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Michigan to Fast-Track Tuscola County Wind-Farm Expansion Project

Foto - ilustracija: Pixabay
Photo: Pixabay

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) has approved a proposal by Consumers Energy Co. to accelerate the expansion of its wind-farm project in Tuscola County.

In 2016, the Commission approved Consumers purchasing 19 wind-turbine generators for its Cross Winds Energy Park II (CWEP II), with the option for the utility to buy 33 more for a future development called Cross Winds Energy Park III (CWEP III).

Consumers originally had set 2022 as the date to begin construction of CWEP III, but now has moved that up to 2019 (Case No. U-18345).

“The advancement of these wind-energy projects will help to meet the expanded renewable energy portfolio standard set in the state’s new energy laws,” MPSC Chairman Sally Talberg said. “This also means customers will benefit from the declining costs of wind energy.”

Consumers says changes to the project timetable won’t affect customers’ rates.

Source: windpowerengineering.com

May 2017 Was 2nd Warmest May On Record, Behind Only May 2016

Photo-ilustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

May 2017 was the second warmest (or hottest) May on record — in terms of global average surface temperatures. It was only a tenth of a degree behind the current record holder, May 2016.

Overall, global average temperatures during May 2017 were about 1.6° Fahrenheit higher than normal — “normal” being the 1951–1980 baseline. This is based on newly released data from NASA.

As one can see in the image above, higher than normal temperatures encompassed much of the globe — with particularly abnormal temperatures being observed in some parts of Antarctica, Northern Africa, and Western Europe.

Some parts of Antarctica actually saw temperatures some 13.8° Fahrenheit (7.1° Celsius) higher than normal — a sign of the fact that there are parts of Antarctica that are likely far less stable than previously assumed, as we have reported numerous times in recent months and years.

Climate Central provides more: “With May in the record books, NASA data also shows that this was the second-warmest spring on record, again trailing only 2016. NASA climate researcher Gavin Schmidt said the first five months of the year make it likely that this will be the second-hottest year on record trailing only, you guessed it, 2016.

“Last year’s record heat got a boost from El Niño. The absence of El Niño this year in some ways makes the planetary heat even more shocking, though it certainly fits a pattern.

“After all, May marked an all-time monthly peak for carbon dioxide levels in what’s become an annual rite of passage. Scientists found that carbon dioxide at Mauna Loa Observatory, the marquee measuring station, reached 409.65 parts per million (ppm) last month. That coupled with the second-hottest May on record are major markers of the current state of the world’s climate.”

So, again, to reiterate what’s going on here — the pace of change continued to accelerate (temperatures during May 2017 and 2016 were essentially equal despite the lack of an El Niño this year) despite the fact that official emissions figures are supposedly flat.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Elgin Entrepreneur’s Power Project to Use 3,700 Solar Panels

Photo: Pixabay
Photo: Pixabay

It may not always be sunny in Elgin, but building permits were issued in late May and work is underway on what officials say will be one of the city’s largest solar energy installation.

Rainy Investments is in the midst of having more than 3,700 solar panels installed on roofs on a 12,000-square-foot industrial building along the 1100 block of Davis Road.

According to information provided by Elgin’s Community Development office, “the panels will generate approximately 1.2 megawatts of electricity, and this renewable energy can then be purchased by users at a below-market rate.”

That amount is enough electricity to power approximately 170 single-family homes, according to information provided to Elgin by Commonwealth Edison.

Community Development Director Marc Mylott said the project was made possible in part by City Council adopting a comprehensive solar energy ordinance in November 2014 and the state of Illinois passing the Illinois Future Energy Jobs Act. Gov. Bruce Rauner signed the act into law last year, and it went into effect June 1.

“We 100 percent wouldn’t be doing the Elgin project without the Future Energy Jobs Act,” Ken “Bucky” Buckman said. Buckman is CEO of Rainy Investments, which owns and operates the building, and CEO of Rainy Solar Investments, which owns and operates the roof and solar plant project related to it.

According to reports, the act allows Commonwealth Edison to have a 0.195-cent-per-kilowatt-hour charge that ComEd’s parent company, Exelon, said is needed to keep two nuclear power plants open. At the same time, it also creates a pool of money, made by utility companies charging and collecting 0.189-cents-per-kilowatt-hour, that is to fund alternative energy projects.

According to the Citizens Utility Board the new law will invest $750 million in programs that incentivize solar and wind energy development, provide training for new energy jobs and help low-income, seniors and disabled military veterans cover their utility bills.

Buckman said the financing of his project also involves the federal Solar Investment Tax Credit program. The Solar Energy Industries Association website states the program offers a 30 percent tax credit for solar systems on residential and commercial properties.

Thomas Russe, senior vice president private banking at Sterling Bank in St. Charles said he has assisted Buckman on other endeavors along with the complicated financing involved in a startup project in a budding industry.

