Friday, September 5, 2008

IMPACTS: Seas to rise faster this century. Hot on the heels of findings that tropical cyclones have been intensifying over the past few decades, researchers report in Science that global warming will cause sea levels to rise much faster by the end of the century than officially projected. Science. 5 September 2008.

IMPACTS: Loss of Manhattan-sized Arctic ice shelf is 'sign of things to come'. An ice shelf almost the size of Manhattan has broken off from an island in the Canadian Arctic, researchers revealed today, warning that the near-record loss of polar ice cover this summer was an indicator of the changes global warming would inflict on mankind. London Times, England. 5 September 2008.

CHINA - CARBON CAPTURE: EESTech Signs On To Chinese Carbon Capture Project  9/5/2008 - EESTech Inc., an over-the-counter Bulletin Board traded distributor of carbon management and storage technology, said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Tianjin DaGang Huashi Power Generation to co-develop a carbon capture and storage facility in China.  Dagang will use one of its two 330 megawatt power units to demonstrate the capture of carbon dioxide from its flue gas stream and then transport the CO2 for sequestration and enhanced oil recovery, the company said. For more read Clean Technology Insight 9/5/08

UK - ENERGY EFFICIENCY: UK's Brown: Can Boost Econ's Energy Efficiency By 20% By 2020 9/5/2008 - U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown set a target for a much more energy efficient economy Thursday, saying the U.K. can cut its use of oil by 20% per unit of output by 2020. In a speech billed as a keynote economic address but short on policy announcements, Brown said the government would continue to invest in nuclear and renewable energy and will increase energy efficiency in a bid "to free Britain from the dictatorship of oil." "The policies we are putting in place will mean that by 2020 our economy will consume 20% less oil for each unit of output than it consumes today - and only a quarter of the oil we used in 1970," Brown said, according to the text of a speech to the Confederation of British Industry in Glasgow, Scotland. The U.K. is already committed to increasing to 15% by 2020 the proportion of its energy generated by renewables. For more read Clean Technology Insight 9/5/08

SHIP EMISSIONS: Disputes Could Leave Ship Emissions Talks Becalmed 9/5/2008 - Rich countries are on a collision course with the developing world in talks to cut emissions of greenhouse gases from ships. The International Maritime Organization, the special U.N. agency that regulates ocean-going vessels, is convening in October to hammer out a pact to control emissions of heat-trapping gases from ships' smokestacks. But a clash between a key principle of climate change diplomacy and a core concept of maritime law could leave the process stalled in the doldrums. Many developing countries, led by China, India and Saudi Arabia, argue that the exemption they enjoy from mandatory carbon caps in the U.N. climate change treaty should also apply to ships registered there. About 80% of the international fleet is flagged in developing countries. For more read Clean Technology Insight 9/5/08

Monday, September 8, 2008

SOLUTIONS: Have one meat-free day a week to tackle climate change, says UN. Everyone should have one meat-free day a week to help save the planet, a leading expert on global warming has claimed. Daily Mail, United Kingdom. 8 September 2008.

CHINA: China government adviser urges greenhouse gas cuts. China should bind itself to international goals to slash greenhouse gas pollution, one of the nation's most prominent policy advisers said, in a striking break with Beijing's official stance. Reuters. 8 September 2008

AUSTRALIA - CARBON PRICING: Australia adviser urges cautious carbon targets. Australia's top climate adviser on Friday recommended carbon be sold for an initial A$20 (US$16) a tonne from 2010, with only marginal increases for the first two years, to help business adjust to carbon trading in Australia. Reuters. 8 September 2008

INDIA - NUCLEAR: India to go for bilateral nuclear trade after ratification of 123 agreement. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday said India will be able to enter into bilateral nuclear agreements with other countries after the ratification of the 123 agreement between Indian and the US. Asian News International, South Asia. 8 September 2008.

STATES (MA): Study: Green Massachusetts possible by 2020. Wind, sun, water, biological waste - Massachusetts has the potential to turn them into a combined 10 million megawatt hours of power annually by 2020, according to a study being released Monday. Boston Globe, Massachusetts. 8 September 2008.

GREEN INSURANCE: Green Insurance Follows Green Building's Rise 9/8/2008 - As green homes and offices become more popular, insurance companies are beginning to get into the game as well with various products to accommodate this growing market.  And many in the industry say that green construction and reconstruction will become standard in the future so that green insurance will have to follow suit.  Recently, a handful of insurance companies including Fireman's Fund Insurance Co., Aon Corp., XL Insurance and Lexington Insurance Co. have rolled out their own brands of coverage for certified green buildings.  For more read Clean Technology Insight 9/8/08

INDIA - SOLAR: DuPont Aims To Serve Domestic Indian Solar Market 9/8/2008 - DuPont management foresees the domestic solar market in India growing significantly and the company is planning to work on technical modifications to photovoltaic technologies to make that transition faster, according to Marc Doyle, global business director for DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions.  The Wilmington, Del.-based company created a local business team including a business leader, sales and marketing and technical personnel that will serve solar manufacturing customers in India.  For more read Clean Technology Insight 9/8/08

GREEN BUSINESS: GM To Be Landfill-Free At 80 Plants Worldwide By 2010 9/8/2008 - General Motors Corp. pledged that half of its 160 manufacturing plants worldwide will be "landfill free" by the end of 2010, as part of a larger, company-wide effort to make the automaker's production facilities more environmentally friendly.  The company said 97% of the waste in these facilities will be reused or recycled and the remaining 3% will be sent to waste-to-energy operations.  For more read Clean Technology Insight 9/8/08

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

SOLUTIONS: Google sees energy solution in the math. Google CEO Eric Schmidt outlined an energy plan Monday to reduce America's dependence on oil and create green jobs. CNET News. 9 September 2008.

