May 5, 2022

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Shanghai Opens World-leading Superconducting Cable Operational

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The world’s first 35-kilovolt superconducting power cable was put into operation in Shanghai, making China among the global leaders in superconducting transmission applications. The high-capacity superconducting power line, which is so far the world’s longest superconducting cable transmission project with the largest transmission capacity, marks a major breakthrough in core technologies of China’s construction of a new power system.

Installed in the commercial area of Xuhui district, the 1.2-kilometre cable connects two 220 kV substations with a designed current capacity of 2,200 amps. This is also the first superconducting transmission project built by the centrally administered State Grid in the country.

The nation’s largest power provider by generating capacity, the superconducting cables-one of the most revolutionary cutting-edge technologies in the power sector-represent an innovative power transfer technology that has the potential to offer numerous benefits.

The transmission capacity of superconducting cables is much greater than that for conventional cables, but with much less transmission loss. It is also very suitable for power supply in high-load density areas, providing a new solution to the problem of power supply in high-load-density areas of megacities.

– Xie Wei, Chief Engineer, State Grid Shanghai Municipal Electrical Power Co.

One 35 kV superconducting cable transmission line can transmit the same amount of power as a traditional 220 kV power line and saves 70% of underground pipe gallery space. The transmission efficiency of the high-capacity superconducting power lines can provide reliable and stable power to megacity urban centres, he added.

Gan Zizhao, an academician from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said superconducting cables have always been an important way to solve issues of power supply to superlarge cities amid efforts to push forward power upgrade and transformation in the country.

With a temperature of -196 C, which is the temperature range required for liquid nitrogen liquefaction, the technology can greatly improve losses in power transmission due to a resistance of zero, said the company. The low-temperature superconducting cable project is one of the results of the strategic cooperation between State Grid and the Shanghai Municipal Government in the fields of science and technology.

Previously, Chinese scientists have developed the world’s first prototype of a superconducting hybrid power line, paving the way for the construction of a 2,000km (1,243-mile) line from energy-rich Xinjiang in the country’s far west to its eastern provinces.

The 10-metre, proof-of-concept wire and liquid natural gas hybrid transmission line was up and running at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Electrical Engineering in Beijing last month to show the feasibility of the technology. The line contains a superconducting wire which can transmit nearly 1,000 amps of electric current at more than 18,000 volts with zero resistance.

In a further difference from a traditional power line, the gap between the superconducting wire and the power line’s outer shell is filled by a flow of slowly moving natural gas liquefied at low temperatures – between minus 183 and minus 173 degrees Celsius (minus 279 to minus 297 Fahrenheit). This allows the line to transfer electricity and fossil fuel at the same time.

The superconductor and natural gas hybrid line offered a possible solution, Zhang said. The loss of electricity over the superconducting wire would be almost zero because of the elimination of resistance to the movement of electrons.

The transport of liquefied natural gas would also be efficient because one cubic metre (1,000 litres) of it would be equivalent to 600 cubic metres of the same fuel in gas form. The temperature needed for liquefaction of natural gas is almost identical to that required for the occurrence of superconductivity, at about minus 163 degrees.

Wang Gengchao, professor of physics at East China University of Science and Technology in Shanghai, said the combination was a smart idea. Superconducting materials are not new but their applications have been limited by the difficulty and cost of creating and maintaining a low-temperature environment.

E-commerce Firms, Driverless Vehicles Aid Shanghai Amid Lockdown

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With over 23 million residents, Shanghai is China’s most populous city and, indeed, is seen as one of the world’s most influential cities. However, that immense population places it in jeopardy as the virus continues to doggedly spread locally. The good news is that online-based businesses are coming to the rescue delivering needed goods in these most trying times and deploying the latest in digital technology.

E-commerce companies and delivery firms are upping the ante in replenishing stocks and expanding courier fleet in Shanghai as the city strives to make daily necessities more accessible to residents living under a coronavirus-induced lockdown.

