http://singularityu.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugLCy7rLXaQ
From Vision to Reality
MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. – August 26, 2009
The “Ten to the Ninth Power” (10^9) team project challenged the 40 GSP students to consider how one billion people could be affected within the next 10 years, by harnessing the power of the convergence of accelerating technologies to address one or more of “humanity’s grand challenges,” such as climate change and poverty.
The “Ten to the Ninth Power” (10^9) team project challenged the 40 GSP students to consider how one billion people could be affected within the next 10 years, by harnessing the power of the convergence of accelerating technologies to address one or more of “humanity’s grand challenges,” such as climate change and poverty.
Through the final four weeks of the program, teams of 10 students tackled their chosen challenges and emerged with new concepts taking into account project technological developments in multiple disciplines, supported by demonstrated market need and rational business models.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704201404574589813805455476.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Friday, December 11, 2009
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704201404574589813805455476.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Friday, December 11, 2009JAKARTA—
Unilever PLC said on Friday it would stop buying palm oil from Indonesian producer PT Sinar Mas Agro Resources & Technology after fresh allegations emerged the company was destroying pristine rainforests to make way for plantations.
Unilever's decision comes after environmental campaigner Greenpeace alleged in a report that the company, one of Indonesia's largest producers of palm oil, was illegally cutting virgin rainforest in West Kalimantan province, home to orangutans, gibbons and other rare species.
A spokeswoman for Sinar Mas Agro said the allegations were "not accurate
Unilever's decision comes after environmental campaigner Greenpeace alleged in a report that the company, one of Indonesia's largest producers of palm oil, was illegally cutting virgin rainforest in West Kalimantan province, home to orangutans, gibbons and other rare species.
A spokeswoman for Sinar Mas Agro said the allegations were "not accurate
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THIS IS A SUSPECT SITE ?? LOOKS ONE WAY; BUT IS ANOTHER -DEVIOUS AS IN A MIND FUC-!
http://www.energyboom.com/policy/business-roundtable-calls-congress-obama-administration-support-renewables-and-traditional-so
Business Roundtable Calls on Congress &
Obama Administration To Support Renewables
and Traditional Sources of Energy
By Robert Gluck on November 5, 2009
The Business Roundtable has called on Congress and the Obama Administration to support both renewable and traditional sources of energy as we transition to a low-carbon economy.
An association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. companies with more than $5 trillion in annual revenues and more than 12 million employees, the Business Roundtable is a powerful organization.
The organization's member companies comprise
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://gas2.org/
Obama Induces Chinese to Cut GHG 40% and Share Electric Car Tech
November 29th, 2009
However, there was one relatively quiet piece of concrete climate change news that came out of the the meeting between China and the United States: the two leaders signed a plan to speed up the global roll-out of electric vehicles and renewable energy.
Moving away from fossil-fueled cars not only cuts greenhouse gas emissions immediately, but also keeps on reducing them as the grid gets greener in the coming years.
It also reduces our oil dependence, and cuts the influence in congress of the oil industry that will keep on preventing agreements for carbon reductions in the future.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.renewableenergyfocus.com/
25 November 2009
THIS IS A GREAT SITE FOR STORIES
ON FUNDS FOR CLEAN ENRGY
US government invests US$18m in clean
and renewable energy for small business
“Small businesses are drivers of innovation and are crucial to the development of a competitive clean energy US economy,” says energy secretary Steven Chu. “These investments will help ensure small businesses are able to compete in the clean energy economy, creating jobs and developing new technologies to help decrease carbon pollution and increase energy efficiency.”
Grants were awarded in 10 clean and renewable energy topic areas, including US$2.8m for 12 projects in Advanced Solar Technologies where projects will focus on achieving significant cost and performance improvements over current
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Obama’s Executive Order Enforces Smart Energy
October 6th, 2009
President Obama has just signed an Executive Order that compels the largest consumer of energy in the US economy to invest in energy efficiency improvements to get to huge reductions in energy use by 2020.
Every Federal agency must measure, manage, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to meet specific targets by 2020. They have just 90 days to lay out a plan to meet these targets:
1. Use 30% less gas by 2020. Federal agencies buy 750,000 new vehicles every year.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://cleantechnica.com/
New Cycle Capital, Draper Fisher Jurvetson Invest $12.2 Million in PACE Solar Renewable Funding
November 4th, 2009
Renewable Funding’s PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) solar funding, begun by Cisco DeVries with Berkeley First was a breakthrough in making solar affordable.
Now VC high-flyers Draper Fisher Jurvetson, New Cycle Capital, and RWE Ventures have just invested $12.2 million in a first round of financing to make this sober and sensible solar funding available to more homeowners.
Renewable Funding is a business in the Common Good. And it could be big too. There’s potentially a gigaton of greenhouse gas reductions to be made, at no cost to local, state, or federal governments from a $280 billion potential market in PACE solar funding in the US, acording to a UC Berkeley study published in Environment Magazine.Read the rest of this entry »
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Lizards, rodent, frog added to endangered list
Mon Nov 2, 09
Electricity mix in 2020
Obama Administration paves way for Hydrogen Energy’s low-carbon power plant.
Obama Administration’s action paves the way for Hydrogen Energy’s low-carbon power plant in California with $308 million of funding.
Long Beach, CA, July 1, 2009: Hydrogen Energy International has won $308 million of Department of Energy (DOE) funding for its Kern County, California, Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plant which will capture and permanently store 90% of its carbon dioxide
Both the DOE and Hydrogen Energy recognize that this project may become the model for new power generating facilities throughout the world.’’ said Lewis Gillies, Chief Executive of Hydrogen Energy International.
‘’Today’s news, together with Hydrogen Energy having just completed the engineering and design for its low-carbon project in Abu Dhabi, demonstrates how our company is working on two of the most advanced large scale CCS power projects in the world. We are
The CO2 will be used for EOR and stored permanently in nearby oil fields, also enhancing U.S. energy security by boosting domestic oil production. Occidental Petroleum plans to use the CO2 for enhanced oil recovery in its Elk Hills oil field.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WANT TO SEE SEVERAL BP WIND AND
OTHER CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS ?
http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=9024973&contentId=7055381
http://www.bp.com/modularhome.do?categoryId=7040&contentId=7051376
Rio Tinto and BP join forces to
develop clean energy worldwide.
17 May 2007
BP and Rio Tinto today announced the formation of a new jointly-owned company, Hydrogen Energy, which will develop decarbonised energy projects around the world. The venture will initially focus on hydrogen-fuelled power generation, using fossil fuels and carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to produce new large-scale supplies of clean electricity.
Decarbonised energy projects are based on the conversion of fossil fuel feedstocks such as coal, petroleum coke (a refinery by-product) or natural gas, to hydrogen and carbon dioxide gases, with the carbon dioxide being captured and sent for permanent storage in geological formations deep beneath the Earth’s surface.
In power projects, the hydrogen
http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=9024973&contentId=7046899
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124623140359766167.html#mod=testMod
Valero Harnesses Wind Energy to Fuel Its Oil-Refining Process Valero Energy Corp., which has the capacity to process more crude than any other U.S. refiner, recently installed 33 windmills to supply a refinery here with green electricity to produce gasoline and diesel. In A Strange Development, Big Oil Turns To Wind Power Posted: June 29, 2009
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7054830
BP Moves Into Full Construction of Phase Two of Fowler Ridge Wind Farm In Indiana
16 July 2009
Largest wind farm in Midwest to be expanded-BP Wind Energy announced today that it has moved into full construction of a second phase of the Fowler Ridge Wind Farm in Benton County, Indiana.
Phase two of the project will have a capacity of 200 megawatts (MW) and is expected to be online in the first quarter of 2010. When complete, the second phase of the wind farm will generate enough carbon-free electricity to power approximately 60,000 average American homes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, May 24, 2009
BP GAS PLATFORM GOES NON CARBON ELECTRIC http://www.forbes.com/global/2009/0511/022-infrastructure-energy-abb-power-guys.html
Forbes Magazine
May 11, 2009
Engineering giant ABB will carry juice from the Three Gorges Dam all the way to Shanghai At a lab in Ludvika, Sweden a part for the electrical grid is tested to see how much power it can take (the arcing means it's overloaded).
BP replaces gas turbines with 180 mile undersea High Voltage Line from Norway In the middle of the wind-whipped north sea, British Petroleum is sprucing up a 25-year-old platform that taps one of the world's biggest natural gas fields. BP is ripping out the gas turbines that use some of the methane below to make electricity for the platform.
Instead, BP is piping electricity in through an undersea cable from hydroelectric plants on the Norwegian mainland, 180 miles away. It might seem odd for BP to shun the fuel at hand in favor of a long-distance solution. But this is the new economics of carbon--Norway heavily taxes it, and BP wants to be green. The beneficiary in this case: ABB ( ABB - news - people )
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And now… Port of Long Beach takes ‘giant step’ toward pollution reduction
http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_12514080
the Plug In Tankerhttp://revengeoftheelectriccar.com/
Published by Paul Scott June 4, 2009
The Alaskan Navigator, one of two oil tankers with British Petroleum to be retrofitted to be electrically operated dockside, was unveiled to the public during a ceremony at BP Oil Terminal at Pier T in the Port of Long Beach on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 LONG BEACH - The giant cable reeled into position, an engineer pulled the handle, and like that, pollution equivalent to 187,000 passenger cars was lifted from local skies. A 941-foot BP oil tanker that just arrived from the Alaskan frontier became the globe's first such vessel to plug into a dockside electrical outlet Wednesday - an engineering feat expected The Navigator previously burned about 10,000 gallons of diesel each day in port to power massive pumps needed to off-load the oil. The cable provides 6,600 volts of electricity - enough to power 5,500 homes - to the massive tankers, allowing operators to completely cut their auxiliary
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.gizmag.com/ferrari-goes-solar/10802/
Ferrari goes solar
By Noel McKeegan
January 21, 2009
The 210,000 kWh photovoltaic system is part of an ongoing sustainability program which also includes plans for a new tri-generation plant which the company says will cover "virtually all" of its electricity requirements and cut its annual CO2 emissions by 25-30% compared to the present levels when it becomes operational mid-year.
