Libraries Using Solar Panels to Reduce their Carbon Footprints

29.07.2017

Biblioteke — Foto: T.B. Scott Free Library

The McMillan Memorial Library has a 20,000-square-foot roof. In coming weeks, that space will be filled with 480 solar panels. Library director Andy Barnett said workers from Spring Grove, Minnesota-based Viking Electric will install the panels on every part of the roof.

“There won’t be much space left up there to walk,” Barnett said.

The library previously installed LED lights and control panels in its interior to be more environmentally friendly and reduce electricity use, but the staff and library board wanted to do something to generate power, Barnett said. The library spends more than $40,000 a year for electricity, he said. McMillan’s project will make it the latest public building in central Wisconsin to use a renewable energy source, following a library in Merrill.

The new solar panels won’t handle all the library’s needs when finished, Barnett said. But they will produce as much as 250,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a year, enough to power 25 average homes, Barnett said. It will supply about 70 percent of the library’s needs.

At other times, such as when the library is closed, the panels might generate more energy than the building needs. The library will sell the electricity it creates at those times to the Wisconsin Rapids Water Works and Lighting Commission. Water Works and Lighting staff helped the library put together its solar plan, Barnett said.

The Library Board received eight proposals for the project, and selected one that allowed it to spread the $250,000 it will pay towards the $419,235 cost of the project over time.

Viking Electric, which got the contract, is owned by Scott Prahl, a Wisconsin Rapids native who graduated from Lincoln High School in 1989.

“It’s really cool to be involved in doing this in the city and my home town,” Prahl said.

Viking Electric will own the panels for six years, and for that time will claim tax breaks meant to encourage clean energy. Once the tax breaks expire, the library plans to purchase the panels, paying about $125,000 from endowment funds and $125,000 from private donations. None of the project cost will come from taxpayer money, Barnett said.

The project is very similar to one that was done by the TB Scott Free Library in Merrill, Barnett said. Barnett said he frequently talked to Stacy Stevens, TB Scott Free Library director, to get advice on the Wisconsin Rapids project.

The Merrill project is much smaller, with only 79 panels, Stevens said. That library is one of the more than 2,000 libraries built across the country by the steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie between the 1880s and 1920s. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places, which prevented the staff from placing anything on the roof of the historic building, Stevens said. They could, however, put the panels on a 2001 addition to the library.

The project at the Merrill library includes an educational component, Stevens said. A large monitor in the library’s lobby allows visitors to monitor how much the solar panels are producing, Stevens said. The solar panel system, which went online on June 1, should produce about 30,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually.

Library staff also has placed large prints of the solar panels taken by a drone earlier this year so that people can see what the system looks like, Stevens said. The library is working with the Merrill School District to get educate students about solar power in the middle school, Stevens said.

The solar power project also is a good way to attract young adults to the communities, Stevens said. The Library Board believes that trying to be progressive and looking at alternative sources of power may be one of the things young people are looking for, she said.

The solar power project in Wisconsin Rapids is the first on a city building and fits in with the city’s desire to be more sustainable, be environmentally friendly and save taxpayers money, Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Zach Vruwink said.

(source: Wisconsin Rapids Tribune)

Vast Amounts Of Toxic Mercury Accumulating In Arctic, Global Industrial Emissions To Blame

28.07.2017

Enormous quantities of toxic mercury are now accumulating in the Arctic tundra as a result of industrial activity and emissions in the temperate parts of the globe, according to a new study from UMass Lowell.

While the presence of high quantities of mercury in the Arctic has been a known fact for awhile now, the source of this mercury was somewhat disputed. The new research shows, though, that airborne mercury from industrial activity elsewhere is the source of most of the mercury now accumulating in the Arctic.

Something that should be realized here is that as the Arctic tundra continues warming, and as the permafrost continues melting, more and more of the mercury that’s accumulating there will be making its way into the Arctic Ocean (which is a comparatively very shallow ocean as compared to the others). As this happens, and as mercury levels in the Arctic Ocean rise, the wildlife and the fisheries of the region are going to be greatly affected.

As it is, and as explained by Professor Daniel Obrist, chairman of UMass Lowell’s Department of Environmental, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: “This mercury from the tundra soil explains half to two-thirds of the total mercury input into the Arctic Ocean.”

This relates to between 50 to 85 tons of mercury flowing into the Arctic Ocean every year from tundra soil.

Commenting on the neurological and cardiovascular problems accompanying mercury exposure, Obrist stated: “Mercury has high exposure levels in northern wildlife, such as beluga whales, polar bears, seals, fish, eagles, and other birds. It also affects human populations, particularly the Inuit, who rely on traditional hunting and fishing.”

As an adjunct to that, I came across some research a while back that explored a possible link between the increasing prevalence of what appear to be developmental disorders (like “autism,” etc.) amongst some whale populations and increasingly levels of heavy metal pollution in the oceans. While the link isn’t definitive (as of now), it shouldn’t be too surprising to find out that increasing mercury pollution in the oceans may be dumbing down large-brained animals such as whales and dolphins.

The press release for the study provides more: “Obrist recently completed two years of field research in the tundra, tracking the origin and path of mercury pollution. Working from an observation site in Alaska north of Brooks Range, he and an international group of scientists identified that gaseous mercury in the atmosphere is the source of 70% of the pollutant that finds its way into the tundra soil. In contrast, airborne mercury that is deposited on the ground through rain or snow — a more frequent focus of other studies — accounts for just 2% of the mercury deposits in the region, Obrist’s team found. The new research is the most comprehensive investigation on how mercury is deposited in the Arctic.”