Buckman said, “The Elgin Community Development office and its director, Marc Mylott, have been key to helping us smoothly get the project going, too.”

Buckman, who lives on Elgin’s far west side, describes himself as a “serial entrepreneur” and said he bought the building for $4 million. The roofs project is running $3.9 million for the purchase and installation of silicon solar panels and $400,000 in costs for reinforcing the roofs to support the panels.

One roof being fitted with the panels is 20 or so feet above ground. That roof is flat, Everton Walters said, and a challenge is working around small domes cut into the structure to allow natural light into the building space below it. Walters is president, CEO and founder of WCP Solar Services in Naperville and is overseeing the Elgin project.

The other roof involved is another 30 or so feet above the lower roof. That roof has a slight pitch for drainage. So, while the panels on the lower roof are set at a small angle, those above are put in place flush to to that roof, Walters said.

“This project is a $4.3 million test of the new laws. If all works out, and the model is proven, over the next 9-12 months, we will deploy regionwide on a scale of more than $100 million in projects,” Buckman said. “Of course, whenever a business plan relies on government incentives or programs, that’s rather risky in itself.”

The building has one tenant in place, Meyer Metal Systems, and two other spaces for lease, Buckman said. Ironically, Buckman said, none of the electricity generated above will be used to power the buildings below the solar project.

Weather permitting, installation of the panels should be completed by the end of July, Walters said. Buckman said he hopes to have the Elgin-generated energy feeding into the grid within 3 to 6 months past that, but he has built a window of a year into his planning, given that the state’s act is new and his will be one of the first projects to take advantage of it.

Of Buckman’s project, Elgin Mayor Dave Kaptain said, “It’s the wave of the future. Businesses get that. We have people employed in solar and wind energy in Elgin. We don’t have anybody employed in coal.”

Source: chicagotribune.com

EU Moves to Restrict Hormone-Disrupting Chemical Found in Plastics

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay
Photo: Pixabay

A chemical found in CDs, DVDs, kettles and water bottles could soon be restricted after the EU authorities ruled that it posed a threat to human health because of its effects on hormones.

The European chemicals agency (Echa) voted unanimously that bisphenol A (BPA) was an ‘endocrine disruptor’, linking it to a range of hormone-twisting health effects including cancer, learning difficulties and diabetes. The substance has already been singled out for its toxicity to the human reproduction system.

The Green law group ClientEarth, which contributed to a 20-year battle against BPA, said the decision was “historic” and called for rapid action by the authorities.

“Now BPA is finally recognised as an endocrine disruptor, the EU and national governments must act fast to limit the irreversible damage this chemical does to people and the environment,” said ClientEarth’s lawyer Alice Bernard.

BPA is one of the world’s best-selling chemicals, with 3.8m tonnes of the substance produced in 2006, around a third of which was sold in Europe.

Originally developed as a synthetic mimic of the female sex hormone oestrogen, it was marketed as an industrial chemical and, in 1957, kickstarted the plastics revolution when it was polymerised with phosgene to produce what is today known as polycarbonate.

More than 90 per cent of the world’s population are thought to have BPA in their urine according to epidemiological studies with one report by the German Federal Environment Agency finding traces in the urine of 591 out of 599 children tested.

But unease among health professionals grew as a growing body of studies linked the chemical to an increased risk of cancer, cell tumours, miscarriages and birth defects.

Natacha Cingotti, a spokeswoman for the Health and Environment Alliance, said that the Echa vote was “long overdue and of crucial importance so that measures to reduce people’s exposure to the substance can be introduced in the future”.

“Endocrine disrupting chemicals that are omnipresent, such as bisphenol A, are one of the defining human health challenges of our times,” she added.

NGOs fear that industry groups are likely to challenge the Echa judgement, with the Plastics Europe trade association already opposing Echa’s earlier finding that BPA is toxic to human reproduction.

Jasmin Bird, a spokeswoman for Plastics Europe told the Guardian: “We are highly concerned about this development. We believe that it weakens the strong principle of science-based regulatory decisions in the EU, and will result in further uncertainty without providing benefit to the safety of consumers.”

Bird cited a previous assessment by the European food safety authority which that BPA was not an endocrine disruptor.

Even so, Echa is now expected to recommend constraints on BPA’s use under the EU’s Reach regulation, possibly as soon as next year.

“We can’t predict when it will happen,” an Echa spokesman said. “Most probably it will happen, but not very quickly.”

Source: businessgreen.com

IKEA Dishes Up Smart Tech-Enabled Drive to Halve Food Waste

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

It may be famous as the world’s largest furniture retailer, but IKEA also serves food to 650 million customers each year. As such the company yesterday announced it was extending its wide-ranging sustainability efforts to include a new initiative to cut food waste across its stores by 50 per cent by the end of fiscal year 2020.

