Vinkel Bioenergi
Date: 2022-01-12
Danish solar energy equipment supplier European Energy is reporting the acquisition of Jutland, Denmark-based biogas producer Vinkel Bioenergi A/S on behalf of private investor Bo Bendtsen in a joint venture (JV) deal with European Energy. With the acquisition, Vinkel Bioenergi will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the new JV holding company, BioCirc ApS.

Vinkel Bioenergi was established in 2018 to convert more than 400,000 tpy of biomass into green, CO2-neutral biogas from its facility in central Jutland.

"European Energy will make use of the CO2 that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere from the production of biogas at Vinkel Bioenergi in the production of e-methanol that will be supplied to major companies such as Circle K and Maersk. In this way, Vinkel Bioenergi contributes to our common goal of becoming a net-zero society in the future," according to the release. (Source: European Energy, PR, Website, Jan., 2021) Contact: European Energy, Knud Erik Andersen, CEO Vinkel Bioenergi A/S, Jeppe Klug Madsen, CEO, +45 96 49 43 00, info@lundsbybiogas.dk, www.lundsbybiogas.dk/en/case/vinkel-bioenergi-en; European Energy, +45 88 70 82 16, +45 88 70 82 16 www.europeanenergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Vinkel Bioenergi news,  Biogas news,  eMethanol news,  

ADM, Wolf Carbon Solutions
Date: 2022-01-12
Chicago-based agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), the nation's second-largest ethanol producer, is proposing to cut its carbon footprint by constructing a 350-mile, 12 million tpy pipeline to transport carbon dioxide from its ethanol plants in eastern Iowa for injection in Decatur, Illinois. The pipeline would be owned and operated by Calgary, Alberta-based carbon capture and pipeline company Wolf Carbon Solutions.

ADM's three plants in eastern Iowa, one in Clinton and two in Cedar Rapids, account for 46 pct of the company's ethanol production capacity.

The Hawkeye State hosts 43 ethanol plants with an annual capacity of 4.6 billion gpy out of 209 plants nationwide with a capacity of 17.4 billion gpy. (Source: ADM, Jan., 2022) Contact: ADM, www.adm.com; Wolf Carbon Solutions, info@wolfcarbonsolutions.com, www.wolfcarbonsolutions.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Wolf Carbon Solutions,  ADM,  Carbon Dioxide,  CO2,  CCS,  Wolf Carbon Solutions,  

Deal Farm Biogas
Date: 2022-01-10
In Norfolk, UK, Deal Farm Biogas report it has submitted a partly retrospective planning application to South Norfolk Council seeking approval of changes made to the original 2015 plans for its anaerobic digestion (AD) facility near the town of Diss in response to local environmental concerns.

The new planning application includes amendments to the layout and positioning of equipment on the site and seeks to enhance the sustainability of the plant by including carbon capture (CCS) technology for 7,000 tpy of CO2.

When fully operational the facility will generate sufficient biogas to power more than 4,600 homes. The gas will be injected directly into the local gas grid to be used by households in the village of Roydon and Diss. In addition to biogas, the plant will produce a high-quality, sustainable fertiliser. (Source: Deal Farm Biogas, Website PR, Jan., 2022) Contact: Deal Farm Biogas, +44 0 800 368 7312, info@dealfarmbiogas.co.uk, www.dealfarmbiogas.co.uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News Biogas news,  UK Biogas news,  Carbon Capture news,  CCS news,  

Oregon State University
Date: 2022-01-10
In Corvallis, Oregon State University led researchers are touting a new three-dimensional, lanthanide-based metal organic framework (MOF) that can catalyze the production of cyclic carbonates while scrubbing CO2 from factory flue gases or from biogas -- a mix of carbon dioxide, methane and other gases.

A MOF is an inorganic-organic hybrid, a crystalline porous material made up of positively charged metal ions surrounded by organic "linker" molecules, in this case lanthanide metals and tetracarboxylate linkers. The metal ions make nodes that bind the linkers' arms to form a repeating structure that looks something like a cage; the structure has nanosized pores that adsorb gases, similar to a sponge. MOFs can be designed with a variety of components, which determine the MOF's properties.

Lanthanide-based materials are generally stable because of the relatively large size of lanthanide ions, as well with lanthanide MOFs, where the acidic metals form strong bonds with the linkers, keeping the MOFs stable in water and at high temperatures which is important because flue gases and biogas are hot as well as moisture rich.

Kyriakos.Stylianou@oregonstate.edu, www.oregonstate.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News Oregon State University,  Carbon Emissions,  CO2,  

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
Date: 2022-01-10
In Boston, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) last week reported plans to adopt California's accelerated truck standards requiring an increasing percentage of all medium- and heavy-duty trucks sold to be zero-emission starting in 2025. The regulations will require manufacturers to increase zero-emission truck sales in the state between 30 and 50 pct by 2030 and 40 and 75 pct by 2035.

The move will make Massachusetts one of five states -- including Washington, Oregon, New York, New Jersey -- to adopt California's stringent rules which call for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The move follows the collapse of a multi-state Transportation Climate Initiative which called for a cap-and-invest program targeting gas and diesel fuel consumption. TCI was projected to reduce regional emissions by as much as 26 pct in the next 11 years.

The transportation sector accounts for roughly 40 pct of the Bay State's total greenhouse gas emissions, according to the DEP. (Source: Mass. DEP, Jan., 2022) Contact: Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, 617-292-5500, www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-department-of-environmental-protection

More Low-Carbon Energy News Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection,  Transportation Emissions,  CO2 ,  

Archaea Energy
Date: 2022-01-10
Houston-headquartered renewable natural gas specialist Archaea Energy Inc is reporting the start-up of Project Assai, an RNG facility at the Keystone Sanitary Landfill in Dunmore, Pennsylvania. Pipeline-quality RNG has been produced and commercial operations were achieved on Dec. 30, 2021. Assai is now the highest capacity operational RNG facility in the world, according to the release.

Assai, which combines landfill gas flows from the Keystone Sanitary Landfill and the Waste Management Alliance Landfill, is expected to deliver over 4 million MMBtu per year of RNG Approximately 80 pct of the Assai total RNG volumes have been contracted on a long-term, fixed fee basis with FortisBC Energy Inc., Energir, L.P., and The Regents of the University of California, for periods of up to 20 years. The project is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by over 200,000 metric tpy, according to the release. (Source: Archaea Energy Inc, PR, Website, 3 Jan., 2022) Contact: Archaea Energy Inc., Nick Stork, CEO, 346-708-8272, info@archaea.energy, www.archaea.energy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Archaea Energy ,  RNG,  FortisBC Energy,  

Rhodium Group,Global Carbon Project
Date: 2022-01-10
According to a preliminary estimate released Monday by the NYC-based research and consultancy firm Rhodium Group, after falling 10 pct in 2020 U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from energy and industry rose 6.2 pct in 2021 as the economy began to recover from pandemic lows as pandemic related restrictions eased and economic activity picked up. The report notes that transport, the largest source of greenhouse gases in the country, saw its emissions increase by 10 pct in 2021 after a drop of 15 pct in 2020, due in part to an increase in the number of diesel trucks carrying goods to consumers as e-commerce has increased, with freight traffic exceeding pre-pandemic levels last year.