There’s also an overview of the process whereby mercury accumulates in the Arctic tundra: “The dominant source of mercury pollution in the atmosphere is hundreds of tons of the element that are emitted each year through the burning of coal, mining and other industrial processes across the globe. This gaseous mercury is lofted to the Arctic, where it is absorbed by plants in a process similar to how they take up carbon dioxide. Then, the mercury is deposited in the soil when the plants shed leaves or die. As a result, the tundra is a significant repository for atmospheric mercury being emitted by industrialized regions of the world.”

So, here’s yet another reason why people are mistaken who argue that as the climate continues warming, everyone and everything (agriculture, industry, etc.) can simply move northwards. The Arctic has growing problems of its own — even when one doesn’t take the region’s very poor quality “soils” or extreme seasons into account — and it’s apparent that intensive human inhabitation of the region is unrealistic.

To go over that point one more time: Despite rhetoric and popular fantasies to the contrary, as anthropogenic climate change begins making many parts of the world mostly uninhabitable (the Middle East, North Africa, parts of Southern Europe, the American southwest, etc.), the displaced peoples won’t simply be able to move to Canada, Siberia, and Northern Europe, and carry on as before. The carrying capacities of the regions in question just aren’t high for that to happen. This is without even taking into consideration the growing pollution problems there, the collapsing fisheries, or the fact that resource problems will be bearing down by then as well. Or cultural and social problems, for that matter.

The findings of the new work are detailed in a paper published in the July 13 edition of the journal Nature.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Indian Wind Slowdown Hits Siemens Gamesa Revenues

28.07.2017

A temporary downturn in the Indian wind market is at the heart of a 7% decrease in Siemens Gamesa’s quarterly revenues, but the newly minted company expects to speed up its integration process of both pre-merger companies.

Siemens Gamesa, the resulting company of a successful merger completed earlier this year by wind energy powerhouses Gamesa and Siemens (its wind power business), published its latest quarterly earnings report (for the 3rd quarter) this week. The company’s financial year runs to the end of September. Global revenues for Siemens Gamesa were down 7% to €2,693 million in the third quarter, due apparently to a temporary downturn in the Indian market. Sales were therefore 1,950 MW, down 25%, and the company’s EBIT was €211 million, down 21%. However, the company’s Operations & Maintenance (O&M) division saw its revenue expand by 8% to €300 million.

Specifically, the wind energy market in India practically shut down as it anticipated a revamp of the country’s auction system, which should normalise by the first quarter of fiscal year 2018 (which would equate to October–December, or the 4th quarter of the calendar year). If India’s impact on Siemens Gamesa’s financials were taken away, the company’s revenues would actually have been up 1.6% and there would have been strong growth of 8.6% in its underlying EBIT margin.

While revenue and other financial indicators were down, the company nevertheless remains content with its performance in the 3rd quarter, its first quarter as a fully merged company. Specifically, the months of April to June saw Siemens Gamesa speed up the integration process of both pre-merger companies, and the company now expects to see its synergies hit a minimum of €230 million, and a year earlier than originally predicted.

“We are highly satisfied with the progress to date in integrating the two companies,” said Markus Tacke, CEO of Siemens Gamesa. “Things are progressing at a rapid rate: our company is ready to compete and lead in a growing and challenging market.”

Source: cleantechnica.com

USA’s Largest & World’s Second-Largest Onshore Wind Farm (2 Gigawatt Farm) To Be Built In Oklahoma

28.07.2017

North America’s largest independent renewable energy company, Invenergy, has announced that it is partnering with GE Renewable Energy to build the 2 GW Wind Catcher onshore wind farm, which will be the world’s second largest and the United States’ largest wind farm once completed.

Announced on Wednesday, Invenergy and GE Renewable Energy revealed that they would be teaming up to build the 2 gigawatt (GW) Wind Catcher onshore wind farm, currently under construction in the Oklahoma panhandle. The 2,000 megawatt (MW) wind farm will consist of 800 GE 2.5 MW wind turbines — GE’s latest wind turbine model, which is specifically designed for siting efficiency, allowing for higher energy production.

“GE is delighted to be a part of the groundbreaking Wind Catcher project with Invenergy and American Electric Power,” said Pete McCabe, President and CEO of GE’s Onshore Wind business. “We look forward to putting our teams to work in these communities as we continue to move toward our goal of ensuring that no one has to choose between sustainable, reliable and affordable energy.”

The Wind Catcher onshore wind is part of the larger, $4.5 billion Wind Catcher Energy Connection that will also see the construction of approximately 350 miles of dedicated, extra-high-voltage power lines.

“Wind Catcher shows American leadership in bringing low-cost clean energy to market at giga scale,” said Invenergy’s Founder and CEO, Michael Polsky. “This project reflects Invenergy’s innovative spirit and unparalleled execution ability, and we are proud to be working with forward-looking utilities like PSO and SWEPCO whose customers and communities will benefit from this project for decades to come.”

Already, American Electric Power (AEP) utility subsidiaries Public Service Co. of Oklahoma (PSO) and Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) are asking utility regulators in Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma to approve plans to purchase the wind farm from Invenergy upon completion in 2020, and to allow construction of the power line to serve the 1.1 million customers PSO and SWEPCO have in comination. If approved, the Wind Catcher Energy Connection will save SWEPCO and PSO customers more than $7 billion over 25 years. Further, AEP predicts that the project will support around 4,000 direct and 4,400 indirect jobs annually during construction, and 80 permanent jobs upon completion, while also contributing approximately $300 million in property taxes over the life of the project.

PSO and SWEPCO are partnering to invest in the $4.5 billion project, which will allow PSO to own 600 MW of the completed project. PSO expects to save its customers more than $2 billion from the wind project. Meanwhile, SWEPCO will own 1,400 MW of the project and expects to save its customers more than $5 billion.