AUSTRALIA - TARGETS: Scientists say Australian carbon targets too weak. Prominent climate scientists criticised the Australian government's top climate adviser on Tuesday, saying his recommended targets for carbon emissions were too weak and would not help avoid catastrophic climate change. Reuters UK. 9 September 2008.

INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS (OPINION): Political climate change. Regardless of which candidate comes out on top in November's election, the new president will face a daunting uphill sprint on international climate-change negotiations. Chemical & Engineering News. Opinion, 9 September 2008.

STATE POLICY (GA): Green energy a tough sell in Georgia. Only a fraction of 1 percent of Georgia's electric customers are willing to pay the few dollars extra every month for renewable energy. The state's participation rate is one-tenth the national figure, which is a paltry 2 percent. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia. 9 September 200

STATE POLICY (CA): California Power Agency Issues New Renewables RFP 9/9/2008 - Northern California Power Agency, a not-for-profit joint agency representing 17 community-owned utilities, is preparing to receive bids from a new renewable energy request for proposals it issued in August.  NCPA is also currently in negotiations with several bidders that responded to its 2007 request for proposals. "We are very close on several of those projects. Within the next four to six months I expect to have either signed contracts or moved on to other proposals," said Dana Griffiths, power coordination and planning engineer at NCPA, who's part of the team in charge of vetting the bids, in an interview.  For more read Clean Technology Insight 9/9/08

STATE POLICY (PA): Pennsylvania To Court Wind Power Manufacturers 9/9/2008 - Pennsylvania is trying to lure manufacturers of wind power components by courting overseas companies and helping existing industry to re-tool other types of manufacturing. The Wind Energy Supply Chain Initiative, announced Monday, is part of Governor Edward G. Rendell's Energy Independence Strategy signed in July that allocates $650 million for alternative energy projects in the state.  For more read Clean Technology Insight 9/9/08

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

GREEN CARS: 106 mpg 'air car' creates buzz, questions. You've heard of hybrids, electric cars and vehicles that can run on vegetable oil, but of all the contenders in the quest to produce the ultimate fuel-efficient car, this could be the first one to let you say, "fill it up with air." CNN. 10 September 2008.

GERMANY - CO2 SEQUESTRATION: New German facility begins testing CO2 sequestration. A German pilot program has now begun testing the safety and usefulness of pumping CO2 emissions underground. Der Spiegel. 10 September 2008.

GREEN BUILDING: White roofs would offset global warming, researchers say. Builders have known for decades that white roofs reflect the sun's rays and lower the cost of air conditioning. But now scientists say they have quantified a new benefit: slowing global warming. Associated Press. 10 September 2008.

STATE CLIMATE POLICY (MT): Council advances handful of climate measures. A Montana state committee given 54 recommendations for addressing climate change is making a handful of them into bills for the Legislature to consider this winter, to the dissatisfaction of critics who say the most purposeful recommendations were set aside. Associated Press. 10 September 2008.

UK - CLIMATE POLICY: British political parties failing on climate. Britain's three main political parties are failing to address climate change as the economic downturn starts to take precedence, the country's leading environmental organisations said on Wednesday. Reuters. 10 September 2008.

GREEN JOBS: US $100 billion could yield 2 million US 'green' jobs. A US$100 billion US government investment over two years could create 2 million "green" jobs in such industrial sectors as steel and construction, environmental and labor groups said on Tuesday. Reuters. 10 September 2008.

PERSONAL CARBON TRADING: Personal carbon trading is not as simple as swiping an Oyster card. Polly Toynbee extols the virtues of personal carbon trading, saying it is the fairest way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As an adviser to the Defra study, I take issue with her analysis. London Guardian, England. Opinion, 10 September 2008.

ALT. FUEL: Making jet fuel from algae oil is very green. Solazyme - a South San Francisco startup focused on producing oil from algae - said Tuesday that it had produced the world's first algal-derived jet fuel. San Francisco Chronicle, California. 10 September 2008.

