UNIDO and Japan External Trade Organization to Jointly Support Developing Countries on Path of Inclusive and Sustainable Industrialization

30.08.2016

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) will work closely to support the needs of developing countries by promoting trade and investment between Japan and the developing countries in line with the concept of inclusive and sustainable industrial development.

A memorandum of understanding on this was signed today by LI Yong, the Director General of UNIDO, and Hiroyuki Ishige, the Chairman and CEO of JETRO. They are attending the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-VI) taking place in the capital of Kenya.

The new partnership will allow UNIDO and JETRO to develop joint cooperation projects and activities aimed at enhancing sustainable industrialization in developing countries and the economies in transition through promoting trade and investment.

Established in 1958 as an entity that would promote Japanese exports abroad, JETRO’s current focus is on encouraging foreign direct investment into Japan and helping small and medium Japanese firms maximize their global export potential.

Source: unido.org

UN Environment Chief Discusses Lagoon Clean-up, Air Pollution, Wildlife Protection, and Marine Erosion with Côte d’Ivoire Prime Minister

30.08.2016

Erik Solheim just concluded a two-day visit to Abidjan, a first for a Head of UN Environment in Côte d’Ivoire. The visit provided an opportunity to present the priorities of his mandate and discuss key environmental challenges constraining the country’s development process as it aspires to lift thousands out of poverty.

During his visit, Mr. Solheim met with Prime Minister Daniel Kablan Duncan, and Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Remi Allah-Kouadio. He also helped launch the Integrated Ecosystem Management Project to rehabilitate the Banco National Park within the city of Abidjan.

In 2011 as Norway’s Minister of Environment and International Development, Erik Solheim witnessed the bloody political upheaval that cost the lives of thousands of Ivorians and displaced many more. He was impressed by the progress made in the five short years since the end of the conflict.

“Many of the countries that were disrupted are still in crisis. Côte d’Ivoire is not. It’s a testament to the will and optimism of Ivorians and to the leadership of President Ouattara that they have put their country back on track. With a steady eight per cent, the country now boasts one of the strongest economic growth rates in the world, and is a West African powerhouse,” he said.

“I’ve seen Côte d’Ivoire rapidly develop in the last five years. I want to see it continue to build and improve its economy long into the future. For it to do so, economic development must not come at the expense of the environment. Any development that is unsustainable can only take the country so far. To grow the economy past the short-term, Côte d’Ivoire will need to integrate nature and development in an inclusive way,” he added.

The political crisis has generated a lot of social and environmental problems, particularly in the city of Abidjan. The conflict had a dramatic impact both on the process of urbanization and on the infrastructure of Côte d’Ivoire. The population of Abidjan is reported to have doubled between 2002 and 2006 due to large-scale migration from villages and towns.

In a post-conflict environmental assessment report produced by UN Environment in 2015, experts recommended that an alternative urban policy be developed to reduce the burden on Abidjan and its overwhelmed capacity.

Top environmental challenges for the country include the clean-up of the Abidjan Lagoon, air pollution, deforestation and wildlife conservation, marine erosion and the need to undertake an audit of the mining sector and remediation.

Most of these issues, according to Erik Solheim, can better be tackled through partnerships, bringing together different stakeholders including the UN system, the private sector and development partners under the leadership of the government.

“Côte d’Ivoire has exhibited a great recovery from the height of its difficulties. Five years ago, supporting the country in its rehabilitation was a priority for me as Minister. Today, in my new role as head of UN Environment, I look forward to helping Côte d’Ivoire build on its recent growth and success in a sustainable way,” he said.

Source: unep.org

Next Hyundai Elantra GT Hatchback to Appear at Paris Motor Show

30.08.2016

A redesigned Hyundai Elantra GT will make its public debut at the 2016 Paris Motor Show one month from now.

While the Elantra four-door sedan received a complete redesign for the 2017 model year and is now on sale, the compact hatchback model known as the Elantra GT remained unchanged.

Earlier this month, Hyundai announced that it would unveil a redesigned version of the hatchback on September 7, followed by a more traditional public debut at the Paris show.

The short press release and teaser video announcing the launch were put out by Hyundai’s European office, so the car is referred to by the i30 name it wears in markets outside the U.S.

The next Elantra GT will share a platform and many other components with the recently-redesigned sedan but—as with the current Elantra GT—it will likely get some model-specific styling features.

