Reports: France to Invest €20bn in Clean Energy Transition Plan

26.09.2017

Emmanuel Macron’s government has this week provided further details on its plan to establish France as a green economic leader, unveiling proposals to invest €20bn in a range of clean technologies.

The proposals were yesterday presented by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe as a key part of the government’s new €57bn investment plan for the period from 2018 to 2022.

Reuters reported the plan would see €9bn earmarked for energy efficiency programmes, €7bn dedicated to renewables projects, and a further €4bn provided to support the roll out of ultra low emission vehicles.

The largest tranche of funding will be targeted directly at improving the thermal efficiency of low income households and enhancing the energy efficiency of public sector buildings.

“The number of badly insulated low-income housing and social housing will be divided by two, and a quarter of government buildings will be renovated in line with environmental norms,” the government said in a statement.

The programme will provide a major boost for insulation and energy efficiency firms, with an estimated 375,000 buildings expected to be upgraded over the next five years.

The investment in renewables is intended to support Macron’s stated goal to ensure the sector grows 70 per cent over the next five years.

Meanwhile, some of the clean transport funding is expected to be used to fund a scrappage scheme designed to phase out older petrol and diesel vehicles.

Reuters reported that the wider investment plan will also include support for low carbon infrastructure, including rail upgrades.

The proposals will fuel hopes Macron could make good on his pledge to strengthen France’s national climate action plan under the Paris Agreement in an attempt to encourage more countries to do likewise.

Source: businessgreen.com

Zero Waste Scotland Publishes Carbon Report as Recycling Rate Climbs

26.09.2017

Plastika, otpad, đubre, reciklaža — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Scotland’s national household recycling rate reached 45.5% in 2016, with one council, East Renfrewshire, becoming the first Scottish council to break through the 60% mark, according to figures published today.

The news comes on the same day that Zero Waste Scotland published a report on how recycling helps fight climate change. The organization, which is funded to support delivery of the Scottish Government’s circular economy strategy and the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform, welcomed the announcement.

“It’s encouraging that Scotland’s recycling rate continues to grow and especially good to see some councils getting up to and even breaking the 60% mark, which is a fantastic achievement,” said Zero Waste Scotland Chief Executive, Iain Gulland.

“Overall we’d like to see more action being taken, especially in areas where recycling performance has slowed or fallen back. It’s vital that councils continue to invest in high-quality recycling services, including educating local residents, if we are to reach national targets. At times of stretched budgets, it makes little sense to pay millions of pounds to landfill materials which could have been recycled.”

Carbon Report

Zero Waste Scotland’s Carbon Metric report adds further detail to Scotland’s recycling progress, showing how much carbon emissions we save by reducing waste and increasing recycling.

Key findings of the report, which covers the years 2014-15, include:

• The carbon impacts of Scotland’s waste have fallen every year between 2011 and 2015, and 26% overall, thanks to increased recycling, and reduced use of landfill.

• Household waste accounts for less than 25% of all Scottish waste. However, in 2015, Household waste accounted for 57% of the total carbon impacts of Scotland’s waste, 9% more than it did in 2011.

• The five most carbon-intensive waste materials make up just 6% of Scotland’s waste by weight, but nearly a third of associated carbon impacts.

• Food waste is the most carbon-intensive waste material, generating 15% of carbon impacts in 2014, and 17% in 2015.

• Textile waste is also high-impact, accounting for just 0.2% of waste, but 4% of waste impacts in 2014, and 0.3% of waste, but 5% of waste impacts in 2015

Iain Gulland added: “Our ground-breaking carbon metric shows that recycling continues to have an important part to play in the fight against climate change. If Scottish households recycled just 10% more of their waste, we would save over 148 thousand tonnes of CO2e, the equivalent of over 22,000 flights around the world.”

“This should be a tonic to those who do all they can to reduce and recycle waste and it should encourage others to do strive to do more. Reducing or recycling food waste and re-using our old clothes and textiles are actions that have a big environmental benefit. It’s important during national Recycle Week that we all take the chance to see what more we can do.”

Source: waste-management-world.com

US Industry Fears Tariff Ruling Could Double Price of Solar Power

26.09.2017

The US Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is warning the price of solar technologies could double if President Trump approves proposals to impose new import tariffs on Chinese solar panels.

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) opened the door for potential new tariffs late last week with a ruling that cheap imports have harmed US manufacturers. The commission will consider potential remedies over the next few months to aid US manufacturers with the final decision on what steps to take expected to be made by the President ahead of a January deadline.

The decision represents a victory for solar manufacturers Suniva and SolarWorld Americas, which brought the case to the ITC after running in to financial difficulties that they blamed on low cost overseas competition, primarily from China.

However, many firms within the wider solar industry were quick to condemn the move, arguing it could significantly increase the cost of solar technologies.

“The ITC’s decision is disappointing for nearly 9,000 US solar companies and the 260,000 Americans they employ,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), in a statement. “Analysts say Suniva’s remedy proposal will double the price of solar, destroy two-thirds of demand, erode billions of dollars in investment and unnecessarily force 88,000 Americans to lose their jobs in 2018,” she added.

