In 2019, CIBC committed $150 billion in support of environmental and sustainable finance activities by 2027 and has to date achieved 28 pct of this goal. The bank also issued the climate-related disclosure report Building a Sustainable Future aligned with the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures.
In 2020, CIBC issued a $500 million(US), five-year green bond to help finance new and existing green projects, assets, and businesses that mitigate the risks and effects of climate change. These include renewable energy, green buildings, clean transportation, natural resource conservation, biodiversity conservation, energy efficiency, and pollution prevention and control. Also in 2020, CIBC ranked among the top-tier of global banks for climate change action by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP).
CIBC, which recently became the first Canadian bank to join RMI's Center for Climate-Aligned Finance, has more than 10 million personal banking, business, public sector and institutional clients and $768.545 billion (Cdn) in total assets. (Source: CIBC, Website News, Feb., 2021)
Contact: CIBC, Nima Ranawana, 647-456-4556, nima.ranawana@cibc.com,
www.cibc.com; Partnership for Carbon Accounting,
www.carbonaccountingfinancials.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News CIBC, Carbon Emissions , Partnership for Carbon Accounting,
The federal marine hydrokinetic (MHK) energy research lease was offered to Oregon State University for the proposed PacWave South open ocean wave energy test center. The PacWave project will incorporate four test berths to support the testing of up to 20 wave energy converter (WEC) devices, with an installed capacity not to exceed 20 MW.
MHK technology harnesses energy from ocean waves, tides and currents and converts it into electricity. A WEC device converts the kinetic and potential energy associated with moving ocean waves into electrical or mechanical energy, BOEM noted. (Source: BOEM, 24 Feb., 2021) Contact: BOEM, Connie Gillette, Public Affairs, Walter Cruickshank, Acting Dir., (202) 208-6474, www.boem.gov
More Low-Carbon Energy News Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Ocean Energy, Wave Energy,
BlocPower utilizes its proprietary software for analysis, leasing, project management, and monitoring urban clean energy projects and building owners and tenants saving 20-40 pct per year on their energy bills. The company's machine learning tech platform works by determining which retrofits will produce the most energy savings in a building while remotely monitoring energy consumption. Common retrofits include solar panels and cold-climate electric heat pumps which BlocPower offers to multifamily building owners for no money down.
To date, BlocPower has "green" upgraded more than 1,000 buildings in New York City, including over 200 in Brownsville, and is now working in 23 other cities, according to the company.
BlocPower is backed by Kapor Capital, one of Uber's first investors, Andressen Horowitz, early investor in Facebook, Twitter, AirBnB and Lyft, the former Chairman of Google, and American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact. (Source: BlocPower, Websitem BKReader, 24 Feb., 2021) Contact: BlocPower, Donnel Baird, CEO, (718) 924-2873, support@blocpower.io,
www.blocpower.io
More Low-Carbon Energy News BlocPower, Energy Efficiency, Solar,
The system, valued at over $1,000,000, will feature Thermal Energy's proprietary FLU-ACE® condensing heat recovery unit and HeatSponge indirect heat recovery unit to recover waste heat exhausted from the site's boilers. The energy will then be repurposed to heat the water required for three separate applications -- reverse osmosis which removes contaminants, "deaeration" which protects the steam system from corrosive gases, and boiler makeup water.
By reducing the steam load, the project is expected to increase energy efficiency, reduce fuel use, and save an estimated 8 million lpy of water as well as reduce CO2 emissions by over 1,800 metric tpy -- equivalent to removing more than 380 cars from the road.
The turn-key project includes engineering, equipment, installation, commissioning, and training. The project is expected to be completed and revenue earned within nine months. (Source: Thermal Energy International, PR, 24 Feb., 2021) Contact: Thermal Energy International Inc., William Crossland, Pres., CEO, 613-723-6776, Bill.crossland@thermalenergy.com, www.thermalenergy.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency, Carbon Enissions,
The fiscal year 2021 (FY21) CFIP awards of $1.3M will fund an array of clean fuel projects across the state, including one of the largest electric school bus deployments in the country, electric vehile charging stations and emission-reduced propane autogas vehicles.
The MEA notes the transportation sector is responsible for the majority of Maryland's greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Maryland Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act Plan. The law requires the State to reduce GHG emissions 25 pct from a 2006 baseline by 2020, in a way that ensures a positive impact on Maryland's economy, protects existing manufacturing jobs and creates new jobs in the State.
(Source: Maryland Energy Administration, PR, Feb., 2021)Contact: Maryland Energy Administration, Mary Beth Tung, Exec. Dir.,
Kaymie Owen, CMP
443-694-3651, kaymie.owen@maryland.gov, www.Energy.Maryland.gov
More Low-Carbon Energy News Alternative Fuel, Transportation Emissions, GHGs Electric Vehicle,
CARB's existing incentive programs pay consumers in exchange for purchasing low- and zero-emission vehicles to reduce GHG emissions beyond what CARB's regulations already require.
According to the auditor's report, CARB has done little to measure the extent to which its incentive programs lead to emissions reductions by causing individuals and businesses to acquire clean vehicles that they otherwise would not have purchased.
