Korea
Date: 2019-11-04
The Korean Times is reporting Korean companies consume over 50 pct of the electric power generated from coal-fired power plants and contribute 30 to 40 pct of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. The Times notes that Korean companies, the main consumers of electricity generated by the coal-fired plants, need to transition to renewables but to date have been largely noncommittal to dropping fossil fuels.

According to Kim Ji-seok, a climate and energy specialist at Greenpeace Seoul, "there are two ways for local companies to replace their energy sources with renewable energy. One is to build their own power plant and the other is to purchase the energy from a renewable resources power generator. However, the latter is not legal here. Besides, electric power generated by such plants accounts for only 3.5 pct of the total electricity used in Korea, which is way too small to meet market demand," Kim said.

The state-run Korean Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), which controls the majority of the country's electric power generation, is reportedly slow to adopt renewables. Another major factor attributing to high rate of greenhouse gases in Korea is the auto industry with Hyundai and Kia Motors emitting 401 million gross tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in 2018. (Source: Korea Times, Nov., 2019)

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

Holland Michigan
Date: 2019-11-04
In Michigan, the city of Holland (pop. 35,000 +-) reports it is upgrading its Community Energy Plan -- the city's strategy to bring per capita GHG emissions down to 10 metric tons of carbon dioxide per capita over 40 years.

With the recent the decommissioning of the coal-powered James DeYoung power plant and the opening of the Holland Energy Park natural gas plant, the city has already cut emissions from 24 metric tons per capita in 2010 to an estimated 17 metric tons as of 2017. Moving forward the the city plans retrofitting all city buildings for better energy efficiency, replacing streetlights with LEDs to cut energy costs, further cutting the use of fossils fuels and increasing reliance on renewable energy sources, and refining its Energy Plan to include:

reaching a total of 1,000 homes retrofitted through the Home Energy Efficiency Retrofit program

growing capacity so that an additional 250 homes can be retrofitted annually

create local residential, commercial and industrial Energy Waste Reduction programs to replace expiring state programs

pilot and then study district heating at the Holland Civic Center to determine its effectiveness

achieve the highest rate of per-capita electric vehicle ownership in the state, twice the state average

draft a five-year plan for adapting the city's infrastructure for autonomous vehicles

secure a $3 million endowment for the Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute.

If all interim goals for 2021 are met, the changes are predicted to bring CO2 emissions levels down to 15.75 metric tons per capita. With 82 percent of the city's electricity delivered to commercial or industrial facilities, Holland's business sector will be key to the continued progress toward its goals. (Source: City of Holland, Holland Sentinel, 3 Nov., 2019)

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

University of Queensland
Date: 2019-11-01
Research led by the University of Queensland in Australia has found the climate impact of selective logging, outright clearing and fire in tropical rainforests between 2000 and 2013 was conservatively underestimated by 6.53 billion tonnes of CO2. The study did not include emissions from other woodlands or the massive boreal forests in the high latitudes of the northern hemisphere.

According to study co-author professor James Watson of the University of Queensland and the Wildlife Conservation Society, "We have been treating forests as pretty one-dimensional, but we know degradation impacts carbon. The bottom line is that we knew the numbers would be big, but we were shocked at just how big. This is a carbon time bomb and policymakers have to get to grips with this."

The study notes that when countries declare greenhouse gas emissions from changes in forests, they do not account for the CO2 that forests would have continued to soak up for decades had they not been cleared or damaged. This is a measure known as 'forgone removal'. The study , which accounted for those emissions up to the year 2050, found 6.53 billion tonnes of CO2 for foregone emissions and the impacts of other damage that wasn't being counted. In total, the world's forests absorbed roughly 28 pct of human-caused emissions between 2007 and 2016, with tropical forests accounting for about half that absorption.

Study details HERE. (Source: University of Queensland, Science Advances, Guardian, 31 Oct., 2019) Contact: University of Queensland, Prf. James Watson, +61 7 334 61645, james.watson@uq.edu.au, www.uq.edu.au

More Low-Carbon Energy News GHG,  Greenhouse Gas Emissions,  CO2,  Rainforest,  

Association of Global Automakers
Date: 2019-10-30
In the Golden State, the Sacramento Bee is reporting General Motors, Toyota and other major automakers are supporting the Trump administration's lawsuit regarding California's higher than national standards for vehicle fuel economy and carbon emissions to address climate change.

The Association of Global Automakers and the Coalition for Sustainable Automotive Regulation -- a group including GM, Toyota, Mazda, Fiat Chrysler and Mitsubishi -- split with four other automakers that had agreed to follow tougher rules enacted by California. The coalition said it simply wants to avoid a two-track system in which carmakers have to follow one set of rules for California, and the states that are supporting California, and another set of rules imposed by the federal government. Such a scenario would create chaos in the industry, the group argued. (Source: Sacramento Bee, 29 Oct., 2019) Contact: Association of Global Automakers, www.globalautomakers.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Vehicle Emissions,  CO2,  GHGs,  EPA,  California Vehicle Emissions,  Climate Change ,  

FortisBC
Date: 2019-10-25
In British Columbia, Surrey-based regulated utility FortisBC and the City of Vancouver have received regulatory approval from the British Columbia Utilities Commission to produce Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) at the City's landfill in Delta. Construction of the biogas facility will get underway in 2020 and take approximately 18 to 24 months to complete.

The project aligns with the City of Vancouver's and FortisBC's shared commitment to develop more renewable energy and support the broader greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals outlined in the province's CleanBC strategy, according to the FortisBC release. "This new and substantial supply will bring us closer to our target of having 15 pct of our gas supply be renewable by 2030 -- a key deliverable within our 30BY30 Target to reduce our customers' greenhouse gas emissions by 30 pct by 2030."

FortisBC currently works with five RNG suppliers and owns and operates two RNG purification facilities on existing landfills. (Source: FortisBC, PR, CNW, 24 Oct., 2019) Contact: FortisBC, Douglas Stout, VP, Market Dev. www.fortisinc.com, www.fortisbc.com/RNG

More Low-Carbon Energy News FortisBC,  RNG,  

San Antonio
Date: 2019-10-18
In the Lone Star State, the San Antonio City Council reports the adoption of a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan aimed at slashing the city's GHG emissions to net-zero by 2050.

San Antonio is the second major Texas city to adopt the goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Austin passed a similar climate plan in 2014 and Houston and Dallas are working on their own climate planning efforts. (Source: City of San Antonio, Rivard Report, 17 Oct., 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Net-Zero Emissions,  Climate Change,  CO2,  San Antonio,  

Finger Lakes Climate Fund
Date: 2019-10-14
In the Empire State, the Ithaca-based Finger Lakes Climate Fund is touting an online carbon offsetting calculator program that allows donors to estimate their carbon pollution and pay a corresponding amount to support local clean energy, energy efficiency and climate related projects.

The Finger Lakes Climate Fund works to promote clean energy projects in the Finger Lakes area while strengthening the regional economy while offsetting greenhouse gas emissions from buildings or travel.

Carbon offset donations are used for grants to fund energy efficiency projects and renewables that would not otherwise be possible in low-to-moderate income households in the Finger Lakes region. These grants help pay for insulation, air sealing, energy efficient heating equipment such as heat pumps and pellet stoves, solar panels, and other upgrades to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

The Finger Lakes Climate Fund is also investigating other cost-effective local carbon offset projects such as soil carbon farming. (Source: Finger Lakes Climate Fund, Yale Climate Connection, Oct., 2019) Contact: Finger Lakes Climate Fund, www.fingerlakesclimatefund.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon OffsetsEnergy Efficiency,  Renewables,  GHG,  Climate Change,  

International Energy Agency
Date: 2019-10-14
In its Energy Efficiency 2018 report, the International Energy Agency (IEA) examines the ways global energy efficiency could be improved over the next two decades. It bases its estimates on a world with 60 pct more building space, 20 pct more people and a GDP that is double what it is today. Those increases will significantly affect energy demand, use and production, so energy efficiency will be critical in controlling their contribution to GHG emissions, according to the report.