According to news agency Bloomberg, Suniva is reportedly calling for import duties of 40 cents a watt for solar cells, as well as a floor price of 78 cents a watt for panels, which currently average about 32 cents worldwide.

Juergen Stein, CEO and president of SolarWorld Americas, said the decision was an “important step toward securing relief from a surge of imports that has idled and shuttered dozens of factories, leaving thousands of workers without jobs”.

“In the remedy phase of the process, we will strive to help fashion a remedy that will put the US industry as a whole back on a growth path,” he added. “We will continue to invite the SEIA and our industry partners to work on good solutions for the entire industry. It is time for the industry to come together to strengthen American solar manufacturing for the long term.”

However, in a sign of the tensions the case is likely to enflame, Ross Hopper said the SEIA expected to be “front and centre” in the ITC remedy process.

“As the remedy phase moves forward, I am determined to reach a conclusion that will protect the solar industry, our workers and the American public from what amounts to a shakedown by these two companies,” she said. “An improper remedy will devastate the burgeoning American solar economy and ultimately harm America’s manufacturers and 36,000 people currently engaged in solar manufacturing that don’t make cells and panels.”

However, concerns are mounting across the industry that a White House that has expressed support for protectionist policies and hostility towards clean technologies could now use the ruling to effectively hamper the development of solar projects.

Project pipelines are also likely to be hit in the short term as developers respond to the uncertainty over future pricing levels.

Bloomberg reported that the “serious injury” complaint used in the case – which only requires US firms to prove their business has been damaged, not that foreign firms have broken any rules – had fallen out of favour in recent decades as sitting President’s typically rejected requests for new trade barriers.

However, the fear across the solar development sector is that President Trump has been handed a mechanism for introducing new protectionist policies.

Source: businessgreen.com

JAN LUNDIN: Substantial Level of Economic Development is the Key to Greater Ecomobility

26.09.2017

The Kingdom of Sweden has built up a great reputation in the world as a country that pays considerable attention to the preservation of the environment. Innovative and quality solutions for environmental protection are constantly emerging throughout this Scandinavian country and the Swedish government is trying through a series of investments, shares of technology and examples of good practice, to support the developing countries in their endeavor to improve the quality of life. The Kingdom of Sweden donates to Serbia as much as 11 million euros annually, out of which 4 million are invested in the field of environmental protection.

Considering the fact that Sweden has made significant progress in the traffic electrification, we wanted to find out more about the results of the applied methods from Jan Lundin, the Ambassador of Sweden in Serbia.

EP: In Serbia and around the world, Sweden serves as an example of the country with extremely developed ecological awareness. Is the knowledge about the importance of preserving and protecting the environment part of tradition and culture in your country? How is that consciousness being developed?

Jan Lundin: I would not like to guess, but it is a fact that the Swedes got used to living in harmony with nature. We have a lot of forests, a large number of lakes and in general we are rich in water, and we do like to spend time in nature. When it comes to this, I think Sweden does not differ much from Serbia, because there are also many nature lovers here. There is ongoing campaign “Do not litter, you have no excuse!” in Serbian media, and it reminds me of similar activities taking place in Sweden at the beginning 1970’s that drew great attention to the problem of waste management. However, the media campaign is one thing. Although there is no doubt it contributes to raising awareness that people shouldn’t leave trash around, but the level of infrastructure development is completely different thing. If the infrastructure hasn’t been developed, then the campaign doesn’t make any sense. The truth is there are no simple solutions, but the combination of raising awareness activities and good organization provides the proper result.

EP: Among other things, Scandinavian countries are well-known for the everyday use of a bicycle as a means of transport. How come the bike is so popular across Sweden?

Jan Lundin: The Swedes have always been riding bikes. For thirty years, my grandfather used to cover 20 km by bike every day, going to work, and as much on his way back, and he was not the only one. Perhaps one of the reasons for the popularity of bikes in cities and villages across Sweden is actually the fact that our settlements are rather far-flung.

If you visit Serbian village, especially in Vojvodina, you will see that people mainly live in the center, while the farms
are in the surrounding area. On the contrary, houses in Swedish villages are widely distributed with each household situated in the middle of individual property, so the bike was necessary and usual means of transportation until late winter. Back then it was believed that riding a bike is undoubtedly better and healthier habit. Thanks to this attitude, bicycles are still in mass use today throughout the country, even in Stockholm which has developed infrastructure. I am very glad about the progress in the development of bicycle infrastructure that Belgrade has been gradually making, although the local hilliness is surely an aggravating factor.

EP: Do Swedish automobile manufacturers make electromobiles? How is the purchase of an electric vehicle encouraged?

