Climate News Roundup: July 25 - July 31, 2008

Friday, July 25, 2008

STATE POLICY (CA): California adopts stiff pollution rules for ships. California regulators adopted the world's toughest pollution rules for oceangoing vessels Thursday, vowing to improve the health of coastal residents. Los Angeles Times, California. 25 July 2008. [Registration Required]

EPA INVESTIGATION: EPA saw greenhouse gases as threat in squelched document. The head of the EPA told the White House that high levels of manmade heat-trapping gases are causing global warming and endanger the American people, Sen. Barbara Boxer said Thursday after she reviewed the EPA finding. McClatchy Newspapers. 25 July 2008.

WASTE TO POWER: Animal waste may supply cleaner power. Cows, pigs and chickens in the U.S. produce enough manure to supply 2.4 per cent of the nation's electricity if the waste were converted into burnable gas, an energy option overlooked by the government, researchers said. Bloomberg News. 25 July 2008.

NUCLEAR: French environmentalists alarmed after fresh nuclear incident. French environmentalists sounded the alarm Thursday after the third incident this month at a nuclear plant left 100 employees contaminated. Agence France-Presse. 25 July 2008

FEDERAL POLICY: Few volunteering to cut greenhouse gases. Voluntary pollution-reduction programs touted by the Bush administration as part of the solution to global warming have "limited potential" to reduce greenhouse gases, according to an internal government watchdog. Associated Press. 25 July 2008.

STATE POLICY (WI): Doyle panel votes to cut emissions, expand use of wind power. Gov. Jim Doyle's panel on global warming completed 16 months of work Thursday and now faces the challenge of cutting greenhouse gases as the economy sours and energy prices soar. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin. 25 July 2008.

ALT CAR: Tata Motors Plans To Introduce Eco-Friendly Cars  7/25/2008 - Tata Motors Ltd., India's biggest automaker by sales, Thursday said it plans to sell an electric car and other fuel-efficient vehicles as rising oil prices and pollution worries lift demand for such eco-friendly vehicles globally.  "We are also competing for an eco-car project in Thailand and bringing out a new range of world-class trucks," Chairman Ratan Tata said at an annual meeting of shareholders in Mumbai, where the automaker is based.  The electric car is being developed jointly with a Norwegian company and will be introduced in the current fiscal year to March 31, Tata said. For more read Clean Technology Investor 7/25/08

STATE POLICY (CT/NY): Connecticut AG Calls For Formation Of Energy Task Force With NY 7/25/2008 - Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal called Thursday for a task force to look at energy and environmental issues in Long Island Sound, following the rejection earlier this year of a liquefied-natural gas terminal there.  A commission made up of representatives from Connecticut and New York would consider supporting alternate LNG facilities off the New York and New Jersey coasts, the development of renewable energy and ways to permanently protect parts of the sound, the body of water that separates Connecticut and Long Island, the attorney general said.  For more read Clean Technology Investor 7/25/08

Monday, July 28

CHINA - AUTOS: China's cars, accelerating a global demand for fuel. Car ownership in China is exploding, and it's not only cars but also sport-utility vehicles, pickup trucks and other gas-guzzling rides. Elsewhere in the world, the popularity of these vehicles has tumbled as the cost of oil has soared. Washington Post. 28 July 2008.

IMPACTS - HEALTH: Climate change enables spread of disease worldwide. Climate changes that enable Asian Tiger mosquitoes and other disease-carrying insects and animals to flourish in Europe threaten the region's residents, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said. Bloomberg News. 28 July 2008.

JAPAN - CARBON CAPTURE: Cabinet to OK CO2 action plans. The government will start next fiscal year large-scale tests on technology to capture carbon dioxide from sources including thermal power and steel plants and store it underground, according to recently revealed environmental action plans. Asahi Shimbun, Japan. 28 July 2008.

LED LIGHTING: Fans of L.E.D.'s say this bulb's time has come. Encouraged by legislation and the rising cost of energy, as well as concerns about greenhouse gases, consumers are swapping out incandescent bulbs. New York Times. 28 July 2008. [Registration Required]

AUSTRALIA - CARBON TARIFF: Unions want carbon tariff to protect jobs. The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union is pressing the Federal Government to impose a carbon tariff on imports from countries that refuse to enter a new global deal to tackle climate change. Sydney Morning Herald, Australia. 28 July 2008.  [Registration Required]

WIND ENERGY: Gold rush for wind energy fuels debate. Some critics question whether the wind farms will produce adequate wind energy, or are being built to tap into public aid and to sell wind-energy credits in the open market to help offset pollution from other industries. Ithaca Journal, New York. 28 July 2008.