The company said the new Food is Precious initiative would slash food waste levels by extending a successful trial, initially piloted in the UK, across all its 400 stores operating in 48 markets.

The pilot scheme saw a smart scale-based technology deployed in IKEA’s UK and Ireland stores to measure food waste and identify areas where savings can be made.

The company said the approach has already saved food waste equivalent to over 176,000 meals.

The system is now in place in 84 stores globally and has led to a reduction in food waste of 79,200kg, equal to 341,000kg of CO2 savings. IKEA said a staff survey found over 70 per cent of employees were proud of the initiative, while 50 per cent are taking measures at home to decrease food waste.

Michael La Cour, managing director at IKEA Food Services AB, said the initial results from the roll out had been “very encouraging”.

“Thanks to engaged co-workers and the measuring solution, we see up to 30 per cent food waste reduction already after a few months,” he said. “I am following the development closely and hope it can encourage others to start thinking about food as a precious resource.”

The company also announced yesterday that it has joined the Champions 12.3 coalition, which brings together businesses, governments, and NGOs working to deliver the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal on food waste.

And in related news, the Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST), the leading qualifying body for food professionals in Europe, has this month published a major new report highlighting how its members can help tackle many of the sustainability challenges faced by the food industry.

John Bassett, IFST Policy and Scientific Development Director said the new report would be followed by a series of new initiatives to help develop and promote environmental best practices. “We aim to provide practical support for those looking to implement sustainable practices, and proactive messaging to encourage joined up, evidence based policy and strategy development by UK government and food system stakeholders throughout the farm to fork continuum,” he said.

Source: businessgreen.com

Wisconsin’s Next Step to Suppress Climate Science

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay
Photo: Pixabay

Wisconsin’s Republican-controlled government may be moving to control state-produced scientific research and tamp down emphasis on climate, according to a new report.

The Wisconsin State Journal reports that Gov. Scott Walker’s budget proposal contains an item that would dissolve the science services bureau within the Department of Natural Resources and transfer the scientists to other programs.

The move would give the state’s business-friendly DNR chief more control over research priorities and output. The Journal reports that this proposal is the latest in a long line of moves by the Walker administration to suppress climate science and related priorities.

“This is just part of the continued effort to discourage the use of science or evidence in this administration’s decision-making,” Sen. Jon Erpenbach, a Middleton Democrat on the budget committee, told the Wisconsin State Journal.

“Gov. Walker and legislative Republicans don’t want science to get in the way of their politics.”

Source: ecowatch.com

Nike Makes Air Max Shoebox from Recycled Milk Jugs and Coffee Lids

Foto: news.nike.com
Photo: news.nike.com

Nike is thinking inside the box—the shoe box, that is. 30 years after the Air Max 1 changed the sneaker industry forever, the sportswear giant is revolutionizing the shoe’s packaging with a polypropylene receptacle derived entirely from post-consumer recycled milk jugs, juice containers, and coffee-cup lids. The brainchild of Arthur Huang, CEO of Taipei-based engineering firm Miniwiz, the revamped shoe box features a modular design that makes stacking for storage or display a cinch. Even better, it can be repurposed as a hardshell backpack.

Another bonus? At the end of its life, the shoe box can easily be recycled. No waste, no haste. The container’s pro-planet traits dovetail neatly with Miniwiz’s own business philosophy, Huang said in a statement.

“These are all intentional features and qualities which revolve around the intent of every Miniwiz product—reducing the impact on the environment in every way it can,” Huang said. “In this case, we’re adding features and efficiency to an existing product—shoe boxes—and by reusing non-virgin materials in a sustainable and responsible way.”

The sneaker the container was designed to support, the NikeLab Air Max 1 Royal, takes a similar resource-conserving tact. It’s clad in Nike’s Flyknit fabric, which the company stitches together using a seamless technique said to produce 60 percent less waste than conventional cut-and-sew means.

“We love Flyknit as a technology,” Huang said. “It gives designers a new canvas to create cool, while lowering environmental impact. We want to be associated with that and are glad that we are a part of this revolution.”

Source: inhabitat.com

Global Coal Production Falls 6.2% in the Biggest Decline in History

Photo: Pixabay
Photo: Pixabay

U.S. President Donald Trump may believe coal is the future, but newly-released statistics by BP state otherwise. According to the data, global coal production fell by an astonishing 6.2 percent last year — the largest annual decline on record. Additionally, consumption decreased for the second year in a row, dropping 1.7 percent. In wake of these findings, it should come as no surprise that once again, renewables were the fastest growing energy source, growing by a whopping 12 percent — a statistic which represents the largest annual incremental increase in output on record.

