Renault-Nissan Alliance Named Official COP22 Passenger Car Partner with Zero-emission Fleet

07.10.2016

Elektromobil, Punjač, Renault, , Stanica za punjenje — Foto: Pixabay

The Renault-Nissan Alliance, world leader in zero-emission mobility, will provide a fleet of 50 all-electric vehicles as the official passenger-car provider for the United Nations’ COP22 Climate Conference in Marrakech, Morocco. The fully electric fleet will shuttle delegates.

More than 25,000 participants from 195 countries are expected to attend the annual climate summit Nov. 7-18. It marks the second time the United Nations will use a zero-emission shuttle fleet in support of public transport at one of its major conferences.

The COP22 fleet will feature the Renault ZOE subcompact car, the Nissan LEAF compact car and the seven-seat Nissan e-NV200 van. The vehicles will be available to shuttle delegates 24 hours, seven days a week to key venues at the conference, as a complement to public transportation.

The Alliance will also provide a network of more than 20 accelerated and standard charging stations at strategic locations. The accelerated charging stations will be able to charge the EVs from 0 to 80 percent in about one hour.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance is the global leader in zero-emission vehicles. With six models, it has already sold more than 360,000 electric vehicles worldwide. Nissan LEAF, launched in 2010, remains the industry’s best-selling EV. Renault ZOE is the best-performing EV in Europe. The Alliance has sold about half of the electric vehicles on the road globally today including the Renault Twizy two-seat, urban commuter vehicle, and the Nissan e-NV200 van, which has been on sale in Europe and Japan since 2014.

In addition, the Renault-Nissan’s Tangier, Morocco, plant is designed to move towards “zero CO2” emissions through the use of renewable resources, for thermal energy produced on site, as well as its purchased electricity. The plant began operations in 2012, and its approach remains unique in the automobile industry.

Source: prnewswire.com

DOE Charts Show Why Climate Doom and Gloom Isn’t Needed

06.10.2016

A new report from the US Department of Energy paints a bright picture for our prospects to cut carbon pollution and prevent the most dangerous levels of climate change. The report looked at recent changes in costs and deployment of five key clean energy technologies: wind, residential solar, utility-scale solar, batteries, and LED bulbs. For each technology, costs fell between 41% and 94% from 2008 to 2015.

The report finds that due to its low cost, US wind energy capacity has nearly tripled since 2008. Wind now supplies nearly 5% of total US electricity generation.

As a result, there are now nearly 90,000 U.S. manufacturing, construction, and wind operations jobs. Research has resulted in bigger turbines that can generate more electricity.

Offshore wind also presents tremendous untapped potential, with the first such project set to begin generating power off the cost of Rhode Island this month. The DOE envisions wind generating 20% of the nation’s electricity by 2030 and 35% by 2050, with costs falling a further 35% by 2050.

Utility-scale solar farm costs have fallen 64% since 2008, and distributed (mostly residential) solar costs by 54%. While solar still accounts for a relatively small percentage of overall US electricity generation, its deployment has been increasing rapidly as costs have dropped. Even the military is getting on board.

In 2015, the solar sector employed about 220,000 Americans. The DOE envisions that solar power could supply 27% of US electricity generation by 2050. Solar deployment is surging in 2016, with around 10 gigawatts (GW) set to be installed this year – equal to all the solar capacity installed in the US through 2014.

Solar panel leasing from companies like Solar City and Sungevity has revolutionized the distributed solar market, accounting for the majority of domestic residential system installed in leading state markets in 2015. This approach makes solar panels obtainable for households that can’t afford to purchase them. Distributed solar costs are expected to fall a further 16–33% by 2020.

The best available LED bulbs use 85% less energy than incandescent bulbs. Although their high efficiency slashes electric bills, the bulbs’ high cost was initially a deterrent to many consumers. However, LED costs have plummeted 94% since 2008. From 2014 to 2015, LED installations in the US more than doubled, and already account for 6% of installed A-type lightbulbs, as well as 11% and 21% of directional bulbs and outdoor lighting fixtures, respectively.

By 2035, DOE anticipates that LEDs will account for 85% of American’s lighting installations, saving Americans nearly $630 billion in avoided energy costs.

Electric vehicle (EV) sales in the US reached 115,000 in 2015, more than double the number sold in 2012. Overall US EV sales will surpass a half-million by the end of this year. As shown by a new paper and app from MIT, EVs reduce greenhouse gas emissions 58% compared to gasoline-powered cars, and often cost less on a per-mile basis. As low-carbon energy deployment increases, EVs will only become cleaner.

The technology is advancing rapidly due to heavy research, with batteries produced at high-volume now costing 79% less than they did in 2009. Chevroletand Tesla will soon release electric cars with 200 mile-per-charge range and before-rebate prices under $40,000, and Renault beat both automakers to the punch with the 250-mile, $28,000 Zoe. There are now more than 35,000 public and private EV charging outlets in the United States, and in the UK, EV charging stations will outnumber petrol stations by 2020.

The MIT study showed that in order to meet climate targets, we need a transition to EV transportation fueled by low-carbon sources of electricity. The DOE report shows that this sort of high-tech clean future is entire plausible; we’re moving in the right direction with falling costs and rising deployment of the right technologies.

Source: theguardian.com

Strengthen the Capacities for the Use of Bioenergy in Serbia

06.10.2016

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Delegation of German Economy in Serbia organized a conference entitled ‘Biomass and Biogas in Serbia’ at the beginning of April in Belgrade. A number of interested companies from Germany held a presentation in order to establish cooperation and partnership in Serbia. Many Executive Managers and owners of the companies arrived in Belgrade (‘Vecoplan’. ‘New Eco-tech Verfahtenstechnik’, ‘Strawtherm’, ‘AP Bioenergietechnik’ and many others). However, the exposition of Milica Vukadinović dragged our attention. She is “Project Development” Component leader for the programme “Development of a Sustainable Bioenergy Market in Serbia” (DKTI) of GIZ. The aim of this presentation was to present the activities and cooperation with Serbian cities and municipalities. We were acquainted with plans that should improve the standard at the local level and the quality of life on farms, in rural households, schools, hospitals, etc.

