European Space Agency,Visual Capatlist
Date: 2020-03-23
"There's a high chance you're reading this while practicing social distancing, or while your corner of the world is under some type of advised or enforced lockdown. While these are necessary measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, such economic interruption is unprecedented in many ways resulting in some surprising side effects.

"Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions, a major air pollutant, are closely linked to factory output and vehicles operating on the road. As both industry and transport come to a halt during this pandemic, NO2 emissions can be a good indicator of global economic activity -- and the changes are visible from space. These images from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), as well as satellite footage from NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), show a drastic decline in NO₂ emissions over recent months, particularly across Italy and China."

Download the Emissions Impact of Coronavirus Lockdowns images HERE. (Source: European Space Agency, Visual Capitalist, 21 Mar., 2020) Contact: European Space Agency, +33 1 53 69 76 54, www.esa.int

More Low-Carbon Energy News European Space Agency,  Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change,  

International Energy Agency
Date: 2020-03-23
The International Energy Agency (IEA) Exec. Dir. Dr. Fatih Birol, is urging stakeholders to not lose sight of climate change challenges presented by the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19). "We should not allow today's crisis to compromise our efforts to tackle the world's inescapable (climate change) challenge.

To that end, Birol is urging large-scale investment to boost the development and deployment of clean energy technologies and carbon capture should be "a central part of governments' plans because it will bring the twin benefits of stimulating economies and accelerating clean energy transitions."

According to IEA, "governments can use the current COVID-19 situation to step up their climate ambitions and launch sustainable stimulus packages focused on clean energy technologies. The coronavirus crisis is already doing significant damage around the world. Rather than compounding the tragedy by allowing it to hinder clean energy transitions, we need to seize the opportunity to help accelerate them." (Source: IEA, Mar., 2020) Contact: IEA, Dr. Fatih Birol, Exec. Dir., +33 1 40 57 65 00, www.iea.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News International Energy Agency,  Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change,  

South Korea Carbon Emissions
Date: 2020-03-20
In Seoul, the South Korean government has announced plans to be the first East Asion nation to adopt a Green New Deal and deliver net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, if reelected in the upcoming legislative elections. To that end, the government would institute a carbon tax, phase out domestic and overseas coal project financing, and make large-scale investments in renewable energy.

South Korea, the world's seventh-largest carbon emitter as well as the third-largest public coal financier, is home to energy-intensive industries such as automotive and steel and likely to remain heavily dependent on climate-wrecking coal in the immediate future. (Source: Various Media, EcoBusiness, Mar., 2020)

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

Vietnam
Date: 2020-03-20
In Hanoi, the government of Vietnam reports the introduction of legislation to reduce the country of 98,000 resident's reliance on coal and advance its greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals, as per the Paris Climate Accord.

The four-pronged legislation includes; cap and trade; a ban on chemicals that destroy the ozone; corporate emission reporting rules; and a database of both emissions and the measures to decrease them. The legislation includes measures to decrease emissions by focusing on reforestation, creating a domestic carbon credit market, and drastically cut coal consumption which presently generates almost one-third of the country's electric power -- figure projected to increase by five times by 2030. (Source: Various Media, VOA Khymer, 19 Mar., 2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change,  Coal,  Paris Climate Accord,  Vietnam Emissions,  

Climate Change
Date: 2020-03-18
"If Antarctica and Greenland continue to track the worst-case climate warming scenario, they will cause an extra 17 centimetres of sea level rise by the end of the century. This would mean 400 million people are at risk at annual coastal flooding by 2100. These are not unlikely events with small impacts; they are already underway and will be devastating for coastal communities." -- Prof. Andrew Shepherd, University of Leeds, A.Shepherd@leeds.ac.uk, www.environment.leeds.ac.uk

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

DEWA
Date: 2020-03-18
In the UAE, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has posted cumulative energy-energy efficiency savings of 2.2TWh of electricity and 7.8 billion gallons of water between 2009 and 2019 -- equivalent to $353.9 million in cost reductions, and 1.136 million tonnes of carbon emissions. The savings equate to an annual electricity consumption from approximately 327,000 apartments and annual water consumption of 250,000 apartments, DEWA stated on its website.

The savings are in line with the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to provide 75 pct of Dubai's total power output from clean energy by 2050 and cutting emissions by 16 pct in 2021.

DEWA also reports its Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO) will retrofit more than 30,000 buildings in Dubai by 2030 to make them energy-efficient. (Source: DEWA, Construction Week, 17 Mar., 2020) Contact: DEWA, www.dewa.gov.ae

More Low-Carbon Energy News DEWA,  Energy Efficiency,  

ArcelorMittal
Date: 2020-03-16
"The EU's commitment to reduce its carbon emissions to net-zero should be applauded and we hope that decision makers across Europe will back the proposals as they really could hold the key to unlocking solutions that could put a stop to carbon emissions. The climate challenge is unprecedented, and bold action is needed." -- Geert Van Poelvoorde, CEO, ArcelorMittal Europe

As previously reported, ArcelorMittal plans to slash emissions by 30 pct from 2018 levels on flat steel products at its European operations by 2030. The steel giant also plans to publish a target for all of its operations by the middle of this year. (Source: ArcelorMittal, Mar., 2020) Contact: ArcelorMittal, Alan Knight, Corporate Responsibility GM, +32 9 347 31 11, www.corporate.arcelormittal.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News ArcelorMittal,  Carbon Emissions,  

Carbon Emissions
Date: 2020-03-16
From the Land Down Under, The Fifth Estate has offered the following brief clarifications of the plethora of commonly used carbon emissions related terms:

Net Zero Energy -- There's two ways of looking at this. The first is based on simple math, and means a building, precinct, process or region generates as much energy within its own boundaries or site as it pulls in from elsewhere over a specific period -- most often a year. The other definition is a building or precinct or region that generates 100 per cent of its own energy needs on site or within its boundaries.

Net Positive Energy -- When a building or precinct generates more energy than it uses and shares that energy through either a local microgrid or by sending it into the main grid, it becomes energy positive.

Carbon Negative -- Carbon negative is used for larger scales than individual buildings, such as precincts, regions, businesses or even entire nations. It means absorbing more carbon than all combined carbon emissions within the specific area or operation.

Carbon Neutral -- Carbon neutral is basically a balancing act where a building, business or region sequesters or offsets as much carbon as it emits.

Carbon Offsets -- All offsets are not created equal -- there are dirt-cheap offsets sloshing around the global carbon market from questionable projects in far-flung places. But not only are they scientifically and ethically questionable, they also will not meet the standards required for formal third-party carbon neutral certification. The best offsets deliver co-benefits beyond just sequestering carbon, such as improving biodiversity, increasing water quality or catchment protection, generating social benefits, local economic benefits or supporting Indigenous cultural practices and knowledge.