Coal-fired power plant emissions rose 17 pct in 2021 after dropping 19 pct in 2020. Prior to the pandemic, U.S. electric utilities replaced hundreds of coal-fired power plants with cheaper and cleaner natural gas, wind and solar power. In 2020, electricity use fell nationwide and many utilities ran their remaining coal plants much less often, as it was often the most expensive fuel. But in 2021 natural gas prices nearly doubled and many utilities returned to coal-fired power for electricity. According to the US Energy Information Administration , coal emissions will likely fall in 2022 if natural gas prices stabilize. Electric utilities have already announced plans to withdraw at least 28 pct of their remaining coal-fired power plants by 2035, and many have been turning to renewable energy at a record pace .

The Rhodium group report also notes emissions from heavy industry, such as cement and steel, rose 3.6 pct in 2021 after falling 6.2 pct in 2020. Emissions from buildings increased by 1.9 pct in 2021 after a 7.6 pct decrease in 2020. The report ignores the rise in emissions from last year's massive West Coast wildfires which burned millions of acres of forest and released the CO2 that had been locked in burning trees.

In November, the Global Carbon Project estimated that global CO2 emissions from energy and industry rose 4.9 pct in 2021, after falling 5.4 pct in 2020. China, India and the European Union have all seen large increases, suggesting that any climate effect of the pandemic has been fleeting. (Source: Rhodium Group, Jan., 2022) Contact: Rhodium Group, Kate Larsen, Partner , 212.532.1157, nyc@rhg,com, www.rhg.com; Global Carbon Project, +61-2-6246 5631, info@globalcarbonproject.org, www.globalcarbonproject.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News GHG,  CO2,  Global Carbon Project,  

Johnson Matthey
Date: 2022-01-07
In the UK, Johnson Matthey, a global leader in sustainable technologies, is reporting the launch of HyCOgen™ -- Reverse Water Gas Shift technology enabling the conversion of captured CO2 and green hydrogen into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

By combining HyCOgen with FT CANS Fischer Tropsch technology Johnson Matthey offers an integrated, scalable solution for use in the efficient and cost-effective production of renewable power based SAF.

HyCOgen is a catalysed process to convert green hydrogen and CO2 into carbon monoxide which is combined with additional hydrogen to form synthesis gas (syngas), a crucial building block in the manufacture of fuels and chemicals. The integration with the FT CANS technology provides an end to end, optimized and highly scalable process that turns over 95 pct of the CO2 into high quality synthetic crude oil that can be further upgraded into sustainable drop-in fuel products including SAF, renewable diesel and naphtha.

The scalability of the integrated HyCOgen/FT CANS solution enables cost-effective deployment across a wide range of project sizes -- from small-scale, fed by hydrogen from a single electrolyser, through to world-scale with multiple large electrolyser modules, according to the release. (Source: Johnson Matthey, Website, PR, 5 Jan., 2022) Contact: Johnson Matthey, Jane Toogood, Sector Chief Executive, group.info@matthey.com, www.matthey.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Johnson Matthey,  SAF,  CO2,  Syngas,  Renewable Diesel,  Carbon Capture,  Green Hydrogen,  

LafargeHolcim,Carbon Clean
Date: 2022-01-07
In Madrid, cement producer LafargeHolcim Espana is reporting the launch of ECCO2, a joint venture with London-headquartered Carbon Clean and Sistemas de Calor to develop carbon capture technology for use at the producer's Carboneras cement plant in Almería.

When commissioned in early 2023, the carbon capture system will capture 10 pct of the Carboneras plant's CO2 emissions that will be marketed plant for use as a gas in local agricultural greenhouse operations. (Source: LafargeHolcim Espana, PR World Cement, Jan., 2022) Contact: LafargeHolcim Espana, +34 912 13 31 00 www.lafargeholcim.es; Carbon Clean, Aniruddha Sharma, CEO, +44 20 3865 0638, www.carbonclean.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News LafargeHolcim,  Carbon Clean,  CCS CCUS,  Carbon Emissions,  

Bluesource, Locus Agricultural Solutions
Date: 2022-01-05
Salt Lake City-headquartered environmental services and carbon finance markets specialist Bluesource is touting its new Regenerative Agriculture Program that gives the agricultural industry opportunities to gain value from carbon reduction and sequestration practices while addressing the challenge of climate change.

The Bluesource Regenerative Agriculture Program is now underway through two collaborating partnerships on an initial 320,000 acres of U.S. farmland. A $5 million investment by Green Star Royalties, subsidiary of Star Royalties Ltd finances Bluesource's ability to provide upfront payments to farmers enrolling in the CarbonNOW® carbon farming program developed by Solon, Ohio-headquartered Locus Agricultural Solutions (Locus AG).

Bluesource verifies the sequestered soil carbon and is marketing the associated carbon credits in the voluntary carbon market. It is estimated that this initial project will mitigate over 500,000 metric tpy of CO2e. (Source: Bluesource, Website PR, 17 Dec., 2021) Contact: Bluesource, 801 322 4750 , www.bluesource.com;Locus Agricultural Solutions, (888) 331-5008, info@locusag.com, www.locusag.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Credits.,  Carbon Capture,  Soil Carbon,  Carbon Seqestration,  

WAGA Energy
Date: 2022-01-05
Maylan, France-headquartered WAGA Energy, a producer of Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) from landfill gas, and Steuben County, New York are reporting an agreement for the development of an RNG project at the Town of Bath municipal solid waste landfill.

Waga Energy will fund, build, operate and maintain the landfill gas upgrading unit using its patented WAGABOX® technology to produce grid compliant biomethane (RNG).

The WAGABOX unit, which is slated to be commissioned by March 2023, will purify 1,000 standard cubic feet per minute of raw landfill gas to deliver 207,000 mmBtu (60 GWh) of RNG for residential consumption or used as a transportation fuel while saving an estimated 13,500 tpy of CO2.

WAGA Energy, which has three international subsidiaries -- Philadelphia, Penna., Shawinigan Quebec, and Barcelona, Spain -- estimates there are 20,000 waste storage sites around the world -- with roughly 4,200 in North America -- and that less than 1 pct of the gas produced is currently converted into biomethane. (Source: WAGA Energy, Steuben Count NY, Joint PR, Jan., 2022)Contact: WAGA Energy, Marie-Amelie Richel, Administrative & Financial Director , Laurent Barbotin, laurant.barbotin@waga-energy.com, www.waga-energy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News WAGA Energy,  RNG,  Landfill Gas,  Biomethane,  

EBRD, EU
Date: 2022-01-05
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union (EU) Regional Energy Efficiency Programme are reporting a €6 million ($6.8 million) combined loan and grant package to support energy efficiency in 20 public buildings in the Serb Republic. Of the total, the EBRD will lend the country €4.5 million and the EU will provide a €1.0 million grant and additional €500,000 in technical assistance .

The financial package will fund thermal insulation, new windows, upgraded HVAC systems, energy efficient lighting and other measures that are expected to reduce the buildings' annual CO2 emissions by 90 pct, heat consumption by around 80 pct and electricity consumption by 63 pct. The public buildings will share at least 50 pct of their energy savings during the loan tenor with the Serb Republic's Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, which will help them with the repayment of the loans. (Source: EBRD, SeeNews, 4 Jan., 2022) Contact: EBRD, www.ebrd.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News EBRD,  EU,  Energy Efficiency,  

Valmet Oyi
Date: 2022-01-03
Espoo, Finland-headquartered Valmet Oyi reports it will supply a new CFB (circulating fluidized bed) biomass boiler and flue gas cleaning system to Tahara Biomass Power LLC in Tahara, Japan. This is the sixth order for Valmet's CFB boiler to the Japanese market since 2016, according to Valmet.