The report, entitled “Energy markets in transition: BP Statistical Review shows long-term shifts underway,” concluded that the oil market is declining because fast-growing markets are shifting “towards lower carbon fuels as renewable energy continues to grow strongly and coal use falls.” The report also showed that the shift from coal is widespread. The UK, for instance, consumed 52.5 percent less in 2016, the U.S. experienced an 8.8 percent dip in consumption and China’s reliance dropped by 1.6 percent.

Evidence to support these conclusions abound. For instance, the UK recently experienced its first coal-free day since the Industrial Revolution. India also intends to halt all coal plant production in the near future, as renewable technologies have become more affordable.

Bob Dudley, BP Group Chief Executive, said, “Global energy markets are in transition. The longer-term trends we can see in this data are changing the patterns of demand and the mix of supply as the world works to meet the challenge of supplying the energy it needs while also reducing carbon emissions. At the same time markets are responding to shorter-run run factors, most notably the oversupply that has weighed on oil prices for the past three years.”

As was previously mentioned, renewable energy was the fastest growing of all energy sources, increasing by 12 percent. Though solar, wind and other renewable energy sources provide only 4 percent of the world’s total energy, the increase represents almost one-third of the total growth in energy demand in 2016.

Despite certain leaders’ opposition to renewable energy investments, it seems clear the future is green and that consumers will continue to invest in energy sources that are beneficial for the environment, wildlife, and future generations – and their bottom line.

Source: inhabitat.com

Thrive Renewables Funds 11.5 MW of Scottish Wind

Photo-ilustration: Paxabay
Photo-illustration: Paxabay

British firm Thrive Renewables has supported 11.5 MW of wind power projects in Scotland with mezzanine loans, it said Thursday.

Financing from Thrive Renewables has helped Renewable Energy Ventures (REV) complete in time the construction of the 6.9-MW Gevens wind farm in Kirkcaldy, on the east coast of Scotland. The facility features three Enercon E82 turbines, each with a capacity of 2.3 MW. The second project in which the two partnered is the 4.6-MW Brotherton plant in Aberdeenshire. Its two Enercon E82 turbines are expected to commence power generation this summer.

Banks typically lend up to 80% of project capital costs and developers have to find the remaining 20% to 25%. Thrive Renewables’ mezzanine loans came to compliment the senior loan from Banco Santander (BME:SAN) for two REV projects, the financing firm explained.

Thrive Renewables, formerly known as Triodos Renewables, is willing to find and finance more renewable energy projects, including community projects “in a similar situation” in the UK. “With changes in legislation we see a growing number of projects seeking a trusted financial partner who can help them realise their project with the income from Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs),” said managing director Matthew Clayton.

Source: renewablesnow.com

Renewables Generate 5% of Luxembourg’s Energy

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Luxembourg’s has more than doubled the amount of renewable energy it generates since 2004, Eurostat figures show.

The proportion generated rose from 2.8% to 6.2% in 2015. As a proportion of energy consumed, in 2015 renewables generated 5% of the country’s needs, up from 0.9% in 2004.

It still has some way to go in meeting its target of generating 11% of the energy used through renewables.

Electricity generated through wind power accounted for a tenth of energy across the EU in 2016 with the biggest generators as a proportion of total energy generation being Denmark (43%), Lithuania (27%), Ireland (21%), Portugal (20%) and Spain (18%).

With 4% of energy coming from wind, Luxembourg lagged in eighth place, generating well below the EU average of 10.1% through wind.

The figures were published via Statec to mark EU sustainable energy week, from 19-25 June.

Source: delano.lu

Greene King Serves Up Zero Waste to Landfill Target

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay
Photo: Pixabay

Greene King is aiming to become the UK’s first major pub chain to send zero waste to landfill across the entirety of its operations, the company announced today.

The new target, which it aims to meet by 2020, covers all Greene King’s estimated 3,000 pubs throughout England, Scotland and Wales. It follows the brewer’s decision to partner with waste management firm SWR in April 2016.

Since then, a number of initiatives put in place by SWR have already helped Greene King to reduce its landfill waste by 95 per cent, including the diversion of 8,000 tonne of food waste from landfill – equivalent to the weight of 640 double decker buses.

Initiatives have included a waste recycling backhaul scheme, through which Greene King pub teams separate waste on site into dedicated bins for food, cardboard, glass, and other material.

The separated edible food waste is then returned via the brewer’s dedicated food distribution network, it said, which has helped it reduce the number of general waste bins used in its operations by 42 per cent.

It also claims the initiative has enabled it to increase its recycling rate from 49 per cent to 70 per cent in 2016, while inedible food waste has helped to produce enough energy via anaerobic digestion plants, providing power for more than 7,100 UK homes for a month.

Greene King said it was also working with waste charity WRAP towards establishing a best practice training programme for its regional managers, and reaching out to supply chain partners to improve packaging and portion control.