The auditor's report notes CARB has overstated the GHG emissions reductions its incentive programs have achieved, although it is unclear by how much. Additionally, CARB has not consistently collected or analyzed data to determine whether some of its programs provide the socioeconomic benefits that CARB has identified for those programs, such as maximizing participants' economic opportunities.
Because these programs may cost significantly more than other incentive programs from the perspective of reducing GHG emissions, CARB must do more to measure and demonstrate specific benefits to disadvantaged communities and low-income communities and households that the programs intend to serve, the auditor's report adds.
(Source: Office of California State Auditor, Website, 23 Feb., 2021)
Contact: California State Auditor, Elaine M. Howle, CPA, (916) 445-0255, www.auditor.ca.gov
More Low-Carbon Energy News CARB, California Air Resources Board, Transporation Emissions, CO2, Carbon Emissions,
GEVO expects to begin supplying SAF from its Net-Zero Projects to SAS at the beginning of 2024.
The Net-Zero Projects are being designed to produce liquid hydrocarbons in the form of SAF and renewable gasoline.
Each Net-Zero Project is expected to produce approximately 45 million gpy of liquid hydrocarbons and at least 350,000,000 lbs/yr of high protein animal feed. (Source: GEVO, PR, Website, 24 Feb., 2021)Contact: GEVO Inc., Patrick Gruber, CEO, 303-858-8358, pgruber@gevo.com, www.gevo.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News GEVO, SAF, Aviation Biofuel,
The portfolio includes two battery storage projects, adding 25 MW of storage capacity to the Irish grid network, along with 29 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV). The projects are both slated to come online in 2022.
RES, which has developed and constructed over 20 battery storage projects across Ireland, UK and the US, will manage, operate and maintain the projects for NTR. (Source: NTR, PR, Energy Global, 24 Feb., 2021) Contact: NTR, +353 1 206 3700,
info@ntrplc.com, www.ntrplc.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News NTR Renewable Energy Income Fund II, Solar,
Among the policy options being considered are an extension of the scope of the ETS to include road transport and a possible phase-out of the ESR. ePURE has provided the following suggestions on how they can be better integrated with other EU policies to become more effective at achieving Europe's climate goals.
A successful decarbonisation policy in transport must ensure a total coherence of actions between car manufacturers, fuel suppliers and retailers. But an ETS for road transport would seriously disrupt the existing growing synergy between these stakeholders, hamper efforts to reduce emissions from transport, increase fuel prices and create social discontent.
A more effective solution would better integrate existing EU policies. For example, the targets of the EU Renewable Energy Directive should be increased in line with higher Green Deal ambitions. Other policies, such as the Energy Taxation Directive and CO2 standards for cars and vans must be revised in order to integrate the CO2 content and the biogenic content of fuels, thus better reflecting the real environmental performance of biofuels. These actions, however, do not necessitate the extension of the ETS to road transport, and their revision should be carried out independently.
At first glance the ESR has so far been a success with the EU achieving and even surpassing its 9.3 pct emissions reduction objectives as a whole by 2020 as early as in 2018, due mainly to progress in sectors that were the easiest to decarbonise, such as buildings and waste. There has been little to no decarbonisation in the transportation and agriculture sectors, which account for over 50 pct of the ESR emissions, and meeting the already agreed 2030 target of 30 pct. Moreover, there have been many differing levels of progress among Member States.
ePURE suggests the EU should not abandon what works but rather should strengthen and improve the legislative tools that actually boost renewable energy and fuels and encourage carbon abatement. This includes keeping ESR targets, the sole legally binding targets for Member States to reduce emissions in sectors not currently in the ETS.
Keeping the existing legislation and increasing their ambition levels, including ESR, RED II and the Fuel Quality Directive is a safety net that the EU should not phase out without good reasons. (Source: ePURE, Website PR, 15 Feb., 2021) Contact: ePURE, Emmanuel Desplechin, Secretary-General, +32 2 657 6679, info@epure.org, www.epure.org
More Low-Carbon Energy News ePURE, Ethanol, GHG, Greenhouse Gas, Carbon Emissions,
This acquisition of an experienced solar and storage installation team will accelerate CleanSpark's residential plans, along with its microgrid product line mVoult, according to the company release. (Source: CleanSpark, PR, Solar Power, 24 Feb., 2021) Contact: CleanSpark, Inc., Zach Bradford, CEO, (801) 244-4405, ir@cleanspark.com, www.cleanspark.com;
Solar Watt Solutions, 855-600-9288, www.solarwattsolutions.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News CleanSpark , Solar, Solar Watt Solutions,
Honda's ENERGY STAR certified plants include: Honda Marysville Auto Plant and East Liberty Auto Plants in Ohio; Honda Manufacturing of Indiana; Honda Manufacturing of Alabama; the Anna Engine Plant, located in Anna, Ohio; the Honda Transmission Manufacturing plant, in Russells Point, Ohio and Honda Precision Parts of Georgia. Additionally, the Honda of Canada Mfg. auto and engine plants also earned first-time recognition in 2020 by the Canadian Department of Natural Resources.
Through its Green Factory initiatives, Honda is working to address the environmental impacts of product manufacturing by reducing water use, energy use, waste and emissions. Honda has reduced the CO2 emissions intensity of automobile production in North America by 27.5 pct since 2010 and has cut waste to landfills from manufacturing by 93 pct since 2001. The company also is moving toward the use of renewable wind and solar power for the majority of the electricity it consumes in its manufacturing operations.
ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products as well as new homes and commercial and industrial buildings that meet strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the EPA. Over the past twenty years, American families and businesses have saved a total of nearly $450 billion on utility bills and prevented more than 3.1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions with help from ENERGY STAR. (Source: Honda, DOE ENERGY STAR, Feb., 2021) Contact: DOE ENERGY STAR, www.energystar.gov
More Low-Carbon Energy News Honda, ENERGY STAR, Energy Efficiency,
The Art Center will use the funding to replace low-efficiency propane boilers and a hot water tank, replace drafty windows with high-efficiency units and draft seal doors. (Source: Revelstoke Review, 23 Feb., 2021) Contact:
Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre, www.revelstokeartgallery.ca; Columbia Basin Trust, www.outrust.org
More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency,
LACSD was awarded a grant from the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee, which offset a portion of the construction costs.(Source: Clean Energy Fuels, 19 Feb., 2021) Contact: Clean Energy Fuels, Raleigh Gerber, 949-437-1397, raleigh.gerber@cleanenergyfuels.com, www.cleanenergyfuels.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Clean Energy Fuels, RNG,
According to the release, the biofuels standard establishes a minimum level of biodiesel to be blended in the state's diesel fuel pool, gradually increasing over time. Beginning in 2022, the legislation ensures that biodiesel comprises 11 pct of the diesel pool and provides tax credits for higher blends. The program expands to 20 pct biodiesel blends (B20) in future years.
The legislation also establishes new retail income tax incentives for fuel marketers and provides funding for biodiesel projects through the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program. Financial support for renewable fuels would also be made available from the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund.
(Source: Ag Processing Inc., PR, 23 Feb., 2021) Contact: Ag Processing Inc., Troy Alberts, VP Refined Oils and Renewable Fuels, 402-496-7809, www.agp.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Ag Processing, Biofuel Blend,
When fully operational, the 250 megawatt/1,000 megawatt-hour battery energy storage project could lower electricity system costs by up to $760 million over its lifetime and help Ontario reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 4.1 million tonnes -- equivalent of taking about 40,000 cars off the road every year over the project's life.
(Source: NRStor, Canadian Biomass, 23 Feb., 2021) Contact:
Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation, (519) 753-1950, www.sndevcorp.ca; NRStor Inc., Peter Gregg, President, (647) 281-7200, www.nrstor.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News NRStor, Energy Storage, Battery Eenrgy Storage,
Green Plains will initially connect the biorefineries at Fairmont, Minn., Fergus Falls, Minn. and Superior, Iowa, and have the option to expand to additional locations as the pipeline network grows. When completed, SCS is expected to have infrastructure capable of capturing and sequestering 10 million tpy of CO2 -- equivalent to removing over two million cars from the road each year. (Source: Green Plains, Website PR, 18 Feb., 2021) Contact: Green Plains Inc., Todd Becker, CEO, Phil Boggs, VP, 402.884.8700, phil.boggs@gpreinc.com, www.gpreinc.com; Summit Carbon Solutions, www.summitag.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Green Plains, Summit Carbon Solutions,
The Gdansk plant will be fed by lithium-ion battery cells from the company's Northvolt Ett gigafactory in Skelleftea, Sweden, as a raw material and then produce battery modules and larger battery systems for stationary grid and industrial scale energy storage systems for the most part, and additionally industrial energy storage systems. The new facility is expected to to begin operation in 2022. (Source: Northvolt, PR, Website, 19 Feb., 2021) Contact: Northvolt, Peter Carlsson, CEO, hi@northvolt.com, www.northvolt.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Northvolt, Energy Storage, lithium-ion battery ,
Although the COVID-19 pandemic affected demand for all liquid fuels last year, the EIA notes that biofuel consumption has not decreased as much as petroleum-based fuels. AEO2021's reference case, which represents the EIA's best assessment of how energy markets will operate through 2050, predicts that biofuels consumption will return to 2019 levels in 2021, slightly faster than petroleum-based transportation fuels. As a result, biofuels will account for an increasing share of the domestic fuel mix.
The EIA attributes the quicker rebound in biofuels consumption primarily to regulatory support, such as the federal Renewable Fuel Standard and California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard.
In the AEO2021 reference case, the EIA projects that the percentage of biofuels blended into the U.S. transportation fuel pool will increase and slowly grow through 2050. In the event of high oil prices, the EIA expects the share of biofuels consumed in the U.S. would rise to a greater percentage as higher prices for gasoline and diesel would make biofuels more competitive.
Biodiesel production is expected to grow slightly in the reference case, maintaining a steady level of supply through 2050. Renewable diesel production is expected to grow at a higher rate. Ethanol consumption is expected to return to pre-COVID levels in later years of the projection period, steadily growing through 2050 because of higher ethanol blends making their way into the on-road transportation fuel, according to the EIA.