Operational Emissions -- Most carbon accounting undertaken for the purposes of carbon neutral certification focus on carbon emissions generated by the operation of a building, business or region. It's not just emissions from energy or fuel use though. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol defines three "scopes" or categories of carbon emissions as follows -- Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from "owned or controlled sources" such as a fleet of vehicles, a power plant or a manufacturing plant. Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from the generation of energy used within a building, plant or region. Scope 3 emissions are all the indirect emissions in a business, process or region's value chain both upstream and downstream. This would include something like methane emissions from waste sent to landfill, or the emissions from energy used to make the widgets that a business procures then retails.

Embodied Carbon -- Basically, almost everything we use from a smartphone to a building, has embodied carbon. Embodied or upfront carbon refers to the emissions released during the manufacture and transport of building materials, and the construction as well the end-of-life-phases of built assets. (Source: Fifth Estate Australia, Mar, 2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon,  Carbon Emissions,  

Canada Green Building Council
Date: 2020-03-16
The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) is reporting updates to its Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) Standard aimed at accelerating the adoption of zero carbon building practices in new and existing buildings.

The updated ZCB-Design guides the design of new buildings, as well as the retrofit of existing structures. ZCB-Performance provides a framework for verifying buildings have achieved zero carbon and must be revisited annually. ZCB Standard v2 updates focus on these key components:

Embodied Carbon -- Projects must now reduce and offset carbon emissions for the building’s life-cycle, including those associated with the manufacture and use of construction materials.

Refrigerants -- ZCB Standard v2 encourages best practices to minimize potential leaks of refrigerants that, when released, can have significant short-term impacts on climate.

Energy Efficiency: -- ZCB Standard v2 promotes the efficient use of clean energy with more stringent energy efficiency and air-tightness requirements.

Innovation: ZCB-Design encourages innovation by requiring projects demonstrate two innovative strategies to reduce carbon emissions.

These updates are designed to eliminate carbon outputs, while also being flexible enough for zero carbon buildings to reach the mainstream. The updates also provide the guidance for more owners and developers to build to zero now and as part of their plans for the future. (Source: CaGBC Website, 10 Mar., 2020) Contact: CaGBC, Thomas Mueller, CEO and President, (866) 941-1184, info@cagbc.org, www.cagbc.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Canada Green Building Council,  Green Building,  Energy Efficiency,  

S&P Dow Jones
Date: 2020-03-16
S&P Dow Jones Indices is reporting the launch of the S&P GSCI Carbon Emission Allowances (EUA) EUR. The new index provides investors with a reliable and publicly available investment performance benchmark for European Carbon Emission Allowances -- EU emissions trading system (EU ETS), a market-based cap-and-trade method developed to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by companies. The S&P GSCI Carbon Emission Allowances (EUA) EUR index is based on the ICE EUA Futures Contract. (Source: S&P Dow Jones, STL News, Mar.,2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News S&P Dow Jones ,  UE ETS,  Carbon Emissions,  

ArcelorMittal
Date: 2020-03-13
Further to our 13 Dec., 20190 coverage, Belgium-based steel maker ArcelorMittal is calling for member states and Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to support the introduction of a carbon border adjustment (CBA) as part of the European Commission's €1 trillion Green Deal aimed at making the 28-member trading bloc carbon neutral by 2050.

In a manifesto -- Creating a Low Carbon World, the Case for a Carbon Border Adjustment -- ArcelorMittal notes CBA should be one of the first Green Deal measures adopted by the new European Commission, as it will help to create the market conditions and protections needed for companies to make investments and transition to carbon neutrality without disruption.

Download ArcelorMittal's Climate Action in Europe manifesto HERE. (Source: ArcelorMittal, Mar., 2020) Contact: ArcelorMittal, Alan Knight, Corporate Responsibility GM, +32 9 347 31 11, www.corporate.arcelormittal.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News ArcelorMittal,  Carbon Emissions,  

Fort Collins
Date: 2020-03-13
In Colorado, the city of Fort Collins Climate Action plans calls for the city of 165,00 +- residents to reduce CO2 emission by 20 pct by 2021 and further reduce by 80 pct of 2005 levels by 2030. The plan calls for the city to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

According to the Climate Action Plan, in total, Fort Collins emits 2 million metric tpy of carbon dioxide in community greenhouse gases.

Fort Collins Climate Action Plan details HERE. (Source: City of Fort Collins, Rocky Mountain Collegian, 11 Mar., 2020) Contact: City of Fort Collins, Lindsay Ex, Climate Program Manager, www.fcgov.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Fort Collins,  Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change,  

UPM Biofuel,SABIC, Royal DSM
Date: 2020-03-13
Royal DSM, SABIC, and UPM Biofuels report they are joining forces to help reduce the environmental footprint of Royal DSM's Dyneema -- "the world's strongest fibre" -- and see Dyneema transition to bio-based feedstock leveraging Saudi Arabia-based SABIC's TRUCIRCLE solutions for certified renewable products.

The Dyneema bio-based material will be ISCC Plus certified and is expected to be available from April 2020.

Finland-based UPM Biofuels produces bio-based feedstock UPM BioVerno from the residue of the pulping process. This is then processed by SABIC to make renewable ethylene. TRUCIRCLE includes certified renewable products, specifically resins and chemicals from bio-based feedstock that are not in competition with the food chain and help to reduce carbon emissions. By applying a mass balancing approach, DSM is then able to create bio-based Dyneema fibre, according to the DSM release. (Source: DSM, PR, EPPM, 12 Mar., 2020) Contact: RoyalDSM, www.dsm.com; SABIC, www.sabic.com/en; UPM Biofuels, www.upmbiofuels.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News UPM Biofuel,  SABIC,  Royal DSM,  

Neste
Date: 2020-03-13
Espoo, Finland-headquartered biofuels and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) producer Neste Oyi reports it is committed to reaching carbon neutral production by 2035. The commitment complements Neste's other strategic climate commitment of reducing customers' greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 million tpy by 2030. To that end, the company:

Continues to focus on energy efficiency to optimize the use of fuel gas, electricity, hydrogen and steam in its production. The improvements in the turnaround at Porvoo refinery in 2020 will decrease production emissions by more than 100 kt CO2eq annually;

Increases the use of renewable electricity at its production sites. As an example of this, Neste has already agreed to start using wind power in Finland;

Increases the weight of greenhouse gas emissions in the investment calculations and business case evaluation;

Explores new, less emitting production methods, for example utilizing biogas or electrolysis for hydrogen production;

Has started a project for GHG emission reductions at the Porvoo production site, focusing on carbon capture and storage (CCS) and identifies reliable compensation models for the remaining part which cannot be achieved by emission reductions.