The IEA report notes: energy efficiency gains could "allow the world to extract twice as much economic value from the energy it uses today"; efficiency would cut consumer energy bills by more than US$500 billion annually and, by 2040, provide 40 pct of the GHG reductions the world needs to meet Paris Agreement commitments.

Report details and free download HERE. (Source: IES, BIV, 14 Oct., 2019) Contact: EIA, www.eia.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News International Energy Agency,  Energy Efficiency,  

City of Santa Rosa
Date: 2019-10-14
As previously reported, in February the Santa Rosa City Council in Sonoma County, California appointed a climate action subcommittee to facilitate the implementation of a climate action plans. To that end, the subcommittee is now advancing significant policy changes focused on transportation, energy-efficient buildings, solid waste reduction and carbon sequestration.

Sixty percent of Santa Rosa's GHG emissions come from motor vehicles. As Sonoma County prepares to extend Measure M -- a quarter-cent sales tax that has leveraged $5 of state and federal funding for every $1 of local transportation tax revenue -- the city needs to take a critical look at reliable and frequent public transit.

With 29 pct of the city's emissions coming from inefficient building energy use, the subcommittee is recommending all city buildings join Sonoma Clean Power's "Evergreen" program, which delivers 100 pct renewable and local energy, promising an immediate 41 pct reduction in building emissions.

The subcommittee has also advanced a comprehensive zero-waste plan that could reduce the city's GHG emissions by up to 9 pct. The city also maximized its recyclabling and composting efforts. The city is also exploring . (Source: City of Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 13 Oct., 2019) Contact: City of Santa Rosa, www.srcity.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  

Gevo
Date: 2019-10-09
"Friday's (renewable fuels standard) announcement by the EPA is a step in the right direction and will hopefully put the RFS back on track after 31 oil refineries received exemptions back in August. I'm glad President Trump supported this step. A robust renewable fuel standard is important for our farmers, the biofuel industry, and reducing greenhouse gases. Every drop of biofuel we get into the market is a win and helps to change the conversation about what is possible from low carbon, sustainable biofuels.

"With Gevo it is possible, for example, to replace an entire gallon of transportation fuel with fuels that are renewable with net zero, or even carry a negative, GHG profile. That is a game changer. Good for farmers, good for consumers, good for the environment." -- Patrick Gruber, CEO, Gevo, 8 Oct., 2019 Contact: Gevo, Patrick Gruber, CEO, 303-858-8358, pgruber@gevo.com, www.gevo.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Gevo,  RFS,  Renewable Fuel Standard,  

International CCS Knowledge Centre
Date: 2019-10-09
Tokyo-based Japan CCS Co., Ltd. and the Regina, Saskatchewan-headquartered International CCS Knowledge Centre are reporting a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlining plans to collaborate on accelerating the use and understanding of carbon capture utilization and storage (CCS/CCUS).

Japan CCS Co., Ltd. is conducting the Tomakomai CCS Demonstration Project to demonstrate the viability of full-chain CCS in Japan. The International CCS Knowledge Centre will share the experience and lessons-learned from the construction, operation and maintenance of SaskPower's Boundary Dam 3 CCS Facility - the world's first commercial scale, post-combustion CCS facility on a coal-fired power plant.

The International CCS Knowledge Centre was established by BHP and SaskPower with a mandate to advance the global understanding and deployment of large-scale CCS to reduce global GHG emissions. (Source: Japan CCS, International CCS Knowledge Centre, PR, 8 Oct., 2019) Contact: International CCS Knowledge Centre , Mike Monea, President & CEO, www.ccsknowledge.com; Japan CCS Co., Ltd., www.japanccs.com/en

More Low-Carbon Energy News International CCS Knowledge Centre,  CCS,  Boundry Dam,  Saskpower,  ,  

RGGI
Date: 2019-10-04
In Harisburg, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) reports he is beginning the process to enter the commonwealth into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the "first mandatory market-based program in the United States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

The move is in keeping with the Governor's goal of reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26 pct by 2025. The state Department of Environmental Protection will be tasked with drafting the proposed regulation.

The RGGI state include Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Four of those states are led by Republican governors. Pennsylvania reportedly emits nearly as much carbon as the nine RGGI states combined. (Source: Pennsylvania Capital Star, 3 Oct., 2019) Contact: RGGI, www.rggi.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News RGGI,  GHG,  Greenhouse Gas,  Carbon Emissions,  

Ofgem
Date: 2019-10-04
In London, the UK energy regulator OFGEM is reporting the UK's progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions slowed in 2918, falling by 2.5 pct from 3 pct in 2017 -- the smallest reduction since 2012.

The country's GHG emissions have fallen by 42 pct since 1990, more than any other large advanced economy, due largely to the decarbonisation of electric power generation. Even so, the agency notes "significant" investment and policy intervention, particularly in renewables, would be needed to meet the UK's legal goals of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

OFGEM has made decarbonizing the economy a priority in its new corporate strategy and has promised to set out more detail on this early next year. "OFGEM's latest state of the market report shows the progress made so far to decarbonise the economy but much more needs to be done. We want the UK to remain a global leader in bringing down greenhouse gas emissions, and our major objective is to help the country rise to the challenge of cutting emissions to net-zero by 2050 at the lowest possible price to consumers", OFGEM chief economist Joe Perkins said. (Source: OFGEM, Isle of Wight County Press, 3 Oct., 2019)Contact: OFGEM, Chris Lock, +44 0207 901 7225, www.ofgem.gov.uk

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

Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials
Date: 2019-09-25
In the EU, more than 50 banks and other financial institutions representing nearly $3 trillion in assets are reporting they will assess and disclose the impact their loans and investments will have on climate change through the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF), an industry-wide effort to standardize how companies measure the carbon footprints of their investments.

PCAF is a global partnership of financial institutions that work together to develop and implement a harmonized approach to assess and disclose the GHG emissions associated with their loans and investments. PCAF enables transparency and accountability and will develop an open-source global carbon accounting standard for financial institutions, according to a Reuters report. (Source: PCAF, euronews, Reuters, 23 Sept., 2019) Contact: Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials, Giel Linthorst, Executive Director, +31 6 1136 6935, info@carbonaccountingfinancials.com, www.carbonaccountingfinancials.com

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

World Biogas Association
Date: 2019-09-20
Following on from the recent publication of its Global Potential of Biogas report, which demonstrates that biogas could rapidly reduce world GHG emissions by 12 pct, the World Biogas Association (WBA) has issued recommendations to world governments, financial institutions and other key decision makers to support the industry becoming a key player in meeting Paris Agreement commitments and developing a low carbon circular economy.

The WBA emphasizes the need to move away from fossil fuels and invest in the infrastructure and incentives required to build a powerful anaerobic digestion and biogas industry that will provide a stable and flexible source of clean energy, as well as bio-fertilisers for agriculture and a potent waste management and sanitation solution. The key recommendations focus around:

National pledges to reduce GHG emissions, including the removal of fossil fuel subsidies, through their Paris Agreement Nationally Determined Commitments, energy plans, net-zero targets by 2050 and increases in renewable energy production and consumption over the next decade.

