China Raises Use of Geothermal Energy

03.10.2017

geotermalno-postrojenje — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

China plans to raise the annual utilization of geothermal energy to 70 million tonnes of coal equivalent by 2020 as the country seeks to ease reliance on coal and curb pollution.

The annual utilization of geothermal energy for heating purposes should reach 40 million tonnes of coal equivalent by 2020, according to a plan formulated by government agencies including the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration.

Geothermal energy is heat energy stored in the Earth, which is clean and sustainable. The push for clean energy comes as the government has intensified efforts to fight pollution.

By the end of 2020, renewable energy facilities will supply 1.9 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity, accounting for 27 percent of total power generation, according to the government’s 2016-2020 plan for renewable energy.

Official data showed China’s energy structure has continued to improve in the first half of 2017 amid the government campaign for greener growth.

Coal consumption, which stood at around 1.83 billion tonnes in the first six months, accounted for 59.8 percent of the overall energy use during the period, down 0.6 percentage point from the same period last year.

In contrast, the share of natural gas and non-fossil fuels in the mix rose 0.3 percentage point to 20 percent. China aims to bring the share of coal in the country’s energy mix down to below 58 percent by 2020.

Source: news.xinhuanet.com

States Lead the Way on Energy Efficiency as Feds Falter

03.10.2017

A recent report card of state energy efficiency policies and programs shows that even in this era of partisan divide, blue and red states alike are embracing smarter energy use as a key strategy for reducing harmful pollution, saving consumers money, creating jobs and driving economic growth.

The annual ranking of states by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) highlights how many states are stepping up efficiency efforts despite the lack of federal leadership. Utilities nationwide spent more than $7 billion on energy efficiency programs in 2016, saving more than 25 thousand gigawatt-hours of electricity. How much is that? It’s enough to power almost 3 million homes and avoid the equivalent amount of emissions spewed from nearly 4 million cars over one year.

This year the scorecard also looks at how well states provide access to programs for low-income customers, who spend a disproportionate amount of their income on energy bills. This will raise the bar of expectations for all states to ensure these customers also share in the benefits of energy efficiency.

In the 2017 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard, we see the usual suspects in the “top five” ranking (Massachusetts, California, Rhode Island, Vermont and Oregon). We also see great improvements in states we wouldn’t necessarily expect (Idaho, Florida and Virginia).

Furthermore, in contrast to states who rolled back efficiency policies (Indiana and Minnesota), others renewed their commitment to help lay the groundwork for future savings (Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada and Ohio). This just goes to show that more states are finding efficiency a critical way to cut energy waste, save customers money and reduce pollution.

However, some states are not living up to their potential or even meeting their past efforts, such as New York State. The good news? Given Gov. Cuomo’s leadership and commitment to tackling climate change and scaling up clean energy, New York could regain its ranking as a national leader on energy efficiency if it takes the right steps to shore up the state’s energy efficiency framework in the coming months.

The Scorecard also highlights how states—even leaders—can do more:
Set up an energy efficiency resource standard and provide sufficient funding to implement it. Such standards, currently on the books in 26 states, require utilities to save energy through efficiency. States with an EERS have shown average energy efficiency spending and savings levels more than three times as high as those in states without an EERS, according to ACEEE.
Promote expanded low-income efficiency programs. Low-income customers pay up to three times as much as the average household for home energy costs and can save money and improve health with energy efficiency programs. Illinois last year required Commonwealth Edison and Ameren Illinois to invest $25 million and $8.35 million per year on programs to increase the efficiency of low-income households. Nevada earlier this year passed legislation requiring big utilities to set aside 5 percent of their budgets for programs that reduce energy costs for low-income households.
Strengthen building codes and improve compliance. Codes help make sure that efficient choices are made from the start so new homes and buildings save customers money on energy bills and cut dangerous climate pollution.
Adopt California tailpipe emission standards and set targets for reducing vehicle miles traveled. Improving overall transportation greenhouse gas reduction performance at the state and metro level is critical to substantially cut emissions and is an action that has gained urgency amid a threatened rollback of federal clean car and fuel economy standards.
Treat qualifying Combined Heat and Power (CHP) efforts on par with other efficiency savings. CHP systems can help improve the efficiency of manufacturing facilities, buildings, and homes; save consumers money on their energy bills; drive business competitiveness, economic growth, and jobs; enhance grid reliability and flexibility; and help protect public health and the environment.
Step up state-led efforts to promote energy efficiency, including investing in research and development of energy efficiency technology and ‘leading by example’ by reducing energy use in public buildings and fleets.
Promote innovative financing opportunities to take advantage of private capital and lower costs of implementing efficiency.

State efforts have gained urgency as President Trump recklessly shrugs off the dangers of climate change and moves to cut back popular—and successful—federal energy efficiency programs. What can you do? In addition to supporting those who focus their work on reducing the impact of climate change, this Thursday is the second annual Energy Efficiency Day where every one of us can take actions to make a difference.

Source: ecowatch.com

Catholic Church to Make Record Divestment from Fossil Fuels

03.10.2017

More than 40 Catholic institutions are to announce the largest ever faith-based divestment from fossil fuels, on the anniversary of the death of St Francis of Assisi.