EP: Would you be so kind to tell us something about the programme “Development of a Sustainable Bioenergy Market in Serbia” (GIZ DKTI) which focuses on the prospects and challenges in developing bioenergy market in Serbia? What are the timelines of this project and what does GIZ conduct within this project?

Milica Vukadinović: The programme “Development of a Sustainable Bioenergy Market in Serbia” is a bilateral programme between the Republic of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Germany. The programme is implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection and The Ministry of Mining and Energy of the Republic of Serbia. The programme lasts till the end of 2017.

The main objective of the programme is to strengthen the capacities and to create favourable environment for the sustainable usage of bioenergy in Serbia in different fields.

Fields of the Project are the following:

Policy advice → improvement of framework conditions for bioenergy sector and adjustment of regulations and standards
Biomass supply → development of local structures for heat power plant’s provision of biomass such as wood residues (production or collection, processing, transportation, storage)
Efficient firewood utilization in households → promoting efficient utilization of wood fuels in households, as well as the introduction of standards for more efficient furnace
Project Development → helping Serbian and German investors in developing and implementing various types of innovative projects in the field of bioenergy (for example heating system on wood biomass in public buildings, biogas power plants, power plants for the production of heat for industrial purposes)

In concrete terms, the field of Project Development, which is in the framework of GIZ DKTI project, has been focused on the development of small and medium-sized biogas power plants this year.

Germany is the leader in the field of biogas and there are over 9,000 biogas power plants with total installed power of over 4,500 MWh. Serbia has only three functional biogas power plants, which have been operating since 2013.

However, the introduction of biogas power plants on medium sized farms in Serbia would create additional constant incomes to farmers and agricultural households and more important it would reduce the negative impacts of fluctuations of other income of the farms.

Small biogas power plants on farms imply the installation of technology which uses raw materials that farmers already have and that is free. This raw material is organic waste such as animal manure from which biogas can be produced. Biogas can be used for the production of heat for the farms’ needs, but also for the production of electricity which can be sold at pre-defined incentive prices (so-called ‘feed-in’ tariffs) and in that way farmers can earn additional income.

By using electricity from renewable energy sources, Serbia is moving towards the environmental standards of the European Union; achieves increased revenue at the local level, and agricultural households gain energy independence, which can have a major role in doing business and development planning in the future. Domestic farmers have shown huge interest in new technologies which we have been promoting as an organization and we hope that we will have an opportunity to talk to Serbian farmers about the prosperity and the benefits which biogas yields has brought to them in the years ahead of us.

EP: What is your experience regarding the cooperation with local governments? Which municipalities and cities have been included in your projects in the field of bioenergy? What has been achieved so far?

Milica Vukadinović: We would particularly want to highlight the excellent cooperation with local self-governments, engagingness of people and their readiness for changes which lead to better standard of living, sustainable development, economic development of municipalities and environmental protection.

I will single out the cooperation with the Municipality of Pirot, which will through public-private partnership soon provide heating on wood biomass in public buildings (schools and kindergartens) in their city. Then, we conduct campaigns together we the Municipalities of Leskovac, Vlasotince, Bajina Bašta and Užice for the promotion of more efficient usage of firewood. The municipalities in the southwest Serbia in Zlatibor District (Bajina Bašta, Nova Varoš, Prijepolje, Priboj, Mali Zvornik, Novi Pazar) have made joint efforts and shown willingness to switch from heating on fossil fuels onto locally available and CO₂ neutral energy source – wood chips.

EP: What is the situation regarding the use of wood biomass for energy purposes in the region? Can you compare the progress of Serbia in relation to other neighbouring countries?

Milica Vukadinović: Serbia has a huge biomass potential for electricity production in agriculture and forestry. The aim of Serbian Government is to make this potential accessible and thereby help the increase of the energy share from renewable energy sources. Heating power plants, industrial power plants and agricultural households show the increased interest for the use of bioenergy for heat and electricity. The efforts that GIZ makes in the development of bioenergy market in Serbia are of huge significance for the entire Balkan region. Our goal is not just the exchange of existing knowledge and good practices between Serbia and Germany but also between regional actors in this field. This contributes to the local economic strengthening, additional employment and significant positive impact on the environment. It is very important to point out that the sustainable usage of bioenergy requires an organised and systematic approach of actors in different sectors and at all levels.

EP: Cooperation between Germany and Serbia is long-term and includes all professions. What are the GIZ’s plans for the future period in Serbia in the field of bioenergy?

Milica Vukadinović: Cooperation between Serbia and Germany is exceptional in many areas and we are proud of our partnership because it creates real values for the citizens of Serbia. Development potentials of Serbian agriculture are extraordinary, since Serbia has significant resources. We pay much attention to this area. The German Agency for International Cooperation is very dedicated to agricultural development through the usage of bioenergy. Currently, domestic farmers rely on traditional energy sources to a great extent, which are expensive and have harmful impact on the environment. Energy independence, improvement of your business and achievement of additional revenues can be achieved with the adoption of new technological solutions and with turning towards the production of bio-energy.

Interview by: Vesna Vukajlović

UK’s Billions of Takeaway Cups Could Each Take ’30 Years’ to Break Down

06.10.2016

Coffee-addicted Britain is leaving a mountain of toxic waste for the next generation as scientists warn it could take decades for paper cups from Starbucks, Pret a Manger and other chains to decompose.

The environmental cost of the coffee-to-go culture has been highlighted amid growing concerns that much of the public wrongly believe the cups are recycled, when in fact they are dumped in the green bin in the office or the recycling bin on the street.

While the paper can be recycled, the problem arises because recycling plants do not have the facility to remove the plastic lining which makes the cups impermeable.

Chris Cheeseman, a professor of materials resources engineering at Imperial College London, says the polyethylene is resistant to degradation and could take around 30 years to break down. “Even then we don’t know for sure, because nobody has looked at the cup specifically,” added Cheeseman.

Even if there were no plastic lining, the cup could take at least two years to start breaking down because of the high quality paper. “In terms of environmental impact the cellulose fibre is potentially more of an issue than the plastic,” he said.

