London Mayor Sadiq Khan Announces World’s First National Park City

16.08.2017

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has launched plans to turn his city into the world’s first National Park City and one of the greenest cities on Earth, including the creation of a £9 million fund to increase the cities’ trees and green infrastructure, and a proposal to build more green roofs, walls, and rain gardens.

Announced last week, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, launched plans that he hopes will make London the world’s greenest city by dramatically increasing the number of trees and green infrastructure, protecting the city’s Green Belt, and improving green spaces. The initiatives are all part of the Mayor’s draft Environment Strategy, which aims to tackle pollution, promote renewable and cleaner energy, and make more than 50% of London green by 2050.

Already home to more than 8 million trees, numerous parks and gardens, and increasing numbers of green roofs and walls, London is already relatively green, but Sadiq Khan wants to expand that level dramatically.

“London is home to outstanding green spaces that I want to protect, invest in and improve as we aim to become the world’s first National Park City,” Sadiq Khan said.

“We can also increase the amount of greenery in the city by installing many more green roofs and making our streets greener. From our famous Royal Parks, to our much-loved community gardens and urban nature reserves like Woodberry Wetlands, this ‘green infrastructure’ is a vital asset that improves air quality, boosts quality of life, conserves wildlife and attracts thousands of visitors.

“I’ve set out my plans to improve London’s environment by fighting pollution, tackling waste and promoting cleaner energy so we can make London a healthier city that adapts to the impacts of climate change. I want to hear your views and ideas about how we can make London the greenest city in the world.”

The Mayor will use city planning regulations to first of all protect London’s Green Belt — a ring of land that is designed to prevent urban sprawl by preventing what is deemed “inappropriate” development (see right) — a policy that is found throughout the UK. In addition to protecting the Green Belt, London will also seek to promote new green infrastructure development, including things like green roofs (roofs literally covered in grass and plants), green walls (building walls covered in plants), and rain gardens (small green spaces intended to prevent flooding), as well as more habitats for wildlife. The City of London will also fund the planting of thousands of trees and improvements to existing green spaces. To begin with, Mayor Khan announced a new £9 million Greener City Fund, which is already open to local groups to apply for £1 million to plant neighborhood trees and maintain green community areas.

Given that this is the world’s first attempt at making a National Park City, the Mayor will also seek to work with partners across London to set out criteria for exactly what a National Park City will look like, including:
 Protecting and increasing the amount of green space in the capital
 Increasing access to green spaces for Londoners of all ages, particularly in areas where there is currently a deficiency
 Increasing the quality of green spaces, ensuring they are well maintained and create healthy habitats for wildlife
 Valuing London green spaces, accounting for the health, environmental, social and economic benefits it brings to London.
Additionally, this is all gearing up towards launching London as a National Park City at an international summit in Spring of 2019, which are based on several key proposals that are aimed at helping the city reach this target date:
 Creating a ‘Challenge Map’ to highlight areas of London that should be priorities for green infrastructure investment as part of the Mayor’s target to make more than 50% of London green by 2050
 Setting up a Green Spaces Commission to work with environmental experts to help boroughs attract investment, and transform and preserve their parks and green spaces
 Developing a new ‘Urban Greening Factor’ to ensure that green roofs, green walls — walls which are covered in plants and grass often by busy road sides and help lower pollution, trees and rain gardens are incorporated into new developments in London. The Mayor will also use his planning powers to protect the Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land
 Targeting ‘grey’ areas to make them greener. With more Londoners living in flats and working in high rise offices, and with fewer people having access to private gardens, the Mayor wants to ensure more streets and public spaces become greener to improve health and encourage more walking and cycling.

“Making London a National Park City is an opportunity to improve the health of all Londoners,” added Daniel Raven Ellison, National Park City campaigner.

“One of our main goals is to make the majority of London physically green and we very much looking forward to working with the Mayor on this target. The capital is famous for being a financial, cultural and political centre, but it’s an ecological centre too, with an incredible 14,000 species of wildlife, 3.8 million gardens and nearly as many trees as people. I look forward to working with the Mayor through the National Park City Foundation which is galvanising a movement to turn this big vision for London into a reality.”