The sum involved has not been disclosed but the volume of divesting groups is four times higher than a previous church record, and adds to a global divestment movement, led by investors worth $5.5tn.

Christiana Figueres, the former UN climate chief who helped negotiate the Paris climate agreement, hailed Tuesday’s move as “a further sign we are on the way to achieving our collective mission”.

She said: “I hope we will see more leaders like these 40 Catholic institutions commit, because while this decision makes smart financial sense, acting collectively to deliver a better future for everybody is also our moral imperative.”

Church institutions joining the action include the Archdiocese of Cape Town, the Episcopal Conference of Belgium and the diocese of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino, the spiritual home of the world’s Franciscan brothers.

A spokesman for the €4.5bn German Church bank and Catholic relief organisation Caritas said that it was committing to divest from coal, tar sands and shale oil.

In a symbolically charged move, the Italian town of Assisi will also shed all oil, coal and gas holdings the day before a visit by the Italian prime minister, Paolo Gentiloni, to mark St Francis’s feast day.

Assisi’s mayor, Stefania Proietti – a former climate mitigation professor – told the Guardian: “When we pay attention to the environment, we pay attention to poor people, who are the first victims of climate change.

“When we invest in fossil fuels, we stray very far from social justice. But when we disinvest and invest in renewable and energy efficiency instead, we can mitigate climate change, create a sustainable new economic deal and, most importantly, help the poor.”

The origins of the latest church action lie in last year’s climate encyclical by Pope Francis – himself named after St Francis of Assisi – although the project was advanced by the Global Catholic Climate Movement.

Source: businessgreen.com

MILAN LAZIĆ: Environmentally Responsible Companies and Citizens Are Becoming Increasingly Interested in Our Electric Cars

03.10.2017

In this region, the first thing that comes to your mind when you mention Volkswagen is golf, since this car has been a favourite vehicle for decades. Times are changing, new technologies are being introduced, but Volkswagen is still in the top of the automotive industry. It comes as no surprise, when this company has launched completely new version of it. It is of course new e-Golf – at the same time comfortable and sporty, reliable and smart car which meets the latest ecological standards.

To make things even better, this car, as well as other Volkswagen’s hybrid and electric cars, can also be purchased in our country. Our interlocutor Milan Lazić, General Manager of Volkswagen in Serbia, will reveal to us the innovations that e-Golf and e-Up! and other eco cars from their fleet bring to us. He will also tell us something about the obstacles that do not allow us to see more electric cars on the streets and parking lots.

EP: Last spring, at the Car Show in Belgrade, the company Volkswagen unveiled two electric cars to the visitors. Does this mean that you believe Serbia has matured enough to accept the concept of ecology vehicles not only at the level of idea, but also in practice?

Milan Lazić: At this year’s Car Show Volkswagen has presented two electric cars – e-Golf and e-Up! As the part of European car market, Serbia is definitely involved in changes and new trends that are taking place in car industry. Of course, digitalization and electric mobility will not be implemented on our market at the same time and with the same intensity as it is already happening in highly developed European countries, but we will certainly catch up.

EP: Definitely it is not easy to be an importer of such vehicles in the countries of Western Balkans, especially in the countries that still haven’t joined the European Union and have not harmonized regulations on traffic. What would be the main problems you face in Serbia?

Milan Lazić: The first obstacle is certainly the origin of certain components of electric vehicles, such as batteries, heat pumps, etc. that are often manufactured outside the EU so when importing we pay extremely high customs costs. The incentives of any kind are lacking, and charging infrastructure is definitely a problem. However, it is interesting that the process of registration and insurance is quite simple and it is done on the basis of declared power of aggregate, and it is the same with the obligatory insurance.

EP: How interested are customers in buying your hybrid and electric cars in our country? Are there any serious buyers?

Milan Lazić: The sale of Volkswagen’s electric cars has already begun on out market. In 2016 the first cars were delivered. In particular, one international bank has purchased a fleet of 7 e-Up! cars. After almost a year of driving these cars on our roads, the client has only words of praise and they are satisfied with the purchase of their electric fleet. They have participated with us several times in the presentations of electric cars to the media, as well as to our dealers and clients, emphasizing the benefits of driving these cars in comparison to the traditional aggregate.

Ecologically responsible companies as well as individuals are showing greater interest in our new product. Of course, at this moment, everything is still at the level of inquiries about technical characteristics of electric cars, experience from other markets, our forecasts on the development of charging infrastructure and about price policy.

EP: How many of them give up from buying electric cars due to aforementioned obstacles and decide to buy a car on petrol of diesel?

Milan Lazić: The fact is that almost 100 per cent of our clients still decide to buy a car with petrol or diesel aggregates. However, the times are slowly changing.

EP: What are your predictions for launching of the market in Serbia?

Milan Lazić: Whether the sales of e-cars will develop at a faster or slower rate depends on a variety factors: state’s
subsidies for the purchase of electric cars, development of charging infrastructure, benefits for drivers (such as reserved parking lots with chargers in public garages, the possibility of driving on bus lanes…) and other advantages that exist in other countries.