JFE Engineering Corporation will be the EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contractor for the Tahara Biomass Power Plant. Work is slated to get underway in 2023 for operations in 2025. 2025.

The new CFB boiler will enable the customer's power plant to achieve a stable power supply at high thermal efficiency while significantly reducing CO2 emissions, according to the release. (Source: Valmet, PR, Dec., 2021) Contact: JFE Engineering Corporation, www.jfe-eng.co.jp/en; Valmet, +358 4 0505 2001, www.valmet.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Valmet Oyi,  Woody Biomass,  Wood Pellet,  Biomass Boiler,  

BayWa r.e.
Date: 2021-12-31
German enewable energy developer and services provider BayWa r.e. and Espoo, Finland-based global food packaging specialist Huhtamaki Oyi are reporting a 10-year Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) for two new BayWa r.e. solar projects in Spain.

The agreement for 200 GWh per year of green power will cover approximately 80 pct of Huhtamaki's electric power needs in Europe and is equivalent to an annual saving of over 89,000 tons of CO2, and enough electricity to power almost 25,000 households per year. Huhtamaki is targeting carbon neutral production and 100 pct renewable electric power by 2030. (Source: BayWa r.e., Website PR 20 Dec., 2021) Contact: Huhtamaki, Charles Heaulme, Pres., CEO , www.huhtamaki.com; BayWa r.e., www.baywa-re.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News BayWa r.e.,  Solar,  

International Energy Agency
Date: 2021-12-31
"Our numbers show that reaching net-zero goals without CCS will be almost impossible." -- International Energy Agency , Exec. Dir. Fatih Birol

The IEA's Sustainable Development Scenario requires a hundredfold increase in CCS between now and 2050 to achieve the world's climate goals -- going from 40 million tpy of CO2 stored today to 5.6 billion tonnes in just 30 years time.

More Low-Carbon Energy News International Energy Agency news,  CCS news,  

China
Date: 2021-12-29
In Beijing, the China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is reporting China's commitment to peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060 is both national and regional in character.

The Ministry notes various levels of government are adopting low-carbon policies for green zero-carbon and zero-emission clean energy heating, increased energy efficiency, decreased use of fossil fuels and increased use of renewable energy, carbon capture and storage (CCS), green and low-carbon logistics and infrastructure and other initiatives tailored to local conditions and industries which are exploring their own green development paths to achieve climate goals. (Source: China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Xinhua, 29 Dec., 2021) Contact: China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, http://english.www.gov.cn/state_council/2014/08/23/content_281474983035940.htm

More Low-Carbon Energy News China Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change,  CO2,  

Heliogen, DOE SETO
Date: 2021-12-22
Pasadena, California-headquartered concentrated solar specialist Heliogen, Inc. reports receipt of $39 million from the U.S. DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) to deploy its AI-enabled concentrated solar technology at a commercial-scale facility in California.

The DOE funds will support the implementation of Heliogen's unique concentrated solar technology which couples its AI-powered heliostat field with a supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) power cycle. The heliostat field will efficiently generate higher temperatures than traditional concentrated solar, enabling the cost-effective integration of a sCO2 power cycle. Steam-based power cycles are typically used in thermal energy plants to convert heat into electricity, but advanced sCO2 cycles will reach higher efficiencies at lower cost with a smaller footprint and reduced water use, according to Heliogen.

Heliogen's AI-enabled, modular concentrated solar technology aims to cost-effectively deliver near 24/7 carbon-free energy in the form of heat, power, or green hydrogen fuel at scale -- for the first time in history.

The DOE SETO supports projects that are expected to improve the affordability, reliability and value of solar technologies on the U.S. grid and tackle emerging challenges in the solar industry. (Source: Heliogen, Website PR, 20 Dec., 2021) Contact: Heliogen, Bill Gross, Founder & CEO, www.heliogen.com; DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office, 202-287-1862, solar@ee.doe.gov, www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-energy-technologies-office

More Low-Carbon Energy News Concentrated Solar,  Heliogen,  DOE SETO,  

DRAX
Date: 2021-12-22
In the UK, North Yorkshire-based biomass power producer DRAX, which plans to invest roughly £40 million in the first phase of its bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) project, reports the selection of engineering, project management and construction firm Worley to begin the Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) phase early next year. Worley may also work on the subsequent design and build phases of the BECCS project, subject to contract.

The announcement follows DRAX's previously reported decision to partner with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group as its technology partner. With an effective negative emissions policy and investment framework from the government, BECCS could be deployed at DRAX as soon as 2027 -- delivering the UK's largest carbon capture project and permanently removing millions of tpy of CO2 from the atmosphere, according to DRAX. (Source: DRAX, Website PR, 15 Dec., 2021) Contact: DRAX Group, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com; Worley, Chris Ashton, CEO, (713) 892-0999 -- Houston Office, www.worley.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News DRAX,  Worley,  Woody Biomass,  BECCS,  

Saskatchewan Ministry of Energy and Resources
Date: 2021-12-22
On the Canadian prairies, the Province of Saskatchewan Ministry of Energy and Resources inaugural Oil and Gas Emissions Management Regulations (OGEMR) Annual Emissions Report notes methane emissions from vented and flared gas at upstream oil facilities in Saskatchewan totaled 5.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in 2020 -- a 5.7 Mt CO2e reduction -- a nearly 50 pct drop from 2015 levels of 10.9 Mt. equivalent to taking more than 1.1 million cars off Saskatchewan roads for a year.

In 2019, the Saskatchewan Government released its Methane Action Plan (MAP) aimed at reducing methane emissions by 40 to 45 pct from 2015 levels by 2025. In 2021 the Government announced $500,000 to support innovative R&D carried out by the Saskatchewan Research Council, applied to measuring gas volumes and monitoring emissions in the oil and gas sector as well as issued a five-year moratorium on associated gas royalties aimed at encouraging the gas sector to invest in methane reduction projects. (Source: Sask. Ministry of Energy and Resources, Discover Weyburn, 21 Dec., 2021) Contact: Sask. Ministry of Energy and Resources, Bronwyn Eyre, Minister, 306-787-0804 www.saskatchewan.ca/government/government-structure/ministries/energy-and-resources

More Low-Carbon Energy News Methane Emissions,  GHGs,  CO2,  

GreenGasUSA
Date: 2021-12-22
In Durham, North Carolina, Duke University and Charleston, South Carolina-based have announced a 20-year partnership under which Duke will purchase of renewable natural gas (RNG) which will be used to achieve carbon neutrality at the University's Campus.