Source: cleantechnica.com

UK Set to Be ‘Self-Sufficient’ in Battery Recycling by Year End

16.08.2017

The UK could have its first two battery recycling facilities up and running by the end of the year after resource efficiency specialist Ecosurety and recycling expert Belmont announced plans this week to open a battery recycling plant near Glasgow in November.

The site would be able to recycle 20,000 tonnes of batteries every year – more than the UK’s entire annual waste battery supply – rendering the country “self-sufficient” in battery disposal before Brexit takes effect in 2019, the two firms said.

Based at Belmont’s Kilwinning site, the facility will handle all types of batteries, from small household alkaline batteries to industrial lithium units.

It is set to be only the second battery recycling facility in the UK, with the country’s first due to open next month in Yorkshire. Run by WasteCare and BatteryBack, the Yorkshire site also promises to be able to process the UK’s entire annual supply of waste alkaline and lithium batteries.

At the moment most of the UK’s waste batteries are shipped to France and Belgium for processing.

Ecosurety claims processing batteries in the UK instead could dramatically cut the UK’s waste export bill and in turn reduce costs for battery producers, which are often compelled to contribute to export costs.

“This partnership means the UK could potentially stop sending batteries abroad for recycling, reducing the additional environmental impacts of shipping tens of thousands of tonnes of potentially hazardous waste across the sea to Northern Europe every year,” Damian Lambkin, head of innovation at Ecosurety, said in a statement.

“It is also a big win for producers who will not have to cover the additional cost burdens of sending spent batteries overseas. This is proof that the UK waste and recycling industry can find its own innovative solutions to our waste resourcing issues through partnership working.”

Source: businessgreen.com

Sun-Powered Shopping: Syzygy and Landsec Deck Out Leeds Mall with PV Panels

16.08.2017

A shopping centre in Leeds is now home to the largest solar installation of its kind in the UK, thanks to a partnership between its owners Landsec and clean energy consultancy Syzygy.

The two firms teamed up to install 2,900 solar PV panels on the roof of the White Rose shopping centre in Leeds to create the largest solar installation at a retail site in the UK.

Unveiled today, the system is expected to meet almost 40 per cent of the shopping centre’s daytime electricity demand in the mall areas. It will also save 250 tonnes of carbon emissions each year for Landsec – the property giant formerly known as Land Securities – the equivalent of more than half a million miles of passenger car emissions.

“We are extremely proud to have set a UK-wide benchmark for renewable electricity,” Scott Parsons, managing director at Retail Landsec, said in a statement.

“Landsec is committed to setting and achieving sustainability targets and this is a fantastic example of how innovate thinking can benefit both retailers and the environment’.”

Landsec is the UK’s largest listed commercial property company, with 23.2 million square foot of retail space and a property portfolio worth more than £14bn, including 20 Fenchurch Street – the ‘Walkie Talkie’ tower – and the Piccadilly lights.

Currently nine of its assets have PV installations and last year the firm switched to using 100 per cent renewable electricity as part of a company-wide sustainability push.

The firm also secured approval for its emissions reduction targets from the Science-Based Targets Initiative earlier this year, after pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 per cent per square metre by 2030, against a 2014 base-year.

Source: businessgreen.com

GE Pumped Hydro Project to Increase Israel’s Energy Resiliency

15.08.2017

GE Renewable Energy has won a contract to supply and build the 344 MW Kokhav Hayarden hydro pumped storage station in Israel.

The plant is deemed key to stabilizing the Israeli power grid.

The turnkey contract was secured with Israeli utility Star Pumped Storage, and GE will design, manufacture, supply, and install all the necessary electro-mechanical and hydro-mechanical equipment for the plant. GE will also complete a balance of plant for the two 172 MW pumped-storage units, as well as provide 20 years of operation and maintenance for the project.

The project is expected to take four and a half years, involves the construction of two reservoirs, and is expected to be commissioned in 2021.

This stability will be further boosted by the neighboring Gilboa hydro power plant that GE is also building — a 300 MW project which is expected to be commissioned next year, entering service as Israel’s first ever pumped storage power station.

“Hydro pumped storage enables the integration of new renewable and intermittent energies to the grid,” said Yves Rannou, President & CEO of GE’s Hydro Solutions. “In Israel, where solar energy is booming, hydro pumped storage plants are critical to securing the stability of the grid. We are committed to providing world class technology and supporting our customer in operating the plant at its optimal level through its first 20 years of operation.”