Neste is working on rolling out the detailed plan and timeline for implementing the initiatives aimed at carbon neutral production by 2035. (Source: Neste Oyi, PR, Mar., 2020) Contact: Neste Oyi, Salla Ahonen, VP Sustainability, +358 50 458 5076, media@neste.com, www.neste.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Neste,  Carbon Neutral,  Carbon Emissions,  

Biomass. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Date: 2020-03-11
A recent long-term field study by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and Michigan State University (MSU) has found cellulosic biofuels derived from switchgrass, giant miscanthus, poplar trees, maize residuals, restored native prairie, and a combination of grasses and vegetation that grows spontaneously following field abandonment, could significantly mitigate global warming by reducing carbon emissions.

The study found when compared with petroleum only emissions, cellulosic ethanol was "78--290 better in reducing carbon emissions; ethanol was 204--416 pct improved, biomass powered electric vehicles powered by biomass was 74--303 pct cleaner and biomass-powered electric vehicles combined with CSS was 329--558 pct superior." The research will next assess other environmental and economic aspects of bioenergy crops.

The study was conducted at Michigan State University's (MSU) Kellogg Biological Station and the University of Wisconsin's Arlington Research Station which is part of the U.S. DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center. Financial support was provided by the U.S. DOE Office of Science, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. National Science Foundation and Michigan State University AgBioResearch. (Source: American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PR, EurekaAlerts, 9 Mar.,2020) Contact: American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. (212) 302-6443, info@aabgu.org, www.aabgu.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Cellulosic Ethnol,  Biomass ,  Climate Change,  Global Warming,  

Virginia Renewable Energy
Date: 2020-03-11
In the Old Dominion State, the recently passed Virginia Clean Economy Act will create a state Renewable Energy Portfolio program requiring 30 pct or more of Virginia's electricity comes from renewable energy sources by 2030. By 2050, the Act requires that 100 pct of the state's electricity will be zero-emissions.

The Act includes measures to harness wind and solar power, expand home rooftop solar and reduce energy waste through mandatory efficiency standards. The act also sets a 5.2-gigawatt offshore wind power target, one of the largest state commitments to offshore wind to date and one with the potential to power up to 1.5 million Virginia homes. The Act also confirms the Old Dominion State's participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) cap-and-invest program, which to date has provided net benefits of over $4 billion to participating members, while helping them slash carbon emissions over 50 pct. (Source: PR, Mar., 2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Renewable Energy,  Wind,  Solar,  Virginia Renewable Energy,  

Danish Council on Climate Change
Date: 2020-03-11
In Copenhagen, the Danish Council on Climate Change is calling for Denmark to "sharply" increase its carbon tax to help meet the estimated £4 billion cost of cutting emissions by 70 pct from 1990 levels by 2030.

The council, which is the main independent adviser to the Danish Government on climate change, is recommending an increase from the present £20 per tomne to £174 per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent. (Source: Danish Council on Climate Change, Mar., 2020) Contact: Danish Council on Climate Change, Peter Mollgaard,www.klimaraadet.dk/en/about-danish-council-climate-change

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Tax,  Carbon Emissions,  Climate Changee Change,  

Canada Green Building Council
Date: 2020-03-11
In Ottawa, the The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) reports it is zeroing in on carbon reduction with updates to its Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) Standard. Launched today, Version 2 is designed to accelerate adoption of zero carbon building practices and help Canada meet its climate targets while spurring innovation and job growth.

Canada's buildings are a top contributor to carbon emissions, and updates to the ZCB Standard reflect the urgent need for change. Today, building operations represent 17 pct of Canada's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, or closer to 30 pct when embodied carbon from construction and materials are factored in.

CaGBC's made-in-Canada ZCB Standard provides the industry with a zero-carbon approach that works for any type of new or existing building. Version 2 draws on learnings from over 20 real-world ZCB-projects. These projects demonstrate that the industry is ready to raise the bar on expanded requirements for embodied carbon and energy efficiency. At the same time, Version 2 aims to get more buildings to zero, faster, by providing more options for different design strategies and by recognizing high-quality carbon offsets when necessary.

These updates balance the rigour needed to meaningfully eliminate carbon, while also being flexible enough for zero-carbon buildings to reach the mainstream. Since the ZCB Standard launched in 2017, CaGBC has proven through real-world projects and research, that zero- carbon buildings are technically and financially viable today -- across a wide spectrum of building types including schools, offices, multi-residential, commercial, and even industrial buildings. The updates provide the guidance for more owners and developers to build to zero now and as part of their plans for the future.

ZCB Standard v2 provides two pathways for any type of building to get to zero-carbon. ZCB-Design guides the design of new buildings, as well as the retrofit of existing structures. ZCB-Performance provides a framework for verifying buildings have achieved zero- carbon and must be revisited annually.

ZCB Standard v2 updates focus on these key components:

Embodied Carbon -- Projects must now reduce and offset carbon emissions for the building's life-cycle including those associated with the manufacture and use of construction materials.

Refrigerants -- ZCB Standard v2 encourages best practices to minimize potential leaks of refrigerants that, when released, can have significant short-term impacts on climate.

Energy Efficiency -- ZCB Standard v2 promotes the efficient use of clean energy with more stringent energy efficiency and air-tightness requirements.

Innovation -- ZCB-Design encourages innovation by requiring projects demonstrate two innovative strategies to reduce carbon emissions.

(Source: Canada Green Building Council, PR, Mar., 2020) Contact: Canada Green Building Council, Peter Whitred, Senior Manager, Green Building Programs, Thomas Mueller, Pres. and CEO, (866) 941-1184, info@cagbc.org, www.cagbc.org; Zero Carbon Building Standard, www.CaGBC.org/zerocarbon

More Low-Carbon Energy News Zero-Carbon,  Canada Green Building Council ,  Energy Efficiency,  

Oregon Climate Change
Date: 2020-03-11
In Salem, Oregon Governor Kate Brown (Dem) has issued a 14-page issued an executive order aimed at to sharply curbing greenhouse gas emissions with a full-court press by government agencies. The order comes less than a week after a Republican walkout killed Oregon Senate Bill 1530, the Democrats' proposal for a cap-and-trade system in Oregon.

The Governor's Executive Order updates the state's carbon reduction goals, setting targets of a 45 pct reduction below 1990 levels by 2035, and an 80 pct reduction by 2050

Under the order, carbon polluters in the industrial, transportation and natural gas sectors would have their emissions capped by the state's Environmental Quality Commission and Department of Environmental Quality, with allowable emissions reduced over time.

The Department of Environmental Quality and Environmental Quality Commission are directed to ratchet up restrictions for how emissions intensive fuel can be. The order set a go pct below 2015 levels by 2030, and 25 pct by 2035;

The Oregon PUC will place emphasis on greenhouse gas emissions and wildfire risk when regulating Oregon power companies

The Department of Consumer and Business Services will set new building energy efficiency goals aimed at a 60 pct reduction in annual energy consumption, compared to 2006 building codes

The Department of Energy will update home appliance energy efficiency standards "at least to levels equivalent to the most stringent standards among West Coast jurisdictions."