Renewable Natural Gas is produced by capturing methane which is 28 times more damaging to the atmosphere greater than CO2. As demand for renewable sources of energy continues to increase, GreenGasUSA is committed towards partnering with world class educational institutions and businesses that are committed to environmental stewardship and improving technologies and processes to further reduce carbon emissions. (Source: GreenGasUSA, Website PR, Dec., 2021) Contact: GrenGasUSA, (307) 201-3516. sales@greengasusa.com, www.greengasusa.com; Duke University, www.duke.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News GreenGasUSA,  RNG,  

Mote Hydrogn,CarbonCure
Date: 2021-12-20
California-based climatetech company Mote Hydrogen reports it is constructing a facility in California's Central Valley to convert woody biomass and agricultural wastes into hydrogen fuel while also capturing, using, and sequestering (CCUS) CO2 emissions that result from its process.

The company's process heats biomass in a limited-oxygen environment to above 1500 degree F, converting it to a mixture of gases that is reacted, separated, and purified into hydrogen for sale as a transportation fuel and CO2 for storage. The remaining ash is sold as a fertilizer additive.

Mote is in talks with Nova Scotia-headquartered CarbonCure Technologies on the potential of permanently storing its CO2 in concrete using CarbonCure's carbon removal technology, which is used in CO2 mineralization systems at concrete plants.

Engineering work on the facility, which is expected to produce around 7 million KGs of hydrogen and remove 150,000 metric tpy of CO2, is underway for an expected start-up in 2024. (Source: Mote Hydrogen, Website PR, Dec., 2021) Contact: Mote, hello@motehydrogen.com, www.motehydrogen.com; CarbonCure Technologies, Robert Niven, CEO, (902) 442-4020, info@carboncure.com, www.carboncure.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CarbonCure,  Mote Hydrogen Woody Biomass,  CCUS,  Hydrogen,  

Pennsylvania, RGGI
Date: 2021-12-17
Further to our 28 February, 2020 coverage, on Wednesday in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's GOP-controlled House voted to approve a resolution designed to block Gov. Tom Wolf's (D) ongoing effort to bring the Keystone State into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) fold. Wolf is expected to veto the House measure which failed to muster a two-thirds majority that would have prevented a veto.

Under RGGI, participating states establish a regional cap on CO2 emissions, with the cap adjusted downward over time to reduce emissions further. Large fossil-fuel emitters essentially buy allowances for carbon they emit through an auction.

Pennsylvania currently has the fifth-highest emitting energy sector in the nation. Under RGGI, the state's CO2 emissions would be reduced by 31 pct compared to 2019 levels. The final form regulation will cap emissions at 78 million tons in 2022 and would be gradually lowered to 58 million tons in 2030.

RGGI began with Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont, and more recently added New Jersey and Virginia. (Source: Office of the Governor, Enquirer, 16 Dec., 2021) Contact: RGGI, www.rggi.org; Office of Penna. Gov. Tom Wolf, 717-787-2500,www.governor.pa.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News Tom Wolf,  RGGI,  Climate Change,  Carbon Emissions,  Pennsylvania RGGI,  Carbon Credits,  

Seagrass
Date: 2021-12-17
A new study by an international team of researchers led by Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon has found that some tropical seagrass meadows absorb significantly less carbon dioxide than previously thought and are accordingly less effective in removing and sequestering atmospheric CO2 and fighting climate change than previously thought.

In the warm tropical waters, the metabolic processes of seagrass converts dissolved carbonates to lime which trickles to the seafloor. This results in the loss of carbonate, which would otherwise bind carbon dioxide. "The result is that these seagrass meadows hardly bind any carbon dioxide. On the contrary, they tend to release carbon dioxide through various other biochemical processes," according to Prof. Helmuth Thomas, Director of the Hereon Institute of Carbon Cycles and a coauthor of the study. (Source: Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Dec., 2021) Contact: Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Prof. Helmuth Thomas, Director of the Hereon Institute of Carbon Cycles, www.hereon.de/index.php.en, Hereon Institute of Carbon Cycles, www.hereon.de/institutes/carbon_cycles/index.php.en

More Low-Carbon Energy News Blue Carbon,  Seagrass,  CO2,  Carbon Emissions,  Carbon Sink. Carbon Storage,  

ESG Clean Energy,Ethatec GmbH
Date: 2021-12-15
West Springfield, Mass.-based ESG Clean Energy LLC, a developer of net-zero, distributed power generation and clean energy manufacturing solutions, is reporting a letter of intent (LOI) with Weselburg, Germany-based Ethatec GmbH for the use of ESG's patented CO2-free power generation technology to power its production of ethanol.

Ethatec's process crushes bakery waste and other starch-based food products mixed with water and enzymes then heated in a multi-stage mashing process to "saccharify" the starch. It is then cooled and fed into fermentation tanks. Yeast is then added for alcoholic fermentation of the sugar and after 72 hours, the mixture is fed to a distillation system where ethanol is obtained. Ethatec's process can also produce biogas and nitrogen fertilizer.

By using the ESG Clean Energy carbon-capture power generation system, Ethatec will be able to use natural gas to power their manufacturing plants while achieving a net-zero carbon footprint. (Source: ESG Clean Energy, Website PR, Dec., 2021) Contact: ESG Clean Energy, (413) 272-2135, www.ESGcleanEnergy.com; Ethatec GmbH, : +49 1512 5217803, www.ethatec.de

More Low-Carbon Energy News ESG Clean Energy,  Ethatec GmbH,  Ethanol,  

Waga Energy
Date: 2021-12-13
Meylan, France-based landfill gas-to-biomethane specialist Waga Energy is reporting receipt o fa € 10.4 million non-recourse loan from BNP Paribas, Banque Populaire Grand Ouest, and Meridiam, an investment fund specializing in public infrastructure finance, to a "special vehicle" (SPV) company to refinance four WAGABOX® biomethane units located in France.

Waga Energy operates 10 WAGABOX® units on storage sites run by French industrial players and local authorities. These units, which offer a maximum installed capacity of 225 GWh/year, can power around 35,000 homes and avoid the emission of 45,000 tpy of CO2e -- equivalent to the annual emissions of around 17,000 cars. The company has 10 new units under construction, including one in Spain and two in Canada, which will bring the company's maximum installed capacity to 475 GWh/year within 18 months.

Waga Energy, which has three international subsidiaries -- Philadelphia, Penna., Shawinigan Quebec, and Barcelona, Spain -- estimates there are 20,000 waste storage sites around the world -- with roughly 4,200 in North America -- and that less than 1 pct of the gas produced is currently converted into biomethane. (Source: Waga Energy, PR, 3 Dec., 2021) Contact: Waga-Energy, Marie-Amelie Richel, Administrative & Financial Director , Laurent Barbotin, laurant.barbotin@waga-energy.com, www.waga-energy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Waga Bioenergy,  Biomethane,  Biogas,  

S&P Global Platts
Date: 2021-12-13
S&P Global Platts is reporting the launch of carbon-neutral hydrogen (CNH) price assessments at six locations around the globe, reflecting the carbon-accounted market value of the energy carrier in key hubs impartially between production pathways.

The assessments consider carbon-neutral trading activity which avoid, remove or offset CO2 emissions in the production of hydrogen such as electrolysis and methane reforming combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS). The assessments reflect the carbon-neutral value of hydrogen as it leaves the production facility at key hubs in Northwest Europe, the Middle East, Far East Asia, Australia, California and the US Gulf Coast.