Source: powerengineeringint.com

More Canadian Hydroelectric Power Imports Could Be Coming to U.S. Following DOE Report on Northern Pass

15.08.2017

The U.S. Department of Energy has issued a final environmental impact statement for the Northern Pass, calling the proposed transmission line the “preferred alternative” for connecting the northeastern United States to Canadian hydroelectric power.

The line has been controversial throughout its development, with opponents arguing that the line will have a negative impact on property values, the environment and the region’s burgeoning eco-tourism industry.

However, the project’s developer, Northern Pass LLC, said the 192-mile long transmission line will allow New Hampshire and the New England region to tap into 1,090 MW of Hydro-Quebec power, lowering what are, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data, utility rates more than 50% of the national average.

The report issued by DOE, available for viewing online here, was prepared under terms of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and is a collaboration between DOE, the U.S. Forest Service, White Mountain National Forest, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning, amongst others, in addition to multiple rounds of public and stakeholder input.

Details included in the study represent a number of positives for the region, including:
-A reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 9% per year;
-The creation of nearly 6,750 jobs during construction and more than 900 permanent jobs;
-More than $730 million in economic stimulus through the project’s construction; and
-An increase of nearly $40 million in statewide property taxes in New Hampshire upon completion.

The document also notes that the line will have a “low” to “very low” impact on New England’s scenery, that it will not create any “population-level effects” on protected species, that there are no health risks from electromagnetic fields, and that noise levels associated with its operation fall below EPA guidance levels.

Per DOE, the proposed action is to now “issue a Presidential permit” to Northern Pass LLC for the construction, operation, maintenance and connection of the transmission line.

However, Northern Pass LLC must still clear a number of regulatory hurdles in securing the federal permits required for its construction, including DOE’s own Presidential permit, special use permits from the Forest Service, and Section 404 permitting from USACE.

The developer said it expects to complete the permitting process by the end of this year, with service to begin by the end of the decade.

The Northern Pass is one of several notable cross-border transmission lines being discussed in the northeastern U.S. Also notable is the New England Power Link. Proposed by Champlain VT LLC, the project was approved by the Vermont PUblic Service Board in January 2016. If constructed, the line would allow for the transmission of about 1,000 MW of Canadian hydroelectric power.

Source: hydroworld.com

Europe Must Triple Offshore Wind Growth Rate To Bring Paris Goals Within Reach

15.08.2017

Vetroelektrana — Photo-ilustration: Pixabay

If Europe is to fall in line with the Paris Climate Agreement intention of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the region must significantly increase its rate of growth for offshore wind development, tripling it at the very least.

These are the primary conclusions published by Michiel Müller from leading international energy and climate consultancy, Ecofys, who penned an article for Energy Post last week explaining that “Europe will need a fully decarbonized electricity supply by 2045” and that “Renewables are essential to making this happen,” specifically, Müller argued that “offshore wind from the North Seas region will be pivotal for realising a 100% decarbonised electricity supply in less than 30 years.”

Müller’s argument is based on research done between Ecofys and its parent company, Navigant, which looked at offshore wind generation in the North Sea for the ten countries surrounding the North Sea — France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Specifically, a white paper published in March by Ecofys and Navigant concluded that 15% of the North Sea region’s total electricity demand could be supplied by offshore wind energy by 2030. This integrated ‘North Sea Grid’ is believed to be the only way to achieve the growth necessary to help meet the Paris Climate Agreement targets.

The research from Ecofys and Navigant determined that the total available onshore generation from various renewable energy sources — wind, solar, bio, hydro, and a little bit of nuclear — would only be able to provide up to 55% of the required capacity to meet the Paris Agreement targets. This leaves 45% needed to be covered by offshore wind, which translates into approximately 230 GW (gigawatts) — 180 GW generated in the North Sea, and the remaining 50 GW in other seas such as the Baltic and Irish Seas, as well as the Atlantic Ocean.

There is currently only 13 GW worth of offshore installed in the region, requiring a massive turning of the screws to increase the rate of delivery. Ecofys and Navigant explains that the installation rate would have to triple from the current 3 GW a year to approximately 10 GW a year.