Domestic production of other biomass-derived liquids, including pyrolysis oils, biomass-derived Fischer-Tropsch liquids, biobutanol and renewable feedstocks used for the on-site production of diesel and gasoline, is expected to grow by 3.5 percent, reaching 90,000 bpd by 2050. The AEO2020 reference case predicted a 5.3 percent increase, which would equate to 110,000 bpd in 2050. (Source: EIA, 3 Feb., 2021)
Contact: EIA, www.eia.gov/outlooks/aeo
More Low-Carbon Energy News EIA, Biofuel, Ethanol, Biodiesel,
Shell wants to ramp up its use of nature-based carbon offsets, which include forestation projects, to 120 million tpy by 2030, to as high as 300 million tpy . Shell, which currently has 4.5 million tonnes of CCS capacity either in use or in the pipeline, aims to sell CCS as a service to other emitters
Globally, the entire voluntary carbon offset market reached 104 million tonnes in 2019, according to Ecosystem Marketplace .
(Source: Shell, Yahoo, 19 Feb., 2021)
Contact: Shell, www.shell.com/newenergies
More Low-Carbon Energy News Shell, CCS, Reforestation, Carbon Offset,
The that end, the company
will seek acquisitions to speed the green transformation and will increase its renewable energy capacity from today's 300 megawatts to 60 gigawatts in 2050. The company also plans
more than €2 billion ($2.43 billion) of asset sales to help develop clean businesses -- including two possible new biorefineries in Italy and the U.S. and carbon capture and storage (CCS) units in the UAE and Libya.
(Source: Eni, Website PR, 19 Feb., 2021) Contact: Eni, +39 06 598 21, Fax: +39 06 598 22141, www.eni.com/en-IT/home.htmlwww.eni.com/en-IT/home.html
More Low-Carbon Energy News Eni, CCS, Renewable Energy, Carbon Emissions,
BTS Biogas's proprietary technology includes plant-wide real-time telemetry and modular design within a completely enclosed environment. It ensures anaerobic digestion projects efficiently divert excess organics headed for incineration and landfills while generating carbon-negative renewable energy and healthy soil amendments.
BTS Biogas is responsible for the development, engineering, construction and maintenance of over 230 biogas and biomethane plants across Europe, North America and East Asia. By recycling organic materials from municipalities, food companies and farms, BTS Biogas facilities are designed to generate a consistent supply of renewable energy as well as soil improvers and fertilizers.
Bioenergy Devco (BDC) is a global leader in the design, engineering, construction, financing and operation of advanced anaerobic digestion facilities. BDC's utility-grade anaerobic digestion technology, powered by BTS, is an environmentally sound process that creates a true source of renewable, carbon-negative energy for pipeline and vehicle use. In recycling organic material into natural gas, BDC creates circular economies in local communities, helping cities and companies achieve decarbonization, zero waste and renewable energy goals, while reducing air and water pollution, and creating healthier soils, according to the release.
(Source: BTS Biogas, PR, 19 Feb., 2021) Contact: BTS Biogas, Christine McKiernan, Managing Dir., www.bts-biogas.com; Bioenergy Devco, Shawn Kreloff , CEO ,www.bioenergydevco.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News BTS Biogas,
A Successful Farming report notes the U.S. Midwest, which produces more ethanol than any other region in the country, saw its production drop to 868,000 bpd from day from 895,000 bpd from the previous week and the lowest output level since late September. The East Coast and Gulf Coast regions stayed at an average of 12,000 bpd while the Rocky Mountain and West Coast production levels were unchanged at 9,000 bpd, on average, according to the EIA. Stockpiles increased to 24.297 million barrels in the seven days ending on February 12.
In other ethanol industry news, the US EPA has announced all 16 "hardship waiver" exemption petitions under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) from 2020 are still pending. In total, 66 petitions that date back as far as 2011 are still pending.
As previously noted, "hardship waivers" were intended for refineries producing 75,000 bpd or less and suffered "disproportionate economic hardship" from the costs of RFS compliance. The waiver frees the refineries from an obligation to provide the EPA with biofuels credits proving compliance. (Source: US EIA, Ag Central News, 20 Feb., 2021) Contact: US EIA, www.eia.gov
More Low-Carbon Energy News US EIA, Ethanol, RFS, "Hardship" Waiver,
Since coming online in October 2014, the facility has captures 3,859,920 tonnes of CO2.
The Boundry Dam facility was designed to cut CO2 emissions by 1 million tpy but, due to construction and start-up delays, removed only 400,000 tonnes in 2015. The delays cost SaskPower approximately $80 million in "construction deficiencies" and non-performance penalties. At the time of opening , Saskatchewan committed to a 40 pct carbon emissions reduction in electrical power generation. ( Source: SaskPower, Estevan Mercury, 20 Feb., 2021)Contact: SaskPower, Mike Marsh, (306) 566-2121, www.saskpower.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Boundary Dam , CCS, SaskPower,
Facebook will provide a $1.5 million over three year grant in support of the research. Facebook will also help develop research projects and provide IEE researchers with insight from their prior experiences designing and operating data centers. Currently Facebook has eight operational data center sites in the U.S., with five on the drawing boards.
IEE will investigate advanced energy-efficient data center infrastructure, including low-power optical interconnects for computer networks and machine learning (ML) with reduced carbon footprint.
(Source: UC Santa Barbara, Website PR, Feb., 2021) Contact: UC Santa Barbara, Rod Alferness, Dean -- College of Engineering, 805.893.4191,
805.893.7119 -- fax, www.iee.ucsb.edu
news.ucsb.edu
More Low-Carbon Energy News UC Santa Barbara, Date Center Eddiciency, Energ Efficiency,
UltraCell's technology can use hydrogen or liquid fuels to deliver reliable power at a fraction of the weight of batteries. An UltraCell system is 3x-25x lighter in weight than the equivalent battery solution (depending on the application and use case).
