San Francisco Chronicle (December 30)
“With hospitals across California at capacity and COVID-19 cases skyrocketing, the state has become the epicenter of the nation’s latest coronavirus surge despite aggressive measures to restrict movement and save hospital space.” On Monday, California hit a new record of 66,811 fresh cases. “As of Wednesday, California reported 99.3 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people over the past seven days, far exceeding all other states.”
Tags: Aggressive, California, Capacity, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Epicenter, Hospital space, Hospitals, Movement, Skyrocketing, Surge
Billboard (August 17)
The UK music scene “may soon be unrecognizable because of the coronavirus pandemic, which has plunged the U.K. economy into its worst recession on record.” While socially-distanced live music has resumed, under a third of venues can meet the requirements and most “would lose too much money on these reduced-capacity shows for it to be economically feasible.” Music Venue Trust, a charity which represents 670 grassroots venues, estimates that “more than 400 across the country are in crisis.”
Tags: Capacity, Coronavirus, Crisis, Feasible, Grassroots, Live music, Pandemic, Recession, Socially-distanced, UK, Unrecognizable, Venues
Wall Street Journal (March 18)
“The batteries that power our modern world—from phones to drones to electric cars—will soon experience something not heard of in years: Their capacity to store electricity will jump by double-digit percentages, according to researchers, developers and manufacturers.”
Tags: Batteries, Capacity, Drones, Electricity, EVs, Manufacturers, Phones, Power
Nikkei Asian Review (November 24)
So-called slow trade, “in which global trade volumes grow more slowly than the world economy” and, for that matter, shipping capacity, is playing havoc with shipping companies. “With weak industry fundamentals likely to persist, the world’s shipping lines seem to be entering a war of attrition, with a focus on achieving economies of scale through acquisitions. It is a war in which further casualties seem inevitable.”
Tags: Capacity, Economies of scale, Global trade, Shipping, Slow trade
The Economist (September 22)
“There is an easy way out of the crisis in shipping. If enough lines scrapped their ships, the amount of spare capacity in the industry would fall.” But this is easier said than done. Few players want to scrap enough of their own capacity. “Until some serious scrapping takes place, do not be surprised if more shipping lines declare bankruptcy.”
The Economist (April 16)
“Across the developing world, solar power is hitting its stride.” In 2015, “global solar-energy capacity rose by 26% last year,” with China and India accounting for much of the gain. China displaced Germany in 2015 “to become the biggest producer of solar energy, benefiting from its dominance of solar-panel manufacturing and policies to reduce dependence on dirtier fuels, such as coal.” Not content to be left behind, India is also racing ahead with plans to increase solar installations twentyfold. “KPMG, a consultancy, expects solar’s share of India’s energy mix to rise to 12.5% by 2025.”
Tags: Capacity, China, Coal, Developing world, Energy mix, Germany, India, Manufacturing, Solar power
Financial Times (August 11)
Fears are growing of a meltdown in the aluminum market as Chinese output soars and, much like the oil market, supply outstrips demand. “China now accounts for more than half of global supply, up from 18 per cent in 2003 thanks to cheap power and the world’s most efficiently built smelters. Established producers from North America to Russia and the Middle East—facing the lowest prices since the financial crisis, reduced margins and profits—are anxious but do not want to cut capacity for fear of losing market share.”
Tags: Aluminum, Capacity, China, Fears, Margins, Market share, Meltdown, Middle East, North America, Oil, Output, Profits, Russia, Smelters
Business Green (April 18)
A new report from McKinsey “predicts solar power will be cost competitive with fossil fuels in hot countries within two to three years.” Capacity is likely to double within five years. The consulting firm’s report also predicts that costs will decrease 10% annually through 2020 when “costs could decline to $1 per watt peak (Wp) for a fully installed residential system.”
Tags: Capacity, Costs, Fossil fuels, McKinsey, Solar
Economist (January 13)
U.S. carmakers are bouncing back, but the Economist splashes cold water on the global outlook. Excess capacity will hamper profitability. “The car industry can produce 94m cars a year, against global demand of 64m. Unless that changes, it will never return to health.”
Tags: Automakers, Capacity, Demand
