe was constructing Laburnam Courts on Nakasero Road in Kampala: a top-end, luxury and fully serviced accommodation facility consisting of over 120 three, two and one bedroom apartments. These are now complete and fully occupied. Through the projects, Moghe has provided employment directly and indirectly to over 6,000 people – mostly women. In all her investments, Moghe ensures women are given equal opportunities and that they play an integral role in management.

Recognition for Moghe
Because of her industry and zeal to promote women in entrepreneurship, Moghe has won recognition and praise from local and regional business leaders. In 2008, she was named the Best Woman Investor by the Uganda Investment Authority for concurrently developing two landmark projects in Kampala: the Laburnum Apartments and the Oasis Mall. In 2012, she was awarded the Best Woman Entrepreneur by the Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Limited (UWEAL). In 2013, Moghe was awarded the Moran of the Burning Spear (MBS) by Kenya’s former President Mwai Kibaki for her zeal and determination in fostering regional business, which is the key driver of regional integration.

Moghe’s determination and unique ability to make things happen has endeared her to several African heads of state, who have personally visited her projects to witness first-hand the transformation and impact they have had on the city and its people. These include: His Excellency (HE) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda; HE Mwai Kibaki, former President of the Republic of Kenya; HE Joyce Banda, President of the Republic of Malawi; HE Rupiah Banda, former President of Zambia; HE Kalonzo Musyoka, former Vice President of the Republic of Kenya; and many dignitaries from the East African region and beyond.

These achievements are in spite of the fact Moghe had only a basic education; her family preferred introducing her to business at an early age and the community was not keen to advocate further education for a girl. Moghe acknowledges the importance of formal education and is involved in social responsibility work in girls’ schools in and around Kampala.

Changing Uganda’s urban lifestyle
Uganda’s capital city, Kampala, has seen massive transformations in the past few years. The most notable has been in the real estate sector, especially in the development of shopping malls. The transformation has not been in just the physical structures of the city, but also in the lifestyles of the fast expanding, upwardly mobile middle class. As the continent rapidly urbanises, malls are increasingly becoming central to the urban African lifestyle.

Just over five years ago, the Oasis Mall opened its doors to the public in Kampala and began the mall trend in Uganda. Though other malls have been sprouting up ever since, none have been able to match Oasis’s stature. Centrally located, just as you drive out of the busy central business district, the mall is a booming centre of activity for shoppers, business meetings, social lunches, people doing some banking and many other things, as the heavy city traffic eases away nearby.

With 13,200sq m of rented space, the Oasis Mall sits on four acres of land, making it one of the biggest shopping malls in the city. The mall ushered a new age in Ugandans’ shopping experience. It was not just about convenience – though shoppers could find everything from food to pharmaceuticals, clothes to electronics, banks to telecom providers, furniture to big screen movies under one roof – it became the place to be seen anytime of the day, and the place to try on new identities with a line up of multinational and regional brands housed there.

The most prominent store in the Oasis Shopping Mall is Nakumatt, which is East Africa’s biggest retail chain. It was the first to open a 24-hour supermarket in the country – a trend that is now catching on, with other retail stores specifically targeting the young urban dwellers who are otherwise occupied during the day. The mall is the social heart of the city, where the young and trendy – as well as the increasing number of expatriates working for multinationals and tourists – want to be spotted. The Hub offers just the place to be.

The Hub is an entertainment area in the mall that takes up two floors above Nakumatt. It is the only entertainment space in Uganda that fuses a cinema, a lounge, a bar and a library into one, giving everyone of every age group and hobby preferences something to indulge in.

The other centre of attraction is the food court, occupying a whole floor, where you will find families and food lovers indulging in their favourite cuisine. There are also several other restaurants open in different parts of the mall, while coffee lovers will find Café Javas on the terrace. The latter has become one of the city’s most popular coffee shops, being not only an important place for business meetings, but also the place to be for those who want to have a quick bite in a trendy environment.

