UK Offshore Oil and Gas Production up by a Fifth over past Five Years

21.03.2019

oil and gas offshore — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Warner)

UK offshore oil and gas production has increased by a fifth over the past five years, following 14 years of decline.

That’s according to a new report from Oil and Gas UK (OGUK), which suggests momentum is again building around exploration activity, with up to 15 exploration wells expected in 2019 and production from the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) continuing to provide around 60% of the country’s oil and gas demand.

While the report finds 62% of contractor companies have an improved outlook for 2019, it also highlights how many areas of the supply chain are still experiencing challenges as the industry begins to recover from a prolonged downturn.

It suggests continued uncertainty in commodity markets is reinforcing investor caution and notes as a result, oil and gas companies are highly focused on reducing costs whilst striving for operational improvements – operating expenditure in 2019 totalled around £7.5 billion.

The report also predicts around £200 billion will need to be spent to add a new generation of productive life to the basin.

OGUK CEO Deirdre Michie said: “Following 14 years of decline, production has increased by a fifth over the past five years.

“Cost improvements are being sustained and there is building momentum around exploration, with more new opportunities being drilled and the largest two conventional discoveries for a decade made in the second half of 2018.

“This is a UK industry which is critical for security of energy supply, at the heart of the move to a lower carbon economy, supports hundreds of thousands of jobs and contributes billions to the economy.”

Source: Energy Live News

UN Predicts Dire Future for Planet Unless People Change Their Ways Now

20.03.2019

flag-3369978_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Mother Earth got a bad health report from the United Nations this week, and the scientific team that conducted the exam didn’t shirk from delivering the bad news. The word “dire” comes to mind.

The assessment is contained in the sixth Global Environmental Outlook, a 708-page compendium of the planet’s ailments that was released at a U.N. environmental conference here this week. The Earth’s condition has continued to deteriorate since the first global outlook was prepared in 1997 and “urgent action at an unprecedented scale necessary to arrest and reverse this situation,” the team warned.

“The science is clear,” Joyce Msuya, acting executive director of U.N. Environment, said in a briefing. “The health and prosperity of humanity is directly tied with the state of our environment.”

She added the planet stands at a crossroads: the Earth’s ailments are treatable, but not for a lot longer if people don’t make fundamental changes in what they consume, how they create energy, dispose of waste, and generally decrease the human footprint that is degrading air, water, and land. Does the Earth pivot toward a sustainable future, she asks, or continue along its current path, leading, she warns, to a “bleak future.”

“This report is an outlook for humanity,” she said.

The document, named “Our Planet: Healthy Planet, Healthy People,” serves as a companion manual to the U.N.’s regular climate change publications. It’s impact is not that these threats are new discoveries, but that they’re assembled together in a collection that is profoundly dismaying.

“Time is running out to prevent the irreversible and dangerous impacts of climate change,” the report says, warning that the world is “on course to exceed the temperature threshold” of warming, meaning another 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit (1 degree Celsius) above that set out in the Paris climate agreement.

Serious threats

Overall, the Earth suffers from land degradation; biodiversity loss; air, land and water pollution; and the effects of climate change—and must prevent and manage further risks and disasters. Without changes, the situation looks bleak for all of its inhabitants. A major extinction event is underway, compromising the globe’s “ability to meet human needs,” the report warns.

Biodiversity helps regulate climate, filters air and water, forms soil, and mitigates the effects of natural disasters, the team explains. Yet, populations of species are declining and extinction rates are rising. Presently, 42 percent of land-based invertebrates, 34 percent of freshwater invertebrates, and 25 percent of marine invertebrates are at risk for extinction. Biodiversity disproportionately affects women, children, and the poor. The livelihoods of 70 percent depend directly on natural resources.

Human populations suffer from the reverse. The population is on track to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050. Without “profound and urgent” changes in production and consumption patterns, that population growth will continue and the planet will not be able to support it in a healthy, productive, and fulfilled way by mid-century. Ninety percent of that growth will take place in Africa and Asia. Almost all coastal cities of any size are vulnerable to sea-level rise and flooding caused by extreme weather events.

As for the Earth itself, 10 out of 14 land habitats have seen a decrease in vegetation productivity. Forty percent of wetlands have been lost to agriculture and urban development since 1970. Farm land is becoming less fertile and useful, due in part to inefficient and unsustainable farming systems. Degraded “hot spots,” no longer able to easily grow crops, now account for 29 percent of all land areas. Deforestation has slowed, but continues. Genetic diversity is in decline, threatening food security.

