By MAX SHOWALTER • mshowalter@jconline.com • May 25, 2010
startup company at the Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette has developed an innovative yeast-based cellulosic ethanol technology and will get a big boost Wednesday and Thursday in Beijing.
Representatives of Green Tech America Inc., founded by Nancy W.Y. Ho, have been invited by Cofco Corp. and Novozymes, both of which have been actively developing bio-energy products, to sign a license agreement at the China-U.S. Advanced Biofuels Forum.
"For GTA to sign a license agreement with two giant companies in the world, it means they will use (our) yeast in their production of cellulosic ethanol.
That alone is a great event by GTA by all means," said Ho. "In addition, since the signing of this agreement will be carried out in public at the Sino-U.S. Advance Biofuels Forum, it will add extra importance.
"It symbolizes that GTA played an important role internationally in the U.S. and China cooperation for cellulosic ethanol production that will increase the status of GTA in the U.S.
When these two giant companies openly acknowledge the use of our yeast -- developed at Purdue -- in their production, which is a great endorsement for GTA and it will definitely help our business to grow."
The yeast developed by Green Tech America has been shown to generate cellulosic ethanol in a more cost-effective manner than conventional yeasts.
Gerard Benner, the company's vice president of finance, who also is in China for the signing ceremony, said the agreement should boost the local economy.
"GTA is expected to bring money from China as well as other countries by marketing its technology and its yeast as well as other products needed for cellulosic ethanol production," said Benner.
Based upon this technology, Green Tech America will expand its growth into several areas, which include marketing the Ho-Purdue Yeast and its derivatives for cellulosic ethanol production, generation and marketing of co-products such as enzymes, and development of other yeast-based products and renewable fuels.
The forum Wednesday and Thursday is hosted by the National Energy Administration of the People's Republic of China and the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Agriculture.
Wednesday, 26 May 2010
Engineers Help Power Solar Use by 'Mapping' the Sun
May 25, 2010
From L to R, UCSD environmental engineering student Anders Nottrott and Prof. Jan Kleissl have created a new solar map for the state of California. The map, which can be viewed via Google Earth for free, allows homeowners, photovoltaic installers and utilities to better predict how much power they will get out of their solar systems.
(PhysOrg.com) -- As the use of solar power grows in California it will become more important to know exactly how much radiation and energy are generated in regions throughout the state. That’s the basis behind an improved solar map for the state created by UC San Diego environmental engineering professor Jan Kleissl and his Ph.D. student Anders Nottrott.
They presented this work at the American Solar Energy Society conference in Phoenix, Az. today.
The map, which can be viewed via Google Earth for free, allows homeowners, photovoltaic installers and utilities to better predict how much power they will get out of their solar systems.
“This map is important for the state of California because it provides residents, the industry, and policy makers with a simple yet accurate way to evaluate the ‘solar resource’ at a specific geographic location,” Nottrott said. “This map can also be used to help determine the best place to build new solar photovoltaic energy collectors and perform long-term economic analysis for those systems.”
The original data for the state’s solar map came from the National Solar Radiation Database and was modeled from geostationary satellites. Instead of using satellite data, the UCSD engineers used long time histories of measured ground data provided by ground stations through the California Department of Water Resource’ California Irrigation Management System (CIMIS) to evaluate and improve the accuracy of the original satellite dataset.
Satellite data covers the entire United States. However, ground stations, Kleissl said, give more accurate information than satellites on how much solar radiation occurs. Ground stations are also more affordable, costing about $5,000, compared to a $5 billion satellite, he said.
“Satellites are not as accurate because they can only see what the clouds reflect,” he said. “What we found through the use of the ground stations is that the summer morning clouds on the whole California coastline are thicker than observed by the satellite. The previous map predicted too much radiation during the summer months along the California coast.
“My hope is that our new map will make the decision for consumers a little easier about using solar energy,” Kleissl added. “I also hope that solar installers and data providers will adjust their predictions to provide homeowners with the more accurate data.”
Kleissl’s solar map project is funded as part of a two-year $130,000 grant through the California Solar Energy Collaborative, a partnership between UCSD and UC Davis and funded by the California Energy Commission to expand the development and use of solar energy in the state. Under a new California Solar Initiative grant, Kleissl and his students plan to further improve the solar map with thousands of ground data sites allowing users to zoom in mile-by-mile. That map is expected to be released in 2011. Currently, the new map has a 6-mile-by-6-mile radius.
“This research will allow us to gather data and do much more site-by-site and neighborhood assessment of how much solar radiation occurs in a microclimate,” Kleissl said.
The map also includes a free solar energy calculator created by Kleissl and his environmental engineering student Bryan Urquhart that allows homeowners and solar installers to compute the monthly and annual solar energy their systems will produce.
“This kind of research helps to remove the barriers for implementing solar energy conversion systems in California and promotes clean, renewable energy generation, which is an important part of our global energy future,” Nottrott said.
Notrott, in his first year as an environmental engineering Ph.D. student at the UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering, said he became interested in this field because it is a discipline that combines aspects of mechanical engineering with physical sciences to solve complex problems that arise from a need for sustainable development.
“As an environmental engineer my research will focus on helping to minimize the environmental impacts of urban development which has consequences for human comfort and health and global climate change,” he said.
Provided by University of California - San Diego
From L to R, UCSD environmental engineering student Anders Nottrott and Prof. Jan Kleissl have created a new solar map for the state of California. The map, which can be viewed via Google Earth for free, allows homeowners, photovoltaic installers and utilities to better predict how much power they will get out of their solar systems.