Hyundai’s press release describes a “cascading” grille, and the shadowy teaser images hint at headlights and other details that differ from the Elantra sedan.

The Korean carmaker hasn’t officially confirmed the new hatchback for the U.S., but it seems likely that Hyundai will use it to replace the current Elantra GT.

U.S. buyers have historically been somewhat averse to hatchbacks, but they are proving more popular in small-car segments.

The hatchback Elantra remains a low-volume model against the high-selling four-door sedan, as is the Elantra Coupe.

Still, the Elantra GT lets Hyundai compete with hatchback compacts from U.S. makers, not only the Ford Focus five-door but also the upcoming 2017 Chevrolet Cruze hatchback.

Other competitors for next Elantra GT would include the Mazda 3 and the Volkswagen Golf.

A 2017 Honda Civic hatchback is slated for a U.S. launch later this year, while the former Scion iM is now the 2017 Toyota Corolla iM as Toyota retires its “youth brand.”

The 2017 Chevrolet Cruze hatchback was unveiled at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show back in January, and it’s expected to go on sale later this fall.

Alongside the Elantra GT/i30, Hyundai sibling Kia will unveil another fuel-efficient small car at the 2016 Paris Motor Show.

It’s a redesigned version of the Rio, which will likely arrive in North America as a 2018 model in both sedan and hatchback form.

We’ll learn more about both small Korean cars during the Paris show press days, September 29-30.

Source: greencarreports.com

The World’s First Floating Wind Turbine is in Norway

29.08.2016

Norway is one of the most developed countries in the world when it comes to renewable energy sources, the use of oil resources and the profits that the state has of these resources. Serbia and Norway cooperate very actively last 15 years. A large part of the aid is realized through a close and direct cooperation between Norwegian and Serbian governments. There are several great investors such as Telenor that take care of protection of environment and social problems through foundations. Some of those companies act through programmes and innovations. Important priorities in this cooperation are energy and environmental issues, reform of security, justice and domestic sector etc. During holidays we spent few hours with ambassador of Norway in Serbia, Mr Arne Sanes Bjornstad and ask him what he thinks about Serbia and our possibilities for better using of renewable sources of energy, and responsibility of companies which operate in Serbia and have influence on environmental issues. Here is what he said for Energy Portal of Serbia.

EP: Could you please for our readers explain in what way Norway takes care of nature, renewable sources of energy and how much that is important for clean industry?

Mr Bjornstad: Climate change is widely seen as mankind’s most pressing challenge. Never before have people had such an influence on climate change as the do today. Norway has taken this issue seriously. In 2001, the Norwegian government established Enova agency in a bid to promote more efficient energy consumption and increased production of “new” renewable energy. The Agency works closely with public and private enterprises in order to reduce energy consumption and increase power generation from renewable sources. Climate change and the environment are the main focus areas of Norwegian development policy, the ministry or climate change and the environment is therefore administrating a part of the Norwegian budget for international development and is doing this through the Norwegian Agency for development Cooperation (NORAD).

As the result of thse and other moves of the Norwegian government, Norway produces about 56 per cent of its energy requirements, including energy for transport, from renewable energy sources. The world’s first floating wind turbine has been in operation ten kilometers off the Norwegian coast since 2009. However hydroelectric power dominates the power market. Norway has world’s highest per capita hydropower production and is ranked as number one in Europe and sixth largest hydropower producer in the world.

The goal set for to 2020. is to reduce emissions of greenhouses gases by 30 per cent and to increase the renewable share of total energy consumption to 67.5 per cent (the highest share in Europe)

EP: What do you think about Serbian sources of renewable energy: water, sun, wind …Could Serbia use it in better way? Can you compare Norway and Serbia in this sense, and what would be your advice for our business society and decision makers?

Mr. Bjonstard: Serbia is a country rich with renewable energy sources ranging from biomass to hydro, solar and wind. However, in spite of this high potential, the renewable energy sector in Serbia has yet to be developed. One of the first big steps towards developing the renewable energy sector in Serbia was when the Serbian government adopted in 2011 a new energy law, wich included renewable energy as a complementary part. According to SIEPA, there are a number of projects underway in the field of renewable energy in Serbia. It is estimated that over the next five to seven years, Serbia has potential to attract at least two billion euro in renewable energy facilities investment. In addition to this, we should not forget that energy and environmental protection is very important for Serbia’s EU integration, as these areas together with agriculture, make over a half of total EU standards that Serbia is due to harmonise during negotiation process, It is important that Serbia continues with harmonization process and that public authorities take into account the environmental protection when deciding on the development projects.