While the company is taking these steps to green its production facilities, there's no sign of a Fisker Karma style solar roof panel appearing on a Ferrari car any time soon, but we have heard rumors that the use of small displacement turbocharged engines is being considered in an effort to reduce the on-road carbon footprint of its vehicles.
The new roof mounted system was installed by EnerRay and uses a 185 Wp Mitsubishi Electric module producing peak power of 198.85 kWp. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/a-solar-powered-oil-field/
August 24, 2009
A Solar-Powered Oil Field?
By Todd WoodyBrightSource Energy has broken ground on a 29-megawatt solar steam plant at a Chevron oil field in Coalinga, Calif.
The 100-acre project’s 7,000 mirrors will focus sunlight on a water-filled boiler that sits atop a 323-foot tower to produce hot, high-pressure steam.
In a conventional solar power plant, the steam drives a turbine to generate electricity. In this case, the steam will be injected into oil wells to enhance production by heating thick petroleum so it flows more freely. Oil companies typically rely on steam generated by natural gas or other fossil fuels to maximize oil recovery
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.irena.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=90&Itemid=93
Signatory States
75 countries signed the Statute at the Founding Conference on 26 January 2009. To this day 136 countries are Signatories
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/business/global/19renirena.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
http://www.irena.org/downloads/IRENA_brochure_EN.pdf
A MUST READ ! Global Business
Special Report: Energy
Promoting Renewable Energy Is Focus
of New Agency
By DIANA S. POWERS
Published: May 18, 2009 PARIS —
In Sharm el Sheik, Egypt, delegates from 79 countries will meet next month to choose a home, a director and a preliminary work program for the International Renewable Energy Agency, which was set up this year to lead a global drive to accelerate and expand the development of renewable energy resources.
The agency grew out of a conference in Bonn on Jan. 26, which was sponsored by the German government, with support from Denmark and Spain. Of the 192 United Nations member states invited, 125 sent delegations and 75 European and emerging countries signed on to the final agreement establishing the agency, also known as Irena.
Since January, four more countries have joined, most recently Mauritania. Membership includes leading European economies like Germany and France; emerging economies like India; major energy producers like Norway and Nigeria; hostile ----more >>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.good.is/post/heathrow-gets-personal-rapid-transit-pods/
August 18, 2009
One variation of “personal rapid transit” is already in effect at West Virginia University, but it’s basically a tram. Something considerably more futuristic has been proposed for the utopian community of Masdar.
Now, a PRT system is installed and going through its final tests at London’s Heathrow airport. The system was designed by the folks at ULTra PRT. It’ll ferry people from Terminal 5 to the various lots they might have parked in.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jul/21/energy-renewables-severn-barrage
THIS IS A SUSPECT SITE ?? LOOKS ONE WAY; BUT IS ANOTHER -DEVIOUS AS IN A MIND FUC-!
http://www.energyboom.com/policy/business-roundtable-calls-congress-obama-administration-support-renewables-and-traditional-so
Business Roundtable Calls on Congress &
Obama Administration To Support Renewables
and Traditional Sources of Energy
By Robert Gluck on November 5, 2009
The Business Roundtable has called on Congress and the Obama Administration to support both renewable and traditional sources of energy as we transition to a low-carbon economy.
An association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. companies with more than $5 trillion in annual revenues and more than 12 million employees, the Business Roundtable is a powerful organization.
The organization's member companies comprise
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://gas2.org/Obama Induces Chinese to Cut GHG 40% and Share Electric Car Tech
November 29th, 2009
However, there was one relatively quiet piece of concrete climate change news that came out of the the meeting between China and the United States: the two leaders signed a plan to speed up the global roll-out of electric vehicles and renewable energy.
Moving away from fossil-fueled cars not only cuts greenhouse gas emissions immediately, but also keeps on reducing them as the grid gets greener in the coming years.
It also reduces our oil dependence, and cuts the influence in congress of the oil industry that will keep on preventing agreements for carbon reductions in the future.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.renewableenergyfocus.com/
25 November 2009THIS IS A GREAT SITE FOR STORIES
ON FUNDS FOR CLEAN ENRGY
US government invests US$18m in clean
and renewable energy for small business
“Small businesses are drivers of innovation and are crucial to the development of a competitive clean energy US economy,” says energy secretary Steven Chu. “These investments will help ensure small businesses are able to compete in the clean energy economy, creating jobs and developing new technologies to help decrease carbon pollution and increase energy efficiency.”
Grants were awarded in 10 clean and renewable energy topic areas, including US$2.8m for 12 projects in Advanced Solar Technologies where projects will focus on achieving significant cost and performance improvements over current
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Obama’s Executive Order Enforces Smart EnergyOctober 6th, 2009
President Obama has just signed an Executive Order that compels the largest consumer of energy in the US economy to invest in energy efficiency improvements to get to huge reductions in energy use by 2020.
Every Federal agency must measure, manage, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to meet specific targets by 2020. They have just 90 days to lay out a plan to meet these targets:
1. Use 30% less gas by 2020. Federal agencies buy 750,000 new vehicles every year.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://cleantechnica.com/
New Cycle Capital, Draper Fisher Jurvetson Invest $12.2 Million in PACE Solar Renewable FundingNovember 4th, 2009
Renewable Funding’s PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) solar funding, begun by Cisco DeVries with Berkeley First was a breakthrough in making solar affordable.
Now VC high-flyers Draper Fisher Jurvetson, New Cycle Capital, and RWE Ventures have just invested $12.2 million in a first round of financing to make this sober and sensible solar funding available to more homeowners.
Renewable Funding is a business in the Common Good. And it could be big too. There’s potentially a gigaton of greenhouse gas reductions to be made, at no cost to local, state, or federal governments from a $280 billion potential market in PACE solar funding in the US, acording to a UC Berkeley study published in Environment Magazine.Read the rest of this entry »
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Lizards, rodent, frog added to endangered listMon Nov 2, 09
Switzerland-based IUCN surveyed a total of 47,677 animals and plants for this year's "Red List" of endangered species and determined that 17,291 of them are threatened with extinction.
More than one in five of all known mammals, over a quarter of reptiles and 70 percent of plants are under threat, according to the survey, which featured over 2,800 new species compared with 2008.
"These results are just the tip of the iceberg," said Craig Hilton-Taylor, who manages the list. He said "many more millions" of species that have yet to be assessed could also be under serious threat.
The only mammal to be added to the list this year is the Eastern Voalavo, a rodent that lives in the mountainous forests of Madagascar. IUCN classified it as "endangered" — two steps from extinction in the wild — because its habitat is being destroyed by slash-and-burn farming.
The Red List already includes species such as the tiger, of which only 3,200 are thought to exist in the wild and whose habitat in Asia is steadily shrinking due to encroachment by humans. Governments ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Australian Senator
Discusses Oil Spill
27 months ago- 11/1/09
http://www.break.com/index/the-front-fell-off.html
This might sound dumb but its a hilarious video! An Australian Senator is interviewed regarding an oil spill that resulted in 20,000 tons of oil being dumped into the ocean. www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/8q.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Obama Will Bankrupt Coal
Posted by: Amanda Carpenter at 11:55 AM
Barack Obama has tried to pretend that he's a friend to clean coal, but now this San Francisco Chronicle interview resurfaces courtesy of our friends at Newsbusters.Go ahead, build new coal plants he says. He'll just bankrupt them later through the tax code.
OBAMA: http://townhall.com/content/2c2fe568-896f-4c29-a93d-f9bd7498756b
I was the first to call for a 100% auction on the cap and trade system, which means that every unit of carbon or greenhouse gases emitted would be charged to the polluter. That will create a market in which whatever technologies are out there that are being presented, whatever power plants that are being built, that they would have to meet the rigors of that market and the ratcheted down caps that are being placed, imposed every year.
So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it's just that it will bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://cleantechnica.com/-----------------------------------------------------------------
10 Practical Suggestions for How a Polluting Company Can Easily Reduce its Greenhouse Gases
Chances are, if you run a major polluting company, you’re not reading cleantechnica. But you never know. So here’s my advice, based on my experience writing about energy; gathered into one easy quick read for the non-eco reader, on how a polluting company can benefit from the new energy bill requirements to cut carbon emissions.
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/ ----------------------------------------------------------
October 26, 2009,
The Energy Quest Begins
By Andrew C. Revkin
After a months-long process of soliciting and winnowing thousands of ideas for “ transformational” energy initiatives, the Department of Energy has selected the first 37 recipients of $151 million in grants under its Arpa-E program (Advanced Research Projects - Energy). The selection committee faced the difficult task of choosing proposals based on the soundness of the underlying science and engineering and trying to avoid choosing winners based on predispositions or on the geography of congressional districts. The agency noted that 62 percent of recipients of the first round of grants are businesses and 35 percent are educational institutions. (On its face, this seems to imply that the Obama administration sees the private sector as more apt to be the source of game-changing breakthroughs.) How do you think the selection committee did? You can find the list on the Arpa-E Web site here. I’ll be seeking reactions from researchers studying the interface of money, intellectual inquiry and innovation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.greenlaunches.com/
Avantiar is setting pace towards ‘Greener’ aviation!
October 23, 2009
Avantiar, the private aircraft operator attributes its constant growth in the aircraft industry to its eco-friendly operations and standard-setting aircraft. Avantair's Piaggio Avanti aircraft feature ground-breaking engineering leading to the lowest fuel burn and carbon emissions in the industry. The aircraft fly at an efficient 450 mph while burning 40 percent less fuel than its competitors; this in turn leads to
---------------------------------------------http://www.greenlaunches.com/----------
Southwest Airlines launches a fuel-efficient Green Plane prototype
The blue skies are turning green as more and more airlines are becoming environmentally responsible. Following the green footsteps of Avantiar, the Southwest Airlines is also making noise about its "Green Plane". Their prototype Boeing 737-700 promises to save ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.greenlaunches.com/
Save power without having to unplug from the socket!