(PhysOrg.com) -- As the use of solar power grows in California it will become more important to know exactly how much radiation and energy are generated in regions throughout the state. That’s the basis behind an improved solar map for the state created by UC San Diego environmental engineering professor Jan Kleissl and his Ph.D. student Anders Nottrott.
They presented this work at the American Solar Energy Society conference in Phoenix, Az. today.
The map, which can be viewed via Google Earth for free, allows homeowners, photovoltaic installers and utilities to better predict how much power they will get out of their solar systems.
“This map is important for the state of California because it provides residents, the industry, and policy makers with a simple yet accurate way to evaluate the ‘solar resource’ at a specific geographic location,” Nottrott said. “This map can also be used to help determine the best place to build new solar photovoltaic energy collectors and perform long-term economic analysis for those systems.”
The original data for the state’s solar map came from the National Solar Radiation Database and was modeled from geostationary satellites. Instead of using satellite data, the UCSD engineers used long time histories of measured ground data provided by ground stations through the California Department of Water Resource’ California Irrigation Management System (CIMIS) to evaluate and improve the accuracy of the original satellite dataset.
Satellite data covers the entire United States. However, ground stations, Kleissl said, give more accurate information than satellites on how much solar radiation occurs. Ground stations are also more affordable, costing about $5,000, compared to a $5 billion satellite, he said.
“Satellites are not as accurate because they can only see what the clouds reflect,” he said. “What we found through the use of the ground stations is that the summer morning clouds on the whole California coastline are thicker than observed by the satellite. The previous map predicted too much radiation during the summer months along the California coast.
“My hope is that our new map will make the decision for consumers a little easier about using solar energy,” Kleissl added. “I also hope that solar installers and data providers will adjust their predictions to provide homeowners with the more accurate data.”
Kleissl’s solar map project is funded as part of a two-year $130,000 grant through the California Solar Energy Collaborative, a partnership between UCSD and UC Davis and funded by the California Energy Commission to expand the development and use of solar energy in the state. Under a new California Solar Initiative grant, Kleissl and his students plan to further improve the solar map with thousands of ground data sites allowing users to zoom in mile-by-mile. That map is expected to be released in 2011. Currently, the new map has a 6-mile-by-6-mile radius.
“This research will allow us to gather data and do much more site-by-site and neighborhood assessment of how much solar radiation occurs in a microclimate,” Kleissl said.
The map also includes a free solar energy calculator created by Kleissl and his environmental engineering student Bryan Urquhart that allows homeowners and solar installers to compute the monthly and annual solar energy their systems will produce.
“This kind of research helps to remove the barriers for implementing solar energy conversion systems in California and promotes clean, renewable energy generation, which is an important part of our global energy future,” Nottrott said.
Notrott, in his first year as an environmental engineering Ph.D. student at the UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering, said he became interested in this field because it is a discipline that combines aspects of mechanical engineering with physical sciences to solve complex problems that arise from a need for sustainable development.
“As an environmental engineer my research will focus on helping to minimize the environmental impacts of urban development which has consequences for human comfort and health and global climate change,” he said.
Provided by University of California - San Diego
US Drivers Can Take a Tip From Europe: It's Fiesta Time
By JOSEPH B. WHITE
The question of how much like Europe the U.S. should aspire to become is a touchy one, especially in light of recent economic events. But America is on track to become more European when it comes to cars.
'European' Cars
Here are some American cars with great fuel economy and low CO2 emissions that would make Europeans proud.
.2010 Ford Fusion
Engine: 2.5 liter
Highway mileage: 34 mpg
CO2 emissions: 319 grams per mile
Price: $19,695
.2010 Toyota Prius
Engine: 1.8 liter
Highway mileage: 48 mpg
CO2 emissions: 168 grams per mile
Price: $22,800
.2011 Chevy Cruze
Engine: 1.4 liter
Highway mileage: 40 mpg
CO2 emissions: 256 grams per mile
Price: Coming soon
.2011 Ford Fiesta
Engine: 1.6 liter
Highway mileage: 40 mpg
CO2 emissions: 261 grams per mile
Price: $15,795
.Consider the 2011 Ford Fiesta. This sporty little subcompact is made in Mexico but its design is so European it should come with a black beret. It's one of the first fruits of Ford Motor's long-running effort to sell the same cars around the world, instead of undertaking expensive modifications to make small cars more "American."
The Fiesta is significant because it boasts a combined fuel economy of about 35 miles per gallon as well as a highway mileage figure of 40 mpg—the new benchmark for this class for the U.S. market. That's not competitive for Europe, but it's a big step toward closing the gap.
A similar move is happening in the midsize car segment, where the old standard of 30 mpg highway is now outdated. The Chevy Malibu can claim 33 mpg on the highway; the Ford Fusion 34 mpg—both better than the Toyota Camry (32) or the Honda Accord (31).
Here's another way in which U.S. consumers will be encouraged to become more European in their thinking about cars: Miles per gallon is fading out as a way to judge a car's efficiency.
Instead, the government is focusing on the amount of carbon dioxide a car emits per mile. That's a measure of the vehicle's contribution to the load of man-made gases that many scientists and policy makers in the Obama administration say are elevating global temperatures and threatening environmental and economic damage.
The Obama administration's effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions from cars will push American cars even closer to European norms. President Barack Obama told the industry last week it can expect even more demanding targets in 2017 through 2025.
The 2011 U.S. Ford Fiesta will emit about 261 grams of CO2 per mile. By 2016, it will have to emit just 225 grams per mile—a 14% improvement—to hit the target for passenger cars set under the fuel economy system that takes effect in 2012.