EP: Can you give us some positive examples that are proved to be successful in developed countries – what are the incentives that importers have, and what incentives do the buyers of “green” Volkswagen’s cars have?

Milan Lazić: Developed e-markets do not have any fees for the import of electric cars. On the contrary, the incentives are mostly financial and they range, depending on the model, from 5,000 to 10,000 euros. In addition, charging (recharging) at public stations is free and the cost of annual registration is less than one euro. Electric vehicles are allowed to enter the immediate city zones, the parking is free and a special benefit is allowed driving on bus lanes.

EP: As the search for public chargers here is still like looking for a needle in a haystack, can you tell us how you meet the needs of potential clients and also tourists or business people who want charge their for example e-Up! on their way through our country? Where can they do that? What are your plans for the development of charging infrastructure?

Milan Lazić: Construction of infrastructure that is setting up the network of chargers is the project which we are intensively working on. The first AC charger was installed a few months ago in front of Porsche Belgrade North’s sales and service centre on Zrenjaninski road. Currently, the strongest available charger of 50 kW will be placed at the same location in the following few weeks. Also, we have a plan for installing a charger in front of sales and service centre of Porsche Novi Sad. Also, there are chargers in IKEA department store, Obilićev venac garage and in a few hotels and shopping malls. There are applications that provide precise information on charger location and charger type as well as other useful notes. These apps definitely make it easier for users to plan charging of their electric vehicles.

EP: Why would one opt for e-Golf? Tell us how many kilometres can you travel with a single charge, that is, what is the battery’s capacity?

Milan Lazić: The new e-Golf has several different available driving profiles so that you can choose a comfortable or sporty type. The maximum range is 300km with a single battery charge in ECO mode.

EP: What are the advantages of e-Up!?

Milan Lazić: The range that e-Up! can reach with a single charge is up to 160 km and that is what makes this car ideal for every day usage. In addition to efficiency, e-Up! is characterized by the latest technological innovations that represent standard in far higher segments. Also, its agility and dimensions make it a perfect city car.

EP: Of course e-Up! and e-golf are not the only electric cars that Volkswagen offers. Tell us something about them and also about the concepts that are still under development.

Milan Lazić: Currently, Volkswagen’s feet has two models of electric cars in its offer, e-Up! and e-Golf. An abundance of electric cars are expected from 2020, and we would single out I.D. concept – SUV model I.D. Cross.

EP: What does Volkswagen offer from freight and passenger programs? Do you work on the introduction of ecomobility on this plan?

Milan Lazić: All brands within Volkswagen Group, including MAN and Scania, are intensively working on the production of models with the electric drive.

EP: Many manufacturers of electric cars have a problem with the battery production technology, can you tell us something about capacities of your batteries? What innovations does Volkswagen plan to introduce in this area?

Milan Lazić: Volkswagen plans to start the production of batteries in two factories that are located in European Union in the next five years.

EP: Given the fact that Tesla car is still beyond reach in many countries, simply because it is too expensive, the experts in electromobility believe that Volkswagen Group is the only one that can draw parallel to Elon Musk with its energy efficient and affordable cars. Can you tell us something about your strategy for the future?

Milan Lazić: I would mention here MEB platform and I.D. gamma vehicles whose characteristics are such that competition will have to make efforts in order to respond adequately.

Interview by: Vera Rakić

The interview was originally published in the eighth issue of the Energy Portal Bulletin, named EKO-MOBILITY.

New Study Finds Methane Emissions from Cows 11% Higher

03.10.2017

cow-759018__340 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Actual global methane emissions from livestock are much higher than previous estimates and could help account for the dramatic upswing in methane emissions over recent years, according to new research.

A study published last week in the journal Carbon Balance and Management updated measures used to calculate livestock methane emissions, finding that emissions in 2011 were 11 percent higher than their projected IPCC estimates.

Global methane emissions began to surge in 2007 after flattening in the early 2000s. Livestock is “not the biggest contributor to the annual methane budget in the atmosphere,” lead author Julie Wolf told the Washington Post, “but it may be the biggest contributor to increases in the atmospheric budget over recent years.”

As reported by AFP:

“Methane accounted for about 16% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2015, according to the IPCC.

Carbon dioxide—produced mainly by the burning of fossil fuels—accounts for more than three-quarters of planet-warming emissions.

‘As our diets become more meat- and dairy-rich, so the hidden climate cost of our food tends to mount up,’ said professor Dave Reay from the University of Edinburgh reacting to the study.

‘Cows belching less methane may not be as eye-catching as wind turbines and solar panels, but they are just as vital for addressing climate change.’

Source: ecowatch.com

World Can Meet Growing Food Demands and Limit Warming to 1.5°C, Study Says

03.10.2017

desert-2165985__340 — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Agriculture and food production is responsible for around 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Slashing the sector’s emissions is considered to be key to limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, which is the aspirational target of the Paris agreement.

However, adopting negative emissions strategies, such as soil carbon management, will be essential to help the farming industry reduce its carbon footprint without threatening the global food supply, the lead author told Carbon Brief.

The new study marks an important step in our understanding of how to tackle the “wicked problem” of food insecurity in a changing climate, another scientist told Carbon Brief.