In most regions, water quality has worsened “significantly” since 1990, poisoned by chemical pollution. One in three people still lacks access to safe sanitation.

Pointing to solutions

The report also prescribes multiple methods for healing the globe, many of them by using methods and technologies that already exist. To cite one, biodiversity loss and land degradation can be stopped, the authors argue, by changes in consumption, agricultural practices, and redistribution of food. Meeting carbon reduction goals also will reduce air pollution, which now prematurely kills between six and seven million people a year.

Joyeeta Gupta and Paul Ekins, who oversaw the preparation of the report, said in a statement that the world has the capability to reset a sustainable course. What’s missing, they said, is the political will to act, speed, and scale.

Author: Laura Parker

Source: National Geographic

Green Montenegro

20.03.2019

Within the framework of negotiations with the European Union, Montenegro has recently opened Chapter 27 covering the protection of the environment. The Minister of Sustainable Development and Tourism of this neighbouring country, Pavle Radulovic, and one of the key political helmsmen on the way to closing of this important chapter, revealed to us the future direction of Montenegro’s environmental policy, favourite landmarks of his homeland, means to solve the problems with waste, but also the weak points in the preservation of the natural surroundings. The Minister will join efforts with his associates and the entire nation to improve the health of the environment.

EP: Considering that Montenegro has recently opened Chapter 27, what are your further plans regarding environmental protection?

Pavle Radulovic: We are pleased and proud to have opened Chapter 27 and to continue the fulfilment of the European agenda, but this Chapter indeed has a deeper meaning for me. I expect that, aside from working on the most pressing infrastructure projects, we change our habits to create a healthier environment. In the Negotiating positions document, steps toward fulfilling the obligations are set, with a focus on difficulties in implementation. For the application of specific regulations of the EU acquis, we requested transitional periods, because the implementation of EU legislation in the field of Environment is not an easy and quick process, as we plan it to be adequately performed. We will continue the work on the construction of the wastewater treatment plant, the infrastructure in the field of waste management and remediation of industrial pollution along with many other activities. The establishment of the Natura 2000 protected areas network, which is one of the conditions for the closure of Chapter 27 for all former candidate countries, is also among our priorities. To achieve all this, we need a significant number of professional and dedicated staff, and we will undoubtedly be working on it. However, the Member States of the European Union have “rewarded” our previous efforts in Brussels on December 10th.

EP: Chapter 27 covers many different topics. Regarding the current situation in Montenegro, in which area you achieved the most, and which field, as the weakest point, would be most challenging to implement?

Pavle Radulovic: To what extent we have progressed shows the fact that in this field in the last seven years we brought about 50 laws harmonised with the European Union, 15 strategies, and confirmed about 40 international conventions. We continue to focus on the construction of modern facilities for the wastewater and waste management, together with the development of water supply and sewerage network in all Montenegrin municipalities.

We signed the Contract for the construction project of the wastewater treatment plant, sewerage networks, and facilities for sewage sludge for our capital city worth more than 50 million euros.

When it comes to waste management, we are establishing a system based on selection, prevention, recycling, and reuse. In all Montenegrin municipalities, we will continue with the

construction of transfer stations, recycling yards, and other supporting infrastructure.

The introduction of separate waste collection system is necessary for the valorisation of dry waste – paper, cardboard, plastic, and metal. In this way, the amount of waste disposed at landfills will be reduced, and it will provide the opportunity for all of us to think of waste as an important resource, and to make a personal contribution to environmental protection in a simple way. We will follow the latest European solutions in the reduction and gradual elimination of the use of plastic products.

Montenegro has been an industrial country for long, so it is not easy to repair and clean everything left from that system. For this reason, the project we are implementing with the World Bank worth 50 million euros is vital, and it is aimed at rehabilitation of four ecological black points. The construction of the Brodogradiliste site has started, and in early 2019 the rehabilitation of the landfills Gradac and Maljevac will begin.

We are also working on the concept for the location of the Aluminum Plant Podgorica. Upon completion of these projects, the decades-old problem of the historical industrial pollution in Montenegro will be solved.

At the same time, we care about air pollution; therefore, we have established a national network for monitoring air quality at seven measuring stations. Data can be followed in real time on the website of the Environmental Protection Agency of Montenegro.

At the end of March 2018, the conceptual solution for the ecological reconstruction of TPP “Pljevlja” contract was signed, which is after 36 years of the plant’s operation the most significant environmental project. At the same time, we will work on the reconstruction and development of the secondary district heating network as a permanent solution to air pollution in Pljevlja.