“This could take 18 months to two years to start to break down and then it produces methane gas which is probably not collected.”

For health and safety reasons the paper must be virgin, prompting claims that it takes at least 100,000 trees to fuel Britain’s coffee habit a year.

Last week the Liberal Democrats called for a 5p tax on coffee cups following the success of the plastic bag tax in a bid to change consumer behaviour.

Parminter is planning to call all the main coffee chains to talks to discuss the issue of recycling and pressure them into doing more.

Simply Cups, a company that collects cups from businesses and event organisers for specialist recycling has launched a plastic product developed from the cups.

It estimates the number of cups in circulation could be as high as 5bn when caterers, hotels, restaurants such as McDonald and shops such as Waitrose and Greggs are taken into account.

Efforts to fight paper cup waste will be centre stage in Manchester city centre next week when a series of giant cup-shaped bins will appear on pavements.

Charity Hubbub has launched the scheme with the city council and high street coffee retailers in a bid to change coffee-drinker habits. It says the cups collected will be taken to a specialist recycling centre and turned into plastic pellets which can then be used in products such as garden furniture.

Jason Cotta, managing director of Costa, said the company was hugely concerned with this important issue and it had partnered with a university to understand the lifecycle of a cup once it left its stores. It was also trialling in-store waste disposal and since April has been donating 25p to anti-litter charities every time a customer uses a disposal cup.

Source: theguardian.com

California Program Encourages Adoption of Zero-Emissions Vehicles

06.10.2016

California’s Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program is expected to increase sales of electric, plug-in hybrid, and other alternative light-duty vehicles in the United States. The ZEV program is administered by the California Air Resources Board and affects model year 2018 and later vehicles, requiring automakers to earn credits for alternative fueled vehicles based on a percentage of their sales in California. So far, nine other states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, and Oregon) have adopted California’s ZEV program. Taken together, California and the nine other states that have adopted the program accounted for 28% of total U.S. sales of light duty vehicles in 2015. Analysis in EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook 2016 (AEO2016) looks at the ZEV program’s implications for vehicle sales and energy consumption.

The ZEV sales requirement is administered through credits that are earned for selling specific types of vehicles. The value of the credits for vehicles sold within each of the following categories depends on certain vehicle characteristics including, for example, the electric driving range of electric vehicles:
-Full zero-emission vehicles (full ZEVs), such as battery-only electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles
-Transitional ZEVs, such as plug-in hybrid electric or hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles
-Advanced Technology Partial-ZEVs, such as gasoline- or diesel-electric hybrid, compressed natural gas, or methanol fuel cell vehicles
-Conventional Partial-ZEVs, which are considered extremely clean conventional vehicles

Partial and transitional ZEVs have lower credit values than full ZEVs. For example, sales of hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles yield fewer credits than sales of battery-only powered electric vehicles.

The required credits are calculated as a percentage of an automaker’s conventional light-duty vehicle sales. The total percentage requirement starts at 4.5% for model year 2018 sales and increases to 22% for model year 2025 sales. Full ZEVs must make up 16% of the required credits by model year 2025, which encourages the sale of vehicles powered by electricity or hydrogen fuel cells.

The AEO2016 Reference case projects sales and energy consumption of these vehicles assuming compliance with the ZEV program in all adopting states. Even though the program is based in California, national sales are affected as more alternative light-duty vehicle models become available as a response to the mandate. Taken together, California and the nine other states that have adopted the program accounted for an estimated 39% of national light-duty electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle sales in 2015.

The AEO2016 Reference case projects that by 2025, full ZEVs and transitional ZEVs will make up 6% of national light-duty vehicle sales and about 2% of the total light-duty vehicle stock. With the increased stock, light-duty vehicles are projected to account for about half a percent of national electricity demand by 2025. After full implementation of the ZEV program in 2025, market penetration and energy consumption for electric, plug-in hybrid, hydrogen, and other alternative vehicles is projected to continue to grow through 2040.

Source: theenergycollective.com

Here’s Where the World’s Largest Solar Panel Farm Is Under Construction

06.10.2016

While California has been covering pockets of its deserts in sprawling solar panel farms over the past few years, it turns out the sunny state won’t be home to the world’s largest one.

That will be in China, according to a report from Bloomberg. A clean energy division of China’s largest private investment group, called China Minsheng New Energy Investment, is building a solar panel farm that will stretch across the equivalent of 7,000 city blocks and produce two gigawatts of energy in the northwest of the country.

In comparison, the biggest solar farms in California are a little under 600 megawatts (one gigawatt equals 1,000 megawatts). Large natural gas or coal plants can commonly generate about one gigawatt of energy.

While solar panels on home roof tops are the most emblematic form of solar, the majority of the world’s solar power is coming from these large solar panel farms built in remote regions. The farms sell power to utilities or even big companies like Apple AAPL 0.60% .

Approximately 70% of the solar panels that will be installed in the U.S. this year will be in these “utility-scale” solar farms. Companies like SunPower SPWR 7.02% are turning to the latest computing tech—like drones and robots—to build these big solar farms more quickly, at a lower cost, and with more attention to land concerns.

Making more efficient use of land is an increasing issue for solar companies. The U.S. federal government recently only allocated a small portion of California’s deserts for clean energy projects, while setting aside far more for conservation.

SunPower has started a collaboration with the University of California at Davis to research how to mix agriculture with solar farms. The solar farm in China’s Ningxia region, which is halfway completed, will provide some shade for crops that will be used for feed for animals.

While solar panel farms generate carbon emissions-free energy from an unlimited resource—the sun—the projects have at least two weak spots: the massive land that the sites need, and the variability of the energy (i.e. only works during the day).

It’s unclear whether the Ningxia solar farm will store energy in batteries. But the Bloomberg report says that getting the solar energy that’s already being produced onto the grid has been a bit of a challenge. Approximately 20% of the solar farm’s capacity wasn’t used in the first quarter of this year.

Source: fortune.com

Lithuania to Generate up to EUR 500 Million for Energy Efficiency with EIB

06.10.2016

European Investment Bank (EIB) to attract private finance into residential energy efficiency modernisation via a guarantee scheme funded by the Lithuanian Government.