Food production contributes to global warming in a number of ways. Agricultural machinery and the transportation of crops and animals cause the release of CO2, crop fertilizers release nitrous oxide, and methane is released by rice paddy fields and livestock.

Growing demand for food has also led to the global expansion of farmland at a rate close to 10 million hectares (approximately 24.7 million acres) per year during the past decade. Some of this land once supported rainforests, which stored huge stocks of carbon.

Overall, the production of food is thought to account for around 30 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions.

Cutting emissions from agriculture is, therefore, considered to be vital to limiting warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. To slash agricultural emissions, it is likely farmland expansion into forests will need to be scaled back, fertilizers used more efficiently and lost trees replanted.

However, these mitigation techniques will take up precious farmland and could have an impact on global food production, explained Dr. Stefan Frank, a researcher at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Vienna and lead author of the new study published in Environmental Research Letters. He told Carbon Brief:

“Reducing global emissions may affect food availability as agricultural land could be diverted from food production to energy use for fossil fuel substitution, such as biofuels. Mitigation efforts may also limit land available for agricultural expansion due to the need for protection of high carbon landscapes, such as forests.”

His research investigates how strategies to cut emissions from the agriculture, forestry and other land use (AFOLU) sector could affect both global warming and food availability by 2050.

The research uses mathematical models to simulate the expected fall in emissions if the agricultural and land use sector employed mitigation strategies with the aim of limiting warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by 2050.

The study found that, if key mitigation strategies are implemented, the agriculture and land use sector could cut its emissions from 12 billion tonnes of CO2 a year to around 600,000 million tonnes of CO2 a year by 2050.

One way to meet this goal would be to introduce a “carbon tax” on food, the study found, whereby foods that cause high carbon emissions during their production, such as beef and rice, are taxed the most.

This tax could encourage agricultural businesses to find ways to reduce their carbon emissions, Frank said. He added:

“For this study, we use an economic land use and mimic different climate change mitigation policies implementing emission reduction targets and bioenergy demands. The emission reduction targets are achieved by implementing a carbon price in the model, which incentivizes the shift towards more greenhouse gas efficient production systems.”

The chart below shows how a tax on carbon emissions could affect the price of food in relation to today’s prices. Deep red represents a scenario whereby a tax of $150 dollars per tonne of CO2 emissions is applied, whereas pale pink shows a scenario where a relatively lower tax of $10 dollars per tonne of CO2 emissions is introduced.

However, although the introduction of a carbon tax could help to cut farming emissions, it could also threaten the food security of the world’s most vulnerable people, the research suggests.

This is because a tax on food could restrict the calorie intake of low-earners who are vulnerable to food price hikes. In many parts of the developing world, poor people spend as much as 60 to 80 percent of their income on food, according to the World Food Programme.

Using models that consider these caveats, the researchers simulated how a range of carbon taxes on food production could affect the average calorie intake across the globe by 2050, if efforts are made to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

They found that carbon taxes on food production could result in global food calorie losses ranging from 110 to 285 kcal per person, per day, by 2050, depending on the level of tax that is introduced and the market conditions. This could translate into a rise in undernourishment of 80-300 million people in 2050, the researchers said.

However, the assumption that a fall in calorie intake will lead to a rise in undernourishment and lower food security could be too simplistic, said Tim Benton, a professor in population ecology at food security at the University of Leeds, who was not involved in the study. He told Carbon Brief:

“[The analysis] tackles only a part of the whole issue. Globally, poor diets are driving ill-health through providing too many calories and not enough nutrition, so what we produce and how we produce it needs to change to provide healthier diets: calories are not a good proxy for food security.”

However, the potential rise in undernourished people as a result of a carbon tax on food could be stemmed if “win-win” emissions mitigation strategies are also implemented, the research suggests.

One “win-win” strategy outlined by the research is soil carbon sequestration, or the introduction of farming methods that encourage soil to absorb more carbon from the atmosphere. It is considered to be a “win-win” mitigation strategy because it can help to boost crop productivity as well as lower agricultural emissions. Frank said:

“There are of course uncertainties related to the mitigation potential from soil carbon sequestration, but if these potentials were to be achieved, the impacts on food security could be significantly eased.”

The research found that introducing soil carbon management on a global scale could enable us to achieve the target of limiting warming to 1.5°C at a “considerably lower calorie cost,” said Frank.

The models found that introducing good soil management could reduce the fall in daily calorie intake by 65 percent, when compared with scenarios that do not consider carbon sequestration.

Using “win-win” strategies, such as soil carbon management, could make limiting warming to 1.5°C while maintaining food security a realistic goal. Frank explained:

“There are several other “win-win” options such as reducing food waste and harvest losses, or societal dietary change that were not explicitly assessed in this study but if realized together, they could even enable us to achieve this goal [of limiting warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels] without compromising food security at all.”

The study offers us insight into how the causes of food insecurity as a result of climate change are often complex and indirect, said Benton:

“Rising food insecurity is painful to contemplate, but it is a wicked problem. Without mitigating climate change, its impacts on food security are also likely to increase the number of food insecure, either directly or indirectly (through promoting conflict).