Accordingly, a series of contingency measures have been put in place to ensure provision and supply chain under the premise of prevention and control of the virus. This is following the instructions of Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan during her inspection visit to Shanghai.

For instance, a local online services platform which normally delivers orders has dispatched additional 2,800 couriers in Shanghai to expedite delivery, said Senior Vice-President Xiao Shuixian during a recent regular media briefing on the updates of the situation. The company’s executive disclosed that their platform now supports community-based group purchasing, covering 1,000 neighbourhoods citywide, to meet the bulk-buying needs. By doing so, they enhance efficiency.

They have more than doubled daily orders in the past several days. Over 25,000 households have benefited from the service in obtaining necessities such as meat, eggs and dairy, said an executive of an online delivery firm.

An e-commerce giant is experiencing a similar spike in orders. However, it’s taking a more humanitarian approach by donating. It has donated fresh produce such as milk, meat and pastries worth 4 million yuan (US$ 628,700) to address the demand in Shanghai. Some 16 million units of rice, flour, and cooking oil are in place via the platform to ensure daily supplies for a month.

Priorities will be given to fresh produces provisions, as well as meat and seafood. The company will also replenish some 80,000 infant and maternal goods as well as 100,000 drugs to meet the needs of patients with chronic illnesses, a company leader pointed out.

The company is also fortifying its delivery arm to meet the fast-rising demand. To smoothen delivery, it is deploying 2,000 more couriers and will put to use “fifth-generation driverless vehicles” to accelerate delivery while minimising physical contacts.

These efforts are in answer to Vice Premier Sun’s calls of maintaining “a sense of urgency” to ensure a stable and smooth supply chain. Key levers will be to iron out logistics blockages during transportation and delivery and allow more enterprises and personnel offering basic supplies to resume business.

Accordingly, local authorities said Shanghai will be subdivided into three zones based on the latest COVID test results exposure risks-namely precautionary zone, controlled zone and lockdown zone.

Once again, digital technology has shown how much transformation it can inject into a crisis. By speeding up services, digital is giving people a better chance of fighting a global pandemic. This is also a testament to China’s unwavering commitment to driving its digital adoption forward. China’s growing economy is making it necessary for more Big Data investments all over the country.

Beijing looking for comprehensive and inclusive development and is looking to ensure its less-developed Western front gets the attention it needs. Plus, digital technology is also helping those other Chinese cities that are now in the new normal as reported on OpenGov Asia.

Inter-Ministerial Agreement to Foster Indigenous Telecom, ICT Tech in India

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The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to work together in the areas of telecommunications and information communication technologies (ICT) to boost indigenous technological design and development.

According to a press release, the MoU was inked at SemiconIndia 2022 and is expected to help the organisations leverage each other’s strengths in their respective tech domains. C-DOT and C-DAC have agreed to collaborate on activities in 4G/5G services, broadband, IoT/M2M, packet core, and computing. The two sides will also sign Specific Project Agreements as and when required to enumerate the specific roles and responsibilities.

C-DOT is a premier telecom research and development organisation under the Ministry of Communications. It conducts advanced research and developmental activities in narrowband and broadband switching and transmission networks, terrestrial radio systems, satellite systems, optical communication equipment, network protocols, advanced security solutions, and network management systems.

C-DAC is a leading institute for the design, development, and deployment of electronic and ICT technologies and applications for socio-economic advancement. It aims to expand the frontiers of ICT in the country, and evolve technology solutions, architectures, systems, and standards for India-specific problems. It rapidly and effectively spreads digital knowledge by overcoming language barriers through cutting-edge technologies, sharing IT experience and expertise, fostering digital inclusion, and utilising the intellectual property generated by converting it into business opportunities.

An official stated that C-DOT is keen on aligning its indigenous R&D endeavours with C-DAC’s to meet the overarching objectives of national development. Both C-DOT and C-DAC are leaders in their respective areas and this MoU will foster strong cooperation and develop state-of-the-art technologies. The agreement will strengthen and secure national networks, boost seamless connectivity, and deploy advanced tech-based applications to make India self-reliant. During the event, C-DOT and C-DAC reiterated their commitment to building indigenous capabilities for the digital transformation of the country.

