News digest 15 – 27 August 2008

Policy
Sustainable biofuels principles drawn up
Industry group opposes Australia renewables target
US cities will report GHG emissions
US could cut fuel use 50% by 2035
DEFRA accepting applications for EU ETS auctions

Research
Tariffs hinder progress on climate change
China surpasses UK as a top country for renewable energy investment
38 million euro CO2- capture research program launched in Norway

Companies
New Shell ad ruled misleading
US retailer to host wind, solar power
Swedish train could cut energy use 30%
US utilities commit to renewable energy
EPA to launch green retail web portal
Blue Source and Och-Ziff Capital to develop GHG reduction projects
EnOcean receives 4.5 million Euros to pursue their self-powered wireless technology


Policy

Sustainable biofuels principles drawn up

A draft version of principles for sustainable biofuels production has been published by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels, a UN backed organisation with a steering board made up of companies, governments and NGOs. The draft standard known as Version Zero states the need to minimise environmental and social problems emerging from biofuels production, through efforts such as sustainable water and land use. Version Zero will be subject to a six-month round of global stakeholder feedback before a final set of principles is drawn up.

Industry group opposes Australia renewables target

The Australian green party has spoken out against a statement by the Australian Industry group (Ai), which criticises the country’s 20% renewables target. Ai group’s statement, claiming the target is likely to “significantly increase the cost of greenhouse gas abatement in Australia”, was issued as part of a government consultation on the renewables plan. Ai group favours a cap and trade approach (Australia’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) to emissions reduction.

Background:

Ai group has a membership of over 10,000 employers in manufacturing, construction, automotive, telecommunications, IT & call centres, transport, labour hire and other Australian industries.

The Australian government is currently committed to ensuring the equivalent of at least 20 per cent of Australia’s electricity supply—approximately 60 000 gigawatt-hours (GWh)—is generated from renewable sources by 2020.

US cities will report GHG emissions

Cities in the US now have an opportunity to begin monitoring and reporting their greenhouse gas emissions data and other climate actions, thanks to a partnership between the Carbon Disclosure Project and the Local Governments for Sustainability arm of the International Council on Local Environmental Initiatives. The new CDP Cities programme will begin with at least 30 urban centers—including Anchorage, Denver, New York, and New Orleans—using the ICLEI’s protocol to assess their emissions footprints, which will be reported online via the CDP, along with city-wide risks and opportunities posed by climate change.

US could cut fuel use 50% by 2035

With a vehicle market dominated by lightweight and plug-in hybrid vehicles, the US could cut its current fuel consumption in half by 2035, says a new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Energy Initiative. The researchers emphasized a need for government policy supporting independence from large or fast vehicles, and suggested a focus on reducing vehicle weight and size to benefit from cutting greenhouse gas emissions of transportation fuel use in the short term.

DEFRA accepting applications for EU ETS auctions

On August 15, 2008, The UK's Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) announced that it is accepting applications from organizations that wish to partake in the EU ETS Phase II auctions. Any organization with a EU ETS registry account can apply to be a primary participant and become eligible to bid on carbon allowances during the auctions.


Research

Tariffs hinder progress on climate change

Tariffs, not patents, are the biggest barrier to implementing low-carbon technologies in developing countries, finds a new study from the Institute of Public Affairs. Patents are necessary to guarantee returns to investors in green technology projects and facilitate future funding, says the paper, while tariffs create a real obstacle to making low-carbon technologies affordable in the top 15 greenhouse gas emitting nations.

China surpasses UK as a top country for renewable energy investment

Ernst and Young, an international financial advisory firm, stated in its Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Indices that China has knocked the UK out as one of the top 5 most attractive renewable countries for investment. According to the report, China's heavy investment in renewables, most notably in its government's pledge to produce 15% of its energy from non- carbon sources by 2020, has bumped up the country's ranking to fourth. The UK's delay in the Energy Bill had caused its ranking to fall within the overall renewable indices. The top five countries for the overall renewable indices are the US, Germany, India, China, and Spain.

38 million euro CO2- capture research program launched in Norway

The eight- year program known as SOLVit was signed on August 14th by the independent research organisation SINTEF, along with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and Aker Clean Carbon, to promote CO₂-capture and cleansing technology. The SOLVit program will research efficient and cost effective processes and chemicals that can be used to reduce CO₂ emissions. The Norwegian government is financing NOK 34 million (4.3 million euro) for the first phase of the program.


Companies

New Shell ad ruled misleading

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has once again upheld a complaint against a Shell advertisement claiming the company’s sustainability credentials. According to the ASA, the advert titled “We invest today's profits in tomorrow's solutions”, misleadingly implied that Shell’s operations in Canadian oil sands were “sustainable”. A Shell ad was censured last year for a misleading claim that the company used the CO2 from its operations to grow flowers.

The latest ASA ruling on Shell referred to a 2006 report by Canada's National Energy Board which acknowledged “the mining of bitumen and synthetic crude oil from oil sands produced higher GHG emissions than from the production of conventional crude oil, and had been identified as the largest contributor to GHG emissions growth in Canada”. Other negative environmental impacts flagged up by the Canadian report on oil sands include those on water conservation, land disturbance and waste management.

US retailer to host wind, solar power

US retailer JCPenny announced it will be installing a combination of solar and wind energy projects at 10 stores and one distribution center. Ten stores in California and New Jersey will be installed with SunPower Corporation solar power systems from, which are expected to produce 4 mw of power, and save about 146,000 tons of carbon emissions over their lifetime. Broadstar Wind Systems will be installing wind turbines on the retailer’s 1.6 million-square-foot distribution center in Reno, Nevada, and JCPenney will be purchasing the power generated from both project types.

Swedish train could cut energy use 30%

BombardierTransportation and the Swedish Railway Administration launched a test run earlier this month of new green rail systems that aim to make energy consumption cuts of between 20% and 30%. Scheduled to continue until at least 2010, the “Green Train” project is running between Västerås and Stockholm, and will test new technologies hoping to increase efficiency, lower operating costs, reduce travel time, and operate consistently well in the Nordic climate.

US utilities commit to renewable energy

Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California Edison have announced plans for renewable energy projects that total close to 2 gigawatts of energy. PG&E’s two utility-scale photovoltaic solar projects will total 800 megawatts of renewable energy, and SoCal Edison’s 30 square-mile installation of over 300 wind turbines will provide over 900 mw of power and be one of the world’s largest fully-permitted wind farms.

EPA to launch green retail web portal

The US Environmental Protection Agency and the Retail Industry Leaders Association have announced the forthcoming launch of a web portal of environmental resources for retailers. The web site is expected to act as a “clearinghouse” of information about sustainable practices in the industry, including environmental compliance and pollution prevention, and is set to go live later this year.

Blue Source and Och-Ziff Capital to develop GHG reduction projects

Blue Source, a project finance company, announced a strategic investment partnership with Och-Ziff Capital Management group to fund carbon infrastructure projects. Och - Ziff's has invested $500 million into the projects and supports Blue Source's management of carbon capture and storage infrastructure in North America.

EnOcean receives 4.5 million Euros to pursue their self-powered wireless technology

EnOcean, who produces self-powered wireless sensor technology, has stated that it will use the 4.5 million euros from its investors to expand it's market in Europe, North America and Asia, and for development of their technology and products. EnOcean ensures that it will continue to target sensor technology for sustainable buildings.