UltraCell developed new technologies and intellectual property in the field of methanol, propane and JP8 - based fuel cells and continues to innovate in this rapidly emerging field. UltraCell was the first to commercialize reformed methanol fuel cell technology to provide clean, renewable energy to power portable electronics.
Advent's technology applies to electrification (fuel cells) and energy storage (flow batteries, hydrogen production) markets, which we commercialize through partnerships with Tier1s, OEMs, and System Integrators.
(Source: Advent Technologies Holdings, Inc., PR, 22 Feb., 2021)
Contact: Advent Technologies, www.advent.energy; UltraCell, Ian Kaye,
ikaye@ultracell-llc.com, www.ultracell-llc.com, Bren-Tronics, Doug Petito
dpetito@bren-tronics.com, www.bren-tronics.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Advent Technologies, Energy Storage, Fuel Cell,
The Duette project will incorporate 227,000 single-axis tracking panels and the Charlie Creek installation will use 235,000 single-axis tracking panels.
(Source: Duke Energy, PR, Website, 17 Feb., 2021) Contact: Duke Energy Renewables, Chris Fallon, (704) 594-6200, chris.fallon@duke-energy.com, www.duke-energy.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Solar, Duke Energy,
Brightmark RNG Holdings' subsidiaries currently own RNG projects in Western New York state, Western Michigan, Central Florida and South Dakota. Additional equity investments by the joint venture companies will fund construction and commercial operation of five new dairy biomethane projects in Michigan and Arizona. Chevron will purchase and market the RNG from these projects and market it for use in vehicles operating on compressed natural gas, according to the release. (Source: Brightmark, Website PR, 17 Feb., 2021) Contact: Brightmark, Bob Powell, CEO, Kavitha Ramakrishnan, kavitha.ramakrishnan@brightmarkenergy.com, www.brightmarkenergy.com; Chevron, www.chevron.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Brightmark, Chevron, RNG, Biomethane,
In 2020, the plant processed approximately 44 million litres of Canadian-sourced canola and tallow bio-feedstocks and aims to increase this to up to 100 million litres, including an up to 15 pct renewable content diesel, in 2021.
Parkland is an independent supplier and marketer of fuel and petroleum products and a leading convenience store operator across Canada, the U.S., the Caribbean and the Americas through three channels -- retail, commercial and wholesale. Parkland provides trusted and locally relevant fuel brands and convenience store offerings in the communities it serves, according to the company website.
(Source: Parkland, PR, 17 Feb., 2021)
Contact: Parkland ,
Brad Monaco, DirectorCapital Markets, 587-997-1447, Brad.Monaco@parkland.ca,
www.parkland.ca
More Low-Carbon Energy News Parkland Corporation, Low-Carbon Fuel, Biodiesel, Biofuel,
The company also notes it will procure 75 pct of its worldwide electric power from renewable energy sources by 2025, and hit 90 pct renewable consumption by 2030. The company also plans to use carbon capture by 2030 to remove emissions in "an amount which equals or exceeds the level of IBM's residual emissions" or those emissions IBM still produces after exhausting all avenues to reduce is greenhouse emissions.
As we reported on 15 July, 2020, IBM, a Founding Member of the Climate Leadership Council, reduced its operational CO2 emissions by 39.7 pct since 2005, well ahead of its goal of a 40 pct reduction in CO2 emissions by 2025. The company also noted 47 pct of the electricity it consumed in 2019 came from renewable sources, keeping the company on track to get 55 pct of its electricity from renewables by 2025. (Source: IBM, PR, ZD Net, 17 Feb., 2021)Contact: IBM, www.ibm.com/us-en
More Low-Carbon Energy News IBM, CO2, Carbon Emissions, Net-Zero Emissions,
The plan calls for a 20MW electrolyser powered by renewable energy produced onsite to produce green hydrogen to be used as a raw material in the Saras refinery in the province of Cagliari.
The development is in line with Enel's effort to transition to low-carbon energy technologies.
(Source: Enel, PR, Smart Energy, 15 Feb., 2021) Contact: Enel Green Power, Salvatore Bernabei, CEO ,
Saras, Dario Scaffardi, CEO, +39 070 90911,
Fax: +39 070 900209, www.saras.it/en
More Low-Carbon Energy News Enel Green Power, Green Hydrogen,
According to Greenlane Pres. and CEO Brad Douville, "The transition to renewable natural gas as an essential solution to decarbonize transportation and the natural gas grid continues to build momentum. We're seeing new opportunities progress through our sales pipeline at an increased pace and we're seeing results from the investments we made in product development, marketing and sales over the last 12 to 18 months. These two new contract wins demonstrate continued success in sectors where we see additional upside potential and a unique position in the market for Greenlane." (Source: Greenlane Renewables, PR, 18 Feb., 2021)Contact: Greenlane Biogas, Brad Douville, Pres., CEO, (604) 259-0343, brad.dauville@greenlanerenewables.com, www.greenlanebiogas.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Greenlane Renewables, Biogas, Biomethane, RNG,
The project is a collaboration with Carbon Clean, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and RTI international which will lead the initiative. The project aims to develop and scaling-up specific CO2 capture process components and incorporate next-generation non-aqueous solvents. The collaboration will assess the integration of modular carbon capture technology with the cement plant as well as evaluate the cost and technical considerations of using the captured CO2 as a feedstock for new products.
