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Over 95% Of World’s Population Live In Areas With Dangerous Air Pollution

Photo-ilustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

More than 95% of the world’s population in 2016 (+7 billion) lived in areas with dangerously high levels of air pollution — that is, in areas where WHO organization guidelines for air quality (themselves likely an underestimate) were exceeded. This is according to a new annual report from the Health Effects Institute (HEI).

The report also stated that: 58% of people around the world now live in areas where PM2.5 concentrations were above WHO Interim Target 1 (IT-1, 35 μg/m3); 85% lived in areas exceeding IT-3 (15 μg/m3); and 69% lived in areas exceeding IT-2 (25 μg/m3).

Furthermore, the new report — the State of Global Air 2018 — states that air pollution is far and away the top environmental cause of death worldwide. Relating to that, PM2.5 took 4.1 million lives in 2016 (through heart disease, lung disease, stroke, and respiratory infections); and ozone pollution took at least 234,000 lives in 2016 (via chronic lung disease).

Altogether, the air pollution related death figure for 2016 was 6.1 million. Which means that air pollution was responsible for more deaths than all other health-related causes except high blood pressure, diet, and smoking.

Notably, over half of the deaths attributed to air pollution globally in 2016 related to India and China — which collectively represent nearly half of the world’s population (~1.2 billion + ~1.5 billion). So, those two counties experienced a higher rate of air pollution related deaths than most others — unsurprising, considering the air pollution problems present there.

That said, the drivers in the two countries were different — with coal-fired power plants and industry being the main driver in China and biomass burning being the main driver in India. Also notable here is that China has somewhat reduced air pollution in recent years while India has experienced a large increase.

The President of HEI, Dan Greenbaum, commented on the news: “The Global Burden of Disease leads a growing worldwide consensus — among the WHO, World Bank, International Energy Agency and others — that air pollution poses a major global public health challenge. Nowhere is that risk more evident than in the developing world, where a third of the world’s population faces a double burden of indoor and outdoor air pollution.”

Other major factors (other than coal and biomass burning) in air pollution related deaths around the world include: internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles; the shipping sector; the agricultural sector; and small-scale businesses + industry.

Source: cleantechnica.com

GE Renewable Energy 12 Megawatt Haliade Wind Turbine Heading To UK Offshore Catapult

Photo: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

GE Renewable Energy and the UK’s Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult announced have signed a five-year research and development agreement which will see GE’s mammoth 12 megawatt (MW) Haliade-X wind turbine head to UK shores for the first time for extensive testing.

The five-year research and development agreement was announced on Tuesday, and will see GE’s 12 MW Haliade-X and its existing Haliade 150-6MW wind turbine head to the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult’s 15MW power train test facility in Blyth, Northumberland for advanced test and demonstration programs that accurately replicate real-world operational conditions in an effort to provide enhanced performance and reliability.

The ORE Catapult bills itself as the UK’s leading technology innovation and research center for offshore renewable technology, and is aiming to be the world’s leading offshore technology center by 2023. The Catapult will provide GE Renewable Energy with a wide variety of testing for its turbines, including cooling technologies, converters, loading conditions across mechanical and electrical components, grid testing, and design validation.

GE Renewable Energy announced the 12 MW Haliade-X earlier this year, depicting a wind turbine which measures in at 260 meters in height and boasting a 220-meter rotor. Each individual wind turbine is capable of generating 67 gigawatt-hours (GWh) annually — enough to power up to 16,000 homes on its own.

The research and development agreement that was signed between the two organizations will seek to specifically improve turbine platform availability and reliability through highly accelerated life testing — essentially doing a life-span assessment in a much shorter period of time — accelerate prototype certification through rigorous functional testing, and validate the designs, upgrades, and new technologies.

“This is an important agreement because it will enable us to prove Haliade-X in a faster way by putting it under controlled and extreme conditions,” said John Lavelle, president & CEO of GE’s Offshore Wind business. “Traditional testing methods rely on local wind conditions and therefore have limited repeatability for testing. By using ORE Catapult’s facilities and expertise, we will be in a better position to adapt our technology in a shortened time, reduce unplanned maintenance, increase availability and power output, while introducing new features to meet customers’ demands.”

In addition to the R&D activities between ORE Catapult and GE Renewable Energy, the newly-signed agreement also includes a £6 million (US$ 8.5 million) investment with Innovate UK and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to build the world’s largest and most powerful grid emulation system at the Catapult’s National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth. The new installation will allow companies and researchers to better assess the interaction between large-scale wind turbines and the electrical distribution network across a variety of environments.