The exact mileage targets American cars will have to hit by 2025 haven't been decided yet. But Mr. Obama says he wants rules that will improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions even further. In Europe, car makers face a mandate to have their fleets reduce average emissions to 130 grams per kilometer (about 209 grams per mile) by 2015.
If the 2011 Ford Fiesta, which weighs just a little over 2,500 pounds, won't do the trick, what could?
Try the 2011 Ford Fiesta sold in the U.K. market.
In the U.K., the Fiesta is offered with a 1.6 liter diesel engine that's expected to emit just 98 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer—or about 157 grams per mile. Ford promotes the car as "U.K.'s greenest family car" with room for five.
It's doubtful many Americans would consider the Fiesta a "family" car. But even the British Ford Mondeo—a larger, midsize car similar to the Fusion in the U.S.—only emits about 225 grams per mile with a diesel engine today.
Of course, there are cars in the U.S. that already meet the 2016 greenhouse gas targets. Most are hybrids. The Toyota Prius would easily clear the 225 grams per mile standard, with room to spare for 2017 and beyond.
But that Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 sport utility vehicle? No. The standard for mid-size crossover wagons in 2016 is 279 grams of CO2 per mile. The little Benz puts out 493 grams per mile. But drop in a small diesel, and the story could be very different.
Diesel engines are Europe's preferred answer to cutting fuel consumption by vehicles, but in the U.S., rules aimed at curbing smog and soot have made it harder for car makers to sell diesel engines. New exhaust scrubbing technology helps, but it's expensive and the U.S. doesn't offer the incentives that European governments do to offset costs to consumers.
Car makers are outwardly welcoming the White House's call for higher national fuel economy targets—because so long as they have just one 50-state target to meet, instead of state-by-state rules, they can probably manage the technology side of the equation.
2011 Ford Fiesta U.S.:
Mark Elias/Bloomberg
.(5-door model)
Engine:
1.6 liter
Combined mileage:
35 mpg
CO2 emissions:
261 grams per mile
Price:
$15,795
2011 Ford Fiesta U.K.:
Ford
.(5-door ECOnetic model)
Engine:
1.6 liter diesel
Combined mileage:
76 mpg
CO2 emissions:
157 grams per mile
Price:
GBP 12,445 ($17,900)
.Many U.S. buyers will appreciate seeing more of the technical innovation that boosts the efficiency of European cars, but which auto makers omitted in America because cheap gas gave mainstream customers little reason to care.
There could also be big cost savings for car makers if they can more easily mirror what Ford is doing with the Fiesta, and design cars they can sell at high volume around the world.
Always, though, there are catches. Europe's high fuel costs and the tax penalties some countries exact on large, inefficient vehicles make it sensible to buy small cars that use expensive technology to get great mileage (pardon me, to reduce CO2).
In the U.K., that super-efficient diesel Fiesta starts at GBP 12,445 (about $17,900) for a family-friendly five-door model. In the U.S., the cheapest Fiesta five-door starts at $15,795.
Auto makers worry that U.S. consumers won't pay premium prices for super-efficient small cars without a stronger nudge at the gas pump. They're lobbying the government for bigger subsidies to smooth the way for electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen-fueled cars that could help satisfy the CO2 reduction demands. They'd love it if Mr. Obama embraced the idea of a gas tax. He says he won't.
Many energy industry analysts forecast that oil prices will rise as the global economy recovers from the recession, and reward a shift away from the big fuel hogs Americans loved so well in the past.
Short term, the oil market isn't cooperating with the agenda that the Fiesta so stylishly represents. Gas prices usually go up ahead of the summer vacation driving season. This year, they are going down.
— Write to Joseph B. White at joseph.white@wsj.com
The question of how much like Europe the U.S. should aspire to become is a touchy one, especially in light of recent economic events. But America is on track to become more European when it comes to cars.
'European' Cars
Here are some American cars with great fuel economy and low CO2 emissions that would make Europeans proud.
.2010 Ford Fusion
Engine: 2.5 liter
Highway mileage: 34 mpg
CO2 emissions: 319 grams per mile
Price: $19,695
.2010 Toyota Prius
Engine: 1.8 liter
Highway mileage: 48 mpg
CO2 emissions: 168 grams per mile
Price: $22,800
.2011 Chevy Cruze
Engine: 1.4 liter
Highway mileage: 40 mpg
CO2 emissions: 256 grams per mile
Price: Coming soon
.2011 Ford Fiesta
Engine: 1.6 liter
Highway mileage: 40 mpg
CO2 emissions: 261 grams per mile
Price: $15,795
.Consider the 2011 Ford Fiesta. This sporty little subcompact is made in Mexico but its design is so European it should come with a black beret. It's one of the first fruits of Ford Motor's long-running effort to sell the same cars around the world, instead of undertaking expensive modifications to make small cars more "American."
The Fiesta is significant because it boasts a combined fuel economy of about 35 miles per gallon as well as a highway mileage figure of 40 mpg—the new benchmark for this class for the U.S. market. That's not competitive for Europe, but it's a big step toward closing the gap.
A similar move is happening in the midsize car segment, where the old standard of 30 mpg highway is now outdated. The Chevy Malibu can claim 33 mpg on the highway; the Ford Fusion 34 mpg—both better than the Toyota Camry (32) or the Honda Accord (31).
Here's another way in which U.S. consumers will be encouraged to become more European in their thinking about cars: Miles per gallon is fading out as a way to judge a car's efficiency.
