EIB and LEG Sign Credit Facility to Finance Energy Modernisation in Housing Portfolio

19.12.2016

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and LEG Immobilien AG have concluded a loan agreement for EUR 100 million. The loan from the EU bank, which is made possible by guarantees from the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), is to be used for the pro rata financing of energy-efficient modernisation measures in the property company’s housing portfolio. The EFSI is a mainstay of the Investment Plan for Europe (IPE), in which the EIB and the European Commission are strategic partners and under which financing provided by the EU bank strengthens the competitiveness of the European economy.

The loan agreement was signed in Düsseldorf on 16 December 2016 by Thomas Hegel, CEO of LEG Immobilien AG, by CFO Eckhard Schultz and by Dr Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank. The structure of the unsecured financing offers LEG maximum flexibility at very favourable conditions. The credit facility can be drawn down in several tranches and has a term of up to 13 years. In November 2016, LEG had announced an investment programme of around EUR 200 million.

EIB President Hoyer emphasises: “The European Investment Bank takes on a leading role in climate protection. For this reason, I expressly welcome the collaboration with LEG. The funds we are providing with the assistance of the Investment Plan for Europe will be invested directly in the energy renovation of LEG residential buildings with several thousand apartments in North Rhine-Westphalia. Energy consumption in Germany can only be significantly reduced if we substantially increase energy efficiency in the building sector. This is a key factor for sustainable climate protection and a successful energy transition.”

“We are delighted that in the EIB we have found a renowned and reliable partner that is committed to achieving similar goals to our own. For example, the EIB aims to get involved in implementing sound investments that significantly improve the standard of living and quality of life for people in Europe. At LEG, we want to significantly increase liveability and well-being for our tenants with sustainable investments in our buildings,” says Eckhard Schultz.

The European Commission Vice President responsible for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness, Jyrki Katainen, comments: “I am delighted that the EFSI is supporting improvements to residential units that will benefit many thousands of people. The agreement reached today shows the investment campaign’s potential to promote investments that facilitate the transition to a low-carbon economy and a real improvement in people’s everyday quality of life.”

The funds from the EU bank, which are secured with guarantees from the EFSI, will be included pro rata in the modernisation programme additionally launched by LEG. Based on an in-depth analysis of the LEG portfolio, potential for additional investments totalling around EUR 200 million has been identified for the next three years. With this extensive modernisation programme, LEG is continuing its growth-oriented business strategy.

Starting from mid-2017, investments will primarily be made in energy renovation of the building envelopes. Other planned measures include balcony installations, bathroom modernisation, loft extensions and additions, and conversion measures to make apartments suitable for senior citizens.

The regional focus of the modernisation programme is on attractive growth markets such as Dortmund and Münster and the Düsseldorf metropolitan area.

Source: eib.org

Beijing Smog: Pollution Red Alert Declared in China Capital and 21 Other Cities

19.12.2016

Beijing authorities have declared a five-day pollution “red alert”, shutting schools, ordering thousands of vehicles off the roads and telling residents to stay indoors, after the Chinese capital was enveloped by a shroud of toxic smog that is expected to linger until Wednesday.

The warning – the first since Beijing’s inaugural red alert in December last year – was officially implemented at 4.20pm on Friday as a nicotine-tinged haze rolled into the city.

“Smog invades Beijing,” tweeted Xinhua, China’s official news agency, alongside a timelapse video capturing the arrival of what city officials have controversially decided to classify as a “meteorological disaster”.

A second Xinhua tweet showed the skies blackening over the course of Friday as toxic air swept into the northern city of 21 million citizens.

China’s ministry of environmental protection reported that 21 other cities across north and central China had also declared pollution red alerts, including Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan and Zhengzhou.

A red alert is the highest level of a four-tier warning system introduced as part of China’s high-profile war on pollution.

Xinhua said nurseries and primary schools across Beijing had been told to close until Wednesday when the smog is expected to lift.

Road works were suspended; older and “dirty” high-emissions vehicles were forbidden from taking to the roads; and heavily polluting industries such as steel plants were ordered to halt or slow their operations.

City officials were also reported to have “penalised” 388 people for igniting outdoor barbecues and fires.

But Dong Liansai, a Beijing-based climate and energy campaigner for environmental group Greenpeace, said coal-fired power stations, not barbecues, were to blame for the unusually severe bout of pollution.

“Coal is the No 1 source,” said Dong, warning that the smog contained tiny airborne particulates known as PM2.5 which were linked to numerous “adverse health effects” including lung cancer, asthma and heart disease.

Dong said the declaration of the red alert was a positive step that would help temporarily reduce emissions and pollution levels.

“But this is only a short-term measure. If you want to solve the problem of air pollution then you really need to have a long-term policy,” the campaigner added. “And given that coal is the No 1 source we really recommend a nationwide cap on coal consumption … that would help accelerate the transition away from coal.”