Did you know every time your phone gets charged and when you yet haven’t unplugged it from the socket, the electricity units still get counted? In other words, the electricity is still being consumed. Though many of our ecologically conscious friends will feel the pinch, for the not so conscious people also the pinch is felt on the pockets. Designer Yong-jin-Kim has come up with a way to cut the electricity out once the charge is done even without having to un -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------http://www.aepuk.com/need_info.php THIS IS ENGLAND/BRITAIN
Who uses electricity?Everyone uses electricity. The table below shows how electricity use is split between different groups of users. Industry and domestic users are the largest single groups of users in the UK, each consuming about 34% of the total electricity used.
Sector
Electricity Use, GWh (2004) Percentage
Industry 117,149 34.45%
Transport 8,034 2.36%
Domestic 115,526 33.97%
Public administration 20,924 6.15%
Commercial 74,215 21.83%
Agriculture 4,194 1.23%
Total 340,043 100%
Source: Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2005
Back to Top
How much electricity does the average person use?The average person in the UK uses 1,930 'units' or kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year. The average household uses 4,478 units of electricity. Total domestic electricity demand is 115,526,000,000 units, or 115,526 gigawatt hours (GWh), approximately 30% of the UK's total demand. The total domestic and industrial electricity demand in the UK is 340,043 GWh. One gigawatt hour is one million kilowatt hours.
Source: Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2005, Office for National Statistics
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GERMANY CLEAN
More than one in five of all known mammals, over a quarter of reptiles and 70 percent of plants are under threat, according to the survey, which featured over 2,800 new species compared with 2008.
"These results are just the tip of the iceberg," said Craig Hilton-Taylor, who manages the list. He said "many more millions" of species that have yet to be assessed could also be under serious threat.
The only mammal to be added to the list this year is the Eastern Voalavo, a rodent that lives in the mountainous forests of Madagascar. IUCN classified it as "endangered" — two steps from extinction in the wild — because its habitat is being destroyed by slash-and-burn farming.
The Red List already includes species such as the tiger, of which only 3,200 are thought to exist in the wild and whose habitat in Asia is steadily shrinking due to encroachment by humans. Governments ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Australian SenatorDiscusses Oil Spill
27 months ago- 11/1/09
http://www.break.com/index/the-front-fell-off.html
This might sound dumb but its a hilarious video! An Australian Senator is interviewed regarding an oil spill that resulted in 20,000 tons of oil being dumped into the ocean. www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/8q.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, November 02, 2008Obama Will Bankrupt Coal
Posted by: Amanda Carpenter at 11:55 AM
Barack Obama has tried to pretend that he's a friend to clean coal, but now this San Francisco Chronicle interview resurfaces courtesy of our friends at Newsbusters.Go ahead, build new coal plants he says. He'll just bankrupt them later through the tax code.
OBAMA: http://townhall.com/content/2c2fe568-896f-4c29-a93d-f9bd7498756b
I was the first to call for a 100% auction on the cap and trade system, which means that every unit of carbon or greenhouse gases emitted would be charged to the polluter. That will create a market in which whatever technologies are out there that are being presented, whatever power plants that are being built, that they would have to meet the rigors of that market and the ratcheted down caps that are being placed, imposed every year.
So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it's just that it will bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://cleantechnica.com/-----------------------------------------------------------------
10 Practical Suggestions for How a Polluting Company Can Easily Reduce its Greenhouse GasesChances are, if you run a major polluting company, you’re not reading cleantechnica. But you never know. So here’s my advice, based on my experience writing about energy; gathered into one easy quick read for the non-eco reader, on how a polluting company can benefit from the new energy bill requirements to cut carbon emissions.
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/ ----------------------------------------------------------
October 26, 2009,The Energy Quest Begins
By Andrew C. Revkin
After a months-long process of soliciting and winnowing thousands of ideas for “ transformational” energy initiatives, the Department of Energy has selected the first 37 recipients of $151 million in grants under its Arpa-E program (Advanced Research Projects - Energy). The selection committee faced the difficult task of choosing proposals based on the soundness of the underlying science and engineering and trying to avoid choosing winners based on predispositions or on the geography of congressional districts. The agency noted that 62 percent of recipients of the first round of grants are businesses and 35 percent are educational institutions. (On its face, this seems to imply that the Obama administration sees the private sector as more apt to be the source of game-changing breakthroughs.) How do you think the selection committee did? You can find the list on the Arpa-E Web site here. I’ll be seeking reactions from researchers studying the interface of money, intellectual inquiry and innovation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.greenlaunches.com/
Avantiar is setting pace towards ‘Greener’ aviation!October 23, 2009
Avantiar, the private aircraft operator attributes its constant growth in the aircraft industry to its eco-friendly operations and standard-setting aircraft. Avantair's Piaggio Avanti aircraft feature ground-breaking engineering leading to the lowest fuel burn and carbon emissions in the industry. The aircraft fly at an efficient 450 mph while burning 40 percent less fuel than its competitors; this in turn leads to
---------------------------------------------http://www.greenlaunches.com/----------
Southwest Airlines launches a fuel-efficient Green Plane prototype The blue skies are turning green as more and more airlines are becoming environmentally responsible. Following the green footsteps of Avantiar, the Southwest Airlines is also making noise about its "Green Plane". Their prototype Boeing 737-700 promises to save ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.greenlaunches.com/
Save power without having to unplug from the socket!Did you know every time your phone gets charged and when you yet haven’t unplugged it from the socket, the electricity units still get counted? In other words, the electricity is still being consumed. Though many of our ecologically conscious friends will feel the pinch, for the not so conscious people also the pinch is felt on the pockets. Designer Yong-jin-Kim has come up with a way to cut the electricity out once the charge is done even without having to un -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------http://www.aepuk.com/need_info.php THIS IS ENGLAND/BRITAIN
Who uses electricity?Everyone uses electricity. The table below shows how electricity use is split between different groups of users. Industry and domestic users are the largest single groups of users in the UK, each consuming about 34% of the total electricity used.Sector
Electricity Use, GWh (2004) Percentage
Industry 117,149 34.45%
Transport 8,034 2.36%
Domestic 115,526 33.97%
Public administration 20,924 6.15%
Commercial 74,215 21.83%
Agriculture 4,194 1.23%
Total 340,043 100%
Source: Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2005
Back to Top
How much electricity does the average person use?The average person in the UK uses 1,930 'units' or kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year. The average household uses 4,478 units of electricity. Total domestic electricity demand is 115,526,000,000 units, or 115,526 gigawatt hours (GWh), approximately 30% of the UK's total demand. The total domestic and industrial electricity demand in the UK is 340,043 GWh. One gigawatt hour is one million kilowatt hours.
Source: Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2005, Office for National Statistics
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GERMANY CLEANENERGY SITE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Electricity mix in 2020----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.greenprophet.com/2009/07/26/10939/david-anthony-21ventures-clean-technology/
http://www.greenprophet.com/2009/07/26/10939/david-anthony-21ventures-clean-technology/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
A $10 trillion investment is being called for in everything from energy efficiency and biofuels to nuclear power between 2010 and 2030 to lower carbon dioxide emissions and avoid extreme climate change.
-------------------
http://cleantech.com/news/5127/top-10-cleantech-countries-2009
A few months ago, I ranked the best states for top 10 states in the U.S for cleantech (see The top 10 U.S. states for cleantech in 2009). But that got me thinking: Which countries are the leaders in cleantech?
The top 10 cleantech countries of 2009
October 9, 2009
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS115538+03-Sep-2009+BW20090903
http://www.reportlinker.com/
Sep 3, 2009
Reportlinker Adds World
Light-Duty Green Vehicles
Global demand to expand rapidly through 2013
Worldwide demand for "green" passenger cars and light trucks will expand rapidlyto 3.0 million units in 2013, propelled by a confluence of technologybreakthroughs and government support.
These environmentally friendly lightvehicles -- hybridelectric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles(PHEVs), pure electric vehicles (EVs) and natural gas vehicles (NGVs) -- willquickly penetrate the world light vehicle market in response to increasingconcerns regarding carbon dioxide emissions, energy independence and overall"sustainability" issues. Government support to close cost disparity gap
ReportLinker is a professional search engine that provides easy access to 1.2 million market reports and industry statistics published by 200,000 authoritative sources.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=6§ion=0&article=125897&d=29&m=8&y=2009
Saturday 29 August 2009
Easy solar energy:
A $10 trillion investment is being called for in everything from energy efficiency and biofuels to nuclear power between 2010 and 2030 to lower carbon dioxide emissions and avoid extreme climate change.
-------------------
http://cleantech.com/news/5127/top-10-cleantech-countries-2009
A few months ago, I ranked the best states for top 10 states in the U.S for cleantech (see The top 10 U.S. states for cleantech in 2009). But that got me thinking: Which countries are the leaders in cleantech?
The top 10 cleantech countries of 2009
October 9, 2009
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS115538+03-Sep-2009+BW20090903
http://www.reportlinker.com/Sep 3, 2009
Reportlinker Adds World
Light-Duty Green Vehicles
Global demand to expand rapidly through 2013
Worldwide demand for "green" passenger cars and light trucks will expand rapidlyto 3.0 million units in 2013, propelled by a confluence of technologybreakthroughs and government support.
These environmentally friendly lightvehicles -- hybridelectric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles(PHEVs), pure electric vehicles (EVs) and natural gas vehicles (NGVs) -- willquickly penetrate the world light vehicle market in response to increasingconcerns regarding carbon dioxide emissions, energy independence and overall"sustainability" issues. Government support to close cost disparity gap
ReportLinker is a professional search engine that provides easy access to 1.2 million market reports and industry statistics published by 200,000 authoritative sources.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=6§ion=0&article=125897&d=29&m=8&y=2009
Saturday 29 August 2009Easy solar energy:
Is the writing on the wall
for fossil fuel?
Arab News
When a major global industrial player commits to it to the extent that the corporate giant Siemens AG has, that alone is a convincing argument that the world is looking for cleaner ways of producing energy other than burning fossil fuels. Moreover, it is a very strong indication that the alternative power generation market is also commercially viable.