Several local and international banks take up the rest of the terrace, along with telecom services providers, pharmacies and many other services. The banks found on the terrace include Equity Bank, KCB Uganda, Tropical Bank, Bank of Africa and Diamond Trust Bank.

Back inside the mall, there are different fashion shops, including Mr Price, Giovani, Indulgence, Bata, Arapapa, Kiddiez Closet and Peri Styles, offering shoppers a range of clothing from both internationally recognised designers and local African ones. There is also a range of renowned jewellers, opticians and cosmetic shops to choose from.

Background: Ugandan economic forecast

There has been a positive mood around Uganda since the announcement the country may join the league of oil producing countries following the discovery of oil deposits in the Albertine Graben. Though it may still be some time before any commercial oil activities start, there are good indications the economy is headed for better times.

The planned 60,000-barrels-per-day refinery will require an investment of $4bn and will be developed through a public-private partnership. This is driving investments throughout the economy. As a result, infrastructure projects in the transport and energy sectors are being implemented faster than expected, boosting domestic demand.

Analysts say there is still a lot of unexploited potential in the Ugandan economy and the activities surrounding the oil discoveries are seen as key to unlocking this potential in every sector. “Growth in real economic activity for the fiscal year 2014/15 is forecast to remain relatively strong, in the range of 6.0-6.5 percent, supported by public investment in infrastructure, domestic demand and the recovery in global economic activity,” says Deputy Central Bank Governor Louis Kasekende.

This is almost in line the World Bank prediction of six percent GDP growth. Besides improved agricultural output, the World Bank sees public investment and a more favourable manufacturing environment as key economic drivers.

In December, Kasekende announced the Bank of Uganda’s decision to retain the base lending rate at 11.50 percent in its continued effort to keep inflation at a moderate level. The Bank of Uganda has aggressively been trying to control inflation at a moderate level for the last few years. Headline year-on-year inflation slipped to 6.7 percent in the year to April, from 7.1 percent in the year to March. It has lingered steadily around seven percent since late last year.

Uganda has set itself the target of reaching middle-income status by 2020. Though there are still a significant number of Ugandans living in poverty, the country’s leadership still see this goal as achievable. The World Bank has already reported that the number of people in the country living in poverty declined to 24.5 percent in 2009/10. A 2011/12 Uganda National Household Survey (released in November 2013) indicated the poverty headcount ratio further declined to 22.0 percent; that means Uganda has already surpassed the 2015 Millennium Development Goal of halving the 56 percent poverty rate recorded in 1992/93.

Uganda’s population was estimated to be 35.4 million in mid-2013, with more than half of those people being under 30 years old. That young population has been the basis for massive investment interest from global giants such as Google and Samsung, who have recently found new and expanding markets in East Africa. The young population is expected to form the cornerstone of the economy in the not so distant future.

Blossom Bariatrics’ weight loss treatments impress clients globally

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

Las Vegas is a city known for its glittering lights, star entertainment and incredible dining, as well as one of the wedding capitals of the world. But there is another reason people travel to Las Vegas: it is now one of the top medical destinations.

Obesity is an overwhelming problem, but it is a condition that can be reversed. More people are finding their journey towards better health and more fulfilling lives begins at Blossom Bariatrics in Las Vegas. People travel from all over the US, Canada and internationally to see Thomas Umbach, MD for many reasons. Dr Umbach is passionately devoted to helping them regain a higher quality of life through overcoming obesity and keeping their weight off long-term.

Dr Umbach is a nationally recognised, board-certified and fellowship-trained bariatric surgeon. He’s been recognised as one of the nation’s top bariatric surgeons by Newsweek and Time magazine.

Blossom Bariatrics has been named The New Economy’s Best Healthcare Consultants in 2013 and 2014, and Best Medical Tourism Provider in 2012 and 2013. Dr Umbach was also named one of the best Weight Loss Management Physicians for 2011, 2012 and 2013 by the US Commerce Association.