Dong said the smog was “a reminder, after a period of improvement over the last few years, that there is still a lot to do in the future”.

Speaking to the New York Times this week, Beijing-based environmentalist Ma Jun said China had made “huge progress” in tracking the sources of air pollution over the past decade and had also become much more transparent in releasing information about the blight.

However, the risk to human health remained severe, with studies suggesting air pollution was causing between 300,000 and 1 million premature deaths a year.

“There isn’t much research on the relation between air pollution and lung cancer in China, and even less with accessible research results,” Ma said. “It’s sensitive. The government does not want to cause panic among the public.”

Dong, the Greenpeace campaigner, urged residents of areas affected by the latest red alert to limit their exposure to the smog by staying indoors with air purifiers turned on if possible. “Try to minimise your outdoor activities and, if you really need to go out, wear a proper mask to protect yourself,” he said.

Source: theguardian.com

UN Biodiversity Conference Results in Significant Commitments for Action on Biodiversity

19.12.2016

Governments agreed on actions that will accelerate implementation of global biodiversity targets, and enhance the linkage of the biodiversity agenda with other global agendas including the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Climate Agreement and others.

Governments from 167 countries agreed on a variety of measures that will intensify the implementation of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, including mainstreaming, capacity-development and mobilization of financial resources as well as actions on specific themes including protected areas, ecosystem restoration, sustainable wildlife management and others.

Governments followed through on the commitments in the Cancun Declaration made by ministers at the high-level segment of the meeting that took place on 2 and 3 December 2016. Parties agreed to advance mainstreaming biodiversity, the main theme of the meeting proposed by the Government of Mexico and use an integrated approach that would promote not only cross-sectoral linkages, but also linkages between efforts to implement national biodiversity strategies and action plans and Sustainable Development Goal strategies and plans.

“Governments demonstrated their commitment to achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, and showed that the biodiversity agenda is central and essential to the global sustainable development and climate change agendas,” said Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary to the Convention on Biological Diversity. He also said: “With the integration of three meetings addressing the Convention and its two Protocols, the world community also realized the importance of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing in effectively contributing to the Targets and sustainable development”

“We received impressive commitments from governments, including excellent ones from the government of Mexico, in support of many of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets which gives us the momentum we need to achieve our goals by 2020.”

“The agenda of mainstreaming biodiversity provided Mexico with the momentum to conclude agreements which had eluded us for decades, such as the alignment of agricultural subsidies to preserve forests, or the protection of a vast proportion of our seas,” said Rafael Pacchiano Alamán, Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources of Mexico.

“For the next two years, Mexico will work with countries to translate the principles of the Cancun Declaration into legislation, policies and actions to meet the commitments we made.”

“We applaud and support the global community’s commitment made during this COP to integrate biodiversity considerations into the activities of other critical sectors of our economies: agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and tourism; and value it’s natural capital for sustainable development, as expressed in the Cancun Declaration” said Naoko Ishii, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Environment Facility.

“The GEF, as the financial mechanism of the convention, is proud to have been confirmed in its critical role to support countries to meet their commitments under the Convention and its Protocols. We also feel encouraged by the strong support of many donor and recipient countries to maintain consistency with our current biodiversity programming strategy with integrated approaches in response to the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, while seeking out new innovative and creating financing opportunities” she said.”

Capacity-building

The Parties agreed on an action plan (2017-2020) that will enhance and support capacity-building for the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols based on the needs of Parties with a focus on strengthening the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets. For the Protocols, emphasis will be on supporting the implementation of the Strategic Plan for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and promoting the universal ratification of the Nagoya Protocol and the development of measures to ensure that it is fully operational, consistent with national legislation (Aichi Target 16).

The Parties also welcomed the Biobridge Initiative established at COP 12 by the Government of the Republic of Korea to contribute to the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

Pollinators

The ‘Thematic Assessment of Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production’ by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) was discussed. The COP encouraged Parties, other Governments, relevant United Nations and other organizations, as well as multilateral environment agreements, and stakeholders to use the assessment, as appropriate, in particular the responses outlined in the document to help guide efforts to improve conservation and management of pollinators, address drivers of pollinator declines, and work towards sustainable food production systems and agriculture.

Source: unep.org

New Global Database Will Help Scientists Track Role of Lakes in Earth’s Ecology

19.12.2016

The total shoreline of the world’s lakes is more than four times longer than the global ocean coastline. And if all the water in those lakes were spread over the Earth’s landmass, it would form a layer some four feet (1.3 metres) deep.

Those are just two of the big-picture findings to emerge from the most complete global database of lakes to date, compiled by geographers at McGill University. Their research, published in Nature Communications, promises to help scientists better understand the important role of lakes in the Earth’s complex environmental systems from the hydrological cycle and weather patterns, to the transport, distribution or storage of pollutants and nutrients through the landscape.