The inclusion of AD into these pledges and at the core of circular economy strategies, with targets set for the production of biogas, AD included in all incentive policies and AD nominated as the preferred method of treatment for all biodegradable wastes.

Policies to increase biodegradable wastes capture, including the provision by local governments of separate food waste collections in both urban centers and rural areas, and mandatory food waste collection and treatment for businesses of a certain size, combined with increased AD capacity to process the new waste stream.

The development of a robust infrastructure to enable the collection and processing of feedstock in large communities as well as remote rural areas, its treatment through both large and small scale facilities, and distribution through a network of refueling points for biomethane as a transport fuel and injection points for gas going into the grid.

The management of digestate and implementation of regulations and standards for its safe trading and use.

Measures to ensure land is managed with due diligence to environmental impact and energy crops are integrated into production in the most sustainable way.

The World Biogas Association is the global trade association for the biogas, landfill gas and anaerobic digestion (AD) sectors, dedicated to facilitating the adoption of biogas globally. It believes that AD and biogas technologies provide multifaceted opportunities to produce clean, renewable energy while resolving global issues related to development, public health and economic growth.

Download the Global Potential of Biogas report HERE. (Source: World Biogas Association, PR, 19 Sept., 2019) Contact: World Biogas Association, David Newman, Pres., www.worldbiogasassociation.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News World Biogas Association,  Biogas,  Methane,  

Collaboratory for Advancing Methane Science
Date: 2019-09-20
Petroleum giants BP and SIEP, Inc. (Shell) are reported to have joined the Collaboratory for Advancing Methane Science (CAMS), an industry-led consortium researching methane emissions and delivering transparent data to evaluate the most effective methane emissions reduction strategies. Other CAMS participants include Cheniere, Chevron, Equinor, ExxonMobil, and Pioneer Natural Resources.

CAMS undertakes scientific studies addressing methane emissions along the natural gas value chain, from production through end use. Studies will focus on detection, measurement and quantification of methane emissions with the goal of finding opportunities for reduction. CAMS' first project is to develop an open access oil and gas operations emissions calculator that will estimate methane emissions at a basin level and enable operators to evaluate effectiveness of mitigation strategies. (Source; CAMS, Green Car Congress, 19 Sept., 2019) Contact: Collaboratory for Advancing Methane Science, www.methanecollaboratory.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Methan,  GHG,  Greenhouse Gas,  

BP
Date: 2019-09-13
London-headquartered oil industry giant BP reports it has installed continuous measurement of methane emissions technology at its existing oil and gas processing projects worldwide and will deploy the technology at all future BP-operations as part of its program to reduce methane emissions.

The methane data generated will help BP identify the largest opportunities to tackle methane emissions, drive efficiency and develop best practice – and is ultimately aimed at delivering and improving on BP’s methane intensity target of 0.2 pct from its upstream operations. In time, the data collected will feed information into an extensive digital cloud network as part of a global integrated approach to reduce both methane and carbon emissions. (Source: BP, World Oil, Sept. 10, 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News BP,  Methane,  Greenhouse Gas,  GHG,  

Wood Pellet Association of Canada
Date: 2019-09-13
Advanced Biofuels Canada, Canadian Biogas Association, Canadian Gas Association, Electric Mobility Canada and Wood Pellet Association of Canada are forecasting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions of over 50 million metric tons (Mt) per year by 2030 through greater production and use of renewable energy in Canada.

Collectively, the associations say they represent technologies that can, with the right policy measures in place, exceed the proposed federal Clean Fuel Standard's objective of 30 Mt of annual GHG emission reductions by 2030.

To that end, the associations are calling on the Canadian federal government to adopt a Clean Fuel Strategy by 2020. The strategy would include setting a clear path to clean and renewable fuel use by 2030 by: establishing clear market signals for clean fuels and electric vehicles; aligning clean and renewable fuel regulations to meet targeted clean fuel and EV use; establish clean fuel program funding to support clean and renewable fuel production capacity and infrastructure investments, and support EV adoption; and Support research and development programs to maintain Canadian leadership in clean fuel technologies and innovation. (Source: Wood Pellet Association of Canada, Biomass Mag., Sept., 2019) Contact: Wood Pellet Association of Canada, www.pellet.org; Canadian Biogas Association, (613) 822-1004, www.biogasassociation.ca; Advanced Biofuels Canada, Ian Thompson, Pres., (604) 947-0040, ithomson@advancedbiofuels.ca, www.advancedbiofuels.ca

More Low-Carbon Energy News Advanced Biofuels Canada,  Canadian Biogas Association,  Wood Pellet Association of Canada,  Clean Fuel,  Biofuel,  

ePURE
Date: 2019-09-11
The European renewable ethanol association ePURE reports in 2018 its members produced 5.81 billion litres of ethanol. 82 pct of which was used as fuel, which resulted in average greenhouse gas (GHG) savings of over 71 pct, compared to petrol. Of the remaining ethanol volumes, 9 pct was used in industry, with another 9 pct was used in food and beverages. ePURE members also produces 5.55 million tonnes distillers dried grain (DDGs) co-products for livestock feed.

Of the total volume of ethanol produced in 2018, The GHG-reducing performance of European ethanol increased for the seventh consecutive year. According to ePURE, "The emissions-reduction performance of EU ethanol continues to improve at a time when transport decarbonization is of critical importance. As Europe's leaders work to respond to voters' concerns about climate change and EU Member States struggle to meet their renewables targets, they should not overlook a homegrown solution that delivers results right now. Ethanol reduces emissions from today's car fleet and will be important for decarbonizing the vehicles that what will continue to be prevalent on Europe's roads for a long time." (Source: ePURE, 5 Sept., 2019) Contact: ePURE, Emmanuel Desplechin, Sec. General, +32 2 657 6679, info@epure.org, www.epure.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News ePURE,  Carbon Emissons,  Ethanol,  

Wood Pellet Association of Canada
Date: 2019-09-09
Since 2017, the government of Canada has been developing the Clean Fuel Standard (CFS), a low carbon fuel standard-type policy, to reduce the life-cycle carbon intensity of fuels and energy used in Canada. The CFS aims to achieve 30 million tonnes CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) of annual reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 2030.

The Wood Pellet Association of Canada (WPAC) has been providing input to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) as it works to design and shape the CFS. And, upon review of ECCC's proposed regulatory approach, WPAC is seriously concerned that the government will not allow end-use fuel switching in the buildings/stationary fuel use sector.

WPAC believes it is unfair for ECCC to recognize fuel switching from gasoline to electricity or hydrogen in transportation, but not to recognize switching from heating oil to solid biofuels -- wood pellets or chips -- for Canada's second largest renewable energy product -- solid biomass heating. To that end, WPAC made the following representations to ECCC:

One of the three primary objectives of the CFS is low-cost compliance. By prohibiting recognition of fuel switching for stationary applications, ECCC will actually significantly increase the cost of CFS compliance, exclude the forest sector from participation in the short-term, and inhibit investment in the most proven commercial technology for displacement of heating oil -- wood pellet and chip boilers.

Canada consumes approximately three billion lpy of heating oil, the majority of which is consumed by Canadians in rural and Atlantic Canada. The latter accounts for 44 pct of heating oil consumption in the residential sector and 50 pct of heating oil consumption in the commercial/institutional sectors. Rural and Atlantic Canada also have among the lowest per capita income. ECCC's proposed regulatory approach will make CFS compliance for these low-income areas significantly more expensive than for those living in cities.