“Bariatrics has always been my passion,” says Dr Umbach. “My practice is 100 percent devoted to helping obese clients achieve healthier lifestyles. It brings me great pleasure to see my clients shed their excess weight and enjoy the simple pleasures of life again – playing with their children or grandchildren, riding a roller coaster for the first time or dating.”

Dr Umbach offers his clients something they cannot get anywhere else: his personal cell phone number and an offer to call him anytime, day
or night

In addition to his experience, skill and surgical expertise, Dr Umbach offers his clients something they cannot get anywhere else: his personal cell phone number and an offer to call him anytime, day or night.

“I want my clients to be able to reach me 24/7 with any questions or concerns they have before surgery and for as long after surgery as they feel they need me,” Dr Umbach says. “Most of them are amazed when I hand them my cell phone number and even more amazed when I answer their calls and treat them as friends.”

Case study
Keith Doerksen of Morden, Manitoba, says he has lost about 150 pounds since he underwent vertical sleeve gastrectomy in January 2011. Doerksen reached out to Blossom Bariatrics after being rejected for a provincial pilot programme. He says his life has been transformed since he underwent a weight-loss surgical procedure that he paid for himself. Doerksen struggled with his weight since elementary school and tried many ways to shed the pounds. He weighed about 360 pounds before the surgery.

The weekend-long procedure reduced Doerksen’s stomach to the size of a banana. The smaller stomach limited the amount of food he could eat by making him feel full sooner. Doerksen was back on his feet within days, and started losing weight with exercise and a healthy diet. He started running and he even entered a relay. “That was amazing. A very proud moment,” he says. “I start running up hills just because. I take stairs to meetings.”

Dr Umbach offers his experience and expertise in gastric banding, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, gastric sleeve resection and revisional surgery. He uses special protocols to achieve exceptional pain control for his clients, which increases their comfort and helps them enjoy their Las Vegas experience even more. Visiting clients can relax and enjoy the warm, friendly atmosphere at Blossom Bariatrics. Dr Umbach and his entire care team take as much time as clients need to feel comfortable.

Patient care
Blossom Bariatrics is dedicated at all levels to care for the bariatric patient. This commitment includes an exclusive centre-of-excellence physician medical director, a Certified Bariatric Nurse coordinator, specialised operating room facilities, exclusive bariatric patient rooms, and a dedicated nursing staff.

Dr Umbach offers every client comprehensive pre- and post-surgical programmes. His pre-surgical programme is aimed at maximising client safety and increasing their chances for excellent surgical results. His post-surgical programmes include nutrition (Blossom Bites) and fitness (Blossom Bodies) counselling, support groups (Blossom Buddies) to help them adjust to life after bariatric surgery and psychological and emotional counselling (Blossom Beauty) to help empower them towards a better quality of life.

Dr Umbach - an expert on weight loss treatments - prides himself on his high level of patient care
Dr Umbach – an expert on weight loss treatments – prides himself on his high level of patient care

Preparation for weight loss surgery involves multiple steps. After the initial informational seminar, patients meet directly with Dr Umbach. At this comprehensive evaluation, each patient receives an individualised list of tasks to complete. Patients then meet with the clinic’s registered dieticians for an hour evaluation. Additional dietary education includes a three-hour class covering the basics of nutrition and successful eating habits.

Many of Dr Umbach’s out-of-state and foreign clients combine their surgical procedures with a fun-filled vacation in Las Vegas. Thanks to the advanced technology and surgical techniques used by Dr Umbach, most procedures do not require lengthy recovery periods. As a result, his bariatric surgery clients – especially those who travel from other states or countries – often celebrate the blossoming of their new lives by enjoying the exciting thrills of Las Vegas after surgery. Clients can experience some of the finest entertainment in the world with lavish performances by Cirque du Soleil, Celine Dion, Britney Spears and other world-class entertainers.