Earlier this year, government officials announced that spectrum auctions will be conducted very soon, and next-generation 5G services are expected to commence before the end of the year. A survey from February claimed that India is the third-largest 5G smartphone market globally with 7% of worldwide 5G shipments, shipping 10 million units at an ASP (average selling point) of US$ 401 in the third quarter of 2021.

Last month, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) invited participants for the 5G Vertical Engagement and Partnership Programme (VEPP), which aims to foster strong collaborative partnerships across 5G use-case ecosystem stakeholders and address vertical industry needs. To multiply 5G opportunities in the field, the centre created an inter-ministerial committee that includes representatives from the ministries of electronics and information technology, science, agriculture, health, urban affairs, education, power, mines, commerce, ports, railways, heavy industries, road transport, and tourism. The committee will facilitate cooperative efforts across stakeholders.

As OpenGov Asia reported, VEPP targets industry verticals that have the potential to be testing/breeding grounds for innovative 5G use cases. Through expressions of interest, the programme intends to boost collaborations between user verticals and 5G tech stakeholders, including service providers, solution providers, and partner original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The government expects this to trigger a multiplier effect, which will tweak 5G digital solutions in economic verticals.

New R&D Hub Launched in Queensland

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The Queensland Government has launched the second of three regional science and innovation hubs in Gladstone. Under the government’s Partner Up Queensland Regional Science and Innovation Network, the hubs aim to provide people living in regional Queensland opportunities for skills development and establish local networks that will drive growth and development in the science sector and innovation economy throughout regional Queensland, jobs and the state’s economic recovery from COVID-19.

The Member for Gladstone and Minister for Regional Development and Manufacturing stated that the Central Queensland Hub will be led by CQUniversity and will be supported by the Inspiring Australia STEM hub network, the Gladstone Connects team, Gladstone Regional Council, Australia Pacific LNG, Rio Tinto, StartUp Gladstone, Boyne Island Environmental Education Centre and the Coastal Marine Ecosystem Research Centre.

The Minister noted that the hub will be led by local science and innovation champions within the community; it is about giving mentoring, networking and collaboration opportunities; the engagement of youth in the design, implementation, product pitching and entrepreneurship; and engagement with researchers, technologies experts, business and Indigenous mentors.

The Science Minister for Queensland stated that each regional hub will be provided with funding of up to $70,000 over 12 months to employ a regional coordinator to support events, activities and projects that encourage Queenslanders’ participation and awareness of science and innovation within their region.

In total, three regional hubs will be established – in Gladstone, Toowoomba and Cairns – that will enable individuals and community groups to participate in a range of STEM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and innovation-related activities.

The Science Minister stated that science and innovation are helping to drive the Queensland Government’s COVID-19 economic recovery plan – whether that’s through renewable energy, advanced manufacturing or our education and research sector.

Survey results from the 3M State of Science Index show that 9 in 10 Australians back more investment in science. These results indicate that during the pandemic, nearly two in three Australians thought that scientists and medical professionals are inspiring a new generation to pursue a science-based career.

Recent research commissioned by the Office of the Queensland Chief Scientist showed that 83% of Queenslanders believe science is critical for the Queensland economy. This is the reason the government is delivering these hubs, together with major investments like $20 million as part of our flagship Queensland Jobs fund to ramp up the development and manufacture of vaccines.

Queensland’s Innovation Minister stated the hubs would help to supercharge regional Queensland science and innovation. It was noted that for local entrepreneurs and business leaders, the hubs aim to deliver support and partnerships to identify and develop real-world opportunities. Whether it’s robots, hydrogen or medical technology, science and innovation will be critical to building regional Queensland’s industries and jobs of the future, the Innovation Minister added.