“This collaboration is great news and highlights our world-class research and testing facilities,” said Claire Perry, UK Government Energy & Clean Growth Minister. “Through our Industrial Strategy, we are making the UK a global leader in renewables, including offshore wind, with more support available than any other country in the world. With 22% of all investment in European wind projects coming to the UK, the offshore wind industry is exceptionally well placed to boost supplies of home grown clean energy whilst growing new jobs and opportunities.”

“This is exactly the sort of collaboration that will ensure the UK continues to build on its global leadership in offshore wind energy,” said Benj Sykes, co-chair of the Offshore Wind Industry Council and UK country manager for Ørsted. “This five-year research and development partnership will not only advance new technologies but also empower the UK supply chain including smaller SMEs to innovate and grow.

“Cutting edge innovation is a cornerstone of the ambitious sector deal which the industry aims to agree with Government. It is truly driving our vision for 2030 of a globally leading supply chain, and generating a third of the country’s electricity from offshore wind”.

“Today’s agreement is another vote of confidence in the UK as the home of ground-breaking offshore wind technology and in the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult as a global test centre,” added RenewableUK’s Executive Director Emma Pinchbeck. “Offshore wind is a key part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy. The UK is the world leader for offshore wind and has a vibrant export market; we must keep innovating to stay in front as the global renewables sector comes of age.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Bids Called To Replace 2 Gigawatt Coal With Solar & Wind In India

Photo: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

With the sharp decline in tariff bids of solar and wind energy projects in India, the country’s largest power generation company is now looking to replace some coal-based power supply with potentially cheaper renewable energy.

According to media reports, NTPC Limited will call for bids to auction 2 gigawatts of solar and wind energy capacity. The electricity generated from the auctioned projects will be used to replace the equivalent supply from coal-based power plants. The unique aspect of this plan is that NTPC would be allowed to sell the renewable energy to power utilities across the country under the existing power purchase agreements, significantly cutting down the procedural formalities.

NTPC has an operational capacity of 53.6 gigawatts from 51 power plants. This includes 37 thermal power plants (coal and gas-based), one hydro power project, and 13 solar and wind energy projects. A number of these 37 thermal power plants have power tariffs greater than the tariff bids seen in recent solar and wind energy projects.

‘Costly’ thermal power is most likely to be replaced with electricity from solar and wind energy projects. We reported last year that the lowest solar and wind energy tariffs in India are lower than the tariffs of 92% of operational thermal power plants in the country. The lowest tariff bids in India for wind and solar power projects is Rs 2.43/kWh and Rs 2.44/kWh, respectively.

Power utilities are required to pay two-part tariffs for all electricity supplied from thermal power plants in India. Solar and wind energy projects, on the other hand, have only a single tariff. This makes solar and wind energy tariffs financially very attractive. Additionally, transmission of electricity from thermal power plants also attracts additional charges from which solar and wind energy projects are exempt.

NTPC will share 50% of the cost savings with distribution utilities resulting from the replacement of thermal power with solar and wind energy. The company would also absorb any loss if the replacement results in increased costs.

While the idea of replacing thermal power with solar and wind energy sounds financially apt, the entire scheme would hinge upon the tariff bids placed by project developers.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Siemens Gamesa Awarded 225 Megawatt US Wind Supply Contract

Photo: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy announced on Tuesday that it had been selected to supply 225 megawatts (MW) worth of wind turbines for a new but undisclosed project being built in Kansas, United States.

Siemens Gamesa will provide 98 of its SWT-2.3-108 wind turbines to the project which has yet to be identified and its developer announced, but which will be built in Kansas and cover more than 40,000 acres of land. The project is expected to be able to generate enough electricity to supply nearly 73,000 US homes upon completion at the end of 2018.

Of added benefit to the project, Siemens Gamesa confirmed that the wind turbine blades will come from the company’s blade manufacturing facility in Fort Madison, Iowa, while the nacelles and hubs will be assembled at the company’s nearby nacelle and hub assembly facility in Hutchinson, Kansas.

The value of a Kansas-made project for the benefit of Kansas cannot be understated and will support jobs and direct investment back into the community.

While the United States has not been a dominant region for Siemens Gamesa, the company has nevertheless installed more than 5 GW worth of wind capacity and more than 2,300 wind turbines across the country, and supplied wind turbines for a capacity of over 18 GW.