Jan Lundin: There have been attempts to produce electric cars in Sweden, as well as in Norway, but none of the factories prevailed on the market. I suppose it is hard to make money today on electromobiles and only big producers can accomplish that. Even Tesla couldn’t make significant profit for more than ten years since it was founded. We are still waiting for the real breakthrough of electric vehicles, although sales of these cars are growing, primarily in Norway, and to some extent in Sweden. Of the total number of cars in Sweden, currently 3.4 percent are electric-driven and this percentage is constantly increasing. For purchase of an electric vehicle, the states gives a subsidy of about 40,000 Swedish crowns, which is just over 4,000 euros. Although there are incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles, people are reluctant to buy them because they are still very expensive and have no sufficient range to match up to cars on petrol or diesel. In addition, another factor that can affect the efficiency of batteries is Swedish low temperature.

EP: Norway is also a very cold country, and despite of that, it is still an absolute leader in Europe when it comes to the share of electric cars in relation to the total number of vehicles. How do you explain the success of Norwegians in setting up the necessary infrastructure for electric vehicles in such a short time?

Jan Lundin: Norway is somewhat warmer than Sweden, however it is also extremely cold in the north of this country. There are also subsidies in Norway for buying electric vehicles, but I don’t know if they are bigger than those we grant. One should not ignore the fact that in Norway gross national income is about 75,000 euros a year, and in Sweden about 50,000. None of these two countries is poor, but Norway is still considerably richer. A good economic situation is an indispensable condition for the purchase of Tesla, whose models cost about 100 thousand euros.

EP: During 2014 several Swedish companies successfully performed the tests for electric ferries. Are they nowadays in use in public transport along the Channel and Lake Stockholm?

Jan Lundin: It was a pilot project, started partly because of the undeniable advantages of electric maritime transport such are: silence, zero emissions of greenhouse gases, clean air and a quiet ride. Eco-friendly ferries can help us have cleaner cities and water, healthier marine ecosystems, satisfied travelers and lower prices. Several manufacturers were selected, whose ships had a capacity of 70 to 100 passengers and the ability to reduce emissions. This contributed to the reduction of operating costs by 30%. The project was supported by the Swedish Energy Agency and it has been successfully implemented, and now there are plans to gradually increase the number of ferry lines for the transportation of passengers.

EP: Last year Sweden announced the construction of an electric highway – are you familiar with the progress of this project?

Jan Lundin: It is in an experimental phase, which means that only one section which is 2 km long was built in northern Sweden, between Gävle and Sandviken. It is planned that the pilot project lasts for two years, with subsequent aftermath based on the obtained results. The project derived from long-standing cooperation between the Swedish government and the domestic manufacturer of the Scania truck and the German company Siemens. Trucks with batteries that are in use today can’t cover great distances, so on Scania trucks, which are however hybrid vehicles on biodiesel, trolleys are built in and they serve as direct connection to the grid. In Sweden, however, buses and trucks are massively using biodiesel. This is merely one of a great number of pioneering enterprises in our country that gives an opportunity to test different technological solutions. There is an idea to built the distribution network, like rails, into asphalt.

EP: Swedish public companies have recently started the projects of replacing conventional vehicles with electric models, and now this type of vehicle is used by the police. What is the situation with other public services and urban transport?

Jan Lundin: Electric vehicles are in use in a large number of municipalities in Sweden. Our goal is to completely stop using fossil fuels by 2030, and up to this moment we are on the right track. The Swedish police is currently testing electric cars for city driving. A significant share in the total number of electric cars (3.4 percent of the total number of vehicles) are precisely these vehicles used by public services, probably because they have more resources than individuals for their purchase. It’s a shame that we don’t have trolleys – it’s simple technology, old, but functional.

It would be good for trolleys and trams to stay on the rails in your country, but the power they use should not come from fossil fuels. In the long run, coal-related plans have to be changed. Hydroelectric plants like Djerdap don’t pose a problem, nor does solar technology. It has always made me wonder why these sources are not used to a greater extent. Nevertheless, the good news is that Serbia has several solar power plants and furthermore, there are plans to build more plants on solar energy.

A Short Biography of Jan Lundin, the Ambassador of Sweden to Serbia and Montenegro : Lundin got a master degree in law from the University of Stockholm in 1996. Previously he graduated from the University of Uppsala, in the Department of Slavic Languages, Eastern European Studies and Economics. Alongside with his native Swedish, he speaks ten languages fluently, including Serbian, English, German, Russian, French and Italian. Jan Lundin is the Ambassador of Sweden in Serbia since 28 July 2016 which is his third diplomatic mission in our country. Before coming to this position, he was Director General of Permanent International Secretariat of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS).

Interview by: Nevena Đukić

The interview with the Swedish Ambassador, Jan Lundin, was originally published in the eighth issue of the Energy Portal Bulletin, named EKO-MOBILITY.

Anesco to Cut Ribbon on ‘UK’s First Subsidy-Free Solar Farm’

26.09.2017

A renewable energy project in Bedfordshire described as the UK’s first solar farm to be built without government subsidy will be officially opened later today by Climate Change Minister Claire Perry.