The first assessments of Platts Carbon Neutral Hydrogen were published Dec. 9, with regional differentials already evident. CNH prices in the US were the lowest across the selection, with Platts USGC CNH priced at $1.70/kg. In the Asia-Pacific Region Platts CNH was assessed at $3.45/kg on an ex-works basis Australia, versus the Middle East CNH assessment of $4.05/kg. The Far East CNH price was much higher with a carbon neutral hydrogen price of $7.95/kg, while the assessment for CNH NW Europe was €7.35/kg ($8.30/kg).

S&P Global Platts Analytics Hydrogen Production Asset Database shows a pipeline of around 20 million mt of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen production coming online by 2030, should all announced projects be realized. (Source: S&P Global Platts, PR, 9 Dec., 2021) Contact: S&P Global Platts, www.spglobal.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Platts,  Carbon Neutral,  Hydrogen,  

International Council on Clean Transportation,
Date: 2021-12-13
"With strong policy actions, it is possible to reduce (India's) CO2 emissions to half the present level by 2050. This possibility is despite the travel demand more than doubling by then." -- International Council on Clean Transportation, Dec., 2021, www.theicct.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News International Council on Clean Transportation news,   news,  

Fortescue, AGL
Date: 2021-12-10
In the Land Down Under, East Perth headquartered Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) and power producer and retailer AGL Energy are reporting an agreement to undertake a feasibility study to repurpose infrastructure at the Hunter Valley's Liddell and Bayswater coal-fired power stations in New South Wales (NSW) to generate green hydrogen. The Liddell and Bayswater power stations currently account for over 40 pct of NSW's CO2 emissions, according to 2019 National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting data.

Repurposing of these sites will supercharge NSW to meet its target of halving its emissions by 2030, and prove the role of green hydrogen in decarbonising and demethaning energy and industry in Australia.

. Pending a feasibility study outcome, initial wind and solar power production could be in the 250 MW range and generate 30,000 tpy of green hydrogen -- sufficient for a hydrogen fueled truck to drive to the moon and back five times. Power for the electrolyser will come from new wind, solar, and supported by new pumped hydro and batteries, generated by FFI, AGL and other parties. (Source: Fortescue Future Industries, PR, 8 Dec., 2021) Contact: AGL Graeme Hunt, CEO, Managing , Fortescue Future Industries, Julie Shuttleworth, CEO, +61 8 6218 8888, Facsimile: +61 8 6218 8880, www.fmgl.com.au; AGL Energy, www.agl.com.au

More Low-Carbon Energy News Fortescue,  AGL Energy,  Green HYdrogen,  

Japan GHG
Date: 2021-12-10
In Tokyo, the Japan Ministry of the Environment is reporting the country's greenhouse gas emissions dropped 5.1 pct to 1.149 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in the 2020 financial year that ended March 2021 from a 1.211 billion tonnes low the previous year, to hit their lowest since the 1990 .

In April, Japan, the world's fifth-biggest carbon emitter, raised its climate goal, pledging to trim emissions by 46 pct, instead of it previous target of 26 pct on 2013 levels to 0.76 billion tonnes by 2030. The latest figure represents a reduction of 18.4 per cent from 2013 levels. (Source: Japan Ministry of the Environment, Website PR, 10 Dec., 2021) Contact: Japan Ministry of the Environment, www.env.go.jp/en .

More Low-Carbon Energy News Japan news,  GHG news,  Carbon Emissions news,  

ArcelorMittal Expands LanzaTech
Date: 2021-12-10
Steel production giant ArcelorMittal SA is reporting a $30 million investment in carbon recycling company, LanzaTech through its XCarb™ innovation fund.

The investment further expands ArcelorMittal's relationship with LanzaTech, which commenced in 2015 when the Company first announced plans to utilize LanzaTech's carbon capture and re-use technology at its plant in Ghent, Belgium. The €180 million Carbalyst® plant -- ArcelorMittal's flagship carbon capture and re-use technology project -- is currently under construction foe commissioning in late 2022.

LanzaTech's gas fermentation technology captures carbon-rich waste gases from the steelmaking process and converts them into sustainable fuels and chemicals, the plant will reduce ArcelorMittal Ghent's CO2e emissions by 125,000 tpy and produce 80 million lpy of bio-ethanol that can be blended with traditional gasoline and used as a low-carbon alternative transportation fuel. LanzaTech is also developing technology to convert captured emissions into a range of other chemical building blocks to make useful materials, such as textiles, rubber, and packaging. (Source: ArcelorMittal, PR, Dec., 2021) Contact: ArcelorMittal , +44 20 7543 1128, www. corporate.arcelormittal.com; LanzaTech, Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, CEO, (630) 439-3050, jennifer@lanzatech.com, www.lanzatech.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News ArcelorMittal ,  LanzaTech,  Ethanol,  Alternative Fuels,  CCS,  

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering
Date: 2021-12-06
In Japan, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering (MHI ENG) is reporting receipt of an order from plant construction and maintenance firm Taihei Dengyo Kaisha for a compact 0.3 tpd CO2 capture system for installation at a 7 NW biomass power plant in Hiroshima.

The CO2 capture technology adopted in the new system is the KM CDR Process™ -- jointly developed by MHI ENG and Kansai Electric Power Co, -- employs high performance KS-1™amine solvent.

To date, MHI ENG has delivered 13 commercial plants using the KM CDR Process globally and has two under construction, according to the release. (Source: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, PR, Dec., 2021) Contact: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, www.mhi.com/group/mhieng

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering,  

DRAX
Date: 2021-12-03
In the UK, Yorkshire-based biomass power producer DRAX CEO Will Gardner has announce: "Drax has made excellent progress during 2021 providing a firm foundation for further growth. We have advanced our Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) project -- a vital part of the East Coast Cluster that was recently selected to be one of the UK's two priority CCS projects. And we're now setting out a strategy to take the business forward, enabling DRAX to make an even greater contribution to global efforts to reach net zero.

"We believe DRAX can deliver growth and become a global leader in sustainable biomass and negative emissions and a UK leader in dispatchable, renewable generation. We aim to double our sustainable biomass production capacity by 2030 -- creating opportunities to double our sales to Asia and Europe, where demand for biomass is increasing as countries transition away from coal.

"As a global leader in negative emissions, we're going to scale up our ambitions internationally. DRAX is now targeting 12 million tonnes of carbon removals each year by 2030 by using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). This includes the negative emissions we can deliver at Drax Power Station in the UK and through potential new-build BECCS projects in North America and Europe, supporting a new sector of the economy, which will create jobs, clean growth and exciting export opportunities", according to DRAX CEO Will Gardiner. To that end, DRAX has announced:

New woody biomass pellet production and sales targets -- increased biomass pellet production targeting 8Mt pa by 2030 (currently c.4Mt) and biomass pellet sales to third parties targeting 4Mt pa by 2030 (currently c.2Mt)

Continued progress with UK BECCS and biomass cost reduction -- BECCS at DRAXPower Station -- Biomass cost reduction -- continuing to target biomass production cost of $100/t

£3 billion investment in 2022-30 growth opportunities -- investment in pellet production, UK BECCS, pumped energy storage, and construction of new BECCS facilities.

Targeting 4Mt pa of negative CO2 emissions outside of UK by 2030. (Source: DRAX, Website PR, 1 Dec., 2021) Contact: DRAX Group, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News DRAX,  Biomass,  Woody Biomass,  Wood Pellet,  BECCS,  

Germany
Date: 2021-12-01
In Germany, the newly installed coalition government of Olaf Scholtz reports it will ensure that the CO2 tax (price) on industrial production and electric power generation does not fall below €60 ($67.60) per ton and that half of all heat will be generated in a climate-neutral manner by 2030.

