Climate
Date: 2019-11-27
A week ahead of a U.N. climate summit in Madrid, a coalition of more than 100 environmental groups is claiming that, based on their historic greenhouse gas emissions, the U.S. and E.U. should be held jointly responsible for 54 pct of funding owed to developing nations already dealing with extreme flooding, droughts and mega-storms rendered more frequent and intense by global warming. The "loss and damage" inflicted by climate change is predicted to hit $300 billion per year within a decade.

The coalition found the U.S., the "largest polluter in history", should contribute at least 30.4 pct of loss and damage funding; the E.U. should pay 24 pct, while China, the largest current emitter, was obliged to fund 10.4 pct. The groups also noted the world's richest 10 pct cause 50 pct of emissions, while the world's poorest 50 pct cause 10 pct of emissions. (Source: Various Media, Globe Post, 25 Nov., 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  

World Meteorological Organization
Date: 2019-11-27
"Climate change causes and impacts are increasing rather than slowing down. Sea level rise has accelerated and we are concerned that an abrupt decline in the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets will exacerbate future rise. As we have seen this year with tragic effect in the Bahamas and Mozambique, sea level rise and intense tropical storms led to humanitarian and economic catastrophes." -- Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and Co-chair of the United Nations Climate Action Summit. Contact: World Meteorological Organization, www.public.wmo.int/en

More Low-Carbon Energy News World Meteorological Organization,  Climate Change,  ,  

Vestas,EPV Energia
Date: 2019-11-27
Vassa, Finland-based wind turbine major Vesta reportys receipt of an order from energy company EPV Energia Oy for 21 units of its V150-5.6 MW turbines totaling 118 MW for the Paskoonharju II wind energy project in the municipality of Teuva, Finland.

The contract includes the supply, installation and commissioning of the wind turbines, as well as a 30-year Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreement. The project will also feature a VestasOnline Business SCADA solution to lower turbine downtime and optimise the energy output. Turbine delivery is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2021 while commissioning is planned for Q3, 2021. (Source: Vestas, Various Media, Saur, 26 Nov., 2019) Contact: EPV Energia Oy, +358 10 505 5000 , www.epv.fi; Vestas, Philippe Kavafyan, CEO, +45 97 30 00 00, vestas@vestas.com, www.vestas.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Vestas,  Wind Turbine,  Wind,  

Ervia,Equinor
Date: 2019-11-27
On the Emerald Isle, Dublin-based utility company Ervia is reporting a MoU with Stavanger, Norway-based Equinor ASA under which the two firms will assess the potential for Ireland to benefit from Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).

Under the MoU, Ervia will work with Equinor, a world leader in CCS technology, and the Norwegian Government's wider Northern Lights project, which aims to drive CCS development across Europe. If successful, the project would see carbon emissions from Ireland's electricity production and large industry captured and sequestered in Norway's geological reserves in the North Sea. Northern Lights project partners include ArcelorMittal, Air Liquide, Shell, Total, Equinor and others. (Source: Ervia, Chemical Engineering, 25 Nov., 2019) Contact: Ervia, Cathal Marley, Interim CEO , www.ervia.ie; Equinor ASA, www.equinor.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Ervia,  CCS,  Equinor,  

Indonesian Palm Oil
Date: 2019-11-27
Mexico to conduct research together to develop palm oil-based biofuel as renewable energy during the third meeting of the At this months Indonesia-Mexico Consultative Committee on Agriculture (CCA) meeting in Mexico City, the Indonesian delegation, led by the chief of the Foreign Cooperation Bureau at the Agriculture Ministry, reportedly suggested the two countries partner on palm oil biofuels renewable energy R&D and related oil palm initiatives and opportunities.

The Indonesian initiative was reportedly well received since Mexico is investigating the development of oil palm cultivation, the development of oil palm biofuel and a possible B-20 or B-30 program. Mexico is also eager to explore cooperation in developing biodiesel-based products such as castor oil and jatropha that can be grown on marginal land. (Source: Various Media, Antara News, 26 Nov., 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Palm Oil,  Palm Oil Biofuel,  B-20,  B-30,  

Greenfield Global, HY2GEN Canada
Date: 2019-11-27
Toronto, Ontario-based Greenfield Global -- Canada's largest ethanol producer -- and green hydrogen specialist HY2GEN Canada are reporting an agreement to form a 50/50 joint venture (JV) to develop and operate an industrial scale facility in Varennes, Quebec.