The Lithuanian Leveraged Fund, a guarantee scheme funded with EUR 100 million of EU Structural and Investment Funds and national resources, comes in support of energy efficiency investments to cut energy bills in thousands of Lithuanian homes. The structure will maximise the funds available for the “Multi-apartment Building Modernisation Programme”, a key government priority with national and municipal backing.

Minister of Environment Kęstutis Trečiokas said: “Renovation is an area that yields stunning results and its positive changes can be felt by almost everyone. After refurbishing their houses, hundreds of thousands of Lithuanian residents enjoy nicer surroundings and, I have no doubt, are happier. I am very glad that along with the reduction in energy consumption in the renovated houses, CO2 emissions have decreased significantly as well. In the renovated buildings, more than 40% of the energy used for heating is saved, which is yet another step towards the preservation of the environment and a rational consumption of natural resources.”

Source: eib.org

Helping Lay the Groundwork for Electric Vehicles

06.10.2016

For every promise of how electric vehicles will revolutionize transportation, there is a matching practical challenge. If electric vehicles need recharging, how do we make that process fast and convenient? If all our cars will be plugged in, how will today’s gas stations change? How can we remake public transportation to be not just an electric equivalent, but a radical improvement over what came before—the way motorized vehicles surpassed horses and carriages?

ABB studies the practical challenges and creates the solutions that are underpinning the EV transformation, on scales from national to personal. We provide the answers that offer improvements to drivers, passengers, vehicle makers, city managers, utilities, national governments, and the population at large.

Integrating electric vehicles into the transportation system begins with seeing the big picture. ABB is among the very few who have expertise in large-scale power transmission and know how to tie the charging systems into the Industrial Internet of Things. We have created nationwide charger networks in several countries, including Estonia, Denmark and the Netherlands.

At the city-wide level, ABB’s solutions are making a big difference. TOSA is a fully electrified bus system that uses ABB-designed flash-charging technology to boost the battery while the bus is mid-route. At each stop, an arm connects and provides a 15 second charge. More recharges mean smaller batteries, which in turn means more physical capacity for people. Buses no longer need overnight recharging. And most visibly, this can all be done without overhead electrical lines—offering more flexibility to route planners and a better view to city-dwellers.

We also apply our expertise at the individual charger level, developing systems for maintenance and for user functions like payment and subscription. With over 4,000 units, ABB has the world’s largest installed base of EV chargers. We’re helping to ensure that chargers are readily available, easy-to-maintain by providers, and easy-to-use by customers. By linking chargers to the Industrial Internet of Things, ABB helps facilitate web-based payments, software upgrades, remote troubleshooting, and helps contribute to a smarter grid.

Source: new.abb.com

The Future Belongs to Clean Energy

06.10.2016

As we close out a summer marked by uncertainty in news and events, one trend for which analysts voice increasing certainty is the accelerating pace of the clean-energy transformation reshaping how the world generates electricity.

With increasing speed, global energy markets are turning away from fossil fuels and towards wind and other renewable sources, not just because they’re clean but because they’re cheaper, more competitive energy choices and offer a level of long-term certainty more price-volatile fossil fuels just can’t match.

In fact, by 2030 clean energy is expected to overtake fossil fuels and become the largest source in global electricity production — and wind power is forecast to lead the way to meet the surging demand for renewables. In its 2016 Outlook, Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) projects: a fundamental transformation of the world electricity system over coming decades towards renewable sources.

From forecast data to market demand, it’s clear the future belongs to wind and other clean energies.

In the top energy markets on six continents, wind is now the cheapest or largest source of newly installed power and gaining share. In 2015, the wind industry crossed the 60 gigawatt (GW) mark for the first time and reached an unprecedented 63 GW installed globally.

The bottom line: wind is winning. Not just in forecasts, but in today’s global marketplace.

Wind power installations are projected to continue this trend, more than doubling in developing countries and increasing by one-third in developed countries by 2030. As wind energy costs continue to drop, the primary drivers for clean energy are expected to include replacement of existing generating capacity – fossil fuel or nuclear – because they simply no longer make economic sense; further growth in global electricity demand; long-term policy stability such as that provided by the production tax credit in the U.S.; and nation-specific targets driven by the Paris Climate Agreement.

Developing markets in particular have an opportunity to leapfrog older energy sources and meet new electricity demand by using wind power that is cleaner and cheaper than fossil fuels. One example is the Lake Turkana wind project in Kenya, where Vestas supplies wind turbines and Google will be a key investor. Upon completion, it will supply 310 megawatts of clean power, account for some 15% of the country’s electricity consumption, and power Kenya’s future growth more cheaply and cleanly than traditional fuels.

While the present and the future look bright for renewables, pushing their energy costs even lower remains key for accelerating the transition to a clean energy mix globally. BNEF reports that onshore wind’s costs are expected to drop 23–36% globally by 2030, but Vestas is committed to driving down the levelized cost of wind energy even further.

To achieve this, we are leading the industry with investments in research and development and our smart data capabilities to help customers lower their cost of energy, increase their annual energy production, and strengthen their business case. With an unrivaled data pool from the industry’s largest installed base of wind turbines as well as meteorological reporting from around the world, we are constantly improving every aspect of the business — from product design and testing, siting and manufacturing, to operations and maintenance.

With this kind of constant innovation and technological advancement driving down the cost of energy, wind is well-positioned to keep its lead as the preferred renewable energy choice. And clean power will continue leading the global transformation away from traditional energy sources.

Indeed, the future belongs to clean energy, and the world’s new clean-energy economy looks strong.

Source: theguardian.com

Energy Efficiency Should Be Placed on a Level Playing Field in the Clean Energy Incentive Program

05.10.2016

energetska-efikasnost2 — Foto-ilustracija: energetskiportal.rs

Despite the fact that energy efficiency is generally the least-cost option for states looking to comply with the Clean Power Plan, it has yet to be fully considered as a strategy for the Clean Energy Incentive Program (CEIP). This could result in reduced investment in energy efficiency which would mean increased electric costs and less money in the hands of communities. As we’ve shown, it costs significantly less to reduce emissions through energy efficiency than through other means.