As a result of the efforts made to preserve the variety of our biodiversity, around 13% of the Montenegrin territory is currently protected.

We hope that people will change their attitude towards nature because our habits are often a stumbling block. Plastic bags that “decorate” the treetops in riverbeds are not only an ugly sight but also extremely harmful to the environment and health. That is why we will also be committed to educating the population.

EP: Sustainable tourism is becoming increasingly popular in the context of the fight against climate change. Do you know of some examples of this practice in your country?

Pavle Radulovic: The Tourism Development Strategy defines creation of sustainable touristic products until 2020. I would single out several projects, primarily solar catamaran, whose first implementation phase will soon begin. The concept is designed as regular passenger transportation, and it is particularly important to us because tourists will surely love to use it. It will reduce the traffic jams in the bay. The positive aspect is also the speed of the transport itself. According to the investors, only 18 minutes will be needed for the Herceg Novi-Tivat trip. We expect that the entire project will be in operation in 2020. I would like to mention that the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), has been implementing the Development of the Low Carbon Tourism program in Montenegro for already four years now, with the aim to use different instruments for the so-called greening of tourist offer and reduction of carbon footprint in tourism sector. Through the support program, about 1 million euros have been allocated so far for green tourism projects.

The project for the purchase of an electric bus for the National Park Durmitor will certainly affect the reduction of traffic jams and the removal of the accompanying adverse effects that traffic has. It will reflect positively on the image of the national parks. This form of transport was recognised by hotels in Budva and Ulcinj, and the tourist organisation Cetinje.

Prepered by: Jelena Kozbasic

Read the whole interview in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine on CLEAN ENERGY, December 2018. – February 2019.

Electric Buses Will Soon Be Picking Up Passengers in Ecuador

20.03.2019

mario-sessions-661016-unsplash — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Mario Sessions)

Electric buses will soon be picking up passengers in Ecuador after 20 of the low carbon vehicles were delivered to the city of Guayaquil.

Technology giant BYD has worked with private bus operator Saucinc on the project – it previously introduced an electric taxi fleet to the country in 2017.

The state will pay for half of the scheme’s energy costs during the first year of operation.

The government has also said it will provide a bonus of up to $3,000 (£2,268) for every electric taxi driver in the city.

The Mayor of Guayaquil, Jaime Nebot, said the buses will help integrate central and local administrations, domestic and overseas companies and citizens.

The bus fleet service operation is expected to eliminate 12.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and the consumption of 2.9 million gallons of diesel, representing a cut of $8 million (£6.05m) in costs for the Ecuadorian government, which currently subsidises fossil fuel for public transportation.

Source: Energy Live News

New Humane Society Report Shows Animal Testing Labs Kill Thousands of Dogs Annually

19.03.2019

dog-1539523_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The Humane Society of the United States just released a report on their investigation into widespread animal testing. The inquiry lasted a little over three months and discovered that tens of thousands of dogs are being killed annually in the name of product testing.

The study uncovered laboratories across the United States where scientists are using beagles and hounds to test toxicity levels in drugs, dental implants and pesticides. Over the course of 100 days, one undercover operative recorded almost two dozen animal experiments that featured dogs as the primary subjects. At the end of some of these studies, all of the dogs were terminated while others suffered throughout the trials.

One of the documented experiments involved 36 beagles and was commissioned by Dow AgroSciences. The company was testing pesticide use on the dogs and ordered researchers to force the poor animals to swallow fungicide pills. The study is scheduled to end this coming July, and any of the beagles that survive are going to be killed.

Dow has issued a public statement about animal experimentation and confessed that these types of studies are not needed. The U.S. government has also stopped requiring animal testing on human products, so there is really no need for these dogs to be subjected to these terrible experiments. The reality, however, is that animal experiments are more widespread than people realize.

“The disturbing findings at this facility are sadly not unique. Experiments are happening at hundreds of laboratories each year throughout the country, with more than 60,000 dogs suffering,” said Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Human Society of the United States.

The undercover investigation was undertaken in a Michigan facility called Charles River Laboratories. Animal testing is carried out in similar facilities across the U.S., but also in government buildings, universities and for-profit institutions. Commercial breeders, such as Marshall BioResources, provide the majority of dogs used in animal testing.

Apart from Dow, other companies linked in the investigation include Paredox Therapeutics and Above and Beyond NB LLC. By raising awareness about the issue, the Humane Society hopes to put an end to animal testing and find homes for the animals who have survived.

Source: Inhabitat, via Human Society of the United States

Could a Toothpaste Pill Be the Minty Solution to Cutting Landfill Waste?