“This is an exciting opportunity to provide a significant amount of clean, renewable energy and long-term cost savings for SWEPCO customers,” said Venita McCellon-Allen, SWEPCO president and chief operating officer. “We are working to meet the future energy needs of our customers in the cleanest, most efficient and cost-effective ways possible, and at the same time continuing to diversify our energy resource mix.”

“PSO is very excited about this extraordinary opportunity to reduce costs for our customers by delivering to them high quality, very low-priced Oklahoma wind energy,” added Stuart Solomon, PSO president and chief operating officer. “At the same time, the Wind Catcher project will boost the Oklahoma economy, create thousands of new jobs, and provide tax revenues for local governments. There’s never been a project like Wind Catcher, and we’re pleased to bring it forward for the benefit of our customers and the state.”

Source: cleantechnica.com

Europe Adds 6.1GW of Wind Energy Capacity in First Half of 2017

28.07.2017

wind-turbin-vetroturbina — Photo illustration: Pixabay

Europe added 6.1GW of new wind power capacity during the first half of the year, prompting optimism that 2017 will prove to be a “bumper year” for the sector, according to WindEurope.

The European trade body’s figures, released yesterday, show a total of 4.8GW of onshore wind capacity was installed from January-June this year, although the added capacity was largely concentrated in just Germany (2.2GW), the UK (1.2GW) and France (492MW).

Offshore installations also saw a flurry of new activity this year, with 18 projects coming online in just four EU Member States – Germany, the UK, Belgium and Finland – accounting for a total of 1.3GW of additional capacity. In the UK alone, 518MW of offshore wind capacity was added in the first half of 2017, just behind Germany which added 641MW.

In terms of investments, €8.3bn of new asset financing emerged in Europe over the first half of the year, with €5.4bn in onshore wind and €2.9bn in offshore wind. However, the offshore wind financing during the first six months of 2017 is down from a record high of €14bn during the same period last year.

And, yet again, the trend for market concentration continued – more than half of total investments in both onshore and offshore wind in Europe were earmarked for Germany, with no offshore investments made at all in the UK, according to the trade body.

WindEurope’s chief policy officer, Pierre Tardieu, said Europe was on track for a good year in wind capacity installations, but that growth was still only being driven in a handful of markets.

“At least ten EU countries have yet to install a single MW so far this year,” Tardieu explained. “On onshore wind, the end of UK Renewable Obligation scheme will lead to even greater market concentration in Germany, Spain and France. On offshore, the level of finance activity is a concern. Although this won’t translate into lower installations for another few years, the industry needs clarity on volumes for the post-2020 period to maintain the current cost reduction trend.

Tardieu called on Member States to come forward as soon as possible with their National Energy and Climate Plans to 2030. “In combination with the three-year auctioning schedule proposed by the European Commission, the national plans will give sorely needed visibility to the wind energy supply chain,” he said.

Source: businessgreen.com

Met Office: 2016 was UK’s 13th Warmest Year in More Than a Century

28.07.2017

climate-change — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

The long-term trend towards warmer weather continues with the UK experiencing its 13th hottest year in more than a century in 2016, according to the Met Office.

Findings in the annual State of the Climate report published by the Met Office yesterday show that since 1910 there have been only 12 hotter years in the UK than the 2016 calendar year.

The Met Office described 2016 as a “warm but unexceptional year” with regards to land temperature, but temperatures were still around 0.5C higher than the UK long term average between 1981 and 2010.

Overall, eight of the ten warmest years in the UK have occurred since 2002 and all the top ten warmest years have occurred since 1990, according to the Met Office, laying bare the significant changes in weather and temperature already occurring as a result of man-made climate change.

In order to combat the worst impacts of climate change globally – which include hotter temperatures, sea level rises, drought, extreme storms and famine – the UK and other countries around the world have signed the international Paris Agreement to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions in a bit to limit average temperature increases to ‘well below’ 2C.

Despite President Trump announcing plans to pull the US out of the agreement, the UK is one of many countries and businesses around the world to have reaffirmed its commitment to significantly cutting emissions by 2050, with a report earlier this year estimating that extreme weather events could cost the UK almost €46bn over 33 years.

And yesterday’s Met Office report also shows the UK is already experiencing several weather trends that pose potential risks to homes and businesses.

The winter period between December 2015 and February 2016 was the second wettest since 1910, the findings show, with the wettest on record occurring just two years earlier in 2014. That year saw Storms Desmond and Frank wreak havoc across the UK and Ireland, with damage from the resulting flooding and other issues estimated to have cost the UK billions in losses.

Earlier this week, the Met Office also warned that England and Wales are both at high risk of “unprecedented” rainfall, further raising fears of widespread flooding risks.

Elsewhere, yesterday’s report shows there were also fewer days of frost in the UK in 2016 than the long term average, although “not exceptionally so”, it explained, while sea levels around the UK rose by around 1.4mm a year on average over the course of the 20th century.

There was better news regarding storms in 2016, though, with the Met Office reporting that the number and severity of storms “were not unusual compared to recent decades”.

“There are no compelling trends in storminess as determined by maximum gust speeds from the UK wind network over the last four decades,” the report states.

Source: businessgreen.com

Organizations Establish Seven-Step Plan for French Hydroelectric Power Growth

27.07.2017

hidro-akumulacija — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

A trio of French energy associations have completed a study outlining seven steps for increasing hydroelectric power within the European country.

The paper is titled “Hydropower at the Crossroads: Giving New Momentum to the No. 1 Renewable Energy” and was prepared by Union Francaise de l’Electricite, Syndicat des Energies Renouvelables and France Hydro Electricite.

According to the report, France has about 25.4 GW-worth of hydroelectric capacity installed, accounting for around 60% of its total renewable portfolio. And though the goal of the three organizations is to “maintain, sustain and develop” the French hydro sector, the study notes that a slowing market and increasing regulations could have a negative impact — even as the country moves to meeting terms of the Paris Climate Agreement.