As previously reported, in 2020 CEMEX announced its target of reducing CO2 emissions by 35 pct of cementitious products by 2030 as part of a longer-term goal of producing net-zero CO2 concrete by 2050.
(Source: CEMEX, The Chemical Engineer, 18 Feb., 2021)
Contact: CEMEX USA, Jaime Muguiro, Pres., 713-650-6200, www.cemexusa.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News CEMEX, Cement, Carbon Emissions, CCS,
A project timeline was not announced but the company statement noted that hydrocracker conversions are "typically faster to market, cheaper, and less technically challenging than other methods of producing renewable diesel."
Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. specializes in naphthenic and paraffinic oils as well as aliphatic solvents and paraffin waxes production.
(Source: Calumet Specialty Products, PR, 16 Feb., 2021) Contact: Calumet Specialty Products, (317) 328-5660, www.calumetspecialty.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Calumet Specialty Products, Renewable Diesel,
The new fund closed with $72.6M of committed capital in December and will continue to accept additional capital commitments through the end of Q1 2021. It is complemented by the firm's pledge fund launched in 2017, with the backing of corporate strategic investors Albemarle, Exelon, Equinor and Hanon Systems. Volta is currently seeking investors to participate in the final close of the new fund in Q1 of 2021 -- with the aim of raising up to an additional $150 million.
The firm expects significant impacts from a pipeline of investible deals aimed at lowering battery cost, improving safety, increasing battery longevity, grid energy storage, battery recycling technology, advanced manufacturing processes and others.
Volta Energy Technologies identifies and invests in battery and energy storage technology after performing deep diligence with the support of unparalleled global research institutions. Seeded by strategic corporate investors, Volta connects innovators with investors and relevant industries that are adopting energy storage technology, delivering strategic returns for all. (Source: Volta, PR, 18 Feb., 2021)
Contact: Volta, Dr. Jeff Chamberlain, CEO, www.plusvolta.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Volta Energy Technologies, Energy STorage, Battery,
The Municipal Partnership provides grants of up to $25,000 to Massachusetts municipalities that meet the partnership's goals for implementing energy efficiency outreach in their residential and small business communities and achieve exceptional energy savings by completing energy assessments and the installation of energy upgrades. These incentives are in addition to energy efficiency incentives already available to residents.
The MassSave® program, which is open to homeowners and renters, includes a no-cost energy audit and report that makes it easy to improve a home's energy efficiency. Mass Save will also install energy-saving products such as ENERGY STAR LED light bulbs; advanced power strips; low-flow showerheads; faucet aerators; and programmable thermostats or discounted wireless thermostats, all at no cost to home owners and renters. Program participants may also qualify for additional offers, rebates, and incentives for insulation, energy efficient HVAC and others based on the Home Energy Assessment report and household income levels. Mass Save is a collaborative of Massachusetts' natural gas and electric utilities and energy efficiency service providers including Berkshire Gas, Cape Light Compact, Eversource, Liberty Utilities, National Grid and Unitil. (Source: Mass Save, City of Framingham, PR, 17 Feb., 2021)
Contact: Mass Save, www.masssave.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News MassSave, Eversource, National Grid, Energy Efficiency,
Electriq's flagship product line is the PowerPod, the industry-leading smart home battery backup system designed to save on electricity costs and protect against blackouts. The system includes a battery, hybrid battery/solar inverter, an energy meter, as well as a smart home energy software to manage electricity use and optimize efficiency. The PowerPod is modular and expandable up to three systems with three battery packs per system, giving installers and homeowners system design flexibility, with up to 16.5 kW of power and 99 kWh of battery storage.
The PowerPod 2, launched in late 2020, is the next-generation version of Electriq Power's industry-leading PowerPod family. This latest system is equipped with non-toxic, non-hazardous Lithium-Iron-Phosphate (LiFePO4), or LFP, batteries, which are rapidly becoming the industry standard, allowing for longer battery cycle life, increased reliability, and enhanced safety. The new high-performance, cobalt-free model builds upon key features of the original PowerPod system and PowerPod LFP technology to create the optimal energy storage solution. Notable product enhancements of the PowerPod 2 include:
The PowerPod 2 became the first fully integrated OpenADR 2.0b-certified residential battery storage system on the market, enabling Electriq Power to seamlessly partner with energy aggregators and participate in today’s dynamic energy marketplace. Recent strategic partnerships have given Electriq Power a pathway forward into deployment and control of energy storage systems while maximizing value for microgrids. Additionally, as the company continues to build out its vision of increasing value-added services for Virtual Power Plants, Electriq Power has accelerated deployments of battery systems and established a foundation from which to provide real-time grid services to support utility infrastructure and grid operators across the country. (Source: Electriq Power, 18 Feb., 2021)
Contact: Electriq Power, Aric Saunders, EVP of Sales (855) 206-9462, aric@electriqpower.com, www.electriqpower.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Electriq Powe, Battery, Energy Storager,
Licensed as an electricity and natural gas provider across North America, EnPowered's software platform simplifies market participation and increases value to end-users. EnPowered combines regulatory expertise, load forecasting, and IoT enabling end-users to seamlessly participate directly in electricity markets, automating enrollment in peak-load shifting, peak shaving, or demand response programs, end-to-end energy awareness and improved energy management for building owners,
according to the company website.