“This is an important study which shows that carbon pricing can drive positive effects, but can also drive negative effects. It sets an agenda about how to avoid the negatives, whilst embracing the positives.”

Source: ecowatch.com

30% of Europe’s Electricity Could Be Wind Powered by 2020

02.10.2017

wind-turbin-vetroturbina — Photo illustration: Pixabay

A pair of reports released by WindEurope asserts that by 2030, 30% of the electricity consumed in Europe could be generated from the wind. The continent is on track to overhaul its energy infrastructure. According to the reports (Wind Energy in Europe: Outlook to 2020 and Wind Energy in Europe: Scenarios for 2030), the progress could potentially avoid the release of 382 tonnes (421 US tons) of CO2 emissions.

Bloomberg points out that 716,000 jobs could be created with these efforts. The wind power industry could see 351 billion euros ($417 billion) of investment by 2030.

For the next three years, Europe may see an average installation rate of an additional 12.6 GW per year. This would allow wind power alone to meet 16.5 percent of the continent’s energy demand, with a total of 204 GW of wind-generated power. The goal for 2030 would see that capacity to reach 323 GW.

Individual European countries are taking big steps to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels by investing in and building renewable energy generating installations. The topographical diversity of the continent allows for a great deal of diversity in the ways energy can be generated. Scotland is leading in wind and tidal power generation, and the whole of the UK is taking advantage of the low cost of solar power to boost its renewable energy capabilities. All of this will amount to the continued decline of global reliance on fossil fuels and will help turn the tide in the fight against climate change.

Source: futurism.com

Degraded Tropical Forests Now Release More Carbon Than They Store, New Study Finds

02.10.2017

Tropical forests may no longer be acting as carbon sinks and could be releasing more carbon than they store, according to troubling new research.

A study published Thursday in the journal Science finds that forests across Asia, Latin America and Africa release 425 metric tons of carbon per year, which is equivalent to nearly one-tenth of the U.S.’ annual carbon footprint.

Researchers found nearly 70 percent of this loss is caused by small-scale degradation, the result of selective logging, drought and wildfire. All is not lost for forests, however. Researchers say that policies to curb deforestation, reduce degradation and restore land could turn forests back into carbon sinks.

“These findings provide the world with a wakeup call on forests,” the study’s lead author, Alessandro Baccini, a scientist with the U.S.-based Woods Hole Research Center, said in a statement.

“If we’re to keep global temperatures from rising to dangerous levels, we need to drastically reduce emissions and greatly increase forests’ ability to absorb and store carbon.”

Source: ecowatch.com

Climate Change May Allow Forest-Destroying Beetles To Move North Rapidly, Study Finds

02.10.2017

green-forest — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The range of the southern pine beetle could expand significantly further north than it now does within just a few decades as the result of increasingly warm winters in the regions in question, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

What the implications of the study are, in practice, are that before too long the southern pine beetle will likely be found in quantity throughout much of the northern United States and southern Canada.

Considering how rapidly southern pine beetles can destroy forests, especially those already weakened by drought and/or by centuries of clearcutting, the news should be disconcerting, as it means that many regions that are now carbon sinks will become net-carbon-emitters.

As it stands, essentially the only thing limiting the range of southern pine beetles are the cold winter temperatures that often occur in the northern parts of North America. What the research notes, though, is that average lows are rising much more rapidly than even averages as a whole are — in other words, the nights are warming in the regions in question much faster than even the days are, resulting in much lower beetle mortality rates.

According to study lead author Corey Lesk, these findings point to “huge vulnerability across a vast ecosystem. We could see loss of biodiversity and iconic regional forests. There would be damage to tourism and forestry industries in already struggling rural areas.”

Perhaps more notable, though, would be what would follow the events Lesk describes — that is, enormous forest fires across much of the north.

“Until recently, southern pine beetles lived from Central America up into the southeastern United States, but in the past decade or so they have also begun appearing in parts of the Northeast and New England. Substantial outbreaks began occurring in New Jersey in 2001. The beetles were first found on New York’s Long Island in New York in 2014 and Connecticut in 2015,” a press release explains.

“Lesk and Horton project that by 2020, the beetles will establish themselves along the Atlantic coast up to Nova Scotia. They say that by 2050, 78% of the 48,000 square miles now occupied by pitch pine forests from southern Maine to eastern Ohio will have climates newly suitable to the beetles. By 2060, they expect the beetle will further establish itself from southern New England through Wisconsin, and by 2080, climates suitable for the beetle should reach 71% of red pines and 48% of jack pines, which extend across more than 270,000 square miles of the northeastern United States and southern Canada.”

These figures are likely fairly conservative, as a result of the methodology used, so don’t be too surprised if the advance of the southern pine beetle is even faster than what’s discussed above.

A separate possibility, worth noting here, is that worsening climate instability would result in changes to atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns. This could alter the expected outcome in various ways.

Source: cleantechnica.com

India’s Government To Purchase 10,000 EVs From Tata Motors

02.10.2017

The government of India has agreed to purchase 10,000 new electric vehicles from India’s Tata Motors as part of a bid to replace the diesel- and petrol/gas-powered cars currently used by government agencies there, a public statement has revealed.