But, as has been pointed out repeatedly this year, this sort of growth cannot be achieved by one nation alone, and requires national collaboration, coordination, and interconnectivity between North Sea nations. Interestingly, a report published in July by the World Energy Council (WEC) Netherlands posited a similar solution, explaining that the North Sea must play a crucial role in the energy transition ahead for northwestern Europe — a transition which could result in between €100 billion and €200 billion in economic value for neighboring regions in the transition away from fossil fuels.

“The opportunities and diversity thereof in the North Sea are huge,” said Jeroen van Hoof, the chair of WEC Netherlands. “The Energy Transformation in the North Sea creates new industries. We can benefit from huge economic advantages by installing large wind farms. Also, a co-ordinated removal and smart re-use of former oil and gas assets can generate new economic activities. The potential is significant.”

The main point from all that has been published this year regarding the North Sea’s potential, however, is the desperate need for cooperation and interconnectivity between the North Sea’s bordering coutnries. As Müller concludes in his Energy Post article, before the demand for interconnection “can be addressed on the technical level, it will be the collaborative connection between the involved countries and public and private stakeholders that counts.”

“Developing a long-term spatial planning strategy and a robust 2045 roadmap for flexibility options will be two of the key steps to meeting the Paris goals. Joint strategic planning will secure operational security during and beyond the energy transition.”

Source: cleantechnica.com

Colorado Co-Op To Develop Country’s Largest Low-Income Community Solar Project

15.08.2017

Solarni paneli — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

A partnership between the Colorado Energy Office, GRID Alternatives, and the Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association will work to develop the United States’ largest low-income community solar project aimed at lowering the electricity bills of qualifying low-income residents, affordable housing providers, and nonprofit organizations.

Announced last week, the 1.95 MW (megawatt) Coyote Ridge Community Solar Farm will serve as a large demonstration of the role that solar energy can take in reducing electricity bills for low-income earners — deemed as those who must spend 4% or more of their income on utility bills. Coyote Ridge — a project being developed under a partnership of the Colorado Energy Office (CEO), GRID Alternatives (GRID), and Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA) — will also seek to demonstrate “complex financial modelling, a mix of low-income and community benefit subscribers, and unique location siting.”

“PVREA’s Coyote Ridge Community Solar Farm is a thoughtful demonstration of tailoring the low-income community solar model to broaden access and subscriber benefits,” explained Kathleen Staks, Executive Director of the Colorado Energy Office. “This project further conveys scalability to meet local community needs, an objective of our statewide initiative. CEO supports the expansion of a co-op’s ability to bring more projects like these online.”

Coyote Ridge is the seventh project to benefit from a $1.2 million grant made by the Colorado Energy Office to GRID Alternatives back in August of 2015 for the express purpose of partnering with utilities to implement low-income community solar projects. Set to be developed south of Larimer County Landfill near Fort Collins, in northern Colorado, Coyote Ridge is part of a larger statewide initiative designed to demonstrate how solar energy can reduce the energy costs for utilities’ highest-need customers.

“The benefits of this project ripple throughout the community,“ said Chuck Watkins, Executive Director of GRID Alternatives Colorado. “Not only are we increasing access to renewables and lowering energy costs for high-burden individuals and community institutions, the project is also providing over a thousand hours of job training in solar installation, preparing people for long-term careers in the field.”

”Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association is pleased to partner with GRID Alternatives and the Colorado Energy Office on a solar project to benefit cooperative members who have desired to participate in solar energy but have been unable,” added PVREA President and CEO Jeff Wadsworth. “The Coyote Ridge Community Solar Farm exhibits the cooperative nature of our local electric co-op — it brings all of our members together by providing an opportunity to participate in the construction and energy output of the solar farm.”

Coming up today, August 15, PVREA and GRID Alternatives are hosting a Coyote Ridge Community Solar Farm Celebration Event at the Larimer County Landfill (which I assume will be more appealing than it sounds). Additionally, the community solar project is welcome to pretty much anyone volunteering to participate in the construction of the Coyote Ridge solar project.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Greencoat Snaps Up Latest UK Wind Farms

15.08.2017

British renewables investor Greencoat UK Wind is set to add 90MW of capacity to its portfolio following a deal to buy two wind farms from JP Morgan Asset Management for a total of £105m.