Matt Todd, group trading director at Greene King, said waste was becoming a “more and more” pressing issue for the hospitality industry.

“We’re delighted that, as a leader in the space, we’re able to set an example to the rest of the industry and show that sustainability and an excellent offering can work hand in hand,” he said. “The results show that we’re making real progress towards our goal, and we’re looking forward to implementing further initiatives over time.”

The move follows a host of ambitious sustainability, waste and emissions goals announced by Danish brewing giant Carlsberg earlier this month, including a target to completely wipe out the carbon footprint of its breweries worldwide by 2020.

Source: businessgreen.com

MILINKO SAPONJIC: Hydropower Potential of Nova Varoš Municipality

Foto: Wikimedia
Photo: Wikimedia

The municipality of Nova Varoš has a considerable hydropower potential. Hydro power plants ‘Uvac’, ‘Kokin Brod’, ‘Potpeć’ and reversible hydro power plant ‘Bistrica‘ are located on the territory of the municipality. In order to present the potential of the municipality, the Energy Portal has talked to an independent expert associate for Agriculture and Rural Development of Nova Varoš municipality, Mr Milinko Šaponjić.

The hydro power plant ‘Bistrica’ is the first hydro power plant built on the river Uvac, in the municipality of Nova Varoš. The plant was put into operation in 1960, and the type of hydro power plant is an impoundment facility. The power of HPP ‘Bistrica’ is 104MW and this is the largest hydro power plant on the Uvac river. HPP ‘Kokin Brod’ with powerhouse at the toe of the dam was put into operation in 1962. This hydro power plant has two generators of total power of 22.5MW. HPP ‘Potpeć’ with powerhouse at the toe of the dam was put into operation in 1967. This power plant is also located on the Uvac river, and it has the power of 54MW. It annually produces about 180 million kWh of electricity. The last built HPP on the Uvac river is eponymous HPP ‘Uvac’. This HPP was put into operation in 1979, and it has the power of 36MW. This power plant is of diversion type, and it produces around 70 million kWh of peak energy annually.

EP: What are the main hydro potentials of Nova Varoš municipality?

Milinko Šaponjić: The main hydro potential of the municipality are three hydro power plants located on the rivers Uvac and Lim, the impoundment hydro power plant ‘Bistrica’ but also the small ones.

EP: How many SHPP are in the possession of Nova Varoš municipality?

Milinko Šaponjić: The municipality owns three small hydro power plants which are located on the Bistrica river. Those are SHPP ‘Rečice’ of the installed power of 930kW, SHPP ‘Crkvine’ of the installed power of 850kW and SHPP ‘Hydra-electro’ of the installed power of 100KW.

EP: Spatial Plan of Nova Varoš municipality envisages the construction of 20 small hydro power plants. How far did you come with the implementation of these projects?

Milinko Šaponjić: Our municipality is competent for issuing permits for construction of 6 SHPP, while the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure of the republic of Serbia is competent for the other 14, due to the fact that they are within the limits of the Spatial Plan for the special purpose areas of the Uvac Special Nature Reserve. So far, building permits for four small hydro power plants have been issued that are under the jurisdiction of Nova Varoš municipality.

EP: There is a plan for the construction of HPP ‘Bistrica 2’. At what stage is the implementation of the project?

Milinko Šaponjić: There are still no requests for issuing the necessary permits for the implementation of this project. In the local energy plan the construction of this project has been defined as one of the priority projects of the municipality and the corresponding Ministry. There is a huge interest of investors, and at the moment we are negotiating on developing of the Feasibility Study with Preliminary Design and Environmental Impact Assessment on the environment. It is expected that HPP ‘Bistrica 2’ will have the installed power of 680MW, while the investment value is 600 million euros.

In addition to hydro potential, biomass represents huge energy potential of Nova Varoš municipality. Thus the municipality developed the Study ‘The Potential and Possibilities of Using Biomass for Energy Production and Economic Development of Nova Varoš, Priboj and Prijepolje’ in 2009. This study showed that the wood biomass energy potential of Nova Varoš is higher compared to the heavy fuel oil energy for 4.95 million kWh. This means that the available quantities can fully meet the users’ need for energy, but also that they can enable the expansion of existing capacity and the network of users or running cogeneration plants for the production of electricity and heat which will use biomass as an energy source.

This text was originally published in the Energy Portal bulletin “Renewable Energy “, which was released on June 1, 2016.

Interview by: Sandra Jovićević

 

BP: Global Carbon Emissions Flat for Third Year in a Row

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Global carbon emissions remained flat for the third consecutive year during 2016, as a sharp fall in coal use, rapid growth in renewables, and energy efficiency improvements all combined to hold down emissions levels.

That is the conclusion of the latest annual Statistical Review of World Energy from oil giant BP, which was released yesterday.