The 10MW Clayhill solar farm and energy storage has been built by renewable energy developer Anesco and is expected to provide clean power to around 2,500 homes, while saving 4,452 tonnes of carbon a year.

The project features solar panels and five battery storage units totalling 6MW of capacity provided by Chinese clean tech giant BYD, as well as new 1500v solar inverters provided by Huawei. Anesco said construction of the project was completed in just 12 weeks.

The company’s executive chairman, Steve Shine, said the project represented “a landmark development [that] paves the way for a sustainable future, where subsidies are no longer needed or relied upon”.

“Importantly, it proves that the government’s decision to withdraw subsidies doesn’t have to signal the end of solar as a commercially viable technology,” he said.

Deployment rates across the solar industry have plummeted in recent years after the government slashed financial incentives for smaller projects under the feed-in tariff scheme and failed to schedule a clean energy contract auction for onshore wind and solar farms under the contract for difference (CfD) regime.

Industry insiders have long argued that the failure to allow solar projects to compete in a CfD auction has stopped projects that would prove more cost competitive than new fossil fuel projects being developed.

However, some experts have predicted that plummeting solar and energy storage costs mean well located projects could still be developed if they can find a way to hedge against volatile wholesale power prices.

Shine said co-locating the solar farm with storage capacity that would allow it to provide power during periods of peak demand had allowed the company to go ahead with the project without recourse to subsidy.

“Given our extensive experience with solar and storage projects, we took a fresh look at how we could finance and develop Clayhill without needing a renewables subsidy,” he explained in a statement “We sought the views of our supply chain and with them looked at every aspect of the project – its design, the technical specifications, the use of the very latest technology and the costs of the various components. By deciding to co-locate the 6MW battery storage unit and by working closely with our supply chain partners, we have been able to achieve a subsidy-free development.”

The project was welcomed by Perry, who reiterated the government’s commitment to expanding the clean energy sector.

“The cost of solar panels and batteries has fallen dramatically over the past few years, and this first subsidy-free development at Clayhill is a significant moment for clean energy in the UK,” she said in a statement “Solar panels already provide enough electricity to power 2.7 million homes with 99 per cent of that capacity installed since 2010. The government is determined to build on this success and our ambitious Clean Growth Strategy will ensure we continue to lead the world on the transition to a low carbon economy.”

The reference to a Clean Growth Strategy suggests the government may have again changed the name of its long-awaited decarbonisation plan, which was originally referred to as the Emissions Reduction Plan before being rebranded as the Clean Growth Plan.

The plan, which will set out how the government intends to meet its emissions reduction targets for the mid-2020s and early 2030s, was expected to be released in early September, but is still yet to be launched.

Renewable energy industry groups have urged the government to include new measures in the plan that would provide onshore wind and solar farms with a clear route to market and allow them to compete with other energy generating projects, including new gas-fired power plants, which enjoy price support.

Source: businessgreen.com

National Grid Declares 2017 ‘Greenest Summer Ever’

26.09.2017

renewable-energy — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

August and September may have seemed like a bit of a washout for those hoping to enjoy a scorching end to the summer, but green energy enthusiasts will be toasting a successful end to the season today with news 2017 was the ‘greenest’ summer on record.

According to new data published today by National Grid, low-carbon power sources – wind, solar, biomass and nuclear – supplied a record level of electricity generation over the summer months.

On average, almost 52 per cent of electricity generation was met by low-carbon sources between June 21 and September 22, up from around 35 per cent four years ago.

The surge in clean power has led to a massive 56 per cent drop in the carbon intensity of grid electricity since summer 2013, from 491 grams of CO2 per kWh to 224 grams of CO2 per kWh, National Grid said.

The update follows a summer of record-breaking achievements for low-carbon power.

In April, the UK had its first working day since the Industrial Revolution where the UK met electricity demand without resorting to coal-fired power. On May 31, a record 25 per cent of UK electricity demand was met solely by solar power, while on June 7 renewables met more than half of the UK’s total electricity demand.

Alongside the seasonal results, National Grid will today also launch what it claims is the “world’s first” tool to predict the carbon intensity of a national grid ahead of time.

Working with WWF and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), it hopes the new software will help consumers understand the best times to ramp up their use of grid power.

The forecasts are developed by combining National Grid’s knowledge of the UK electricity system with the latest weather forecasts from the Met Office to help predict how much power will be available from weather-dependant sources such as wind and solar.

The service is the first step in designing new apps and devices that promote demand shifting to greener times of the day, explains Duncan Burt, director of the system operator at National Grid.

“We’re providing our forecast data in a format that allows technology companies to build innovative apps and software that could make a real difference to how and when people use energy,” he said in a statement. “Clear and concise information that can tell you in advance when’s best to turn on the washing machine, load the dishwasher or charge your car for example, is a step in the right direction towards a low carbon future. This technology puts people at the heart of it, helping everyone to use power when it’s greenest, and likely, more cost efficient.”