--Loescher thought “Almost every day governments around the world announce new and eager plans for clean energy supply. Both economic and environmental goals can be pursued simultaneously and also during the (global economic) crisis,” he opined. ---
When a major global industrial player commits to it to the extent that the corporate giant Siemens AG has, that alone is a convincing argument that the world is looking for cleaner ways of producing energy other than burning fossil fuels. Moreover, it is a very strong indication that the alternative power generation market is also commercially viable.
--Loescher thought “Almost every day governments around the world announce new and eager plans for clean energy supply. Both economic and environmental goals can be pursued simultaneously and also during the (global economic) crisis,” he opined. ---
continuing that environmental technology would become the leading industry of the 21st century.
“We already have the largest portfolio of green technologies in the world,” said Loescher. “At Siemens, green, energy-efficient solutions are already generating a quarter of our total revenue. And this is increasing every day.”
---picture is STRATEGY SESSION: Siemens CEO Peter Loescher at the 2008 Siemens Global Environmental Summit in London>
“We already have the largest portfolio of green technologies in the world,” said Loescher. “At Siemens, green, energy-efficient solutions are already generating a quarter of our total revenue. And this is increasing every day.”
---picture is STRATEGY SESSION: Siemens CEO Peter Loescher at the 2008 Siemens Global Environmental Summit in London>
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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-08/25/content_11938089.htm
http://www.theoildrum.com/node/5710
OECD chief urges Mexico to
seek green growth,
cut fuel subsidies
2009-08-25
---Green growth is an opportunity for exports, jobs and wealth," Gurria told the conference. "Developing green technology could be a business opportunity for Mexico."
He said that global spending on alternative fuels could top 500billion U.S. dollars by 2020, and cited the success story of Denmark, which has become the world's biggest exporter of wind turbines though its geographical conditions are not so favorable for the
----The U.S. state of "California's Global Warming Solutions Act could create hundreds of thousands of jobs by making California a center of innovation," he noted.
He also called on Mexico to cut subsidies that hurt the environment, including policies like setting the price of fuels below the international price, even though the
OIL THEFTS----Rockville, Md.-based Hi-G-Tek began a pilot program in 2006 with Pemex that placed seals on 10 tanker trucks. That sale has grown to 800 trucks with an additional 500 to be added in the next six months, said Larry Blue, Hi-G-Tek’s chief executive. Hi-G-Tek sells these seals to Pemex through Corporación Nacional de Radiodeterminacion, a subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc. that provides the monitoring services.
Considering that Pemex pumps enough fuel in a day to fill between 15,000 and 30,000 tanker trucks, the company has a long way to go before the whole fleet is protected.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-08/cdp-lfn082009.php
http://www.theoildrum.com/node/5710
24-Aug-2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-08/25/content_11938089.htm
http://www.theoildrum.com/node/5710
OECD chief urges Mexico toseek green growth,
cut fuel subsidies
2009-08-25
---Green growth is an opportunity for exports, jobs and wealth," Gurria told the conference. "Developing green technology could be a business opportunity for Mexico."
He said that global spending on alternative fuels could top 500billion U.S. dollars by 2020, and cited the success story of Denmark, which has become the world's biggest exporter of wind turbines though its geographical conditions are not so favorable for the
----The U.S. state of "California's Global Warming Solutions Act could create hundreds of thousands of jobs by making California a center of innovation," he noted.
He also called on Mexico to cut subsidies that hurt the environment, including policies like setting the price of fuels below the international price, even though the
OIL THEFTS----Rockville, Md.-based Hi-G-Tek began a pilot program in 2006 with Pemex that placed seals on 10 tanker trucks. That sale has grown to 800 trucks with an additional 500 to be added in the next six months, said Larry Blue, Hi-G-Tek’s chief executive. Hi-G-Tek sells these seals to Pemex through Corporación Nacional de Radiodeterminacion, a subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc. that provides the monitoring services.
Considering that Pemex pumps enough fuel in a day to fill between 15,000 and 30,000 tanker trucks, the company has a long way to go before the whole fleet is protected.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-08/cdp-lfn082009.php
http://www.theoildrum.com/node/5710
24-Aug-2009 Largest firms need to double pace
of CO2 reductions
to avoid dangerous climate change: report
Majority of firms have reduction goals to 2012 only, indicating need for government leadership
---Based on current reduction targets, the world's largest companies are on track to reach the scientifically-recommended level of greenhouse gas cuts by 2089 – 39 years too late to avoid dangerous climate change, reveals a research report – ------The Carbon Chasm – released today by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.cdproject.net/ ------------------------------------------------------------
The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)
is an independent not-for-profit organisation which holds the largest database of corporate climate change information in the world. The data is obtained from responses to CDP’s annual Information Requests, issued on behalf of institutional investors, purchasing organisations and government bodies. Since its formation in 2000, CDP has become the gold standard for carbon disclosure methodology and process, providing primary climate change data to the global market place.
Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index 2008
Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI) includes the companies with the highest scores in the two categories of the carbon-intensive sectors and the non-c
Global 500 Carbon-intensive are -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.russiatoday.com/Business/2009-08-25/russian-renewable-energy-potential.html
25 August, 2009,
Russian renewable energy
prepares for a bigger slice of the power pie
As the world’s largest producer of gas, and one of the worlds major producers of oil and coal, Russia isn’t generally seen as being at the forefront of the global thrust towards greater use of renewable energy sources.
Russia ranks amongst the world’s top oil, gas and coal producers, with reserves of all which most of the rest of the world would envy. But it has a downside.
Russia is one of the world most inefficient users of energy, and with the world increasingly looking to promote renewable energy, it means that Russia’s renewable energy sector hasn’t been as prominent as those elsewhere.
That outlook is slowly beginning to change with a range of projects across Russia looking to ----
----Renewable energy currently comprises just 1% of Russia’s energy output, with the government planning to increase this to 4.5% by 2020, in the face of estimates suggesting that up to 30% of Russia’s energy demand could come from renewable sources.
-----Between the vast acreages of vegetation which could conceivably become biofuel raw materials, and some of the worlds largest virtually untapped snow fed rivers which could be harnessed further for hydro power, t
----The energy of small rivers, sea tides on the Kola Peninsula, and the Sea of Okhotsk also have good prospects. In summer we could use the energy of sun while during colder months wind could provide for the necessary energy
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aBC4ld4jmdV4
Aug. 25 (Bloomberg)
Getting Rich in Malaysia Cronyism Capital Means Dayak Lose Home
The shift from rain forest to oil palm cultivation in Malaysia’s Sarawak state highlights the struggle taking place between forces favoring economic development, led by Sarawak state’s chief minister, Abdul Taib Mahmud, and those who want to conserve the rain forest and the ways of life it supports
In Sarawak, Taib’s government is following its own development plans that call for doubling the state’s GDP to 150 billion ringgit ($42 billion) by 2020. Sarawak Energy Bhd., which is 65 percent owned by the state government, said in July 2007 it plans to build six power plants, including hydropower and coal-fired generators.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE5734LB20090804
Mexico aims to bring CO2 cut plan to climate talks
Tue Aug 4, 2009
Despite Calderon's personal commitment to the issue, Mexico allowed carbon dioxide emissions from the oil industry to soar in 2008 as massive amounts of natural gas were flared off in a bid to keep aging oil fields in production.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.thelocal.de/sci-tech/20090825-21475.html
Christian Democrats pledge to triple funding for electric cars
25 Aug 09
GERMANY
Hoping to burnish their green credentials ahead of next month's election, Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats have pledged to triple state funding for developing electric cars if they win, the Financial Times Deutschland reported on Tuesday. Green party politician says Germans should buy Japanese cars - Business & Money (20 Aug 09)
Germany gets amped for electric cars - Business & Money (19 Aug 09) "The state must help with investments into research and development of electric cars if they are to advance," said Volker Kauder, the conservatives' parliamentary leader.At the forefront of this research is work on battery technology
-----I call on German car manufacturers to correct this, and train specialised workers for electric cars as fast as possible,” he told the paper. “Either way, it will be at least another year until we see electric cars around on our streets ----------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/20/2661508.htm
Qld unveils 'ground breaking'
climate change strategy
By Chris O'Brien
Aug 20, 2009
of CO2 reductions
to avoid dangerous climate change: report
Majority of firms have reduction goals to 2012 only, indicating need for government leadership
---Based on current reduction targets, the world's largest companies are on track to reach the scientifically-recommended level of greenhouse gas cuts by 2089 – 39 years too late to avoid dangerous climate change, reveals a research report – ------The Carbon Chasm – released today by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.cdproject.net/ ------------------------------------------------------------
The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)is an independent not-for-profit organisation which holds the largest database of corporate climate change information in the world. The data is obtained from responses to CDP’s annual Information Requests, issued on behalf of institutional investors, purchasing organisations and government bodies. Since its formation in 2000, CDP has become the gold standard for carbon disclosure methodology and process, providing primary climate change data to the global market place.
Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index 2008
Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI) includes the companies with the highest scores in the two categories of the carbon-intensive sectors and the non-c
Global 500 Carbon-intensive are -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.russiatoday.com/Business/2009-08-25/russian-renewable-energy-potential.html
25 August, 2009,Russian renewable energy
prepares for a bigger slice of the power pie
As the world’s largest producer of gas, and one of the worlds major producers of oil and coal, Russia isn’t generally seen as being at the forefront of the global thrust towards greater use of renewable energy sources.
Russia ranks amongst the world’s top oil, gas and coal producers, with reserves of all which most of the rest of the world would envy. But it has a downside.
Russia is one of the world most inefficient users of energy, and with the world increasingly looking to promote renewable energy, it means that Russia’s renewable energy sector hasn’t been as prominent as those elsewhere.
That outlook is slowly beginning to change with a range of projects across Russia looking to ----
----Renewable energy currently comprises just 1% of Russia’s energy output, with the government planning to increase this to 4.5% by 2020, in the face of estimates suggesting that up to 30% of Russia’s energy demand could come from renewable sources.
