Trump Administration Tells EPA to Cut Climate Page from Website: Sources

26.01.2017

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to remove the climate change page from its website, two agency employees told Reuters, the latest move by the newly minted leadership to erase ex-President Barack Obama’s climate change initiatives.

The employees were notified by EPA officials on Tuesday that the administration had instructed EPA’s communications team to remove the website’s climate change page, which contains links to scientific global warming research, as well as detailed data on emissions. The page could go down as early as Wednesday, the sources said.

“If the website goes dark, years of work we have done on climate change will disappear,” one of the EPA staffers told Reuters, who added some employees were scrambling to save some of the information housed on the website, or convince the Trump administration to preserve parts of it.

The sources asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

A Trump administration official did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The order comes as Trump’s administration has moved to curb the flow of information from several government agencies who oversee environmental issues since last week, in actions that appeared designed to tighten control and discourage dissenting views.

The moves have reinforced concerns that Trump, a climate change doubter, could seek to sideline scientific research showing that carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels contributes to global warming, as well as the career staffers at the agencies that conduct much of this research.

Myron Ebell, who helped guide the EPA’s transition after Trump was elected in November until he was sworn in last week, said the move was not surprising.

“My guess is the web pages will be taken down, but the links and information will be available,” he said.

The page includes links to the EPA’s inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, which contains emissions data from individual industrial facilities as well as the multiagency Climate Change Indicators report, which describes trends related to the causes and effects of climate change.

The Trump administration’s recently appointed team to guide the post-Obama transition has drawn heavily from the energy industry lobby and pro-drilling think tanks, according to a list of the newly introduced 10-member team.

Trump appointed Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, a longtime foe of the EPA who has led 14 lawsuits against it, as the agency’s administrator. The Senate environment committee held a tense seven-hour confirmation hearing for Pruitt last week. No vote on his nomination has been scheduled yet.

Source: reuters.com

Photo: reuters/Alister Doyle

IEA Urges Poland to Clean Up its Energy Sector while Balancing Energy Security, Environment and Affordability Requirements

25.01.2017

Poland’s new energy strategy should put the country on a pathway towards a cleaner energy system while strengthening energy security, the International Energy Agency said in its latest review of the country’s energy policies. The forthcoming energy strategy is likely to prioritise long-term energy security, placing a strong emphasis on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and air pollution, increasing energy efficiency and decarbonising the transport system.

The new energy strategy will require significant investments to reduce the share of carbon-intensive power plants and increase the share of low-carbon energy, including nuclear energy and renewables, said Dr Fatih Birol, the IEA’s Executive Director, at the launch in Warsaw of Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Poland 2016 Review.

Source: iea.org

Trump Clears Way for Controversial Oil Pipelines

25.01.2017

U.S. President Donald Trump signed orders on Tuesday smoothing the path for the controversial Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines in a move to expand energy infrastructure and roll back key Obama administration environmental actions.

Oil producers in Canada and North Dakota are expected to benefit from a quicker route for crude oil to U.S. Gulf Coast refiners. But going ahead with the pipelines would mark a bitter defeat for Native American tribes and climate activists, who successfully blocked the projects earlier and vowed to fight the decisions through legal action.

Trump campaigned on promises to increase domestic energy production. Before taking office he said the Dakota pipeline should be completed and that he would revive the C$8 billion ($6.1 billion) Keystone XL project, which was rejected in 2015 by then-President Barack Obama.

U.S. crude imports have fallen dramatically in recent years as domestic production has boomed, but the world’s largest oil consumer still relies heavily on imports.

Even though Canada is already the biggest source of U.S. crude imports, boosting the flow from a close ally is seen in Washington as a way to improve U.S. energy security.

“It goes to show we as a nation build infrastructure that is part of a comprehensive energy plan to make our energy secure,” Republican Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota told Reuters.

TransCanada Corp said it would resubmit an application for a permit for Keystone XL after Trump signed an order saying the company could re-apply. The application will be reviewed by the U.S. State Department, which has 60 days to reach a decision.

The orders look set to undo victories won by protesters in North Dakota against Energy Transfer Partners, which has nearly completed construction of the Dakota line. Despite the advanced phase of the project, the Obama administration in December denied the company a permit to tunnel under the Missouri River.