“Lakes are changing, in a changing world,” says senior author Bernhard Lehner, an associate professor in McGill’s Department of Geography. “Some are disappearing as there is less water to keep them filled, others are created or growing in regions where there is more rainfall. So we need a good inventory of the current status of lakes to understand and monitor their changes and the effects that this may have for our global environment.”

Filling data gaps

While there are plenty of measurements for lakes in some regions of the world, significant gaps have remained in the global data. In principle, the surface area or shoreline length of a lake can be directly measured on maps or satellite images, for example, but it’s much more difficult and time-consuming to estimate the amount of water stored beneath a lake’s surface.

An intuitive theory has long held that lakes in hilly or mountainous regions should tend to be deeper than those in flat landscapes. But until recently, it wasn’t easily possible to determine a clear relationship between the degree of hilliness and the depth of a lake.

Taking advantage of the latest improvements in satellite data providing precise measurements of land surface elevation, the McGill researchers related the slopes found around lakes with thousands of existing lake-depth records. (Lakes in hilly surroundings did tend to be deeper). They then used computer models to extend those calculations to all unmeasured lakes on Earth. Based on this, they calculated the volume of water stored in more than 1.4 million lakes that are larger than 10 hectares, or roughly 14 soccer fields. The grand total: more than 180,000 cubic kilometres.

Beneath the surface

The researchers also estimated how long water typically “resides” in each of the lakes the amount of time from the moment it enters a lake until it flows out. On average for all lakes, the residence time worked out to about five years. But there are many with much shorter times; and, at the other extreme, more than 3,000 lakes have residence times estimated at 100 years or more.

There are more than seven million kilometres of total lake shorelines on Earth, the researchers estimate. That’s about 10 times the distance to the moon and back. “When you think of all the processes that take place at the interface of lakes and their landscapes, from providing habitat for aquatic or amphibian species to contributions to greenhouse-gas emissions, it underscores the importance of lakes in the Earth’s ecosystems,” notes Mathis Messager, the study’s first author, who worked on the project as an undergraduate student in Lehner’s lab.

Source: sciencedaily.com

Major Global Groundwater Resources Could Be Depleted by 2050s

19.12.2016

In the decades to come, a new study indicates that humans might seriously deplete groundwater resources throughout much of the world, including parts of India, southern Europe, and the US. And when that happens, nearly 1.8 billion people will go thirsty due to excess pumping for industry and agriculture.

According to the study, aquifers in the US will be the first to go, with California’s Central Valley, Tulare Basin, and southern San Joaquin Valley depleted as early as the 2030s Those in the Upper Ganges Basin of India would be the next to go between 2040 and 2060, along with those in areas of Spain and Italy. And between the 2050s and 2070s, scientists say aquifers that supply groundwater to parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico could run dry.

The new research was presented by Inge de Graaf, a hydrologist from the Colorado School of Mines, at the 2016 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting.

This isn’t the first time researchers have raised concerns about groundwater depletion – other studies have used satellite data to show that some of our largest aquifers are already nearly empty. However, this method was unable to track aquifers on a smaller, more regional scale.

The new study paints a more complex picture, using data on aquifer structure, water withdrawals, and interactions between groundwater and surrounding water to simulate groundwater depletion. It should be no surprise that the data indicates heavily irrigated regions in dry climates are the most at risk.

Unfortunately, we still don’t know exactly how much water is in these aquifers, which makes it hard to tell how long we have before they dry up. Hopefully we’ll develop the technology necessary in the coming years, so that people living in these areas don’t develop sudden, nasty surprises like the drying up of wells or rivers.

Source: inhabitat.com

Boone, NC Passes Historic Resolution: Ditch Fossil Fuels, Go 100% Clean Energy

19.12.2016

With an incoming presidential administration seemingly hostile towards action on climate change, local solutions are now more important than ever. With or without Donald Trump’s help, the North Carolina municipality of Boone is calling on the whole state—and the United States at large—to encourage green jobs and transition to 100 percent clean energy across all energy sectors.

The resolution was approved by a 5-0 vote by Boone Town Council on Thursday. This makes Boone the first town in the country to officially demand that the U.S. completely ditch fossil fuels to “avoid climate catastrophe.”

The country’s total transition to clean energy is not as far-fetched as it seems. Boone’s resolution was inspired in part by the research of renewable energy expert Dr. Mark Z. Jacobson, a Stanford University professor and cofounder of The Solutions Project, a state-by-state roadmap to convert the country to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050.

You might have heard of the project before. In fact, Jacobson stopped by David Letterman’s late-night television show in 2013 to explain how the whole world, not just the U.S., can transition to renewables.

“There’s enough wind to power the entire world, for all purposes, around seven times over,” Jacobson explained then. “Solar, about 30 times over, in high-solar locations worldwide.”

Jacobson is an advisor for the North Carolina Climate Solutions Coalition which endorsed Boone’s resolution.

