Vestas & Northvolt Create Wind Energy Grid Storage Partnership

20.12.2017

Headquartered in Denmark, Vestas is the largest manufacturer of wind turbines in the world. This week, it announced the formation of a partnership with young Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt to improve the integration of grid-scale battery storage systems into wind energy systems. The two companies will share research and development duties and create products for the wind energy sector that utilize products from each.

According to Utility Dive, the partnership will be known as Northvolt Labs. The collaboration will help the Vestas “define, challenge, and improve battery storage offerings for customers that need hybrid and storage solutions,” says Anders Vedel, chief technology officer at Vestas. “There is a strong shared purpose and strategic fit with Northvolt.” Peter Carlsson, the CEO of Northvolt, formed the company in 2015 after working for many years at Tesla. Vestas will contribute nearly $12 million to the partnership over the next 7 years.

Part of mission of the partnership is to create advanced data management systems that will improve the ability of wind energy systems to meet the needs of utility companies by making renewable energy more predictable and reliable. “Northvolt, with the support of Vestas, is looking to better understand the needs of the renewable energy sector in order to develop batteries for solution providers and OEMs,” the companies said in a joint press release. “Northvolt is building a next generation battery factory with the aim to produce the world’s greenest batteries to enable and accelerate the transition to renewable energy.”

Despite the news, shares in Vestas fell more than 20% on Monday after it announced quarterly earnings well below analysts’ expectations. “The drop wiped out all of the company’s gain in stock price for 2017. An increasingly competitive environment and emerging trend of aggressive capacity auctions is resulting in price and margin pressure at Vestas,” wrote James Evans, a Bloomberg Intelligence analyst. While cleantech fans applaud ever lower auction prices, seeing them as signs the renewable energy revolution is moving forward, the companies doing the heavy lifting are operating on razor-thin margins that squeeze profitability — a condition that puts that revolution at risk.

Source: cleantechnica.com

‘Monumental’: China Launches National Emissions Trading System

20.12.2017

China has today announced further details of its forthcoming national emissions trading scheme (ETS), revealing the rollout will start in the energy sector before full implementation from 2020 onwards.

In a move that campaigners hailed as a “monumental” step in the global fight against climate change, the Chinese government confirmed the long-awaited ETS – which was trailed last week at the One Planet Summit in Paris – will create the world’s largest carbon market once it comes into operation, dwarfing Europe’s ETS in size and scope.

The cap and trade scheme will sees high emitting companies buy and sell emissions credits below a defined, gradually declining limit. The market is set to initially cover around 3.5 billion metric tonnes of carbon from 1,700 stationary sources across China’s power sector, including the country’s coal plants.

The scope means the ETS will initially account for around 34-39 per cent of China’s total emissions, before gradually expanding to also include other high emitting industries such as aluminium and cement in the coming years. The scheme is also expected to grow to include the heating sector, with China having on Sunday announced a five-year plan to convert northern cities to clean heating during the winter through to 2021 in order to avert a deepening heating crisis, according to Reuters.

Green NGO the Environment Defense Fund said that by the time the program is fully implemented from 2020 it is expected to cover some five billion metric tonnes of CO2, which would account for a sizeable chunk – roughly 15 per cent – of total global emissions.

“The world has never before seen a climate program on this scale,” said EDF president Fred Krupp. “It is important that the world’s largest emitter should lead on climate, and that is precisely what China is doing by launching its national emissions trading system. China has stepped up its climate leadership dramatically in recent years, and is now increasingly seen as filling the leadership void left by the US.”

Initially nine regions and cities, including Jiangsu, Fujian and seven regions where pilot schemes have been operating, will coordinate to establish the ETS system, Reuters reports. The intention is that the market will become the primary mechanism for ensuring China remains on course to peak its total emissions by 2030 at the latest, in line with the country’s Paris Agreement pledges.

However, there are still no firm details as to precisely when trading in the long-awaited carbon market will actually begin, nor a timetable for the phase-in of other industries. Chinese media site Shoudian reported that is “probable” that formal trading will not start until 2019, but officials are yet to provide an official start date.

Some commentators have suggested the lack of clarity is because China is still not ready to launch the ETS. Having begun piloting emissions trading programmes four years’ ago, China’s President Xi Jinping had promised to launch the cap and trade programme before the end of 2017. But analysts have warned much of the technical infrastructure required for a national roll out is still not in place.

However, in a statement EDF president Krupp said it was “smart” for China to take its time over developing and gradually phasing in the scheme. “Chinese leaders have drawn lessons from the experience of other countries, and they’re moving in a gradual and sure-footed way to make sure they get this right,” added Krupp. “I think that’s smart.”