Instead, the government is focusing on the amount of carbon dioxide a car emits per mile. That's a measure of the vehicle's contribution to the load of man-made gases that many scientists and policy makers in the Obama administration say are elevating global temperatures and threatening environmental and economic damage.
The Obama administration's effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions from cars will push American cars even closer to European norms. President Barack Obama told the industry last week it can expect even more demanding targets in 2017 through 2025.
The 2011 U.S. Ford Fiesta will emit about 261 grams of CO2 per mile. By 2016, it will have to emit just 225 grams per mile—a 14% improvement—to hit the target for passenger cars set under the fuel economy system that takes effect in 2012.
The exact mileage targets American cars will have to hit by 2025 haven't been decided yet. But Mr. Obama says he wants rules that will improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions even further. In Europe, car makers face a mandate to have their fleets reduce average emissions to 130 grams per kilometer (about 209 grams per mile) by 2015.
If the 2011 Ford Fiesta, which weighs just a little over 2,500 pounds, won't do the trick, what could?
Try the 2011 Ford Fiesta sold in the U.K. market.
In the U.K., the Fiesta is offered with a 1.6 liter diesel engine that's expected to emit just 98 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer—or about 157 grams per mile. Ford promotes the car as "U.K.'s greenest family car" with room for five.
It's doubtful many Americans would consider the Fiesta a "family" car. But even the British Ford Mondeo—a larger, midsize car similar to the Fusion in the U.S.—only emits about 225 grams per mile with a diesel engine today.
Of course, there are cars in the U.S. that already meet the 2016 greenhouse gas targets. Most are hybrids. The Toyota Prius would easily clear the 225 grams per mile standard, with room to spare for 2017 and beyond.
But that Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 sport utility vehicle? No. The standard for mid-size crossover wagons in 2016 is 279 grams of CO2 per mile. The little Benz puts out 493 grams per mile. But drop in a small diesel, and the story could be very different.
Diesel engines are Europe's preferred answer to cutting fuel consumption by vehicles, but in the U.S., rules aimed at curbing smog and soot have made it harder for car makers to sell diesel engines. New exhaust scrubbing technology helps, but it's expensive and the U.S. doesn't offer the incentives that European governments do to offset costs to consumers.
Car makers are outwardly welcoming the White House's call for higher national fuel economy targets—because so long as they have just one 50-state target to meet, instead of state-by-state rules, they can probably manage the technology side of the equation.
2011 Ford Fiesta U.S.:
Mark Elias/Bloomberg
.(5-door model)
Engine:
1.6 liter
Combined mileage:
35 mpg
CO2 emissions:
261 grams per mile
Price:
$15,795
2011 Ford Fiesta U.K.:
Ford
.(5-door ECOnetic model)
Engine:
1.6 liter diesel
Combined mileage:
76 mpg
CO2 emissions:
157 grams per mile
Price:
GBP 12,445 ($17,900)
.Many U.S. buyers will appreciate seeing more of the technical innovation that boosts the efficiency of European cars, but which auto makers omitted in America because cheap gas gave mainstream customers little reason to care.
There could also be big cost savings for car makers if they can more easily mirror what Ford is doing with the Fiesta, and design cars they can sell at high volume around the world.
Always, though, there are catches. Europe's high fuel costs and the tax penalties some countries exact on large, inefficient vehicles make it sensible to buy small cars that use expensive technology to get great mileage (pardon me, to reduce CO2).
In the U.K., that super-efficient diesel Fiesta starts at GBP 12,445 (about $17,900) for a family-friendly five-door model. In the U.S., the cheapest Fiesta five-door starts at $15,795.
Auto makers worry that U.S. consumers won't pay premium prices for super-efficient small cars without a stronger nudge at the gas pump. They're lobbying the government for bigger subsidies to smooth the way for electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen-fueled cars that could help satisfy the CO2 reduction demands. They'd love it if Mr. Obama embraced the idea of a gas tax. He says he won't.
Many energy industry analysts forecast that oil prices will rise as the global economy recovers from the recession, and reward a shift away from the big fuel hogs Americans loved so well in the past.
Short term, the oil market isn't cooperating with the agenda that the Fiesta so stylishly represents. Gas prices usually go up ahead of the summer vacation driving season. This year, they are going down.
— Write to Joseph B. White at joseph.white@wsj.com
EU sets toughest targets to fight global warming
Ben Webster, Environment Editor
Europe will introduce a surprise new plan today to combat global warming, committing Britain and the rest of the EU to the most ambitious targets in the world. The plan proposes a massive increase in the target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions in this decade.
The European Commission is determined to press ahead with the cuts despite the financial turmoil gripping the bloc, even though it would require Britain and other EU member states to impose far tougher financial penalties on their industries than are being considered by other large economies.
The plan, to cut emissions by 30 per cent on 1990 levels by 2020, would cost the EU an extra £33 billion a year by 2020, according to a draft of the Commission’s communication leaked to The Times.
The existing target of a 20 per cent cut is already due to cost £48 billion. The Commission will argue that the lower target has become much easier to meet because of the recession, which resulted in the EU’s emissions falling more than 10 per cent last year as thousands of factories closed or cut production. Emissions last year were already 14 per cent below 1990 levels.
The EU’s present policy is to wait for other countries to commit themselves to equivalent action on their emissions before raising its target to 30 per cent “as part of a genuine global effort”. But after the failure of the Copenhagen climate summit, a global deal on cutting emissions is now unlikely to be agreed until the end of next year.
Connie Hedegaard, the Climate Commissioner, will make the case for the EU to commit itself unilaterally to a 30 per cent cut, to inspire other countries to follow suit and accelerate the development of low-carbon industries.