Greencoat announced yesterday it has struck deals to buy the 60MW North Hoyle offshore wind farm, located off the coast near Liverpool, and the 30MW onshore wind farm Slieve Divena, which is located in Northern Ireland.

Both developments receive subsidy under the Renewables Obligation Certificate scheme.

The addition of the two projects will take Greencoat UK Wind’s net generating capacity to 547MW, with the deal expected to close later this month.

In addition, the firm’s solar investment arm now manages around 180MW of solar capacity, as of March 31 2017.

Last month Greencoat Renewables launched its first share issue, releasing €270m to fund the expansion of its wind portfolio.

Source: businessgreen.com

Diesel Car Sale Forecasts Tail Off Amid Air Pollution Fears

14.08.2017

Zagađenje, Auspuh, Automobil — Photo: Pixabay

Diesel car sales are set to see their market share eroded over the next two years as public concern over air pollution continues to mount, the latest industry forecasts suggest.

New car sales increased by 2.3 per cent last year compared to 2015, but are conversely expected to show a year-on-year decline of 3.7 per cent by the end of 2017, according to figures released late last week by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Diesels are set to make up 43.2 per cent of annual demand this year, which is down from 47.7 per cent in 2016 and 50.8 per cent in 2012.

Moreover, SMMT expects market penetration of new diesel cars to further slump to 42.4 per cent next year, demonstrating a slowdown in demand as fears grow over air pollution from roadside transport.

Last month the government unveiled the first part of its strategy for tackling levels of air pollution which breach EU legal limits in many areas of the country. The plan focused largely on road transport, with proposals to consult over introducing a scrappage scheme to encourage consumers away from high polluting diesel cars.

The strategy also raises the prospect of charging schemes being introduced in some urban areas for diesel drivers, although the government insisted alternative approaches for curbing pollution would have to be tried first.

The government’s own modelling has suggested charging schemes wouold represent the most effectvie way of reducing air pollution levels. Meanwhile, London is expected to introduce a Toxicity charge for the most polluting diesel vehicles this autumn.

Industry insiders have conceded that the wave of policy measures, coupled with the fallout from the ‘dieselgate’ scandal, has hit demand for new diesels.

Meanwhile, although SMMT does not provide forecast data for new electric and low carbon vehicles at present, contemporary market figures for sales of ultra low emission cars over the past few years show that, although still only representing a small fraction of the market, sales are beginning to surge.

SMMT figures for June showed sales of alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFV) reached a record market share of 4.4 per cent despite a drop in overall car sales, while the market share for diesel cars simultaneously fell to 43.7 per cent. Sales of electric and hybrid cars in particular grew 33.1 per cent in May compared to the same month last year.

The figures come alongside research by car dealing website Auto Trader showing fears over the impact of diesel vehicles on air quality may have stymied interest in purchasing these cars online, with 56 per cent of fuel type searches on the website for diesels in June compared to 71 per cent in November 2016.

The results came alongside a “significant spike” in searches for alternatively fuelled cars after the government announced plans to ban new petrol and diesel cars from 2040 last month, according to Karolina Edwards-Smajda, Auto Trader’s retailer and consumer product director.

“Given the level of coverage it’s not surprising there has been a decline in searches, but despite the ongoing negative rhetoric the impact on diesel has been fairly limited up to this point,” she said.

Elsewhere, figures for new bus and coach registrations released today by SMMT show a decline in sales during the second quarter of 2017, leading the trade body’s chief executive Mike Hawes to urge local authorities and bus companies to turn their attention towards low emission buses as they attempt to improve urban air quality.

“Having experienced a sustained period of significant growth, it’s natural to see the market level out to steadier levels,” Hawes said of the bus and coach market. “However, with buses so prevalent in our towns and cities, encouraging the uptake of the latest low emission Euro VI diesels and hybrids, as well as zero emission electric buses, will be vital to improving local air quality.”

Source: businessgreen.com

WPPI Energy to Buy Electricity from Illinois Wind Farm

14.08.2017

wind-turbin-vetroturbina — Photo illustration: Pixabay

Sun Prairie-based power company WPPI Energy says it will purchase all the electricity generated from a proposed Illinois wind farm for the next 22 years.