Reacting to this slowing trend, the paper establishes seven steps across three themes

Coordinating national and European policies for better alignment, including:
1) Ensuring coherence of policies;
2) Assessing the real impact of proposed policies; and
3) Improving dialogue and consultation.

Ensuring economic decisions and tax frameworks incentivize the maintenance and development of hydropower, including:
4) Relieving local tax burdens on development; and
5) Establishing a stable and incentivized framework.

Recognizing the value of services delivered by hydro to the electrical system, by:
6) Establishing a model to support pumped storage system; and
7) Recognizing hydro for its supply-demand balance and security.

“Hydro is at a crossroads, but urgently needed for its hand in both the clean energy transition and economic impact,” the report said.

The report is available for download via the International Hydropower Association’s website.

France has a national goal of meeting 23% of its total energy needs with renewable resources by 2020. This will be met in part by a scheme that would see the country spending US$26.6 million — or $532.5 million total — on hydroelectric resources over the next 20 years.

Beneficiaries of this support scheme will be selected through a tender. Plants with a capacity of less than 500 kW may receive a feed-in tariff, while bigger installations will receive their support in the form of a top-up payment or “feed-in premium,” which will fluctuate depending on the market price for electricity.

The plan was endorsed by the European Commission in February and seeks to add 60 MW of additional hydropower capacity.

Source: hydroworld.com

North Carolina has Become a Top Solar Energy State Over Past Decade, Report Shows

27.07.2017

North Carolina has seen the third-greatest increase in the nation in solar energy production since 2007, according to a recent report by a local environmental watchdog group.

The Environment North Carolina Research and Policy Center noted advancements in the use of energy storage and electric vehicles in the state, which it also ranked 13th for energy efficiency.

North Carolina has increased solar energy production from one gigawatt hour in 2007 to 4,016 in 2016, per the report.

A gigawatt hour equals 1 million kilowatt hours. The average American utility customer consumed 10,812 kilowatt hours in 2015, the latest figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

At that usage rate, North Carolina could have solar-powered just 92 homes for a year in 2007, compared to 371,439 in 2016.

The report assessed all states on growth of technologies needed to produce clean, renewable energy. It cited proposed legislation expressing a need for North Carolina to fully transition to renewable energy by 2050.

“The progress we’ve made in the last decade on renewable energy and technologies like battery storage and electric cars should give North Carolinians the confidence that we can take clean energy to the next level,” Julia Schusterman, of Environment North Carolina, said in a statement. “But, in order to ensure a healthy future, we need to continue to lead by transitioning North Carolina quickly to a future powered by renewable energy.”

There are 37 cities and nearly 100 major companies that have committed to fully transition to renewable energy, Environment North Carolina said. Among them is the Town of Boone.

Source: newsobserver.com

Melting Greenland Could Raise Sea Levels by 20 Feet

27.07.2017

Two miles thick and covering an area seven times the size of the United Kingdom, Greenland’s ice sheet is huge. It’s also melting.

As the ice melts, it gives way to water, which is darker and absorbs far more sunlight, causing more ice to melt in a vicious cycling.

Even worse is the proliferation of dark colored algae, which warm weather has allowed to flourish.

In general, the white color of snow reflects nearly 90 percent of the sun’s radiation, but the dark colored algae reflects only around 35 percent, and sometimes drops to a dangerous 1 percent in the darkest colored spots.

At the current rate of melting, the ice sheet adds 1 millimeter a year to the global average sea level. Using these numbers, the UN Climate Change panel reported in 2013 that, worst case scenario, Greenland’s melting ice sheets would raise water levels 98 centimeters, or 3.2 feet, by the end of the century.

And now, it seems, that assessment is too modest.

Over the last 20 years, Greenland has been losing more ice than it gains each winter.

Glaciologist Dr. Andrew Tedstone told BBC that the algae has not even reached maximum darkness, and melting will get worse.

According to Dr. Joe Cook, a glacial microbiologist at Sheffield University, it would not even take the whole ice sheet melting to dangerously raise sea levels.

“When we say the ice sheet is melting faster, no one saying it’s all going to melt in next decade or the next 100 years or even the next 1,000 years but it doesn’t all have to melt for more people to be in danger,” he said. “Only a small amount has to melt to threaten millions in coastal communities around world.”

However, if the whole ice sheet does melt, sea levels across the world would rise by more than 20 feet.

The UK-based research project, Black and Bloom, is investigating different species of algae and their spread, hoping to limit their impact in Greenland.

But while Black and Bloom is working to combat algae and dark spots, yet another environmental factor is contributing to increased rates of melting.

Stefan Hofer, a PhD student at Bristol, found that decreased cloud cover over the area has caused two-thirds of recent melting.

After analysis satellite imagery, Hofer published a report arguing that over the last 20 years, cloud cover over Greenland has decreased by 15 percent in the summer months.

Lack of cloud cover increases surface temperature on the ice and may foster the growth of more dark algae, both of which accelerate the ice sheet’s melting.

In two years, Black and Bloom, plans to release new figures on sea levels rising based on their research at the Greenland ice sheet.

Greenland is not the only ice sheet at risk of climate change.

Earlier this summer, a trillion-ton iceberg the size of Delaware broke off from Antarctica. The iceberg was part of larger ice shelf that, should if collapse, will raise sea levels substantially. Temperatures in Antarctica have been increasing at a faster rate than the rest of the world, weakening ice throughout the region.

Even the glaciers in Montana’s Glacier National Park are fading away. Over the last 50 years, 39 of the park’s glaciers have melted by 85 percent. In the 19th century, the park was home to 150 glaciers, but today only 26 remain.