(Source: Telkonet Inc., PR, 15 Feb., 2021) Contact: Telkonet, Bridget Donofrio, Marketing Manager, 414.302.2299
bdonofrio@telkonet.com, www.telkonet.com; EnPowered, Janine Scott
Marketing and Communications Manager
888-280-0790, janine@getenpowered.com, www.GetEnPowered.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Telkonet , Energy Efficiency, Energy Management, Energy Software,
The 34.5 pct is the consolidated RPS for Oahu, Hawaii Island and Maui County, up from 28.4 pct in 2019. Hawaiian Electric exceeded the state requirement to reach 30 pct by 2020 and has more than tripled the amount of renewable energy on its electric grids in 10 years, up from just under 10 pct in 2010. Even if electricity use had been the same as in 2019, Hawaiian Electric would have still reached a renewable portfolio standard of 32 pct.
HECO's 2020 RPS highlights include:
Some of the factors that drove the year-over-year increase include:
The next RPS milestone required by state law is to reach 40 pct by 2030.
(Source: Hawaiian Electric, PR, 15 Feb., 2021)
Contact: Hawaiian Electric, Scott Seu, Pres., CEO, Shannon Tangonan, 808.351.4978
shannon.putnam@hawaiianelectric.com, www.hawaiianelectric.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News HECO, Hawaiian Electric ,
For biodiesel, the bill would require most diesel sold in the state to be B11 blend during warmer months, beginning in 2022. The requirement would ramp up to B20 during warmer months in 2024 and later.
For ethanol, the bill would make E15 the standard fuel option by 2025. It would also update the E15 promotion tax credit to 3 cents per gallon year-round. Growth Energy estimates that over the first five years, the legislation would increase ethanol demand by more than 117 million gallons. (Source: Office of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Website PR, Feb., 2021) Contact: Office of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, (515) 281-5211, www.governor.iowa.gov
More Low-Carbon Energy News Biofuel Blend, Iowa Biofuel Blend,
Siemens Energy will build, own, and operate the facility, with the option for ownership to be transferred back to TC Energy at a later date. The new facility is expected to be commissioned toward the end of 2022 and could generate sufficient power for 10,000 homes or more. The facility will incorporate a patented heat recovery process designed by Siemens Energy licensed under Echogen Intellectual Property. The technology is based on an advanced Rankine Cycle and uses supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) as the working fluid to convert waste heat into power.
The project scored $8 million in funding from Emissions Reduction Alberta's (ERA) Industrial Efficiency Challenge. (Source: Siemens Energy AG, PR, Feb., 2021) Contact: Siemens Energy AG, www.siemens-energy.com/global/en.html; TC Energy, 403-920-2000, www.tcenergy.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Siemens Energy AG, TC Energy,
The company expects to invest $32 billion through 2025 to clean up its emissions profile as follows: $17 billion for zero-carbon generation -- offshore wind, nuclear power life extensions , solar energy and energy storage; $6 billion on electricity transmission and distribution projects such as making its system more resilient to cyber and climate threats; $6 billion on customer growth and other related activities; $3 billion on natural gas distribution modernization and renewable natural gas systems. More than 80 pct of those investments will reduce emissions.
Specifically, the company noted:
Roughly $72 billion by 2035 would increase the company's zero-carbon power sources from 45 pct in 2020 to 70 pct by 2035 while improving its zero- and low-carbon sources from 90 pct to 95 pct. Dominion is also investing in early-stage hydrogen projects. (Source: Dominion Energy, PR, Feb., 2021) Contact: Dominion Energy Virginia, Emil Avram, VP Bus. Dev., www.dominionenergy.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Dominion Energy, Renewable Energy, Low-Carbon Energy,
mVoult will be offered as a smart controller and mobile app specifically designed for residential applications. The Company also plans to launch a fully integrated mVoult branded battery energy storage and controls solution. The home power solution will enable the selection of optional add-ons such as solar integration or back-up generators. The company expects to begin taking pre-orders for both the stand-alone controls and the fully integrated solution in April 2021. Installations of the solution are expected to begin summer 2021.
CleanSpark, Inc. offers a suite of software solutions that provide end-to-end microgrid energy modeling, energy market communications, and energy management solutions. Offerings include intelligent energy monitoring and controls, intelligent microgrid design software, middle-ware communications protocols for the energy industry, energy system engineering and software consulting services.
Through its wholly owned subsidiary, ATL Data Centers LLC, CleanSpark also owns and operates a data center that provides customers with traditional on-site and cloud-based data center services. (Source: CleanSpark, Inc., PR, 15 Feb., 2021)
Contact: CleanSpark, Inc., Zach Bradford, CEO, (801) 244-4405, ir@cleanspark.com, www.cleanspark.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Microgrid news, Energy Stoarge news, Energy Management news,
"This additional time would allow the regulated community an opportunity to clarify related issues including implementation procedures as well as adjust their business plans to account for the potential increased costs associated with Pennsylvania joining RGGI," according to the IRRC website release.