Furthermore, it is important that authorities spread knowledge of today’s many potentials to adopt efficient, environmentally friendly energy solutions and motivate smarter behavior.

EP: There are some educational activities that Norway Embassy in Belgrade about biomass etc. What are your plans for 2016., what will you organize in Belgrade and other cities in Serbia?

Mr. Bjornstad: Energy, environment and climate issues are one of the priority fields when it comes to Norwegian support to Serbia. So far, the Embassy supported many projects in this field across the country. These included: supporting local communities to become energy independent and self-sustainable, raising awareness on safer alternatives and substitution of most hazardous chemicals, support for wast collectors in South Serbia, preventing bark beetle population on Tara mountain, recommendations for improvement in the context of accession negotiations with the EU in this regard. We will continue supporting projects in this field.

Interview by: Vesna Vukajlovic

Balkan Countries Unite in a War on Waste

29.08.2016

Under the rubric of the Let’s Do It campaign, Albanian and Kosovar activists jointly cleared their border area and the polluted Lake Vermica last April, in a Wombles-style campaign that has involved more than 5% of Albania’s population, and 7% of Kosovo’s.

Even more impressively, almost 14% of Slovenia’s population was mobilised to clear illegal landfills in the world’s largest action of its kind four years ago. Trash activists in Romania too claim to have created the biggest national civic movement since the revolution.

Jaka Kranjc, a spokesman for Slovenia’s Ecologists Without Borders said that the symbol of waste left by past generations had a special meaning in the region.

“The best thing about this movement is that it bridges borders and breaks national barriers,” he said. “When Bosnia had a clean up, they had to talk to several regional administrations and all the minorities cooperated, even though the country had been a war zone just ten years ago.”

Bosnia is one of several Balkan countries that now has annual clean up actions. In Albania, the issue has become so fashionable that events are now organised every six months.

One of the few Balkan countries not well represented in the clean up campaign is Serbia, even though it was represented at the 2011 conference, which first brought the region’s activists together.

“Serbian volunteers started preparing their actions afterwards but then the government realised this was a good idea and hijacked it,” Kranjc said. “The activists were shut out and it turned into a one-off public programme that was never repeated.”

Since its inception in Estonia in 2008, Lets Do It claims to have mobilised over 16m people in 113 countries. Its next global clean up planned for September 2018 could exceed even those high numbers.

Sitting outside a cafe in Zagreb, Helena Traub, a Croatian waste activist, told the Guardian that the mobilisation would be “the greatest cleanup event yet”.

“Institutions are not enough.” she said. “The importance of civic movements is that they educate. When people really put their hands in the dirt, they realise what they are dealing with.”

School students made up most of the 55,000 volunteers who helped clear an estimated 37,000 tonnes of rubbish from forests, rivers, mountains and beaches in Croatia four months ago.

Recovered items from popular land cavity dump sites included sofa’s, unexploded ordnance and, in Zagreb last year, even a dead body, Traub said.

Not all waste reduction activism is so organised.

In the village of Litoric on Croatia’s forested border with Slovenia, Igor Barbara has just returned from his daily trip to scatter past-expiry date bananas, watermelon and apples for the brown bears and other animals which roam his territory.

“We put food out for the bears every day,” he said. “We have automatic feeders that dispense food every month and we also do planting and seeding and we secure peace in this area from poachers.”

The head of the local Jelenski Harak hunting club, Barbara describes himself an environmentalist and the 2m tonnes of food that he gleans from local supermarkets, are his weapons in the war against food waste.

“Annually we get around two tonnes of food for the bears, wild boars, red deer and roe deer to eat. This is just a supplement to what these animals can find in the forest, but it prevents problems between villagers and bears,” he said.

Wild boars have caused the biggest headache for local people but two young male bears also sparked alarm this summer, after raiding garbage bins left outside houses. Scared villagers reacted by calling hunters, who shot one of the animals.

“A good way to prevent the bears from coming into the villages is to leave apples out for them in the forest,” Barbara said.

Source: theguardian.com

The Top 10 Public Global Oil Producers In 2016

29.08.2016

The following list is based on average daily global oil production for all publicly traded companies during the most recent fiscal quarter. As noted in the article on natural gas producers, some of the largest producers in the world are either not publicly traded, are largely government owned, and/or they don’t regularly publish production data. Thus, some major producers are missing from this list, such as Saudi Aramco (not yet publicly traded) and Russia’s Lukoil (no production data for the most recent fiscal quarter).