The Associate Vice-President for the CQU Gladstone Region welcomed the announcement and said that the campus-based at the Gladstone Marina was well-placed to deliver the initiative to the local community. He noted that CQUniversity Australia is a regional university with a national footprint and as a research institution is a benchmark leader in the field of university engagement with the community. The institution has developed strong relationships with industry and community and looks forward to leveraging this to develop and implement innovations that will benefit Gladstone and other areas in regional Queensland.

The Partner Up Queensland Regional Science and Innovation Network is a joint initiative of the Department of Environment and Science and the Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport. The network’s Central Queensland Hub launched at CQUniversity’s Gladstone Marina Campus on 3 May 2022. The Far North Queensland Hub will be launched at the Tropical Innovation Festival in Cairns in June 2022.

Taiwan Joins 60 Nations for Brighter Future with Internet

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A unified approach is stronger than a single entity acting on its own. Taiwan, just recently, joined a host of other nations led by the United States to agree on the use of the internet to advance mankind’s positive transformation. Specifically, Taiwan joined dozens of countries in signing a declaration led by the United States to promote a free and open internet. This is a call towards an open flow of knowledge and to counter uncalled-for harmful, undemocratic actions.

Thus, on behalf of Taiwan’s government, Minister without Portfolio Audrey Tang made the country’s resolve for a better internet known by signing the Declaration for the Future of the Internet, an initiative launched by the United States recently. The signing of the agreement happened in a ceremony virtually held at the White House. There were 60 countries that signed the agreement. Among these are Australia, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the European Commission.

Tang was affirmative of the call for a better internet. After the signing, she later took to social media to say that it remained an urgent task for democratic nations to build an internet environment where economic and social development is encouraged and democratic values and individual rights are protected. Thereby, Taiwan can contribute to the task up ahead as taken on by the declaration’s signatories, Tang added.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said the country’s participation in the initiative was the latest example of the close partnership between Taiwan and the U.S. and the U.S.’ support for Taiwan’s engagement in international affairs. Moreover, MOFA disclosed in its statement that Taiwan would continue working with like-minded countries to contribute to efforts to tackle global challenges.

Commenting on the declaration, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said in a separate statement that “the future of the internet is also the future of democracy, of humankind.”

Like-minded countries from all over the world are setting out a shared vision for the future of the internet, to make sure that the values we hold true offline are also protected online, to make the internet a safe place and trusted space for everyone, and to ensure that the internet serves our individual freedom.

– Ursula von der Leyen, President, European Commission

The White House detailed 60 countries have endorsed the declaration that aims to support a future for the Internet that is open, free, global, interoperable, reliable and secure and affirms our commitment to protecting and respecting human rights online and across the digital ecosystem.

Through this initiative, the U.S. and its partners will work to tackle what they described as “rising digital authoritarianism,” the statement said. This refers to some states that had acted to:

  • repress freedom of expression
  • censor independent news sites
  • interfere with elections
  • promote disinformation
  • deny their citizens other human rights

Signatories are committed to protecting human rights and the fundamental freedoms of all people while strengthening a multistakeholder approach to governance that keeps the internet running for the benefit of all. In addition, countries that backed the declaration agreed to promote a global internet that advances the free flow of information and trust in the global digital ecosystem, including through the protection of privacy.  They will also strive to advance inclusive and affordable connectivity so that all people can benefit from the digital economy.

Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency Launches New 5G EIG Centre

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Students of the Faculty of Engineering Electrical Engineering (Year 4) of the Srinakharinwirot University’s Ong Rak Campus can now visit, study and research at the newly launched 5G EIC centre. At the launch, staff welcomed students and showed them various aspects of the new centre including the test trial process as well as the innovation and development of 5G technology.

The 5G EIC Center was designed to be a learning, development, and testing centre focusing on 5G technology innovation. It aims to enable the sharing of experiences in innovation and testing experiments and seeks to document use cases that were developed in these experimental tests within the centre. The new centre also aims to enable the exchange of knowledge and experience with regards to applying technology in daily life as 5G technology will play an ever-increasing role in the future.