“This decision by Boone, North Carolina to commit to transitioning to 100 percent clean, renewable energy sets a great example for other towns and cities in the U.S. and around the world,” Jacobson commented to EcoWatch. “It is now established that such a transition is possible state by state and country by country.”

Last year, the Solutions Project team published a study explaining how each state in the country can replace fossil fuels by tapping into renewable resources available in each state such as wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, and even small amounts of tidal and wave power.

The authors found that converting the nation’s energy infrastructure into renewables is ideal because it helps fight climate change, saves lives by eliminating air pollution, creates jobs in the rapidly booming renewable energy sector and also stabilizes energy prices.

“The results of such a transition are the creation of more net long-term jobs than lost (2 million more if the U.S. converts), more stable energy prices (since wind and solar fuel costs are zero), lower overall energy costs, lower terrorism and grid blackout risk (because energy sources will be more decentralized), no more air pollution mortality from fossil fuels and a reduction in global warming,” Jacobson explained.

One reason Boone adopted its resolution is because North Carolina is a solar power all star. The Tar Heel state ranks third in the nation in installed solar capacity, with enough to power 260,000 homes. The state’s solar power industry employs some 6,000 people. In 2015, nearly $1.7 billion was invested on solar installations in the state. Not only that, the Atlantic coast state also has incredible offshore wind energy potential.

“Leading economists, policy experts, and business leaders conclude that transitioning to a clean energy economy available for all would create millions of green jobs nationally, improve our living standards, and boost economic growth in coming years,” Boone’s resolution states.

Boone’s resolution stresses that the state’s most disadvantaged populations are most affected by a warming planet, which is why action is needed.

“Low-income communities and communities of color in North Carolina and the United States are inordinately exposed to pollution, that causes serious health problems such as cancer and asthma, from fossil fuels, including the dirtiest coal-fired power plants which produce coal ash, are disproportionately located in communities of color,” it reads.

Unlike our president-elect and his top staff comprised of climate change deniers and fossil fuel puppets, Boone’s town council accepts that rising global average temperatures are primarily due to human-caused fossil fuels emissions and that 195 nations agreed during the Paris climate talks to hold global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius.

Jacobson believes that the country’s transition to sustainable energy is possible but the main barriers are “social and political rather than technical or economic.” See North Carolina’s storied solar wars, for example.

“Boone,” however, as Jacobson said, “has overcome many of the social and political barriers.”

Dr. Michael E. Mann, renowned climate scientist and fellow North Carolina Climate Solutions Coalition advisor, praised the town’s vote.

“Daniel Boone was an early pioneer who explored our nation’s frontiers during it’s early history. So it seems fitting that a town named after him would serve as our next great American pioneer, boldly leading us into the frontier of a clean energy-driven economy,” he told EcoWatch. “Just when we really needed some good news in the climate change battle, I thank the people of Boone, North Carolina for providing some.”

Source: ecowatch.com

IRENA Director-General Meets with Egypt President el-Sisi to Discuss Renewable Energy Deployment

16.12.2016

Adnan Z. Amin, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) met yesterday with H.E. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, President of Egypt, in Cairo. They discussed opportunities for accelerated renewable energy deployment in Egypt as well as cooperation between Egypt and the Agency. Egypt currently holds the presidency of the IRENA Assembly.

“Egypt has a vast potential of largely untapped renewable energy resources” said Mr. Amin. “More importantly, its leadership is committed to scaling-up renewables to meet growing energy demand and a broad range of sustainable development challenges, and has taken concrete steps and initiatives in this direction,” he added.

President el-Sisi praised IRENA’s growing role in promoting the widespread use of renewables as the world seeks to transition to a sustainable energy future. “We look forward to strengthening cooperation with IRENA to accelerate renewable energy deployment, not only in Egypt but also in Africa, through initiatives such as the Africa Clean Energy Corridor and the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative,” he added.

Egypt aims to supply 20% of its generated electricity from renewable sources by 2022, installing 3.5 gigawatts (GW) of solar by 2027 and 7.2 GW of wind by 2020. To achieve these objectives, Egypt has several mechanisms in place, including a feed-in tariff system for solar PV and wind projects of less than 50 megawatts (MW), and a competitive bidding scheme for build-own-operate contracts.

These support schemes have yielded successful results in large-scale renewable energy generation, specifically with auctions achieving attractive prices, such as the 250-MW Gulf of El-Zeyt Wind Farm, which is producing power for just USD 0.04 per kilowatthour.

“With the right mix of policy support and private sector investment, Egypt can both power its growing economy with clean, affordable renewable energy, and also create an environment for a flourishing domestic renewable energy industry, particularly in the wind and solar sectors,” said Mr. Amin.