For further information contact (001) 702 463 33000

‘The woman who changed urban Uganda’ discusses country’s return to prosperity | Khadhar Investment | Video

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

Uganda, a country scarred by the memory of civil unrest, is now on the road to recovery, and has set itself the target of reaching middle-income status by 2020. One businesswoman who is at the helm of the country’s drive for development is Amina Hersi Moghe, from Khadhar Investment, who has been referred to as ‘the woman who changed urban Uganda’. The New Economy speaks to the entrepreneur to discuss Uganda’s economic situation, how Khadhar Investment intends to grow, and what the company is doing to support women.

The New Economy: Amina, Uganda has been fraught with turmoil so what would you say the economic situation on the ground is today?

Amina Hersi Moghe: We now have 28 years of NRM government, which has brought peace and stability. This has also attracted so many investments in the country, that people are doing business without any problems.

Even people who had left the country a long time ago have returned and are spear-heading developments

Even people who had left the country a long time ago have returned and are spear-heading developments to build the country back up.

The New Economy: What development challenges does the country still face, and how are these being addressed?

Amina Hersi Moghe: Social health is a problem, as is education and the infrastructure. The good thing is that it these elements are also being worked on by the government, who has already done a lot, but they are still now striving to do better, so this will be better for investments also.

The New Economy: You are known as the woman who changed urban Uganda; now that is quite a statement, what would you say your key contributions to the country were?

Amina Hersi Moghe: The big achievement is that I left Kenya in 1998 and started my cement distribution and transportation business. I was supported a lot by the people of Uganda who were my customers.

That has also helped me to go into other ventures when the opportunities have arisen, including the Oasis shopping mall and the luxury apartments that I have bought within the country.

The New Economy: How are businesswomen viewed in Uganda?

Amina Hersi Moghe: Because young girls in Uganda do not receive much education, they do not get involved with business. Therefore this is first of all, the biggest challenge.

The other issue is that women have difficulty getting financial credit. African women do not usually have financial securities for themselves; houses for example will be in the name of the husband. So those are challenges.

The New Economy: Have you personally experienced any issues during your career as an entrepreneur?

Amina Hersi Moghe: I faced challenges when I went to the financial institutions for funding: they thought that I couldn’t handle a large amount of money. I was so ambitious, I wanted to do two large projects, but the financial institutions felt I should do one to begin with and if that was successful, then embark on another. I think this is one of the main challenges for women, that people do not take us seriously.

I think this is one of the main challenges for women, that people do not take us seriously

The New Economy: How do you support women through your work?

Amina Hersi Moghe: I have a sugar production project, which involves working with Ugandan women through Entrepreneur Association Ltd. We identified around 600 women who are entrepreneurs from the north of Uganda, an area that has experienced a lot of civil war.

Those women now work with me, whereby I have given them part of my land, which will be as part of a case study. Rather than being in poverty, the women can empower themselves and increase their living standards.

I have placed 200 women for each 1,000 acres and I now provide the women with a credit facility, for them to have a start up.

The New Economy: How do you see Uganda developing in the future and how will Khadhar Investment be involved in this?

Amina Hersi Moghe: Now we can talk about the stability and the peace that the country does have. We are on the right path because of the president’s commitment to see that more investments are being brought to the country.

Once we have citizens who are healthy, skilled and educated, they will be able to move the economy. Also, investors will have people who are able to work for them, and this will attract more investors from abroad.

I have already done a lot of cover investments; I think I will be one of the people who will be championing these, showing that the country is very stable. We will be at the forefront, and later people will also see that we are serious and they will come on board.

The New Economy: Analysts have said that there is a lot of unexploited potential in Uganda, so where would you say the investment opportunities lie? 

Amina Hersi Moghe: Tourism. We also have oil; a production licence has already been given. So there will be a lot of opportunities whereby many hotels are needed, there will be more schools needed, as the oil industry brings a lot of other services and requirements for the area. We also have minerals in the country.

The New Economy: Finally, considering Uganda’s past with civil unrest, how safe is the country now for investments?