The Department of Admin. Services will develop a plan to transition the state's automobile fleet to zero-emissions vehicles and add charging stations at public buildings.

In total, 18 state agencies and commissions directing a large portion of the state's bureaucracy are tasked under the order aimed reducing emissions and addressing climate change. (Source: Office of Gov. Kate Brown, OPB, 10 Mar., 2020) Office of Gov. Kate Brown, (503) 378-4582, www.oregon.gov/gov/pages/contact.aspx

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emission,  Oregon Climate Change,  Carbon Emissions,  Energy Efficiency,  Cap-and-Tarde,  

Vancouver International Airport
Date: 2020-03-11
In British Columbia, the Vancouver Airport Authority reports the Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is aiming to become carbon neutral in 2020 and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Under its previous 2020--2024 EMP sustainability plan, YVR reduced emissions, water use and waste to landfill, and invested in one of Canada's largest GeoExchange plants to bolster its ability to continue to reduce carbon emissions. (Source: Vancouver Airport Authority , PR, 10 Mar., 2020) Contact: Vancouver Airport Authority, Marion Town, director, Environment, www.linkedin.com/company/vancouver-airport-authority

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Neutral,  Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change,  Net-Zero Carbon,  

Washington State
Date: 2020-03-09
Sitting in Olympia last Thursday, the Washington State Senate reported the near unanimous passage of House Bill 2528 recognizing the state's timber industry's efforts to reduce carbon emissions through reforestation and other management practices. The legislation also recognizes the role of forest products in carbon sequestration and directs the state Department of Commerce to promote markets for the state's forest products.

Having been amended in the Senate, House Bill 2528 returns to the the Washington State House for full approval the on to the governor to be signed into law. (Source: The World, Various Media, chronicleonline. 7 Mar., 2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Woody Biomass,  Reforestation,  Carbon Sequestration,  

NASA
Date: 2020-03-09
"Urban areas are currently responsible for approximately 70 pct of the global energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and rapid ongoing global urbanization is increasing the number and size of cities. Thus, understanding city-scale CO2 emissions and how they vary between cities with different urban densities is a critical task. While the relationship between CO2 emissions and population density has been explored widely in prior studies, their conclusions were sensitive to inconsistent definitions of urban boundaries and the reliance upon CO2 emission inventories that implicitly assumed population relationships.

The attached Space-based Quantification of per capita CO2 Emissions from Cities report provides the first independent estimates of direct per capita CO2 emissions (E pc) from space-borne atmospheric CO2 measurements from the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) for a total 20 cities across multiple continents. The analysis accounts for the influence of meteorology on the satellite observations with an atmospheric model. The resultant upwind source region sampled by the satellite serves as an objective urban extent for aggregating emissions and population densities.

The study suggests that E pc declines as population densities increase, albeit the decrease in E pc is partially limited by the positive correlation between E pc and per capita gross domestic product.

Download the NASA Space-based Quantification of per capita CO2 Emissions from Cities study HERE. (Source: NASA, IOP, Environmental Research Letters, Open Access, Feb.,2020) Contact: NASA, www.nasa.gov/oco2; Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., 818-354-0307, janelee@jpl.nasa.gov, www.jpl.nasa.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News NASA,  Carbon Emissions,  

Mitt Romney,Climate Change
Date: 2020-03-09
"People say to me, 'Are you sure that we're causing (climate change)?' And I say, "I hope we're causing it. Because if we're not causing it, there's nothing we can do about it. So I hope we're causing it, and I believe we're causing it to a great degree.

"Passing laws in Washington about restricting the size of your washing machine and how many watts your lightbulb has -- that's nice, but it's not going to change global warming. The only way you're going to reduce or bring down the growth rate in CO2 emissions in the planet is if we develop technologies across all the things that emit CO2 -- that are low-emitting and that are less expensive than the current technologies.

"The governmental side -- you put money into colleges, universities, think tanks, labs. But how do you get everybody to think about it? I'm a fan of all ideas that might bring new technologies that are low-emitting, because I really want to see us do everything we possibly can to help China, Indonesia, Brazil, India -- the places that are growing emissions like crazy -- help them turn the corner and reduce our emissions." -- U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) Mar. 2020

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

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Date: 2020-03-09
In Albany, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced the launch of the New York Power Authority (NYPA)--Israel Smart Energy Challenge, a $2.5 million competition to attract Israeli companies with expertise in energy efficiency and clean energy generation to submit proposals to collaborate with New York's public utility on new clean energy technologies. NYPA is collaborating with the Israel Smart Energy Association on the project aimed at attracting Israeli companies that will advance power grid reliability, storage, sustainability and affordability, all of which benefit ratepayers, utilities and the environment.

The competition will focus on research areas centered around meeting digital utility challenges such as electric vehicle charging, distributed energy solutions, grid modernization, energy storage, microgrids, cybersecurity, blockchain and energy trading, buildings/campus energy management, data analytics, artificial intelligence, virtual reality and use of drones/autonomous robots in power systems.

Interested companies may apply and submit their proposals to the NYPA/Israel Smart Energy Challenge online. The deadline for submissions is April 20. A pre-bid conference for parties interested in applying to the Challenge is scheduled for Monday, March 16, 2020 from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at: Ha-Umanim Street 12, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Register on Eventbrite or meetup.

Governor Cuomo's Green New Deal climate and clean energy initiative puts the Empire State on a path to being entirely carbon-neutral across all sectors of the economy and establishing a goal to achieve a zero-carbon emissions electricity sector by 2040, faster than any other state. It builds on New York's ramp-up of clean energy including a $2.9 billion investment in 46 large-scale renewable projects across, the creation of more than 150,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector, a commitment to develop nearly 1,700 MW of offshore wind by 2024, and 1,700 pct growth in the distributed solar sector since 2012.

The recently passed Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act mandates the Green New Deal's clean energy targets: nine gigawatts of offshore wind by 2035, six gigawatts of distributed solar by 2025, and three gigawatts of energy storage by 2030, while calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy. The CLCPA also directs New York State agencies and authorities to collaborate with stakeholders to develop a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 pct from 1990 levels by 2050 and aim to invest 40 pct of clean energy and energy efficiency program resources to benefit disadvantaged communities. (Source: New York State Governor's Office, PR, Google News, 6 Mar., 2020)Contact: Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, www.governor.ny.gov; Israel Smart Energy Association, www.isea.org.il; NYPA, Gil C. Quiniones, Pres., CEO, www.nypa.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo,  New York Power Authority,  Clean Energy,  Renewable Energy,  

Australia
Date: 2020-03-09
In the Land Down Under, the Liberal government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison is touting the launch of a $350 million initiative to lead the energy grid away from fossil fuel, promote renewable energy and cut carbon emissions. It will also invest $68.5 million to create the Reliable Affordable Clean Energy for 2030 Co-operative Research Centre (RACE for 2030). And, in what seems a contradiction, the government will also fund a $4 million investigation of the economic case for a new coal-fired power station in north Queensland State.