19.03.2019

brushing-teeth-2103219_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Could a toothpaste pill be the minty solution to cutting landfill waste?

Bite, a company that has created a sustainable and vegan tooth care solution, believes the answer is yes.

It says all users need to do is bite down on the innovative tablet and start brushing with a wet toothbrush – it will then foam up just like normal toothpaste.

However, the product involves no plastic or aluminium waste, unlike the one billion toothpaste tubes currently thrown out every year.

Using only recyclable, biodegradable or compostable materials, such as packaging made from recycled newspaper, the firm uses organic mint flavor and activated charcoal to make its product 100% gluten-free, vegan and free of harsh chemicals.

A subscription is available from $7.50 (£5.65) per month, sent every four months to cut down on packaging.

The firm says: “We believe the Earth is not ours to keep but to protect for future generations. We believe that animals are not ours to test on or to use as ingredients.

“By using only recyclable, biodegradable or compostable materials, we are not only not adding to our already overflowing landfills and polluted oceans but we are replacing products that do.”

Source: Energy Live News

European Commission Concludes Palm Oil Is Environmentally Damaging

18.03.2019

palm-1464654_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The European Commission has concluded palm oil is environmentally damaging and results in excessive deforestation.

The decision means it is likely to be removed from transport biofuels as it will not contribute to EU renewable transport targets for national governments.

The cultivation of palm oil primarily takes place in Indonesia and Malaysia, who have voiced opposition to the decision.

However, the European Commission believes its production can push up food prices by replacing other crops and cause deforestation when trees are cut down to make space for fields.

It says this affects the amount of carbon dioxide that can be absorbed into the atmosphere and harms natural wildlife such as orangutans.

However, a number of exemptions mean some palm oil could still be promoted as a green fuel under certain conditions, such as if it is grown on ‘unused’ land or if produced by small farmers.

The European Parliament and the Council of Ministers now have a two-month period in which they can express an objection – if no objection is received, the text will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Source: Energy Live News

New Intelligent Technology for Clean and Connected Vehicles in EU

17.03.2019

places-2569259_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Manufacturers across the EU are expected to start equipping their vehicles with new intelligent technology to help accelerate the deployment of clean, connected and automated vehicles.

The Co-operative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS), to be implemented in line with the EU’s clean mobility targets, will allow vehicles to “talk” to each other, to the road infrastructure and other road users about dangerous situations, road works and the timing of traffic lights.

Vehicles, traffic signs and motorways will be equipped with the technology this year to connect road users and traffic managers so they can share and use information in real time.

It will initially provide simple information like alerting drivers about traffic jams or road works they cannot yet see or informing of the right speed to go so the next traffic light is green.

Self-driving vehicles can also be informed about cars around it, even if they are not immediately visible.

The technology could also be used for additional services in the future, like informing drivers about real-time traffic and parking conditions or warning them about nearby pedestrians and cyclists.

The total cost per car is estimated to be around €300 (£256), which is expected to fall as more vehicles are equipped. Some manufacturers may offer the technology as standard safety equipment.

Commissioner for Mobility and Transport Violeta Bulc said: “This decision gives vehicle manufacturers, road operators and other long-awaited legal certainty needed to start large-scale deployment of C-ITS services across Europe, while remaining open to new technology and market developments.

“It will significantly contribute to us achieving our ambitions on road safety and is an important stepping stone towards connected and automated mobility.”

Source: Energy Live News

Fiat Chrysler Recalling 965,000 U.S., Canadian Vehicles over Excess Emissions

16.03.2019

fiat-420417_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV will recall about 965,000 gasoline-powered vehicles in the United States and Canada that do not meet emissions standards and will replace their catalytic converters, officials said on Wednesday.

The recall, reported earlier by Reuters, was prompted by in-use emissions investigations conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency and in-use testing by Fiat Chrysler as required by U.S. regulations, the agency said.

EPA said it will continue to investigate other Fiat Chrysler vehicles that are potentially noncompliant and may become the subject of future recalls.

The recall covers nearly 863,000 U.S. vehicles and 103,000 Canadian vehicles, Fiat Chrysler said.

The recall includes 2011-2016 Dodge Journeys, 2011-2014 Chrysler 200s and Dodge Avengers, 2011-2012 Dodge Calibers and 2011-2016 Jeep Compass/Patriots.

Fiat Chrysler said in a statement the EPA announcement “has no safety implications. Nor are there any associated fines.”

The automaker said testing of vehicles on the road showed a deterioration in the performance of the catalytic converters. The company declined to estimate the cost of the recall, only to say it had accounted for the costs in the fourth quarter of 2018.