Even though we are only four months into 2018, it has nevertheless been a striking year for Siemens Gamesa, having been awarded numerous contracts around the world and, just last week, been confirmed as the leading wind manufacturer in 2017, supplanting long-term industry leader Vestas.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Northern Ireland: Renewables Industry Calls for Long Term Decarbonisation Strategy

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Northern Ireland’s renewables industry has today published a new low carbon Energy Strategy and called on the government to adopt a number of new targets to ensure recent progress in deploying renewables across the province is maintained.

The report from Northern Ireland Renewables Industry Group (NIRIG) argues the country is on track to meet an industry target of securing 40 per cent of its power from renewables before 2020. It details how investment in the region’s onshore wind sector has helped curb energy costs for consumers across the all-island Single Electricity Market and delivered £2.7m of investment in the local economy for every turbine installed.

But the report argues a longer term strategy is now required to ensure Northern Ireland’s energy sector is fully decarbonised by 2050.

It predicts Northern Ireland could become a world-leading pioneer of energy storage, smart grid, and electric vehicle technologies, but argues a “step-change” in how businesses and policy makers view energy regulation, demand and management is required.

The new document recommends a wide range of measures to provide “much-needed long-term policy certainty”.

Specifically it calls for a new target for the decarbonisation of Northern Ireland’s energy sector by 2050 and a review of the impact of Brexit on energy policy, alongside a renewed focus on delivering the skills and innovation required to build a clean energy system.

It also reveals NIRIG is commissioning research into the creation of a 70 per cent target for renewable electricity by 2030 as a stepping stone towards a full decarbonisation target.

“There’s an urgent need to plan for the post-2020 world in which clean energy will be an engine for economic growth,” said NIRIG Chair Rachel Anderson a statement. “A more diverse, flexible energy mix will increase energy security, as well as generating cheap power for consumers. This brings enormous economic opportunities to Northern Ireland by attracting regional investment, promoting innovation and developing skills.

“We now need a fundamental shift in how we generate, manage and consume energy. The transformation of the energy sector is happening today, and our industry is at the forefront of this transformation. The renewables sector wants to contribute, but we can’t do it alone – leadership and collaboration will be crucial for success. That’s why we’ve laid out a series of ambitious and far-reaching measures in this Energy Strategy.”

In related news, renewables developer Element Power announced yesterday it has secured planning permission for the new Moanvane 40MW onshore wind farm in Co. Offaly, Ireland.

The 10 turbine project is expected to deliver enough clean power for around 28,800 homes a year.

“We are delighted with the decision of Offaly County Council to grant planning consent for Moanvane Wind Farm,” said Pat O’Sullivan, head of communications and stakeholder engagement for Element Power in Ireland. “This project will not only help tackle climate change by generating clean, green and reliable energy for Irish households and businesses but will also bring significant opportunity to the area.”

O’Sullivan added that with planning permission now granted the company would work with the local community on community ownership opportunities, a local amenity trail, and the proposed structure of a community benefit fund.

Source: businessgreen.com

ACCIONA To Build 400 Megawatts Of Wind & Solar In Chile

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Spanish renewable energy company ACCIONA has announced that it will build four new renewable energy projects worth a total of 400 megawatts (MW) in Chile, made up of two solar farms and two wind farms.

ACCIONA Energía announced on Tuesday that it will take three years to build two new solar PV plants in the regions of Atacama and Antofagasta, and two wind farms in La Araucanía, with a total capacity of around 400 MW and investment from ACCIONA of approximately $600 million (€500 million).

ACCIONA will begin construction in 2019 on the 62 megawatt (MW) Almeyda photovoltaic plant which it expects will be completed by the end of the year. This will be followed a few months later by the beginning of construction on the 64 MW Usya photovoltaic plant which is expected to enter into service in mid-2020.

In addition to the two solar projects, which will benefit from investment of around $150 million, ACCIONA will also build two wind farms in the region of La Araucanía. Specifically, ACCIONA is already constructing the 183 MW San Gabriel wind farm in the municipality of Renaico, which received investment of $300 million, and which is expected to enter into operation by the end of 2019 or early 2020. This will be accompanied by the nearby 87 MW Tolpán wind farm.

“We are undertaking major investments over this three-year period, which will considerably strengthen our presence in the thriving renewable energy sector in Chile,” said ACCIONA Energía CEO, South America José Ignacio Escobar.