During his visit to Cairo, the Director-General also met with H.E. Mr. Mohamed Shaker El-Markabi, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, and H.E. Mr. Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Egypt has been a Member of IRENA since July 2012 and has engaged with the Agency on several major initiatives including Renewables Readiness Assessment and REmap studies; the African Clean Energy Corridor and the Pan-Arab Clean Energy initiative. Egypt is also a member of the Global Geothermal Alliance.

Source: irena.org

Germany’s Solar-Powered Smart Green Tower Mimics the Technology of Electric Cars

16.12.2016

If a car can run on a lithium-ion battery, why can’t the same technology be applied to a city block? This is the conceptual basis of the Smart Green Tower planned for Freiburg im Breisgau in Germany. Frey Architekten teamed up with Siemens and Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) to develop a battery-operated residential building which will be powered entirely by the sun.

The 16-story Smart Green Tower, topped with a beautiful sky garden, will feature high performance PV panels optimized for low light conditions, as well as an innovative interconnection system of the sockets distributed along the façade, and a 0.5 MWh energy storage in the form of a lithium-ion battery. The battery will be enhanced by vanadium redox flow batteries, which will help link the building and the district.

Instead of using standard alternating current (AC) transmission and distribution of electric energy, the team opted for direct current (DC) which will be converted and reconverted in the battery, and then distributed throughout the building. Excess energy will power the neighboring buildings, bringing sustainability not only to the residents of the Smart Green Tower, but to a wider community of city dwellers.

Source: inhabitat.com

Renewables Produce More than Half of Denmark’s Electricity

16.12.2016

wind-energy — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

While Donald Trump makes fossil fuels great again, Denmark has declared its independence from oil, coal and gas. The small Scandinavian nation intends to reach 100 percent renewable electricity by 2035 and to be completely free of fossil fuels by 2050. The country is well on its way to achieving its climate target — renewables produced 56 percent of domestic electricity in 2015, according to the Danish Energy Agency. The largest contribution came from wind power at 41.8 percent, followed by biomass at 11 percent. Other renewable sources such as solar generated the rest.

Coal, oil and gas consumption dropped 30.4 percent, while the consumption of renewables rose by 2.7 percent in 2015. The increase in clean energy and decrease in dirty energy last year resulted in CO2 emissions falling by 6.6 percent. Denmark plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2020 relative to 1990 levels. The country is well on its way to achieving this climate target as well, already reducing GHG emissions by 35.8 percent since 1990.

The first offshore wind farm in the US just went online, but Denmark has been building massive offshore wind farms for decades — installing its first offshore wind farm in 1991. The country’s five offshore wind farms and more than 300 onshore wind turbines bring total wind capacity as of January 1, 2016 to 5,070 megawatts. Denmark’s goal is to reach 50 percent wind power and 20 percent biomass by 2020.

Copenhagen is aiming to be carbon neutral by 2025. With more bikes than cars, Denmark’s capital city is well on its way to meeting that climate target as well.

Source: inhabitat.com

Biodiversity Convention and WWF Champion Biodiversity Awareness

16.12.2016

The Secretariat of the Convention on Biodiversity (SCBD) and WWF International have signed an MoU to collaborate in implementing CBD’s Global Communications Strategy together with CBD Parties, partners and the broader conservation community to achieve Aichi Biodiversity Target 1 (ABT1) by 2020.

The Memorandum of Understanding, signed by CBD’s Executive Secretary Braulio de Souza Dias and WWF International’s Director General Marco Lambertini, will see WWF working to champion Aichi Biodiversity Target 1 (ABT1) to ensure people understand the value of biodiversity and take the steps necessary for its sustainable use.

This partnership intends to drive CBD’s Global Communication Strategy as a matter of urgency to make progress in achieving that target by 2020.

More information you can find here.

Source: cbd.int

Roxann Laird is the Power-Gen 2016 Woman of the Year

16.12.2016

On Tuesday during the Power Generation Week keynote session, Southern Company’s Roxann Laird was named the 2016 Power-Gen Woman of the Year. The other two finalists for the award were Sheri Blauweikel of Black and Vetch and Caroline Winn of San Diego Gas and Electric.

Each year the Women in Power committee selects three finalists for the Woman of the Year award from a list of women who are nominated by industry peers. In 2016 more than 25 women were nominated to be the 2016 Woman of the Year and the committee deliberated for a long time when selecting the finalists and the ultimate winner.

Having women in leadership roles is important for a company’s bottom line. Indeed, studies have shown that utilities with women in senior management are more profitable. PennWell honors women leaders in the energy industry not only to draw attention to the women who have risen to the top in the energy field but also to inspire more women to enter the energy industry.

Roxann Laird is an engineer who’s current responsibilities include executive leadership of the National Carbon Capture Center where she manages more than 200 employees with an annual budget in excess of $40 million. This world-class neutral test facility, managed and operated by Southern Company for the U.S. Department of Energy, plays a pivotal role in acceleration of advanced carbon capture technologies.