-----Between the vast acreages of vegetation which could conceivably become biofuel raw materials, and some of the worlds largest virtually untapped snow fed rivers which could be harnessed further for hydro power, t
----The energy of small rivers, sea tides on the Kola Peninsula, and the Sea of Okhotsk also have good prospects. In summer we could use the energy of sun while during colder months wind could provide for the necessary energy
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aBC4ld4jmdV4
Aug. 25 (Bloomberg)
Getting Rich in Malaysia Cronyism Capital Means Dayak Lose Home
The shift from rain forest to oil palm cultivation in Malaysia’s Sarawak state highlights the struggle taking place between forces favoring economic development, led by Sarawak state’s chief minister, Abdul Taib Mahmud, and those who want to conserve the rain forest and the ways of life it supports
In Sarawak, Taib’s government is following its own development plans that call for doubling the state’s GDP to 150 billion ringgit ($42 billion) by 2020. Sarawak Energy Bhd., which is 65 percent owned by the state government, said in July 2007 it plans to build six power plants, including hydropower and coal-fired generators.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE5734LB20090804Mexico aims to bring CO2 cut plan to climate talks
Tue Aug 4, 2009
Despite Calderon's personal commitment to the issue, Mexico allowed carbon dioxide emissions from the oil industry to soar in 2008 as massive amounts of natural gas were flared off in a bid to keep aging oil fields in production.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.thelocal.de/sci-tech/20090825-21475.html
Christian Democrats pledge to triple funding for electric cars25 Aug 09
GERMANY
Hoping to burnish their green credentials ahead of next month's election, Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats have pledged to triple state funding for developing electric cars if they win, the Financial Times Deutschland reported on Tuesday. Green party politician says Germans should buy Japanese cars - Business & Money (20 Aug 09)
Germany gets amped for electric cars - Business & Money (19 Aug 09) "The state must help with investments into research and development of electric cars if they are to advance," said Volker Kauder, the conservatives' parliamentary leader.At the forefront of this research is work on battery technology
-----I call on German car manufacturers to correct this, and train specialised workers for electric cars as fast as possible,” he told the paper. “Either way, it will be at least another year until we see electric cars around on our streets ----------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/20/2661508.htm
Qld unveils 'ground breaking' climate change strategy
By Chris O'Brien
Aug 20, 2009
No new coal-fired power stations
will be built in Queensland unless they use world's best emissions technology.
The rule is one of a range of climate change initiatives unveiled by Premier Anna Bligh.
Future coal-fired power stations must also be able to store and capture carbon.
Today's policy also includes an anti-congestion plan, using a high-tech traffic management system, and programs to change travel habits and offset vehicle emissions.
Premier Anna Bligh has told Parliament the package includes $87 million in new funding.
"With this strategy we are breaking a lot of ground," he said.
"ClimateQ includes detailed analysis of climate change projections for 13 regions covering all of Queensland to help local governments, communities and industries better understand and plan for impacts."------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.hydrogenenergy.com/News.aspx?id=259
The rule is one of a range of climate change initiatives unveiled by Premier Anna Bligh.
Future coal-fired power stations must also be able to store and capture carbon.
Today's policy also includes an anti-congestion plan, using a high-tech traffic management system, and programs to change travel habits and offset vehicle emissions.
Premier Anna Bligh has told Parliament the package includes $87 million in new funding.
"With this strategy we are breaking a lot of ground," he said.
"ClimateQ includes detailed analysis of climate change projections for 13 regions covering all of Queensland to help local governments, communities and industries better understand and plan for impacts."------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.hydrogenenergy.com/News.aspx?id=259
Obama Administration paves way for Hydrogen Energy’s low-carbon power plant.
Obama Administration’s action paves the way for Hydrogen Energy’s low-carbon power plant in California with $308 million of funding.
Long Beach, CA, July 1, 2009: Hydrogen Energy International has won $308 million of Department of Energy (DOE) funding for its Kern County, California, Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plant which will capture and permanently store 90% of its carbon dioxide
Both the DOE and Hydrogen Energy recognize that this project may become the model for new power generating facilities throughout the world.’’ said Lewis Gillies, Chief Executive of Hydrogen Energy International.
‘’Today’s news, together with Hydrogen Energy having just completed the engineering and design for its low-carbon project in Abu Dhabi, demonstrates how our company is working on two of the most advanced large scale CCS power projects in the world. We are
The CO2 will be used for EOR and stored permanently in nearby oil fields, also enhancing U.S. energy security by boosting domestic oil production. Occidental Petroleum plans to use the CO2 for enhanced oil recovery in its Elk Hills oil field.
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WANT TO SEE SEVERAL BP WIND ANDOTHER CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS ?
http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=9024973&contentId=7055381
http://www.bp.com/modularhome.do?categoryId=7040&contentId=7051376
Rio Tinto and BP join forces to
develop clean energy worldwide.
17 May 2007
BP and Rio Tinto today announced the formation of a new jointly-owned company, Hydrogen Energy, which will develop decarbonised energy projects around the world. The venture will initially focus on hydrogen-fuelled power generation, using fossil fuels and carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to produce new large-scale supplies of clean electricity.
Decarbonised energy projects are based on the conversion of fossil fuel feedstocks such as coal, petroleum coke (a refinery by-product) or natural gas, to hydrogen and carbon dioxide gases, with the carbon dioxide being captured and sent for permanent storage in geological formations deep beneath the Earth’s surface.
In power projects, the hydrogen
http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=9024973&contentId=7046899
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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124623140359766167.html#mod=testMod
Valero Harnesses Wind Energy to Fuel Its Oil-Refining Process Valero Energy Corp., which has the capacity to process more crude than any other U.S. refiner, recently installed 33 windmills to supply a refinery here with green electricity to produce gasoline and diesel. In A Strange Development, Big Oil Turns To Wind Power Posted: June 29, 2009------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7054830
BP Moves Into Full Construction of Phase Two of Fowler Ridge Wind Farm In Indiana16 July 2009
Largest wind farm in Midwest to be expanded-BP Wind Energy announced today that it has moved into full construction of a second phase of the Fowler Ridge Wind Farm in Benton County, Indiana.
Phase two of the project will have a capacity of 200 megawatts (MW) and is expected to be online in the first quarter of 2010. When complete, the second phase of the wind farm will generate enough carbon-free electricity to power approximately 60,000 average American homes.
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Sunday, May 24, 2009
BP GAS PLATFORM GOES NON CARBON ELECTRIC http://www.forbes.com/global/2009/0511/022-infrastructure-energy-abb-power-guys.html
Forbes Magazine
May 11, 2009
Engineering giant ABB will carry juice from the Three Gorges Dam all the way to Shanghai At a lab in Ludvika, Sweden a part for the electrical grid is tested to see how much power it can take (the arcing means it's overloaded).
BP replaces gas turbines with 180 mile undersea High Voltage Line from Norway In the middle of the wind-whipped north sea, British Petroleum is sprucing up a 25-year-old platform that taps one of the world's biggest natural gas fields. BP is ripping out the gas turbines that use some of the methane below to make electricity for the platform.
Instead, BP is piping electricity in through an undersea cable from hydroelectric plants on the Norwegian mainland, 180 miles away. It might seem odd for BP to shun the fuel at hand in favor of a long-distance solution. But this is the new economics of carbon--Norway heavily taxes it, and BP wants to be green. The beneficiary in this case: ABB ( ABB - news - people )
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And now… Port of Long Beach takes ‘giant step’ toward pollution reduction
http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_12514080
the Plug In Tankerhttp://revengeoftheelectriccar.com/
Published by Paul Scott June 4, 2009
The Alaskan Navigator, one of two oil tankers with British Petroleum to be retrofitted to be electrically operated dockside, was unveiled to the public during a ceremony at BP Oil Terminal at Pier T in the Port of Long Beach on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 LONG BEACH - The giant cable reeled into position, an engineer pulled the handle, and like that, pollution equivalent to 187,000 passenger cars was lifted from local skies. A 941-foot BP oil tanker that just arrived from the Alaskan frontier became the globe's first such vessel to plug into a dockside electrical outlet Wednesday - an engineering feat expected The Navigator previously burned about 10,000 gallons of diesel each day in port to power massive pumps needed to off-load the oil. The cable provides 6,600 volts of electricity - enough to power 5,500 homes - to the massive tankers, allowing operators to completely cut their auxiliary------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.gizmag.com/ferrari-goes-solar/10802/
Ferrari goes solarBy Noel McKeegan
January 21, 2009
The 210,000 kWh photovoltaic system is part of an ongoing sustainability program which also includes plans for a new tri-generation plant which the company says will cover "virtually all" of its electricity requirements and cut its annual CO2 emissions by 25-30% compared to the present levels when it becomes operational mid-year.
While the company is taking these steps to green its production facilities, there's no sign of a Fisker Karma style solar roof panel appearing on a Ferrari car any time soon, but we have heard rumors that the use of small displacement turbocharged engines is being considered in an effort to reduce the on-road carbon footprint of its vehicles.
The new roof mounted system was installed by EnerRay and uses a 185 Wp Mitsubishi Electric module producing peak power of 198.85 kWp. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/a-solar-powered-oil-field/
August 24, 2009A Solar-Powered Oil Field?
By Todd WoodyBrightSource Energy has broken ground on a 29-megawatt solar steam plant at a Chevron oil field in Coalinga, Calif.
The 100-acre project’s 7,000 mirrors will focus sunlight on a water-filled boiler that sits atop a 323-foot tower to produce hot, high-pressure steam.
In a conventional solar power plant, the steam drives a turbine to generate electricity. In this case, the steam will be injected into oil wells to enhance production by heating thick petroleum so it flows more freely. Oil companies typically rely on steam generated by natural gas or other fossil fuels to maximize oil recovery
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http://www.irena.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=90&Itemid=93
Signatory States
75 countries signed the Statute at the Founding Conference on 26 January 2009. To this day 136 countries are Signatories
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/business/global/19renirena.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1http://www.irena.org/downloads/IRENA_brochure_EN.pdf
A MUST READ ! Global Business
Special Report: Energy
Promoting Renewable Energy Is Focus
of New Agency
By DIANA S. POWERS
Published: May 18, 2009 PARIS —
In Sharm el Sheik, Egypt, delegates from 79 countries will meet next month to choose a home, a director and a preliminary work program for the International Renewable Energy Agency, which was set up this year to lead a global drive to accelerate and expand the development of renewable energy resources.