Chicago-based renewable energy developer Invenergy plans to build the 53-turbine Bishop Hill 3 wind farm, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. It will be able to generate up to 132 megawatts of power in ideal conditions — enough to power as many as 53,000 businesses and homes.

WPPI spokeswoman Anne Rodriguez said the company anticipates the facility would operate at about 50 megawatts on average. Invenergy spokeswoman Mary Ryan said the maximum output will be limited to 119 megawatts because of transmission connection agreements.

“This agreement provides WPPI Energy with a highly cost-effective resource that will more than double the amount of wind energy in our power supply portfolio,” said Mike Peters, WPPI Energy CEO and president.

Ryan said construction on the project is set to begin in the next few months with commercial operations to start by mid-2018. Bishop Hill 3 will be built in northwest Illinois’ Henry County, close to the Bishop Hill 1 and 2 wind farms.

The project’s cost and the financial terms of the WPPI agreement, which runs through mid-2040, weren’t disclosed. WPPI is a nonprofit regional power company serving 51 locally owned electric companies in three states.

Source: nhregister.com

Kwara to Deploy Solar Energy to Villages

14.08.2017

solar-panels — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Kwara State government is to deploy solar energy systems to villages, small scale businesses and key government establishments to boost electricity supply and enhance economy activities in the state.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who disclosed this when he received National President, Licensed Electrical Contractors Association of Nigeria, Otunba Dele Akintola, at Government House, Ilorin, weekend, said the move would provide alternative source of energy supply to critical sectors, instead of waiting endlessly for energy supply through the current hydro-thermal energy source.

He said: “Those to benefit from the proposed solar energy systems include water corporation, hospitals, villages, small businesses and isolated critical government areas.

“Energy is the most important ingredient and determinant of economic growth and development of any country in the world.”

The governor also pointed out that Nigeria was lagging behind in its energy supply needed for industrialization, adding that explained the reason was taking the giant stride.

Ahmed noted that already, the first phase of Light up Kwara was ongoing, with streets light across major roads within Ilorin metropolis.

He promised to extend the solar powered streets light to other towns in the second phase of the project.

Speaking earlier, National President, Licensed Electrical Contractors Association of Nigeria, Otunba Dele Akintola, said he was at Government House to acquit the governor with the readiness of some investors to build solar power stations in the state.

He appealed to Governor Ahmed to consider the proposal and provide 250 hectares of land for the project, saying the project would create employment opportunities for teeming youths and boost the state’s economy.

Akintola added that the United Nations was supportive of states or countries investing in the reduction of environmental pollution and appealed to the governor to buy into the proposal.

Source: vanguardngr.com

Norway’s Arctic Oil & Gas Exploration Plans Stand In The Way Of Achieving Paris Climate Goals, Report Argues

14.08.2017

climate - change — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

While Norway has something of a reputation internationally as being “progressive” and “green,” the country’s well fed economy and society is largely the result of a highly productive fossil fuel extraction industry.

In other words, the relatively aggressive electric vehicle incentives on offer there are possible mostly because of the wealth provided by the country’s oil industry. The country’s extensive hydroelectric capacity helps as well … as does the lack of a local auto industry with lobbyists to appease.

While the low population figures for the country and the easy access to cheap oceanic shipping don’t allow for the country to be a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, the reality remains that its state-owned oil and gas industries are a major indirect contributor.

To put that another way, while Norway doesn’t emit anything close to the greenhouse gases much larger countries — such as the USA, Germany, China, Russia, etc. — do, it is one of the largest fossil fuel exporters in the world.

This is a reality that its government seems intent on maintaining, going by its oil and gas exploration plans for the Arctic. This seeming disparity between a stated intent to achieve the goals of the Paris Climate Change Agreement and actual actions and plans is the subject of a new report from Oil Change International.

The report argues that the vast quantity of greenhouse gas emissions that would inevitably accompany continued Arctic oil and gas exploration would undermine plans to limit anthropogenic climate warming to under 2° Celsius.

The Guardian provides more: “The research says 12 gigatonnes of carbon could be added by exploration sites in the Barents Sea and elsewhere over the next 50 years, which is 1.5 times more than the Norwegian fields currently being tapped or under construction.