SOLAR ENERGY: Tech giants rush to solar power. Semiconductor companies are rushing into the solar power business faster than a Pentium-driven computer, promising to turn a niche form of renewable energy into a mass-market product. USA Today. 28 July 2008.

SOLAR ENERGY: Namaste solar electric installs solar panels and hope for clean energy. Boulder, Colorado's Namaste Solar Electric Company has been red hot, not only in terms of blazing an exciting trail for a renewable energy future, but also showing that green business can not only be profitable, but it can exceed everyone's expectations. The Daily Green. 28 July 2008.

SOLUTIONS: HP's plan to fix ailing planet. Hewlett Packard is up to two years away from starting to build a "central nervous system for the Earth", known as CeNSE. BBC, UK. 28 July 2008.

CHINA - OLYMPICS: Beijing may ban 90 percent of cars for Olympics. Beijing is considering banning 90 percent of private cars from its roads and closing more factories in a last-ditch bid to clear smoggy skies for the Olympics, state media reported Monday. Agence France-Presse. 28 July 2008.

BIOMASS: Southern Co. To Repower Plant To Run On Biomass 7/28/2008 - Southern Co. is planning to issue a proposal to convert a 150-megawatt biomass co-fired power plant in Georgia to run entirely on biomass, Clean Technology Investor has learned.  "We would like to re-power [it] to burn one-hundred percent wood waste," said Ervan Hancock, manager of renewable energy generation at Southern Co. "That would be one of the largest biomass plants in the country." Atlanta-based Southern Company has used a mix of palletized switchgrass and coal at the Plant Mitchell power plant located outside of Albany, Ga. since 2003. For more read Clean Technology Investor 7/28/08

ETHANOL: EU Offers To Cut Tariffs On Ethanol Imports 7/28/2008 - The European Union is offering to cut its tariffs on ethanol imports as part of talks at the World Trade Organization, a plan that would subject the E.U.'s nascent ethanol industry to more competition from low-cost Brazilian imports. The proposal made this week would cut tariffs on 1.4 million metric tons of ethanol imports annually by 2020, worth $1 billion each year, E.U. officials said Friday. Without tariffs, much of the E.U.'s ethanol industry can't compete with Brazilian ethanol, which is made from sugar, one of the cheapest production methods. For more read Clean Technology Investor 7/28/08

STATE POLICY - RENEWABLES (OH):  Dayton Power Seeks Proposals For 38,000 MWh Of Renewables 7/28/2008 - Dayton Power & Light Co. is requesting proposals from renewable energy companies for at least 38,000 megawatt-hours of energy supply by the end of 2009, ahead of the implementation of Ohio's renewable portfolio standards, expected in mid-August.  Dayton Power, known as DP&L, currently has no renewable energy source, with 99% of its output coming from coal, said Tom Tatham, a spokesman for the company. It also has natural gas plants for peaking generation, he said.  For more read Clean Technology Investor 7/28/08

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

GREEN CITIES: Gas prices may revive cities. Sure, they feel guilty admitting it, but high energy prices could prove to be the force that brings the urban planners' dreams to fruition: a greener, more sustainable society that is also a throwback to the preautomobile age. US News & World Report. 29 July 2008.

IMPACTS - HEALTH: Does global warming aid increase in kidney stones? Global warming could do more than hurt polar bears: It could force a rise in kidney stones, scientists warn. USA Today. 29 July 2008.

WIND ENERGY: U.S. becomes wind power leader. For a country with a reputation for being addicted to fossil fuels, it may come as a surprise that the United States is now the world leader in one green-energy category. San Diego North County Times, California. 29 July 2008.

GREEN INVESTING: Profiting from climate change. The investing world is full of cunning hands, but Nicolas Huber aims to profit from a different type of calamity: climate change. More specifically, he invests in companies set to thrive in a world of rising temperatures, melting glaciers, and mounting natural disasters. US News & World Report. 29 July 2008.

SOUTH AFRICA: SAfrica plans shift from coal for energy. The South African government said Monday it would move away from cheap coal, long the engine of its economic growth and embrace nuclear and renewable energy in a bid to combat climate change. Associated Press. 29 July 2008.

CHINA - EMISSIONS: 33% of China's carbon footprint blamed on exports. Finger-pointing, and "China bashing" in particular, is a favourite game when it comes to assigning responsibility for climate change. New Scientist, England. 29 July 2008. 