Under ECCC's proposed regulatory approach, the principal mechanism for ensuring compliance from heating oil primary suppliers will be to blend renewable diesel with heating oil. Since heating oil has low carbon intensity (CI) relative to other liquid fuels and much of the crude used to produce heating oil is sourced from outside of Canada, there is less opportunity for upstream reductions than with other liquid fuels. The 2030 target of 74 g CO2e/MJ is less than heating oil combustion emissions, meaning upstream efficiency improvements will be insufficient to meet the requirements. The only heating oil-miscible fuel that can also be stored outside in winter, as is often the case with heating oil, is renewable diesel.

Renewable diesel has a useful heat fuel cost of $65-82 per gigajoule (GJ) ($234-295 per MWh. In contrast, wood pellets, at $300-350 per tonne for residential sales, have a useful heat fuel cost of $20-24 per GJ. Wood pellets also have half the of default renewable diesel (29 g CO2e/MJ). Wood chips are half the carbon intensity of wood pellets which means, on an implied carbon price basis and assuming wholesale $0.75 per litre for heating oil, blending renewable diesel with heating oil has a fuel cost of $630/ per tonne CO2e to 884 per tonne CO2e. Switching from heating oil to wood pellets saves money on a fuel basis, in addition to avoiding taxes on heating oil. In this case, there is little reason to implement a complex policy such as the CFS.

Despite the billions of dollars invested in lignocellulosic liquid transportation biofuels, all technologies are still pre-commercial -- especially forest feedstock-based liquid transportation biofuels due to the recalcitrant structure of wood fibre. Co-processing of pyrolysis oil or biocrude in existing oil refineries at a meaningful volume will not occur before 2030. The forest sector represents over 75 pct of annually-available biomass resources in Canada and its exclusion from participation in the liquids class will dramatically increase the cost of fuel, especially in rural communities where wood chips and bioheat are a cost efficient and convenient source of energy. (Source: WPAC, Canadian Biomass, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 26 Aug., 2019) Contact: Wood Pellet Association of Canada, Gordon Murra, Exec. Dir., ; Environment and Climate Change Canada, www.canada.ca › environment-climate-change

More Low-Carbon Energy News Environment and Climate Change Canada,  Wood Pellet Association of Canada,  Woody Biomass,  Wood Pellet ,  

Renewable Energy
Date: 2019-09-06
In Hartford, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) has announced plans to eliminate the state's dependence on fossil fuels by 2040. The governor put forward this goal in his third executive order since taking office in January. The executive order requires the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to develop strategies to achieve a 100 pct zero carbon -- renewable energy -- target for the state's electric power sector by 2040.

The Governor's Council on Climate Change (GC3) was created by an Executive Order in 2015 and tasked with formulating strategies to help the state meet its 2008 Global Warming Solutions Act and the 2018 Act Concerning Climate Change Planning and Resiliency.

The first act set out to reduce GHG emissions to 10 pct below 1990 levels by January 2020 and to 80 pct below 2001 levels by January 2050, while the second act aimed to reduce GHG emissions by 45 percent from a 2001 baseline by 2030, based on a GC3 recommendation. According to the newest executive order, the GC3 will be responsible for monitoring the execution of its proposed strategies and will submit a report to the administration on its implementation progress by Jan. 15, 2021. The GC3 will also develop a climate adaptation strategy in consultation with other state agency. (Source: Office of Gov. Ned Lamont, Yale News, 5 Sept., 2019) Contact: Office of Gov. Ned Lamont, twitter.com/GovNedLamont

More Low-Carbon Energy News Renewable Energy,  

City of Brampton
Date: 2019-09-04
In southern Ontario, the city of Brampton -- pop. 594,000 +- -- reports the release of its strategy for lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy conservation, and the city's goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 20 pct by 2024. The Brampton Energy and Emissions Management Plan 201-2024: A Zero Carbon Transition outlines how the city plans to achieve a zero-carbon transition for new and existing corporate facilities over the next five years. The plan focuses on minimizing emissions intensity, minimizing energy consumption, and maximizing cost recovery.

Brampton is aiming foe a 30 pct emission reduction by 2030 and 80 pct by 2025. The interim target has been set to reduce GHG emissions by 20 per cent by 2024.

In a release, the city notes has recovered $5.8 million in costs through energy-efficient programs, third-party funding, energy procurement and water rebates since 2014 and has introduced more than 13 renewable energy projects implemented 50 energy conservation projects in its effort to address emissions and climate change. (Source: City of Brampton, Brampton Guardian, 3 Sept., 2019) Contact: City of Brampton, 905.874.2130, www.brampton.ca

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

Green Climate Fund
Date: 2019-08-28
The Environmental Journals is reporting the UK will spend £1.44 billion over the next four years to help developing countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The UK contributed £724 million between 2014 and 2019.

Over 40 countries are currently funding similar projects through the Green Climate Fund (GCF) which has provided a total of $5.2 billion and mobilized over $13.5 billion of private sector and other co-investment for projects to reduce emissions and protect and preserve natural habitats in the developing world. GCF projects are expected to remove the equivalent of 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. (Source: Environmental Journal, Thomas Barrett, 27 Aug., 2019) Contact: Green Climate Fund, +82 32 458 6059, info@gcfund.org, www.greenclimate.fund

More Low-Carbon Energy News GHG,  Green Climate Fund,  Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change,  

LBNL, US DOE
Date: 2019-08-21
The US DOE Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and an international team of researchers addressing the "Amazon Forest Response to CO2 Fertilization Dependent on Plant Phosphorus Acquisition," has raised the issue and asked the question, "How long will the Amazon rainforest continue to act as an effective carbon sink?"

The study, published August 5 in the journal Nature Geoscience, found that accounting for phosphorus-deficient soils reduced projected CO2 uptake by an average of 50 pct in the Amazon, compared to current estimates based on previous climate models that did not take into account phosphorus deficiency. The Amazon Basin is critical to help mitigate climate change due to its trees absorbing around a quarter of the CO2 released each year from the burning of fossil fuels.

According to Berkeley Lab research scientist and study co-author Jennifer Holm, "Most predictions of the Amazon rainforest's ability to resist climate change are based on models that have outdated assumptions; one of those is that a sufficient supply of nutrients such as phosphorus exist in soils to enable trees to take in additional CO2 as global emissions increase," said . "But in reality the ecosystem is millions of years old, highly weathered, and therefore depleted of phosphorus in many parts of the Amazon."

Agriculture, forestry, and other types of land use account for 23 pct of human-caused GHG emissions, yet at the same time natural land processes absorb the equivalent of almost a third of CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and industry, according to the recently released International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on land and climate interactions. (Source: DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, PR, Eureka Alert, 20 Aug., 2019) Contact: US DOE Office of Science, energy.gov/science; LBNL, Jennifer Holm, Research Scientist and Study Co-author, www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-holm-265600b, www.lbl.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News LBNL,  Rainforest,  CO2,  Carbon Sink,  Climate Change,  

Waterloo
Date: 2019-08-12
In Ontario, the Regional Municipality of Waterloo reports it is aiming to join other regional centers -- the cities of Guelph and Markham -- in reaching Net Zero Carbon by 2050. To that end, in 2013 Waterloo developed Climate Action WR, a Climate Action Plan aimed at cutting the municipality's GHG emissions by 6 pct from 2010 levels by 2020 and 80 pct by 2050.

Waterloo's 2015 emissions breakdown identified the transportation sector is the largest emitter of CO2 at 49 pct, followed by industrial, commercial, and institutional work places at 27 pct, residences at 18 pct, agriculture emitted 5 pct and waste management picked up the remaining 1 pct.