Gareth Redmond-King, head of climate and energy at WWF, said the new tool was a “game-changer” for the electricity sector. He added that it was now “vital” that so-called time-of-use tariffs are approved for use by government quickly to allow the full emissions-savings enabled by the new data to be realised.

Advocates of smart grid technologies have long argued that cutting energy prices at times when there are high levels of clean power available could have a major impact on overall emissions from the energy sector, while also leading to net savings for customers and utilities alike.

Source: businessgreen.com

Biodegradable Material Could Replace Most Plastic Used To Wrap & Preserve Food

25.09.2017

plastic-bottles — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

The world produces about 300 million tons of plastic every year, of which about 10% will end up in the ocean. In the US, about 30 million tons winds up in landfills, and half of that is plastic packaging used to wrap and preserve food. Jeffrey Catchmark, a professor of agricultural and biological engineering at the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State, has a better idea. After 10 years of research, he says he has come up with a biodegradable material that can be used in place of all that plastic packaging.

“The material’s unexpected strong, insoluble adhesive properties are useful for packaging as well as other applications, such as better performing, fully natural wood-fiber composites for construction and even flooring,” he says. “And the technology has the potential to be incorporated into foods to reduce fat uptake during frying and maintain crispness. Since the coating is essentially fiber-based, it is a means of adding fiber to diets.”

What makes it possible is the durable chemical bond that takes place between carboxymethyl cellulose and chitosan — both polysaccharides. They have different molecular charges and lock together in a complex way that makes a foundation for impervious films, coatings, and adhesives.

Cellulose comes from trees and plants. It is both abundant and inexpensive. The chitosan is derived from the shells of crustaceans such as lobsters, crabs, and shrimp. There are mountains of discarded shells available and most food processing operations are only too happy to have someone come take the stuff off their hands. The biodegradable, compostable barrier coatings have numerous applications ranging from water resistant paper, coatings for ceiling tiles and wallboard, and food coatings to seal in freshness, according to Professor Catchmark.

Besides being a dedicated scientist, Catchmark is a savvy businessman. “The challenge is that you’ve got to do it in a way that is manufacturable. It has to be less expensive than plastic,” Catchmark explains. “Because when you make a change to something that is greener or sustainable, you really have to pay for the switch. So it has to be less expensive in order for companies to actually gain something from it. This creates a problem for sustainable materials — an inertia that has to be overcome with a lower cost.” Spot on, professor.

The materials developed in the lab have performed well in testing. They exhibit strong oil and water barrier properties. They also are resistant to toluene, heptane, and salt solutions, and exhibit excellent mechanical and water vapor barrier properties in wet or dry conditions. Catchmark believes the natural coatings he has created can be further improved so they substitute economically for the Styrofoam and solid plastic used in most food containers and bottles today.

“We are trying to take the last step now and make a real impact on the world, and get industry people to stop using plastics and instead use these natural materials,” he says. “So [consumers] have a choice — after the biomaterials are used, they can be recycled, buried in the ground or composted, and they will decompose. Or they can continue to use plastics that will end up in the oceans, where they will persist for thousands of years.”

Most people don’t get into such a complex analysis when selecting which products to buy. Convenience and price are usually the only two factors that matter. If Catchmark’s products do the job and cost less, he will have made a major contribution to conquering the scourge of plastics gripping the world today.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Even With Huge Carbon Emissions Reductions World’s Periglacial Zones (Home To Permafrost) To Disappear By 2100, Research Finds

25.09.2017

The world’s periglacial zones, home to essentially all of the world’s permafrost, will “almost completely disappear” by the year 2100 even in the most optimistic of scenarios concerning greenhouse gas emissions reductions, according to a new study.

In other words, it appears that the vast majority of the world’s permafrost — home to vast quantities of methane and carbon dioxide that will be released as it melts and ripens — are now slated to melt, barring the creation of economic and effective means of sucking vast quantities of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

According to the new work — performed by researchers from the University of Exeter, the University of Helsinki, and the Finnish Meteorological Institute — even in the most optimistic of scenarios, regions now covered by periglacial zones will be reduced drastically by 2050, and all but gone by the end of the century.

This tracks pretty well with what we’re already seeing in many of the parts of the world home to permafrost — rapid changes are clearly occurring, and seemingly at an ever faster rate.

“The results suggest that profound changes can be expected in current periglacial zones regardless of climate change mitigation policies,” explained Dr Juha Aalto, of the University of Helsinki and the Finnish Meteorological Institute.

“Unfortunately, it seems that many of the frost-driven processes we studied are already at the margin of the climate in which they can exist.”

Dr Stephan Harrison, of the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall, commented as well: “The project used very high-resolution climate and land surface models to demonstrate that geological processes and ecosystems in high latitudes (the far north and south) will be fundamentally altered by climate change during this century.”

While it’s not possible this far out to predict exactly what will happen as these periglacial zones disappear, rapid warming of the regions in question as snowpack and ice disappear and lessen albedo is very likely. With this warming, the release of vast amounts of greenhouse gases from the boggy substrates is pretty much a given.