It is also not yet known what price will be placed on carbon emissions to start with, although some have estimated the initial price could be 50 yuan ($7.50) per tonne of emissions, with a longer term aim for the figure to rise to around 300 yuan ($45) per tonne.

Critics of the EU ETS have long argued that it has failed to deliver on its early promise because a glut of emissions credits has led to low carbon prices. However, supporters of the scheme have countered that it has normalised the practice of carbon pricing and has encouraged investment in energy efficiency mneasures and the switch away from carbon intensive coal power.

Commentators said China’s new market will form part of a global trend. Once China’s system launches there will be 19 carbon trading systems operating globally, covering almost half of the world’s economic output.

Jonathan Grant, director of the climate change team at PWC UK, welcomed today’s news as a “massive step forward in China’s efforts to tackle emissions – and one that could have global ramifications”, but he stressed the importance of ambitious policy to ensure the ETS is effective.

“China’s action could reduce concerns about competitiveness which is often a barrier to implementing climate policy in other countries,” said Grant in a statement. “For the trading system to be effective, the NDRC [China’s state planning commission] will need to set an ambitious emissions cap, roll-out the trading system to other sectors and allow the price to flow through to consumers. Carbon pricing regulation has been implemented in many countries around the world, but to reduce emissions, prices need to be high enough to prompt companies to change their investment decisions and operations.”

The launch of China’s scheme will fuel hopes it could in future link up with other markets operating elsewhere, such as in the EU and California.

Last week, national state leaders across North and Central America announced a declaration promising greater cooperation on carbon trading. Together Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile and Mexico pledged to set up a working group with a view to developing a common framework to deepen regional integration of carbon markets throughout the region. The declaration was also signed by the Governors of California, Washington and the Premiers of Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec.

Moreover, a new €10m, three-year EU-China cooperation project on emissions trading started just a few weeks ago.

Miguel Arias Cañete, EU Commissioner for Energy and Climate Action, also welcomed China’s announcement today. “As the US government turns its back on the fight against climate change, China, the EU and many others are forging ahead with strong climate policies and measures,” he said in a statement. “This major announcement sends a very strong signal: the world is changing with new, broad climate leadership. With both the EU and China committed to emissions trading, two major international players are championing carbon markets as a key policy tool to curb emissions and put a price on carbon.”

With specific details of China’s ETS and rollout timetable still unknown, it remains to be seen just how ambitious or rapid the decarbonisation of the world’s second largest economy will be over the coming years. Nevertheless, China has sent a strong signal that carbon is a pollutant that industrial emitters must pay for, and many will hope the move could prompt other governments to move in the same direction.

Source: businessgreen.com

EV Charge Point Use in Scotland Surges 43 Per Cent in One Year

20.12.2017

The use of electric vehicle charge points in Scotland has surged by nearly half in the space of a year, putting the UK region “on the cusp of a motoring revolution”, according to the RAC Foundation.

The motoring charity’s analysis of the ChargePlace Scotland public network shows that both number and usage of chargepoints is rapidly increasing across Scotland, as more people adopt electric vehicles.

Data from Scotland’s charging network, which was developed by the Scottish Government and local authorities, shows chargepoints were used almost 37,500 times in August 2017, up from the just over 26,000 times during the same month in 2016 and less than 13,000 uses in August 2015.

Meanwhile, the total number of public chargepoints available to drivers also continues to rise, with 1,133 charging stations with a total of just over 2,000 connectors – or sockets – installed in Scotland as of the end of August this year. This compares to the 870 charge points and 1,700 connectors available to Scottish EV drivers at the same time year before.

Rapid chargers make up 16 per cent of units, but were used for almost half – 49 per cent – of all charging sessions in August 2017.

However, despite the overall increase in usage, a large number of charge points in the network are still not being used at all, the data shows. Almost a quarter – 23 per cent – of charge points were not used at all during August 2017, only a fraction less than the 25 per cent that went unused the in August 2016.

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, welcomed the findings, but said EVs would only enjoy a mass market once they became as easy to use and recharge as refuelling currently is for petrol and diesel vehicles.

“Scotland may be on the cusp of a motoring revolution, but step-changes in electric vehicle technology must be matched by equally big strides in recharging infrastructure,” said Gooding. “It is pleasing to see the use rapid chargers are getting. But the stubbornly high number of charge points that get little or no use shows that we still need to think not just about the total amount of charging infrastructure but what type it is and where it is located.”

In related news, global consultancy Capgemini has partnered with Norwegian digital tech firm Smartly to launch a new mobile phone app which allows subscribers to access and pay for the use of EV car chargers in housing co-op networks across Norway.

The app, launched earlier this week, tracks identities of different users of the EV charge points, allowing for households in the co-ops to be accurately billed for their vehicle energy consumption and providing app users with the ability to keep track of their electricity use and pay accordingly, Capgemini said.