This is not ACCIONA’s first foray into Chile, having already completed the construction of the 246 MW El Romero Solar photovoltaic plant in the region of Atacama, which was earlier this year confirmed via Power Purchase Agreement as the supplier of 100% of the electricity for the National Mining Company of Chile.

Chile itself is also emerging as one of the potentially vital Latin America countries which could support the continued growth and development of wind and solar technologies as former-powerhouses begin to see their levels plateau and level off. Just a few weeks ago, MAKE Consulting highlighted Chile alongside Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico as one of the potential Latin American countries which will spur near-term wind power growth.

Source: cleantechnica.com

India Beats North America, Europe, & Japan In 2017 Solar Additions

Photo: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Those aggressive auction timelines by the central and several state governments in India have finally resulted in the Asian giant taking the limelight in the global solar power market.

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), India overtook the continents of North America and Europe, as well as Japan, in terms of solar power capacity added during 2017. This is no mean feat given these continents and countries have several times India’s installed solar power capacity.

India added 9,628 megawatts of solar power capacity in 2017, up from 4,251 megawatts in 2016. The United States added 8,173 megawatts of solar power capacity last year compared to 11,274 megawatts in 2016. The total solar power capacity added in North America (the United States, Canada, and Mexico) was 8,584 megawatts.

All the countries in Europe added a cumulative 5,912 megawatts last year, while Japan added 7,000 megawatts, down from 8,300 megawatts in 2016. We had reported last year that India would be likely to overtake Japan as the third-largest solar power market in terms of new capacity added. However, the slowdown in capacity addition in the United States has put India right behind China.

India is third in Asia in terms of operational solar power capacity, behind China and Japan. China added just over 53 gigawatts of solar power capacity in 2017, and retained the leadership position. Just over 72 gigawatts of solar power capacity was added in all of the Asian countries.

Globally, a total of 93,752 megawatts of solar power capacity was added last year.

India could manage to beat some of the most developed solar power markets globally due to the government’s thrust to push solar power as a major source of power generation. The central government set very ambitious solar power targets which percolated to the states.

India plans to hold auctions for 30 gigawatts of solar power capacity each in FY2018-19 and FY2019-20 in an attempt to reach the 100 gigawatt operational solar power capacity target by March 2022.

Source: cleantechnica.com

We Outline and Design Tomorrow’s Society

Photo: NIRAS

A Denmark-based, international multi-disciplinary consulting company – NIRAS  is founded in 1956. Today, our growing NIRAS Group team has more than 2,300 dedicated professionals, contributing with their signature advice and innovative solutions to global progress in various sectors such as construction, infrastructure, public utilities, environment, energy, planning, socioeconomics, management, IT and development consulting.

Our headquarters is in Denmark and our offices are based throughout Scandinavia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe giving us the diversity, versatility and variety of experience key to reliable, realistic and sustainable solutions and advice to our clients. NIRAS works to understand tomorrow so our clients can benefit from it today.

Sustainable Solutions to Greatest Societal Challenges

NIRAS International Consulting is a part of NIRAS family of companies with more than 40 years of international experience in project management, acquired systematically in more than 100 countries around the globe.

We are focused on implementing donor-funded technical assistance projects and provide reliable, hands-on support to our clients in comprehensive project management and professional services during the entire project cycle. With a diverse group of experts in our international teams, we are ready to provide sustainable solutions to even the greatest societal challenges.

Our experts are ready to support faster and sustainable international development with their signature, high-quality consulting capabilities, ranging from project design to project implementation and, finally, project evaluation.

Real Progress and Positive Change

NIRAS International Consulting is today one of the biggest development consultancy companies in the world, with a network of companies and branch offices in more than 20 countries. We take particular pride in our project portfolio with more than 1000 projects implemented in more than 70 countries over the last five years alone, and the concrete progress and positive change we have enabled together with our clients.

Our offices in Finland, Norway, UK, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Germany and Serbia house our core team of 300 full-time employees, supported by more than 800 topnotch experts working on development projects, and more than 14,500 short-term experts engaged in international development projects.

NIRAS is actively contributing to faster development of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America in a variety of sectors. Our portfolio of clients includes: European Commission, European Investment Bank, EBRD, KfW and GIZ (Germany), Danida (Denmark), the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Sida (Sweden), SDC (Switzerland), AFD (France), AusAid (Australia), NORAD (Norway), DFID (UK), USAID (USA), the Nordic Development Fund, African Development Bank (AfDB), the Asian Development Bank, various UN organizations and the World Bank.