Working with private industry, RACE for 2030 will fund research into a "distributed grid"; a national strategy for charging stations required under the forecast growth in electric vehicles; harnessing rooftop solar and paying householders for their energy; and trial community scale micro-electricity grids.

Under the Paris Agreement, Australia committed to reducing emissions by at least 26 pct on 2005 levels by 2030, but may have to use "carryover" credits gained under the previous Kyoto Protocol to achieve half of its Paris target, according to the Brisbane Times report. (Source: Various Media, Brisbane Times, 8 Mar., 2020) Contact: Office of Prime Minister Scott Morrison, twitter.com/ScottMorrisonMP

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  Carbon Emissions,  Renewable Energy,  

Carbon Sink
Date: 2020-03-06
The recently released attached study notes the Amazon and other tropical forests losing their "carbon sink" capabilities and could turn into a source of CO2 in atmosphere by next decade. owing to the damage caused by loggers and farming interests and the impacts of the climate crisis. In that event, the impact of climate change is likely to become much more severe and the world will have to cut its carbon emissions even faster than presently outlined under the Paris Climate Agreement.

The study, published on Wednesday in the journal Nature, tracked 300,000 trees over 30 years, providing the first large-scale evidence of the decline in carbon uptake by the world's tropical forests. The researchers combined data from two large research networks of forest observations in Africa and the Amazon, as well as years spent traveling to remote field sites

Access the Asynchronous Carbon Sink Saturation in African and Amazonian Tropical Forests study HERE. (Source: Nature, Mar. 2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Sink,  Carbon Emissions,  

Magellan Jets,Terrapass
Date: 2020-03-06
Boston-based private charter air carrier Magellan Jets is reporting its collaboration with U.S.-based carbon offsetter terrapass, to offset 100 pct of Magellan's office operations. Magellan Jets now offers carbon offsetting options for every solution in our private aviation portfolio.

All members now have the option to offset their memberships, while charter customers can choose to offset their travel on a per-flight or on all business travel basis.

Projects through terrapass have reduced greenhouse gases in the atmosphere equivalent to billions of pounds of carbon dioxide since 2004, according to terrapass. (Source: Magellan Jets, PR, OA Online, Mar., 2020) Contact: Magellan Jets , Joshua Hebert. CEO, www.magellanjets.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News tarrapass,  Carbon Offset,  Carbon Emissions,  

CenterPoint Energy
Date: 2020-03-06
Houston-headquartered electric and natural delivery company CenterPoint Energy reports it aims to reduce its operational emissions by 70 pct by 2035 and emissions attributable to natural gas usage in heating, appliances and equipment within the residential and commercial sectors by 20 to 30 pct by 2040 -- based on its 2005 emissions.

To that end, CenterPoint will continue to offer customers energy efficiency programs and continue investing in renewable forms of energy on both the natural gas and electric sides of the business. The company will also partner with natural gas suppliers to lower methane emissions across the natural gas value chain as well as support communities where it operates with their climate action goals, according to the company release. (Source: CenterPoint Energy, PR, Mar., 2020) Contact: CenterPoint Energy, Angila Retherford, VP Environmental Affairs and Corporate Sustainability, www.CenterPointEnergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CenterPoint Energy,  Carbon Emissions,  Methane,  Climate Change ,  

Consumers Energy
Date: 2020-03-04
In its 2019 Clean Energy Plan, Jackson, Michigan-headquartered Consumers Energy announced it aimed to reduce 90 pct of the carbon emissions it generates by eliminating the use of coal and working with customers to use energy more efficiently in an effort to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

Consumers previously committed to being coal-free by 2040 in its Integrated Resource Plan which included building 6,000 MW of new solar by 2030. The utility also launched a public outreach campaign focused on energy efficiency. The new commitment will supplement Consumers' existing plan to eliminate coal, expand renewable energy resources and help customers reduce their energy use. Consumers also may offset further emissions through strategies such as carbon sequestration, landfill methane capture or large-scale tree planting. (Source: Consumers Energy, PR, Grand Rapids Business Journal, Mar., 2020) Contact: Consumers Energy, Patti Poppe, CEO, (517) 788-0550, info@cmsenergy.com, www.ConsumersEnergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Consumers Energy,  Net-Zero Carbon,  

Carbon Brief
Date: 2020-03-04
Further to our 20 Mar., 2019 report, according to data from Carbon Brief, the UK's carbon emissions fell by 2.9 pct in 2019 to its lowest level since 1888. The drop is attributed to coal's ever decreasing role in the UK energy mix and the increased reliance on renewable energy in electric power generation.

Since 2010, UK emissions from coal power sank 80 pct, CO2 from gas dropped by 20 pct and from oil fell 6 pct, according to Carbon Brief data. The Carbon Brief analysis is in agreement with the UK Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) data which confirmed low carbon sources -- including renewables and nuclear generation -- for the first time provided more than half of the UK's electricity in 2019, while overall energy production fell for the first time since 2014.

Climate Brief is funded by the European Climate Foundation. (Source: Carbon Brief, BEIS, Mar., 2020)Contact: UK Business and Energy Department, www.gov.uk/.../department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy; Carbon Brief, www.carbonbrief.org; European Climate Foundation, www.europeanclimate.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Brief,  Carbon Emissions,  CO2,  UK Carbon Emissions,  

Ghana,Switzerland
Date: 2020-03-04
In Bern, the Swiss Federal Council is reporting the signing of a MoU with the Government of Ghana to strengthen cooperation between the two countries under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate actions.

The bilateral agreement will facilitate Ghana's National Clean Energy Access Programme (NCEP), which will enable the country to receive international financial support to implement projects in fulfilling its climate commitments. (Source: Various Media, Ghana Web, 3 Mar.,2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  Paris Climate Agreement,  Carbon Emissions,  

Xcel Energy,ONE Future
Date: 2020-02-28
Minneapolis-headquartered Xcel Energy is reporting its largest single-year drop in emissions in 2019, cutting carbon by 5.6 million tons -- more than 10 pct reduction in one year.

Since 2005, Xcel has reduced carbon emissions by 44 pct due in part to the completion of three significant wind projects in 2018 and 2019, including Rush Creek in Colorado, and Hale and Bonita in Texas. Other factors include flexible coal plant operations, strong performance from the company's nuclear fleet and low natural gas prices, which allowed Xcel Energy to continue reducing coal generation, according to the release.