“The combination of weak energy demand growth and the shifting fuel mix meant that global carbon emissions are estimated to have grown by only 0.1 per cent – making 2016 the third consecutive year of flat or falling emissions,” the company said. “This marks the lowest three-year average for emissions growth since 1981-83.”

The influential annual review found that renewables retained their position as the fastest growing energy source, rising 12 per cent last year, not including hydroelectric projects.

The company said while renewables still only met four per cent of total primary energy demand globally, the growth in renewables represented almost a third of the total growth in energy demand in 2016.

More than half of the growth in renewable power came from wind, which rose 16 per cent, while solar energy grew by 30 per cent as costs continued to fall sharply.

The report also noted that 2016 saw China seize the US crown as the world’s largest single producer of renewable power, overtaking the US, while Asia Pacific overtook Europe and Eurasia to become the largest producing region for renewable power.

In contrast, the challenges faced by the global coal industry continued, with coal use falling 1.7 per cent on the back of weak demand from the US and China – a trend experts are increasingly sceptical can be reversed.

World coal production fell by a record 6.2 per cent, while in the UK coal consumption more than halved. “UK coal consumption has now fallen to levels last seen at the start of the Industrial Revolution around 200 years ago,” BP said.

However, BP chief executive Bob Dudley warned significant new efforts were required to ensure greenhouse gas emissions start to fall. “While welcome, it is not yet clear how much of this break from the past is structural and will persist,” he said in a statement. “We need to keep up our focus and efforts on reducing carbon emissions. BP supports the aims set out in the COP21 Paris meetings and is committed to playing our part to help achieve them.”

The report also highlighted how the energy market appears to be shifting towards slower growth in overall demand, as efficiency measures become more popular. BP said global energy demand was weak for the third consecutive year last year, growing just one per cent – around half the average growth rate for the past decade.

Almost all the growth in energy demand came from emerging economies, with China and India accounting for half of global growth. Both countries have vowed to significantly increase investment in renewables, electric vehicles, and energy efficiency measures, potentially leading to further downward pressure on energy demand in the coming years.

Indian energy demand grew 5.4 per cent last year, in line with recent growth rates, but China’s energy use rose by just 1.3 per cent, representing around a quarter of its 10-year average growth. Average growth during 2015 and 2016 was the lowest over a two-year period since 1997-98, BP said.

“Global energy markets are in transition,” Dudley said. “The longer-term trends we can see in this data are changing the patterns of demand and the mix of supply as the world works to meet the challenge of supplying the energy it needs while also reducing carbon emissions. At the same time markets are responding to shorter-run run factors, most notably the oversupply that has weighed on oil prices for the past three years.”

Dr Jonathan Marshall, energy analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit think tank, said the report highlighted the scale and the pace of the transformation underway in the global energy market.

“Striking in this year’s data is the scale of the shift away from coal, especially in China and the USA,” he said. “The US saw an astonishing nine per cent fall in demand, while Chinese hunger for energy is being tempered by moves to a more sustainable growth pathway and the rapid expansion of renewables, which spells even further trouble for coal in the years to come.

“On a global scale, the surge in renewable generation puts it within touching distance of overtaking nuclear power as a major contributor to world energy use.”

Source: businessgreen.com

Researchers Develop Solar Paint That Turns Water Vapor Into Hydrogen

Foto: rmit.edu.au
Photo: rmit.edu.au

It may be getting cheaper and easier to install solar panels onto your rooftop but what if you could generate clean energy for your home with just some paint?

This reality is inching ever closer after researchers from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Australia developed a “solar paint” capable of pulling water vapor from the air and splitting it into hydrogen and oxygen using energy provided by sunlight.

The hydrogen can be stored and then used as clean fuel source, touts Torben Daeneke, RMIT researcher and author of the study introducing the technology.

“Hydrogen is one of the cleanest fuels, since it turns into water when burned,” Daeneke told ResearchGate. “Hydrogen can be used either in fuel cells or directly in combustion engines. The first hydrogen fueled cars and busses can already be found in some cities around the globe. The key advantage here is that no harmful side products are emitted. This can drastically reduce smog, which is a serious issue in today’s megacities, and greenhouse gases if the hydrogen is produced from renewable energy sources.”

The paint contains a new, silica-gel-like compound—synthetic molybdenum-sulphide—that not only absorbs moisture from its surroundings but can also trigger chemical reactions that splits water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen atoms.

“We found that mixing the compound with titanium oxide particles leads to a sunlight-absorbing paint that produces hydrogen fuel from solar energy and moist air,” Daeneke said in a statement. “Titanium oxide is the white pigment that is already commonly used in wall paint, meaning that the simple addition of the new material can convert a brick wall into energy harvesting and fuel production real estate.”

The technology is also ideal because the hydrogen created by the solar paint is not produced by fossil fuels nor is a constant supply of clean water necessary.