Source: cleantechnica.com

14 States On Track to Meet Paris Targets

25.09.2017

climate - change — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Fourteen states and Puerto Rico are on track to meet and potentially exceed their portion of the U.S. commitment under the Paris agreement.

The report shows that the member states of the U.S. Climate Alliance (USCA), which has grown to represent 36 percent of the U.S. population and more than $7 trillion of America’s GDP, are collectively on track to reach a 24 to 29 percent reduction below 2005 emissions levels by 2025.

USCA founders Gov. Jerry Brown (CA), Gov. Jay Inslee (WA) and Gov. Andrew Cuomo (NY) were joined by former Secretary of State John Kerry at the report’s release Wednesday in New York City. “Together, we are a political and economic force, and we will drive the change that needs to happen nationwide,” Gov. Brown told reporters at the event.

Source: ecowatch.com

The National Clean Energy Week Began in Washington

25.09.2017

The first National Clean Energy Week (NCEW) began on Thuesday in Washington, D.C., with an official welcome reception hosted at Google’s headquarters.

This week was conceived with the goal of advancing support of the U.S. energy sector through new methods of market development, policy change and technological innovation, according to a press release. “Across America, clean and readily abundant forms of energy are powering more homes and businesses,” says the NCEW website. “Taken together, our capacity for safe and reliable energy generation is driving a clean energy renaissance that is creating jobs, strengthening America’s national security, and preserving our environment.”

With regard to hydropower, the NCEW website says, “As America’s largest source of clean electricity, hydropower accounts for 52 percent of all renewable energy generation in the U.S. Hydropower has been a reliable source of energy in the U.S. for more than 100 years.” The National Hydropower Association is a member of the National Clean Energy Week steering committee.

Other NCEW activities this week will include an NCEW Symposium and an NCEW Technology Demo Fair on September 26, an energy storage briefing on September 27, and a panel discussion on “clean energy choices” on September 28. The Governors of several states have issued proclamations recognizing this week: Idaho, Nevada, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Wyoming.

NCEW says the week brings together many high-profile elected leaders and national clean energy organizations. Speakers include former U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke, Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, U.S. Senator Lindsay Graham, and U.S. House GOP Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers.

Source: hydroworld.com

Air Pollution Exposure & Kidney Disease Linked By New Study

25.09.2017

zagađenje vazduha, termoelektrane, — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Exposure to air pollution increases the risk of experiencing a decline in kidney function and developing kidney disease, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

The study found that the effects of particulate matter exposure on the kidneys are seen starting at fairly “low” levels, and rise linearly with exposure to rising levels of particulate air pollution.

So, the relationship between particulate air pollution and kidney disease is not ambiguous, to say the least.

The press release provides more: “To investigate, a team led by Ziyad Al-Aly, MD (Director of Clinical Epidemiology at the VA Saint Louis Health Care System) linked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs databases to examine information on 2,482,737 US veterans who were followed for a median of 8.5 years. Air pollution levels were also assessed using space-borne sensors from NASA satellites.

“The researchers found a linear relationship between air pollution levels and risk of experiencing kidney function decline and of developing kidney disease or kidney failure. The results suggest that each year in the United States, 44,793 new cases of CKD and 2438 new cases of kidney failure are attributed to particulate matter air pollution exceeding the EPA’s recommended limit of 12 μg/m3.”

It’s noteworthy here, though, that even particulate air pollution levels below the EPA’s recommended limits are apparently damaging to the kidneys. This is the case with the relationship between air pollution and many other diseases as well, so this isn’t too surprising.

Lead researcher Dr Al-Aly noted: “This suggests that there is no safe level of air pollution.”

This work builds on much earlier research establishing links between air pollution exposure and health problems ranging from heart disease to dementia to asthma.

Source: cleantechnica.com

32nd Annual International Coastal Cleanup Gets Hundreds Of Thousands Of Volunteers Involved Worldwide

25.09.2017

The 32nd annual International Coastal Cleanup took place on September 16. Promoted by the Ocean Conservancy, the coastal cleanup began with a small group of volunteers in Texas in 1986 and has grown every year. In 2017, there were more than 6,000 events in 100 countries around the world involving hundreds of thousands of people.

“From the Hawaiian islands to the Great Lakes, from Latin America to Hong Kong and everywhere in between, the International Coastal Cleanup represents a truly global movement for trash-free seas,” says Ocean Conservancy CEO Janis Searles Jones. “And we are so thrilled by the tremendous growth this movement has seen over the past three decades.”

Since the first ICC over 30 years ago, more than 12 million volunteers have removed more than 220 million pounds of trash from coastlines around the world.

This year, in addition to removing trash, the volunteers made a record of every piece of trash collected either manually on index cards or digitally using the Ocean Conservancy Clean Swell app. The data gets added to the Ocean Trash Index, which assists scientists, researchers, industry leaders, and policy makers to work together toward ridding the oceans of manmade trash and debris.

In its latest press release, the Ocean Conservancy says, “Every year, millions of tons of trash — including an estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic waste — flow into the ocean, entangling wildlife, polluting beaches, and costing coastal municipalities hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.