Xcel Energy notes it has joined ONE Future -- a consortium of natural gas companies working to voluntarily reduce methane emissions below 1 pct by 2025 -- and has pledged to keep its own methane emissions to less than .2 pct in its natural gas operations. The company has also invested more than $1 billion to improve its natural gas pipelines and tighten its system. The company also participates in EPA's voluntary Natural Gas STAR and its Methane Challenge program. (Source: Xcel Energy, PR, Bus.Wire, 26 Feb., 2020) Contact: Xcel Energy, Media, (612) 215-5300, www.xcelenergy.com; ONE Future, www.onefuture.us

More Low-Carbon Energy News Methane,  Xcel Energy,  Carbon Emissions,  

RGGI, Pa DEP
Date: 2020-02-28
Following up on our 4 Oct., 2019 coverage, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell has defended Gov. Tom Wolf's (D) executive order directing the agency to develop rules for joining RGGI, a cap and trade regional program that charges power producers for the pollution they emit.

McDonnell's comments came in response to concerns from the House Appropriations Committee over how the state's share of the RGGI programs quarterly auction program would be used by the state, relative to climate change issues rather than unrelated programs and projects.

Sec. McDonnell assured the Appropriations Committee "improvements to public transportation, installing energy efficient windows, insulation, or appliances, or building out alternative fuel vehicle infrastructure" were among the projects the RGGI funds would be applied to.

Governor Wolf's executive order follows the implementation of aggressive clean energy targets announced last year, including a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 26 percent by 2025. Pennsylvania also became the 24th state to join the U.S. Climate Alliance -- a group formed in 2017 after President Donald Trump withdrew the nation from the Paris Agreement.

Critics of RGGI argue it will cripple Pennsylvania's economy, force fossil fuel plants into early retirement and drive up electricity prices. Critics note that Pennsylvania is the nation's number two natural gas producer and the region's top power exporter -- making it very different, economically, from the other RGGI participants. (Source: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, The Center Square, 26 Feb., 2020) Contact: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, www.dep.pa.gov; C RGGI, www.rggi.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News RGGI,  Carbon Emissions,  ,  

BP
Date: 2020-02-28
Petroleum industry giant BP reports it is dropping its affiliation with three industry trade association on the grounds that the associations' climate change related policies and positions do not align with BP's.

BP is dropping the Western Energy Alliance because its interests did not aligned on federal regulation of methane in the US, and the Western States Petroleum Association and American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers over carbon pricing positions.

As previously reported on 14 Feb., BP plans to:

Achieve a 50 pct cut in the carbon intensity of its products by 2050 or sooner

Install methane measurement at all BP major oil and gas processing sites by 2023 and reduce methane intensity of operations by 50 pct.

Increase its investment in non-oil and gas businesses over time.

More actively advocate for policies that support net-zero, including carbon pricing -- carbon tax.

Further incentivise the company's workforce to deliver aims and mobilize them to advocate for net- zero and set new expectations for relationships with trade associations.

Aim for recognition as a leader for transparency of reporting, including supporting the recommendations of the TCFD, and launch a new team to help countries, cities and large companies decarbonize.

BP's current worldwide greenhouse gas emissions from its operations stand at 55 million tpy of CO2 equivalent (MteCO2e), and the carbon in the oil and gas that it produces is equivalent currently to around 360 MteCO2e emissions a year -- both on an absolute basis. Taken together, delivery of these aims would equate to a reduction in emissions to net zero from what is currently around 415 MteCO2e a year, according to the BP release. (Source: BP Website, 26 Feb., 2020) Contact: BP Press Office, +44 (0) 20 7496 4076, bppress@bp.com, www.bp.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News BP,  Climate Change,  Carbon Emissions,  

Climate Change
Date: 2020-02-26
In Baton Rouge, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) reports his administration do its part to address climate change, reduce industrial greenhouse gases and reduce future sea level rise with a new Climate Initiatives Task Force. Although no specific were announced, the release noted the new Task Force will focus on coastal restoration and flood protection efforts, and determine the volume of greenhouse gases emitted by industry and other sources in the state, and then come up with ways to reduce them.

In January, the Environmental Integrity Project reported that facilities in three industry sectors in 2018 emitted 764 million tons of greenhouse gases -- carbon dioxide and other compounds linked to global warming. That was 8 pct more than in 2016. (Source: Office of Gov. John Bel Edwards, hoummatoday.com, AP. 23 Feb., 2020) Contact: Office of Gov. John Bel Edwards, 225-342-7015, www.gov.louisiana.gov

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

Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative
Date: 2020-02-26
In the Aloha State, the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative (HLRI) is reporting the planting of 500,000 native trees in February as part of its effort to reduce the effects of climate change through carbon sequestration. The February plantings covered more than 1,200 acres of former pastureland on both Oahu and Hawaii Island.

According to the release, over the 50-year lifetime of a single tree, it will produce $31,250 worth of oxygen and $62,000 worth of air pollution control. Each tree will recycle $37,500 worth of water and prevent $31,250 of soil erosion. This data suggests that one tree will produce a societal benefit of $162,000. (Source: Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, Big Island Now, 23 Feb., 2020) Contact: Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative , www.legacyforest.org

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

Pakistan
Date: 2020-02-26
Reporting from Islamabad, Malik Amin Aslam, the climate change adviser to the Prime Minister notes the Pakistan government is eyeing grant funding of more than $350 million to mitigate the impact of increasing greenhouse gas emissions and the possible devastation of global warming.

According to a release, Pakistan would use roughly $200 million from the Green Climate Fund to mitigate environmental degradation and combat climate change. An additional $188 million would be used to fund major projects including the upcoming Ecosystem Restoration Initiative that aims at implementing the "Ten Billion Tree Tsunami" tree planting programme. (Source: Various Media, The Nation, 24 Feb., 2020) Contact: Green Climate Fund, www.greenclimate.fund

More Low-Carbon Energy News Green Climate Fund,  Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change,  Global Warming,  Pakistan Climate Change,  

Wildlife Conservation Society
Date: 2020-02-26
The Washington, DC-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) recently published a study in the journal Science Advances suggesting intact tropical forest loss from 2000 to 2013 will result in over 626 pct more long-term carbon emissions through 2050 than previously thought. The researchers arrived at this upward revision by adding up emissions that would have been removed from the air if tropical forest remained intact, from selective logging, defaunation, and carbon stock degradation at forest edges that had been overlooked in previous studies.

Study co-author Tom Evans said that forest conservation was recognized as critical for mitigation and adaptation to climate change in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement (COP15). However, despite that initial commitment, he noted that not enough attention has been given since to protection of intact forests for climate change mitigation.

Dense intact tropical forests serve as vital carbon sinks, removing CO2 from the atmosphere as their carbon-hungry plants and trees continue to put on growth. And they serve an out-sized role in sequestration -- while the WCS study found only 20 pct of the world's tropical forests can be considered "intact", these forests store 40 pct of above-ground carbon found in tropical forests. A 2011 study observed that intact tropical forests remove an estimated 1 billion metric tpy of CO2 from the atmosphere.