With those caveats in mind, here are the Top 10 current publicly traded oil producers:

The Russian giant Rosneft leads all other producers by far at 4.1 million bpd of oil production, while the top U.S.-based company ExxonMobil was far behind at 2.1 million bpd. However, ExxonMobil is also one of the world’s largest natural gas producers, and has the highest market value of any company in this list.

In total, this Top 10 represents about 20% of global oil production. The list is geographically diverse, but China’s three companies cumulatively have the most production at 4.7 million bpd (and this accounts for nearly all of China’s production).

To put these giants in perspective, the previous list of U.S.-based pure oil and gas producers had Conoco Phillips in the top spot, but its 756,000 bpd of oil production in the most recent fiscal quarter would have landed it in 12th place on this list.

Although four of the companies on the list have generated negative free cash flow for the past year, in general the group’s financial metrics are sound. None of these companies are likely to find themselves in serious financial trouble any time soon, although BP and Shell both could stand to reduce some debt. It goes without saying that I make no investment recommendations based on this list. Financial metrics can differ for many reasons, and investments in different countries have differing levels of risk.

Source: forbes.com

Molecular Signature Shows Plants Are Adapting to Iincreasing Atmospheric CO2

29.08.2016

The research, published in the journal Global Change Biology, provides insight into the long-term impacts of rising CO2 and the implications for global food security and nature conservation.

Lead author Professor Gail Taylor, from Biological Sciences at the University of Southampton, said: “Atmospheric CO2 is rising — emissions grew faster in the 2000s than the 1990s and the concentration of CO2 reached 400 ppm for the first time in recorded history in 2013.

“On the one hand, more CO2 is known to be good for plants, at least in the short-term because this drives up photosynthesis and plant growth including crop growth and food production. Indeed recent decades have seen the planet becoming greener as vegetation growth is stimulated as CO2 rises.

“Until now, few reports had given us any insight into the long-term impacts of rising CO2 over multiple generations and none have been undertaken on the molecular signature underpinning such adaptation. One reason for this is that’s it’s a difficult problem to crack – to find plants that have been exposed to conditions of the future, but are available today.”

To address this problem, the researchers used a unique resource – naturally high CO2 springs where plants have been subjected to more CO2 over many hundreds of years and multiple plant generations. Taking plantago lanceolata plants from a ‘spring’ site in Bossoleto, Italy and comparing the molecular signature with the same plants from a nearby ‘control’ site (at today’s CO2) revealed striking differences in the total gene expression (the process by which specific genes are activated to produce a required protein).

Professor Taylor said: “The study shows that when we take plants from these two places that represent the atmosphere of today with that of the future (out to 2100), and place them together in the same environment, the plants from spring sites were bigger and had a better rate of photosynthesis. Most importantly, plants from the spring sites had differences in the expression of hundreds of genes.

“In particular, we predict from these gene expression data that planetary greening will continue — it won’t switch off or become acclimated as CO2 continues to rise, but some of the extra carbon in future plants is likely to go into secondary chemicals for plant defence. This is associated with more gene expression underpinning plant respiration.”

One of the most interesting findings was that stomatal pores on the surface of the leaf (small holes that control the uptake of CO2 for photosynthesis and the loss of water vapour) increase in number after multi-generation exposure to future CO2. The team predicted that pore number would decline, in line with past research over geological timescales using fossil plants.

Professor Taylor added: “This is a counter-intuitive finding but strongly suggests that stomatal pore numbers increase, since we have identified several key regulators of stomatal number that are sensitive to future high CO2. One of those is SCREAM (SCRM2), which is a member of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein family that acts to regulate plant developmental transitions.

“We don’t understand the full consequences of this developmental change but it shows that plants will adapt in unpredictable ways to future CO2 over multiple generations. This question is pressing — we need to know how food crops may evolve over future generations in response to the changing climate, whether planetary greening is likely to continue and the impacts of this for global nature conservation.”

Source: Sciencedaily.com

Number Of CCS Combo Chargers In Europe Now Exceed 2,400

26.08.2016

More than 600 CCS Combo chargers have been installed in Europe so far this year according to data from the CCS Charge Map. The total number of stations now stand at 2,418 and includes 2,186 that are open to the public 24/7, and 218 (either not 24/7, or at least not confirmed as open 24/7).