“The issue was discovered by FCA during routine in-use emissions testing and reported to the agency,” the company said. “We began contacting affected customers last month to advise them of the needed repairs, which will be provided at no charge.”

Its U.S.-traded shares were down nearly 1 percent.

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said the agency welcomed the voluntary recall.

Fiat Chrysler owners can continue to drive their vehicles, the government said.

The EPA said the recall will be done in phases this year due to the large number of vehicles involved and the need to find supplies of catalytic converter.

The California Air Resources (CARB) Board said 50,000 California vehicles must be repaired, or drivers “will not be able to register their vehicles.”

California and Fiat Chrysler said the vehicles emit nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution above regulatory limits. California said Fiat Chrysler’s “own data and test results confirmed that the catalytic converters in these vehicles were malfunctioning.”

NOx emissions in California are a major contributor to ambient ozone and to fine particulate matter pollution, which is associated with asthma emergency room visits, increased hospitalizations due to exacerbated chronic heart and lung diseases, and other serious health problems, CARB said.

In January, Fiat Chrysler agreed to a settlement worth about $800 million to resolve claims by the U.S. Justice Department and the state of California that it used illegal software to produce false results on diesel-emissions tests. It is awaiting the outcome of a criminal probe.

The hefty penalty was the latest fallout from the U.S. government’s stepped-up enforcement of vehicle emissions rules after Volkswagen AG admitted in September 2015 to intentionally evading emissions rules.

Source: Reuters

Industrial Fishing Ushers the Albatross Closer to Extinction, Say Researchers

15.03.2019

sea-84582_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Industrial fishing vessels that accidentally kill tens of thousands of albatrosses each year routinely ignore regulations designed to save the birds from extinction, according to research.

Using satellite data, investigators found that vessels employing longline fishing techniques showed a “low level of compliance” with measures to reduce albatross deaths.

Longliners target tuna and other species, but their fishing lines – which can be up to 80 miles long – also unintentionally trap, drown and harm seabirds, as well as turtles, dolphins and other marine life, a process known as “bycatch”.

Modern fishing methods have been identified as a major danger to plummeting albatross populations, threatening to drive almost three-quarters of all species to extinction, said Birdlife International, who undertook the research in conjunction with Global Fishing Watch.

Under a red list compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 15 out of 22 albatross species are considered endangered.

The study, which drew on satellite data to map the behaviour of longliners in the Indian, Atlantic and western central Pacific ocean, revealed that just 15% of the vessels used a measure known as “night-setting”, which involves putting lines down at night. The technique is one of three mitigation measures designed to protect albatrosses, which only feed during the day.

The findings offered a stark contrast with reports given by countries to fisheries watchdogs that suggested night-setting was used by between 29% and 85% of fleets.

“The results are very disappointing,” said Stephanie Winnard, a biologist with the albatross task force, a specialist unit set up by Birdlife International and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. “By this stage you would expect a lot more vessels to be using night setting.”

The aim of the research was to encourage best practice, to which end the results will be shared with the countries whose vessels were studied.

Albatrosses, petrels and other seabirds are “irresistibly drawn” to the trailing, baited longlines, said Winnard. Each year, an estimated 100,000 birds are hooked and drowned by longline and trawl fisheries.

“This level of bycatch in the fishing industry is hugely unsustainable for birds that can take up to 10 years to start breeding,” said Winnard, who added that the findings were “truly powerful” for the way the data shed light into the “opaque world” of global fisheries and their impact on ocean biodiversity.

“No one is going to report they are not sticking to the rules or they are killing seabirds, so we now have this independent way of measuring compliance,” said Winnard. “This information has never before been public. It is usually kept behind closed doors. It will promote transparency and hold countries to account. It is the first time we’ve been able to see what is happening on individual fishing boats.”

The researchers used vessels’ satellite data to examine the way 201 ships were moving, as well as the speed and direction of travel, in order to determine when fishing lines would be put down.

Regulations laid down by the five Regional Fisheries Management Organisations that regulate tuna fisheries where albatross are found generally stipulate that two out of three mitigation measures must be used. The other methods include weighting lines to ensure they sink faster and using streamer lines to scare seabirds away. The regulations have been in place for between five and 10 years, depending on the region, but the RFMO rely on self-reporting by the ships.

However, the international Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, introduced in 2004, suggests all three mitigation methods should be used.

A study published in 2011 estimated the bycatch of seabirds of longline fisheries to be between 160,000 and 320,000 annually.