Protesters rallied for months against plans to route the $3.8 billion pipeline beneath a lake near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation, saying it threatened water resources and sacred Native American sites.

At one point, nearly 10,000 people had flocked to federal land in North Dakota, including 4,000 veterans after protests turned violent at times. The main protest camp has dwindled to several hundred after the Standing Rock tribe asked activists to leave when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers denied the easement.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Standing Rock Sioux said they would fight the orders.

“Americans know this pipeline was unfairly rerouted towards our nation and without our consent. The existing pipeline route risks infringing on our treaty rights, contaminating our water and the water of 17 million Americans downstream,” said Dave Archambault II, chairman of the Standing Rock tribe.

Source: reuters.com

MEPs Back Higher Recycling Targets

25.01.2017

MEPs on the EU’s environment committee yesterday backed the adoption of more ambitious waste and recycling targets under the Circular Economy Package.

The lawmakers voted to boost the municipal recycling target from 65 per cent to 70 per cent by 2030, and cap the level of municipal waste going to landfill at five per cent for the same time period, down from the previous target of 10 per cent.

MEPs also agreed a non-binding target to cut food waste by 50 per cent over the next 15 years, up from the original 30 per cent target.

The higher targets are a victory for Italian MEP Simona Bonafè, who last June submitted an amendment calling for more ambitious waste and recycling targets as part of the package after the version put forward by the European Commission in December 2015 failed to deliver the stronger targets promised by the Commission in 2014.

The amendment also calls for at least five per cent of municipal waste to be “prepared for reuse” or repaired by 2030, as well as the separate collection of bio-waste, textiles and wood.

Current recycling rates across Europe hover at around 44 per cent – roughly the same level as that seen in the UK – although some EU nations, such as Sweden, recycle at much higher levels and send virtually no municipal waste to landfill.

And while some Member States countries – most notably France and Italy – have taken significant steps in recent months to take action on food waste, there is currently no common EU approach on the issue.

“We have filled the gap,” Bonafe told Reuters after the vote.

In order for the higher targets to become law, they need to be approved in a full plenary vote in the European Parliament, scheduled to take place in mid-March. After that, Parliament will begin negotiations with the Council of Ministers and the Commission to pass the package into law.

Environmental campaigners welcomed the news, with the European Environmental Bureau suggesting the higher targets could pave the way for more than 800,000 circular economy jobs to be created across Europe by 2030.

Source: businessgreen.com

UK Offshore Wind Power Costs Tumble 32 Per Cent in Four Years

25.01.2017

UK offshore wind power costs have plummeted by almost a third in four years, putting the technology on course to soon be level with the cost of conventional power generation, a report by the UK’s Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (ORE) has revealed.

The study suggests the offshore wind sector has beaten the UK government’s target of driving down generation costs below £100 per megawatt hour a full four years ahead of schedule, with new projects reaching an average levelised cost of £97/MWh during 2015/16, according to yesterday’s report.

In yet another milestone for the UK’s burgeoning offshore wind industry, costs have fallen by 32 per cent on average since the government’s target was set in 2012. Average costs stood at £142/MWh back in 2010/11.

The industry is now focused on further cost reductions, growth and job creation, the third annual Cost Reduction Monitoring Report said.

Energy minister Jesse Norman said the UK’s leadership in offshore wind made it an attractive destination for renewable energy investment.

“This growing industry will be an important part of the government’s new industrial strategy, and will be underpinned by £730m of annual support for renewable energy over the course of this parliament,” said Norman. “Thanks to the efforts of developers, the UK’s vigorous supply chain and support from government, renewables costs are continuing to fall. Offshore wind will continue to help the UK to meet its climate change commitments, as well as delivering jobs and growth across the country.”

Co-chair of the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC), Benj Sykes, said the sector was cutting costs much faster than predicted while creating jobs and stimulating investment worldwide. But he added that the offshore wind story was “just beginning”.

“We remain committed to delivering further significant cost reduction, while working in partnership with government to put in place a sector deal and build a sustainable industry that will benefit the UK for decades to come,” he said. “Our industry’s goal is to be cost competitive with other generation sources, and this new data shows that ambition is realistic and that we are well on the way to achieving it.”