Source: ecowatch.com

Santa Barbara Becomes First California City to Pass Resolution Against Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling

27.07.2017

The Santa Barbara City Council approved a resolution Tuesday opposing new drilling off the California coast and fracking in existing offshore oil and gas wells. The resolution is the first in a new statewide campaign to rally local governments against proposals to expand offshore fossil Phuel extraction in federal waters.

The vote—which makes Santa Barbara the first California city to oppose both fracking and new offshore drilling—follows President Trump’s April 28 executive order urging federal agencies to expand oil and gas leasing in federal waters. The order could expose the Pacific Ocean to new oil leasing for the first time in more than 30 years.

“I’m thrilled to be part of this community effort to protect natural resources, the water supply and community health,” said Santa Barbara City Council member Jason Dominguez, who sponsored the resolution. “At the same time, we can improve our economy, develop green markets, and bring quality jobs and living wages to the area.”

Today’s resolution, cosponsored by Dominguez and Santa Barbara City Council member Harwood “Bendy” White, is supported by more than 20 local businesses, the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation and several environmental organizations, including the Center for Biological Diversity and Food & Water Watch. The groups are working with other California cities to pass similar resolutions.

“The last thing Californians want is more drilling and fracking off our coast,” said Blake Kopcho, an organizer with the Center for Biological Diversity’s oceans program. “Santa Barbara took a stand because the city has seen the horrific damage offshore drilling can cause. Trump is delusional if he thinks we’ll stand idly by and let him recklessly endanger wildlife and our communities with oil spills and toxic fracking chemicals.”

The Santa Barbara Channel has some of richest biological diversity on the planet, along with significant fossil fuel deposits and dozens of oil and gas wells. A massive offshore oil spill in 1969 helped create the modern environmental movement and led California to ban new offshore leasing in state waters. In 2015 the Plains All American oil spill covered Santa Barbara area beaches and killed hundreds of seabirds and marine mammals.

“Santa Barbara residents know firsthand the devastation that can come from offshore drilling,” said Alena Simon of Food & Water Watch. “This City Council resolution is the first step in shutting down all drilling and fracking off our coast and another step in transitioning to a 100 percent renewable energy economy.”

The Santa Barbara resolution calls for: A ban on new drilling and fracking in the Pacific Ocean, A phaseout of existing oil and gas extraction, Creation of a framework for responsible renewable energy development.

The last offshore lease in federal waters off California was granted in 1984, but Trump’s order seeks to renew the leasing program. There are more than 30 offshore drilling platforms and hundreds of miles of underwater oil and gas pipelines off California’s coast. Operators want permits to frack offshore wells using chemicals that are toxic to wildlife. Separate lawsuits filed by the state of California and the Center for Biological Diversity challenging the federal government’s approval of offshore fracking are pending in federal district court.

Source: ecowatch.com

Capgemini Beats Carbon Reduction Target One Year Early

26.07.2017

IT services giant Capgemini has exceeded its carbon dioxide reduction target a year ahead of schedule, with its latest annual CSR report demonstrating how progress is being maintained towards its long-term Science Based Targets.

The multinational firm had been aiming to reduce emissions by 10 per cent against 2014 levels by the end of the current financial year, but it revealed this week it has already cut emissions throughout its operations by 16 per cent.

The performance includes a 10 per cent cut in emissions in 2016 alone, with the majority of those reductions the result of the company consolidating some of its data centres and closing the less efficient facilities.

In total, Capgemini has cut emissions from its data centres by 23 per cent since 2014, with its four remaining data centres achieving a cumulative emissions cut of more than 3,700 tonnes of CO2 last year, meaning overall the company is well on the way to achieving its 2020 CO2 target.

Capgemini is one of a growing number of global corporates to have had its emissions reduction goals assessed and approved by the Science Based Targets initiative, becoming the first in the global IT services sector to do so last year.

Through SBT the company has committed to cutting its scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent by 2030 against 2014 levels. It also has a target to reduce its emissions intensity per employee by 40 per cent over the same period, with an interim target of 20 per cent by 2020.

Other findings in the French company’s corporate social responsibility report show it has reduced its office energy emissions by 14 per cent since 2014, while it also sourced 77 per cent of its office electricity from renewables last year.

The company now has 600 solar panels installed at its UK office in Aston and, according to the report, has a policy of buying electricity from renewable sources “wherever we have direct control over the energy contract”.

Smart building technology was also installed at its Aston office and Sale offices last year in order to provide more detailed monitoring of energy use, with the trial enabling the firm to identify more than 30 low cost energy reduction actions with a combined saving of more than £23,000.

However, the firm said it still sent 11 per cent of its waste to landfill in 2016, thereby exceeding its 10 per cent target, despite cutting its total waste generated by eight per cent since 2014.

Christine Hodgson, Capgemini UK chairman and Group Executive Committee member with responsibility for corporate responsibility and sustainability, said the digital solutions and technology sector would play a key role in meeting global climate targets and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

“Currently, we are at an important turning point, faced with the urgent need to decarbonise our economic production system to combat climate change, while providing for the needs of the growing global population,” she said in a statement. “We believe that being a responsible and sustainable business brings value to our shareholders, our clients, our people and society.”

Source: businessgreen.com

UK Government to Ban New Petrol and Diesel Cars and Vans from 2040

26.07.2017

Zagađenje, Auspuh, Automobil — Photo: Pixabay

The government will today set out a vision for removing the internal combustion engine from Britain’s roads by setting a 2040 date for banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans.

The long-awaited Air Quality Plan will be published today and will feature a commitment to end the sale of petrol and diesel cars and vans, alongside wide-ranging plans to increase investment in low emission vehicles and transport infrastructure.

The move, which follows a similar pledge by the French government, is likely to be welcomed by green businesses and campaigners. However, concerns remain about the extent to which the plan will address current fears about the impact of air pollution on urban centres.