OpenGov Asia reported earlier that to move with the flow and maximise Thailand’s economic development with digital technology, the government is prioritising 5G as it sees opportunities and potential. It has committed to leveraging 5G for economic development and to increase its competitiveness on the world stage for Thailand.

Currently, the Ministry of Digital has accelerated the push to pilot the use of 5G technology in a total of nine projects spread widely across all regions of the country in various sectors including agriculture, health, industry, education, transportation and Smart City.

Government spending in Thailand increased to THB 417 billion in the third quarter of 2021 from THB 407 billion in the second quarter of 2021 showing an upward trend. Thailand’s IT spending is expected to grow 6.4% year-on-year to THB 871 billion in 2022 with strong growth in enterprise software, driven by continued hybrid work and remote services, according to research by a global research firm.

The projected IT spending growth for 2022, however, is still higher than the global growth of 5.5% with US$ 4.47 trillion in IT spending expected in 2022. To put it in context, worldwide IT spending in 2021 is expected to reach US$ 4.24 trillion, up 9.5% year on year.

Enterprise software is projected to see the highest growth of 14.8% to THB 61.3 billion in 2022, followed by IT services with a growth of 9.8% to 85.4 billion and devices with a growth of 9% to 220 billion. Communication service is expected to see the lowest growth of 3.8% next year but would maintain the largest IT spending segment in the country at THB 483 billion – about half of the total market.

Another report notes that the global 5G services market size is estimated to reach US$ 1.67 trillion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 52.0% from 2022 to 2030. The rapidly growing demand for ultra-reliable and low-latency data networks capable of providing enhanced mobile connectivity is estimated to boost the market growth over the forecast period.

The potential adoption of 5G services for remote patient monitoring and remote surgery applications is also anticipated to propel market growth from 2022 to 2030. The 5G wireless technology is expected to completely transform the transportation and logistics industry by providing seamless Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) connectivity.

As such, the need to ensure strong, seamless, and uninterrupted connectivity with autonomous vehicles is estimated to drive the adoption of 5G services. Furthermore, robust deployment of 5G network infrastructure is estimated to improve the operational efficiencies in several IoT use cases, including smart homes, smart cities, and industry 4.0.

Location-enabled Digital Technology: the Future of New Zealand’s Cities

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New Zealand is looking to location-enabled digital tech to ensure its cities are as sustainable as they have to be. Such an approach has been affirmed by NZTech Chief Executive Graeme Muller. As such, the industry leader detailed that location-based technology should change the way New Zealanders function in the future.

As cities like Tāmaki Makaurau, Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Ōtautahi, Tauranga, Ōtepoti  and Kirikiriroa expand, leaders are considering sustainability as a key driver, he said. Further, he explained that changing needs means cities have to be adaptable.

We are redefining what a city is and how we interact within it. With urban population growth, a pandemic, and a housing crisis to boot, it’s evident that our buildings, infrastructure, transport and resource management need to become more adaptable.

– Graeme Muller, Chief, NZTech 

This is where location-based digital technology features prominently. The rise in location-enabled techs such as augmented reality, space data and GeoAI could change the way we live in the future. Tech can play its part in building adaptable and sustainable cities. Knowing the country’s growing need to be sustainable, the government helped form an industry body called LocationtechNZ, an integral part of the NZTech Alliance umbrella.

The unique digital approach has been acknowledged as pivotal. Alison Mackie, executive director of LocationTechNZ, detailed that new location-based technologies like Wellington’s Digital Twins will be key to helping New Zealand towns big and small deal with problems like traffic congestion, resource management and air pollution. The Internet of Things is central to how Wellington’s digital counterpart functions as reported on OpenGov Asia.

Location-based digital technology will allow the cities in the world to meet rising challenges. By 2050, it is estimated that almost 70 per cent of the world’s population will live in cities, making the concept of sustainable communities an efficient resolution to the growing population.