The average installation pace since Spring seems to be hovering around ~100 a month.

A significant characteristic of CCS Combo locations are that they are also multi-standard chargers, with both CHAdeMO and/or 3-phase AC type 2 along for the ride. Typical power output is between 20 to 50 kW.

The UK still has the most CCS compatible chargers at 580; but as you can see below, Germany (mostly thanks to its new incentive programs) is starting to chase down the lead this Summer, adding 55 units over the past 7 weeks, and now stands at 425 charging stations overall.

Norway (254) takes third, but its advantage over France (223) has been cut down drastically in 2016 so far. A surprisingly high number of CCS chargers can also be found in Sweden (186) in 5th.

Source: insideevs.com

Commission Refers the Czech Republic to Court over a Shipment of Toxic Waste to Poland

26.08.2016

The European Commission is referring the Czech Republic to the Court of Justice of the EU for its failure to take back 20,000 tonnes of hazardous waste, which was shipped to Katowice, Poland, by a Czech operator in late 2010 and in early 2011.

The case forms part of a dispute involving two Member States, Poland and the Czech Republic, on the classification of a waste shipment. The Polish authorities refused to accept the shipment on the grounds that it was shipped in breach of the Waste Shipments Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006). The waste shipped should have been subject to the procedure of prior written notification and consent. As it had taken place without this notification, the shipment in question is considered to be an ‘illegal shipment’, and the Czech authorities should take the necessary measures to repatriate the shipment. The Czech Republic would have breached EU rules by not taking the required measures.

The Czech authorities, however, refused to take the shipment back by arguing that the material in question – a mixture of acid tar from petroleum refining, coal dust and calcium oxide – was not waste but a product registered in accordance with the REACH Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006).

Following a complaint, the Commission has stepped in to resolve the dispute between the two Member States. A reasoned opinion was sent to the Czech Republic in November 2015, rejecting the Czech arguments for classifying the shipment as a product and urging it to take it back. As the Czech authorities still refuse to take the waste back, the Commission has now referred the case to the Court of Justice of the EU.

Source: europa.eu

Energy Department Announces Dates and New Contests for Solar Decathlon 2017 in Denver, Colorado

26.08.2016

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2017 student design competition, which challenges collegiate teams to design, build and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient and attractive, will take place October 5 – 15, 2017, in Denver, Colorado, Energy Department and Denver officials announced today.

The 14 collegiate teams competing in 2017 will focus on creating high-performance houses that reflect current market conditions, innovative building and the best in sustainable living.

Student teams will provide free public tours of their energy-efficient houses featuring cutting-edge technologies on these dates:

Thursday, Oct. 5–Monday, Oct. 9, 2017

Thursday, Oct. 12–Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017

“The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon challenges and inspires students to become our next green energy industry leaders,” said Under Secretary of Energy for Science and Energy Dr. Franklin Orr. “The students in the Solar Decathlon competition gain invaluable hands-on experience on appealing designs, sustainable materials and cutting-edge technologies. Denver’s passion to create eco-friendly developments serves as a model for communities throughout the country and the world.”

“Denver is proud to work with the U.S. Department of Energy to host this fun and engaging academic competition in our city,” said Mayor Michael B. Hancock. “This opportunity not only further elevates the Denver metro area’s leadership in energy efficiency, but also allows us to spotlight our burgeoning solar energy industry.”

The 2017 competition has been enhanced with challenging new contests to motivate students and boost the public’s interest in accessible, sustainable living. The upcoming event is designed to present solutions for today’s clean energy marketplace, with emphases on innovation in all areas of sustainable living; water use and re-use strategies; smart energy use and market potential.

The competition will retain emphases on cost-effective architectural design; energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, appliances and electronics; occupant health and comfort; and communications.

For the first time, teams are eligible for cash prizes. Each team that successfully builds a solar house at the site and finishes the competition will receive $100,000. The third-place finisher will receive $150,000, the second-place finisher $225,000, and the first-place finisher will receive $300,000.

The Solar Decathlon 2017 is a true public-private partnership, bringing together the U.S. Department of Energy; Energetics, Inc., the program administrator for the event; the City of Denver; Denver International Airport (DIA); and private corporate sponsors to facilitate a dynamic event in the Denver metro region.