This purchase agreement will play out over the next 3 to 4 years, according to the government statement.

It should be remembered here that India’s government is massive. As it stands, there are more than 500,000 vehicles in use by various government agencies in the country. So, while the purchase of 10,000 electric vehicles (EVs) is certainly nice, there’s still quite a lot more to be done. If the country’s substantial and growing air pollution problems are going to be dealt with, the government should be coming out with much bigger announcements soon.

“Tata Motors will supply the cars in two phases starting in November. Nissan and India’s Mahindra & Mahindra had also bid for the contract,” Reuters notes.

“India wants to promote the use of electric vehicles to curb carbon emissions and energy demand. The federal think tank in May laid out a 15-year roadmap for electrifying all new vehicles by 2030 and limiting the registration of petrol and diesel cars. Electric vehicles remain expensive due to the high cost of batteries and automakers say lack of charging stations could make the plan unviable.”

While the lithium-ion automotive battery expanse issue is likely to “solve” itself over the coming decade as the sector develops, India will have to solve the EV charging station shortage problem itself if those plans are to be achieved.

For some more context on the news, as you might recall, Tata Motors joined the RE100 initiative last year. More notably, India has a goal of becoming the first 100% electric vehicle country. On that topic, CleanTechnica Director Zach Shahan wrote in June:

Last year, when I presented* at a big institutional investment conference in India, there was a lot of talk about solar, but little about electric vehicles. Of course, a large portion of my presentation was about Tesla and electric cars. The presentation* from Indian Minister of Coal, Power, and New & Renewable Energy, Piyush Goyal, highlighted the highly competitive cost of solar power but didn’t really touch electric vehicles.

But something must have been brewing (or inspired there at the conference), because Mr. Goyal announced a month later that India was working on a plan to make every vehicle in the country electric by 2030 (that excludes planes, of course), and that plan has been reiterated since then.

Source: cleantechnica.com/

PS Renewables and Push Energy Launch O&M Joint Venture

02.10.2017

Two leading solar developers will announce they have merged their operations and maintenance (O&M) activities as part of a new 50:50 joint venture.

PS Renewables and Push Energy said their O&M teams have joined together to create PSH Operations, in a move that is thought to be the first major merger the solar O&M sector has seen.

The companies said there was little overlap geographically between their operations, with Push based in Essex and PS in Berkshire.

The merger creates a combined company with contracts to manage close to 600MW of UK solar capacity, along with 114MW of Gas Peaker plants, and a new 7MW Battery plant. PSH Operations said it was now “one of the largest multi-technology O&M companies in Europe”.

Nicola Waters, former COO of Primrose Solar, has been appointed managing director for the new venture.

“In my previous role as the COO of a major asset owner, PS Renewables was my most trusted and capable O&M provider,” she said in a statement. “O&M needs to change and PSH Operations can be a leader in its field, with truly national reach and scale.”

She said the new company would look to resond to evolving customer demand.

“Customers want the basics done well, but increasingly they want value-adding services and aligned incentives to ensure that asset availability and performance are top priorities,” she said. “Innovation and creative thinking will be a key differentiator between O&M providers, and will be a particular strength of this new venture.”

The company today also announced that Next Energy Solar Fund has contracted PSH Operations to provide O&M services at its 15MW Bilsham plant.

Both PS Renewables and Push Energy said they will continue to grow their other businesses in the UK and abroad. PS Renewables has recently connected its first site in the US and purchased a large development company, whilst Push Energy has also contracted a number of Gas Peaker projects and is now developing opportunities in the second build-phase under zero subsidy.

Source: businessgreen.com

Europe Could Attract $417 Billion With Higher Wind-Power Target

01.10.2017

vetrenjace — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Europe’s wind power industry may attract 351 billion euros ($417 billion) of investment by 2030 if countries adopt reforms and targets for their energy systems in the next year, trade association WindEurope said.

The European Union may create 716,000 jobs with a target for member states to produce 35 percent of their energy from renewables within 12 years, the Brussels-based group said in a biannual report setting out scenarios for the industry.

Wind power currently supplies about 10 percent of Europe’s electricity, and falling costs of technology are making it an increasingly viable alternative to fossil fuels, the group said. Even offshore wind, once the most expensive form of mainstream renewables, saw zero-subsidy contracts awarded in Germany this year.

“It is a realistic goal but it depends on how fast energy reform takes place,” Ivor Catto, chief executive officer of RES Group and chairman of WindEurope, said before the report was released on Tuesday. “The technology is moving apace.”

EU members and the European Parliament are set to adopt a new “Clean Energy for All Europeans” package by 2018, which will include new energy targets for after 2020, according to WindEurope. The industry says uncertainty over government support for the next decade is stalling investments. Where the bloc once led the world in the installation of wind turbines, the market is slowing and China pulling ahead.

WindEurope’s central scenario sees the EU meeting its current 27 percent renewable energy target for 2030. In that, wind power capacity would more than double to 323 gigawatts. That’s higher than the commonly used forecasts of the International Energy Agency and European Commission and would require 239 billion euros, the group said.