“We brought together our expertise in cloud native apps, digital innovation and customer experience with the Microsoft Azure cloud platform to help Smartly create an innovative app that not only provides a great user experience for Smartly’s customers, but also contributes to a greener future for Norway,” said Jens Middborg, VP at Capgemini in Norway.

Source: businessgreen.com

Toyota Sets Sights on One Million Electric Vehicle Sales by 2030

20.12.2017

Toyota has set a bold new target to sell at least one million zero-emission cars by 2030, as it places the environment at the centre of its strategy for the coming decade.

In an update yesterday the Japanese automaker, which also owns the Lexus brand, said it plans to have sold at least one million fuel cell or battery electric cars, out of a total of more than 5.5 million hybrid and low emission vehicles.

To achieve the sales targets, Toyota said it would introduce at least 10 new all-electric vehicle models by the early 2020s, and by 2025 every model in the Toyota and Lexus line-up will have an electrified option.

The move echoes similar transformative strategies unveiled in recent months by carmakers such as Volvo, and marks a new focus on electric vehicles for Toyota, which has spent years investing in hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell cars.

Executive vice president of Toyota, Shigeki Terashi, said the first new electric cars will go on sale in China before being rolled out across the rest of the world.

A new partnership with Panasonic, announced last week, is also expected to give Toyota a major boost in the development of better battery technology for the new models.

Source: businessgreen.com

CCC Calls for Deep Waste and Energy CO2 Cuts in Wales’ Carbon Budgets

19.12.2017

The UK’s Committee on Climate Change has today given its recommendations for CO2 cuts in Wales over the next decade, setting out how the region can play a leading role in tackling climate change while also growing its economy.

Wales should set carbon budgets aiming for a 23 per cent reduction in 1990 greenhouse gas levels by 2020 and a 33 per cent cut by 2025, according to the independent statutory body, which provides recommendations to the UK government and devolved administrations on how to comply with the Climate Change Act 2008.

Wales has a target to reduce its overall greenhouse gases by 80 per cent from 1990 levels by 2050, and has so far cut emissions by 19 per cent as of 2015, while the UK as a whole has seen its emissions drop by 37 per cent over the same period.

But the CCC said achieving an overall 80 per cent CO2 cut in Wales by 2050 would be “more challenging” than the equivalent reduction for the whole of the UK, and set out a number of recommendations for CO2 cuts in specific sectors over which powers are devolved.

In order to protect “vital” Welsh industry – including steel manufacturing – it said Wales should first focus its efforts on cutting emissions from electricity generation and waste sectors, as well as moving away from the use of fluorinated gases. Under the CCC’s recommendations, CO2 cuts from Welsh industry would then take place later, in the 2030s and 2040s.

As such, the Committee gave its backing to the Welsh government’s aim to source 70 per cent of its electricity from renewables, a target it said was consistent with the CCC’s own scenarios and would help provide economic benefits to Wales as well as contributing to UK-wide decarbonisation.

But it said Wales should also focus more on tackling fuel poverty and ensuring its buildings are more energy efficient, as well as reducing emissions from transport by boosting public transport use and active travel.

Electric vehicle uptake in particular has been slow in Wales, the Committee explained, and it urged for a more widely accessible network of charging points and EV parking – especially in mid-Wales – to help accelerate the number of electric cars on the road.

On agriculture, the Committee called on the Welsh government to replace the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after Brexit with a new subsidy regime that helps support emissions reduction and climate resilience. It added that it should aim to plant at least 4,000 hectares of trees per year.

The Committee’s report also suggests a potentially important role for carbon capture storage and utilisation (CCUS) in Wales over the coming decades.

However, there are no recommendations from the Committee on shipping or aviation sectors, although an advisory report from the CCC in April had recommended that emissions from these sectors – which have been left out of UK carbon budgets to date as they are governed by international bodies – should be accounted for in the Welsh government’s future carbon targets and plans.

Chairman of the CCC Lord Deben said Wales had set itself an ambitious but achievable emissions reduction target for 2050, and that tackling climate change could help both grow its economy while improving the well-being of its population.

“The carbon targets we are recommending today present a pathway for Wales to decarbonise its economy while protecting Welsh industry, jobs and future generations,” he said.

Source: businessgreen.com

‘My Priority’: Macron Promises to Use Nuclear and Renewables to Deliver Emissions Cuts

19.12.2017

Fresh from the success of hosting the One Planet Summit in Paris last week, French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday underscored his commitment to decarbonising the country’s energy system.

In an interview with broadcaster France 2, Macron said nuclear and renewables would remain the key planks of the country’s emission reduction plans, in contrast to German efforts to phase out nuclear power.