The agency grew out of a conference in Bonn on Jan. 26, which was sponsored by the German government, with support from Denmark and Spain. Of the 192 United Nations member states invited, 125 sent delegations and 75 European and emerging countries signed on to the final agreement establishing the agency, also known as Irena.
Since January, four more countries have joined, most recently Mauritania. Membership includes leading European economies like Germany and France; emerging economies like India; major energy producers like Norway and Nigeria; hostile ----more >>
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http://www.good.is/post/heathrow-gets-personal-rapid-transit-pods/August 18, 2009
One variation of “personal rapid transit” is already in effect at West Virginia University, but it’s basically a tram. Something considerably more futuristic has been proposed for the utopian community of Masdar.
Now, a PRT system is installed and going through its final tests at London’s Heathrow airport. The system was designed by the folks at ULTra PRT. It’ll ferry people from Terminal 5 to the various lots they might have parked in.
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jul/21/energy-renewables-severn-barrage
Landscape changes over renewables
Tuesday 21 July 2009
The energy white paper (Labour orders green energy revolution, July 16) makes it clear that to meet the challenge of climate change will require an unprecedented transformation in our acceptance of renewable energy and the infrastructure that goes with it.
We have to move from kneejerk nimbyism to an informed consensus about the landscapes where renewable energy infrastructure is desirable and should be encouraged, and the landscapes that should remain sacrosanct.
Natural England is already consulting with the wind energy industry to agree guidelines and help all parties understand where the lines are drawn.There are real dilemmas – one of the most pointed being the Severn estuary, one of Europe's most important wildlife habitats. Should this be sacrificed for renewable energy?
Changes in climate and water availability adding stress and costs to global electricity sector
Report suggests financial projections based on current life, performance and value of sectors’ assets may not-----
LONDON, UK - 20 Aug 2009:
According to an Acclimatise global report, backed by IBM (NYSE:IBM), nearly all electric utilities claim climate change is threatening power outages, higher costs and changes in usage as demand grows to power the world's expanding cities.
Over ninety percent of global electric utilities that report climate change activity to the Carbon Disclosure Project recognised they are at risk from changes in climate and water availability, which are already adding stress to the sector. However, less than a third claimed to undertake any financial or quantified evaluation to the impact of climate change on their business.
The report suggests the energy industry is rapidly approaching a critical stage of development. As demand is growing from new requirements such
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http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/08/exxon-carbon-tax.php
Exxon, the largest oil company in the world has stated that it prefers a carbon tax to a cap and trade system--again--this time, specifically in Australia. This comes on the heels of news last week that Australia's parliament rejected a cap and trade system for curbing emissions--there won't be another vote on the bill for at least 3 months. So what's behind Exxon's vocal pro-carbon tax stance?
Exxon Calls for a Carbon Tax. Again. What Gives?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 08.17.09
From Bloomberg:
“A carbon tax is more transparent to consumers, will achieve greater environmental benefits and is more difficult to manipulate than a cap-and-trade program,”
John Dashwood, chairman of Exxon’s Australian unit, said in speech notes e- mailed ahead of an address today in Melbourne. A little puzzling is the fact that Australia's proposed carbon cap featured relatively low emission reduction targets--as low as 5% reduction from 2000 levels by 2020.
Hardly a demanding commitment, at least in the short term (this is why many members of Australia's own Green party voted against the cap and trade themselves--it wasn't strict enough).
Nonetheless, some economists, along with experts like James Hansen and Al Gore, prefer the carbon tax option. Throw in Exxon Mobil, and you've got yourself an eclectic band of misfits. Economists (and presumably Exxon) argue that the tax is a more efficient and inexpensive way to curb carbon. From Bloomberg
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090817/sc_afp/unskoreabanclimatewarming
UN chief warns of 'incalculable' suffering without climate deal
Mon Aug 17
UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned Tuesday of "incalculable" human suffering if the world fails to reach a deal at crucial climate change talks this December.
The United Nations is orchestrating the talks in the Danish capital in hopes of securing an agreement to slash greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming.
"As we move toward Copenhagen in December, we must seal a climate change deal that secures our common future," Ban told an environmental forum in Incheon city west of Seoul.
The UN secretary general, who began a visit to his homeland Sunday, warned of catastrophes if the world fails to work out a deal.
Ban said unchecked climate change would intensify drought, floods and other natural disasters and bring water shortages and malnutrition -- aggravating tensions and social unrest and even sparking violence.
"The human suffering will be incalculable," Ban said.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.fujitaresearch.com/reports/_img/Tidal2-Fence.gif&imgrefurl=http://alt-e.blogspot.com/2004_12_01_archive.html&usg=__z0UNPOd8M3711FCf9ncn-3wWkF0=&h=364&w=373&sz=49&hl=en&start=26&tbnid=Utt0P5JyJ2KS9M:&tbnh=119&tbnw=122&prev=/images%3Fq%3DTIDAL%2BENERGY%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D21%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D21
http://www.mapsntrails.com/en/cambodia/maps-vector/item-810
December 15, 2004
Alternative Energy Cambodia:
100% rural electrification by 2020
PHNOM PENH, 12/15 - The Cambodian government plans to electrify 100 percent of rural areas by 2020, in part by using renewable energy technologies according to The Cambodia Daily. The plan will be carried out in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
According to officials of the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy, Cambodia, with a population of 13 million, currently has 13 percent of rural Cambodians and 54 percent of city dwellers access to the national electric grid. The rest rely on expensive private generators or batteries for power.
The renewable energy master plan for Cambodia will be completed by 2006 that includes designs for solar energy, wind power, hydroelectric dams, animal-waste bio-gas facilities and plant- waste bio-mass generators. Solar-powered cooking facilities and cow-manure processing are already in place in some rural areas, the ministry said.
Renewable energy sources will contribute to a cleaner environment and also lower the end price of electricity for the Cambodian poor.
Electricity today in Cambodia costs between 0.09 dollar and 0. 25 dollar per kilowatt hour in the cities and between 0.40 dollar and 0.80 dollar per kilowatt hour in the countryside. Currently most of Cambodia`s power comes from the burning of petroleum, a costly option that will only worsen as cheap oil runs out.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10249190-54.html?tag=mncol;title
May 26, 2009
Businesses call for shift to
low-carbon economy
A group of business executives on Tuesday issued a call for action on energy policy, arguing the cost of moving to cleaner energy technologies in the next decade will avert costs from climate change.
The Copenhagen Climate Council, an organization formed to create awareness for global climate negotiations in December, issued the statement at the conclusion of the World Business Summit, a three-day conference in Copenhagen
of businesses and climate experts.
"The Copenhagen Call" document is a set of recommendations to policy makers, listing six policy changes required for businesses to make investments that will lead to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
To create a stronger incentive to invest in green technologies, the group said there needs to be an international carbon market built around a cap on emissions and the ability to trade permits to emit greenhouse gases.
The statement said that policy should be based on the target of lowering greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere by at least 50 percent from 1990 levels by 2050.
To prevent temperatures from rising more than two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels, greenhouse gas emissions must peak this decade and then start dropping.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10301726-54.html?tag=mncol;mlt_related
August 3, 2009
Is the U.S. missing the
boat on green tech?
The United States risks missing the business opportunity posed by moving to low-carbon energy, two prominent business leaders argued in an editorial aimed at policy makers.
General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt and venture capitalist John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, published an editorial in The Washington Post Monday to warn that the U.S. is lagging China is developing clean-energy technologies
We are clearly not in the lead today.
That position is held by China, which understands the importance of controlling its energy future. China's commitment to developing clean energy technologies and markets is breathtaking," they wrote.
But proposals to encourage deployment of these technologies at scale has met resistance from entrenched interests and some lawmakers. Among the concerns are that climate and clean-energy policies will significantly raise energy prices for consumers and hurt U.S. industry compete globally.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2009/08/10/china%E2%80%99s-green-leap-forward/
China’s green leap forward
Facing dire pollution and wanting to be in on what may be the next industrial revolution, China positions itself to be a leader in green technology – with major implications for the rest of the world.
Beijing
Behind the notorious clouds of filth and greenhouse gases that China’s industrial behemoth spews into the atmosphere every day, a little-noticed revolution is under way. China is going green. And as the authorities Photos (1 of 4)
.PreviousNext
here spur manufacturers of all kinds of alternative energy equipment to make more for less, “China price” and “China speed” are poised to snatch the lion’s share of the next multitrillion-dollar global industry – energy technology
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jul/15/labour-green-energy-revolution-plan
Labour orders green energy revolution
Miliband takes control of power grid and lays out plan for low-carbon UK
Terry Macalister guardian.co.uk
Wednesday 15 July 2009
Natural power: Britain has most of Europe's wave and tidal energy resources yet it provides next to no electricity at present.
New funding will provide support, -- The government seized control of key levers in the energy sector today in an attempt to kickstart a stalling "green energy" revolution and head off the threats of global warming and a rundown in North Sea oil.
Ministers plan to take over the allocation of electricity grid connections in order to favour renewable schemes, force the industry regulator, Ofgem, to tackle carbon pollution and pass laws to compel power companies to help poorer families meet rising energy bills.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/energy-chief-seeks-global-flow-of-ideas/
March 26, 2009
Energy Chief Seeks Global Flow of Ideas
By Andrew C. Revkin AND Kate Galbraith
At the end of a tour of the Brookhaven National Laboratory this week, Steven Chu, the secretary of energy and a Nobel laureate in physics, met with reporters to discuss the Obama administration’s goals for promoting energy innovation.