Access the Wildlife Conservation Society study HERE. (Source: Wildlife Conservation Society, The Rising, 22 Feb., 2020)Contact: Wildlife Conservation Society, (718) 220-5100 www.wcs.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News COP15,  Carbon Sink,  Climate Change,  Deforestation,  Carbon Emissions,  

US Industrial Pellet Association
Date: 2020-02-26
As previously reported, the Richmond, Virginia-based not-for-profit US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA) is lauding the National Association of University Forest Resource Programs (NAUFRP) for its letter signed by more than 100 scientists and researchers calling on policymakers to consider key fundamentals related to forest-woody biomass and the benefits of wood energy.

The letter, which noted that the "carbon benefits of sustainable forest biomass are well established", cites a report from UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) which notes -- "In the long term, a sustainable forest management strategy aimed at maintaining or increasing forest carbon stocks, while producing an annual sustained yield of timber, fibre or energy from the forest, will generate the largest sustained mitigation benefit. Demand for wood helps keep land in forest and incentivizes investments in new and more productive forests, all of which have significant carbon benefits."

Reviewing more than 30 years of scientific research on forest biomass utilization, scientists from Yale, Harvard, and Georgia to Washington, Idaho, Berkeley and others identified four fundamentals for science-based decision-making on biomass energy production:

The carbon benefits of sustainable forest biomass energy are well established.

Measuring the carbon benefits of forest biomass energy must consider cumulative carbon emissions over the long term.

An accurate comparison of forest biomass energy carbon impacts with those of other energy sources requires the use of consistent time-frames in the comparison.

Economic factors influence the carbon impacts of forest biomass energy. (Source: The US Industrial Pellet Association, 25 Oct., 2019) Contact: The US Industrial Pellet Association, Deth Ginter, Exec. Dir., J. Marcus, (804) 775.5894, JMarcus@theusipa.org, www.theusipa.org; National Association of University Forest Resource Programs, www.naufrp.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Forest Biomass,  Woody Biomass,  

Woods Hole Research Center
Date: 2020-02-24
In the Bay State, the Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC), in partnership with the Arctic Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs (BCSIA), reports it aims to develop a comprehensive monitoring and projection system for Arctic Carbon Cycling, complete with interactive web visualization, modeling, and policy engagement.

Carbon emissions from thawing permafrost are omitted from the models and reports that inform international climate policy formulation by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Considering that permafrost carbon emissions will likely "use up" much of the remaining allowable carbon budget, incorporating these emissions into a policy framework is an immediate priority and will probably reveal the need for substantial reductions in allowable emissions from other sources.

The ability to model and predict this potentially ruinous climate feedback is far from adequate today because of poor understanding of the processes that govern permafrost thaw and subsequent carbon emissions. These monitoring gaps severely limit the ability to integrate observations across the Arctic using remote sensing and modeling and thus to provide scientists and policy makers with reliable assessments and projections of current and future carbon emissions from a warming Arctic.

Access Arctic Carbon Monitoring and Prediction System details HERE and HERE. (Source: Woods Hole Research Center, Feb., 2020) Contact: Woods Hole Research Center, 508-540-9900, 508-540-9700 - fax, info@whrc.org, wwwwhrc.org; Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, 617-495-1155, www.belfercenter.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Woods Hole,  Woods Hole Research Center,  Permafrost,  Methane,  Climate Change,  

Heathrow Airport
Date: 2020-02-24
In the UK, carbon neutral Heathrow Airport reports it has cut emissions 93 pct since 1990 after investing £100 million in energy efficiency measures and onsite power generation facilities. Heathrow noted it uses strictly "Clean" energy as needed, purchased carbon credits for 2019-21, and aims to achieve zero emissions from its operations within the next fifteen years.

As we previously reported, Heathrow's four-part action plan to reduce and offset the growth in emissions builds on the momentum of technological change within the aviation industry to make travel more sustainable. The plan outlines action on four key areas including: cleaner aircraft performance and technology; improvements to airspace and ground operations; increased use of sustainable aviation fuels; and developing and promoting new carbon offsetting technologies and options. Additionally, Heathrow is calling on the ICAO -- the UN body for international aviation -- to develop global goals for the uptake of sustainable alternative fuels, and calling for the UK Government to engage ICAO and fellow member states to agree on a 2050 carbon emissions reduction goal for international aviation

Other UK airports and airlines have committed to bring UK aviation to net-zero status by 2050 -- Gatwick Airport claimed carbon neutrality through renewable energy and offsets in 2018 and Birmingham Airport has committed to net-zero by 2033. (Source: Heathrow Airport, PR Feb 21, 2020) Contact: Heathrow Airport, John Holland-Kaye, CEO, +44 0 8443 351801, www.heathrow.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Heathrow,  Aviation Emissions,  Carbon Emissions,  

C40 Cities,City of Miami
Date: 2020-02-24
The Miami Herald is reporting the City of Miami plans to achieve carbon-neutral status by 2050, making it the first city in Florida and 96th in the world to join C40 Cities, an international climate organization that helps cities lower their carbon footprint.

Miami's 2008 plan to address emissions and the growing threat of climate change and rising sea-levels called for a 25 pct cut in emissions below 2006 levels by the year 2020. The plan also called for annual reports on the city's progress on montoring emissions, energy efficiency and similar efforts to lower the city's carbon footprint, the 2008 program was scraped for apparent "political" reasons. (Source: City of Miami, Miami Herald, 22 Feb., 2020) Contact: C40 Cities, www.c40.org; City of Miami Office of Resilience and Sustainability, Alissa Farina, Programs Manager, www.miamigov.com/Government/Departments.../Resilience-and-Sustainability, www.miamidade.gov/planning/resilience.asp

More Low-Carbon Energy News C40 Cities,  Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change ,  

TOTAL
Date: 2020-02-21
Reuters is reporting French energy giant TOTAL intends to stop selling fuel oil -- one of the most carbon-intensive refinery products -- for power generation in order to reduce its carbon footprint. The move is aimed at helping the company reduce its carbon emissions and overall carbon footprint as well refocus its image as a "global energy company" with renewable energy interests rather than oil and gas major.

Reducing its carbon footprint fits in TOTAL's ambition to reduce the carbon intensity of the energy products it makes available to customers by 15 pct between 2015 -- the date of the Paris Agreement -- and 2030, according to Reuters. (Source: TOTAL, Reuters, OilPrice, 15 Feb., 2020) Contact: TOTAL, Media, +33 (0) 1 47 44 46 99 , presse@total.com, www.total.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News TOTAL,  Carbon Footprint,  Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change,  

Finnish Environment Institute
Date: 2020-02-21
The Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) is reporting from Helsinki that only 16 of Finland's 310 municipalities failed to lower their GHG emissions by an average of 15 pct between 2005 and 2017.