FEDERAL POLICY - EPA: US environmental agency silences employees on climate change. Amid intensifying scrutiny of its failure to act on climate change, the US environmental protection agency has ordered employees not to talk to internal auditors, Congress or the media, according to a leaked email released yesterday by green campaigners. London Guardian, England. 29 July 2008.

CARBON CAPTURE: Regina carbon-capture research receives boost. A trail-blazing, Regina-based research project to study the feasibility of storing carbon dioxide in deep saline aquifers was the recipient of $5 million in federal funding Monday. Saskatoon Star Phoenix, Canada. 29 July 2008.

COAL TO GAS: Plant to produce coal-gas. Gov. Joe Manchin praised CONSOL Energy's plans to build what he called "the nation's first modern coal-to-liquids plant". Charleston Gazette, West Virginia. 29 July 2008.

GREEN INVESTING: Investor's guide to what's green. A look at companies with a stake in clean energy. US News & World Report. 29 July 2008.

GREEN INVESTING: The next generation of alternative energy. Now that alternative energy is the new darling of Silicon Valley, investors are pumping cash into a raft of obscure technologies, from wave power to algae fuel. US News & World Report. 29 July 2008.

ALGAE: Algae farm someday could produce biodiesel of choice. PetroAlgae of Melbourne thinks that algae can provide the fuel of tomorrow. Orlando Sentinel, Florida. 29 July 2008. [Registration Required]

STATE POLICY (MA): New law gives boost to biofuel industry. Governor Deval Patrick today signed into a law a bill that makes Massachusetts the first state in the nation to exempt non-food-based ethanol from state gasoline taxes. Boston WBZ TV, Massachusetts. 29 July 2008.

CARBON TRADING: Nymex To Launch Futures Contract For Regional CO2 Program 7/29/2008 - The New York Mercantile Exchange Inc., a subsidiary of Nymex Holdings, Inc., said Monday it will launch in August the first exchange-traded contract complying with a government program for trading emissions in the U.S.  The contract will create a market for futures based on permits to emit carbon dioxide under RGGI, a program designed to cap emissions from power plants and create a market for trading emissions allowances. For more read Clean Technology Investor 7/29/08

SMART METERS: Itron Subsidiary Picked By EdF For Pilot Meter Rollout 7/29/2008 - Itron Inc. said its Actaris subsidiary has been chosen by ERDF, the distribution subsidiary of Electricite' de France, in a consortium of bidders for an automated meter management project. The consortium is led by systems integrator Atos Origin and will participate in a pilot project to install 300,000 smart meters. The project could ultimately mean installation on 35 million meters across France by 2017.  Liberty Lake, Wash.-based Itron will supply 100,000 power line carrier smart meters, and 3,500 GPRS Concentrators, which are components of advanced metering infrastructure. According to the company, the system will allow the transmission and receipt of information to help manage energy consumption and provide better services to customers through flexible tariff offers and improved network management. For more read Clean Technology Investor 7/29/08

HYDROPOWER: Hydro Green, Wind Energy Eye Wind & Water In Gulf Of Mexico7/29/2008 - Hydro Green Energy LLC and Wind Energy Systems Technology Group plan to develop 5,000 megawatts of wind and water current power in the Gulf of Mexico, the companies said.  Houston, Texas-based Hydro makes hydrokinetic power systems that generate electricity from moving water in open rivers, tidal areas and oceans. The technology can also be used downstream from existing hydropower facilities.  The agreement allows Hydro Green access to Wind Energy's platforms and lease areas for data gathering and testing. New Iberia, La.-based Wind Energy Systems signed a lease with the state of Texas in 2005 for offshore wind projects and intends to develop 1,500 to 2,000 MW of offshore wind power in the Gulf. For more read Clean Technology Investor 7/29/08

Wednesday July 30, 2008

EPA INVESTGATION: Senate Democrats call for EPA chief to resign. Four Democratic senators on Tuesday called for Stephen Johnson to resign as administrator of the EPA and asked Attorney General Michael Mukasey to begin an investigation into whether he lied in testimony to a Senate committee. Associated Press. 30 July 2008.

STATE POLICY (VT): Vermont's unique approach to curbing energy use. In 2000, Vermont instituted an aggressive program to reduce statewide energy consumption. In the eight years since, it has proven to be one of the country's most innovative and successful conservation initiatives. Morning Edition, NPR. 30 July 2008.

STATE POLICY (ND): N.D. farmers get paid for capturing carbon. Everett Dobrinski is getting a $4,000 check this week for storing carbon dioxide in his soil. Associated Press. 30 July 2008.

CHINA: Enterprises see huge chances in 'low carbon economy.' As early as last year, China definitely proposed to develop "Low Carbon Economy" vigorously, and set up a "three low" economic mode based on low energy consumption, low pollution and low emission. China Economic Net, China. 30 July 2008.