“I don’t idolize nuclear energy at all,” Macron said in comments reported by Reuters. “But I think you have to pick your battle. My priority in France, Europe and internationally is CO2 emissions and (global) warming.”

“Nuclear is not bad for carbon emissions, it’s even the most carbon-free way to produce electricity with renewables,” he added.

Macron was elected with a mandate to step up investment in renewables and is working on plans to mobilise fresh investment in wind and solar power across the country, alongside new investments in energy efficiency and electric vehicles.

However, France’s energy system remains hugely reliant on its fleet of nuclear reactors, which have been credited with providing the country with some of the lowest per capita emissions in Europe.

National regulator ASN is currently undertaking a review of France’s 58 nuclear reactors and is expected to come forward with a series of recommendations in 2020-21 on whether ageing plants should be shuttered or have their life extended.

However, Macron downplayed the chances of a widespread phase out of old reactors.

“What did the Germans do when they shut all their nuclear in one go?” he asked. “They developed a lot of renewables but they also massively reopened thermal and coal. They worsened their CO2 footprint, it wasn’t good for the planet. So I won’t do that.”

He added that the government’s decisions would be based on ASN’s recommendations. “It’ll be rational,” he said. “So in the face of that, we’ll have to shut some plants. Maybe we’ll have to modernize others.”

However, critics of nuclear power remain sceptical about the ability of the industry to deliver new reactors at a competitive cost, following plummeting prices for renewables and high profile delays at French utility EDF’s new Flamanville reactor.

Macron’s comments come after last week’s One Planet Summit delivered a flurry of announcements from leading businesses and investors, detailing how listed corporations can expect to face growing calls from shareholders for them to develop strategies that are compatible with the decarbonisation goals of the Paris Agreement.

Source: businessgreen.com

Statoil Chooses Younicos To Supply Battery Storage For Hywind Scotland Floating Wind Project

19.12.2017

Statoil, the energy company backed by the Norwegian government, is the majority partner in the Hywind Scotland offshore floating wind farm that began operations in the past few weeks — the first floating wind farm in the world. Now, Statoil says it has selected Younicos, a global battery storage company, to install a 1 megawatt battery system contained in two 10 foot containers on land near Peterhead, Scotland.

The Younicos installation will not be just another grid-scale battery system, however. “As part of Statoil’s strategy of gradually supplementing our oil and gas portfolio with profitable renewable energy, getting to understand energy storage is important,” says Sebastian Bringsværd, the head of Hywind Development at Statoil. “With more renewables coming into production, it will be crucial to handle storage to ensure predictable energy supply in periods without wind or sun.”

The battery facility, which will be called Batwind, “has the potential to add value by mitigating periods without wind — and by that making wind a more reliable energy producer year around. This could expand the use and market for wind and renewables in the future,” Bringsværd says in a press release. The plan is to have the battery installed and in operation by the end of the second quarter of 2018.

Statoil and minority partner Masdar intend to use the Batwind battery to better understand how a battery can best be utilized to connect the offshore wind farm with the electrical grid. “Through Batwind we are including software — or a brain if you like — on top of the battery to ensure that the battery behaves the way we want it to behave,” says Bringsværd. “We want the battery to automatically know when to hold back and store electricity, and when to send it out to the grid. Battery energy storage systems have existed in the market for several years and are rapidly developing. However, there is limited knowledge of how to make a battery act based on dynamic information, in order to maximize value of renewable energy.”

Not only will the Younicos battery be the first to be connected to an offshore floating wind farm, it will be the first “smart” grid-scale battery and serve as a test bed for advanced energy storage strategies that may apply to battery storage solutions worldwide.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Željko Milković: First Steps towards Electromobility of Public Transport in Serbia

19.12.2017

Five electric buses represent heralds of progress that will significantly contribute to the reduction of harmful gas emissions in the future. One should not forget that the road leading to the realization of any significant project starts with a good idea and adequate support – says Željko Milković, General Manager of Public Utility Company City Public Transport “Belgrade”.

When Belgrade received the first line of city transport with five electric buses last September, we could read in the news that Serbia became the first country in Europe with such a city line. Although the introduction of electric buses is a very important move that deserves media attention, our interlocutor Željko Milković, explained to us that electric buses have been running through European cities for some time already, but with batteries.

EP: It is true that we are unique in the fact that electric buses with capacitors were put into operation on a city line for the first time. Why did you decide to get them?