Sustainable Global Development and NIRAS

NIRAS is a company fully committed to the principles of United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate social responsibility initiative, with stakeholders in over 170 countries worldwide. We fully incorporate the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, making them an integral part of our strategies, policies and procedures.

Based on our international presence, NIRAS promotes and lives the culture of integrity and social responsibility, proving our concern and responsibility for the wellbeing and progress of humanity and our planet.

As a socially and environmentally conscious company we also support UN goals, such as the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). NIRAS have institutionalised the SDG framework in the mind set and identity of our organization including the following:

„ Integrated the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to our overall business strategy;

„ Integrated M&E system for all of our new projects and programs which includes 100 Global Sustainable Development Goals indicators;

„ Monitored our performance against key performance indicators and sustainable development goals;

„ Established in-house cross-functional sustainability teams and task forces for each of the technical areas were we provide services;

„ Established a Sustainability Committee at NIRAS management / board level;

„ Identified core NIRAS International Consulting Sustainable Development Goals (5, 6, 8, 17, etc.);

„ Committed additional internal resources to improve our contribution to Sustainable Development Goals where we are less present (namely 11 and 14);

„ Committed to increase on SDG 7 as we venture into wind farming market and committed ourselves to measure our improvement against the respective indicators.

NIRAS is a committed Sustainable Development Goals supporter, with a desire to make real and positive contribution towards a more sustainable world and provides each of our employees an opportunity and space to make real, positive change.

You can read the entire text in the tenth issue of the Energy Portal Magazine SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, in March 2018.

China Installs Nearly 10 Gigawatts Of Solar In First Quarter, Up 22%

Photo: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

China’s National Energy Administration announced on Tuesday that the country installed an impressive 9.65 gigawatts (GW) of new solar PV capacity in the first quarter of 2018, up 22% on the same period a year earlier and up on analysts’ projections.

At a press conference held on Tuesday, China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) published new data revealing the country’s solar PV performance for the first quarter. The data comes to us courtesy of Asia Europe Clean Energy (Solar) Advisory, (AECEA), based in Beijing, which covers the Chinese solar industry closer than many non-Chinese analysts are capable of doing.

Specifically, China installed a total of 9.65 GW worth of new solar PV capacity in the first quarter, made up of 1.97 GW worth of utility-scale solar capacity, and 7.68 GW worth of distributed solar capacity. This represents a 22% increase on the same quarter a year earlier, however, this doesn’t tell the whole story.

Frank Haugwitz, Director of the AECEA, explained that China’s utility-scale segment actually decreased by 64% in the first quarter, as compared to a year earlier, while the country’s distributed solar segment increased by a mind-boggling 217%.

AECEA also hinted at the fact that grid curtailment issues, which have plagued China’s solar industry for several years now, is beginning to improve — especially in regions such as Xinjiang and the province of Gansu, where grid curtailment levels in 2017 had stayed above 20% for the whole year.

It’s a strong start to the year for China’s solar industry, which broke all sorts of records in 2017 by installing a massive 52.83 GW worth of solar capacity after a year of repeated revisions to analyst expectations. Looking forward, there is no communal agreement on how much solar China will install in 2018, but AECEA currently expects China to install between 40 GW and 45 GW.

Source: cleantechnica.com

New UK Coal-Free Power Record Set at Over 76 Hours

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Just days after setting a new record of just shy of 55 hours without coal power, the UK’s electricity grid this afternoon completed another record coal-free run of over 76 hours.

Coal units restarted generation midway through this afternoon, bringing to an end a record 76 hours and 10 minutes when no coal-fired power plants were required.

National Grid confirmed that the record meant that for the first time since the 1880s the UK electricity network has clocked up over three consecutive days without the need for coal generation. The new record came just days after the first ever 48 hour period of no coal on the network.

The final length of this record #coal free run was 76 Hours 10 minutes.

The record is part of a long-running trend. Analysts expect to see coal-free days and lengthy periods of coal-free operation become increasingly common as the UK works towards shuttering all its coal-fired power plants by 2025 at the latest.

Coal accounted for just seven per cent of the UK power mix last year and two more coal plants are expected to close later this year.

Meanwhile, renewables developer Ørsted announced today that it has completed the installation of the final turbines at the Walney extension offshore wind farm, paving the way for the world’s largest offshore wind farm to come fully online later this year. The boost in renewables capacity will further reinforce a trend that saw low carbon power account for over half the electricity mix for the first time last year.