Between 2010 and 2015 the Climate Action WR plan spearheaded 5.2 pct reduction in GHG emissions, the equivalent of 235,935 tonnes of CO2 emissions or 58,000 cars removed from the roads.

Th meet its transportation-related GHG reduction goals, Waterloo has instituted a community bike and car share program, a light rail electric transit system and reduced bus traffic in the city. The municipality also established "green" building and energy efficiency standards, retrifited street lights to LED which are expected to reduce GHG emissions by 920 tpy. (Source: Municipality of Waterloo, Alternatives Journal, 3 Aug., 2019) Contact: Sustainable Waterloo Region, Tova Davidson,Executive Director, Samantha Tremmel, Acting Climate Action Manager, (519) 603-2223, www.sustainablewaterlooregion.ca

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

Chevron
Date: 2019-08-09
In the Land Down Under, Perth-based energy major Chevron Australia Pty Ltd. and its JV partners at the Gorgon LNG project, in Western Australia, are reporting the launch of the Gorgon carbon dioxide (CO2) injection system -- the world's largest greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation project. When fully operational, the CO2 injection facility will cut Gorgon's GHG emissions by about 40 pct or more than 100-million tonnes over the life of the project.

The Gorgon facility incorporates features aimed at maximizing energy efficiency and minimizing GHG emissions, and in steady-state operations, is anticipated to have the lowest GHG emissions intensity of any LNG project in Australia. (Source: Chevron Australia, Mining Weekly, Creamer Media NZ, 8 Aug., 2019) Contact: Chevron Australia Pty Ltd, +61 8 9216 4000, www.chevron.com/about/contact

More Low-Carbon Energy News LNG,  Chevron,  Carbon Storage,  CO2,  

UK National Grid
Date: 2019-08-09
According to the UK National Grid's latest Future Energy Scenarios (FES) report, Great Britain could reach net-zero carbon in its electricity grid by 2050 -- if "immediate action" is taken across all key energy technology and policy areas, such as increased energy efficiency and carbon capture and storage (CCS), and "at a significantly greater scale than assumed."

The report outlines five "credible pathways and scenarios for the future of energy" over the next 30 years. Two of the scenarios meet the country's old 2050 target of an 80 pct reduction in GHG emissions by 2050, and a new "standalone sensitivity analysis on how net-zero carbon emissions could potentially be achieved by 2050."

The report notes that achieve net-zero, British homes would need to use at least one-third less energy for heating by 2050 than today, while the electricity system would need to operate using only zero-carbon generation, and the power sector would need to deliver negative emissions, using technologies like biomass and carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS).

Report details HERE. (Source: UK National Grid, July, 2019) Contact: UK National Grid, Kayte O'Neill, Head of Strategy and Regulation, www2.nationalgrid.com/uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News UK National Grid,  Net-Zero Carbon,  CCUS,  CCS,  CO2,  

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Date: 2019-08-07
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in cooperation with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports it has identified ways to reduce agricultural GHG emissions under various climate conditions using isotopic techniques.

When farmers apply fertilizer to their crops, plants convert the fertilizer into the nutrients the plants need to flourish. Some of the by-products related to these processes are released as GHGs -- nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) -- and the overuse of fertilizer is leading to the release of excessive amounts of GHGs. According to the FAO, agriculture, forestry and other land use make up close to a quarter of GHGs, and the use of synthetic fertilizers accounts for 12 pct of total agriculture GHG emissions.

These gases trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming and thereby altering the conditions under which food crops grow, affecting not only crop yields, but also food quality and food security. The release of N2O is particularly worrying because it's 300 times more powerful than CO2 in trapping heat, and 16 times more powerful than CH4 and can therefore greatly contribute to climate change mitigation strategies.

Nuclear techniques offer substantial advantages over conventional techniques for measuring GHG emissions. By adding nitrogen fertilizers labelled with stable isotope nitrogen-15 as a tracer, scientists can track the isotopes and determine how effectively the crops are taking up the fertilizer. The isotope is also used to quantify the amount of nitrogen that crops can acquire from the atmosphere through biological nitrogen fixation process.

The carbon-13 stable isotope technique, using the natural abundance of carbon-13 in the environment, allows researchers to evaluate soil quality and sources of carbon sequestered in the soil. This helps identify how various combinations of crop rotation, tillage and ground cover can enhance productivity and improve the efficiency with which increasingly scarce resources, such as water and chemical nutrients, are used. Carbon-13 is tracked to determine the movement and origin of carbon dioxide and methane. (Source: International Atomic Energy Agency, UN Food and Agriculture Organization, 6 Aug., 2019) Contact: UN Food & Agriculture Organization, www.fao.org; International Atomic Energy Agency, www.iaea.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News GHG,  Greenhouse Gas Emissions,  ,  

SocalGas,Calgren
Date: 2019-07-31
SocalGas, the largest natural gas distribution utility in the US, reports the completion of the Calgren dairy renewable natural gas facility in Pixley. The natural gas facility, developed in partnership with Calgren Dairy Fuels, is the first of its kind in California. SocalGas has provided Calgren with a $5 million incentive, authorised by the California PUC to support the project.

Calgren will collect cow manure from four dairy farms and process it using an anaerobic digesters to produce methane emissions which will then be used to produce transportation fuel. The digesters in the Calgren project are partially funded under California's Dairy Digester Research and Development Programme, which aims to reduce GHG emissions from manure generated at state dairy farms. California currently has about 30 operational dairy RNG projects and 50 under development.

A 2016 study by the University of California, Davis found California has the potential to produce approximately 90.6 billion cubic feet (bcf) per year of renewable natural gas from dairy, landfill, municipal solid waste, and wastewater treatment plant sources alone -- sufficient to meet the annual natural gas needs of around 2.3 million California homes. According to the U.S. DOE the U.S. currently produces 1 trillion cubic feet of renewable natural gas every year, and that number is expected to increase to 10 trillion by 2030. (Source: SocalGas, SmartEnergy, 30 July, 2019) Contact: Calgren Renewable Fuels, Walt Dwelle, Principal Owner , Lyle Schlyer, Pres., (559) 757-3850, lschyler@calgren.com, www.calgren.com; Southern California Gas Company, Sharon Tomkins, VP customer solutions and strategy. www.socalgas.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News SocalGas,  Calgren,  anaerobic digester,  RNG,  Renewable Natural Gas,  

Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition
Date: 2019-07-29
In Alsaska, the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly reports passage of Resolution 2019-29 establishing a Climate Change Task Force to develop a plan to address the impacts of climate change.

The Climate Change Task Force will look at how community can adapt to the climate change impacts that are already happening -- wildfires,ice storms and other winter weather aberrations -- are going to be getting worse, as well as looking at reducing GHG emissions and climate change mitigation efforts . The resolution also calls for a joint borough and community climate change task force and an initial public meeting by November 15, 2019. (Source: Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition, Various Media, 27 July, 2019) Contact: Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition, Tristan Glowa, Coordinator, www.fairbanksclimateaction.org

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

Canadian Natural Resources
Date: 2019-07-26
Calgary, Alberta-based Canadian Natural Resources, Canada's largest oil and gas producer reports it is aiming to achieve zero emissions in its oil sand operation by procuring innovating technologies, but has not indicated when or how it intended to achieve its goal.