The event will take place near the 61st & Peña “smart stop” on the new commuter rail A-line connecting Denver International Airport to downtown Denver, within 10 minutes of DIA and 40 minutes of downtown Denver. Denver, DIA, Panasonic and Xcel Energy are collaborating on a transit-oriented, sustainable development at this rail station. The development will be built out to emphasize sustainable, vibrant urban living, linking employment opportunities with new housing choices along Denver’s eastern corridor.

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2017 competition will feature several additional activities:

The Solar Decathlon Competition and Public Exhibit — Free of charge, the public is invited to tour the competition homes, learn about energy efficiency and sustainability, and engage with student teams. Opening celebrations, contest awards and a final competition awards presentation will allow attendees each day to share in the competition’s excitement. Activities are being planned for consumers and professionals of all ages, promising to engage a wide demographic around sustainability topics.

Community Festival —Food trucks, pavilions and family activities will create a festival atmosphere.

Sustainability Expo — Forward-thinking companies and nonprofits will share strategies, products and technologies that can be incorporated into homes today and in the future.

Professional Development and Consumer Workshops— Organizers and sponsors will host workshops featuring an array of green building and sustainability topics for professionals and consumers.

Education Days — Multiple field trips are planned for K-12 students with dedicated educational activities and tours of the teams’ houses, as well as professional development for teachers.

Source : energy.gov

Iran Says Will Cooperate with OPEC to Stabilize the Oil Market: IRNA

26.08.2016

Iran’s oil minister said today that Tehran will cooperate with Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to stabilize the world market, but expects others to respect its rights, the ministry’s news agency SHANA quoted him as saying.

Asked about an oil output freeze plan, Bijan Namdar Zanganeh also said that Iran supports any effort to bring stability to the market.

“Iran will cooperate with OPEC to help the oil market recover, but expects others to respect its natural rights,” he added.

Source: cnbc.com

EU – Funded Project Demonstrates Powerful Onshore Wind Turbines

25.08.2016

wind-energy — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

An EU-funded project, 7MW-WEC-BY-11, has demonstrated super powerful 7.5 MW onshore wind turbines at a wind farm in Estinnes, Belgium.

Per given wind park area these 198 metre turbines are 131% more powerful than the standard 2 MW onshore turbines used in many wind farms across Europe.

7MW-WEC-BY-11 also developed new power conversion technology and improved wind forecasting to stabilize the electricity grid.

During the construction phase of the project, the world’s first giant crawler crane was used to lift the turbine’s nacelle which can weigh as much as a fully-fuelled jumbo jet.

Using mega powerful turbines can mean that fewer wind turbines are installed in a wind farm but the power output is higher.

The total cost of the project is €6 170 217 including €3 270 285 in EU funding.

This project will help drive innovation in wind energy technology forwards, keeping the EU on track to achieving its renewable energy goals.

Source: ec.europa.eu

Duke Energy Receives new 30-year Operating License for Keowee-Toxaway Hydroelectric Project

25.08.2016

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has issued a new 30-year operating license for Duke Energy’s Keowee-Toxaway Hydroelectric Project, which will allow the company to continue operating the Jocassee Pumped Storage Hydro Station, Keowee Hydro Station and associated lakes.

“The project provides clean, renewable hydroelectric power generation, supports regional public drinking water needs and provides high-quality recreational opportunities for the region,” said Steve Jester, Duke Energy’s vice president of water strategy, hydro licensing and lake services. “This license ensures the availability of these resources for future generations.”

The Keowee-Toxaway Hydroelectric Project begins with Lake Jocassee in North Carolina and South Carolina. It flows into Lake Keowee then downstream to the Army Corps of Engineers’ Lake Hartwell Project.

The Keowee-Toxaway project is made up of two reservoirs with two powerhouses, spans approximately 25 river miles and encompasses approximately 480 miles of shoreline. It provides 868 megawatts of hydropower generation and cooling water for Oconee Nuclear Station, which has the capacity to generate approximately 2,500 megawatts of energy.

The new license takes effect Sept. 1, 2016, and represents a culmination of nearly a decade of collaboration among governmental and community stakeholders.

“Receiving the license allows us to implement operational, environmental and recreational resource enhancements that will result in many benefits to the community and the environment for decades to come,” Jester said.

These benefits include improvements to existing public recreational areas on Lake Jocassee and Lake Keowee. The company will also implement a Habitat Enhancement Program in the watershed and conserve approximately 2,900 acres of property adjoining the lakes to preserve and protect ecologically and culturally significant resources.