Previous versions of the plan, including the latest draft, have been challenged in court with critics alleging that the government’s approach fails to meet legal requirements to bring UK air quality in to line with EU standards as quickly as possible.

Reports this morning revealed that the new plan will include £1bn of funding for new ultra-low emission vehicles, £100m to support electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and grants, and £290m to retrofit taxis, £1.2bn to improve walking and cycling infrastructure, and an expanded green bus fund.

It comes just days after the government announced it would invest £246m in battery R&D and BMW confirmed it would manufacture its new electric Mini at its Oxford factory.

The plan is also expected to confirm proposals for a network of Clean Air Zones in many UK cities, which will see councils provided with £255m of funding to take steps to tackle air pollution through a combination of measures, such as changing road layouts and traffic signals and investing in new green buses and taxis.

New plans are expected to be submitted by March 2018 and finalised by the end of the year.

The government will argue there is a compelling economic rationale for the new strategy, detailing how poor air quality cost the UK up to £2.7bn in lost productivity in one year.

“Poor air quality is the biggest environmental risk to public health in the UK and this government is determined to take strong action in the shortest time possible,” a government spokesman said.

“That is why we are providing councils with new funding to accelerate development of local plans, as part of an ambitious £3bn programme to clean up dirty air around our roads.”

However, it remains to be seen if the plan goes far enough to win over campaigners, including the law firm ClientEarth, which has led successful legal action against the government over gaps in previous air quality plans.

Criticism of the draft plan centred on the government’s insistence schemes that charge diesel drivers from entering polluted areas would only be considered as a last resort and the failure to commit to a scrappage scheme to encourage people to switch to cleaner vehicles.

The government’s own impact assessment revealed that charging schemes, such as the T-charge planned for London by Mayor Sadiq Khan, would have far the largest and quickest impact on improving air quality.

However, speaking to BBC Radio 4 on the new plans this morning, Environment Secretary Michael Gove said charging drivers was a “blunt instrument” that he would prefer to avoid. “[R]ather than using that blunt instrument I would prefer to use a series of surgical interventions, because I think that is both fairer to drivers but also likely to be more effective more quickly in the areas that count,” he said.

“I don’t believe that it is necessary to bring in charging, but we will work with local authorities in order to determine what the best approach is,” he added. “And if a local authority believes that charging is necessary in order to secure compliance, then we will work to ensure that plan can be implemented appropriately. But on the evidence that I have seen, while charging could bring local authorities into compliance with the law, it’s not necessary.”

The new plan is expected to include provisions for a narrowly targeted scrappage plan that would help some drivers upgrade, but government sources told the Guardian that while charging schemes remained a possibility all other measures would have to be explored first and there was no plan to force authorities to introduce them.

“Everyone acknowledges that scrappage schemes in the past have been poor value for money,” Gove told the BBC. “We know that people are moving away quite rightly from diesel cars at the moment. However if local authority areas can come up with scrappage schemes that are value for money and are appropriately targeted then we certainly have no ideological or theological objection to them, and I will work with any particular local authority area that believes that a scrappage scheme would be effective and value for money.”

ClientEarth is now likely to study the plan and decide whether further legal action should be pursued.

Areeba Hamid, clean air campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said the 2040 deadline for ending the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles was welcome, but should be brought forward and married with more ambitious short term action.

“The government is right to put an expiry date on dirty petrol and diesel engines, but 2040 is far too late,” she said. “We cannot wait nearly a quarter of a century for real action to tackle the public health emergency caused by air pollution. Car manufacturers like Volvo have announced their intention to move away from petrol and diesel by the end of this decade. Germany, India, the Netherlands and Norway are all considering bans by 2030 or sooner.

“The UK has the potential to lead the world in clean transport revolution, but it is vital we stay ahead now through a more ambitious phase-out date to boost our domestic market, as other countries are catching up.”

Meanwhile London Mayor Sadiq Khan said without a fully funded diesel scrappage scheme the air quality plan will “ring hollow”.

“The commitment to phase out sales of new diesel cars is welcome, but Londoners suffering right now simply can’t afford to wait until 2040,” he said in a statement. “We need a fully-funded diesel scrappage fund now to get polluting vehicles off our streets immediately, as well as new powers so that cities across the UK can take the action needed to clean up our air.

“Without extra financial support for those who bought polluting vehicles in good faith then any pledge to clean up our air rings hollow.”

Source: businessgreen.com

Renewable Energy Push Takes a Hit on Random Back-Down Instructions by Discoms

26.07.2017

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government’s aggressive renewable energy push that aims to ramp up the share of green power in the country’s electricity supply mix from the current seven per cent to nearly 20 per cent by 2022, is getting stonewalled across a number of states.

State-owned power distribution utilities (discoms) in states such as Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu are reported to be curtailing solar and wind power generation, as well as randomly issuing backing down instructions — asking generators to unplug from the grid. Discoms in Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan are also reported to be delaying payments to generators of wind and solar power by 6-12 months, putting the cash flows of most of the smaller renewable firms under severe stress.

The results are showing up in the form of mounting number of petitions before the central and state power regulators. In the last 24 months, there were at least 19 petitions by more than half a dozen players — including ReNew Wind Energy, CLP Wind Farms, Orange DND Wind Power, Ostro Renewables, Clean Wind Power (Devgarh), Mytrah Vayu, Tanot Wind Power — alleging that states such as Rajasthan are frequently backing down renewable energy generation on a frequent basis during the peak season citing grid security as the reasons, resulting in generation losses of upwards of Rs 100 crore for these firms on a cumulative basis. “The situation of state utilities forcing solar and wind units to back down continues to date,” an executive of one of the affected companies told The Indian Express.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), while acknowledging the loss of generation for solar and wind players due to grid unavailability or back-down instructions, has now stepped in to mandate that utilities should issue written explanations in the case of back-down instructions that have been issued to renewable players due to issues other than grid security and reliability. The central regulator has directed the National Load Despatch Centre (NLDC), the apex body entrusted with ensuring integrated operation of the national power system, to work with the State Load Despatch Centres (SLDC) to evolve such a framework.