The company also noted it was one of the biggest carbon capture players in the market ranking fifth when it comes to carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) capacity. The also noted it cut its GHG emissions by 20 pct in the year 2014 and has stopped venting at primary heavy oil operations in Alberta by 72 pctt since 2014. (Source: Canadian Natural Resources, OilPrice, Industry Journal Pro, CBC News, 25 July, 2019) Contact: Canadian Natural Resources, Steve Laut, https://twitter.com, www.cnrl.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News GHG Emissions,  Net-Zero Carbon Emissions,  CO2,  CCS,  

University of Notre Dame.
Date: 2019-07-22
According to new research from the University of Notre Dame. private, independent firms are less likely to pollute and incur EPA penalties than public and private equity-owned firms. The study -- Corporate governance and pollution externalities of public and private firms -- is forthcoming in the Review of Financial Studies from Sophie Shive and Margaret Forster, finance professors in Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business. They found private, independent firms have lower carbon emissions from their operations, controlling for their size and output, than public and private equity-owned firms.

The study offers preliminary research into how finance can help mitigate climate change and sheds light on the debate about which type of corporate structure is better for reducing the "tragedy of the commons" when each entity consumes or spoils too much of a public good and harms society, rather than coordinating to use the resource wisely. The study finds no differences between private, sponsor-backed firms and public firms, controlling for industry, time, location and a host of firm characteristics. Within public firms, it identified a negative association between emissions and mutual fund ownership and board size, suggesting that increased oversight may decrease pollution.

Shive's research has been cited in national news outlets, including the Wall Street Journal. She has taught Introductory Finance, Investment Theory and Private Equity. A former economist at the International Monetary Fund, faculty at Ohio State University, and principal at Wanger Asset Management LLP, Forster teaches courses in investments, international finance and financial institutions. (Source: University of Notre Dame, 22 July, 2019) Contact: University of Notre Dame, Sophie Shive, 574-631-1477, sshive1@nd.edu, www.nd.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News University of Notre Dame,  GHGs,  Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change Mitigation,  

Carbon Tax,South Africa
Date: 2019-07-19
In Johannesburg, South Africa, the Southern Courier is reporting that country's recently enacted carbon tax is now fully in force. The 120 Rand ($8.63 US) per tonne carbon tax is intended to penalize large South African emitters of greenhouse gase and thus help . minimize the climate risks that hydrocarbon fuels present, being a major cause of air pollution and global warming.

According to the International Monetary Fund, carbon tax is the best way to cut greenhouse gas emissions as it allows for a reduction in energy consumption. (Source: Southern Courier, 18 July, 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Tax,  GHG Emissions,  CO2,  South Africa Carbon Tax,  

UK National Grid
Date: 2019-07-17
According to the UK National Grid's latest Future Energy Scenarios (FES) report, Great Britain could reach net-zero carbon in its electricity grid by 2050 -- if "immediate action" is taken across all key energy technology and policy areas, such as increased energy efficiency and carbon capture and storage (CCS), and "at a significantly greater scale than assumed."

The report outlines five "credible pathways and scenarios for the future of energy" over the next 30 years Two of the scenarios meet the country's old 2050 target of an 80 pct reduction in GHG emissions by 2050, and a new "standalone sensitivity analysis on how net-zero carbon emissions could potentially be achieved by 2050."

The report notes that achieve net-zero, British homes would need to use at least one-third less energy for heating by 2050 than today, while the electricity system would need to operate using only zero-carbon generation, and the power sector would need to deliver negative emissions, using technologies like biomass and carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS).

Report details HERE. (Source: UK National Grid, ReNew Economy, July, 2019) Contact: UK National Grid, Kayte O'Neill, Head of Strategy and Regulation, www2.nationalgrid.com/uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News UK National Grid,  Net-Zero Carbon,  

Advanced Biofuels Canada
Date: 2019-07-17
Vancouver-based Advanced Biofuels Canada (ABC) reports the release of its Biofuels in Canada 2019 report prepared by Navius Research Inc. (Navius). Advanced Biofuels Canada is a national industry association established to: promote the production and use of advanced biofuels in Canada; collaborate with other stakeholders to expand market access for sustainable low-carbon biofuels in Canada, and; collaborate broadly to de-carbonize transportation.

This 2019 analysis updates the Biofuels in Canada 2016, 2017 and 2018 reports, and is intended to evaluate and communicate the impact of renewable and low-carbon fuel policy in Canada by: quantifying the volumes of renewable transportation fuels consumed in each Canadian province(i.e. biofuel), characterized by fuel type, feedstock, and CI. The biofuels include ethanol, biodiesel and hydrogenation derived renewable diesel (HDRD); estimating their impact on GHG emissions and; estimating their impact on energy costs, now with an additional focus on how fuel taxes affect these costs.

View the Biofuels in Canada 2019 report HERE (Source: Advanced Biofuels Canada, July, 2019) Contact: Advanced Biofuels Canada, Ian Thompson, Pres., (604) 947-0040, ithomson@advancedbiofuels.ca, www.advancedbiofuels.ca

More Low-Carbon Energy News Advanced Biofuels Canada,  

Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi
Date: 2019-07-15
In UAE, a recently release report from the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) notes that greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) have risen 36.6 pct between 2010 and 2016, an average rise of more than 6 pct per year in Abu Dhabi over the past years.

The report notes that key greenhouse emissions resulting from human activities, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs), were driven by a surge in the demand for water and energy due to the emirate's rapid economic and population growth.

The report projected that sustainable development strategies in the emirate will help to achieve significant reduction in emission indicators by 2030. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment is currently collaborating with the local authorities to develop a comprehensive inventory map of GHG sources and concentrations across the UAE with the aim of identifying emission hotspots and supporting mitigation actions. (Source: Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, MENAFN - Khaleej Times, 13 July, 2019) Contact: Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, Sheikha Al Hosani, Exec. Dr., Environment Quality Sector, +971 2 693 4444, www.ead.ae/SitePages/home.aspx

More Low-Carbon Energy News GHG,  Climate Change,  COs,  Greenhouse Gas Emissions,  Abu Dhabi,  

Ardagh Group
Date: 2019-07-08
Dublin, Ireland-headquartered Ardagh Group, a supplier of sustainable packaging, is reporting its US DOE Energy Star Certified glass manufacturing facility in Bridgeton, N.J., is now powered by a 5.5-MW, 15,930 photovoltaic array expected to produce approximately 7.5 kWh of renewable electricity in the first year.

The Bridgeton, N.J., facility was awarded Energy Star plant certification for superior energy performance and is the only U.S. glass container manufacturer to earn this recognition.

The company's facilities in Dunkirk, In., and Madera, Calif., have also received the Energy Star award for energy efficiency perform within the top 25 pct nationwide for energy efficiency. Additionally, all 13 of the company's manufacturing facilities in North America are ISO 14001 certified. (Source: Ardagh Group, Commercial Prop.Exec, July, 2019) Contact: Ardagh Group, www.ardaghgroup.com; ENERGY STAR, energystar.gov/about

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Star,  Energy Efficiency,  Solar,  

Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG)
Date: 2019-07-01
In the Garden State, Newark-based power producer Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) is touting its record as having one of the lowest carbon emissions rates of the nation's largest power producers, according to Benchmarking Air Emissions of the 100 Largest Electric Power Producers in the United States , a recently released report by M.J. Bradley & Associates, Bank of America, CERES, Entergy, Exelon and NRDC. According to the report:

In 1993, PSEG became the first electric utility in the U.S. to volunteer to participate in the Climate Challenge Program; PSEG successfully met this goal and stabilized carbon dioxide emissions from its New Jersey plants to 1990 levels by 2000.

In 2002, PSEG joined EPA's Climate Leaders program to reduce the six greenhouse gases covered under the Kyoto Protocol. Under this program, PSEG committed to reduce its CO2-equivalent GHG emissions on a pound-per-mWh basis by 18 pct from 2000 levels by Dec. 31, 2008. PSEG surpassed this goal by achieving a 31 pct reduction, due primarily to the fact that more than half our power comes from nuclear generation.