Greenfield's Varennes biorefinery, which is the first ethanol plant to be built in Quebec, has been in operation since 2007. The facility produces the lowest carbon intensity ethanol in Canada, as well as corn oil and distillers' grain (DDCs).

Greenfield owns and operates four ethanol distilleries, three specialty chemical manufacturing and packaging plants, and three next-generation biofuel and renewable energy R&D centres across North America (Source: Greenfield, Agri, 25 Nov., 2019) Contact: Greenfield Global, Howard Field, President and CEO, (613) 698-0116, howard.field@greenfield.com, www.greenfield.com; HY2GEN Canada, 514-906-8736, www.hy2gen.ca

More Low-Carbon Energy News Greenfield Global ,  HY2GEN Canada,  Ethanol,  Green Hydrogen,  

U.S. Green Building Council
Date: 2019-11-27
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is touting LEED Positive -- a new vision statement and LEED development roadmap that will lay the foundation for a future of LEED and guide USGBC in transitioning LEED from strategies that reduce the harm done by buildings to strategies that cause no harm and begin the process of healing and repair.

LEED Positive will encourage development that allows buildings to become a vehicle for environmental restoration and repair. The vision is composed of several parts that will work together to guide the development of the LEED rating system, including:

Proposed LEED Positive targets for energy and carbon reduction that will require new construction to go further and push existing buildings with high energy usage to substantially increase their efficiency efforts;

Define LEED Positive targets for other LEED credit categories that make up the holistic LEED rating system;

Continue investment in LEED v4.1 to accelerate the implementation and adoption of LEED for both new and existing buildings; and

Support category level performance certificates through the Arc platform to provide existing buildings with a pathway to LEED certification. (Source: US Green Building Council, Floor Daily 26 Nov., 2019) Contact: US Green Building Council, Mahesh Ramanujam, Pres., CEO, (202) 552-1500, www.usgbc.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News USGBC,  LEED Certification,  Energy Efficiency,  U.S. Green Building Council,  Energy Efficiency,  Green Building,  LEED Certification,  

C-PACE
Date: 2019-11-25
In Colorafdo, the La Plata County Commissioners recently signed a resolution to participate in the C-PACE (commercial property assessed clean energy) program to encourage energy efficiency projects and help commercial building owners source capital providers, install energy efficiency, renewable energy and water efficiency measures with affordable, long-term financing.

The program benefits building owners by generating an immediate positive cash flow with no up-front, out-of-pocket expense. C-PACE enables a complete upgrade of the building with eligible energy efficiency and renewable energy measures. At no cost to contractors, C-PACE experts will help identify eligible properties, prepare proposals, and develop, optimize, and present projects incorporating C-PACE financing. (Source: Durango Herald, 24 Nov., 2019) Contact: C-PACE, (877) 325-1882, www.copace.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News C-PACE news,  Energy Efficiency news,  

Methane,Environment and Climate Change Canada
Date: 2019-11-25
As previously reported, Environment and Climate Change Canada has announced proposed regulations to cut methane emissions from drilling and processing by 20 megatonnes a year.

Under the new regulations, affected companies would be required to regularly check and repair leaks from their equipment, use cleaner technologies to minimize emissions, monitor emissions at their property lines and report the results to the Canadian government.

The regulations are part of the Pan-Canada Framework for Clean Growth and Climate Change to cut methane by 40 to 45 pct by 2025.

The Canadian oil and gas sector produces about 44 pct of the country's escaping methane which represents about 15 pct of Canada's greenhouse-gas emissions. The changes are expected to cost the industry an estimated $3.3 billion over the next 20 years. (Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada, CBC, Various Media, Nov. 2019) Contact: Environment and Climate Change Canada,(800) 668-6767, www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change.html

More Low-Carbon Energy News Methane Emissions,  GHG,  Climate Change,  Environment and Climate Change Canada,  

BP
Date: 2019-11-25
"If there is a link between the growing levels of carbon in the atmosphere and the types of weather patterns observed in 2018 this would raise the possibility of a worrying vicious cycle: increasing levels of carbon leading to more extreme weather patterns, which in turn trigger stronger growth in energy (and carbon emissions) as households and businesses seek to offset their effects."