RGGI is a collaboration of states that began with Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont, and more recently added New Jersey and Virginia. (Source: Pennsylvania Independent Regulatory Review Commission, PR, Indiana Gazette, 19 Feb., 2021) Contact: RGGI, www.rggi.org;
Pennsylvania Independent Regulatory Review Commission, (717) 783-5417, www.irrc.state.pa.us
More Low-Carbon Energy News RGGI,
As previously reported, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev has called for a EU carbon border tax to comply with international agreements on climate. "If the tax is imposed, there should definitely be an effort to keep it in compliance with the EU framework convention on climate and Paris Climate Agreement. We have to hold bilateral talks on this with the EU and via dedicated international platforms, such as the WTO, the agencies that deal with climate change and relevant conventions," Medvedev noted while speaking at a meeting on the potential impact of the tax on Russia.
The EC proposed climate legislation requiring the EU to become climate-neutral by 2050 as part of the European Green Deal. This follows the December 2019 EC decision to endorse the 2050 climate-neutrality objective. On 17 September, the Commission amended its proposal to incorporate a new 2030 emissions reduction target. (Source: EC, PR, Feb., 2021) Contact: EU, www.europa.eu;
European Commission, ec.europa.eu
More Low-Carbon Energy News European Green Deal, European Commission, Carbon Tax, Border Carbon Tax, Frans Timmermans,
This commitment to climate action reinforces ENVIVA's core purpose to displace coal, grow more trees, and fight climate change. It sets forth an ambitious plan for eliminating GHG emissions from its operations in keeping with international climate goals, including the Paris Agreement's goal to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degree C. To that end, ENVIVA will:
ENVIVA's sustainably sourced wood is used to manufacture wood pellets as a drop-in alternative to fossil fuels. ENVIVA exports its sustainable wood pellets primarily to the U.K., Europe, the Caribbean and Japan, enabling its customers to reduce their carbon emissions by more than 85 pct on a lifecycle basis, helping them reach their greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets with renewable energy, according to the ENVIVA release.
(Source: ENVIVA, PR, 17 Feb., 2021) Contact: ENVIVA Partners, LP, (301) 657-5560, www.envivabiomass.com; Carbon Disclosure Project, CDP, Lance Pierce, Pres. North America, (212) 378 2086, info.northamerica@cdp.net, www.cdp.net
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Disclosure Project, ENVIVA, Enviva, Net-Zero Emissions, Wood Pellet, Woody Biomass,
The Southern California Gas funding is in addition to $10.4 million R&D funding from the California Energy Commissions (CEC) Hydrogen Fuel Cell Demonstrations in Rail and Marine Applications at Ports grant program. bringing the total funding to $11.7 million.
Maritime fuel cell maker Golden Gate Zero Emission Marine Inc., research organization Gas Technology Institute (GTI) and the nonprofit CALSTART are among the funding recipients.
According to SoCalGas, the goal is to bring to market innovative clean hydrogen technologies, including fuel-cell marine vessels, hydrogen refueling stations at ports, and fuel cell locomotives.
(Source: SoCalGas, PR, My News LA, Feb., 2021)
Contact: SoCalGas, Neil Navin, VP Clean Energy Innovations, www.socalgas.com; CALSTART, www.calstart.org; GTI, 847-768-0500 847-768-0501 -- fax, info@gti.energy, www.gti.energy
More Low-Carbon Energy News Southern California Gas, GTI, CALSTART , California Energy Commission, Hydrogen,
To that end, Bank of America will need to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from its own operations as well as engage with its borrowers in order to "help accelerate their own transitions to net zero." The bank notes it plans to establish interim science-based emissions targets for "high-emitting portfolios, including energy and power."
In the announcement, Bank of America laid out initial steps to cut its operational emissions by 2030, which include purchasing 100 pct zero carbon electricity and reducing energy use and potable water use by 55 pct, among other initiatives.
The bank is also set to disclose its financed emissions by 2023 through the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials. (Source: Bank of America, PR, Feb., 2021)
Contact: Bank of America, www.bankofamerica.com; Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials, www.carbonaccountingfinancials.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Greenhouse Gas, GHGs, Bank of America, Carbon Emissions, Net-Zero Emissions,
Green hydrogen is produced by using renewable energy -- such as combining wave energy with solar -- to power electrolysis that splits water into its constituent parts. It is regarded as a leading approach in the journey to decarbonise emission-intensive industries and transport sectors. A $2/kg price is widely believed to represent a potential tipping point that will make green hydrogen and its derivative fuels the energy source of choice across multiple sectors, which includes steel manufacturing, fertilizer production, power generation, and shipping where vast near-term demand exists across Europe and internationally.
Green ammonia, a derivative of green hydrogen, is also being assessed as a way to displace fossil fuels in thermal power generation, greatly decreasing the emissions intensity of existing energy infrastructure.
The growth in green hydrogen production using wave energy could potentially be a cost-effective solution in reaching the world's latest hydrogen goals, according to the AW-Energy release.
(Source: AW-Energy Oy, PR, 11 Feb., 2021)
Contact: AW-Energy Oy, Christopher Ridgewell, CEO, info@aw-energy.com, www.aw-energy.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News AW-Energy Oy, Wave Energy, Green Hydrogen ,