Source: Guardian

By 2050, Winter Will No Longer Exist in Australia, Say Researchers

15.03.2019

sydney-opera-house-3381786_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Winter Blues

A team of scientists and designers recently teamed up to create a tool that would show Australians what the climate is expected to be like in their cities in the year 2050 — and it led to a startling discovery.

“In 30 years’ time, winter as we know it will be non-existent,” researcher Geoff Hinchliffe said in a press release — revealing yet another way climate change is poised to dramatically alter life on Earth.

Public Connection

The team, comprising designers from the Australian National University’s (ANU) School of Art and Design and the ANU Climate Change Institute, relied on data from the Bureau of Meteorology and Scientific Information for Land Owners for their project.

Once it had compiled the data, the ANU team sought a way to present it that would most resonate with the public.

“That meant using colour, shape, and size around a dial composition showing a whole year’s worth of temperature values in a single snapshot,” Hinchliffe said. “It makes it visually rich and interesting and gives a lot of detail in a way that connects emotionally with people by locating it in their own town.”

Seasons Change

While creating the tool, the team noticed that the projections didn’t follow the pattern of our current four seasons.

“We looked at the historical average temperatures of each season and compared them to the projected data,” Hinchliffe explained, “and what we find everywhere is that there’s really no period of a sustained or lasting winter.”

Instead of winter, the researchers believe Australians will experience spring, autumn, and a longer season they’re calling “new summer.” During this new season, temperatures will consistently peak above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) for sustained periods of time, based on predictions.

Power Tools

This isn’t the only initiative with the goal of presenting climate predictions to the public in an impactful way.

In February, a team of U.S. researchers unveiled a similar web application that compares the climate of U.S. cities in 2080 to the climate of other cities today. For example, it notes that the climate of Washington, D.C. in 2080 will likely resemble that of northern Mississippi today.

By presenting climate predictions in ways that members of the public can directly relate to, these scientists might be able to make the impact of climate change seem more urgent — which could only serve to help us address the problem before we experience our last winter.

Source: Futurism

UK’s First Offshore Wind Farm Retires

14.03.2019

park-wind-farm-3820819_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The first ever offshore wind farm built in the UK is to be decommissioned starting next month.

Developer E.ON says the Blyth Offshore Wind Farm, which has two 2MW turbines, has generated enough electricity to supply more than 2,000 homes and saved more than 4,500 tonnes of carbon emissions every year.

It was built by a consortium – consisting of the energy supplier, Shell Renewables, Nuon UK and AMEC Wind – in 2000, which means the wind farm has reached the end of its time as they typically have a lifespan of around 20 to 25 years.

Work to take it down will start in April and is expected to last around four to six weeks.

Patrick Rainey, Offshore Technical Specialist at E.ON said: “Blyth Offshore Wind Farm holds a special significance for us all at E.ON as our – and the UK’s – first offshore development. Through Blyth, we were able to demonstrate to the watching world that the technology worked and we’ve been able to use our experience and learning to go on to develop a further 1.5GW of wind capacity off the UK coast.

“I think we can all be proud of the role it’s played in the renewable energy industry and its legacy for the port and waters around Blyth.”

Source: Energy Live News

Prominent Environment Experts Die in Ethiopian Airlines Crash

14.03.2019

hands-1080792_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

India’s external affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj, was among the first to confirm that a United Nations consultant working with her government’s Ministry of Environment and Forests died aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302 on Sunday. From the UK, it was British aquaculture expert Joanna Toole who was lost, according to the UN Food and Agriculture (FAO) director for fisheries, Manuel Barange, in Rome.

In fact, many of the 149 passengers from 35 countries traveling to Nairobi aboard Flight ET302 from Addis Ababa were headed to the UN Environment Assembly, which runs from Monday through Friday. More than 4,700 heads of state, senior UN officials, national environment ministers and other high-level representatives were expected to attend a key conference focused on achieving Paris Agreement goals.

“The World Food Program family mourns today,” said WFP Executive Director David Beasley. “WFP staff were among those aboard the Ethiopian Airlines flight. We will do all that is humanly possible to help the families at this painful time.”

The UN’s early estimates show at least 19 affiliated staff members aboard the flight, including UNEP staff. “The United Nations is in contact with the Ethiopian authorities and working closely with them to establish the details of United Nations personnel who lost their lives in this tragedy,” said UN Secretary General António Guterres in his statement. He expressed condolences to all those affected.