But if the EU agrees to increase its 2030 targets in the forthcoming package, capacity would rise to almost 400 gigawatts, the group said. It also asked leaders to maintain priority dispatch for existing wind power plants and end capacity payments to polluting power plants. It wants an Emissions Performance Standard of 550 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour of power generated.

Izvor: bloomberg.com

Dubai Announced Incentives to Boost Electric Vehicles Deployment

30.09.2017

During a news conference held on Sunday, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) in collaboration with Road and Transport Authority (RTA) announced a series of new incentives to spark the growth of electric mobility around the emirate.

The new incentive scheme was announced straight by DEWA Chief Executive Saeed Al Tayer, who aspires to encourage a rise in sales of EVs by two percent by 2020 and by 10 percent by 2030,- which means that the emirate aims to have 32,000 electric cars by 2020 and 42,000 by 2030.

Drivers who decide to replace their traditional fossil fuel powered vehicles with electric ones will be able to charge their vehicles free of charge in DEWA’s Green Charger charging stations until the end of 2019.

DEWA’s tariff for charging an e-vehicle at Green Chargers is 29 fils per kilowatt, meaning that EV drivers will allegedly achieve savings of Dh2,000 ($544) worth of fuel a month.

In addition, they will enjoy free designated for EVs parking in 40 locations across Dubai that are expected to be ready by the end of this year.

From now on, it will be mandatory for developers to include designated parking lots for electric vehicles for all upcoming buildings and it will also be mandatory to provide EV charging stations.

Incentives also include a series of exemptions from tolls and vehicle registration fees.

Electric car users will be exempted from RTA registration and renewal vehicle fees, and will receive a free Salik tag upon registration- the Salik tag is an automatic road toll collection system.

Saeed Al Tayer also mentioned that DEWA had installed 100 charging stations by 2015 and aims to add another 100 by the end of 2018.

He said: “I am sure now that government and private entities, or even individuals will shift to electric vehicles when they know how much they can save”.

Users will be able to download DEWA’s smart app to locate Green Chargers across the city, which will indicate empty and busy charging points in shopping malls and public areas.

As reported by Khaleej Times, people reacted to the announcement by arguing that the price incentive will not be a catalyst, as petrol price is at low levels.

On the contrary, convenience will play an important role, as lack of parking spaces and long queues drivers spend on refueling stations are serious issues for everyday commuters in Dubai.

DEWA is sponsoring the 8th Sustainable Innovation Forum, the largest public to the private forum to take place alongside COP23, on the 13th & 14th November in Bonn. His Excellency Saeed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA will be delivering a keynote address at the Forum.

Source: climateactionprogramme.org

More Than 100 Schools Sign on to Teach Health Risks of Climate Change

30.09.2017

The Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education (GCCHE) today announced that, since its launch earlier this year, 125 health professions schools and programs around the world have joined and committed to ensure future health professionals are educated on the health impacts of climate change. These impacts include more deadly heat waves, flooding, and wildfires; the greater spread of disease vectors like ticks and mosquitoes; and growing food and drinking water insecurity.

The Consortium so far includes member schools and programs representing an estimated 90,000 students from 15 countries on 6 continents (all health professions schools around the world are invited to join). Columbia University Medical Center, including its schools of medicine, nursing, dental, and public health, is the first complete academic medical center to join the GCCHE.

Faculty members in the Climate and Health Program at Columbia University‘s Mailman School of Public Health, the first academic program in climate and health in the U.S., lead the Consortium, with input from an international, multi-sectoral Advisory Council and Coordinating Committee.

“The science is unequivocal: Not only are global temperatures rising, but human health around the world is threatened by the changes to the climate system,” says Jeffrey Shaman, director of the GCCHE and the Climate and Health Program at the Mailman School. “Yet today there are far too few health professionals with the necessary training to address this growing crisis. The GCCHE exists to build this expertise.”

To enable training of health professionals on the health impacts of climate change, the GCCHE is creating a living knowledge bank of curricular content for use by health professions schools worldwide. This content is made up of a growing body of knowledge and best practices, for example, the latest techniques in drought forecasting or early warning systems for heatwaves, as well as other ways of building community resiliency and response, including medical interventions to climate-related health crises. The GCCHE also supports learning about planetary health, a new field dedicated to studying the interdependencies of human and natural systems.

“There is plenty of evidence that many climate change mitigation policies can greatly improve public health, such as by reducing air pollution or traffic injuries, or increasing physical activity,” says Carlos Dora, coordinator, Public Health and the Environment, World Health Organization and a member of the GCCHE Advisory Council. “What is missing is training for health workers to integrate this knowledge into daily practice, to enhance individuals’ and communities’ action to protect their own health while helping save the planet.”

“While climate change is a huge threat, it also presents an opportunity,” says Kim Knowlton, a Mailman School faculty member who helps lead the GCCHE. “Our goal is to foster educational programs that can accelerate the development of ways to protect health, build climate resiliency, and treat those in need of healthcare, all with special attention to the most vulnerable populations, including the elderly and people in low-income communities.”