Friends of the Earth renewable energy campaigner Alasdair Cameron welcomed the news and urged the government to put offshore wind, as well as other clean technologies such as battery storage and electric vehicles at the heart of its new industrial strategy published earlier this week.

“Renewables are increasingly recognised as being affordable and reliable, and those countries which lead the transition to a low-carbon economy will be well placed to thrive in the 21st century,” said Cameron. “The government must fully embrace the clean energy revolution and ensure sufficient investment in the UK’s huge job-creating renewable power potential – including onshore wind and solar, which are now among the cheapest energy sources of any kind.”

Source: businessgreen.com

Solar Employs More Workers Than Coal, Oil and Natural Gas Combined

25.01.2017

U.S. solar employs more workers than any other energy industry, including coal, oil and natural gas combined, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s second annual U.S. Energy and Employment Report.

6.4 million Americans now work in the traditional energy and the energy efficiency sector, which added more than 300,000 net new jobs in 2016, or 14 percent of the nation’s job growth.

“This report verifies the dynamic role that our energy technologies and infrastructure play in a 21st century economy,” said DOE Senior Advisor on Industrial and Economic Policy David Foster. “Whether producing natural gas or solar power at increasingly lower prices or reducing our consumption of energy through smart grids and fuel efficient vehicles, energy innovation is proving itself as the important driver of economic growth in America, producing 14 percent of the new jobs in 2016.”

The solar industry is particularly shining bright.

“Proportionally, solar employment accounts for the largest share of workers in the Electric Power Generation sector,” the report, released on Jan. 13, states. “This is largely due to the construction related to the significant buildout of new solar generation capacity.” Overall, the U.S. solar workforce increased 25 percent in 2016.

According to the report, solar—both photovoltaic and concentrated—employed almost 374,000 workers in 2016, or 43 percent of the Electric Power Generation workforce. This is followed by fossil fuels, which accounts for 22 percent of total Electric Power Generation employment, or 187,117 workers across coal, oil and natural gas generation technologies.

Wind generation is seeing growth in employment with a 32 percent increase since 2015. The wind industry provides the third largest share of Electric Power Generation employment with 102,000 workers at wind firms across the nation.

The reason behind this growth in the solar sector is due to the high capacity additions in both distributed and utility-scale photovoltaic solar, the report said.In fact, construction and installation projects represented the largest share of solar jobs, with almost four in ten workers doing this kind of work, followed by workers in solar wholesale trade, manufacturing and professional services.

In a sign of promise for the booming industry, solar employers reported that they expect to increase employment by 7 percent this year.

Solar is becoming the cheapest form of electricity production in the world, according to statistics from Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Last year was the first time that the renewable energy technology out-performed fossil fuels on a large scale.

Source: ecowatch.com

Nord Stream Utilisation Averages 80% in 2016 – 43.8 bcm Transported to the European Union

24.01.2017

In 2016, the Nord Stream Pipeline operated at 80 per cent of its annual capacity of 55 billion cubic metres (bcm). 43.8 bcm of natural gas were delivered to consumers in the European Union. This is yet another increase compared to the previous years: 39.1 bcm in 2015 (71 per cent), 35.5 bcm in 2014 (65 per cent), and 23.8 bcm in 2013 (43 per cent).

In the five years since the start of operations of the pipeline system, Nord Stream has reliably and safely fulfilled all transport nominations without interruptions. Until the end of 2016, a total of 154.4 bcm has been transported to the European Union.

The average utilization rate of the pipeline has constantly increased over the past years. In December 2016, the average load was as high as 87 per cent – a very good figure for a gas pipeline.

The twin pipeline system through the Baltic Sea from Vyborg, Russia to Lubmin near Greifswald, Germany is the shortest connection between the vast gas reserves in Russia and energy markets in the European Union. In Germany, the gas is transferred to the connecting pipelines OPAL and NEL.

Source: nord-stream.com

Not Enough Investment in Renewables: IRENA

24.01.2017

Money invested in renewable energy is not enough to reach a climate goal of limiting global warming to 2.0 degrees Celsius, an Abu Dhabi-based green energy organisation said last week.

Investment in renewables has increased dramatically in the last decade, but “the rate of growth is not sufficient yet to meet the climate goals”, Adnan Amin, the head of renewable energy agency IRENA said.