Amina Hersi Moghe: It is on the right track with peace and stability. The country is liberalised. You can get any foreign exchange that you like, so you can see that the country has potential and we are also very flexible.

The New Economy: Amina, thank you.

Amina Hersi Moghe: Thank you.

Google’s Project Loon explained

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

The internet is often likened to a global community, but two-thirds of the world’s population are without access: for those living in remote or developing countries, connectivity is often out of reach. We’re used to the idea that internet services can be provided through a wide range of technologies – telephone lines, television cables and fibre optics to name a few – but the idea of an internet connection through aerial or satellite sources still seems pretty far out. Nevertheless, some of the world’s more capable technology firms are already working on ways to hook us up via the stratosphere.

It’s an idea often met with scepticism – not least because of a number of failed projects in the 1990s, when the race for satellite-assisted connectivity really began. One notable case was the Motorola-backed Iridium, which filed for bankruptcy in 1999 having attracted $5bn in investment and delivered… well, very little actually. To work as planned, the system required a vast network of 66 satellites, the extraordinary cost of which caused the firm to default on its $1.5bn debt. To make matters worse, the company’s subscriber base was a paltry 10,000, which is unsurprising, considering the compatible handsets cost $3,000 and talktime as much as five dollars a minute.

Similarly, the Globalstar project, backed by Loral Corporation and Qualcomm, was plagued with delays and complications from its launch in 1991. Its eventual bankruptcy a decade later was the result of lavish spending and mounting debt.

Lifting me higher
Fast-forward to the present day, however, and efforts to conquer the stratosphere are far more convincing. Unsurprisingly, sitting at the head of the pack is Google, which last year announced Project Loon, a “balloon-powered internet for everyone”. Google’s inflatable, solar-powered balloon-like capsules use software algorithms to identify the specific atmospheric current they must travel in to deliver internet connectivity to a specific location. At 20km above the Earth’s surface, the balloons work together to form a global communications network, capable of connecting users via antennae.

Earlier this year, Google also announced it was acquiring Titan Aerospace. It’s hoped Titan’s solar-powered drones will lend a hand in expanding internet access to developing countries.

In March, Facebook announced its plans to increase global connectivity by using solar-powered drones, lasers, and low Earth orbit and geosynchronous satellites. The move follows the launch of Internet.org last year, a partnership between Facebook and various other technology firms that aims to bridge the connectivity gap for those in the developing world.

Sovereign objections
Although the intentions of both Google and Facebook are admirable, the two will no doubt come up against stiff opposition from governments who are unwilling to have their airspace intruded upon by Western-made machines. While the benefits of greater connectivity are plain to see, the prospect of having communications rest on foreign providers is enough to unsettle authorities to the point of non-compliance.

Regardless, many of those working towards the goal of greater connectivity believe internet access is a basic human right. For as long as enterprising firms such as Google and Facebook continue at this pace, the prospect of global connectivity looks increasingly likely.

Google’s Project Loon explained

01

The balloons draw power from the solar panels they carry and are controlled from ‘Loon Mission Control’, where staff can monitor position, altitude, ascent rate, pressure and other variables.

02

The balloons float 20km up. Here, the different layers of the Earth’s stratosphere move in well-defined directions: by moving up and down between these layers, the balloons can be kept in groups.

03

The balloons move in a chain around the world. As one leaves a particular spot, the next balloon takes over. This means ground users experience minimal disruption to their connection.

Google-Project-Loon
A diagram of Project Loon: maintaining a high bandwidth is difficult due to the great distances involved, but made possible because the Loon radios and antennae are designed to filter out any and all extraneous signals
04

Though the balloons are well above most air traffic, their controllers need to communicate with air traffic control during ascent and descent. Securing that cooperation could be a stumbling block.

05

Users on the ground will be hooked up to specialised antennae, which communicate with the balloons.
The circular shape of the antennae helps make up for the varying distance of the satellites.

06

The balloons pass information from the ground between each other, until the data reaches a balloon that is within range of a ground station and, through it, an internet service provider.