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Showing posts with the label Demand

Cold coffee cannibalizing cold drinks

The price of coffee is set to reach a record high by 2018, which is why coffee shops are hoarding coffee beans to meet consumer demand. While sales of hot coffee fell by 3% due to rising summer temperatures, cold coffee market sales were up by 80% over the previous year. It takes about 0.2 kilograms of beans to brew a gallon of hot coffee, while cold coffee takes only a pound. Production shortages in Vietnam and Brazil along with crop issues in Colombia are likely to raise prices for coffee beans this year, further fueling the trend towards cold coffee. Will most consumers start to consume their coffee cold? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/cold-coffee-cannibalizing-cold-drinks/

Iran nurturing its wind energy sector

With the lifting of trade sanctions against Iran in July 2015, a surge in energy demand led to the development of the renewables sector. SUNA – the renewable energy organization of Iran – aims to attract private investment worth USD10 billion by 2018 and USD60 billion by 2025. Wind energy will be crucial to Iran. There are 15 operational wind farms at present with 100,000 Megawatts of potential capacity. Can Iran attract more investment into its growing wind energy sector? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/iran-nurturing-its-wind-energy-sector/

China’s ancient irrigation system under threat

One of China’s most recognized ancient oases – the Karez – is a construction marvel built by the Uyghur people. The water harvesting and underground transmission system called a Karez (which means well in the Uygur language) provides a sustainable water supply to some communities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Region (Xinjiang) as well as in some countries like Iraq, Iran and Kurdistan. The irrigation method carries glacial groundwater to the Turpan Basin from the eastern side of Tianshan Mountains. The water streams through a maze of underground tunnels to avoid evaporation. The water ultimately connects to more than one thousand wells. Although Turpan is the world’s largest producer of raisins due to the Karez, challenges remain. Silt accumulation and high demand for water from nearby factories threaten the water supply. Furthermore, with the site’s potential to become a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Chinese government has invested CNY45 million to protect it since 2009.

Education: Will the internet transform the way we learn?

With the global e-learning market expected to reach revenues of USD107 billion by 2015, education over the internet has become easily accessible. Demand for e-learning is growing rapidly, as a function of changes in the skills mix needed for cutting edge industries. Is the internet bound to change the way we learn? What is e-learning? Electronic learning or e-learning refers to computer-enhanced learning. The concept of e-learning evolved from the idea of computer-assisted instruction. A prominent example of computer-assisted instruction is the PLATO system – developed at the Urbana Campus at The University of Illinois since 1960. This system was further enhanced, leading to the emergence of content-based learning through software. The popularity of online education continues to soar due to population growth, the availability of e-learning platforms as well as increased global internet penetration. The number of internet users increased tenfold from 1999 to 2013. In the Asian

The Global Halal Food Market – Riding a wave of growth

Among global food product categories, Halal food is one of the few that is in the fast-growth stage. The global Halal food market is currently worth nearly USD700 billion – with 65 per cent of the demand coming from Asia. Opportunities abound – but how can companies best address them? Halal certification The literal meaning of the Arabic word ‘Halal’ is permissible. It is used in reference to food and drinks that are permissible for Muslims under Islamic Law, as defined in the Koran. It lays down instructions specifying what food can be consumed as well as the method of preparation, addressing mostly meat items and animal tissue. For example, the Islamic form of slaughtering animals involves killing by a cut to the windpipe, carotid artery and jugular vein. Muslim consumers now contribute to a growing demand for high quality and varied Halal food. The Halal certification is a concern for the 1.6 billion global Muslim population because many Muslims live in non-Muslim majority