On the high end of the reductions scale, Finnish Lapland is estimated to have lowered its emissions by 121 percent, while emissions grew in Ilomantsi in North Karelia, far eastern Finland.

The SKYE emissions figures are calculated according to standards set by the Carbon Neutral Municipalities Network which is backed by SYKE and the EU as part of a six-year climate project called Towards Carbon Neutral Municipalities and Regions.

Finnish emissions must still be slashed by 70-80 pct if to country is to reach its goal of carbon neutrality by 2035. (Source: Finnish Environment Institute, YLE News, 19 Feb., 2020) Contact: Finnish Environment Institute, Johannes Lounasheimo, +358 29 5251000, www.syke.fi › en-US

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissions,  

International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT)
Date: 2020-02-21
A new report just released by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) concludes that using LNG for maritime bunkers (martine fuel) may have little positive impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The ICCT analysis compares LNG, marine gas oil, very low sulphur fuel oil and heavy fuel oil used in marine engines in the LNG tanker and cruise sectors. However, results varied widely depending on engine technology. High-pressure dual fuel (HPDF) machinery came out top but the ICCT estimates that only 90 of the 750-plus LNG-fuelled ships in service use these engines. Moreover, using a 20-year global warming potential model and taking into account upstream emissions, combustion emissions and methane slip, there is no climate benefit from using LNG, regardless of engine technology, the analysis concludes.

The ICCT's findings come as a serious blow to those who have advocated LNG as an interim fuel on the path to low- and zero-carbon propulsion technologies.

Download the ICCT Climate Implications of Using LNG as a Marine Fuel report HERE. (Source: ICCT, Stand Earth.com, Seatrade, 29 Jan., 2020) Contact: International Council of Clean Transportation, twitter@theicct.org, communications@theicct.org, www.theittc.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News LNG,  Alternative Fuel,  GHG,  Carbon Emissions,  

CEMEX
Date: 2020-02-21
Global building materials and cement company CEMEX reports it supports the urgency of collective action to ensure compliance by all parties in the implementation of the Paris Agreement commitments and the fulfilment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals on Climate Action.

To that CEMEX has been working to cut cement production related carbon emissions through investing in energy efficiency, using alternative fuels, increasing its use of renewable energy and increasing clinker substitution through alternative cementitious materials. Through these efforts the company has achieved a reduction of more than 22 pct in net specific CO2 emissions compared to a 1990 baseline.

In 2019 CEMEX announced a goal to reduce 30 pct of its CO2 net emissions by 2030, but has raised its 30 pct taget to 35 pct our CO2net emissions by 2030, aligned with the Science-Based Targets Methodology.

Download the CEMEX Our Contribution Towards a Carbon Neutral World report HERE. (Source: CEMEX, Feb., 2020) Contact: CEMEX, www.cemex.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CEMEX,  Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change,  Cement,  

UMass Lowell
Date: 2020-02-21
In the Bay State, the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Lowell and the city of Lowell have announced the Green Community Partnership -- an alliance committed to driving down the city's carbon footprint. The effort, which is being funded by Lowell philanthropist Nancy Donahue and numerous community partners, already has $50,000 available for joint university-community clean energy projects.

A member of the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment, UMass Lowell has committed itself to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The city of Lowell has made substantial investments in the energy efficiency of its buildings resulting in a 31 pct reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.The city has also committed to using 100 pct renewable energy to the use of 100 pct clean and renewable energy.

For more information about the Green Community Partnership HERE. (Source: UMass Lowell, PR, Contact: UMass Lowell, www.uml.edu, uml.edu/greencommunity

More Low-Carbon Energy News Renewable Energy,  Energy Efficiency,  Carbon Emissions,  

Carbon Clean Solutions Limited
Date: 2020-02-19
London-headquartered cleantech startup Carbon Clean Solutions Limited (CCSL) is reporting completion of an equity investment of $16 million from three global investors --- WAVE Equity Partners, Chevron Technology Ventures, and Marubeni Corporation.

IIT Kharagpur-incubated Carbon Clean is developing affordable carbon capture technology for utilisation and storage, as used by steel, cement, refining and petrochemicals and waste incineration plants.

The new investment will be used to deliver an existing pipeline of global projects to lower carbon emissions from industry. CCSL will also invest in the development of "containerised" solutions to achieve $30/tonne cost of CO2 capture by 2021. (Source: CCSL, Your Story, 18 Feb., 2020) Contact: Carbon Clean Solutions Ltd., Aniruddha Sharma, CEO, +44 (0) 20 3755 1600, ccs@kekstcnc.com, www.carboncleansolutions.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Clean Solutions,  CCS,  Carbon Capture Limited ,  

Airport Council International
Date: 2020-02-19
In Germany, Munich Airport reports the Airport Council International (ACI Europe), the umbrella organization of European airports, has again recognized the airport for its continuous efforts to reduce its CO2 emissions.

The Munich Airport reduced its directly attributable CO2 emissions from approximately 3.4 kg per passenger in 2009 to around 2.2 kg per passenger in 2018 -- a drop of 35 pct.

The airport documents its emissions in accordance with the internationally recognized Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG), the most widely used international accounting tool for government and business leaders to understand, quantify, and manage greenhouse gas emissions.

The airport plans to achieve additional emissions reductions through innovative technologies, without purchasing carbon certificates, and to achieve ACA certified carbon "neutrality" by 2030. (Source: Munich Airports, PR, 18 Feb., 2020) Contact: Munich Airport, Jost Lammers, Pres., CEO, +49 811 5522128, www.munich-airport.com; Airport Council International (ACI Europe), the umbrella organization of European airports, Airport Council International, www.aci.aero; Greenhouse Gas Protocol, www.ghgprotocol.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Aviation Emissions,  Carbon Emissions,  Greenhouse Gas Protocol ,  

Imperial College London
Date: 2020-02-19
A recently released report from Imperial College of London has found that levels of carbon emissions generated from power consumption in the UK fell by almost two-thirds in the last decade -- the fastest rate of decarbonisation in the world.

The research, conducted in partnership with research and insights company, Drax Insights, notes that emissions from power consumption dropped by a massive 14 pct in 2019, driven by the falling use of fossil fuels and increases in renewables which was eight-times higher in 2019 than in 2010 - with the combined capacity of wind, solar, biomass and hydro having grown six-fold over the since 2010, from 5.2GW to 38.5GW. An 8 pct drop in energy demand was also a factor.

In the last decade power sector emissions fell from 161 million tonnes in 2010 to 54 million metric tonnes in 2019. (Source: Imperial College London, Smart Energy, 17 Feb., 2020) Contact: Imperial College London, www.imperial.ac.uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissions,  UK Carbon Emissions,