Additionally, the coalition government has pledged it will phase out coal-fired power generation by the end of the decade and increase the share of renewable energy in the country's energy mix to 80 pct by 2030. The coalition also committed to to ensuring that fully 2 pct of the country's land area is available for onshore wind energy and to increase offshore wind energy capacity to at least 30 GW by 2030. It will also abolish the renewable energy surcharge and eliminate energy subsidies. (Source: Federal Network Agency Bundesnetzagentur. Mercon India, 30 Nov., 2021)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Coal,  Renewable Energy,  Carbon Tax,  

EDF, RWE
Date: 2021-12-01
Paris-headquartered energy giant EDF is reporting a 15-year PPA for he purchase of all 6.5 TWh of electricity generated by Essen, Germany-based RWE's 1.4GW Sofia offshore wind farm in the Dogger Bank region of the North Sea. The PPA equates to almost half of the annual electric power used in the North East of England -- sufficient to power over 1.2 million homes.

The 100-turbine Sofia offshore wind project is slated to begin generating power in 2025 and to achieve full power production in 2026 when it is expected to save roughly 2.5 million tpy of CO2, according to the release. (Source: EDF, Website, PR, Business Green, 30 Nov., 2021) Contact: EDF Renewables, +33 (0)1 40 42 22 22, www.edf.fr/en/the-edf-group; RWE AG, Roger Miesen, Generation CEO, +49(0)201-5179-0, F+49(0)201-5179-5005, www.group.rwe

More Low-Carbon Energy News EDF,  RWE,  Offshore Wind,  

European Union, Eurostat
Date: 2021-12-01
In Brussels, the European Union's statistics agency Eurostat is reporting the 27-member trading bloc's greenhouse gas emissions in Q2, 2021, totaled 867 million tones of CO2-equivalents (CO2-eq) -- up 18 pct from the same quarter in the previous year, due to the effect of the COVID pandemic economic rebound .

The economic sectors responsible for most GHG emissions were manufacture and construction (34 pct of the total), electric power generation (19 pct), agriculture (14 pct), transportation services (8 pct ) and services other than transportation (8 pct). Households emitted 101 million tonnes CO2-eq for their transport (12 pct) plus 52 million tonnes CO2-eq for heating and other purposes (6 pct).

Despite the effect of the economic rebound between the second quarters of 2020 and 2021, the long-term trend of EU greenhouse gas emissions displays a steady reduction, the report notes. (Source: Eurostat, Website PR, Nov., Dec., 2021) Contact: Eurostat, ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/ddn-20211129-1

More Low-Carbon Energy News GHG,  European Union,  Cargon Emissions,  EU Emissions,  

Purpose Investments
Date: 2021-11-29
In Toronto, Canadian asset manager Purpose Investments is touting two new cryptocurrency-based exchange-trading funds (ETFs) that offer carbon offsetting to investors. Exchange-traded funds are public trade, limited liability and passively managed investment funds that have many benefits such as performance, versatility and security.

Purpose Investments has partnered with Patch to help measure the carbon footprint of crypto wallets and provide carbon removal solutions. The objective is to invest in controlled carbon offset schemes with the aim of providing carbon neutral exposure to customers BTC. Some of the projects it invests in include direct air carbon capture, biomass, mineralization or CO2 removal, forestry, marine composting and soil management. (Source: Purpose Investments, PR, WSC, 28 Nov., 2021) Contact: Purpose Investments, 877-789-1517, www.purposeinvest.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Purpose Investments,  Carbon Neutral,  

Date: 2021-11-29
In Ottawa, Canada's independent parliamentary watchdog Jerry DeMarco reports Canadian carbon / greenhouse gas emissions have risen more than 20 pct since 1990 making Canada the "worst performer" of all G7 nations since the COP15 Paris Agreement.

DeMarco pointed to, for example, a government fund to help Canada's oil and gas sector slash their CO2 emissions. Some 40 funded projects allowed companies to increase their production and related emissions.

Although Canada only represents roughly 1.6 pct of global CO2 emissions, it is among the 10 largest emitters globally and one of the highest emitters per capita. Canada is also the world's fourth largest producer and exporter of oil and, while domestic consumption declines, fossil fuel production for export is expected grow.

The watch dog also noted that the Lib. Gov. of PM Justin Trudeau hasn't issued an updated climate plan since 2019.

Canada is aiming to cut emissions by 40 to 45 pct below 2005 levels by 2030. (Source: CBC, Japan Today, Various Media, 28 Nov., 2021)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissions,  

Hydrogen
Date: 2021-11-29
Procuring hydrogen requires its separation from other elements through chemical processes that require energy and have varying degrees of impact on the environment and climate change.

Gray hydrogen is produced by reforming natural gas, a processing technique used to rearrange the molecular structure of hydrocarbons. In this process, methane is mixed with steam at a high temperature to yield hydrogen and CO2 through a catalytic chemical reaction.

Roughly 10 kg of CO2 is released into the atmosphere for every 1 kg of gray hydrogen produced, making it the least renewable form of hydrogen with an overall negative climate impact, much like drilling for oil or mining coal. Gray hydrogen is seen as a "bridging" energy alternative and is relatively inexpensive and commonly used in the chemical industry to make fertilizer and for refining oil.

Blue Hydrogen uses the same chemical processing technique used to make gray hydrogen. The difference, however, is the management of CO2. With blue hydrogen, the CO2 is captured at the production facility and stored separately.

Blue hydrogen has a significantly lower CO2 impact on the environment than gray hydrogen, but the blue hydrogen process but does not eliminate carbon emissions into the atmosphere entirely.

Green Hydrogen production process employs electrolysis -- the separation of hydrogen and oxygen molecules by applying electrical energy to water. Utilizing renewable energy sources to generate the electricity for this process is the key to making green hydrogen. This technique yields a closed loop of sustainable energy free of harmful emissions. (Source: JD Power, Sept., 2021)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Hydrogen,  

DRAX
Date: 2021-11-26
Further to our Sept. 24 coverage, in the UK, Yorkshire-headquartered DRAX Group CEO Will Gardiner this week announced the company is considering building a biomass plant in the US whose power generation will absorb more emissions than it creates.

Drax is currently developing bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology for its plant in North Yorkshire, UK. The technology could permanently remove 8 million tpy of CO2 from the atmosphere annually, accelerate economic growth for the Yorkshire and Humber region and put the region at the heart of a global green economy, said Drax. It is hoped the BECCS technology at Drax Power Station near Selby will be operational by 2027. (Source: DRAX, 23 Nov., 2021) Contact: DRAX Group, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News DRAX,  Woody Biomass,  Wood Pellet,  bioenergy with carbon capture and storage ,  

Enel Group
Date: 2021-11-26
According to Rome-headquartered energy giant Enel Group, "the world's journey towards Net Zero is under way and the processes of decarbonization and electrification of the global economy are key to avoiding the serious repercussions of a rise in temperatures above 1.5 degrees C. The most recently published scenarios agree that, to reach ambitious climate targets, the electrification of energy uses should accelerate together with a massive deployment of carbon-free energy.