The project was originally licensed in 1966 for 50 years. Duke Energy filed the application to relicense the project in August 2014.

The license application evaluated the impacts of Duke Energy’s operation during the next license term and includes a relicensing agreement signed by Duke Energy and 16 other stakeholder organizations.

It also includes a new operating agreement Duke Energy negotiated with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Southeastern Power Administration to improve operational coordination between Duke Energy’s project and Army Corps of Engineers’ projects downstream.

Duke Energy will carefully review the terms and conditions of the new license during the 30-day review period and file any items requiring clarification or rehearing with the FERC.

Source: news.duke-energy.com

Radiography of Drought Periods in Spain from the last 318 years

25.08.2016

The Mediterranean Basin has been witness to increased droughts for at least five decades, but has this always been the case? A research team has been successful in reconstructing, for the first time, the droughts from 1694 to 2012 based on the precipitation index and the study of tree growth rings. According to the study, the twelve months leading up to July 2012 were the driest.

In the Mediterranean Basin, droughts are a recurring phenomenon that negatively impacts society, economic activities and natural systems. No one seems to doubt the fact that temperatures all over the world have risen in recent decades. However, this trend does not appear to be perceived as clearly when it comes to precipitation (for which data from 1950 onwards is available). Thus, up until now, the study on the recurrence and severity of droughts in Spain has been based on information from weather stations, with sufficient data only as of the mid-twentieth century.

To test the evolution of the droughts, scientists from the Department of Geography at the University of Zaragoza utilised indirect information, such as the study of tree growth rings, to reconstruct the climate of the Iberian Range as far back as 1694 and to analyse dry periods using the Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI). The researchers collected 336 samples and 45,648 growth rings from five different species (P. sylvestris, P. uncinata, P. nigra, P. halepensis, and Pinus pinaster) from 21 locations in the province of Teruel, in the east of the Iberian Peninsula, at an average altitude of 1,600 metres.

The results, published in the ‘International Journal of Biometeorology’, made it possible to evaluate droughts from the last three centuries; they reveal that the twelve months leading up to July 2012 were the driest over the entire period studied. “We have been able to successfully identify seven especially dry periods and five wet periods since the end of the 17th century,” says Ernesto Tejedor to Sinc, the main author of the study.

The driest periods

According to the researchers, in addition to these periods there have been 36 extremely dry years and 28 very wet years since the end of the 17th century. “Some of these dry years, such as 1725, 1741, 1803 and 1879, are also identified in other drought reconstructions in Romania and Turkey, thus demonstrating the larger-scale coherence of the extreme deviations and their relationship with increasingly global atmospheric processes,” adds Tejedor.

Many of these extreme events are associated with catastrophic historical and cultural changes from the last three centuries. In fact, 1725 is known as ‘The year without a harvest’ in Monegros. These events are reflected in historical documents as the ‘pro-pluvia’ rogations, “since the intense droughts led to bad harvests with serious consequences for society,” comments Tejedor.

The reconstruction of droughts using dendrochronology does not make it possible to directly predict extreme future events, although these reconstructions are indeed used to validate future climate change models. “What we are seeing from the 20th century, and what we have seen so far in the 21st, is an increase in the recurrence of extreme phenomena, including both wet and dry years,” stresses the researcher to Sinc.

For the expert, predictions for precipitation variability and trends are not yet reliable like those for temperature, as other factors which are still being studied also play a role.

Source: sciencedaily.com

Clean air takes centre stage at Sarajevo Film Festival

25.08.2016

Second annual Enviro Day sees the UN Environment Programme and Sarajevo Film Festival join forces to raise awareness of the importance of clean air in Bosnia and Herzegovina – home to some of Europe’s most polluted cities.

Poor air quality is responsible for 44,000 years of life being lost in Bosnia and Herzegovina every year, according to the European Environment Agency. It costs the country $7.23 billion, or 21.5 per cent of national GDP annually, says the World Health Organization (WHO).

“Air pollution is an invisible killer and a hidden limiting factor to the GDP growth of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said UN Environment Regional Director for Europe Jan Dusik.

“Yet solutions stemming from district heating, public transport systems and energy efficiency in general are easily available and can boost the local economy while improving the quality of life of Bosnians. This partnership with the Sarajevo Film Festival is vital in spreading this message among the general public and local population,” he said.