“The technique we developed avoids the use of liquid water altogether,” Daeneke explained to ResearchGate. “Instead, our system captures water vapor from air … This avoids all of the issues arising from the use of liquid water.”

Theoretically, the solar paint could be applied or sprayed onto any surface where water vapor is present. Even evaporated moisture from salty or waste water would be sufficient, Daeneke noted.

Kourosh Kalantar-zadeh, a professor at RMIT, added that “this system can also be used in very dry but hot climates near oceans. The sea water is evaporated by the hot sunlight and the vapor can then be absorbed to produce fuel.”

Daeneke envisions that the paint could one day be used in conjunction with other renewable energy technologies.

“Photocatalytic paints may find application in multiple settings, one obvious one could be the local production of hydrogen as an energy carrier, side by side with photovoltaics generating renewable electricity,” he told ResearchGate. “Further steps are necessary in order to fully see the scope of this technology. For example, our next targets are to incorporate this system together with gas separation membranes that will allow selectively harvesting and storing the produced hydrogen.”

Source: ecowatch.com

Renewable Energy Enables EU Climate Target Achievement At Lower Cost

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay
Photo: Pixabay

Renewable energy can be developed in Europe at significantly lower cost than assumed in the modelling assessments accompanying the “Clean Energy for All Europeans”-Package. Since wind and solar energy are by far the cheapest energy sources for the low-carbon production of energy, the EU climate targets  —  40% lower greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels  —  can be achieved at lowest cost by combining the deployment of renewable energy with energy savings. The EU renewable energy target  —  currently to achieve a 27% share of renewable energy in final energy consumption by 2030  —  can be considerably raised without additional cost. These are key conclusions of a new Discussion Paper by the think-tank Agora Energiewende, which analyses the assumptions underlying the European Commission’s impact assessment for the “Clean Energy for All Europeans”-Package.

The Discussion Paper provides a detailed assessment of the factors that have led to the Commission’s distorted modelling results. In particular, these include a lower operational efficiency for renewable energy installations, especially for offshore wind, and simplified cost of capital assumptions for investments into renewable energy that are higher than those found in Europe’s leading markets. As a result, the Commission’s cost assumptions for wind and solar electricity for 2030 are already being underbid in recent competitive auctions by 50% or more.

Furthermore, the analysis finds that the scenarios developed by the Commission overestimate the significance of the European Emissions Trading System as a driver for the development of renewable energy in Europe. The price assumptions for CO2-certificates are significantly higher than those predicted by market analysts.

“Renewable energy is considerably less costly than assumed in the Commission’s assessment. The development of renewable energy should, therefore, happen more quickly in order to achieve the EU climate targets in a cost-effective manner,” says Matthias Buck, Head of EU Energy Policy at Agora Energiewende and co-author of the discussion paper. “From an economic perspective it can be strongly welcomed that the European Parliament is now discussing raising the target for renewable energy consumed in Europe to a share of 35 or even 45 percent, up from the 27 percent proposed by the Commission. For the discussion on the ‘Clean Energy for All Europeans’-Package it is also important to recognize that a cost-optimal development of renewable energy is achieved through a combination of several conditions.

These conditions include competitive auctions, a stable regulatory framework, technology-specific development pathways, the removal of inflexible and fossil-fuel based generation overcapacities, as well as the setting of a meaningful price on CO2-Emissions,” says Buck.

With the ‘Clean Energy for All Europeans’-Package the European Commission aims to increase the share of renewable energy across all sectors (electricity, heating & cooling and transport) to 27% by 2030, while also reducing CO2 emissions by 40% by 1990. In its Impact Assessment for the Package, the Commission assesses its policies and measures towards achieving these goals, as is the standard procedure in the EU-legislative process. The modelling underlying this assessment was provided by variations of the ‘PRIMES’ energy system model maintained by the National Technical University of Athens. The assumptions for the cost of renewable energy underlying this model were, however, significantly above the real-world values seen today and projected by energy experts into the future. For example, the cost of electricity from solar photovoltaic technologies in Northern Europe was estimated at roughly 12.7 cents per kilowatt-hour for 2017; the recent cross-border auction between Germany and Denmark for projects to be realised in the same year resulted in a price of 5.4 cents. Onshore wind was projected at 8.9 cents per kilowatt-hour for 2020; the recent German auction resulted in a price of 5.7 cents. The differences for offshore wind are even more significant.

“In working towards the achievement of the Paris Agreement it will be important to not only significantly accelerate the development of renewable energy in Europe, but also raise the overall ambition level of Europe on climate policy,” says Matthias Buck. Then Europe could get on a realistic pathway towards decarbonizing the European economy by mid-century. As it currently stands, we have still failed to establish an adequate framework for charting this course.