"Over the past ten years, renewables have become mainstream in power generation, allowing decarbonization to proceed at a faster pace. In addition, the next decade will be crucial to the achievement of the targets set by the Paris Agreement in 2015.

This period is also set to be characterized by growing actions towards electrification, through which customers progressively switch their energy consumption towards electricity, lower power consumption and costs, improving energy efficiency and lower their carbon emission footprint. Enel has set its strategic actions accordingly:

The Enel Group Plan focuses on four strategic lines: (i) allocating capital to support a decarbonized electricity supply; (ii) enabling electrification of customer energy demand; (iii) leveraging full value chain's value creation; (iv) bringing forward Sustainable Net Zero.

Enel expects to mobilize total investments of €210 billion between 2021 and 2030, of which €170 billion directly invested by the Enel Group (+6 pct on the previous Plan) and €40 billion catalyzed through third parties.

Between 2020 and 2030, Group Ordinary EBITDA is expected to increase at a 5-6 pct Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) while Group Net Ordinary Income is expected to increase at a 6-7 pct CAGR.

The Group brings forward its Net Zero commitment by 10 years, from 2050 to 2040, both for direct and indirect emissions.

The value created by the Group for customers is expected to bring an up to 40 pct reduction in their energy spending, alongside an up to 80 pct reduction of their CO2 footprint1 by 2030.

In 2024, Group Ordinary EBITDA is expected to reach €21.0-21.6 billion compared to €18.7-19.3 billion estimated in 2021. Group Net Ordinary Income is expected to increase to €6.7-6.9 billion in 2024, compared to €5.4-5.6 billion estimated in 2021.

Enel's dividend policy for the period remains simple, predictable and attractive. Shareholders are expected to receive a fixed Dividend Per Share that is planned to increase by 13 pct up to € 0.43 per share, between 2021 and 2024.

The planned growth in earnings, coupled with the underlying Dividend Yield, is expected to translate into a 2022-2024 Total Return of around 13 pct. (Source: Enel Group, Website PR, 24 Nov., 2021) Contact: Enel Group, Francesco Starace, CEO, www.enel.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Enel Group,  Net Zero Emissions,  Decarbonization,  Renewable Energy,  Energy Efficiency,  

University of Calgary
Date: 2021-11-26
In Alberta, Canada, the University of Calgary is reporting the school's Practical Electrochemical Air Capture (PEACH) research team of chemists, engineers, legal scholars, and geoscientists has received $100,000 funding from the Scotiabank Net Zero Research Fund to assess feasible approaches to their carbon dioxide removal (CDR) in marine regions.

The PEACH team is focused on development and assessment of a new technology that could store atmospheric carbon long-term as bicarbonate in the ocean. The two-year project, which is now in technology development phase, introduces a novel approach to safely change near-surface seawater chemistry to promote natural uptake of carbon dioxide in the ocean. The team recognizes the importance of developing a platform while maintaining viable biospheres in the marine environment, aiming to develop their approach while maintaining the health and well-being of marine ecosystems. The project will consider everything from technical scaling to marine governance and policy in terms of CDR approaches.

Recognizing this need for socially desirable solutions to climate change, professor Anna-Maria Hubert is a key part of the PEACH team, researching and advising on social policy, governance, and legal parameters. As a legal scholar with a background in international and environmental law, Hubert's work is concerned with how law and governance can develop to respond to emerging science and technologies. (Source: University of Calgary, PR, 16 Nov., 2021) Contact: University of Calgary, PEACH, Prof. Dr. Stephen Larter, PhD, Team Leader, (403) 220-7484, www.ucalgary.ca/prg/research/energy-transition/peach

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissions,  Carbon Capture,  CCS,  

Viridos, ExxonMobil
Date: 2021-11-24
La Jolla, California based Viridos Inc. -- fka Synthetic Genomics -- is reporting an agreement with Clinton, New Jersey -headquartered ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company with the intent to bring Viridos' low-carbon intensity biofuels toward commercial levels. According to the release, "recent productivity advances in Viridos' technology are an opportunity to turn CO2 into renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), providing an essential component for the decarbonization of the heavy-duty transportation industry."

Founded in 2005 by leaders in synthetic biology, Viridos is a powerhouse for innovative research, transplanting the first genome, synthesizing the first bacterial genome and creating the first synthetic cell. In the past few years Viridos' leadership in engineering microalgae has achieved greater than 5x bio-oil productivity increases by increasing both the oil content in the algae and the algae yield. The results from outdoor deployment of Viridos' bio-engineered strains in 2020 and 2021 mark the inflection point toward deployment," according to the release.

Viridos is a privately held biotechnology company harnessing the power of photosynthesis to create transformative solutions to mitigate climate change. Our unparalleled understanding of algal genetics and ability to translate innovation from lab to field underpins our initial deployment: a scalable platform to produce low-carbon intensity biofuels for aviation, commercial trucking, and maritime shipping, according to the Viridos website. (Source: Viridos, Website PR, 19 Nov., 2021) Contact: Viridos. Dr. Oliver Fetzer, CEO, 858.754.2900, www.viridos.com; ExxonMobil Research and Engineering, Vijay Swarup, VP, R&D, 908-735-7102, www.corporate.exxonmobil.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Synthetic Genomics ,  microalgae,  Viridos,  ExxonMobil ,  Algae Biofuel,  Biofuel,  

Air Liquide, BASF
Date: 2021-11-24
Air Liquide and BASF report plans to jointly develop one of the world's largest cross-border carbon capture and storage (CCS) value chains to significantly reduce CO2 emissions at the industrial cluster in the Port of Antwerp, Belgium. The joint project, Kairos@C, is being funded by the European Commission Innovation Fund.

Air Liquide will use its patented Cryocap™ technology and, for drying CO2, BASF will apply its Sorbead® solution. The project is planned to be operational in 2025.

Besides combining CO2 capture, liquefaction, transportation and storage on a large-scale in the North Sea, the project will also be connected to shared CO2 transport and export infrastructures, including a CO2 liquefaction and export terminal, which will be built under the framework of Antwerp@C, a consortium that aims to halve CO2 emissions in the Port of Antwerp by 2030. Kairos@C is expected to avoid 14.2 million tonnes of CO2 over the first 10 years of operation and significantly contribute to the EU's goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050.Air Liquide and BASF are founding members of Antwerp@C. (Source: BASF, AirLiquide, PR, Websites, Nov., 2021) Contact: Air Liquide, Corporate Communications, +33 (0)1 40 62 58 49, media@airliquide.com, www.airliquide.com; BASF, +49 (0)621 60-0, www.basf.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Air Liquide,  BASF ,  CCS,  Carbon Emissions,  

Siemens Energy, Siemens Gamesa
Date: 2021-11-24
Munich, Germany-headquartered Siemens Energy reports it will supply the main electrical equipment for the grid connection of Dominion Energy Virginia's 2.6 GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project, 27 miles offshore of Virginia Beach.

The wind farm is the largest offshore wind project under development in the US and will incorporate: up to 180 Siemens Gamesa SG 14-222 Direct Drive wind turbines; three 800 MW offshore platforms: three power transformers, three shunt reactors, one medium-voltage gas-insulated switchgear (GIS), and three high-voltage GIS systems. Semco Maritime is responsible for design, procurement and installation of the electrical equipment.