-------Some business leaders working at the intersection of science, engineering, commerce and the environment expressed skepticism about letting ideas flow unprotected (keep in mind that Dr. Chu presumably is most likely talking mainly about ideas generated directly through federal programs).
Asked about the idea of sharing clean technologies openly with other countries in a Green Inc. interview this week, Steve Fludder, the head of the green “Ecomagination” division of General Electric, aggressively refuted the idea.
Ecomagination plas to invest $1.5 billion next year in research and development, and Mr. Fludder is not about to give away any secrets. “Why would we invest $1.5 billion a year in innovation that just slips through your fingers?” he said. “I mean, why would anybody invest in anything that they would have to just give away?”
Mr. Fludder said that he and others at G.E. “totally support the notion that the technology needs to get to where it should get to” — for example, making sure solar panels are installed in sunny parts of the world — but that there is a different way to accomplish that. He noted, for example, that G.E. already has a wind-turbine manufacturing plant in China that
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/italian-vintner-aims-for-carbon-neutrality/
August 7, 2009
Italian Vintner Aims for Carbon Neutrality
By Ciara O'Rourke
----But Monte Vibiano, a 1,000-acre Italian farm that grows grapes, olives and wheat, is tailoring its centuries-old wine-making tradition with an aim toward becoming entirely carbon-neutral.
Last October, the Umbrian farm’s chief executive, Lorenzo Fasola Bologna, launched what he called the “360-degree Green Revolution,” a multi-pronged overhaul that started by consolidating its four computer servers into two, reducing energy consumption by 38 percent.
Among the vintner’s other strategies: hiring employees that live five minutes from the farm by car; using electric vehicles on site; planting thousands of trees, as a carbon offset; and installing 50 kilowatts of solar panels — with plans to be energy self-sufficient by the end of this year.
By working with Microsoft hardware and software, the compa
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.gizmag.com/hp-pledges-to-double-renewable-power-use-by-2012/10227/
HP plots course for doubling renewable power use
October 20, 2008
aqua.nasa.gov/highlight.php?id=15
Global Sea Surface Temperature from
AMSR-E: June 1, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Fossil-fuel Free Sweden by 2020? - Prime Minister
LETS ASK SWEDEN ?
December 21, 2005
The Energy Bulletin reports that Swedish Prime Minister,
Göran Persson,
has founded a non-political committee with the intent of making the Scandanavian country fossil fuel-independent by the year 2020.
WHERE IS SWEDEN NOW? (2005?) LETS TALK
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Funding Rules to Aid Renewables Unveiled
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/
7/10/09
The Treasury and the Energy Department
today unveiled long-awaited new rules under which the government will pay up to 30 percent of the cost of renewable energy projects.
The program was authorized by Congress as part of the stimulus package in February, but many projects have been on hold as investors
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/audio/2009/jul/16/green-energy-low-carbon-economy-miliband
Green energy: --16 July 2009
'This has never been attempted on this scale in any country'
Environment editor, John Vidal, says
"government plans to move Britain towards a low-carbon economy mark
an historic shift away from fossil fuels, but may still
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009503736_apastuvalucarbonneutral.html
The tiny island nation of Tuvalu, already under threat from rising seas caused by global warming,
vowed Sunday to do its part for climate change by fueling its economy entirely from renewable sources by 2020.
10 nations including New Zealand, Pakistan, Iceland and Costa Rica have vowed to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases as part of a goal of reaching zero emissions in the next decade.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25808188-12377,00.html
July 20, 2009
New South Wales, Australia
Energy Challenge Prize worth >>
$5,000,000.oo reward /prize
Premier Nathan Rees said
the prize sent a signal to the international community that NSW was serious about research and innovation, as well as finding a clean energy solution.
"NSW remains, along with other states, dependent on coal-fired power generation,'' he said. "I want to change that as quickly as we possibly can.
In doing that our goal is a state which will be a national and international leader in clean energy technology.''
To be eligible for the NSW Energy Challenge Prize, --- the best clean energy project developed in partnership with a state university and business.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.cleanedge.com/news/story.php?nID=5327
Rockefeller Family Puts Pressure on ExxonMobil
to Pursue Renewables
May 1, 2008 Source:
In an unprecedented step, a majority of Rockefeller Family members -- the oldest continuous shareholders in Exxon Mobil Corporation -- publicly called on other shareholders to join them in supporting a shareholder resolution to require an independent chairman of the board of directors, so that the company founded by John D. Rockefeller can better maximize long-term shareholder value in a rapidly changing energy environment.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://yourgreenability.com/?fSe5mTuT --July 20, 2009
Scotland to Japan: Join us for low-carbon future
Scotland’s
Cabinet Secretary
for Finance and Sustainable
Growth is
inviting Japanese companies and universities to work with their Scottish counterparts
to find new ways to meet renewable energy goals , move toward a low-carbon economy and tackle climate change. Speaking at Tokyo University,
John Swinney told an audience of business leaders and students that, as a nation with the world’s most ambitious emission reduction targets, Scotland was adopting aggressive renewable energy targets
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.eenews.net/public/Greenwire/2009/07/23/9
Sweden tries to nudge E.U. toward 'eco-efficiency'
07/23/2009
"If we are to manage climate change with growing economies, we must adapt the way we build, live and move around," Carlgren said.
"Global demand for environmental solutions that contribute to that transformation will be great.
By adapting early, the E.U. can gain a competitive edge while doing our bit for the climate."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/wheels/090727/portugal-electric-cars
July 29, 2009
Prime Minister Jose Socrates is seeking to make Portugal a European trendsetter in green transport.
In June, he launched groundbreaking plans for a nationwide network of recharging stations that would allow battery driven electric automobiles to cruise the highways.
By 2011, Socrates’ Socialist administration wants 1,300 stations around the country where environment-friendly motorists can plug-in their electric cars as part of a drive to “liberate Portugal from its dependency on foreign oil.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/category/carbon-management/
July 20, 2009
Samsung to
Go Green,
Others
Will Follow
The Korean electronics giant wants spend $4.3 billion to cut its factory emissions by 50 percent within four years and develop eco-friendly products.
As large companies invest oodles of money to go green, their much smaller competitors will feel the pressure do so, too.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Report suggests financial projections based on current life, performance and value of sectors’ assets may not-----
LONDON, UK - 20 Aug 2009:
According to an Acclimatise global report, backed by IBM (NYSE:IBM), nearly all electric utilities claim climate change is threatening power outages, higher costs and changes in usage as demand grows to power the world's expanding cities.
Over ninety percent of global electric utilities that report climate change activity to the Carbon Disclosure Project recognised they are at risk from changes in climate and water availability, which are already adding stress to the sector. However, less than a third claimed to undertake any financial or quantified evaluation to the impact of climate change on their business.
The report suggests the energy industry is rapidly approaching a critical stage of development. As demand is growing from new requirements such
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/08/exxon-carbon-tax.phpExxon, the largest oil company in the world has stated that it prefers a carbon tax to a cap and trade system--again--this time, specifically in Australia. This comes on the heels of news last week that Australia's parliament rejected a cap and trade system for curbing emissions--there won't be another vote on the bill for at least 3 months. So what's behind Exxon's vocal pro-carbon tax stance?
Exxon Calls for a Carbon Tax. Again. What Gives?by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 08.17.09
From Bloomberg:
“A carbon tax is more transparent to consumers, will achieve greater environmental benefits and is more difficult to manipulate than a cap-and-trade program,”
John Dashwood, chairman of Exxon’s Australian unit, said in speech notes e- mailed ahead of an address today in Melbourne. A little puzzling is the fact that Australia's proposed carbon cap featured relatively low emission reduction targets--as low as 5% reduction from 2000 levels by 2020.
Hardly a demanding commitment, at least in the short term (this is why many members of Australia's own Green party voted against the cap and trade themselves--it wasn't strict enough).
Nonetheless, some economists, along with experts like James Hansen and Al Gore, prefer the carbon tax option. Throw in Exxon Mobil, and you've got yourself an eclectic band of misfits. Economists (and presumably Exxon) argue that the tax is a more efficient and inexpensive way to curb carbon. From Bloomberg
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090817/sc_afp/unskoreabanclimatewarming
UN chief warns of 'incalculable' suffering without climate deal
Mon Aug 17
UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned Tuesday of "incalculable" human suffering if the world fails to reach a deal at crucial climate change talks this December.
The United Nations is orchestrating the talks in the Danish capital in hopes of securing an agreement to slash greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming.
"As we move toward Copenhagen in December, we must seal a climate change deal that secures our common future," Ban told an environmental forum in Incheon city west of Seoul.
The UN secretary general, who began a visit to his homeland Sunday, warned of catastrophes if the world fails to work out a deal.
Ban said unchecked climate change would intensify drought, floods and other natural disasters and bring water shortages and malnutrition -- aggravating tensions and social unrest and even sparking violence.
"The human suffering will be incalculable," Ban said.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.fujitaresearch.com/reports/_img/Tidal2-Fence.gif&imgrefurl=http://alt-e.blogspot.com/2004_12_01_archive.html&usg=__z0UNPOd8M3711FCf9ncn-3wWkF0=&h=364&w=373&sz=49&hl=en&start=26&tbnid=Utt0P5JyJ2KS9M:&tbnh=119&tbnw=122&prev=/images%3Fq%3DTIDAL%2BENERGY%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D21%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D21
http://www.mapsntrails.com/en/cambodia/maps-vector/item-810
December 15, 2004Alternative Energy Cambodia:
100% rural electrification by 2020
PHNOM PENH, 12/15 - The Cambodian government plans to electrify 100 percent of rural areas by 2020, in part by using renewable energy technologies according to The Cambodia Daily. The plan will be carried out in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
According to officials of the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy, Cambodia, with a population of 13 million, currently has 13 percent of rural Cambodians and 54 percent of city dwellers access to the national electric grid. The rest rely on expensive private generators or batteries for power.
The renewable energy master plan for Cambodia will be completed by 2006 that includes designs for solar energy, wind power, hydroelectric dams, animal-waste bio-gas facilities and plant- waste bio-mass generators. Solar-powered cooking facilities and cow-manure processing are already in place in some rural areas, the ministry said.