The draft communication says: “The extra economic effort needed to reach 30 per cent — while still substantial — has fallen.” It adds: “Both the international context and the economic analysis suggest that the EU is right to continue preparing for a move to a 30 per cent target. With the 20 per cent target reachable with less effort, and the carbon price low, it also acts as a much less powerful incentive for change and innovation.”
The plan also says that the higher target would reduce air pollution from fossil fuels and improve the health of millions of people, generating up to £8 billion a year in economic benefits from having a healthier population.
The plan could raise tensions in Britain because the Liberal Democrats promised in their manifesto to adopt the 30 per cent target “unilaterally and immediately” but Conservatives suggested they would oppose such a move.
The draft Commission document raises the possibility of trade wars by suggesting EU industries could be protected by imposing border tariffs on imported goods from non-EU countries with less stringent emission controls. The tariffs would be introduced with a requirement for importers to buy emissions permits.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change, where Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat, is Secretary of State, said the Government did not yet have an agreed position on whether the EU should unilaterally adopt the higher target. “They haven’t got further than the coalition agreement so it’s unclear at the moment,” a spokeswoman said.
Jeremy Nicholson, director of the Energy Intensive Users Group, said: “A unilateral move to 30 per cent would damage the European economy at a time when we can ill afford it.”
Neil Bentley, director of business environment at the CBI, said: “Talk of moving to 30 per cent is premature because it seems unlikely that we will get a global deal this year.”
Europe will introduce a surprise new plan today to combat global warming, committing Britain and the rest of the EU to the most ambitious targets in the world. The plan proposes a massive increase in the target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions in this decade.
The European Commission is determined to press ahead with the cuts despite the financial turmoil gripping the bloc, even though it would require Britain and other EU member states to impose far tougher financial penalties on their industries than are being considered by other large economies.
The plan, to cut emissions by 30 per cent on 1990 levels by 2020, would cost the EU an extra £33 billion a year by 2020, according to a draft of the Commission’s communication leaked to The Times.
The existing target of a 20 per cent cut is already due to cost £48 billion. The Commission will argue that the lower target has become much easier to meet because of the recession, which resulted in the EU’s emissions falling more than 10 per cent last year as thousands of factories closed or cut production. Emissions last year were already 14 per cent below 1990 levels.
The EU’s present policy is to wait for other countries to commit themselves to equivalent action on their emissions before raising its target to 30 per cent “as part of a genuine global effort”. But after the failure of the Copenhagen climate summit, a global deal on cutting emissions is now unlikely to be agreed until the end of next year.
Connie Hedegaard, the Climate Commissioner, will make the case for the EU to commit itself unilaterally to a 30 per cent cut, to inspire other countries to follow suit and accelerate the development of low-carbon industries.
The draft communication says: “The extra economic effort needed to reach 30 per cent — while still substantial — has fallen.” It adds: “Both the international context and the economic analysis suggest that the EU is right to continue preparing for a move to a 30 per cent target. With the 20 per cent target reachable with less effort, and the carbon price low, it also acts as a much less powerful incentive for change and innovation.”
The plan also says that the higher target would reduce air pollution from fossil fuels and improve the health of millions of people, generating up to £8 billion a year in economic benefits from having a healthier population.
The plan could raise tensions in Britain because the Liberal Democrats promised in their manifesto to adopt the 30 per cent target “unilaterally and immediately” but Conservatives suggested they would oppose such a move.
The draft Commission document raises the possibility of trade wars by suggesting EU industries could be protected by imposing border tariffs on imported goods from non-EU countries with less stringent emission controls. The tariffs would be introduced with a requirement for importers to buy emissions permits.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change, where Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat, is Secretary of State, said the Government did not yet have an agreed position on whether the EU should unilaterally adopt the higher target. “They haven’t got further than the coalition agreement so it’s unclear at the moment,” a spokeswoman said.
Jeremy Nicholson, director of the Energy Intensive Users Group, said: “A unilateral move to 30 per cent would damage the European economy at a time when we can ill afford it.”
Neil Bentley, director of business environment at the CBI, said: “Talk of moving to 30 per cent is premature because it seems unlikely that we will get a global deal this year.”
Waste is power, says rubbish collection chief
Robert Lea
Waste, and not wind, should be the focus of the new Government’s energy policies, according to the chief executive of one of Britain’s rubbish collectors.
“Energy from waste accounts for about 1.5 per cent of energy produced in the UK and the target is to get that up to 6 per cent by 2015,” Colin Drummond, the chief executive of Viridor, said, “but the Government needs to be much more ambitious than that. Energy from wind farms can be variable, but energy from waste is base load power [it can produce electricity as and when needed].”
Viridor’s operations — clearing bins, running landfill dumps, producing and generating power from landfill gas and burning waste for energy and recycling — are becoming a more important part of its parent, Pennon, whose main operation is running South West Water. Viridor’s 35 per cent surge in profits last year means that it accounted for nearly 30 per cent of Pennon’s pre-tax earnings of £189 million in the year to March 31, which were reported yesterday.
The performance of Viridor, which runs incinerators near Heathrow and at Runcorn, Cheshire, has also enabled Pennon’s management to promise to pay dividends over the next five years at 4 per cent over the rate of the retail price index every year. That is an increase on the last five-year policy of 3 per cent over inflation, which, in the most recent financial year, enabled Pennon to increase its total dividend by 7.4 per cent to 22.55p.