Laird said her first job in the energy industry was with Exxon in Midland, Texas where she quickly realized that “there were not that many women in the oil and gas industry.” She credits the one other woman in her department as helping her transition to that work environment build her confidence. Laird said that creating a successful transition “is crucial in ensuring retention of women in the power industry and creating that pipeline for future leaders.”

Sources: renewableenergyworld.com

With New Pledges and New Projects, Developing Countries Take Clean Energy Lead Globally

16.12.2016

Klimatske promene, Planeta zemlja, Globus — Photo: Pixabay

Developing countries have made unprecedented pledges to consume more clean energy tomorrow even as they are leading the way today with record new wind and solar project completions, the latest edition of Climatescope concludes realised yesterday.

Climatescope, the clean energy country competitiveness index and online tool supported by the UK and US governments offers a compelling portrait of clean energy activity in 58 emerging markets in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. The group includes major developing nations China, India, Egypt, Pakistan, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, as well as dozens of others. Visitors to www.global-climatescope.org can use the site to learn about clean energy policy and activities in individual nations, download extensive datasets, and compare countries on their performance.

This marks the third year Climatescope has been conducted globally and reflects activity in 2015, a year that culminated with the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement at UN-sponsored talks in December. In the run-up to those negotiations, three quarters of the Climatescope nations submitted or reiterated pledges to cut their future CO2 emissions. An even higher number are now on record with promises to achieve certain clean energy consumption goals in coming years.

These countries are not waiting to get started on adding renewable capacity, however. Between them, they added 69.8 gigawatts of new wind, solar, geothermal, and other renewable power generating capacity in 2015 – the same as total installed capacity in Australia today. China accounted for the majority of activity in Climatescope countries, but smaller nations also played important roles. By comparison, wealthier Organisation for Economic and Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries built 59.2 gigawatts last year.

Source: global-climatescope.org

CS Wind Confirms Investment in New UK Offshore Wind Turbine Tower Factory

16.12.2016

The UK is to get a new offshore wind technology manufacturing plant, after CS Wind yesterday confirmed it is to build a new tower factory in Campbeltown, Scotland.

The company said that as a result of a “multi-million pound investment” from DONG Energy it will proceed with the expansion plans as part of a deal that gives the Danish wind energy developer preferred access rights to towers for its offshore wind farms.

The site will be the first facility in the UK that can manufacture towers for offshore wind turbines and will be located adjacent to CS Wind’s current onshore wind facilities.

CS Wind said it will be able to produce at least 50 towers a year, leading to the safeguarding of 70 jobs. The investment will also enable the company to fulfill a recent contract for 95 offshore wind towers with Siemens Wind Power.

The move was welcomed by energy minister Baroness Neville Rolfe, who said offshore wind would continue to be “a key element in delivering on the UK’s clean energy commitments”.

Last month the government confirmed plans to support a new wave of offshore wind projects through an auction of price support contracts next year, providing a boost to the sector’s medium-term prospects. Industry insiders are also hopeful offshore wind will play a crucial role in the UK’s decarbonisation strategy post 2020, as costs continue to fall across the sector.

“We have seen £52bn of investment in renewable energy in the UK since 2010, and we are supporting more offshore wind than any other country in the world,” said Neville-Rolfe. “This inward investment drives forward positive local supply chain partnerships like this between DONG Energy and CS Wind, delivering economic growth and creating jobs across Scotland and the UK.”

Brent Cheshire, DONG Energy’s UK Country Chairman, hailed investment as a boost for the offshore wind industry as a whole. “The UK is the world leader in offshore wind and a growing market for DONG Energy,” he said. “Our investment means that we and other offshore wind developers will be able to source towers in the UK, which is fantastic news not just for us but the whole UK offshore industry.”

The move comes just a month after Siemens opened a blade factory in Hull, providing further evidence of the growing domestic supply chain for the industry.

“Offshore wind is already delivering major economic benefits to the UK,” said RenewableUK’s executive director, Emma Pinchbeck. “Today’s news highlights the fact that this industry is creating highly skilled, sustainable jobs in Britain. Offshore wind developers are committed to bringing industrial benefits to the UK. Building turbine towers in Britain is a big part of this.”

Meanwhile, MHI Vestas Offshore Wind, DONG Energy and A2Sea this week announced they had completed the installation of 32 of MHI Vestas’ giant 8MW offshore wind turbines at the Burbo Bank Extension project, just weeks after power was delivered to the grid from the first turbine at the site.

Claus Bøjle Møller, project director at DONG Energy, said the company was delighted to have completed the latest milestone on the project. “This is the first time the 8MW turbines have been installed offshore, so it is an exciting time for the entire industry,” he said. “By using more powerful turbines we are able to bring down the cost of providing clean, renewable energy to homes around the UK.”