Source: businessgreen.com

Disney Announces New 50 Megawatt Solar Project To Power Two Theme Parks

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Walt Disney World Resort has announced that it is partnering with solar project developer Origis Energy USA to develop a new 50 megawatt (MW) that will power two of its four theme parks in Central Florida.

The announcement was made last week by Disney’s Vice President, Animals, Science and Environment, Disney Parks, Dr. Mark Penning, in a blog post on the Disney Parks Blog. Penning described the move as “the next milestone in Disney’s continued commitment to environmental stewardship.” In addition to The Walt Disney Company’s target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2020, the new solar project will join Disney’s infamous Mickey ears-shaped 5 MW solar project which was unveiled in April of 2016 and intended.

The new solar project will see the Walt Disney World Resort company partner with the Reedy Creek Improvement District — the larger district which contains the land for the four Walt Disney World Resort theme parks — and solar project developer Origis Energy USA. It will be built on 270 acres located near to Disney’s Animal Kingdom and include half a million solar panels. Disney expects that the new project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 57,000 tonnes per year — the equivalent of removing 9,300 cars from the roads.

Construction for the new 50 MW project is expected to begin in the next few months, and Origis Energy has already delivered the first solar panels (seen below), with completion expected by the end of the year. Combined with the 5 MW Mickey-ears solar project near Epcot, Disney expects the two projects will generate enough renewable electricity to supply up to 25% of the power needs at World Disney World Resort.

Another important aspect of the project for Disney was that the projects meet the overall standards of the Parks. Specifically, Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment and Horticulture teams will be working together in the development of this new 50 MW solar farm to explore ways to make it pollinator friendly, “with rich wildflowers and vegetation, creating a safe and welcoming habitat for butterflies, bees and other insects, including endangered and at-risk species.” According to Dr Penning, “This important work aligns perfectly with the Disney Conservation Fund’s “Reverse the Decline” initiative, which aims to reverse the decline of 10 threatened species, including butterflies.”

Source: cleantechnica.com

Nearly $4 Billion In Regional Economic Benefits Created By Australian Wind Power

Foto: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

A report released recently by the Australian Wind Alliance has provided some fascinating insights about the economic benefits produced by Australian wind farms. Their construction has resulted in an almost $4 billion contribution to the Australia economy. Over half of this value was generated in the last 5 years.

The wind farms currently under construction there are adding $1.6 billion in economic activity to the regional economy. For example, over 6,000 jobs have been created by the new construction.

If you add the value contributed by the existing wind farms over their 25-year life spans and that of the ones under construction, the estimated total contribution to host communities is $10.5 billion.

About $20 million a year is directed to regional communities via distributions to landholders who host wind farms and Community Enhancement Funds (CEFs). When the wind farms under construction are completed, that figure could increase to $30 million.

From 2019, $2.5 million will be available for community projects through CEFs, which are grants that can be used for them. If all the wind power projects in development are completed, about $7 million a year could be available for community projects.

CEFs are not entirely new, “Fourteen years after the first CEF, more than 40 CEFs across five states have delivered more than $6 million into projects, events, equipment and organisations around Australia.” (Report link.)

Benefit sharing mechanisms can provide support to regional communities. Generally, this support takes the form of community co-ownership and payments to landholders and communities.

We might not think in general that wind power gives back to local communities, but the report described some specific community-enhancing efforts “Projects that have been realised through CEF funding can be substantial, such as the $100,000 contribution towards upgrading IT and educational equipment in schools in WA through to the $1,000 granted for a playground project in NSW.”

Wind power critics sometimes try to bash this form of clean energy as being too expensive, but in this particular case we easily can see the wind power can provide economic benefits at the local level. Also, wind power isn’t free, but it’s generally the cheapest or second cheapest (behind solar) option for new power capacity.

Source: cleantechnica.com

New York City Will Ban Automobiles From Central Park This Summer

Foto: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Central Park in New York City is the most visited outdoor space in the United States. 40 million people a year flock to Central Park to partake of its charms. First established in 1857, it was designed by famed landscape architects Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux in 1858. By the start of the 20th century, the park had begun to decline. That’s when Robert Moses, who never met a mile of asphalt he didn’t like, stepped in to bring Central Park back to its original glory. He also took that opportunity to add several roadways within the park. Those roads soon became popular avenues for Manhattanites to drive crosstown.

Central Park MapLast week, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that all private vehicles will be banned from using the roadways in Central Park as of June 27. “Our parks are for people, not cars,” de Blasio told the press. “For more than a century, cars have turned parts of the world’s most iconic park into a highway. Today we take it back. We are prioritizing the safety and the health of the millions of parents, children, and visitors who flock to Central Park.”