News of the enhanced policy sent Pennon shares higher, finishing 10p up at 499½p, yielding about 4.5 per cent. The dividend growth trumps that of its rivals United Utilities, at 2 per cent, and Northumbrian Water, at 3 per cent. South West Water, whose customers pay the most expensive water bills in the country, helped the group to report a 9 per cent jump in profits to £132 million on a 3 per cent increase. Against a long-term trend of 2 per cent falls in consumption, South West Water said that usage rates remained constant in the past year
Waste, and not wind, should be the focus of the new Government’s energy policies, according to the chief executive of one of Britain’s rubbish collectors.
“Energy from waste accounts for about 1.5 per cent of energy produced in the UK and the target is to get that up to 6 per cent by 2015,” Colin Drummond, the chief executive of Viridor, said, “but the Government needs to be much more ambitious than that. Energy from wind farms can be variable, but energy from waste is base load power [it can produce electricity as and when needed].”
Viridor’s operations — clearing bins, running landfill dumps, producing and generating power from landfill gas and burning waste for energy and recycling — are becoming a more important part of its parent, Pennon, whose main operation is running South West Water. Viridor’s 35 per cent surge in profits last year means that it accounted for nearly 30 per cent of Pennon’s pre-tax earnings of £189 million in the year to March 31, which were reported yesterday.
The performance of Viridor, which runs incinerators near Heathrow and at Runcorn, Cheshire, has also enabled Pennon’s management to promise to pay dividends over the next five years at 4 per cent over the rate of the retail price index every year. That is an increase on the last five-year policy of 3 per cent over inflation, which, in the most recent financial year, enabled Pennon to increase its total dividend by 7.4 per cent to 22.55p.
News of the enhanced policy sent Pennon shares higher, finishing 10p up at 499½p, yielding about 4.5 per cent. The dividend growth trumps that of its rivals United Utilities, at 2 per cent, and Northumbrian Water, at 3 per cent. South West Water, whose customers pay the most expensive water bills in the country, helped the group to report a 9 per cent jump in profits to £132 million on a 3 per cent increase. Against a long-term trend of 2 per cent falls in consumption, South West Water said that usage rates remained constant in the past year
Queen's speech: Plans for a new energy bill announced
Householders will be entitled to borrow money from a green investment bank to pay for carbon-reducing measures
Miles Brignall guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 26 May 2010 08.00 BST
The new coalition government promised a raft of green initiatives in yesterday's Queen's speech that will see a radical overhaul of the country's housing stock and loans to allow more households to invest in measures such as solar panels.
Promising a new energy bill in the next parliament, the new government, led by David Cameron, wants to create a green investment bank that would loan individual households the money to invest in carbon-reducing measures, including insulation.
The plan, which builds on the one announced by the outgoing Labour government in its last budget, is called a "pay-as-you-save" approach. The idea is that households borrowing money to make their home greener would repay the loan using money saved through lower energy bills. Labour originally wanted to create a £2bn fund to which households hoping to access money would apply. The private sector was expected to come up with a similar amount.
The new government hasn't said exactly how it will work. In the past, the Tories previously promised £6,500 for each home, and the Lib Dems suggested up to £10,000 could be available. These figures may have to be revised upwards as a typical electricity generating solar scheme costs about £15,000, although these amounts would allow householders to invest in cheaper solar water heaters, or a range of insulation measures.
The new energy bill may also contain measures to:
• Require energy companies to provide more information on energy bills in order to empower consumers and to ensure fair access to energy supplies
• Regulate the carbon emissions from coal-fired power stations
• Reform energy markets to deliver security of supply and ensure fair competition
• Put in place a framework to guide the development of a smart grid that will revolutionise the management of supply and demand for electricity
• Ensure that North Sea infrastructure is available to all companies to ease the exploitation of smaller and more difficult oil and gas fields
New energy and climate change secretary, Chris Huhne, said: "The Queen's speech makes clear that energy security and taking real action to tackle climate change aren't add-on extras for this new government, but are vital to our national interest.
"The energy bill is designed to help consumers put a stop to wasting energy in their homes through a green deal while making sure our energy system is fit for the 21st-century."
Paul King, chief executive of the UK Green Building Council, welcomed the focus on improving the energy efficiency of homes and buildings.
"The biggest barrier preventing home owners carrying out low carbon refurbishment is the upfront cost of the measures.
"The 'green deal' will help overcome that problem by leveraging private sector investment – vitally important in this time of public sector spending cuts."
He said legislation was needed to enable every home in the country to benefit from the pay-as-you-save scheme, which is already being piloted. "The legislation is also an opportunity to create a package of additional incentives that will encourage take-up of the green deal – and to bring forward a version of the scheme that will work for non-residential buildings," he said.
Which? chief executive, Peter Vicary-Smith, welcomed the news that the government will also focus on consumers' energy bills. "We're glad the government recognises the need to tackle issues such as security of supply and the lack of competition in the energy market. Plans to improve bills are a step in the right direction but could go further. Including the name of the cheapest available tariff on every bill looks good on paper, but means little unless it's backed up with a guarantee that it will still be the cheapest rate by the time the consumer switches tariffs," he said.
Low Carbon Buildings Programme grants
One of the new government's first acts was to end the last of the low-carbon buildings programme grants. Last February the last government announced that it wanted to replace grants with Feed-in-tariffs (FiT) – and immediately ended grants for those installing solar panels. Until 24 May there were still some grants available for those installing other green measurers such as air source heat pumps. However, those have now been scrapped in a bid to save money. From April next year those installing these measures under the Renewable Heat Incentive will get other FiTs instead.