“We see every day how violent storms, air pollution, and other environmental factors harm our health,” says Michael Myers, managing director, Rockefeller Foundation and a member of the GCCHE Advisory Council. “The rapid growth and robust action of this consortium of leading institutions shows that help is on the way.”

About the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education

Launched in February 2017 with start-up support from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education (GCCHE) is an international forum for health professions schools committed to developing and instituting climate change and health curricula, in order to ensure a future cadre of highly trained health professionals who will be able to prepare and protect society from the harmful effects of climate disruption. The GCCHE serves as a living knowledge bank for its members to share training materials, news and opportunities on climate and health events, partnerships, and opportunities. Representatives of health professions schools are invited to join the GCCHE online by completing this form.

Source: eurekalert.org

Plastic Nanoparticles Can Accumulate In Fish Brains & Cause Brain Damage, Study Finds

30.09.2017

Nano-sized particles of plastic can accumulate in the brains of fish and cause damage and behavioral changes, according to a new study from Lund University.

So, yes, despite earlier arguments to the contrary, it’s clear at this point that nanoplastics can cross the blood-brain barrier — in fish, at the very least, and likely in many other animals as well.

“Our study is the first to show that nanosized plastic particles can accumulate in fish brains,” commented chemistry researcher Tommy Cedervall, of Lund University.

It’s worth remembering here that earlier studies have shown that at least 10% of all of the plastic currently being produced around the world eventually ends up in the oceans — whether intact, or as micro plastics. So, the fact that fish can experience brain damage as the result of the accumulation of nano-plastics is notable.

The press release for the new study provides more: “The Lund University researchers studied how nanoplastics may be transported through different organisms in the aquatic ecosystem, i.e. via algae and animal plankton to larger fish. Tiny plastic particles in the water are eaten by animal plankton, which in turn are eaten by fish.

“According to Cedervall, the study includes several interesting results on how plastic of different sizes affects aquatic organisms. Most importantly, it provides evidence that nanoplastic particles can indeed cross the blood-brain barrier in fish and thus accumulate inside fish’s brain tissue.

“In addition, the researchers involved in the present study have demonstrated the occurrence of behavioural disorders in fish that are affected by nanoplastics. They eat slower and explore their surroundings less. The researchers believe that these behavioural changes may be linked to brain damage caused by the presence of nanoplastics in the brain.”

That would certainly stand to figure. It also makes me wonder what effect nanoplastic pollution might be having on the cognitive abilities of other animals that are exposed to it via their diets. Ahem…

Continuing: “Another result of the study is that animal plankton die when exposed to nanosized plastic particles, while larger plastic particles do not affect them. Overall, these different effects of nanoplastics may have an impact on the ecosystem as a whole.”

That bit there raises some other questions as well…

Source: cleantechnica.com

Vattenfall Cuts Ribbon on Wales’ Largest Onshore Wind Farm

29.09.2017

Wales’ largest onshore wind farm is officially up and running, with Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones heralding the technology as a “key part” of Wales’ low-carbon economic future.

Vattenfall, the Swedish developer of the 228MW Pen y Cymoedd wind farm, marked the official launch yesterday with an announcement designed to underscore the economic boost wind offers local economies, confirming 53 per cent of the £400m investment in the site went to Welsh businesses.

The Wales-centric investment strategy delivered 1,000 jobs for workers in the country over the past three years, Vattenfall said, with a total of £220m of investment channelled into the Welsh economy.

“Wind power is a key part of our efforts to build a sustainable low carbon economy for Wales,” First Minister Jones said. “I am pleased we were able to support this project, which has shown how the local community, the Welsh economy and people right across the country can benefit from such a scheme.”

The Pen y Cymoedd project has actually been in operation since Spring 2017, and over the course of an average year will deliver enough power each year for around 188,000 homes, or 15 per cent of Welsh households. It will have paid back its original carbon footprint by 2020 and will continue generating green power until at least 2037, Vattenfall said, saving around 300,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year.

Vattenfall also plans to add energy storage capacity to the site later this year, after signing an agreement with BMW Goup in March to take delivery of up to 1,000 33kWh lithium ion batteries.

The plan is to install the batteries at Pen y Cymoedd in the fourth quarter of this year so they can earn revenue providing frequency response services to the grid.

The official opening of the site came in the same week as the Welsh government announced an ambitious new target to source 70 per cent of the country’s power from renewables by 2030, up from 30 per cent currently.

However, Cabinet Secretary Lesley Griffiths warned the target would only be met if the Westminster government provided a route to market for new renewables projects in the country.

“The rapid changes of UK government policy have decimated large parts of the renewable sector in Wales and developments potentially valuable to Wales have been stopped in their tracks by UK Ministers,” she told the Welsh Assembly earlier this week. “The bulk of UK government renewables investment is now going to offshore wind projects outside Wales. This investment is paid for by Welsh bill payers, amongst others.

“There is a need for the bulk of energy supply to come from the most affordable technologies, if the costs are to be found from energy bills. These technologies therefore need a route to market if we are to meet our ambitious targets and deliver the most benefit to Welsh bill payers. That is why I have called repeatedly on UK government to stop the ideological exclusion of onshore wind and solar from the Contracts for Difference process.”

Source: businessgreen.com

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