These savings get passed down to customers, resulting in local job creation and economic development. The Environmental Protection Agency’s latest proposal for the CEIP is an important opportunity to ensure that states can reward investments in energy efficiency while claiming credit for the pollution it avoids. The CEIP early-action program incentivizes renewable energy and energy efficiency serving low-income communities, but as currently drafted, it puts efficiency at an unfair disadvantage. Earlier, ACEEE submitted comments to the EPA that seek to put energy efficiency on a level playing field.

The CEIP is expected to spur early investment in clean energy and provides benefits to low-income communities. In addition to rewarding early investments in energy efficiency and solar projects implemented in low-income communities, the CEIP offers an extra incentive to renewable energy. While we support many elements of EPA’s recent proposal, we are requesting that EPA expand this pool of credits available to renewable energy to also include energy efficiency.

We think this point is so important that we’ve created a letter for sign-on that requests EPA to treat energy efficiency as equal to renewable energy in the CEIP. The exclusion of energy efficiency is a significant oversight that could cause states to opt for more expensive compliance options. We’ve received broad support for this idea from businesses, policymakers, localities, health advocates, environmental groups, and others. Now is the time to show your support and put efficiency on a level playing field in the CEIP.

ACEEE’s broader comments also recommend an increased incentive for residential efficiency and solar projects implemented in low-income households. We think the current award is not enough to drive the significant investment needed in these communities. Increasing the incentive will help to ensure that residential projects are a major component of the CEIP and that low-income households can directly participate and benefit from this program. We also request that EPA recognize the full benefits of combined heat and power (CHP) installed at critical facilities and other public buildings in low-income communities, and include it as an eligible technology under the CEIP. We support having EPA create a presumptively approvable CEIP plan for states to follow, and request that EPA provide clear guidance to states for evaluation, measurement, and verification (EM&V) to award efficiency savings. You can view a copy of ACEEE’s comments for more detail. With a recent deadline extension to November 1, there is still time to provide comments to EPA.

Source: aceee.org

Electric Vehicles Will Help the Shift Toward EU’s Green Transport Future

05.10.2016

A large scale roll-out of electric cars on European roads would result in significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions and lower levels of certain air pollutants, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) assessment released today. However, widespread use of such vehicles would pose challenges for Europe’s power grid in meeting increased electricity demand.

The EEA briefing ‘Electric vehicles and the energy sector — impacts on Europe’s future emissions‘ looks at the impact of different scenarios that take into account the increased use of electric cars and their effect on the European Union’s (EU) energy system, and on emissions of greenhouse gases and selected air pollutants.

“Electric vehicles powered by renewable energy sources can play a bridging role in the EU’s plans to move towards a greener, more sustainable transport system, and in meeting its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80‒95% by 2050. However, larger numbers of electric vehicles will not be enough for the shift to a low-carbon economy. Other problems such as growing demand for transport and congestion remain and need to be addressed as well,” said Hans Bruyninckx, EEA Executive Director.

Several scenarios were explored, including one model where electric cars have an 80% share of the EU’s total car fleet in 2050. Additional electricity generation will be required in the EU to meet the higher energy demand. The need for extra power will be higher if other sectors like industry or households do not follow through on planned energy efficiency improvements. The use of renewable energy in 2050 will also have an effect on the level of emissions from the power-generating sector.

Overall, the resulting carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reductions in the road transport sector would outweigh the higher emissions caused by the continued use of fossil fuels in the power-generating sector. In the EU, a net reduction of 255 million tonnes of CO2 could be delivered in 2050. This amount is equivalent to around 10% of the total emissions estimated for that year. However in countries with a high share of fossil power plants, environmental benefits would be lower. This would also lower the benefits of using electric vehicles in these countries.

An 80 % share of electric vehicles would also significantly reduce overall emissions of certain air pollutants like nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM). For other pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO2), emissions could increase due to the continued use of coal in the electricity generation sector.

A larger number of electric cars on the road may pose future challenges for Europe’s power production capacities and put stress on existing power grids. Under the 80% scenario, the share of Europe’s total electricity consumption from electric vehicles would increase from around 0.03% in 2014, to 9.5% by 2050. A more extensive infrastructure providing more public charging points would be key as well as increased power capacity able to handle a larger European car fleet. The assessment stresses that closer coordination between the road transport and energy sectors on policy making and investments will be crucial.

Pros and cons of electric vehicles

Today’s briefing is complemented by the publication of a new EEA guide on electric vehicles in Europe, which provides a non-technical summary of the latest information on electric cars in Europe, including those with hybrid technologies. The guide specifically focuses on the electric passenger cars currently on the market, and describes how they work and the challenges and incentives in place they face in achieving their broader use. Sales and use of electric vehicles are increasing, but they currently only make up 1.2% of total passenger car sales in the EU. Current estimates also show that electric cars only account for 0.15% of Europe’s total car fleet.

Source: energyindemand.com

Photo: pinterest.com

Development of the Energy Sector in Montenegro

05.10.2016

In 2014 a comprehensive plan for the development of the energy sector with the emblematic title “Energy Development Strategy by 2030‘ was passed by the Montenegrin Government. The policy document considers all subsectors and the primary sources of energy, and involves the construction of new energy infrastructure such as Block II of the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant, new hydroelectric power plants on the Morača and Komarnica rivers, an underwater cable to transport energy between Montenegro and Italy, an Adriatic-Ionian pipeline, and numerous wind farms and hydroelectric power plants.

By 2021, the same strategy plans for investments in the energy industry amounting to over €3 billion, while investments for the period 2022-2030 are expected to amount to around €1.1 billion. For Montenegro this means a financial commitment amounting to approximately €300 million every year in the energy industry, corresponding to almost 10% of the country’s GDP. The “Energy Development Strategy by 2030” also plans for the creation of an agency aimed at managed the storage of petroleum products and a detailed plan to ensure the supplies of oil products and derivatives. The Government has also made the decision to establish the Administration for Hydrocarbons and to allocate initial operating funds to the Montenegro budget for 2015 for its operation. On the other hand, Eni’s entry into the Montenegrin upstream sector is part of the company’s strategy aimed at strengthening its exploration portfolio in an area in which the company has always led the way, since the early 1960s, in Exploration & Production activities. The 4 licenses were granted under the First International Competitive Bid Round.