Scott McLean, marketing director of Ownergy, commented: "It is a shame that the funding has closed 10 months before the Renewable Heat Incentive goes live on 1 April 2011 as it was a good incentive to build momentum of installations ahead of that date. However, we always knew this would happen and that there would not be any warning in advance – the same happened to low-carbon building programme grants for renewable electricity installations ahead of the Feed-In Tariffs going live."
Miles Brignall guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 26 May 2010 08.00 BST
The new coalition government promised a raft of green initiatives in yesterday's Queen's speech that will see a radical overhaul of the country's housing stock and loans to allow more households to invest in measures such as solar panels.
Promising a new energy bill in the next parliament, the new government, led by David Cameron, wants to create a green investment bank that would loan individual households the money to invest in carbon-reducing measures, including insulation.
The plan, which builds on the one announced by the outgoing Labour government in its last budget, is called a "pay-as-you-save" approach. The idea is that households borrowing money to make their home greener would repay the loan using money saved through lower energy bills. Labour originally wanted to create a £2bn fund to which households hoping to access money would apply. The private sector was expected to come up with a similar amount.
The new government hasn't said exactly how it will work. In the past, the Tories previously promised £6,500 for each home, and the Lib Dems suggested up to £10,000 could be available. These figures may have to be revised upwards as a typical electricity generating solar scheme costs about £15,000, although these amounts would allow householders to invest in cheaper solar water heaters, or a range of insulation measures.
The new energy bill may also contain measures to:
• Require energy companies to provide more information on energy bills in order to empower consumers and to ensure fair access to energy supplies
• Regulate the carbon emissions from coal-fired power stations
• Reform energy markets to deliver security of supply and ensure fair competition
• Put in place a framework to guide the development of a smart grid that will revolutionise the management of supply and demand for electricity
• Ensure that North Sea infrastructure is available to all companies to ease the exploitation of smaller and more difficult oil and gas fields
New energy and climate change secretary, Chris Huhne, said: "The Queen's speech makes clear that energy security and taking real action to tackle climate change aren't add-on extras for this new government, but are vital to our national interest.
"The energy bill is designed to help consumers put a stop to wasting energy in their homes through a green deal while making sure our energy system is fit for the 21st-century."
Paul King, chief executive of the UK Green Building Council, welcomed the focus on improving the energy efficiency of homes and buildings.
"The biggest barrier preventing home owners carrying out low carbon refurbishment is the upfront cost of the measures.
"The 'green deal' will help overcome that problem by leveraging private sector investment – vitally important in this time of public sector spending cuts."
He said legislation was needed to enable every home in the country to benefit from the pay-as-you-save scheme, which is already being piloted. "The legislation is also an opportunity to create a package of additional incentives that will encourage take-up of the green deal – and to bring forward a version of the scheme that will work for non-residential buildings," he said.
Which? chief executive, Peter Vicary-Smith, welcomed the news that the government will also focus on consumers' energy bills. "We're glad the government recognises the need to tackle issues such as security of supply and the lack of competition in the energy market. Plans to improve bills are a step in the right direction but could go further. Including the name of the cheapest available tariff on every bill looks good on paper, but means little unless it's backed up with a guarantee that it will still be the cheapest rate by the time the consumer switches tariffs," he said.
Low Carbon Buildings Programme grants
One of the new government's first acts was to end the last of the low-carbon buildings programme grants. Last February the last government announced that it wanted to replace grants with Feed-in-tariffs (FiT) – and immediately ended grants for those installing solar panels. Until 24 May there were still some grants available for those installing other green measurers such as air source heat pumps. However, those have now been scrapped in a bid to save money. From April next year those installing these measures under the Renewable Heat Incentive will get other FiTs instead.
Scott McLean, marketing director of Ownergy, commented: "It is a shame that the funding has closed 10 months before the Renewable Heat Incentive goes live on 1 April 2011 as it was a good incentive to build momentum of installations ahead of that date. However, we always knew this would happen and that there would not be any warning in advance – the same happened to low-carbon building programme grants for renewable electricity installations ahead of the Feed-In Tariffs going live."
Electric car grant could be axed in spending cuts
The planned discount on new electric cars could become a casualty of the government's cost-cutting drive
Tim Webb guardian.co.uk, Monday 24 May 2010 20.11 BST
The £5,000 discount on all new electric cars, which had been due to be introduced next year, could be scrapped as part of the government's cost-cutting drive, the Guardian has learned.
The Department for Business has told car industry executives the planned offer was being reviewed. Scrapping the discount would be a set back for the electric car market, which accounts for 1% of the 26m cars on British roads. The industry has already begun marketing its new electric models on the basis that the offer would remain in place. Last week Nissan announced that its Leaf, a 100% electric five-seater, would go on sale next year for £23,350 – including the £5,000 discount.
Kieren Puffett from Parkers, the used car guide, said that even at that price only the most environmentally conscious motorists would buy it.
The £5,000 discount – along with financial support promised to Vauxhall, Ford and Nissan by the previous government this year – is being reviewed and a decision is expected in "weeks not months".
Paul Everitt, the chief executive of motor body the SMMT, said: "We fully understand why the new government wants to validate spending decisions which were made in the recent past. But we believe that these expenditures which are going to be supporting the UK motor industry are consistent with the government's priorities and represent value for money."
The government also announced that it was closing its grant programme for households and firms installing thermal heat pumps and solar panels.
Tim Webb guardian.co.uk, Monday 24 May 2010 20.11 BST
The £5,000 discount on all new electric cars, which had been due to be introduced next year, could be scrapped as part of the government's cost-cutting drive, the Guardian has learned.