His comments come less than a week before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, a climate skeptic who has promised to “cancel” a 196-nation deal to curb global warming.

The landmark climate pact signed in December 2015 sets the goal of limiting average global warming to 2.0 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over pre-Industrial Revolution levels, by cutting greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels.

Countries, including the United States, have pledged to curb emissions under the deal by shifting to renewable energy sources.

But a recent IRENA report said the current share of renewable energies in the global energy mix of 18 percent should double by 2030 to keep global warming under 2.0 degrees.

To achieve this, “investments must be scaled up from some $305 billion in 2015, to an average of $900 billion per year between 2016 and 2030,” Amin said at the agency’s annual conference.

Renewable energies have become drastically cheaper thanks to recent developments in technology, he said, allowing them to become a “preferred solution”, even despite a decline in fossil fuel prices.

The IRENA report said solar panels “costs –- now half of what they were in 2010 – could fall by another 60 percent over the next decade”.

“Off-grid renewables provide electricity to an estimated 90 million people worldwide,” it added.

Source: AFP, yahoo.com

MEPs Must Seize Opportunity to Create over 800,000 Jobs across Europe

24.01.2017

Over 800,000 new jobs could be created across the EU if MEPs in the European Parliament’s Environment Committee vote for both an ambitious recycling target and to strongly support the refurbishing and reusing sectors on Tuesday (24 January), said the European Environmental Bureau (EEB).

Ambitious and intensive support from MEPs for European recycling, reusing and repairing industries could create 867,000 jobs in the EU by 2030 – enough to employ one in six of the currently unemployed young people in the bloc.

Piotr Barczak, Waste Policy Officer at the EEB, said:

“Creating new jobs and slashing marine litter are just two of the benefits that boosting recycling targets and helping the repair and reuse industries could bring. But to truly reap these rewards, MEPs must support ambitious recycling and repairing targets in this crunch vote.”

Environment Committee MEPs must demand that 70 percent of all waste created in the EU is reused or recycled by 2030, and also set a clear target for the repairing and reusing of waste.

MEPs must also act to halve the amount of marine litter the EU pumps into the world’s oceans by 2025. They can do this by phasing out unnecessary, non-reusable packaging and plastic items which are only used once, such as disposable cutlery.

MEPs can help countries failing to hit recycling targets by encouraging them to boost recycling rates more quickly. Rather than allowing them extra time to meet these targets, MEPs should support waste prevention schemes, the creation of better separate collection systems, progressive economic tools such as tax cuts for repair work and improving recycling infrastructure in these countries.

Source: eeb.org

REA ‘Welcomes’ UK Industry Plan

24.01.2017

The Renewable Energy Association (REA) has welcomed the UK government’s industrial strategy green paper, in particular, its support for energy storage.

REA head of policy & external affairs James Court said the association also hoped the focus on reducing energy costs would mean more supportive policies for onshore wind and solar.

“Onshore wind and solar are now the cheapest forms of energy generation, yet are facing a block to market through current government policy,” he said.

Court added that many elements of the green paper are “encouraging” and he welcomed the interest in setting up an energy storage research institution.

He also supported plans to strengthen links between industry and academia so that products that are researched in the UK are commercialized in the country.

“We also welcome a more coordinated cross-governmental effort to reduce barriers to clean energy deployment, and to encourage businesses to decarbonize their own electricity, heat and transport would be a positive step forward,” he added.

Source: renews.biz

Revolutionary Flapping Wind Turbine Mimics Hummingbirds to Produce Clean Energy

24.01.2017

wind-energy — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

A new flapping wind turbine from Tunisia marks a revolutionary breakthrough in the field of mechanics. Until recently, scientists have been limited in their ability to apply new understandings of animal and human motion to machines, according to Tyer Wind. In the wind energy sector, this limitation has resulted in fairly simple and relatively inefficient turbines. Using 3D Aouinian kinematics that he pioneered, Anis Aouini is disrupting that space with a unique wind turbine modeled on articulations of the only bird capable of sustained hovering–the hummingbird.