The world is seeing people innovating with location-based technologies to help tackle challenges such as congestion and climate change. With an ever-increasing global population and rising urbanisation, creating safe, resilient and sustainable cities is right at the top of the agenda.

– Alison Mackie, Executive Director, LocationTechNZ

Mackie showed how location-based digital tech can make a difference. First, she detailed that sustainability in towns and cities includes ensuring community safety and security; maintaining a high quality of life for all residents, and establishing a robust economic and environmental framework for continued settlement.

She explained that there are examples around the world of digital tech creating faster, cleaner and more convenient commutes. In Israel, users enter their location and destination, and an algorithm calculates the most efficient journey. Public transport is then rerouted accordingly. The system was introduced to help fight COVID, but if implemented permanently it’s estimated to save US$ 25 million a year.

In New Zealand, location-based apps have been developed over the years designed to reduce congestion, enable carpooling and improve parking. In fact, Auckland recently ranked 9th in the 2021 Global Smart City Index and Wellington ranked 7th in the 2021 Global Safe City Index.

Locally-made E-jeepney Set to Boost Philippine Circular Economy

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Pee government statistics,  over 200,000 jeepneys are plying the roads of the Philippines, making them the foremost choice of public transportation. The name itself is derived from the smaller American army jeeps from which they’ve been initially modelled. Now, these numerous public rides are bound to get a drastic overhaul in terms of power consumption as locally-made electronic jeepneys are being introduced by the government to the Asian country’s general population.

As the world is focused on lowering carbon emissions prescribed in the Net-Zero 2050 Goals, the Philippine government is stepping up its plans to make a circular economy happen. Recently, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the country’s leading clean energy industry body Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP)  introduced the locally-made 23-seater electric jeepney (e-jeepney) via a demo run in Alabang, Muntinlupa.

As per government data, the e-jeepney was made by the engineers of EVAP, while the research and development, and prototyping were funded by the DOST for PHP 4.9 million (US$ 93,350.24). This has been confirmed by Enrico Paringit, Executive Director DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST PCIEERD).

Moreover, Paringit disclosed that the private sector is starting to use the technology.  A local brand, for instance, has already committed to adopting the technology and manufacturing the 23-seater jeepney. In addition, the government leader also calls on other manufacturers to become early adopters.

We urge our friends from the industry to work together in this journey towards energising the transport sector for the successful adoption of e-vehicles. We call on our partners in government and in the private sector to come up with creative support mechanisms, like financing and leasing, so that the manufacturing of the vehicle or its components could be more attractive for investors, and will eventually benefit the operators and drivers and the riding public.

– Fortunato de la Peña, Secretary, Department of Science and Transportation

Further, the DOST, said de la Peña, has been pushing for environment-friendly initiatives and alternatives to promote a much more sustainable economy. The goal can be a lot easier to reach with the use of electric vehicles. As the DOST leader detailed electrifying the country’s transportation sector is one of the ways the country can free itself from the skyrocketing prices of fossil fuel and protect our environment at the same time.

According to de la Peña, EVAP studied and developed battery charging and swapping systems using lithium-ion batteries, as well as a workable operations template that involves fleet operations and the collection of daily loan amortisation.

The e-jeepney has a lot of advantages when it comes to promoting a circular economy. For one, it features low-carbon electric vehicle technology and production standards. To make it all happen, however, standardisation of common parts and components is crucial to drive down costs, ensure safety and assure reliability, the industry leader detailed.

Paringit, meanwhile, acknowledged that the project would not be possible without the Filipino team assembling and supplying the e-vehicle parts and components. Having the e-jeepney would help reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels and improve the air quality in communities, he added.

Digital transformation is key in making a circular economy happen faster. Already, digitalisation has been crucial in allowing the country’s top tax-collecting bodies to function despite the pandemic. For instance, it has become the main driver of the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s success. The agency was able to post substantial numbers in spite of the fact that people are caught in a seemingly endless cycle of lockdowns.

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