Source: cleantechnica.com

BNEF: Renewables to Provide Nearly Half of Global Power Capacity by 2040

Photo - Illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The dramatic collapse in renewable energy costs is showing no sign of abating, according to the latest report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF).

The influential analyst firm yesterday published its annual New Energy Outlook (NEO) Report, setting out its projections for the global clean energy market through to 2040.

It predicts solar power costs are set to fall a further 66 per cent by 2040, while onshore wind energy costs are expected to fall 47 per cent. As a result, renewables are tipped to undercut the majority of existing fossil fuel power stations as early as 2030.

The sharp cost reductions prompted BNEF to bring forward the date it expects emissions from the world’s power system to peak to 2026. However, it acknowledged a further acceleration of the clean energy market will be required to meet the emissions goals set out under the Paris Agreement.

Seb Henbest, lead author of NEO 2017 at BNEF, said the report suggests that “the greening of the world’s electricity system is unstoppable, thanks to rapidly falling costs for solar and wind power, and a growing role for batteries, including those in electric vehicles, in balancing supply and demand”.

The report is based on announced project pipelines around the world and forecasts for the economics of electricity generation and power systems.

It concludes solar and wind will “dominate the future of electricity” with $7.4tr invested in new renewable energy plants through to 2040.

The report comes in the same week as the latest statistical review from BP, which detailed how coal demand is falling as renewables continue to retain their position as the fastest growing energy source. It also came as a survey from Deloitte revealed overwhelming public and business backing for new clean energy projects in the US.

BNEF predicts renewables dominance of the energy will continue, with renewables accounting for 72 per cent of the $10.2tr that is projected to be spent on new power generation worldwide through to 2040.

Solar is expected to attract $2.8tr of investment as capacity grows 14-fold, while wind projects are tipped to attract $3.3tr as capacity grows four-fold.

Overall, wind and solar are expected to make up 48 per cent of the world’s installed capacity by 2040, delivering 34 per cent of electricity generation.

The report assumes energy policies around the world “remain on their current bearing”, but it also expects subsidies to play less of a role in the clean energy market in the future as costs continue to fall.

“Solar is already at least as cheap as coal in Germany, Australia, the US, Spain and Italy,” BNEF said. “By 2021, it will be cheaper than coal in China, India, Mexico, the UK and Brazil as well.

Similarly onshore and offshore wind costs are expected to keep falling, with offshore costs expected to drop a “whopping” 71 per cent by 2040.

The report is also optimistic many of the challenges presented by the intermittent nature of wind and solar power can be overcome through the use of batteries and new technologies for delivering grid flexibility.

BNEF predicts the lithium-ion battery market for energy storage will be worth at least $239bn between now and 2040, while electric vehicles are also expected to play a major role in providing grid balancing services.

“This year’s forecast shows EV smart charging, small-scale battery systems in business and households, plus utility-scale storage on the grid, playing a big part in smoothing out the peaks and troughs in supply caused by variable wind and solar generation,” said Elena Giannakopoulou, lead analyst on the NEO 2017 project.

Consequently, BNEF predicts a bleak outlook for the global coal industry. Coal use is expected to fall 87 per cent and 45 per cent in the US by 2040, while coal use in China is predicted to peak in 2026.

“Globally, we expect 369GW of planned new coal plants to be cancelled, a third of which are in India, and for global demand for thermal coal in power to decline by 15 per cent over 2016-40,” BNEF said.

The firm also expresses scepticism President Trump can deliver on his goal of reviving the US coal industry. “NEO 2017 indicates that the economic realities over the next two decades will not favor US coal-fired power, which is forecast to see a 51 per cent reduction in generation by 2040,” it said. “In its place, gas-fired electricity will rise 22 per cent, and renewables 169 per cent.”

BNEF predicts gas will play a role in the global power mix as a “transition fuel”, but argues its main market will be provided by peaking plants, rather than baseload power plants.

The net result is BNEF thinks global power sector emissions will decline from 2026 onwards, but it warns further action is needed by governments and businesses to bring the sector into line with the temperature goals agreed in the Paris Agreement.

“Globally, emissions will have dropped to four per cent below 2016 levels by 2040, not nearly enough to keep the global average temperature from rising more than 2C,” BNEF states. “A further $5.3tr investment in 3.9TW of zero-carbon capacity would be consistent with keeping the planet on a 2C trajectory.”

However, there are some reasons to be optimistic this further investment can be mobilised. A number of countries have already signalled they will strengthen their climate policies in the wake of the Paris Agreement, while BNEF’s report provides an insight into how quickly projections for the clean energy sector can change.

The firm said it now expects India’s emissions in 2040 to be fully 44 per cent lower than it predicted in last year’s report thanks to the government’s plans to invest $405bn in delivering 660GW of new solar PV capacity.

Source: businessgreen.com