Željko Milković: The concept of the operation of our electric buses is significantly different from the one with batteries. We chose capacitor’s drive because the differences are obvious: the battery requires more time for charging than the capacitor and its weight for a standard 12 m bus is 2.5 to 3.5 tons, while the capacitor weighs 90 kg. This actually means, that our bus has a bigger capacity for 15 passengers. In addition, batteries must be changed every four years, and although we do not know what the lifespan of the capacitor is, we are still covered by a 10-year warranty. When you consider the service life of a bus that ranges from 12 to 14 years, we are probably not going to change capacitors, while batteries would have to be replaced three times for the same period of time. The battery costs 15,000 to 20,000 euros, so the additional cost would be 60,000 euros per bus. Capacitors originated from military technology and the Russians first started using them because of many advantages. Over the past ten months, we have been convinced that electric buses with capacitors are reliable in traffic.

EP: Why, then, other cities have electric buses with batteries?

Željko Milković: It takes seven hours for charging batteries. We cannot provide this because the vehicles work 22 hours, so we have only 2 hours for charging. Furthermore, we would have to install plug-in chargers in the garages, which would mean that we need to eliminate one shift and reduce the traffic. Imagine a hundred buses, a hundred charging points, a hundred plug-in sockets. But even that is not disputable, in comparison with the fact how difficult it would be to carry out the power supply of the bus. Imagine turning on 100 chargers at the same time. This requires a hydropower plant, a system that can support such charging needs, then two substations, and each costs two million euros. And all this just to power 100 buses. Therefore, the battery-powered system can be introduced only in cities with fewer buses.

EP: The decision of introduction of electromobility in public city transport was obviously a good one. Nevertheless, not every innovative idea gets support. How did you succeed in this?

Željko Milković: The Secretariat for Environmental Protection and current Minister of Ecology Goran Trivan were our main support. They financed the procurement of buses and equipment and the Mayor Siniša Mali also liked the idea. It took 13 months to complete the project. From the company Chariot, which imports and distributes the buses of the Chinese manufacturer Higer, in Europe, we bought vehicles with capacitors of the Chinese company Aowei.

The Chinese go a step further Aowei has introduced a novelty in the way of charging buses and it is currently being tested in the factory. By using this new technology, the bus, or the roof pantograph, should be charged while driving with a 1 km long slider and to which each vehicle is hooked, so it is charged and driven at the same time and then it goes off the slider and continues with driving. This has upgraded the existing charging system, which resulted in the fact that not even former 5 minutes are lost for charging buses. It is just a matter of time when we will see this on the streets of a metropolis.

EP: Are you satisfied with the charging speed of capacitors and the length of the road that a bus can cover from one place to another with a charger?

Željko Milković: The length of road that a bus can cover with charging that lasts five to eight minutes, depending on the consumption and the amount of traffic, is 22 km. Currently, for a line that is 8.7 km long, the reserve of 35 to 38 percent of capacity remains, considering all possible unforeseen circumstances in traffic. This capacity is quite sufficient, although Aowei, a capacitor manufacturer, has already increased its capacity and now has a range of 36 km. Buses with these new capacitors, which are charged in about 2 minutes, are being tested in Graz.

EP: What was the main goal you strived for when you came up with the idea of introducing this type of transport in Belgrade?

Željko Milković: Our goal was to take the first step and introduce electric buses into the city traffic in Belgrade. Every start is difficult, but the benefit of this move is multiple. With a larger number of electric buses, we will reduce the emissions of harmful gases, we will contribute to the protection of the environment in the city, and the savings in energy consumption is also significant, because only one bus per day consumes diesel fuel in the amount of 100 euros, while the electric bus consumes electricity in the value of 20 to 25 euros. So, when you multiply these amounts by the number of buses and years of exploitation, the calculation is clear. Electric bus pays off in the sixth year and from 6th to 12th year we have a pure profit. Therefore, at first, the investment is bigger, because the electric bus is three-times more expensive than the diesel one, but in the long run, the electric bus is a better choice. Likewise, we have the ability to acquire practical knowledge of how this advanced technology is used. Apart from our engineers, future experts who are studying at our universities today and who do not have enough experience with new technologies, have the opportunity to improve their knowledge. I want to invite professors from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering to bring their students to the workshops we organize and to interest them in this topic.

EP: Do you plan to purchase more electric buses and on which lines would they operate?