The Boeing 737 MAX8 aircraft left Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa at 8:38 a.m. local time. Contact with the aircraft was lost six minutes later, and the crash was confirmed in Bishoftu, southeast of the Ethiopian capital. Ethiopian authorities initiated rescue operations but found no survivors. In addition to the passengers, eight Ethiopian Airlines crew members were aboard, the company said.

Some sources estimate that 50 of the victims were delegates to the UN environment meeting – a tragic loss of life, and a tremendous loss of climate change and adaptation expertise for the world – as details about those aboard the doomed flight continued to emerge.

There were 32 Kenyans aboard, followed by Canadians with a total of 18 passengers. President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya expressed his condolences, as did the Canadian government. “What terrible news. My thoughts and condolences go to the victims and their loved ones and to all affected by this tragedy,” said Catherine McKenna, the minister of environment and climate change for Canada.

Nine Ethiopians were on board, including UN staff, and eight citizens each from China, Italy and the United States. Africans headed to Nairobi came from Egypt, Morocco – the North African nation confirmed its UN delegates were among the dead – with one each from Djibouti, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sudan, Somalia, Togo, Uganda and Nigeria.

One person was traveling on a UN passport, the airline said.

Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire said a member of his staff, traveling on unrelated business, also was among the victims. Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that three citizens – Ekaterina Polyakova, Alexander Polyakov and Sergei Vyalikov – died in the accident. Moscow did not identify the reasons for why any of the Russians were traveling on the flight.

Ethiopian authorities say they continue to work with the UN and other governments to identify the victims.

Source: Sustainability Times

Vineyards and Solar Panels Sunbathing on Fruska Gora

13.03.2019

Solarna dolina — Vizualizacija: Slobodan Jović

Even though California and Vojvodina are miles apart, they have at least one similarity – a Silicon Valley.

T he Silicon Valley in California was named after developed high-tech industry in this American region. Its “godfather” was the fact that the base chemical element that is used for producing chips is silicon. This element is used for producing solar panels as well. After the panels are put on the roofs of the houses in the district “Solar Valley”, will the amount of silicon per square meter be bigger on our or their side of Atlantic?

Bathed in sun rays, the “Solar Valley”, a closed type settlement, is located in Miseluk, a city part of Novi Sad on the Danube riverbank that belongs to the Srem district. The project is being

developed by the company “Termoinzenjering”. The first phase has already been completed, and ten families have found the roof above their heads.

The location, energy efficiency, renewable energy, bio gardens and green rooftops, shared space for the inhabitants of the settlement, professional management, central floor heating, technical maintenance service… Thanks to its many unusual characteristics, the “Solar Valley” is an ideal residential solution for different people.

Could you imagine that a surplus of several hundred euros per year remains in your wallet because your house is designed to save energy? It is not difficult, especially if you know that such homes were built in the “Solar Valley”.

Heating, cooling and preparation of sanitary hot water are done by using eco-friendly clean energy sources – solar collectors and heat pumps. Houses have B-class energy efficiency labels.

“Termo-inzenjering” does not leave its customers at the moment when they give them the keys of the new home. The price of the heat comfort includes the system maintenance service which covers customary service, replacement of spare parts and equipment after expiration and maintenance of sub-station and external installations.

In addition to high energy comfort, the stimuli for interested clients are the overall concept of the settlement, high-quality materials, the way of construction, modern aesthetics and functional organisation. The inhabitants of the “Solar Valley” can entertain themselves and do sports in the gym and other open-air areas and stretch in the yoga centre. Those who want to grow their food have biogardens at their disposal. Plots for rent are equipped with a central irrigation system and are located in the domains of the settlement with the highest level of insolation. The rest of the bio-gardens that are not in the process of renting will be managed by the settlement administration as well as other green areas.

“Some people find themselves in one aspect of the project, some in another, but everyone, according to their priorities, could find something that would be appealing to them. The resort is only 5 minutes’ drive from Liman, University and Strand – the city beach and some minutes longer from the city centre. Customers are additionally attracted to peace, privacy, natural environment and provided parking spaces because there are less and less of them in the city”, said Nikola Dzolev, one of the project’s initiators.

Read the whole article in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine on CLEAN ENERGY, December 2018. – February 2019.

Prepared by: Jelena Kozbasic

Could US Overtake Saudi Arabia as World’s Top Oil Exporter?

13.03.2019

oil-802209_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The US will start exporting more oil than Russia and could potentially overtake Saudi Arabia as the world’s top exporter in the next five years.

The forecast from the International Energy Agency (IEA) comes after a “spectacular growth” of 2.2 million barrels per day (mb/d) of oil in the US last year.