Source: abo.net

Cheers to This: Beer That’s Good for the Climate

05.10.2016

A new beer from Patagonia Provisions and Hopworks Urban Brewery is made with Kernza, a perennial grain designed to save water, protect soil, and absorb carbon.

Long Root Ale, a pale ale hitting the market today from Patagonia Provisions and Hopworks Urban Brewery, is sustainably brewed and made with organic ingredients, but that’s not what sets it apart. The big difference here is in the grains—and the farming practices behind them.

While most beer is brewed with malted barley or wheat that is grown in an annual rotation—meaning the grains are planted every spring, harvested in the fall, to be repeated the following year—Long Root Ale is the first beer to incorporate Kernza, a perennial grain. Once planted, this “superwheat“ derived from an ancient form of intermediate wheatgrass can remain in the ground for years at a time.

Kernza is the product of many years of research and development by the Land Institute, a Kansas-based nonprofit founded by Wes Jackson and devoted to the advancement of perennial grains and regenerative agricultural practices. Due to its unusually long roots, the grain uses less than half the amount of water than annual wheat crops do, and these roots help pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and lock it in the soil. In addition, Kernza thrives without chemical fertilizers or pesticides, which can be harmful to soil and exacerbate erosion.

Patagonia’s new food division, Patagonia Provisions, brought its first food product—a sustainable, shelf-stable smoked salmon—to market in 2013. It has since released multiple products, including pasture-raised buffalo jerky and several dried soup mixes.

Birgit Cameron, senior director of Patagonia Provisions, says that company started working with Jackson and the Land Institute four years ago to develop a commercial product made with Kernza. The organization, which considers the grain a work-in-progress, had dabbled in making a beer with grains like Kernza, and Cameron says, “it was clear to me that we could do something [to] help Wes Jackson’s efforts to get it out there sooner than he thought.” She points to the fact that the effort has been the Jackson’s “ongoing life’s work” and she’s excited to see Long Root Ale show up on the market shortly after the his eightieth birthday.

One of Patagonia Provisions’ major contributions toward bringing Long Root Ale to market was getting the grain recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as “Generally Recognized As Safe,” or GRAS. The effort cost the company about $50,000, Cameron said.

Once the grain was FDA-approved an an ingredient, it was time to find Kernza a brewery. Portland, Oregon-based Hopworks Urban Brewery stood out as an ideal candidate, not only as a cultural match, but also as a certified B Corporation, a company on the board of Salmon Safe, and one recently accepted as a member of One Percent for the Planet.

“It wasn’t a foreign discussion for us,” said Christian Ettinger, founder and brewmaster. He launched Hopworks with his wife in 2008 with the intention to incorporate sustainable brewing practices, organic craft beer recipes, and his interest in ancient grains. One of the brewery’s first beers was called Survival Stout, and featured seven different grains, including Amaranth, quinoa, spelt, and kamut.

“We’re using beer as a force for good. Beer is really responsible for civilization…[so] it’s such a great landing place for us to focus on sustainability,” Ettinger said.

“Beer has such a history at the table … It’s such a communal product,” added Cameron. “Particularly recently, with the craft beer movement.” Indeed, as of June 2016, a record high of more than 4,600 breweries were operating in the U.S., according to the Brewers Association.

Long Root Ale is made with 15 percent Kernza, grown by a cooperative of farmers in Roseau, Minnesota, and 85 percent organic barley malt, Ettinger said. The brewery arrived at 15 percent as “a middle ground where the Kernza can express in terms of flavor, but doesn’t disrupt the flow of the [brewing] process.”

One challenge has been Kernza’s “odd, pencil-like” shape, which is not suitable for conventional processing equipment and has so far been impossible to malt. “If we can get it malted, the possibilities are endless,” Ettinger said. Patagonia Provisions is currently working with Skagit Valley Malting, a “micro-malting” facility in Burlington, Washington, to develop a technique that can accommodate Kernza’s size.

According to Cameron, Patagonia Provisions is also investing in infrastructure that will incentivize farmers to grow and process Kernza in exchange for a premium price. For example, a mill available to farmers who are interested in growing Kernza would allow farmers to process the grain in close proximity to their farms, and are assured that there is somewhere for it to go, she said.

“If we bring back some of the infrastructure we’ve lost to handle these alternative grains, that can bring back economic diversity… the farmer needs to know they’re going to have a place for it and that their costs are covered,” she said.

In the meantime, Long Root Ale will be available in four-packs of 16 oz. cans in 108 Whole Foods locations throughout Oregon, Washington, and California. Hopworks Urban Brewery has a production goal of 6,000 cases (of 24 cans) for the first 12 months. It will also be on draft at select locations, including the Perennial, a sustainability-focused San Francisco restaurant that also serves bread made with Kernza and has been a major supporter of the Land Institute’s efforts.

In addition to Hopworks, Patagonia Provisions hopes to partner with either a larger brewery on the West Coast, or another mid-size brewer on the East Coast. “Kernza at this stage is really conducive to making beer. If the bigger players come out with a beer that incorporated Kernza—and if even a small percentage [of farmers] turned to perennial agriculture—that would be a huge win,” Cameron said.

Source: civileats.com

Photo: Amy Kumler

Reykjavík: the Geothermal City that aims to Go Carbon Neutral

05.10.2016

Icelandic capital plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2040 by reversing urban sprawl and promoting walking, cycling and public transport.

Reykjavík used to be marketed as a place of “pure energy”, run on geothermal power – and now Iceland’s capital is trying to become the world’s first carbon neutral city.

Last month, Iceland became one of the first countries to ratify the Paris climate deal with a unilateral parliamentary vote, shortly after Reykjavik announced its aim to be carbon neutral by 2040.

It wants to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from 2.8 tonnes per person in 2013 to zero – largely by changing the shape of the city to reverse urban sprawl and encouraging Icelanders out of their beloved cars to walk, cycle or use public transport.

