News Digest 04 – 18 January 2008

Energy
Carmanah-Enviromena agreement brings solar power to Middle East
Nuclear gets go ahead in UK
UN: Congo shows promise for future in biofuel production
Indian power grid buys solar power from citizens of West Bengal

Transport
Skysail for cargo ships could cut fossil fuel consumption

Cities
New York City council approves bag recycling bill
Congestion charge spreads to more European cities

Companies
HP will reduce energy consumption of PCs by one-quarter

Policy
US will phase out incandescent bulbs by 2014
EU considers implementing carbon tariff
California leads states fighting US EPA on emissions issue

Forestry
World Bank invests in Congo forest protection



Energy

Carmanah-Enviromena agreement brings solar power to Middle East

Canada’s Carmanah Technologies Corporation has reportedly signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi-based Enviromena Power Systems to distribute solar power throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Carmanah is a supplier of energy-efficient renewable technologies, and the alliance with Enviromena offers local and environment-specific expertise.

Nuclear gets go ahead in UK

UK nuclear power stations due to close by 2023 are to be replaced with a new batch of nuclear generators, announced government today. No cap will be set on the amount of nuclear energy that will be used in the UK energy mix. Assessment of new nuclear sites is due to be completed in 2009. Environmental organisations such as Greenpeace are preparing to enter a legal battle against government over the nuclear plans.

UN: Congo shows promise for future in biofuel production

Top UN economist Dr. Josef Schmidhuber sees the Democratic Republic of Congo as one of Africa’s best chances to produce biofuels. Schmidhuber says Congo has plentiful arable land outside of its rainforests, and that the country’s environment is well-suited to grow a wide range of crops, including maize, soybeans, and palm oil.

Indian power grid buys solar power from citizens of West Bengal

Residents of West Bengal who produce enough solar power for their own uses can sell the remainder to local power suppliers, sometimes making money or saving on their electricity bills. West Bengal is currently the only state operating under such a system, and the state’s Electricity Regulatory Commission has asked the power distributors involved to purchase at least 10% of their power from renewable sources by 2012 or risk penalties.

Transport

Skysail for cargo ships could cut fossil fuel consumption

Setting sail later this month, the 10,000-tone cargo ship Beluga Skysail will complete part of its voyage from Germany to Venezuela using wind power from a 160-square-meter sail—designed by German company Sky Sails--that will be deployed once it reaches open seas. Using the sail, in effect a giant kite, could cut fuel consumption by 15%, and larger sails could offer savings of up to 35%.

Cities

New York City council approves bag recycling bill

A bill approved last week by New York City’s council requires large stores to implement recycling programs in an effort to cut down on the nearly 1 billion plastic bags used annually by NYC consumers. Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to approve the bill, which also stipulates that stores of at least 5,000 square feet provide recycled bags and bags featuring pro-recycling messages for their customers.

Congestion charge spreads to more European cities

Milan, Italy, and Berlin, Hanover and Cologne in Germany are the latest cities to charge drivers congestion fees with the goals of reducing both crowded city centers and air pollution. In 2003, London was the first city to implement such charges, where a $16 daily toll has reduced congestion as much as 26%, according to Mayor Ken Livingstone’s office, and reduced pollution as well.

Companies

HP will reduce energy consumption of PCs by one-quarter

California-based technology company Hewlett-Packard has pledged to reduce the power needed to operate its PCs 25% by 2010, using energy-saving technologies such as more efficient power supplies and lower-energy chipsets. Industry-wide, HP currently offers the most products with Gold or Silver ratings in the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, which categorizes computers, notebooks, and monitors to help consumers make more informed purchase decisions.

Policy

US will phase out incandescent bulbs by 2014

As part of the energy bill signed by President Bush last month, the US is mandating that all incandescent light bulbs be phased out of use by 2014, beginning with 100-watt bulbs in 2012 and moving on to 75- and 60-watt bulbs in the next two years. The plan calls for replacement lighting to be more energy-efficient, like compact fluorescent bulbs.

EU considers implementing carbon tariff

The European Commission is debating whether to implement extra tariffs on imports from countries that fail to implement strict emissions regulations on greenhouse gases. Reports say that an early version of the measure includes stipulations that companies from non-regulating countries purchase EU emissions permits before being allowed to import.

California leads states fighting US EPA on emissions issue

California has taken the lead among 16 states suing the US Environmental Protection Agency for denying California the ability to set its own stringent car emissions standards. Recent federal laws mandate a fuel efficiency of 35 miles per gallon beginning in 2020, while California wanted automakers to achieve an average of 36.8 mpg as soon as 2016.

Forestry

World Bank invests in Congo forest protection

The World Bank has announced that it plans to provide $64 million in programs to support the forest industry in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which houses the second-largest tropical forests in the world. With this investment support, the bank plans to create programs for working with communities to protect Congo’s forests, and work with local authorities to plan forest management and prevent illegal logging.