The ban will not apply to emergency vehicles, nor will it have any impact on vehicles using the four below-grade crosstown routes that were part of its original design. The mayor had already banned cars from the scenic roads at the northern end of the park back in 2015. Similar scenic drives in the southern end of the park were limited to certain weekday hours.

If it seems like the age of the automobile has finally reached its high-water mark and the flood of vehicles everywhere is receding, you’re right. From London, to Paris, to several cities in Germany, officials are clamping down on how trucks and private cars access urban areas. Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg says that efforts to remove cars from Central Park have been underway for more than 5 decades, starting with limitations on what hours of the day cars were permitted.

Predictably, reactions to the ban are mixed. “I’m pretty happy about it,” pedi-cab driver S.K. Ali tells the New York Post. “We don’t like them. They scare the kids, they hit bikes, they make a lot of noise. Without the cars I’ll probably do more business, and it’ll be safer all around.” Taxi drivers and those who drive for ride hailing services like Uber and Lyft are less enthusiastic, as it means they will have a much more difficult time navigating that part of the city.

“Oh, great,” said one Uber driver. His passenger leaned out the window to say, “This route is the best kept secret in New York. Was that de Blasio? He’s the worst.”

Michael Capirasco, who heads the organization that runs the New York Marathon, is one of the happy ones. “As supporters of a healthy lifestyle, we are so excited that this amazing and beautiful park will be enhanced by being traffic-free,” he says. Paul White, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, has nothing but praise for the ban. “Mayor de Blasio has done what 20 mayors before him could not do. Get cars out of Central Park.” De Blasio also banned cars from scenic drives in the Prospect Park section of Brooklyn in January.

Lots of people still believe they have a God-given right to drive wherever and whenever they want and that public officials have a duty to build more and more roads for their use. That attitude is changing, however, as reducing air and noise pollution is becoming a key policy objectives for many municipal leaders. If you are one of those folks who think the right to drive is enshrined in the Constitution, take heed. Ask not for whom the horn honks. The horn honks for thee.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Siemens Gamesa Overtakes Vestas As Leading Wind Manufacturer

Foto: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Less than a year after its successful merger, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy has been named the leading wind manufacturer by two analyst firms, thereby dethroning Danish manufacturer Vestas.

It is the time of year to be looking back on wind turbine manufacturers’ previous year’s efforts, and those of us who expected last year’s merger between Spanish wind giant Gamesa and Siemens’ wind division to result in a wind energy giant have been proven correct. Released within days of one another, Wood Mackenzie’s MAKE Consulting and GlobalData both published respective reports on wind turbine manufacturers for 2017 and confirmed that Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy was now sitting atop the pile.

It’s unfortunate news for Vestas, who over the past few years has won and lost and won and now lost again its place as the world’s leading wind turbine original equipment manufacturer (OEM). In 2016 Vestas reclaimed its top position from Chinese OEM Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology, only to surrender it to the behemoth that is now Siemens Gamesa.

This is unfortunate, but unsurprising. When you look at 2016’s figures you see that Gamesa accounted for 3.7 gigawatts (GW) and Siemens added another 2.1 GW. With the combination of the two, plus the company’s strong move into the offshore wind energy sector, it was inevitable that Siemens Gamesa was going to be competing for top spot.

According to Wood Mackenzie’s MAKE Consulting, which published its Global Wind Turbine OEM Market Share report last week, Siemens Gamesa set a single-year record for new capacity globally, installing 8.8 GW of new capacity. Second was Vestas, and together, the two companies installed capacity in nearly twice the number of countries than the next OEM, and set them apart from the rest of the pack. According to MAKE, third place went to Goldwind and fourth to GE, followed by German OEM Enercon.

It is important to note that offshore wind was a defining factor in 2017’s rankings, helping Siemens Gamesa to secure the top spot, but also allowing MHI Vestas — the offshore wind joint venture between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Vestas Wind Systems — to break through into the global rankings, the first for an offshore-exclusive OEM.

MAKE Consulting keep most of the specifics of its reports behind a subscription (what specifics exist were taken from Greentech Media’s article), but data and analytics company GlobalData is not as restricted and published its own report outlining global wind equipment manufacturing rankings for 2017.