The list of 19 petitions filed by wind power firms against the state-owned discoms of Rajasthan allege that the backing down instructions issued by the discoms are “arbitrary” and in violation of the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission’s Grid Code and the RE Tariff Regulations.

The story unfolding in Tamil Nadu is almost identical, forcing the Delhi-based National Solar Energy Federation of India to move the state regulator Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission in September against the state utilities for curtailing solar power generation and issuing backing down instructions. The companies involved in the petition — Kamuthi Renewable Energy Ltd, Ramnad Solar Power Ltd and Adani Green Energy (Tamil Nadu) Ltd — stated that most of these instructions are issued telephonically by the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) and Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation (TANTRANSCO) without any written confirmation either prior to or after backing down or disconnection, leading to question marks of the financial viability of the units in question. Industry players contend that the trend would inevitably lead to a drop in interest of investors in the coming months.

The move by states to stymie renewable generation is at cross-purposes with the larger objective of pushing green power. A Union power ministry official admitted to the problem in a “handful of states” and said the Central government is working with states on the resolution of the payment of arrears to renewable energy companies. “Not more than a couple of discoms have been delaying payments. We are working with them to resolve the issue,” the official said.

There are, however, limitations to the extent to which an intervention can be made in such cases. The tariff regulations, the power purchase agreements (PPA) as well as the Grid Codes … all of them state in unambiguous terms that energy from renewable sources shall not be subject to merit order dispatch, which means that it will not be asked to back down for commercial considerations and that they be treated as ‘must-run’ by the buying discom as well as the state load dispatch centre. The PPAs mention that the buyer shall take delivery of all the renewable energy supplied by the producer unless there are technical constraints in the grid. “However, there is an over-riding clause in the grid code that the grid operator can ask any generator to back down in real time in the interest of grid security or transmission constraint, for which verbal instructions suffice. It is being alleged by the solar and wind generators that without formally asking for backing down, the discoms are firing from the shoulder of the state load despatch centres,” an industry expert said. The SLDCs are then repeatedly issuing oral backing down instructions without even verbally explaining the reason, amid allegations that they are misusing their authority. The state regulatory commissions too seem to be dragging their feet on the issue, as evident from the fact that petition of Rajasthan wind generators has been pending for almost an year and the mounting numbers of similar petitions being filed across different states.

All of this come at a time when capacity addition in the renewable energy sector has shown its strongest performance in 2016-17, with a record capacity addition of 11,320 MW that eclipsed the thermal power segment’s 11,551 MW during the fiscal. As of March 31, the total grid-connected renewable power capacity in the country stood at 57,260 MW (close to 20 per cent of India’s overall installed capacity of 3,29,000 MW). Based on the current capacity addition targets, India is forecast to meet 19 per cent of its power demand from renewable energy sources in five years, by fiscal year 2022. Commissioned projects being asked to back down is bad news for new projects.

Source: indianexpress.com

Thawing Permafrost Poses Even Greater Climate Threat Than Previously Thought, Study Finds

26.07.2017

Thawing tundra may be allowing long-buried pockets of methane to be released into the atmosphere, new research suggests. A study surveying the Mackenzie Delta in Canada, published Wednesday in the journal Scientific Reports, suggested that these methane “seeps” on the tundra may be more problematic than previously thought.

The study finds that 17 percent of methane emissions in the area came from these seeps, despite emissions hotspots only covering one percent of the tundra’s surface area. The authors wrote that warming will “increase emissions of geologic methane that is currently still trapped under thick, continuous permafrost, as new emission pathways open due to thawing permafrost.”

“We were a bit surprised … we saw these very strong emissions. It means a very tiny fraction of the area produces quite a big share of the estimated annual emissions,” professor Torsten Sachs, one of the researchers, told The Independent.

As reported by Inside Climate News:

“This is another methane source that has not been included so much in the models,” said the study’s lead author, Katrin Kohnert, a climate scientist at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam, Germany. “If, in other regions, the permafrost becomes discontinuous, more areas will contribute geologic methane.”

Source: ecowatch.com

DRAGAN VIDANOVIĆ: Energy Passports for Public Buildings provided in Babušnica

26.07.2017

This winter we talked with the Mayor of Babušnica, Mr. Dragan Vidanović about the activities carried out in the municipality. Our interlocutor confirms that it is one of the most underdeveloped municipalities in Serbia, but there is enthusiasm and effort to improve the quality of life.

Geographic location is attractive, the municipality is close to Bulgarian border, well connected with roads to nearby Niš and Pirot. It remains to work and invest in neglected areas of public life to take advantage of all the benefits that this town has. And there are many, this includes the history that goes back to the Roman period, archaeological sites and thermal waters that this locality is famous for.

EP: Municipality Babušnica signed the Contract with the Ministry of Energy and Mining and received together with Žagubica and Kragujevac the largest amount of funds, 15 million dinars for the improvement in energy efficiency. You have already had allocated funds in 2014, so tell us what was done in 2014 and what will you spend the funds allocated at the end of 2016 on?

Dragan Vidanović: In 2014, the municipality of Babušnica participated in the public call of the Ministry of Mining and Energy for financing projects in the field of energy efficiency in local governments. This activity was carried out in accordance with the Action Plan for Energy Efficiency of the Republic of Serbia and the municipality received funds in the amount of 12,178,920.00 dinars for the implementation of the project Improvement of Energy Efficiency in 2014: “Reconstruction of thermal envelope and replacement of doors and windows in the Babušnica Municipal Building “. Within this Project energy rehabilitation of the Babušnica Municipal Building was done.