The shale gas industry in the US is to drive global oil supply growth, accounting for 70% of the total increase in capacity to 2024, adding a total of four million barrels per day.

Despite global oil demand set to ease, in particular as China slows down, it is still forecast to increase at an annual average rate of 1.2mb/d over the next five years.

However, the IEA sees no peak in oil demand, as petrochemicals and jet fuel remain the key drivers of growth, particularly in the US and Asia, “more than offsetting a slowdown in gasoline due to efficiency gains and electric vehicles” (EVs).

Dr Fatih Birol, IEA’s Executive Director said: “The second wave of the US shale revolution is coming. It will see the US account for 70% of the rise in global oil production and some 75% of the expansion in LNG trade over the next five years. This will shake up international oil and gas trade flows, with profound implications for the geopolitics of energy.”

Source: Energy Live News

‘Rubbish Police’ Check Bin Bags to Drive Up Recycling Rates

13.03.2019

recycling-bins-177114_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

A pair of council officers in hi-vis jackets scrutinise a clipboard before approaching a bungalow on a windswept estate on the western outskirts of Swansea. They are looking for residents who have sneaked recyclables into black bin bags destined for landfill sites or incineration plants.

Recycling promotion officer Scott Matthews shakes two bulging, partly ripped bags and listens to the telltale clinks and clanks: “There’s glass and cans in these. There is food too. And there is no recycling out whatsoever.”

Swansea is the only council in the UK sending in special teams – referred to by some disgruntled locals as the “rubbish police” – to check household waste for recyclables and issuing fines of up to £100 to those who refuse to separate materials such as plastics and glass into coloured bags.

The scheme, which was launched last month, is part of the city’s efforts to boost its already impressive recycling rates, before a further rise in the UK’s only statutory local authority targets for household recycling, which were brought in by the Welsh government in 2012.

The targets have helped take Wales to third in the municipal recycling world rankings, just behind Germany and Taiwan. Swansea currently recycles 62-63% of its waste – far in excess of the UK average of 44.6%. But from April the city will need to recycle 64%, or risk £200 fines for every tonne of excess waste, which could run into millions of pounds.

The bin bag checks are the brainchild of Chris Howell, who heads Swansea council’s waste department. “It’s not right that a minority are choosing to throw recyclable material away to be buried or burnt when natural resources are finite,” he says.

While recycling levels in the city are relatively high, he insists more could be done. “Half of what is in residual waste in black bags is recyclable material and a quarter of it is food waste,” he says.

Councils tend to use indirect ways to get people to recycle more, such as limiting the number of waste bags or the frequency of waste collections, but Howell is trying something different. “We are taking a more direct approach,” he says. “We don’t want recyclable material in a bag destined for landfill – that’s why we are seeking to keep it out.”

He emphasises that people will get three warnings over an eight-week period before any fines are imposed. “You can’t get fined for accidents. The process is in place to ensure that it is targeted at habitual and determined non- or token recyclers.”

Officers, he adds, will also take into account people’s vulnerabilities: “Some people have learning difficulties or have dementia. We have a letter we can issue saying ‘we fully understand you are trying your best and no further action will be taken’.”

This does not completely reassure Jemma Bere, policy manager at the charity Keep Wales Tidy. She fears the fines may disproportionately hit poorer communities, as research suggests the lowest-income families are less likely to recycle. “The only correlation with the lack of take-up with household recycling is socioeconomic status,” she says. “Education and engagement have to come first. Enforcement – especially when it is in the home – should be a last resort.”

Back on the estate, Matthews and his colleague, Dave Brown, have only managed to speak to four residents with recyclables in their fortnightly allowance of three black bin bags. They include a man in his 60s with a serious health problems and younger man, Kevin Thomas, who admits to paying individuals known as “black baggers” to take his rubbish because his family produces between 10 and 15 bags of waste every fortnight.

He is worried by the idea of a fine: “It’s shocking. There are five of us living here. We make a lot of rubbish.”

At the other end of the cul-de-sac, Gareth Dallimore, 47, says he recycles but doesn’t want officers rifling through his bags. “It’s an invasion of privacy. I put my bills and bank statements in there,” he says.

Most, however, appear to approve of the new approach. Deborah Davies, 49, doesn’t mind her rubbish being checked. “It is important to reuse stuff. It is environmentally friendly. It’s the right thing to do, especially when you have got children,” she says outside her house. “You want your children to have a better world.”

Retired cleaner Susanne Jones, 74, who is taking her dog for a walk, agrees: “We recycle everything we can. Odds and ends we put in black bags but that’s all. We do it for the environment, for our children.”

Source: Guardian

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