According to GlobalData, Siemens Gamesa installed 9.43 GW in 2017, while Vestas only installed 7.52 GW. Both companies saw increased market share, up 26.4% and 14% respectively, and as can be seen below outpaced their nearest rivals which clumped much closer to one another.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Report: Carbon Pricing Now Covers Up to a Quarter of Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Foto: pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The adoption of carbon pricing policies around the world is accelerating and now covers between 20 and 25 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according the Institute for Climate Economics (I4CE).

However, the French think tank warned that while the reach of emissions markets are increasing rapidly, carbon prices are still far below the level needed to ensure international climate goals are met.

Assessing the key trends in carbon pricing, I4CE’s Global Carbon Account 2018 report found that despite such policies now covering up to a quarter of the world’s emissions, there are still “too few” jurisdictions which have implemented an explicit carbon price.

As of April 1 this year, 46 countries and 26 provinces or cities around the world have adopted market-based measures which put a price and cap on emissions of CO2 from industry, according to the report.

Moreover, the adoption of carbon pricing policies is accelerating, with three Emissions Trading Schemes (ETSs) and three carbon taxes implemented in 2017, as well as more than 25 new carbon pricing instruments announced for the coming years.

The global roll out has been bolstered by the entry into force of China’s ETS in December 2017, which has helped push the proportion of global emissions covered by carbon pricing policies from 13 per cent in 2016 to between 20 and 25 per cent today.

In addition, revenues from carbon pricing initiatives are also increasing, the report found, with I4CE estimating that such policies generated $32bn in 2017, up from $22bn the previous year. Carbon taxes accounted for 65 per cent of carbon pricing revenues in 2017, it added.

However, I4CE’s annual report also highlights that carbon prices are perceived as too low to have a significant economic impact. While the price per tonne of CO2 emitted currently varies between less than $1 and $139 depending on the jurisdiction, more than 75 per cent of emissions regulated by carbon pricing are covered by a price below $10 (€8), a level that is widely considered far too low to support the low carbon transition needed to meet the Paris Agreement targets.

I4CE raised concern that carbon prices remained unaligned with the 2C trajectory set out in the Paris treaty, highlighting economic research suggesting carbon prices need to reach between $40 and $80 per tonne by 2020, rising to between $50 and $100 by 2030.

A series of reforms to Europe’s ETS earlier this year has helped push up the EU’s carbon price above €14 – its highest level in years.

However, analysis earlier this month by Thomson Reuters found that greenhouse gases regulated by the EU ETS ticked up for the first time in seven years, largely due to increased emissions from industrial manufacturers, such as the cement sector.

Source: businessgreen.com

Used Electric Car Values Rose 41% In UK During Quarter 1, 2018

Photo-ilustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Average used plug-in electric vehicle resale prices rose by 41% in the UK during the first quarter of the year, the online used car service Autorola has reported.

This compares to an overall used car resale price rise of 5.3% during the first quarter. In other words, the resale values of used plug-in electric vehicles in the UK are rising at a much faster clip than petrol and diesel cars are (diesel car resale values are of course actually flat, not just rising slowly).

Overall, used car prices rose to an average of £10,008 during the first quarter, up from £9,504 during the fourth quarter of 2017. What this means when taken as a whole is that used cars are becoming increasingly attractive to auto buyers in the UK — presumably on the back of lower discretionary income amongst much of the population in recent times.

A press release provides a bit more in the way of details: “Highlights of the first quarter trading in 2018 include a 41% increase in the average selling price for electric vehicles — up to £19,789 from Q4 2017’s £13,981. The number of EVs sold was relatively small, but it shows that dealers are beginning to consider EVs to add to their stock mix. Average age falling from 15 months to just 9 months, and mileage almost halving from 6,086 to 3,662 also helped contribute to this price increase.”

New plug-in electric vehicles are of course in many cases much more compelling than earlier models and model years were, so that makes sense.

Continuing: “There was also a significant 48% surge in numbers of diesels being sold in Q1 compared to Q4 2017, reinforcing prices are remaining strong despite the increase in disposal volumes.”

That surge is likely due to a desire by owners to get out ahead of any further depreciation that would accompany possible diesel car bans.

Providing an overview of the situation, Autorola UK’s group sales director, Jon Mitchell, stated: “Demand for used stock has been very strong during quarter one reinforcing that franchised dealers are turning their attention to selling more used cars as new car sales continue to fall, while independent dealers are simply selling more used cars. Diesel prices remain strong despite the higher volumes we saw coming onto our online portal, while used petrol prices have reached an all-time high. The used market has had a very positive quarter one.”

Source: cleantechnica.com