The city already has a head-start thanks to its reliance on geothermal energy. The US, for example, has a greenhouse gas footprint of 16.5 tonnes per person.

The city, the world’s northernmost capital, has a population of just over 120,000, with 60% of Iceland’s population in its metropolitan area. A pull for increasing tourism – expected to make up a tenth of the country’s 2016 GDP – is Iceland’s amazing geothermal features. These resources also mean all Reykjavík’s houses have geothermal heating, plus 100% hydroelectricity.

“Now we’re going to push it further and do it faster,” says Ólöf Örvarsdóttir, head of the environment and planning department. “We’re very lucky because we have our natural energy but it’s about taking a stand and educating people who live here.”

Better transport

“I think we can achieve it but our biggest challenge is transport,” says Örvarsdóttir. To solve that Reykjavík plans to keep investing in bike paths (it has a £3.3m budget for this year), install more electric car charging points, and work with six neighbouring municipalities on a new rapid bus or light rail system.

The city already has a bus system but it is only used by 4% of people – and it aims to treble public transport usage by 2030. It wants cycling to increase from 19% to more than 30%, and is encouraging electric car use in its own 9,000 public employees and others via free parking and lower taxes.

Solving its “urban growth quandary” is key to reducing the transport-related 80% of emissions, says Þorsteinn Hermannsson, city director of transport and urban design. “Around 75% of all trips in the Reykjavík area are by car, so a low-hanging fruit is to get people to walk or bike or use more energy-efficient public transportation,” he says. “We tend to use our car as our overcoat instead of dressing up and walking 1km.”

Stopping urban sprawl

Hermannsson is embarking on a project to persuade residents to live in the city, not suburbs. “The Reykjavík area is quite sprawled, like an American city, and that’s reflected in the private car choice,” he says. “We have to grow inwards instead of outwards and people living closer to work and shops will mean they move differently.”

City surveys suggest young people are keen to live in the city, and public transport expert Jarrett Walker – who ran executive workshops for the area last year – says the current sprawl is a real problem. “Carbon neutrality always comes down to urban form,” he says. “Outside the small historic centre Reykjavík is mostly high-density sprawl: apartment blocks oriented towards motorways or fast streets rather than to pedestrian infrastructure or logical public transport paths. Many people in these towers can’t even walk to a convenience store.”

Developers are keen to exploit “brownfield” spaces. Þorvaldur Gissurarson, owner and chief executive of ÞGverk and Arcus companies, is building a Hafnartorg (“harbour city”) development of retail, offices and 80 apartments in prime downtown. “Downtown hasn’t had that high density we see in many countries due to city planning issues restricting the number of apartments, and prices. The city [authority] needed to change.”

Business support

Companies are also on board. Last year, the Icelandic centre for corporate social responsibility, Festa, encouraged 104 company leaders to sign a pledge to measure and reduce waste and emissions. Managing director Ketill Magnússon believes there’s genuine will to change, as well as cash-saving motivations, and adds: “This is something capitals in the Nordic region are doing – there’s peer pressure between mayors.”

One of those corporate leaders who signed the pledge was Erna Eiríksdóttir, senior manager of investor relations at Eimskip shipping. She said waste and energy reduction make business and environmental sense. Its long-distance ships cannot currently be electric powered (although Iceland is installing electric chargers for fishing vessels). “We should be able to do it if we motivate each other, but we may have to compromise between convenience and what it costs in time,” she says.

As well as tourists, better green credentials could also increase the city’s attractiveness as an international conference location halfway across the Atlantic, says Áshildur Bragadóttir, director of Visit Reykjavík tourist body. “We have the geysers, great water pools, glaciers, volcanos – the landscape is constantly changing because of eruptions, earthquakes and climate change. In Reykjavík, I think we are more concerned about nature than perhaps other nations because we are so connected to our island, landscape and natural wonders.”

Source: theguardian.com

Paris Agreement to Enter into Force as EU Agrees Ratification

05.10.2016

logo_en The European Parliament has approved the ratification of the Paris Agreement by the European Union yesterday.

With today’s European Parliament approval of the Paris Agreement ratification – in the presence of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the United Nation’s Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the President of COP 21 Ségolène Royal – the last hurdle is cleared. The political process for the European Union to ratify the Agreement is concluded.

* President Jean-Claude Juncker in his State of the Union Speech on 14 Septemebr called for a swift ratification of the agreement.

He said: “Slow delivery on promises made is a phenomenon that more and more risks undermining the Union’s credibility. Take the Paris agreement. We Europeans are the world leaders on climate action. It was Europe that brokered the first-ever legally binding, global climate deal. It was Europe that built the coalition of ambition that made agreement in Paris possible. I call on all Member States and on this Parliament to do your part in the next weeks, not months. We should be faster.” Today this is happening.

President Jean-Claude Juncker said: “Today the European Union turned climate ambition into climate action. The Paris Agreement is the first of its kind and it would not have been possible were it not for the European Union. Today we continued to show leadership and prove that, together, the European Union can deliver.”

The Vice-President for Enery Union Maroš Šefčovič said: “The European parliament has heard the voice of its people. The European Union is already implementing its own commitments to the Paris Agreement but today’s swift ratification triggers its implementation in the rest of the world.”

Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete said: “Our collective task is to turn our commitments into action on the ground. And here Europe is ahead of the curve. We have the policies and tools to meet our targets, steer the global clean energy transition and modernise our economy. The world is moving and Europe is in a driver’s seat, confident and proud of leading the work to tackle climate change”.

So far, 62 parties, accounting for almost 52 % of global emissions have ratified the Paris Agreement. The Agreement will enter into force 30 days after at least 55 parties, representing at least 55% of global emissions have ratified. The EU ratification and deposit will cross the 55% emission threshold and therefore trigger the entry into force of the Paris Agreement.

The EU, which played a decisive role inin building the coalition of ambition making the adoption of the Paris Agreement possible last December, is a global leader on climate action. The European Commission has already brought forward the legislative proposals to deliver on the EU’s commitment to reduce emissions in the European Union by at least 40% by 2030.