Željko Milković: Considering the positive experience, we will surely get more electric buses. Four out of the five buses are in traffic, and we use the fifth for testing. We monitor the consumption and all other parameters and when we get everything done, we will present the project to the Mayor. The idea is to slowly replace trolleybuses with electric buses, although it is considered to have the biggest benefit when a diesel bus is replaced with the electric one. Although a trolleybus is excellent, it has its limitations: getting around depends on the grid which has high maintenance costs, and the grid itself spoils the appearance of the city. The electric bus is independent of the grid and is certainly cheaper when it comes to costs. So far, we are performing tests on trolleybus lines 29 and 41 and we plan to introduce more of these vehicles on other bus lines. Chargers are set up quickly and the project for trolleybus lines is ready. The only problem is the power supply and we expect “Electric Power Industry of Serbia” to support us and enable us to connect to the electricity grid because with a growing number of electric buses and chargers there is a need for substations. We took two types of chargers to test them. The charger in Belville is charged from the grid with 380 V voltage, and the charger at Vuk station is powered by a 650 V voltage from the tram network. In this network we have large peaks, so in comparison with standard 600 V voltage, the peaks can reach from 1200 to 1500 V. It is difficult to protect devices in peak currents, fuses and switches are needed and turned on. The complete tram network has 21 old substations, the oldest ones are from 1936. Investments in new mobile substations of container type are necessary and the price of one is about two million euros. To conclude, the acquisition of electric buses is not a problem, because of Higer, a Chinese manufacturer of electric cars, produces 70 pieces a day. We need a system solution for power supply.

EP: In your opinion, what would be the measure that could have the greatest effect in Belgrade in the field of environmental protection when it comes to vehicles and driving in the city?

Željko Milković: Since all public and private transport in Belgrade takes place through narrow streets of the city with congested traffic, especially in the rush hour, it is necessary to complete the construction of the internal main ring, as well as to start building the metro. It is also necessary to limit the entry of passenger cars in the city centre, but only when we have a good alternative to public transport, such as the metro. Until that happens, we have already taken steps and I am sure that by introducing electric buses we have set up a sound basis. Now, further development is possible.

Interview by: Tamara Zjačić

This interview was originally published in the eighth issue of the Energy Portal Bulletin, named ECOMOBILITY.

London CO2 Cuts Must be ‘More Ambitious in Scale and Pace’, Mayoral Body Warns

19.12.2017

London’s economy has grown as greenhouse gas emissions have fallen over the past five years, but future decarbonisation in the capital will “need to be significantly more ambitious both in scale and pace”, a Mayoral advisory body report has warned.

The London Sustainable Development Commission published its fifth Quality of Life report on Friday, confirming steady, positive progress has been made overall across a range of environmental indicators since its previous report in 2012.

It shows that London’s total CO2 emissions have fallen 11 per cent since 2012 despite a growth in population, with per capita emissions in the city lower than the rest of the UK.

But it warns this decoupling of economic growth from emissions is not certain to continue, as future emissions reductions are likely to be harder to deliver than those which have been achieved to date.

“This, combined with the fact that emissions will need to drop significantly further if London is to meet the Mayor’s aim of London being zero carbon by 2050 and contribute to the overall commitments from the Paris Agreement, mean that future carbon reduction activity will need to be significantly more ambitious both in scale and pace,” the report states.

The challenge of adapting the city to be more resilient to climate change is also highlighted, with the report noting that London is in future expected to be warmer overall, as well as significantly wetter in the winter and drier during the summer.

Such changes are likely to generate increased incidences and severity of flooding the report warns, advising London’s flood defences will need upgrading and that residents must become more aware of flood risks.

Yet at the same time, there is expected to be increased water shortages in the capital, which has the most people living in the driest part of the country. This is likely to require greater monitoring of domestic water consumption in future, according to the LSDC.

“Owing to past and current emissions of greenhouse gases some level of climate change is inevitable,” the report states. “Arguably this is one of the most pressing issues threatening London’s future quality of life.”

Since being set up by the Mayor of London in 2002, the LSDC produces reports every five years as evidence to help guide decision-makers on improving quality of life for Londoners – 11 of its 32 indicators relating to the environment. These green indicators cover CO2 emissions, air pollution, flood risk, recycling and access to nature, among others, and LSDC’s report demonstrates broadly encouraging progress across key areas over the past five years.

In addition to the cuts in carbon emissions, the report indicates a long-term trend away from private motorised transport in the city, with the public transport mode share increasing by 15.2 percentage points since 1993.

Moreover, despite growing concern over air pollution in recent years, emissions of nitrogen dioxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) in the capital fell between 2008 and 2013 according to the report – although it cautions that the city is still failing to meet national legal limits and that many areas exceed health guidelines.

However, it is not all good news. While CO2 emissions from household waste management have fallen over the past five years (to the point that this area now produces net carbon savings), there has been little improvement in the percentage of waste being recycled or composted, reflecting a wider national trend.

LSDC chair Dr Ashok Sinha said it was “heartening” to see progress in a number of areas towards London becoming a more sustainable city, but that major challenges remain which require an “urgent, collective response”.

“We invite all of those with a leadership role in improving Londoners’ quality of life whilst living within our environmental means – decision-makers at London and national level, public and private sectors and civil society – to use these data to develop the policies and innovations needed to make London more sustainable,” Sinha said in a statement.