The Project was completed successfully and its realization improved energy efficiency in such a way that the building after the performed works received a passport that upgraded the building from class “G” to class “B”. The implementation of this project reduced carbon dioxide emissions, while in the financial domain cash savings are generated.

Due to the public call, the municipality received funds in the amount of 17,650,000.00 dinars VAT included, for the realization of the project Improvement of Energy Efficiency in 2016 “Rehabilitation of the façade and windows of the Health Centre “Dr. Jovan Ristić” Babušnica”. The contractual value after the procedure of public procurement is 10,007,570.00 dinars without VAT and the deadline is 180 days from the date of introduction in the work itself.

After the completion of works, energy passport will be issued and the building passes from “E” class to “B” class. Also in 2016, the municipality Babušnica realized the project “Improvement of Energy Efficiency of the building of the Cultural Centre in Babušnica“. The project is funded by the European Union and the Government of Switzerland, and is implemented within the framework of European PROGRESS program. The contractual value of the works amounts to 10,777,805.00 without VAT and the deadline is 30 days from the date of introduction in the work itself. After the completion of works, energy passport will be issued and the building passes from “G” class to “D” class.

EP: Similar projects are being implemented in Bosnia and Montenegro, public institutions receive funds, and in Croatia even citizens as private persons entered the project and received funding for rehabilitation and change of windows and doors in private homes. How do you assess the overall situation in the region? Why did the investment in energy efficiency fail for more than two decades?

Dragan Vidanović: I think that Serbia is late in relation to the surroundings when it comes to improving energy efficiency, but now Serbia is catching up. In the last few years Serbia has invested considerably more in energy efficiency both in terms of legislation and policy documents, as well as in terms of allocation of funds for the promotion of energy efficiency as evidenced by the example of the municipality Babušnica, which has received significant funding from local and international donors. I believe that the potential for the improvement of energy efficiency is great and that it is still underutilized, which is our task in the forthcoming period.

EP: What is more important for your local community: road infrastructure, water supply, rehabilitation of landfills or is this type of projects the most important? Tell us about the overall situation in your municipality.

Dragan Vidanović: Although municipality Babušnica is one of the most underdeveloped municipalities in Serbia, when it comes to energy efficiency we invest a lot of effort and resources from the local budget for the promotion of this field as one of the fundamental pillars of our civilization. I think that it is equally important as the development of road infrastructure, water supply and cleaning of landfills. By improving energy efficiency, we significantly affect the protection of the environment and the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. In our municipality, there is a large percentage of the rural areas with low level of pollution, but environmental protection is certainly one of the priorities. Energy recovery and efficient use of energy, help protect the environment, improve the quality of life of citizens and contributes to the reduction of financial resources which influences the sustainable economic development as the ultimate goal.

EP: What are the institutions involved in this project? Which contractors will implement all planned activities?

Dragan Vidanović: Local government with its organ, public institutions, public enterprises and other institutions and organizations are involved in the implementation of the project and they contribute directly or indirectly to the implementation of project activities. As an example of good practice and cooperation with the European PROGRESS program. With their help municipality realizes the project “Improvement of Energy Efficiency of the building of the Cultural Centre”. When it comes to improvement of energy efficiency of the Health Centre “Dr. Jovan Ristić”, a contract was signed with the best bidder in accordance with the law and other legal norms, where the works will be carried out in accordance with the license granted and elaborate on energy efficiency for this building. When selecting bidders, the preference is given to those who offer goods of domestic origin.

Interview by: Vesna Vukajlović

This interview was originally published in our bulletin “Energy Efficiency” in April 2017.

Lightsource and BlackRock Announce £1bn Solar Acquisition Spree

26.07.2017

Solar developer Lightsource has teamed up with asset manager BlackRock in a strategic partnership aimed at consolidating the secondary UK solar market through around £1bn of acquisitions over the next three years.

The two companies yesterday revealed plans to acquire around 1GW of installed and operational UK solar power assets through a newly-created partnership named Kingfisher, which will target both levered and unlevered asset opportunities.

Lightsource said it had already kicked-started the partnership with a portfolio of 25 newly-constructed solar assets that boast either Renewables Obligation Certificate (ROC) or Contract for Difference (CfD) support with a total installed capacity of 156MW. It also plans to add a further 50MW of Northern Ireland ROC assets to the partnership later this year once they become operational.

As part of the agreement, Lightsource said it would be providing long-term operations and asset management services for the Kingfisher partnership, building on its experience providing such services for 1.9GW of utility-scale UK solar assets.

Lightsource chief investment officer, Paul McCartie, said the Kingfisher partnership was furether evidence of the firm’s ability to create profitable and sustainable investment opportunities in the solar energy market.

“By leveraging economies of scale, Lightsource can provide cost efficiencies and better returns as we acquire UK solar plants and operate them as part of our growing global portfolio,” McCartie said in a statement. “This is the clear differentiator between Lightsource and many other solar companies.”

One of the world’s largest asset managers, BlackRock manages around $4.8bn of equity assets in the renewable power sector through its dedicated Real Assets platform. Last week it also revealed it had raised a further £475m for its Renewable Income UK fund, thereby securing its position as the largest renewables investment fund in the UK.

Rory O’Connor, MD and head of renewable power for Europe at BlackRock, welcomed the partnership as a chance to create a new UK solar portfolio.

“Over the last two years, we have invested in more than 20 solar projects in the UK representing nearly 150MW of capacity on behalf of our clients, and we believe this market continues to present attractive opportunities for institutional investors,” he said. “In working closely together with Lightsource as a leading developer and operator of solar projects we are confident to realise a lot of additional potential in the market.”

Source: businessgreen.com

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