“The report highlights the ‘cognitive dissonance’ between Norway’s progressive domestic measures to comply with the Paris agreement on emissions cuts and its role as Europe’s biggest exporter of fossil fuels. Climate campaigners say this is like trying to put the brakes on climate change at home while stomping your foot on the global gas pedal.

“Norway has proposed a record number of 93 blocks for oil and gas exploration in the Barents Sea this year, according to the report. Instead of adding new fossil fuel fields, it says Norway should reassert its environmental credentials by relying on existing production.”

The report argues that if a country as wealthy as Norway refuses to leave carbon in the ground, then why would poorer nations (which stand to benefit from it even more)? Which is a good question: If even rich countries aren’t willing to back away from the prospect of “easy” money, then why would anyone else?

The Guardian continues: “The government says such accusations are unfair because they run against the convention at international climate talks for the responsibility for emissions to lie with consumers rather than producers. In this regard — of purely domestic carbon use — it is doing better than most nations because it gets 97% of its electricity from renewable sources, has a high carbon tax, is a leader in promotion of electric vehicles, and is pioneering carbon capture and storage at waste plants and cement factories.” That’s a very misleading statement in my opinion. The renewables in question are hydroelectric and have been in use since well before greenhouse gas emissions were even a topic of discussion. In other words, nothing needed to be done to “achieve” that.

“It also notes that oil and gas output is flat, it is unrealistic to assume that all exploration will be successful and the trend for overall production is away from carbon-heavy oil and towards cleaner gas, which is important as a ‘transition fuel’ for countries that are trying to move away from coal. Officials point out that without Norway’s gas the UK would be far further behind in meeting its climate goals.”

As argued by Norway’s deputy minister for petroleum and energy Ingvil Smines Tybring-Gjedde: “We are part of the solution, not the problem. This government is investing more in renewables and energy efficiency than any other. But renewables are not yet at a level where we can switch off oil and gas. We need a bridge.”

The issue with that statement, of course, is that whether we “need a bridge” or not doesn’t matter. If catastrophic climate warming is to be avoided, then much of the world’s remaining fossil fuel reserves will need to stay in the ground. That’s what matters.

Interestingly, a recent survey in Norway found that around 44% of respondents would support a managed decline of oil and gas production. Not a majority of the population, in other words, which isn’t surprising since around 40% of Norway’s export earnings come from its fossil fuel industry.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Palm Oil Free Certification Programme Launches in UK and Australia

14.08.2017

A major new certification programme has launched with a view to validating consumer goods products that make no use of palm oil.

Unveiled to coincide with this week’s World Orang-utan Day, the new labelling scheme is now in operation in Australia and the UK following approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), IP Australia, and IPO UK. A further 14 nations are said to have applications pending to introduce the label in their markets.

Dubbed the Palm Oil Free Certification Accreditation Programme (POFCAP), the initiative has been set up by a group of women who have years of experience campaigning to address the environmental issues created by palm oil production.

Soaring global demand for palm oil from consumer goods companies has been widely blamed for fuelling deforestation and biodiversity loss in large parts of Asia.

A number of initiatives have been introduced to provide sustainable certified palm oil, but POFCAP said that despite some improvements efforts to tackle palm oil-related deforestation had experiences “a slow and arduous for many complex reasons”.

“After a decade of work, only 17 per cent of all palm oil used can be classed as ‘non-conflict’ however many millions of hectares of rainforest have undoubtedly been saved by their efforts,” the group added.

The group said the new label – which features a young orang-utan called Jabrick who was a victim of deforestation – would assure consumers that products contained no palm oil.

Australia-based eco cleaning products company Clean Conscience has become the first firm to carry the label, and POFCAP said it was working with a host of other companies on certification.

“Members of the POFCAP team have been involved with researching and educating people on Palm Oil production for a long time and have been increasingly inundated with people asking where or how they could buy Palm Oil free products,” said spokesperson Bev Luff. “With no fully certified Palm Oil free Accreditation Program or Trademark in existence globally we decided the only way forward was to create one.”

The group said the certification scheme would be based on extensive research that will explore and trace all potential palm oil and palm oil derivative ingredients of a product back to their source utilising a number of trusted methods until a definitive answer on its origin is found.

“POFCAP does not certify a product solely on a ‘palm oil free’ statement from an ingredient manufacturer as experience and research has shown this method does not always produce correct results,” the group said.