GREEN CITIES: Seattle mayor proposes car-free days. As part of Seattle's campaign to combat global warming, Mayor Greg Nickels plans car-free days throughout the city. Seattle King 5 TV, Washington. 30 July 2008.

STATE POLICY (CA): Groups protest proposal to cut climate emissions. Social and environmental groups yesterday challenged a multistate proposal to trim greenhouse gas emissions because they fear it would harm low-income communities and be vulnerable to fraud. San Diego Union-Tribune, California. 30 July 2008

INTERNATIONAL TALKS: Trade failure clouds climate talks and beyond. The collapse of world trade talks deals such a blow to international negotiations that the prospect of agreeing effective solutions to global warming or the spread of nuclear weapons seems more remote than ever. Reuters. 30 July 2008

REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS: Doyle advocates regional emissions plan. Gov. Jim Doyle on Tuesday defended plans to set up a Midwest regional system that would cap and reduce emissions linked to global warming beginning as soon as 2012. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin. 30 July 2008.

AVIATION: Aviation leaders urge Congress to act on energy policy. Contending that the nation is now in a "full-blown and deepening energy crisis which is causing irreparable harm," some leaders in the aviation industry are urging President Bush to call a special session of Congress next month. Christian Science Monitor. 30 July 2008.

ELECTRIC CARS: General Motors confirms intention to manufacture engine for battery-powered Volt in Flint. General Motors confirmed that it intends to make Flint the manufacturing home of the engine for the much-touted, battery-powered Chevrolet Volt, according to paperwork filed with the city. Flint Journal, Michigan. 30 July 2008.

STATE POLICY (FL): Florida ends voluntary green energy program. Florida utility regulators on Tuesday powered down an $11.4 million program designed to promote green energy, but whose budget overwhelmingly funded marketing and administrative costs. Associated Press. 30 July 2008.

BIODIESEL: Manila Police To Run Cars On Used McDonald's Cooking Oil 7/30/2008 - Police in Manila are looking to convert their patrol cars to run on a mixture of diesel and used cooking oil from McDonald's, officials and the company said Tuesday, according to the Agence France Presse.  With oil prices at crippling highs, the project would convert cars in the Makati financial district to run on a combination of 40 percent diesel and 60 percent cooking oil, said police Senior Superintendent Gilbert Cruz.  For more read Clean Technology Investor 7/30/08

JAPAN - POLICY: Japan Adopts Low-Carbon Action Plan But Avoids Specifics 7/30/2008 - Japan's cabinet adopted an action plan to realize a society with low carbon dioxide emissions, but it essentially put off the inclusion of new measures, such as the full-scale launch of carbon trading in Japan and the introduction of an environment-related tax.  The plan was drawn up by relevant ministries based on the initiatives Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda announced last month to combat global warming, as well as on recommendations by a panel of experts. It called for government and private-sector cooperation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and listed target dates for expanding the use of such technologies as solar power and next-generation automobiles.  For more read Clean Technology Investor 7/30/08

SPAIN - SOLAR: Spain Regulator Approves Steep Decline In Solar Subsidies 7/30/2008 - The board of Spain's energy market regulator CNE Tuesday approved a government proposal to steeply reduce subsidies for solar electricity generation.  The Industry Ministry earlier this month submitted a proposal to the regulator that would cut subsidies for solar power by up to 35% and put an annual cap of 300 megawatts for solar energy that is entitled to subsidies.  The CNE recommended the government adopt the 300 MW cap next year, while implementing the cut in subsidies for new solar facilities starting in September. The government proposal had suggested a cut in subsidies starting in 2009. For more read Clean Technology Investor 7/30/08

Thursday, July 31, 2008

STATE POLICY - CARBON CREDITS (MT): Montana farmers to receive $551,000 in carbon credits. Just over 100 landowners will receive checks this week totaling $551,000 for enrolling land in a carbon credit program, the Montana Farmers Union said. Helena Independent Record, Montana, Associated Press. 31 July 2008.

SHIPPING EMISSIONS: Surprise soot from ship emissions. Oceangoing ships emit more soot than expected, new research finds. Large cargo vessels put out twice as much climate-changing particulates as in previous estimates. And small tugboats are the biggest particulate emitters per unit of fuel. Environmental Science & Technology. 31 July 2008.

STATE POLICY (MA): State OKs plan to curb emissions. The House on Wednesday unanimously approved a long-term plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts, reaching a compromise with Senate leaders after months of lobbying by environmental groups. New Bedford Standard-Times, Massachusetts. 31 July 2008.