Once fully operational in 2026, the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind will generate sufficient power for roughly 660,000 Virginia homes and prevent up to 5 million tpy of CO2 emissions, according to the company. (Source: Siemens Energy, PR, Website, Nov., 2021) Contact: Dominion Energy Virginia, Emil Avram, VP Bus. Dev., www.dominionenergy.com; Siemens Energy, Annette von Leoprechting +49 (174) 3303977, annette.von_leoprechting@siemens-energy.com, www.siemens-energy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Dominion Energy Virginia,  Siemens Energy ,  Offshore Wind,  Virginia Offshore Wind,  Wind Turbine,  

Singapore Economic Development Board
Date: 2021-11-24
The Singapore Economic Development Board reports it aims to increase the city state's carbon capture capacity to at least 2 million tpy by 2030 and to establish a carbon capture technology testbed on Jurong Island, which is dominated by a large oil refinery hub. The islands hosts BP, DuPont, Chevron, Singapore Petroleum Company, Singapore Refining Company along with Shell and ExxonMobile, both of which have expressed interest in building carbon capture facilities in the region.

Singapore is aiming to reach two million tonnes of carbon capture from carbon-intensive activities based around Jurong Island by 2030. It will aim for more than six million tpy of carbon abatement by 2050. To that end, the Board will work with sustainable industrial development government agency JTC (formerly the Jurong Town Corporation) and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research to study the feasibility of a carbon capture and utilization (CCU) test bed facility on Jurong.

Additionally, the Board has set a 2030 target for its energy and chemicals sector to boost their output of sustainable products (such as biofuels) by 50 pct compared with 2019 levels and by four times from 2019 levels by 2050.

Singapore's climate action plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2060 has been rated as "critically insufficient" by Carbon Action Tracker . According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) Singapore emitted more than 47 million tonnes of CO2 in 2019. (Source: Singapore Economic Development Board, E&T, 24 Nov., 2021) Contact: Singapore Economic Development Board, www.edb.gov.sg

More Low-Carbon Energy News Singapore news,  Carbon Capture news,  CCS. CCUS news,  

BASF
Date: 2021-11-24
As previously reported, BASF is aiming to reduce its production CO2 emissions by 25 pct by 2030 and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. To that end, the company plans to progressively switch to renewable energy sources and to invest up to €1 billion by 2025 in new technologies to reach its climate target and a further €2 billion to €3 billion by 2030.

In 2018, BASF's worldwide emissions totaled 21.9 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents. In 1990, this figure was roughly twice as high. The new 2030 emissions goal represents a reduction of approximately 60 pct compared to 1990 levels, which exceeds the European Union's target of minus 55 pct. (Source: BASF, PR, European Coatings, 30 Mar., 2021) BASF, +49 (0)621 60-0, www.basf.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News BASF,  Carbon Emissions,  Net-Zero Emissions,  

Lynemouth Biomass Power Station
Date: 2021-11-22
In Northumberland, UK, the Lynemouth Biomass Power Station, the first UK coal-fired station to fully convert to biomass electric power generation , reports its CO2 emissions fell to 43 pct below grid average for 2020-21. The Station burns approximately 1.4 million tpy of woody biomass pellets, largely imported from the U.S. and Canada, to generate 420 MW of low-carbon electricity -- sufficient power for around 450,000 homes.

Lynemouth Power Station was among leading bioenergy organisations in the COP26 launch of the Glasgow Declaration on Sustainable Bioenergy aiming for the sustainable growth of the bioenergy sector to 2050 and reaffirms the commitment to sustainability principles including the management of natural resources, carbon accounting and protecting biodiversity, according to the release. (Source: Lynemouth Biomass Power Station, PR, Nov., 2021) Contact: Lynemouth Biomass Power Station, +44 191 261 1821, www.lynemouthpower.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Lynemouth Biomass Power Station,  Woody Biomass,  Wood Pellet,  

DHL Freight
Date: 2021-11-22
Bonn, Germany-based DHL Freight is reporting completion of its previously reported 5-month trial of Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II) compliant bio-LNG produced from agricultural wastes by Shell.

The pilot aimed to sustainably reduce CO2 emissions in road freight transport for DHL's customer, pump manufacturer Grundfos. In the first five months of the pilot, the volume of bio-LNG was reduced 87 tons of CO2 equivalent -- roughly equal to the emissions of over 89,000 kilometres driven by a diesel truck and represents 85 pct of CO2 savings compared to a traditional diesel engine, according to the release.

Shell is scaling up the supply of bio-LNG and plans to offer a bio-LNG blend to its entire network in the Netherlands, next year. Shell also plans a new 100,000 tpy bio-LNG plant at its Energy and Chemicals Park Rheinland, Germany in 2023, according to the release. (Source: DHL Freight, PR, Nov., 2021) Contact: DHL Freight, Uwe Brinks, CEO, www.dhl.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News DHL Freight,  bio-LNG,  LNG,  

Growth Energy
Date: 2021-11-22
In a recent release , ethanol trade industry association Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor noted, "Ethanol production has long been an economic engine for our rural economies. The United States has 210 biorefineries in 27 states with the capacity to produce more than 17 billion gallons of low-carbon, renewable fuel. Our industry is the second largest customer for U.S. corn growers and will buy nearly $30 billion worth of corn this year to make ethanol and an expanded range of bio-based products such as high-protein animal feed, renewable chemicals, and corn oil.

"Renewable fuels like ethanol remain the most affordable and abundant source of low carbon fuel on the planet -- and are critical to meeting today's CO2 reduction goals. The latest research shows that without biofuels there is no way to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Even when you factor in the projected growth of electric vehicles, the Energy Information Administration states that the vast majority of cars on the roads will run on liquid fuels by 2050.

"Higher blends of low carbon ethanol can be used in our current vehicle fleet to accelerate our transition to a 100 pct renewable energy future. Simply put, America cannot decarbonise the transportation sector without home-grown biofuels. To meet the growing demand for renewable energies, we first need a strong and thriving rural economy and biofuel industry." (Source: Growth Energy, Sheppard of the Hills Gazette, 20 Nov., 2021) Contact: Growth Energy, Emily Skor, (202) 545-4000, www.growthenergy.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Growth Energy,  Renewable Fuels,  Ethanol,  

Neste,EU Innovation Fund
Date: 2021-11-22
Helsinki-headquartered Neste Oy is reporting the EU Innovation Fund has agreed to €88 million funding to its green hydrogen and carbon capture & storage (CCS) project at the company's refinery in Porvoo, Finland. The project introduces carbon capture and storage (CCS) and electrolysis solutions that allow decarbonisation of production at the refinery. The project is currently in the feasibility phase.

The project will strongly contribute to the reaching of both Finland's and the EU's climate targets and has a significant role in Neste's target of carbon neutral production by 2035.Neste anticipates a reduction of more than 4 million tons of CO2 emissions can be achieved at the Porvoo refinery in the first 10 years of operation, according to the Neste release. (Source: Neste, Website PR, 17 Nov., 2021) Contact: Neste Corp.,, Minna Aila, Senior VP, Sustainability and Corporate Affairs, +358 50 458 5076, www.neste.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Neste,  Green Hydrogen,  CCS,  EU Innovation Fund,