It follows the launch of the Mayor of London’s draft economic development strategy – dubbed the London Plan – last week, which set out proposals to make London the world’s first ‘National Park City’ and turn the capital zero carbon by 2050.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was “determined to do all I can to make the capital a cleaner, safer and fairer place to live and work – but there is much more central and local government must do”.

As Khan notes – and the LSDC report lays bare – London, like many cities, faces growing challenges from climate change. It seems it has much work to do to ensure it is a city built for a low carbon future.

Source: businessgreen.com

Survey: Quarter of Brits More Worried About Climate Change in 2017

19.12.2017

After a year which has seen the world hit by a series of devastating weather events and President Trump announce plans to pull out of the Paris Agreement, UK adults are now more worried about climate change than they were a year ago, according to a YouGov poll published today.

When questioned about their concern earlier this month, 23 per cent of respondents to an online survey of 1,700 adults said they were more worried about the issue than they had been at the same time last year, compared to only three per cent who said they were less concerned.

Meanwhile, 43 per cent said they were concerned about climate-related issues in 2017 and expected their concerns to remain at the same level next year.

The results follows several UK surveys over the past year on attitudes to climate change. Seven in 10 British people now reportedly accept human activity is causing climate change, while support for renewable sources of electricity remains strong and enthusiasm for fracking is on the wane.

Climate change charity 10:10, which commissioned the latest survey, linked the heightened concerned shown in the poll to a number of high-profile stories this year, including the US signalling its intention to exit the Paris Agreement and a series of hurricanes which hit the US and Caribbean over the summer.

However, Alice Bell, co-director at 10:10 Climate Action, said while there had been a “lot to worry about” in the last year in regards to climate change, there was also “a lot we can do to make a difference and build the hope we want to see in the future”.

The charity is therefore encouraging those who feel concerned to step up their action on climate change in 2018, launching a ‘Climate Crush’ toolkit of tips, actions, and advice on how to help curb greenhouse gas emissions.

“We know a lot of people want to take action on climate change, but are unsure about where to start,” said Bell. “We also know that we’re going to tackle climate change, we need a whole load of people taking action in a whole range of ways – from eating less meat to getting your local streetlights switched to LED or lobbying the government on wind power. That’s why we’re providing a mix of tips, information and advice you need to make climate action a habit you can stick to in 2018.”

Source: businessgreen.com

How Cities Can Meat the Climate Challenge

18.12.2017

Klimatske promene, Planeta zemlja, Globus — Foto: Pixabay

Addressing a crowd of mayors gathered in his hometown last week, former President Obama called on the “new faces of American leadership” on climate change to take swift action to spare our children and grandchildren from a climate catastrophe. Twenty-five U.S. mayors signed the “Chicago Charter,” affirming a commitment from their cities to meet the Paris agreement target for greenhouse gas reductions by 2025.

Many of these leaders made commitments to pursue aggressive strategies like purchasing 100 percent renewable energy and fuel-efficient vehicles. But the list of climate commitments that emerged from the Chicago Charter omitted a critical sector, accounting for about one fourth of global emissions: food.

As a coalition of dozens of environmental and health groups point out in a recent letter to the signatories of the “We Are Still In” declaration, municipal climate mitigation efforts will be “ineffective in halting climate change if we do not also significantly slash emissions embedded in the food we eat.” That’s because, simply put, the world cannot meet climate targets without curbing consumption of animal products, which are responsible for far more emissions than plant-based foods.

Cities and counties can address the food sector’s significant impact on climate change by buying less meat and dairy and offering more plant-forward items on menus in large food venues operating on municipal property, like hospitals and airports.

Eating less meat for health and environmental reasons is backed up by science. Since the U.S. consumes 2.6 times more meat than the global average and 66 percent more protein than we need, there is plenty of room for more fruits, veggies and healthy grains on our plates.

Compared to other climate mitigation strategies, shifting how institutions buy food can be a relatively simple, cost-effective way to downsize our carbon footprint while improving access to healthy food. A case study from the Oakland Unified School District in California shows how successful this can be, slashing the school’s food service carbon footprint 14 percent by buying less meat and dairy and offering more plant-based proteins, fruits and vegetables. This not only saved the carbon emissions equivalent to driving 1.5 million fewer miles annually, it also trimmed food service costs and earned high marks from the kids.

Despite these “win-win,” benefits, fewer than ﬁve percent of municipalities have even basic healthy food service guidelines or nutrition standards. This presents a major opportunity to boost public health and climate action. The Meat of the Matter, a new report by Friends of the Earth and the Responsible Purchasing Network, lays out a roadmap for cities and counties to achieve progress on climate goals and healthy food access by changing the kinds of food they buy and shifting menus in large food venues.

