Ed. Note: Mr. Jayaraj (below) continues his series on the energy situations of various countries and regions far removed from the U.S. (China, India, Japan, the Far East generally, the Middle East, Africa, Nigeria, The common denominator is the bedrock of oil, natural gas, and coal for affordability and reliability, with wind and solar investment being an appendage by government policy to appease climate activists.

The power demand in the country grew by 10 percent each year during the last one decade. Coal played a central role…. For Vietnam to surge ahead and sustain the hard-earned growth of the past decade, it must unequivocally support the growth and expansion of the fossil fuel sector, especially coal. (below)

“Vietnam” evokes an infamous place in history as a war zone.…

“Japan is the fifth largest energy consumer in the world (2019) and has the third highest electricity demand in Asia. Fossil fuels accounted for 70 percent of its electricity generation in 2019.”

“Dependency on wind and solar will not only be insufficient to meet Japan’s energy demand, but also will disrupt grid stability and raise energy prices steeply as has occurred in California and Germany.”

For many of us in Asia, Japan has set an economic standard that others strive to achieve. Besides, Japan is one of the active funders of developmental projects across the emerging countries in Asia.

I myself have worked on a Japanese funded railway corridor project in India, which will likely support both electric and diesel trains. But all that could be about to change.

Japan has announced that it will be moving away from fossil fuels and reducing its dependency on coal and oil for energy.…

“Given the receptive nature of the Middle Eastern countries to future oil and gas projects, oil giants from Europe are also planning to increase their investment in the region’s unceasing oil juggernaut.”

“The notion that the world is moving away from fossil fuels is incorrect, at least as per the production and consumption numbers of oil, gas, and coal worldwide. The Middle East scenario gives a better picture of where the future of oil is headed.”

On Earth Day, President Joe Biden was busy trying to persuade the ‘oil-guzzling’ countries to reduce their fossil-fuel dependency. But the great global oil juggernaut rolls on. Countries in the Middle East, especially, are optimistic about a coming decade of increasing oil and gas exports. 

Media Silence

In contrast to the anti-fossil fuel-oriented policies of the West, the Middle East remains very committed to their primary revenue resource: oil and gas.…

“Experts are unanimous that the increase in oil and gas production will play a critical role in the Nigerian economy’s recovery in 2021. Forecasts indicate that oil and gas production will continue to increase rapidly in the next two decades.”

“Nigeria’s current power generation is around 5,000 MW, while the ideal capacity would be around 30,000 MW. Nigeria plans to add six new coal plants by 2037. Together with 9 new additions of gas plants, this would provide an additional 11,163 MW of power.”

There have been reports that Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy, is shifting away from oil and gas and is looking to invest in renewables. Recent energy decisions and investments show otherwise. The country is placing its bet on fossil fuels.

Fossil Fuels: Key to Nigeria’s Energy Future

Only 45 percent of Nigerians have access to the national power grid.…