POLLUTION CREDITS - LEGAL: Judge rules against selling pollution credits to power plants. In a lawsuit brought by the NRDC and other groups, a judge told the air quality district that it could not subsidize plants until it fully reported on the environmental effect under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Los Angeles Times, California. 31 July 2008. [Registration Required]

SOLAR: "Green" solar cells achieve new efficiency record. New dye-sensitized solar cells compare favorably with silicon-based cells in terms of their use of materials and energy, and they are expected to be much easier to manufacture. Environmental Science & Technology. 31 July 2008.

CARBON CAPTURE: Plans for hydrogen plant move forward. Hydrogen Energy International LLC, the joint venture between BP and Rio Tinto, announced Wednesday that it will begin the regulatory approval process for a clean energy plant near Taft that will capture and store carbon dioxide emissions in nearby oilfields. Bakersfield Californian, California. 31 July 2008.

STATE POLICY (MD): Maryland residents asked to cut energy use. More than a dozen states around the country have made lofty promises to cut back on power use to save taxpayers money, reduce stress on energy markets and improve the environment. While the goal is noble, these states face a major stumbling block: public buy-in. Morning Edition, NPR. 31 July 2008.

STATE POLICY (NV): Renewable energy projects approved. Two renewable energy projects representing a $100 million-plus investment by Las Vegas-based Nevada Power Co. - a cost likely to be covered over time by the utility's customers - were approved Wednesday by Nevada regulators. Associated Press. 31 July 2008.

SOLAR: First move taken to allow rental of solar panels. It takes a lot of greenbacks to go green and install solar panels that silently generate clean electric power from the light of the sun. Las Vegas Review-Journal, Nevada. 31 July 2008.

MONITORING: Bank of America Backs Energy Management Tool Co.  7/31/2008 - Bank of America Corp. will use Philadelphia-based Field Diagnostic Services Inc.'s energy management systems in over 3,000 of its U.S. locations, and the bank's new clean technology investment arm will provide the company an undisclosed amount of financing for development.  Field Diagnostic makes a portable monitoring tool that increases efficiency in heating and cooling systems by 50%, and therefore reduces energy, maintenance and system replacement costs by 50%, said Todd Rossi, president of Field Diagnostic Services, in an interview with Clean Technology Investor.  With this investment, Field Diagnostics is also developing software that allows businesses to better use the information they get from energy management systems to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money.  For more read Clean Technology Investor 7/31/08

FEDERAL POLICY: Senate Blocks Revamped Energy And Business Tax Cut Bill 7/31/2008 - Senate Republicans again turned back a Democratic attempt to bring an energy and business tax bill to the Senate floor, as the attempt fell on a 51-43 procedural vote.  The vote, a slightly worse result for Democrats than their last attempt in June to move to the bill, dashed Democratic hopes that recent additions they made to the bill would draw more Republican support.  Meanwhile, the White House said senior advisors will recommend a veto should the Senate tax bill reach the president's desk in its current form. The White House had earlier threatened a veto of similar House-passed legislation.  For more read Clean Technology Investor 7/31/08

STATE LEGAL CHALLENGE - SHIPPING/EPA: Calif To Sue EPA, Citing Delay In Ship Emission Rules 7/31/2008 - California will join environmental groups and other states on Thursday in announcing plans to sue the Environmental Protection Agency in connection with what they call the agency's delay in regulating greenhouse-gas emissions from ships and airplanes. On Thursday, a group that includes California, Connecticut, and Earthjustice, among others, plans to take aim at the EPA's policies for ship and airplane emissions. The groups say that they petitioned the EPA late last year to determine whether emissions from ships and planes pose a danger to public health and welfare and to issue regulations if the agency concludes that such a danger exists. For more read Clean Technology Investor 7/31/08

HYDROGEN -FUEL: Hydrogen-Fuel Discovery May Spawn Solar Power, MIT Study Says
2008-07-31 By Jim Efstathiou Jr. July 31 (Bloomberg) -- A new, cheaper way to store electricity to run air conditioners or vehicles promises to make solar power competitive with traditional generation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers said.   The discovery might shatter the biggest barrier to widespread use of solar, namely that it's unavailable after dark, said Daniel Nocera, an MIT energy professor. The process uses non toxic natural materials to convert sunlight into gases, as described in a paper today in the online version of Science. Electricity produced from sun rays by photovoltaic cells costs about four times as much as power from conventional coal- fired generators. The higher expense of storing solar power in batteries has undercut its acceptance as a dependable source of renewable energy.