Source: businessgreen.com

Ratings Agency Says India Needs To Do More To Achieve 175 Gigawatts Renewables Target

13.08.2017

Delay in payments from utilities, non-compliance with renewable energy procurement targets, and non-availability of transmission infrastructure for power injection are some of the major issues Indian renewable energy developers are facing. These must be addressed on an urgent basis if the Indian government hopes to achieve 175 gigawatts of installed renewable energy capacity by March 2022.

Ratings agency ICRA has released a report stating that while the government’s policies and market conditions are very well suited for rapid growth in the renewable energy sector, several major challenges remain for the project developers.

According to the agency, the sharp fall in solar tariffs is the result of falling module prices, a sharp increase in the number of project developers, and the jump in number of competitive auctions. As we have reported earlier, solar power tariff bids have fallen 73% since the launch of the National Solar Mission in 2010.

The highest tariff some of the earliest projects still receive is Rs 17.91/kWh, while the lowest and most recent auction saw tariff bids of Rs 2.44/kWh.

The Indian government has already increased its procurement target for solar power to 8% by 2022. However, many states are yet to align their own targets with this national target. States where solar installations are high often have transmission constraints forcing them to cut back on solar power procurement. Additionally, many states still prefer thermal power over solar and wind power as tariffs of majority of older renewable energy projects are higher than coal-fired power plants.

ICRA expects that under a conservative scenario the cumulative capacity requirement for solar and wind to meet the renewable purchase obligation will be 65 gigawatts between 2018 and 2022. This results in an installed capacity of 122 gigawatts by March 2022, significantly short of the 175 gigawatts target.

Current installed capacity for wind and solar power is 32 gigawatts and 12.5 gigawatts, respectively. However, given the large number of solar power auctions in the last few months, ICRA expects a higher capacity addition from solar this year compared to wind energy.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Extreme Heatwaves With “Apparent Temperatures” As High As 55° Celsius To Regularly Affect Much Of World (With 4° Celsius Of Warming Over Pre-Industrial Levels)

13.08.2017

If global temperatures rise 4° Celsius over pre-industrial levels, then extreme heatwaves with “apparent temperatures” peaking at over 55° Celsius will begin to regularly affect many densely populated parts of the world, according to a new study from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre.

“Apparent temperatures” refers in this case to the Heat Index, which quantifies the combined effect of heat and humidity to provide people with a means of avoiding dangerous conditions.

The new findings are the result of the researchers involved exploring the relationship between humidity levels and heatwave occurrence — with the “novelty” of the new study being that it “looks not only at temperature but also relative humidity to estimate the magnitude and impact of heat waves.”

At temperatures of 55° Celsius or so, it should be realized, much of the activity that takes place in the modern industrial world would simply have to stop. Such heatwaves would be profoundly debilitating.

The press release provides more: “The study analyses changes in yearly probability for a high humidity heatwaves since 1979 under different global warming scenarios. If global temperatures increase up to 2° C above pre-industrial levels the combined effect of heat and humidity (known as apparent temperature or Heat Index) will likely exceed 40° C every year in many parts of Asia, Australia, Northern Africa, South and North America. Europe will be least affected with up to 30% chance of having such strong heat wave annually.

“However, if temperatures rise to 4° C a severe scenario is on the horizon. Scientists predict that a new super-heatwave will appear with apparent temperature peaking at above 55° C — a level critical for human survival. It will affect densely populated areas such as USA’s East coast, coastal China, large parts of India and South America. Under this global warming scenario Europe is likely to suffer annual heatwaves with apparent temperature of above 40° C regularly while some regions of Eastern Europe may be hit by heatwaves of above 55° C.

“… According to the study, the effect of relative humidity on heatwaves’ magnitude and peak might be underestimated in current research. The results of the study support the need for urgent mitigation and adaptation action to address the impacts of heatwaves, and indicate regions where new adaptation measures might be necessary to cope with heat stress.”

All of which costs money. With all of the problems that will be greatly impacting the nations of the world by that time, it seems pretty likely that not too much will be done to limit the impact of such heatwaves on the poorest and most vulnerable portions of populations (which will likely have swelled quite a lot by then).

The new work is detailed in a paper published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Source: cleantechnica.com

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