Source: businessgreen.com

Recycling Rates in England Drop for First Time

16.12.2016

Recycling rates in England have fallen for the first time ever, prompting calls for a tax on packaging and meaning EU targets are now almost certain to be missed.

The amount of rubbish sent to recycling plants by householders had been steadily increasing for more than a decade, but more recently flatlined for three years. Now new government figures published on Thursday show that the recycling rate in England has dropped from 44.8% in 2014 to 43.9% in 2015.

The fall back to levels not seen since before 2012 will be an embarrassment for ministers, who have pledged to lead the first government to leave the environment better than they found it.

It also means the UK as a whole is almost guaranteed to miss an EU target of recycling at least 50% of its household waste by 2020, as England’s size means it accounts for much of the rubbish the country produces. Wales is far ahead of England with households recycling 61% of waste, while Scotland is on 44.2%.

The waste company Suez, which operates more than a thousand rubbish trucks in the UK, called for a tax on packaging manufacturers that would pay to drive up recycling rates again. It said the tax could operate on a sliding scale depending on how much of a product was recyclable and non-recyclable.

“The UK is at a tipping point and without radical change to improve England’s household recycling rates the UK will not meet its EU agreed target of 50% recycling rates by 2020,” said David Palmer-Jones, CEO for Suez recycling and recovery in the UK.

Kate Parminter, the Liberal Democrat shadow environment secretary, said: “The government must act now to reverse this worrying decline. We urgently need better incentives to boost recycling and end Britain’s throwaway culture.”

Recycling is primarily the responsibility of local authorities, which have suffered dramatic, austerity-driven budget cuts during the years when recycling rates have stalled and now declined.

Jakob Rindegren, recycling policy advisor for the Environmental Services Association (ESA), said: “2015 was a perfect storm for recycling, combining cuts to local authority budgets with declining commodity markets for recycled materials. ESA warned at the time that, without policy intervention, England in particular would see a drop in the recycling rate.”

Another possible reason for the reversal in recycling fortunes is the huge budget cuts in recent years to the government’s main body tasked with cutting waste and driving up recycling. Wrap’s budget was cut to £17.9m in 2014, down from £37.7m in 2011.

Liz Goodwin, the agency’s former CEO who now works at the US thinktank the World Resources Institute, told the Guardian: “I think the drop is caused by a number of things. The economic situation has clearly not helped – local authority budgets and central government budgets have been very tight for several years which mean that there hasn’t been funding available to improve infrastructure – but more importantly communicate with householders about the value and benefits of recycling.

“Householders in the UK are still confused about recycling – what they can put in recycling and what needs to go in the residual bin.”

According to the Office of National Statistics, the total amount of waste generated by households was slightly down in 2015, at 22m tonnes in total, or 407kg per person.

Newham borough in London had the lowest recycling rate in England, at 15%, while South Oxfordshire district council had the highest, at 67%.

A Defra spokesman said: “we are recycling four times as much as we were in 2000, but the slight dip in the household recycling rates clearly shows more needs to be done.

“There are some excellent examples of councils improving recycling rates – we will work with local authorities and industry to build on these successes and encourage best practice across the nation as part of our commitment to protect the environment for future generations.”

Source: theguardian.com

ABB Building Automation Applied in the World’s First Energy Self-Sufficient Multi-Family Dwelling

16.12.2016

energieautarkes-mfh_projekt-der-uwa_390x222 No connection to the grid. No gas supply line. Not even a wood burning stove for those cold winter nights. In a building with no less than nine apartments.

The Umwelt Arena in the municipality of Brütten near Winterthur, Switzerland, is an interactive exhibit that helps visitors experience and understand sustainability. The facility has partnered with ABB to build the world’s first multifamily dwelling capable of operating year-round without any external sources of energy. All the power it needs comes from the sun via solar panels. The apartment is not connected to the grid and sets new energy efficiency benchmarks using automation solutions from ABB.

The cornerstone for the world’s first energy self-sufficient multifamily dwelling was laid in January 2015. Since then, construction has been proceeding apace, the objective being to have the first tenants move in during the course of next year.The building’s roof and siding will be covered with photovoltaic modules since the sun is the only/primary energy source. Without a grid connection to feed electricity in and out, provisions must be made to store some of the summer’s excess energy so that it can be used in winter, when consumption peaks.

Power electronics help cut consumption

The cleanest form of energy is saved energy and efficient energy use is one of ABB’s core competencies. In fact it is part of the company’s entire portfolio. Already today, ABB Switzerland is able to deliver products, systems and services that enable efficient power generation, distribution and consumption, as well as significantly improve a facility’s CO2 balance. The key technology is the breed of power electronics developed at ABB’s group research center in Baden-Dättwil (AG). Power electronics are a big part of improving energy efficiency; for example, in applications such as energy transmission and conversion, interconnection of renewable energies, transportation and building automation. Projects such as the world’s first energy self-sufficient building demonstrate what can be done with existing technologies and the potential of efficient resource utilization. ABB’s smart solutions help maximize exploitation of this potential and further minimize energy losses.