We have the research and tools to help city and county leaders go further in their climate ambitions, and at the same time, use tax dollars more wisely and promote public health. As the Chicago Charter declares, and increasingly frequent climate catastrophes confirm, there is no time to lose. Reducing meat consumption is a pivotal piece of the puzzle and local government leaders can make an important contribution by putting less meat on the menu of climate change solutions.

Source: ecowatch.com

World’s Largest Solar-Wind-Storage Plant Planned for India

18.12.2017

renewable-energy — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

A wind, solar and battery storage plant is being planned for the southeastern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, which has faced power woes in recent months due to grid failure.

The renewable energy facility will consist of 120 megawatts of solar, 40 megawatts of wind, 20-40 megawatt-hours of battery backup and will be spread over 1,000 acres in the district of Anantapur.

According to CleanTechnica, such an installation will be the world’s largest once commissioned.

The estimated $155 million project was jointly developed by Solar Energy Corporation of India, the renewable energy agency of Andhra Pradesh, NREDCAP and Andhra Pradesh Transco.

Significantly, the plant will receive funding through a loan from the World Bank, which announced this week that it would stop financing oil and gas projects to help the global shift to cleaner energy sources.

As CleanTechnica noted, the bank’s support is good news for the project:

“The fact that the World Bank has agreed to fund the project means that the tariffs would likely be extremely competitive, even with the existing thermal power plants in the country. The World Bank had offered debt funding for a 750 megawatt solar power park in the state of Madhya Pradesh earlier this year. The auction for that solar park broke the record for the lowest solar power tariff in the country at that time.”

The developers are planning to tender the new plant by March next year, PV-Tech reported.

India has seen many ambitious bids from all over the world to build and operate upcoming renewable energy facilities, highlighting the country’s success in expanding its clean power portfolio at a low cost, The Economic Times pointed out.

Power Minister Piyush Goyal, who has set ambitious renewable energy targets, commented that the record low bids signal a “green future” for India.

Source: ecowatch.com

3 Extreme Weather Events in 2016 ‘Could Not Have Happened’ Without Climate Change, Scientists Say

18.12.2017

Three of 2016’s extreme weather events would have been impossible without human-caused climate change, according to new research.

The Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society published a collection of papers Wednesday focused on examining the effect of climate change on 27 extreme weather events last year. The research found that climate change was a “significant driver” in 21 of these weather disasters, and that three events—the temperatures making 2016 the hottest year on record, the heat wave over Asia in the spring, and a “blob” of extremely warm water in the Pacific—”could not have happened” without climate change.

Scientists say the certainty in this language is striking for peer-reviewed research, which is extremely cautious in attributing weather events to climate change. “I am not necessarily convinced that these are the first ever in the literature, but these are some of the stronger statements that I have seen,” report editor and NOAA climate scientist Stephanie Herring said at a press conference yesterday.

As reported by InsideClimate News:

While five previous editions included research showing that climate change made dozens of heat waves, droughts and storms more likely or more severe, none had determined that the events could not have occurred under “natural” conditions.

“The conversation needs to change,” Jeff Rosenfeld, editor-in-chief of the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, said at a press conference Wednesday. “These are not just new odds. These are new weather extremes that are made possible by a new climate.”

Source: ecowatch.com

College Seeks Investment in Solar Energy

18.12.2017

photovoltaic-system solar — Foto: Pixabay

The Federal Government has been urged to invest more in solar energy to meet up with the electricity challenges.

At the End of the Year/Graduation of ABITECH Engineering College in Ikorodu, Timothy Obano, the Chief Executive Officer, said the potential of solar in Nigeria as a source of power is “absolutely enormous.”

Obano said the solar energy, inverter and other trainings in the College, is one of the renewable training schemes designed to generate employment for the unemployed graduates.

He urged graduating students to put their training into good use by also creating employment.

“This is our modest contribution to development and improvement of our energy sector, so I urge the graduates to become vibrant employers of labour that will positively affect this generation,” he said.

He said lack of conventional electricity infrastructure paves way for rapid deployment of solar.

“In Nigeria, for instance, there’s currently an energy deficit of 170,000 megawatts, the majority of which can and should be filled with solar energy,” he said.

Debunking claims that solar power and inverter are expensive, Obano explained that the recent innovations in battery storage and the falling cost of solar panel technology had made solar increasingly accessible in Nigeria and beyond.

He also assured customers that his company gives 30 years guarantee on both solar and inverter system assembled by his company.

He expressed optimism that in future many Nigerians would accept the alternative source of power, adding that solar energy is fully accepted as a safe, efficient and environmentally friendly energy source.

Source: thenationonlineng.net

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