In 2009, PSEG established a new goal of reducing company-wide GHG emissions by 25 pct from 2005 levels by 2025. PSEG met this goal 14 years ahead of schedule. PSEG achieved this goal through implementation of energy efficiency programs, deployment of renewable energy, increasing nuclear output and building clean, efficient natural gas generation.

Since 2010, PSEG has invested approximately $400 million in energy efficiency initiatives that reduce emissions in hospitals, multifamily housing and buildings occupied by nonprofits and government agencies.

In 2018, PSEG announced its new goal of eliminating 13 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent by 2030 from 2005 levels. The new goal expands upon previous reduction goals, including efficiency upgrades of existing combined-cycle natural gas fleets and the retirement of the company's New Jersey and Connecticut coal plants.

PSEG has invested $1.7 Billion in 625 MWs of solar, including 211 MWs in New Jersey and 23 projects in 14 states totaling 414 MWs. PSEG is New Jersey's leading developer of solar energy resources and is an active supporter of efforts to develop offshore wind facilities.

Supplying more than 90 pct of the state's emissions-free power, PSEG's Salem and Hope Creek nuclear generating plants play a key role in supporting New Jersey's clean energy goals.

Download the Benchmarking Air Emissions of the 100 Largest Electric Power Producers in the United States report HERE. (Source: PSEG, CSRWire 28 June, 2019) Contact: PSEG, PSE&G, PSEGPower, www/investor.pseg.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissions,  CO2,  Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG),  Carbon Emissions,  

CDP
Date: 2019-06-26
A Sea Change, a new report from the London-headquartered environmental non-profit and investment research provider CDP notes the world's maritime shipping majors are not investing in key technologies to reduce their carbon footprint, and that the sector is at risk of missing the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) targets to reduce GHG emissions by 50 pct by 2050.

The report ranks 18 of the largest publicly listed shipping companies, representing $62 billion of market capitalization, on business readiness for a low-carbon transition. CDP's analysis finds maritime innovation trends currently focus on technologies and fuels that only deliver marginal improvements; the shipping sector has poor rates of disclosure with only 5 companies completing CDP's 2018 Climate Change questionnaire; and board level oversight of climate issues is very low with only 3 companies having board level climate committees.

According to the report, shipping accounts for up to 3 pct of global emissions and 10 pct of transport emissions while transporting around 80 pct of the world's trade in physical goods. (Source: IMO, CDP, 25 June, 2019) Contact: CDP, Carole Ferguson, Head of Investor Research, www.cdp.net; IMO, Stefan Micallef, Director of Marine Environment Division, +44 (0) 20 7735 7611, www.imo.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News International Maritime Organization,  IMO,  Maritime Emissions,  CDP,  

EPA,Ethanol
Date: 2019-06-26
In response to the Trump administration EPA's rejection of calls to update GHG calculations based on technological advancements in ethanol production, a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators led by Chuck Grassley (R. Iowa) and Dick Durbin (D. Ill.) -- both members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry -- issued the following statement urging the EPA to update an outdated environmental analysis on ethanol in order to "improve foreign sales opportunities."

"During the past five years, ethanol has been the fastest-growing agricultural export. As more nations adopt policies for lower-emission vehicle fuels, domestically produced ethanol can provide an immediate solution for their goals. We assert that there is little justification for EPA to maintain such an outdated calculation that otherwise could be easily corrected with existing, available analysis -- and straightforwardly address an unnecessary obstacle to international trade," the Senators wrote.

"Peer-reviewed science conducted by the USDA has affirmed that U.S. ethanol lowers greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 39-43 pct versus gasoline. EPA has rejected all calls to update these calculations, instead using nearly 10-year-old data, which ignores the technological advancements in ethanol production", the Senators said.

The Senators called for the EPA to adopt the scientific model Greenhouse Gas & Regulated Emissions & Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) developed by the DOE Argonne National Laboratory, after studying 100 fuel production pathways and 85 vehicle systems to measure the life-cycle carbon emissions of vehicle fuels. More than 30,000 organizations worldwide use the updated GREET model, including the FAA, NASA, Ford and GM, BP and others. EPA does not use the updated model. (Source: Office of Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa),Feedstuffs, 25 June, 2019) Contact: Office of Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), www.grassley.senate.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News EPA,  Chuck Grassley,  GHGs,  Ethanol,  

Climate Change
Date: 2019-06-24
"Climate scientists have been warning about the dangers of global warming for decades. Now, it's happening, in spades. It should be noted that America's politicians are guilty of ignoring warnings by their own scientists. Those warnings officially started 31 years ago when Dr. James Hansen, then head of NASA Institute for Space Studies, testified before the Senate[ in 1988: 'If the current pace of the buildup of these gases (GHG) continues, the effect is likely to be a warming of 3 to 9 degrees F from the year 2025 to 2050, according to these projections. This rise in temperature is not expected to be uniform around the globe but to be greater in the higher latitudes.'

"Global warming is prominent throughout the North. Ergo, climate news doesn't get much worse (well, actually, it could, and will) than the collapse of permafrost in the Canadian High Arctic's extreme coldest region (where): 'Observed maximum thaw depths at our sites are already exceeding those projected to occur by 2090. The aforementioned study, from 2003-2016, found permafrost melt up to 240 pct more than previous years. In geological terms, that's like winning the Indy 500, hands down. That permafrost had been frozen solid for 'thousands of years.' Accordingly, scientists predicted the permafrost 'wouldn't melt for another 70 years.' Yet, the landscape has already collapsed by up to three feet.

"Bottom line, the top 25 pct of the Northern Hemisphere, where permafrost is ubiquitous, is coming apart at the seams, and climate scientists are behind the eight ball while America's politicians deny the legitimacy of science and openly spit on the underlying thesis of anthropogenic global warming. In point of fact, Farquharson's '70-yr too early permafrost collapse' makes the onset of RGW look like a dead-ringer, but when?

"There's no getting around the fact that ecosystems are collapsing. The evidence is too palpable to ignore. It's serious; it's deadly, and it could be too late to do much to stop it, other than a last-ditch WWII Marshall Plan Worldwide Consortium dedicated to converting the world to renewable energy, and forcing removal of CO2 from the atmosphere, yet, those solutions take years and years of planning, setup, construction, and billions upon billions of funding. It's not happening.

Meanwhile, carbon that has been trapped in and under permafrost over eons readies to escape to turbo-charge an already over-saturated turbo-charged climate. It's literally happening right now. The waiting room is already full. Farquharson's study proves it, and Alaska's permafrost carbon emissions that compete with U.S. commercial CO2 emissions prove it, as sled dogs wade through it." (Source: Dissident Voice, Robert Hunziker, 21 June, 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  Global Warming,  

New York State
Date: 2019-06-24
Last Thursday in Albany, New York state legislators passed the Climate and Community Protection Act, one of the nation's most ambitious plans to slow climate change by reducing GHG emissions to zero by 2050. If signed into law by Governor Cuomo, the legislation would make New York the nation's second state -- after California -- to pass carbon-neutral economy legislation.

The New York act mandates reducing emissions by 85 pct from 1990 levels by 2050, and offsetting the remaining 15 pct , making the state carbon neutral. The Act calls for reducing emissions by 40 pct by 2030 and using only carbon-free sources such as solar and wind to generate electricity by 2040. (Source: Business Day, Various Media, Reuters, 20 June, 2019)

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

HP,Science-Based Target
Date: 2019-06-21
In its latest Sustainable Impact Report, San Jose, California-headquartered computing and business machine giant Hewlett Packard (HP) has announced a portfolio of environmental pledges.