“Cigarette butts, plastic beverage bottles, food wrappers, plastic bottle caps and plastic straws are among the most-commonly collected items. They are also among the most deadly to wildlife like seabirds and sea turtles. Plastics — which never fully biodegrade but rather break up into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics — are of particular concern. Scientists predict that without concerted global action, there could be one ton of plastic for every three tons of fin fish in the ocean by 2025.”

The International Coastal Cleanup is the answer to that frequently asked question, “What can one person do to help?” Getting involved with the ICC is a chance to act locally and have a global impact. “Year after year, I meet volunteers all around the world who remark on how transformative the International Coastal Cleanup has been for them in understanding the marine debris issue and the impact that they can have as an individual,” says Allison Schutes, associate director for the Conservancy’s Trash Free Seas® Program. “The ICC illustrates how individual choices matter to ocean health.”

The issue of ocean trash is getting more and more attention lately. One of the teams that will compete in the next Volvo Ocean Race that begins in October has dedicated itself to making people around the globe aware of the dangers of plastics in the ocean.

With help from organizations like the Ocean Conservancy and the Mirpuri Foundation, the idea that humanity can use the oceans as a dumping ground forever without consequences is beginning to be replaced with a desire to protect our precious natural resources from further harm. Contact the Ocean Conservancy for more information about how you can get involved and make a difference wherever you live.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Renewable Energy Sources To Account For 85% Of Global Electricity Production By 2050

24.09.2017

Obnovljivi izvori energije — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Renewable energy sources will provide 85% of global electricity production in 2050, led by solar PV and onshore wind, according to a new report published this month.

Electricity consumption will be the largest energy carrier in 2050, increasing by 140% over the next 30 years, followed by natural gas, while other energy carriers such as coal and oil will experience significant reductions, or only slight increases in consumption over the same period. Meanwhile, over the same period, renewable energy sources will rise to become the leading source of global electricity production, accounting for 85%. Solar PV will account for around a third of the world’s electricity, followed by onshore wind, hydropower, and offshore wind (in that order).

These are the key findings from the Energy Transition Outlook (ETO): Renewables, Power and Energy Use report, the first report in a new suite of Energy Transition Outlook publications by global quality assurance and risk management company, DNV GL. Unfortunately, the report also concludes that humanity will exhaust the 2°C carbon budget — the amount of CO2 that can be emitted without triggering dangerous levels of climate change — by 2041, which leads DNV GL to predict that global warming will reach 2.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

“Our report shows that the energy industry, more than any other, has the power and knowledge to manage the world’s carbon budget in a smarter way,” said Ditlev Engel, CEO at DNV GL – Energy.

“Until 2050 the electricity share of energy demand will grow from 18% to 40% yet this transformation is not happening fast enough. Speeding up the acceleration of electrifying sectors like heat and transport will be one vital measure to put the brakes on global warming. The climate challenge is not an engineering challenge, but one of governance. We call upon all stakeholders to maximise the electrification of their operations.”

Based on the modeling done for the report, DNV GL determined three key global themes across the forecast period. First among these is the prediction that final energy demand will plateau around 2030 at 430 exajoules (EJ), 7% higher than in 2015, thanks primarily to greater energy efficiency of end-users, less use of fossil fuels at relatively low thermal efficiency, and slower population and productivity growth. Specifically, the authors of the report state that, “Realizing that future growth is not guaranteed, market participants will switch from expansion-led to defensive behaviour.” In sectors that are set to slow or shrink the big players will seek to diversify their holdings, as can be seen by big-name oil and gas majors diversifying into the renewable energy field.

The second key global theme to emerge from DNV GL’s modeling was the aforementioned 140% increase in electricity consumption. Similarly, the third theme was the growth of renewables, which while monstrous in scale nevertheless fails to “introduce any insuperable new issues in order to maintain secure electricity systems.” Already the growth of renewables is being seen in European electricity grids, and the massive influx of variable renewable energy has been shown to be of no problem for system operators.

The report further concludes that there is no one single solution that can help humanity avoid dangerous levels of climate change, rather, DNV GL authors explain that “multiple achievable actions must be taken both locally and globally, involving collaboration within the energy sector and across industries”: Action 1: Greater and earlier adoption of renewables; Action 2: Greater and earlier electrification of heat and transport; Action 3: Greater improvements in energy efficiency; Action 4: Change in personal behaviour.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Norway Electronics Retailer to Sell Solar Panels in Stores

24.09.2017

Solar panel units for the roofs of Norwegian homes are to be sold in-store for the first time by electronics retailer Elkjøp. The electronics chain has noticed a strong growth in demand for the solar units in its online stores, reports Dagens Næringsliv.

Now the technology will be available in physical shops for the first time. Solar panel power in Norwegian homes has tripled in the last year in terms of overall effectivity, according to the report.

Buyers of the units can be split into three groups, according to Andreas Thorsheim, founder of Otovo, the supplier of the solar cells.