Next steps

With today’s approval by the European Parliament, the Council can formally adopt the Decision. In parallel the EU Member States will ratify the Paris Agreement individually, in accordance with their national parliamentary processes.

Source: europa.eu

To Avoid the Worst Climate Impacts, Obama Tells Leo DiCaprio, ‘We’re Really in a Race Against Time’

05.10.2016

Leonardo_DiCaprio_2014 — Photo: sr.wikipedia.org

Capping a day-long futurist fair and alternative music fest on the South Lawn of the White House on Monday, President Obama told actor Leonardo DiCaprio and atmospheric scientist Katharine Hayhoe “we’re really in a race against time” to curb the worst affects of climate change.

The hour-long panel discussion, which was immediately followed the U.S. premiere of “Before the Flood,” a National Geographic documentary on climate change that DiCaprio starred in and produced, aimed to shift public opinion on an issue that even DiCaprio acknowledged rarely galvanizes voters.

As he introduced Obama and Hayhoe, who directs Texas Tech University’s climate science center, the Oscar winner said he and director Fisher Stevens wanted their film “to be released before this upcoming election because after firsthand experiencing the devastating impacts of climate change worldwide, we, like many of you here today, realize that urgent action must be taken.”

“This moment is more important than ever. We must empower leaders who not only believe in climate change but are willing to do something about it,” DiCaprio said. “The scientific consensus is in, and the argument is now over. If you do not believe in climate change, you do not believe in facts, or in science, or empirical truths, and therefore, in my humble opinion, should not be allowed to hold public office.”

Those lines, and others, drew loud applause from the crowd. And while the president endorsed the idea of “turning up the dials and reducing the amount of carbon pollution that we’re putting into the atmosphere,” Obama cautioned that incremental steps were essential to making meaningful progress.

Recalling that he often instructed his international climate negotiators and other aides that “better is good,” Obama said he understood some activists’ frustration. “Better is not always enough; better is not always ideal, and in the case of climate change, better is not going to save the planet. But if we get enough better, each year we’re doing something that’s making more progress, moving us forward, increasing clean energy, then that’s ultimately how we end up solving this problem.”

Noting that most Americans rely on their cars to commute to work and to travel across the country, the president said, “And you can’t, overnight, suddenly just start having everybody taking high-speed trains because we don’t have any high-speed trains to take. And we have to build them. And we should start building them. But in the meantime, people have to get to work.”

The audience cheered the president’s initial reference to imposing a carbon tax, even though he cautioned, “the likelihood of an immediate carbon tax is a ways away.” But Obama suggested Americans should be extracting natural gas through fracking, which many liberal activists oppose because these operations emit the potent greenhouse gas methane and potentially pose a threat to nearby drinking water supplies.

“And I get all that,” he said. “On the other hand, the fact that we’re transitioning from coal to natural gas means less greenhouse gases.”

Neither Obama, who relies on the presidential aircraft to travel with an extensive entourage nearly every week, nor DiCaprio, who travels at times on private planes and yachts, addressed their own considerable carbon footprints.

Stevens said in an interview that the film’s backers paid a voluntary carbon tax to offset the greenhouse gas emissions involved in traveling to China, India, Greenland, the Arctic, Indonesia, Micronesia and multiple cities in the United States and Europe. The money, which he said was in “the tens of thousands” of dollars, will support reforestation projects in areas such as Brazil, Indonesia and Mexico.

With many audience members sitting on red-and-black plaid woolen blankets on the lawn on a balmy evening and a warm-up performance by the Denver-based band the Lumineers, the gathering felt at times like a genuine music festival. But the wonky crowd was clearly more focused on the panel discussion than many of the acts that had preceded it, erupting into loud cheers when DiCaprio made a reference to Obama’s broad use of the 1906 Antiquities Act to protect federal lands and waters.

Hayhoe, for her part, said people who are invested in cutting greenhouse gas emissions need to recognize that they will not win converts by lecturing people who are skeptical.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned is facts are not enough,” she said, “In fact, the more literate we are about science, the more polarized we are about climate change.”

“The most important thing to do is not to pile up scientific reports until they reach a tottering pile of about eight feet, where they’ll tip over and crush somebody,” Hayhoe continued. “The most important thing to do is to connect this issue to what’s already in our hearts.”

“So, in the case of climate change, if we could flip a magic switch and turn off all our carbon emissions today, we would still see the impact of the Industrial Revolution on our planet for well over 5,000 years. That’s how long we would see it,” she said. “But, on the other hand, there’s still plenty of time to avoid the worst of the impacts. If we act now.”

In addition to meshing with the White House’s climate agenda, “Before the Flood” shows the extent to which the National Geographic Channel has not shifted ideologically since being purchased by Rupert Murdoch’s 21^st Century Fox. Both the documentary and the second season of “Years of Living Dangerously,” a climate series that debuted on Showtime, will premiere on Oct. 30.

Joe Romm, who serves as chief science adviser for “Years of Living Dangerously” wrote in a recent blog post, “I can personally attest that this season’s science-driven episodes are every bit as blunt about the urgent nature of the climate crisis as Season 1 was.”

“Before the Flood” was produced independently and later acquired by National Geographic, but Stevens said the channel’s executives were supportive of his and DiCaprio’s desire to air it before most voters head to the polls in early November.

And at an event that focused on technologies that could transform life on earth, one of the funniest moments came when it emerged that one of the panelists had a backup plan–in space. Hayhoe, an observant Christian, noted that she has spent much of her career seeking to challenge the idea many hold “that I have to be a certain type of person to care about climate change. And if I am not that person, then I don’t care about it because I care about these other things.”

“But the reality is, is that if we’re a human living on this planet–which most of us are–as long as we haven’t signed up for the trip to Mars–I don’t want to know if anybody has. I think you’re crazy,” she added, as the crowd laughed.

“I did,” DiCaprio interjected.

“Oh, you did?” Hayhoe responded. “Oh, I’m sorry, I take that back.”

“I think you’ll acknowledge he’s crazy,” the president chimed in, as the audience laughed once more.

Source: washingtonpost.com

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