The Enviro Day held at the Sarajevo Film Festival will see experts from UN Environment, WHO and the Federal Hydrometeorological Institute present the latest scientific knowledge on Sarajevo’s air quality and on ways to improve it.

Experts will also perform a live demonstration of instruments used to monitor pollution in the city’s air. Finally, Cantonal Prime Minister Elmedin Konakovic will attend a photo exhibition on efforts to measure air pollution throughout history, organized by the European Union Delegation.

Earlier in 2016, UN Environment opened two new air quality monitoring stations in Bosnia and renovated two others. The two new facilities are located in the cities of Gorazde – where the safe threshold for solid particles has been exceeded 19 times since 8 December 2015 – and Prijedor. The two renovated stations are in Ivan Sedlo and Banja Luka.

As a result, accurate data is available in real-time to monitor climate change and announce pollution alerts to the general public, as well as to measure the impact of policy measures to improve air quality.

The latest data from the stations shows that air quality is currently at safe overall levels, yet last winter – when pollution levels are seasonally higher – WHO pointed to the Bosnian cities of Zenica, Banja Luka, Sarajevo and Tuzla as one of the most polluted in Europe.

Two cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina have meanwhile joined the UN Environment-led Global District Energy in Cities Initiative. Banja Luka and Sarajevo form part of the programme, which supports national and municipal governments in their efforts to develop, retrofit or scale up district energy systems – one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A project launched by Banja Luka with UN Environment in January will modernize the city’s heating network and could reduce fuel consumption by 27 per cent, leading to a reduction of 20,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year and 4.5 million euro in fuel cost savings.

The installation of ‘smart’ solar benches in Sarajevo by UNEP and the United Nations Development Programme at last year’s edition of the film festival is meanwhile already bearing fruits. The six benches – sponsored by the Swedish Embassy – have since used solar energy to charge mobile phones 17,520 times, equivalent to saving 44kg of carbon dioxide emissions.

The main culprits behind Bosnia’s air pollution are emissions from traffic, household stoves and local heating using heavy fuel oil, and high-intensity energy used to power industry.

Last December, heavy smog caused schools in the country’s capital to close early for the winter break. Air pollution has since been identified as one of the two greatest health threats in the pan-European region together with climate change by UN Environment’s sixth Global Environment Outlook report.

Note to editors The Sarajevo Film Festival is one of Europe’s biggest. The theme for this year’s Enviro Day – organized by the festival and UN Environment for the second consecutive year – is ‘U Zdravom Tijelu Zdrav Vazduh,’ or ‘Clean air for a healthy body’.

Over 44,000 years of life are lost in Bosnia and Herzegovina each year due to particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide or ozone pollution, states European Environment Agency data. View the latest data from air quality monitoring stations opened by UN Environment here.

The sixth Global Environment Outlook report for the pan-European region, issued in June 2015, found that outdoor and indoor air pollution are among the two greatest health threats for the region, and analyses policies undertaken to address them.

UN Environment has acted to improve air quality in Bosnia following Resolution 7 of the first United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-1), which mandated it to support governments through capacity building, data provision and assessments of progress.

Source: unep.org

Czech Organic Waste Fed Biogas Subsidies Approved by EU Commission

24.08.2016

The Czech Republic’s plans to provide financial support for biogas installations which use at organic waste feedstocks, have been approved by the European Commission as being in-line with EU state aid rules.

The decision that means that anaerobic digestion plants of up to 500 kW, and which are fed by feedstocks consisting of at least 70% animal by-products, barnyard manure or biodegradable waste.

The total budget for the biogas fund will be CZK 522 million (€19 million), with a further CZK 218 million (€8 million) being made available for hydro projects of up to 10 MW.

The two measures are planned to encourage the deployment of renewable energy installations and help the Czech Republic achieve its 2020 renewable energy targets.

The Commission said that it assessed the measures under its 2014 Guidelines on state aid for environmental protection and energy, which allow Member States to support the production of energy from renewable sources under certain conditions.

All biogas installations will receive a fixed premium for the heat they produce.

Both schemes were said to minimise the potential distortion of competition brought about by the public financing by ensuring that these payments do not exceed the minimum level necessary to achieve the schemes’ objectives.

The biogas scheme is also expected to assist the Czech Republic in meeting its targets for restricting the landfilling of biodegradable waste under the Landfill of Waste Directive.

Source: waste-management-world.com

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