The Department for Business has told car industry executives the planned offer was being reviewed. Scrapping the discount would be a set back for the electric car market, which accounts for 1% of the 26m cars on British roads. The industry has already begun marketing its new electric models on the basis that the offer would remain in place. Last week Nissan announced that its Leaf, a 100% electric five-seater, would go on sale next year for £23,350 – including the £5,000 discount.
Kieren Puffett from Parkers, the used car guide, said that even at that price only the most environmentally conscious motorists would buy it.
The £5,000 discount – along with financial support promised to Vauxhall, Ford and Nissan by the previous government this year – is being reviewed and a decision is expected in "weeks not months".
Paul Everitt, the chief executive of motor body the SMMT, said: "We fully understand why the new government wants to validate spending decisions which were made in the recent past. But we believe that these expenditures which are going to be supporting the UK motor industry are consistent with the government's priorities and represent value for money."
The government also announced that it was closing its grant programme for households and firms installing thermal heat pumps and solar panels.
Tony Blair lands job with Silicon Valley's Khosla Ventures
Former prime minister to bring his 'global relationships' to venture capital firm
Andrew Clark in New York The Guardian, Tuesday 25 May 2010
Tony Blair's lucrative list of business activities lengthened yesterday with a job as an adviser to a Silicon Valley venture capital firm, Khosla Ventures, that specialises in promoting environmentally friendly technology.
The former prime minister is to lend his expertise and his "global relationships" to the California-based company, which is led by Indian-born billionaire Vinod Khosla, one of the founders of the computer firm Sun Microsystems.
Khosla recently raised $1bn from investors to pump into promising technologies aimed at cutting carbon emissions. He is a proponent of ethanol fuel as an alternative to petrol, and he has come in for criticism for benefiting from US government subsidies towards food-based ethanol production.
"Solving the climate crisis is more than just a political agenda item – it's an urgent priority that requires innovation, creativity and ambition," said Blair, in a statement. "I share a clear vision with Vinod, one of the earliest leaders in cleantech investment, that entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and beyond will have a tremendous impact on our environmental future."
Blair, who hit the campaign trail for Labour in the final days of the general election, has developed a long CV since leaving Downing Street in 2007. He holds a peacekeeping role in the Middle East on behalf of the "quartet" – the US, the UN, Russia and the EU. In the private sector, he holds a consultancy post for the Wall Street bank JP Morgan Chase, which reportedly pays him a seven-figure salary. And he earns up to £400,000 an hour for speeches on the international lecture circuit.
His appointment to Khosla Ventures was announced at a summit for the firm's investors in Sausalito, near San Francisco, yesterday where speakers were due to include Microsoft's founder Bill Gates. Under questioning, Blair declined to reveal his salary, although he told the Wall Street Journal that the job was "not a pro bono" role.
Khosla Ventures' founder said the arrangement would allow him to "ask Tony for advice" on environmental policy and other topics. Khosla told the WSJ: "Tony's going to help us in many areas that techie nerds like us in Silicon Valley don't understand."
The 55-year-old tycoon has a fortune estimated by Forbes magazine at $1.1bn. He has argued that rather than simply attempting to cut energy consumption, the world should look for technological breakthroughs to find "clean" alternatives to oil, coal, cement and steel.
Khosla Ventures' website says the firm embraces a direct style: "We prefer brutal honesty to hypocritical politeness."
Andrew Clark in New York The Guardian, Tuesday 25 May 2010
Tony Blair's lucrative list of business activities lengthened yesterday with a job as an adviser to a Silicon Valley venture capital firm, Khosla Ventures, that specialises in promoting environmentally friendly technology.
The former prime minister is to lend his expertise and his "global relationships" to the California-based company, which is led by Indian-born billionaire Vinod Khosla, one of the founders of the computer firm Sun Microsystems.
Khosla recently raised $1bn from investors to pump into promising technologies aimed at cutting carbon emissions. He is a proponent of ethanol fuel as an alternative to petrol, and he has come in for criticism for benefiting from US government subsidies towards food-based ethanol production.
"Solving the climate crisis is more than just a political agenda item – it's an urgent priority that requires innovation, creativity and ambition," said Blair, in a statement. "I share a clear vision with Vinod, one of the earliest leaders in cleantech investment, that entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and beyond will have a tremendous impact on our environmental future."
Blair, who hit the campaign trail for Labour in the final days of the general election, has developed a long CV since leaving Downing Street in 2007. He holds a peacekeeping role in the Middle East on behalf of the "quartet" – the US, the UN, Russia and the EU. In the private sector, he holds a consultancy post for the Wall Street bank JP Morgan Chase, which reportedly pays him a seven-figure salary. And he earns up to £400,000 an hour for speeches on the international lecture circuit.
His appointment to Khosla Ventures was announced at a summit for the firm's investors in Sausalito, near San Francisco, yesterday where speakers were due to include Microsoft's founder Bill Gates. Under questioning, Blair declined to reveal his salary, although he told the Wall Street Journal that the job was "not a pro bono" role.
Khosla Ventures' founder said the arrangement would allow him to "ask Tony for advice" on environmental policy and other topics. Khosla told the WSJ: "Tony's going to help us in many areas that techie nerds like us in Silicon Valley don't understand."
The 55-year-old tycoon has a fortune estimated by Forbes magazine at $1.1bn. He has argued that rather than simply attempting to cut energy consumption, the world should look for technological breakthroughs to find "clean" alternatives to oil, coal, cement and steel.
Khosla Ventures' website says the firm embraces a direct style: "We prefer brutal honesty to hypocritical politeness."