Tyer Wind has replicated the mechanism that allows hummingbirds to fly in one place with their flapping wind turbine that moves in a figure 8 configuration. It has two vertical axis wings made from carbon fiber, each 5.25 feet long, that convert kinetic wind energy into emissions-free electricity. Combined, the two wings sweep an area of nearly 12 square feet, with a pre-industrial rated power output of 1kW.

Hassine Labaied, partner and co-founder of Tyer Wind, told Inhabitat this is the first time a mechanical device has successfully mimicked the hummingbird’s motion, and that the video illustrates a pilot machine currently being tested in Tunisia. The group says their initial tests for power efficiency, aerodynamic behavior, and material resistance are encouraging, and they will release the resulting data after a sufficient period of time.

3D Aouinian kinematics have applications in other technologies as well, according to Tyer Wind, including external combustion engines, internal combustion engines, pumps, and marine propulsion–among others. The biomimicry revolution may not be televised, but it is definitely underway.

Source: inhabitat.com

China Approves First List of Green Car Models for Subsidies This Year

23.01.2017

China released on Monday this year’s first list of “recommended” green energy vehicles, paving the way for 185 car models to receive government subsidies.

Beijing has spent billions of dollars promoting electric and plug-in hybrid cars to help the domestic auto industry develop the technology to leapfrog global competitors, while also reducing frequent bouts of heavy urban air pollution.

But the discovery of widespread cheating in the subsidy program has prompted the government to step up oversight, cap subsidies, and raise technical standards for applicants.

As a result, all models previously approved for government subsidies are required to reapply this year.

The list issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) included vehicles from BAIC Motor Corp Ltd, Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd, BYD Co Ltd, Chongqing Changan Automobile Co Ltd, and Chery Automobile Co Ltd [CHERY.UL].

Beijing is expected to approve more car models later this year. The government published five lists last year, giving the green light to 2,193 car models.

Source: reuters.com

EBRD and AIFC Launch Study for Green Financial System in Kazakhstan

23.01.2017

In a new step to support Kazakhstan’s path towards a greener economy, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is launching a study that will assess the potential of developing a green financial system for the country. A system of this kind would boost financing for “green” projects in Kazakhstan and beyond and would be based within the forthcoming Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC).

The AIFC is currently being developed in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, with the aim of becoming a financial hub for the immediate region and beyond. The EBRD is acting as one of the advisers to the AIFC Authority, the entity in charge of the centre’s development, on issues including green finance.

The scoping study, which will be available at www.greenfinance.kz, will look at ways of addressing major environmental challenges in the country, using market-friendly tools. In line with the EBRD’s Green Economy Transition (GET) approach, the study will assess demand for green investment, including financial products such as loans and bonds. The research will also identify regulatory gaps and barriers.

The results of the study are due be presented at the 2017 Expo in Astana, which will focus on the theme of “Future Energy”.

Jan-Willem van de Ven, EBRD Head of Carbon Market Development, said: “A green financial system will help raise awareness and increase the involvement of the financial sector, in particular the private sector, in the delivery of green projects in Kazakhstan and more widely in Central Asia.”

Kazakhstan has set itself ambitious goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions under the Paris COP21 climate agreement, and to raise the share of renewable energy in its total production to 3 per cent and 10 per cent by 2020 and 2030, respectively. To help the country achieve these goals, the EBRD has earmarked €200 million for renewable energy projects in Kazakhstan, with signings of specific renewables projects expected in the near future.

Aida Sitdikova, EBRD Director for Energy and Natural Resources in Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia, said: “The EBRD is already attracting climate financing from global climate funds and other financiers into Kazakhstan, including under the new framework. A green financial system could make renewable energy projects in the country even more attractive to independent private developers.”

The EBRD is already the largest renewable energy financier in Kazakhstan, as well as in its entire region of operations. The Bank has invested nearly €1.5 billion in green projects in Kazakhstan and cooperated extensively on regulatory reform and the country’s innovative carbon-trading scheme.

The Kazakh authorities have expressed strong commitment to the national strategy of a green economy, including a green financial system. President Nursultan Nazarbayev has remarked publicly on the need to develop green financing tools. Kairat Kelimbetov, the Governor of the Astana International Financial Centre, has stressed Astana’s interest in becoming a hub for green finance.

Source: ebrd.com

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