Energy efficiency: the key to success

The time displacement between when energy is produced and when it is consumed presents a major challenge. While in summer, electricity generation is very high but consumption comparably low, in winter it is the exact opposite: low production, high consumption. High efficiency solar panels on the roof and the entire building façade produce energy to minimize this power deficit. In addition, the building is extremely well insulated and the efficiency of the household appliances is second to none. Walter Schmid, Chairman of the Board of Directors Umwelt Arena and owner of the solar powered multifamily dwelling stressed: “The key requirement for making a building self-sufficient is to boost efficiency everywhere; from energy production and energy storage to building automation and power consumption.”

Building automation from ABB provides convenience in a networked home

ABB automation and monitoring solutions inside the apartments take care of the complete building control including automated room darkening in summer. ABB’s free@home building automation solution enables tenants of the energy self-sufficient building to intuitively operate and adjust the building control systems.

The innovative system can be used to control lighting, heating, air conditioning, blinds and communications via a smartphone, tablet or personal computer. ABB-free@home makes it easier to access the world of smart living while at the same time ensuring maximum energy efficiency. ABB will use the project to collect valuable experience and extensive data that may lead to even more sophisticated energy efficiency and convenience solutions.

Multiple storage systems

Project engineers estimate that one hour of sunlight is enough to cover the energy needs of the tenants of the world’s first multifamily dwelling for an entire day. The excess energy generated while the sun is still shining (about eight hours per day in summer) can be used to charge short and long-term storage facilities. The short-term storage bank (batteries) will be able to bridge energy deficits for up to three days. A long-term thermal energy medium and a hydrogen tank ensure that the available energy will be used efficiently. These two long-term storage systems are supplemented by a battery and a heat pump. The self-sufficient apartment concept includes one electric and one gasoline powered vehicle, which draw their energy for a distance of 10,000 km each annually from the solar panels or recycled kitchen waste. ABB will also provide power distribution products, switches and electrical outlets, as well as components for electric charging stations.

The world’s first energy self-sufficient building demonstrates that sustainable construction without sacrifice is possible. ABB’s products and solutions ensure that individual needs can be conveniently and intuitively met without wasting valuable energy.

Source: abb.com

USGBC Announces International Ranking of Top 10 Countries for LEED

16.12.2016

USGBC announced the Top 10 Countries for LEED, a list that highlights countries outside the United States that are making significant strides in sustainable building design, construction and market transformation. These countries represent the ever-growing international demand for LEED-certified green buildings. This year, China moved from second to first on the list as the largest user of LEED, with 34.62 million gross square meters (GSM) of certified LEED space. Canada, India, Brazil and the Republic of Korea rounded out the top five countries on the list, respectively.

“By recognizing these leading countries, we are showcasing the exponential growth of LEED in the global marketplace and an international commitment to the creation of a sustainable built environment,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC. “As we pursue a worldwide effort to mitigate climate change, LEED and the green building industry have created a path forward for market transformation while changing the way we think about how buildings, communities and cities are planned, constructed, maintained and operated.”

Global green building is expected to double every three years, according to a Dodge Data & Analytics World Green Building Trends 2016 SmartMarket Report, to which USGBC was a contributing partner. Conducted in 70 countries, the report found that emerging economies like China, India and Brazil will be engines of green growth, with development varying from twofold to sixfold over current green building levels. Increased consumer demand has also pushed the world’s green building market to a trillion-dollar industry, a surge that has led to a corresponding increase in the scope and size of the green building materials market, which is expected to reach $234 billion by 2019.

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the world’s most widely used green building rating system. The analysis used to develop the list ranks countries in terms of cumulative LEED-certified GSM space as of December 2016. LEED-certified spaces use fewer energy and water resources; save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce carbon emissions; and prioritize environmental and human health.

Currently, there are more than 82,000 commercial projects participating in LEED, totaling more than 1.4 billion GSM of space worldwide. An additional 112,000 residential units have been certified under LEED Homes. An estimated 170,000 GSM of space achieves LEED certification every day in more than 162 countries and territories across the globe.

As buildings currently account for an estimated one-third of global emissions, green buildings are one of the most cost-effective solutions to climate change because they generate significant environmental, economic and societal benefits. Last year, USGBC joined 25 other green building councils from around the world to commit to scaling the use of LEED over the next five years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure that the building and construction industry plays its part in limiting global warming. USGBC is working toward a net zero carbon designation to recognize leaders in the building sector, and to drive reductions in the carbon footprint across the buildings sector as is necessary for successful implementation of the Paris Agreement. All of the countries on this list, with the exception of Taiwan, have signed the historical Paris Agreement.

For more information visit usgbc.org.

Source: usgbc.org

Photo: proudgreenhome.com

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