By 2035 all of HP's global operations will be powered by 100 pct renewable electricity and the amount of recycled plastics used in HP personal computers and printers will hit 30 pct by 2025, according to the report. HP also says its sustainable impact programmes drove almost $1 billion of new revenue in 2018 -- up 35 pct on 2017. In addition, HP noted that it has an approved Science-Based Target (SBT) in place to cut its direct GHG emissions 25 pct by 2025, against a 2015 baseline, alongside a goal to cut emissions associated with the use of its products by a quarter by 2020. The company also plans to cut its supply chain emissions by 10 pct by 2025, against a base year of 2015. (Source: HP, BusinessGreen, 15 June, 2019) Dion Weisler, HP's president and CEO www.hpe.com; Science-Based Targets Initiative, www.sciencebasedtargets.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Green Energy,  Science-Based Target ,  Renewable Energy,  Carbon Emissions ,  

European Union
Date: 2019-06-19
Reuters is reporting U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the European Union to aim for a 55 pct cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 -- in excess of the 28 member trading bloc's present 40 pct reduction target. The Secretary General also asked EU leaders to phase out burning coal and approval of new coal-fired power plants beyond 2020.

The European Parliament and the EU's climate chief Miguel Arias Canete have called for the bloc to aim for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, saying legislation passed since the Paris Climate Agreement puts the EU on track to surpass its current emissions reduction target.

Poland and other EU member states that rely on coal for power production , along with Germany and its its powerful automotive sector, balk at deeper emission cuts. (Source: Various Media, Reuters, CNBC, June, 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Coal,  GHGs,  Carbon Emissions,  EU,  

RGGI
Date: 2019-06-19
Following up on our 19 Dec., 2018 report, in the Garden State capital of Trenton, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection reports the adoption of rules for how the state will implement a cap-and-trade program to limit carbon dioxide emissions and for rejoining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

The first rule sets a CO2 cap for the state's electricity generating sector at 18 million tons for 2020. The state's cap on carbon emissions will decline by 30 pct through 2030. According to the DEP, electricity generation produced 20.7 million tons of greenhouse gases in 2016.

The second rule focuses on how the Department of Environmental Protection will spend proceeds from the sale of RGGI power plant carbon allowances on environmental justice projects. As of Jan., 2018, RGGI auctions raised $2.7 billion that is being used to fund clean-energy and energy efficiency programs.

New Jersey was a founding member of RGGI, but Republican Gov. and former presidential hopeful Chris Christie pulled the Garden State from the agreement in 2012 on the grounds that it had "no discernible or measurable impact upon our environment." RGGI member states include Delaware, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. (Source: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, NJTV News, 17 June, 2019) Contact: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, www.nj.gov/dep; RGGI, www.rggi.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Cap-and-Trade,  RGGI,  GHG,  Greenhouse Gas,  Carbon Emissions,  

Methane,Environment and Climate Change Canada
Date: 2019-06-14
In Ottawa, Environment and Climate Change Canada announced proposed regulations to cut methane emissions from drilling and processing by 20 megatonnes a year -- equivalent to pulling 5 million passenger vehicles a year from roadways. The changes will impact refineries, oil-sands upgraders and petrochemical facilities, along with individual drillers and processors.

Under the new regulations, affected companies would be required to regularly check and repair leaks from their equipment, use cleaner technologies to minimize emissions, monitor emissions at their property lines and report the results to the Canadian government.

The regulations are part of the Pan-Canada Framework for Clean Growth and Climate Change to cut methane by 40 to 45 pct by 2025.

The Canadian oil and gas sector produces about 44 pct of Canada's escaping methane which represents about 15 pct of the country's greenhouse-gas emissions. The changes are expected to cost the industry an estimated $3.3 billion over the next 20 years. (Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada, CBC, Various Media, Kallanish Energy, 31 May, 2019) Contact: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Hon. Catherine McKenna, Minister, (800) 668-6767, www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change.html

More Low-Carbon Energy News Methane Emissions,  GHG,  Climate Change,  Environment and Climate Change Canada,  

Carbon Emissions,Pentgon
Date: 2019-06-14
Cost of War, a recently released study from the Watson Institute at Brown University has found that the Pentagon emits more GHG in one year than several industrialized countries, including Sweden and Portugal.

The Defense Department -- the Pentagon -- is the world's single largest consumer of oil and 55th largest GHG emitter, releasing 59 million metric tons of CO2 and other GHGs into the atmosphere in 2017 alone.

The report notes the majority of the Pentagon's energy consumption is related to maintaining 560,000 buildings at 500 military installations and the jet and diesel fuel used to move soldiers and weapons.

Download the Brown University Cost of War study HERE. (Source: Brown University, The Week, June, 2019)Contact: Brown University, 401-863-1000, www.brown.edu

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

Finland Natural Resources Institute
Date: 2019-06-12
In Helsinki, Finland's Natural Resources Institute (Luke)reports it has revised its benchmark assessment of target carbon sink levels and now says Finland will need to raise its carbon sink sequestration numbers by another 10 percent -- lowering forest logging volumes by another 1-2 million cubic metres for a ceiling of 81-82 million cubic metres for the 2012-2025 period. Luke says its previous calculation amounted to 3 million tonnes of CO2.

The EU has also committed to reducing its GHG emissions by at least 40 pctt by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. EU directives require that logging activities relative to the tree population remain unchanged and EC has accordingly asked Finland to specify future logging amounts and assess whether its current calculations for wood use are appropriate in light of alarming rises in GHG emissions. (Source: Finland Natural Resources Institute, Barents Observer, YLE News, 11 June, 2019) Contact: Finland Natural Resources Institute, Prof. Aleksi Lehtonen, +358 29 532 6000, www.luke.fi/en

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

Devon Energy
Date: 2019-06-12
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma-headquartered Devon Energy Corp. is reporting it plans to further cut methane emissions from its U.S. oil and natural gas production sites by at least 12.5 pct in six years. For 2018, the company's methane intensity rate was an estimated .32 pct which is now expected to be cut to .28 pct or less by 2025, according to the company release. The company release also noted that employee and top-level executive compensation levels will be tied to meeting its new methane reduction goals. (Source: Devon Energy, The Oklahoman, 11 June, 2019) Contact: Devon Energy, Dave Hager, CEO, (405) 235-3611, www.devonenergy.com

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Manitoba Carbon Tax
Date: 2019-06-12
In Winnipeg on the Canadian Prairies, Manitoba's Progressive Conservative government reports it aims to reduce annual emissions by one megatonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) by 2022 -- less than half of the previous government's 2017 targeted reductions. To that end, the provincial government announced it is reducing GHG emissions and eliminating a possible carbon tax.

In a statement the Manitoba Minister of Sustainable Dev elopement said; "We've removed the carbon-pricing (tax) element from our plan and are moving forward with getting real emissions reductions. (There are) several more initiatives to come that will help us transition to a low-carbon future without imposing a tax on Manitobans."<

In 2017, the federal Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Manitoba's then proposed carbon tax was insufficient an demanded the province match the federal carbon tax of $20 a tonne rising to $50 per ton by 2022. To date, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick have challenged the federal carbon tax plan. (Source: Manitoba Ministry of Sustainable Development, CBC, Canadian Press, 10 June, 2019) Contact: Manitoba Sustainable Development, Hon. Rochelle Squires, Minister, (204) 945-6784, www.gov.mb.ca/sd

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