“There are those who want to be innovative and have everything new, there are the environmentally friendly and finally those interested in good economy,” Thorsheim said to Dagens Næringsliv.

The technology developer said that he wanted to take solar power from the “niche market to the mass market”.

“The strongest indicator of someone wanting to buy solar panels is that they have an electric car. The second is that their neighbour has one,” he added.

Source: thelocal.no

EU Commission ‘Limiting Focus’ of Chemicals and Waste Roadmap

23.09.2017

chemical-waste — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The European Commission’s roadmap on chemicals, products and waste legislation should concentrate on resolving policy conflicts, says the European Engineering Industries Association, Orgalime.

There is a “limiting” of focus to how to reduce the presence, and improve the tracking, of chemicals of concern in products, it says, rather than addressing the conflicting and overlapping requirements of the legislation, the stated aim of the roadmap in 2015.

It also says that this was clearly expressed in the Commission’s own 2016 Regulatory Barrier Study.

Its comments come in response to a consultation on the Commission’s recently published roadmap, along with those of other trade bodies, NGOs and member states.

Orgalime gives the example of the “conflicting and/or parallel” measures to restrict the use of certain substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) under REACH and RoHS.

“Even if all substances of concern were banned from all products as of tomorrow, these substances would still remain present in secondary raw materials for decades. This is primarily due to the realities of today’s waste management, pre-REACH realities or a lack of implementation of existing waste and chemicals legislation,” it says.

For its own industry, exempting legacy spare parts, and the reselling of old products, from bans on hazardous substances under REACH and RoHS would help avoid regulatory conflicts and meet the objectives of the circular economy.

It recommends that the ‘repair as produced’ principle – which involves allowing the use of legacy parts for repairing products – is extended to other legislations, such as REACH and the Ecodesign Directive. This, it says, would be a “desirable next concrete step for more circularity in our sector”.

The Commission’s amended RoHS Directive, which is currently under consideration by the European Parliament and Council, is a good example of legislation that resolves inherent policy conflicts and establishes consistent legislation that “reconciles environmental and economic aspects”.

The RoHS amendment exempts the reselling and use of legacy spare parts.

Legislative convergence is still needed, however, as both REACH and RoHS cover the same uses of the same substances in EEE, for example, for lead or the phthalates DEHP, BBP, DBP, it says.

It also recommends applying one common methodology for the identification and evaluation of substances to be restricted under the laws. This should be based on risk, the availability of reliable substitutes and technical feasibility of substitution.

Information requirements

The roadmap identifies the problem of insufficient information about substances of concern in products and waste.

But Orgalime says that information requirements are the least important policy issue for the sector. This is because they “can easily become disproportionate for product manufacturers while not translating into (much) benefit”.

They are also “technically and procedurally very difficult – in particular, in consideration of very long and complex supply chains. Such an approach would be contrary to the Commission’s much proclaimed wish to simplify regulation.”

The Commission is expected to publish a recommendation on policy options by the end of the year.

Source: chemicalwatch.com

Kimberly-Clark to Power Mills with Wind Energy

23.09.2017

wind-power-plant — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Kimberly-Clark Corporation has made a major commitment to renewable energy with agreements to annually purchase approximately 245 MW of electricity from two new wind power projects in Texas and Oklahoma. The renewable energy supplied by the wind farms is equivalent to about one-third of the electricity needs of Kimberly-Clark’s North American manufacturing operations and will enable the company to surpass its greenhouse gas reduction goal four years earlier than anticipated.

The company entered long-term power purchase agreements to take 120 MW or 78% of electricity to be generated by the Rock Falls Wind project being developed by EDF Renewables in northern Oklahoma and 125 MW or 42% of the electricity to be generated by the Santa Rita Wind Energy Center being built by Invenergy in West Texas. The energy supplied by the two wind farms will enable Kimberly-Clark to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 550,000 metric tons annually.

“These agreements mark Kimberly-Clark’s first use of utility-scale renewable energy and are a step-change in our energy and climate strategy to reduce climate change impacts, improve operating efficiency and benefit cost savings,” said Lisa Morden, Global Head of Sustainability at Kimberly-Clark. “Adding wind-generated electricity to the energy mix will enable the company to achieve more than a 25% reduction in GHG emissions in 2018, which is four years ahead of the original 2022 target to reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 20% from 2005 levels.”

The Rock Falls Wind project will become operational by the end of 2017, and the Santa Rita facility is expected to begin commercial operation by the second quarter of 2018. Renewable Choice Energy helped broker the two agreements.

Kimberly-Clark has signed on to the Corporate Renewable Energy Buyers’ Principles, a collaboration of leading companies seeking simplified access to the renewable electricity to meet their clean and low carbon energy goals.

The Buyers’ Principles tell utilities and other suppliers what industry-leading, multinational companies are looking for when buying renewable energy from the grid. The project is facilitated by World Resources Institute and World Wildlife Fund.

Source: renewableenergymagazine.com

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