PLUG-IN HYBRIDS: Fisker Raises $65M, Readying Its Hybrids For The Street 9/10/2008 - Fisker Automotive has raised $65 million in its latest round of venture capital financing as it looks to bring high-end plug-in hybrid electric vehicles out of the shop and onto the road. The Irvine, Calif.-based upstart car designer and manufacturer is among a growing number of companies that are looking to bring plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles to market. Fisker's Chief Executive Officer Henrik Fisker told Clean Technology Insight that although his company is young, through its manufacturing partnerships it will be among the first car companies to bring a plug-in hybrid to market. For more read Clean Technology Insight 9/10/08

Thursday, September 11, 2008

FORESTS: Study says old growth forests bank carbon dioxide. A group of forest scientists from the United States and Europe reports that a growing body of evidence settles an old question over whether old growth forests store more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than they release. Associated Press. 11 September 2008.

GREEN CARS: The new 'greener' Prius that you can plug in to any power socket. A new generation 'plug-in' Toyota Prius that you can charge up at home and drive solely on electric power has been unveiled as an antidote to soaring petrol prices. Daily Mail, United Kingdom. 11 September 2008.

GREEN CARS: Livermore company promises to up mileage 20 to 40%. In a ramshackle warehouse in an industrial neighborhood here, David Jewell and eight confederates, including his mother, are hard at work assembling a contraption made of PVC pipe and wire they say increases gas mileage 20 to 40 percent. Oakland Tribune, California. 11 September 2008.

ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES: Honda, Yamaha Gearing Up To Sell Electric Motorcycles 9/11/2008 - Honda Motor Co. plans to launch battery-powered electric motorcycles from 2011, with Yamaha Motor Co. aiming to debut such offerings as early as 2010, The Nikkei reported in its Thursday morning edition. Both firms hope to bring to market electric motorcycles that perform on a par with bikes with 50cc engine displacements. The vehicles will be powered by high-performance lithium ion batteries. Electric motorcycles do not emit carbon dioxide or nitrogen oxide while running. CO2 emissions during the recharging and manufacturing process are around half that of gasoline-fueled offerings. For Y100 worth of electricity, the motorcycles are estimated to be able to travel 400-500km. For more read Clean Technology Insight 9/11/08

STATE POLICY (NC): NC To Improve Energy Efficiency Of Buildings By 30% 9/11/2008 - The State of North Carolina is looking to increase the energy efficiency of its buildings by 30% with new building codes this year, and has been awarded a federal Department of Energy grant to facilitate this effort.  Gov. Mike Easley's office said in a statement that these codes, which include requirements for energy efficient building materials, appliances and electrical equipment, will save consumers up to $40 million annually on utility bills and cut emissions from power plants by 236,000 tons of carbon dioxide, 481 tons of sulfur dioxide and 253 tons of nitrogen oxide. Alan Hirsch, policy director for the governor's office, said in an interview with Clean Technology Insight that the state is looking to increase building mandates on energy now because of rising power costs. For more read Clean Technology Insight 9/11/08

NZ TRADING SCHEME: New Zealand Passes Carbon-Emissions Trading Scheme 9/11/2008 - New Zealand's Parliament passed legislation creating an Emissions Trading Scheme late Wednesday, Climate Change Minister David Parker said.  "For the first time, we will start factoring in the true cost of greenhouse gas emissions into our economy," Parker said in a release. "This is in line with developments in the rest of the world."  Parker said the scheme will help New Zealand adhere to the Kyoto Protocol and "act as a catalyst to bring forward clean technology and create incentives for climate-friendly behavior and investments."  The carbon emissions trading scheme bill was the last crucial piece of legislation for the governing Labour Party ahead of New Zealand's general elections.  Prime Minister Helen Clark hasn't yet set a date for the election but it must be held by Nov. 15 and commentators are widely tipping Nov. 8 as the likely poll date.   For more read Clean Technology Insight 9/11/08

GREEN CITIES/STATE POLICY: Stockton To Cut CO2 Emissions In Deal With State AG 9/11/2008 - As part of a campaign to spur California communities and businesses into cutting greenhouse-gas emissions ahead of state rules in 2012, the state attorney general reached a deal with the city of Stockton to cut sprawl and make new buildings more energy efficient.  "As oil peaks and climate change becomes more obvious and threatening, more restraints will be needed to burning fossil fuels," Attorney General Jerry Brown said Wednesday. "It won't take an attorney general or a governor snapping their fingers, it'll take cities, states and individuals making their lives more efficient."  The City Council of Stockton, a medium-size city about 85 miles east of San Francisco, approved a settlement late Tuesday with Brown and the environmental group Sierra Club, to include greenhouse-gas emission reductions in the city's long-term development plan. The agreement settles a lawsuit the Sierra Club filed against the city over the plan, which the group said encouraged sprawl and would've been harmful to the environment.  For more read Clean Technology Insight 9/11/08

CHINA - WIND POWER: Kyushu Electric To Help Build Large China Wind Farm  9/11/2008 - Kyushu Electric Power Co. plans to collaborate with a power company in China to build a giant wind farm there, the Nikkei reported in its Wednesday morning edition.  The facility will have the capacity to generate 200,000KW of electricity, making it the largest wind power operation in China. Located in the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, it is scheduled to begin operating in 2010.  This will be Kyushu Electric's second wind power project in China. For more read Clean Technology Insight 9/11/08