Renewable energy sources will contribute to a cleaner environment and also lower the end price of electricity for the Cambodian poor.
Electricity today in Cambodia costs between 0.09 dollar and 0. 25 dollar per kilowatt hour in the cities and between 0.40 dollar and 0.80 dollar per kilowatt hour in the countryside. Currently most of Cambodia`s power comes from the burning of petroleum, a costly option that will only worsen as cheap oil runs out.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10249190-54.html?tag=mncol;title
May 26, 2009Businesses call for shift to
low-carbon economy
A group of business executives on Tuesday issued a call for action on energy policy, arguing the cost of moving to cleaner energy technologies in the next decade will avert costs from climate change.
The Copenhagen Climate Council, an organization formed to create awareness for global climate negotiations in December, issued the statement at the conclusion of the World Business Summit, a three-day conference in Copenhagen
of businesses and climate experts.
"The Copenhagen Call" document is a set of recommendations to policy makers, listing six policy changes required for businesses to make investments that will lead to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
To create a stronger incentive to invest in green technologies, the group said there needs to be an international carbon market built around a cap on emissions and the ability to trade permits to emit greenhouse gases.
The statement said that policy should be based on the target of lowering greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere by at least 50 percent from 1990 levels by 2050.
To prevent temperatures from rising more than two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels, greenhouse gas emissions must peak this decade and then start dropping.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10301726-54.html?tag=mncol;mlt_related
August 3, 2009
Is the U.S. missing the
boat on green tech?
The United States risks missing the business opportunity posed by moving to low-carbon energy, two prominent business leaders argued in an editorial aimed at policy makers.
General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt and venture capitalist John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, published an editorial in The Washington Post Monday to warn that the U.S. is lagging China is developing clean-energy technologies
We are clearly not in the lead today.
That position is held by China, which understands the importance of controlling its energy future. China's commitment to developing clean energy technologies and markets is breathtaking," they wrote.
But proposals to encourage deployment of these technologies at scale has met resistance from entrenched interests and some lawmakers. Among the concerns are that climate and clean-energy policies will significantly raise energy prices for consumers and hurt U.S. industry compete globally.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2009/08/10/china%E2%80%99s-green-leap-forward/
China’s green leap forward
Facing dire pollution and wanting to be in on what may be the next industrial revolution, China positions itself to be a leader in green technology – with major implications for the rest of the world.
Beijing
Behind the notorious clouds of filth and greenhouse gases that China’s industrial behemoth spews into the atmosphere every day, a little-noticed revolution is under way. China is going green. And as the authorities Photos (1 of 4)
.PreviousNext
here spur manufacturers of all kinds of alternative energy equipment to make more for less, “China price” and “China speed” are poised to snatch the lion’s share of the next multitrillion-dollar global industry – energy technology
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jul/15/labour-green-energy-revolution-plan
Labour orders green energy revolution
Miliband takes control of power grid and lays out plan for low-carbon UK
Terry Macalister guardian.co.uk
Wednesday 15 July 2009
Natural power: Britain has most of Europe's wave and tidal energy resources yet it provides next to no electricity at present.
New funding will provide support, -- The government seized control of key levers in the energy sector today in an attempt to kickstart a stalling "green energy" revolution and head off the threats of global warming and a rundown in North Sea oil.
Ministers plan to take over the allocation of electricity grid connections in order to favour renewable schemes, force the industry regulator, Ofgem, to tackle carbon pollution and pass laws to compel power companies to help poorer families meet rising energy bills.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/energy-chief-seeks-global-flow-of-ideas/
March 26, 2009
Energy Chief Seeks Global Flow of Ideas
By Andrew C. Revkin AND Kate Galbraith
At the end of a tour of the Brookhaven National Laboratory this week, Steven Chu, the secretary of energy and a Nobel laureate in physics, met with reporters to discuss the Obama administration’s goals for promoting energy innovation.
-------Some business leaders working at the intersection of science, engineering, commerce and the environment expressed skepticism about letting ideas flow unprotected (keep in mind that Dr. Chu presumably is most likely talking mainly about ideas generated directly through federal programs).
Asked about the idea of sharing clean technologies openly with other countries in a Green Inc. interview this week, Steve Fludder, the head of the green “Ecomagination” division of General Electric, aggressively refuted the idea.
Ecomagination plas to invest $1.5 billion next year in research and development, and Mr. Fludder is not about to give away any secrets. “Why would we invest $1.5 billion a year in innovation that just slips through your fingers?” he said. “I mean, why would anybody invest in anything that they would have to just give away?”
Mr. Fludder said that he and others at G.E. “totally support the notion that the technology needs to get to where it should get to” — for example, making sure solar panels are installed in sunny parts of the world — but that there is a different way to accomplish that. He noted, for example, that G.E. already has a wind-turbine manufacturing plant in China that
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/italian-vintner-aims-for-carbon-neutrality/
August 7, 2009
Italian Vintner Aims for Carbon Neutrality
By Ciara O'Rourke
----But Monte Vibiano, a 1,000-acre Italian farm that grows grapes, olives and wheat, is tailoring its centuries-old wine-making tradition with an aim toward becoming entirely carbon-neutral.
Last October, the Umbrian farm’s chief executive, Lorenzo Fasola Bologna, launched what he called the “360-degree Green Revolution,” a multi-pronged overhaul that started by consolidating its four computer servers into two, reducing energy consumption by 38 percent.
Among the vintner’s other strategies: hiring employees that live five minutes from the farm by car; using electric vehicles on site; planting thousands of trees, as a carbon offset; and installing 50 kilowatts of solar panels — with plans to be energy self-sufficient by the end of this year.
By working with Microsoft hardware and software, the compa
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.gizmag.com/hp-pledges-to-double-renewable-power-use-by-2012/10227/
HP plots course for doubling renewable power use
October 20, 2008
aqua.nasa.gov/highlight.php?id=15
Global Sea Surface Temperature from
AMSR-E: June 1, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Fossil-fuel Free Sweden by 2020? - Prime Minister
LETS ASK SWEDEN ?
December 21, 2005
The Energy Bulletin reports that Swedish Prime Minister,
Göran Persson,
has founded a non-political committee with the intent of making the Scandanavian country fossil fuel-independent by the year 2020.
WHERE IS SWEDEN NOW? (2005?) LETS TALK
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Funding Rules to Aid Renewables Unveiled
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/7/10/09
The Treasury and the Energy Department
today unveiled long-awaited new rules under which the government will pay up to 30 percent of the cost of renewable energy projects.
The program was authorized by Congress as part of the stimulus package in February, but many projects have been on hold as investors
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/audio/2009/jul/16/green-energy-low-carbon-economy-miliband
Green energy: --16 July 2009'This has never been attempted on this scale in any country'
Environment editor, John Vidal, says
"government plans to move Britain towards a low-carbon economy mark
an historic shift away from fossil fuels, but may still
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009503736_apastuvalucarbonneutral.html
The tiny island nation of Tuvalu, already under threat from rising seas caused by global warming,vowed Sunday to do its part for climate change by fueling its economy entirely from renewable sources by 2020.
10 nations including New Zealand, Pakistan, Iceland and Costa Rica have vowed to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases as part of a goal of reaching zero emissions in the next decade.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25808188-12377,00.html
July 20, 2009New South Wales, Australia
Energy Challenge Prize worth >>
$5,000,000.oo reward /prize
Premier Nathan Rees said
the prize sent a signal to the international community that NSW was serious about research and innovation, as well as finding a clean energy solution.
"NSW remains, along with other states, dependent on coal-fired power generation,'' he said. "I want to change that as quickly as we possibly can.
In doing that our goal is a state which will be a national and international leader in clean energy technology.''
To be eligible for the NSW Energy Challenge Prize, --- the best clean energy project developed in partnership with a state university and business.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.cleanedge.com/news/story.php?nID=5327
Rockefeller Family Puts Pressure on ExxonMobil to Pursue Renewables
May 1, 2008 Source:
In an unprecedented step, a majority of Rockefeller Family members -- the oldest continuous shareholders in Exxon Mobil Corporation -- publicly called on other shareholders to join them in supporting a shareholder resolution to require an independent chairman of the board of directors, so that the company founded by John D. Rockefeller can better maximize long-term shareholder value in a rapidly changing energy environment.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://yourgreenability.com/?fSe5mTuT --July 20, 2009
Scotland to Japan: Join us for low-carbon future
Scotland’sCabinet Secretary
for Finance and Sustainable
Growth is
inviting Japanese companies and universities to work with their Scottish counterparts
to find new ways to meet renewable energy goals , move toward a low-carbon economy and tackle climate change. Speaking at Tokyo University,
John Swinney told an audience of business leaders and students that, as a nation with the world’s most ambitious emission reduction targets, Scotland was adopting aggressive renewable energy targets
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.eenews.net/public/Greenwire/2009/07/23/9
Sweden tries to nudge E.U. toward 'eco-efficiency'
07/23/2009
"If we are to manage climate change with growing economies, we must adapt the way we build, live and move around," Carlgren said.
"Global demand for environmental solutions that contribute to that transformation will be great.
By adapting early, the E.U. can gain a competitive edge while doing our bit for the climate."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/wheels/090727/portugal-electric-cars
July 29, 2009Prime Minister Jose Socrates is seeking to make Portugal a European trendsetter in green transport.
In June, he launched groundbreaking plans for a nationwide network of recharging stations that would allow battery driven electric automobiles to cruise the highways.
By 2011, Socrates’ Socialist administration wants 1,300 stations around the country where environment-friendly motorists can plug-in their electric cars as part of a drive to “liberate Portugal from its dependency on foreign oil.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/category/carbon-management/
July 20, 2009
Samsung to Go Green,
Others
Will Follow
The Korean electronics giant wants spend $4.3 billion to cut its factory emissions by 50 percent within four years and develop eco-friendly products.
As large companies invest oodles of money to go green, their much smaller competitors will feel the pressure do so, too.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