"It's clear we're on an unstable path with carbon emissions rising at their fastest rate since 2011." -- Spencer Dale, BP Chief Economist Contact: Spencer Dale, www.bp.com/en/global/...economics/spencer-dale-group-chief-economist.html

More Low-Carbon Energy News BP,  Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change,  

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Date: 2019-11-25
In Beijing, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) reports its is months away from launching an investment framework aimed at mobilizing capital for climate-friendly infrastructure projects.

The bank has set aside $500 (US) million for the project, which it will invest in green bonds issued by infrastructure companies. The core criteria of the fund is to finance projects that help the nation in which they are based meet their commitments under the UN Paris Climate Agreement 2015.

To date, AIIB has raised roughly $20 billion in paid-in equity from its 75 member nations and a total of almost $100 billion of subscribed equity, of which only $10 billion has been invested, according to the release. (Source: Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Financial Review. James Fernyhough, 24 Nov., 2019) Contact: Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, www.aiib.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank ,  

Energy Efficiency
Date: 2019-11-25
In the Big Apple, under Local Law 33, which was passed in 2018 for implementation in 2020, all New York City buildings of 25,000 square-feet or more will be graded from A through D for energy efficiency and required to publicly display that grade along with the date of compliance.

To be graded by the city, buildings must submit their latest energy reports -- their Energy Star Portfolio Manager report -- by May 2020 to get their energy efficiency grade. The grade is based on Energy Star score, with buildings over 85 getting an A. An Energy Star score of 70-84 gets you a B, 55-69 is a C, and anything less than 55 is a D and subject to possible financial penalties. The program is in keeping with New York City's long-term energy efficiency and climate goals.(Source: FacilitiesNet, Nov., 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News NYC Energy Efficiency,  Energy Efficiency,  

Masdar,General Electric
Date: 2019-11-25
In Abu Dhabi, Masdar -- the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company -- is confirming its first foray into the North American energy markets with the acquisition of interests in British developer John Laing Group's interest in wind farms in Texas and New Mexico.

The 149 MW Rocksprings project in Texas incorporates 53 General Electric 2.3MW wind turbines and 16 1.72MW turbines. The Sterling project in New Mexico incorporates 13 General Electric 2.3MW tirbines.

Financial details of the deal were not announced. (Source: Masdar, Stock Daily Dish, 24 Nov., 2019) Contact: Masdar, Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO, Shaima Al Jarman, Marketing & Communications, +971 02 8109365, saljarman@masdar.ac.ae, www.masdar.ca.ae

More Low-Carbon Energy News Masdar,  Wind,  General Electric Wind,  

Energy Power Partners
Date: 2019-11-25
In the Keystone State, the borough of Chambersburg reports it has extended its contract with Progressive Waste's Blue Ridge Landfill Energy Power Partners for landfill gas generated electricity at a "very competitive" rate.

Chambersburg's original agreement was with Progressive Waste's Blue Ridge Landfill which is now owned by Energy Power Partners (EPP). Under the new arrangement with EPP, the borough expects to realize a $7.8 million electric power savings over the next 12 plus years. Roughly 15 pct of all the electricity in Chambersburg is sourced from a renewable green energy, according to the release. (Source: Borough of Chambersburg, Herald-Mail, 25 Nov., 2019) Contact: Borough of Chambersburg, Jeffrey Stonehill,Borough Manager, Utilities Dir., 717-251-2437, www.borough.chambersburg.pa.us

More Low-Carbon Energy News Landfill Gas,  Methane,  

World Bank
Date: 2019-11-25
The Amenian press service is reporting the World Bank (WB) has given the nod to a €45.8 million ($50 million) loan for the Armenia Governance Development Policy Operation (DPO) which supports the government's efforts to strengthen economic, fiscal, public sector governance and other initiative, including addressing climate change.

As part of the World Bank's global commitment to climate change mitigation and adaptation, this operation will also support the assessment of the climate change impact of new regulations, as part of the implementation of a Regulatory Impact Assessment Framework, thus enabling policymakers to make quantitative assessments and informed decisions on climate change adaptation and mitigation initiatives and related legislative and regulatory packages. (Source: ARMENPress, 22 Nov., 2019) Contact: World Bank International Finance Corporation, www.ifc.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News World Bank,  Climate Change Mitigation,  Climate Change Adaptation,  

Equinor,ESB
Date: 2019-11-25
In Dublin, the Irish state-owned Electricity Supply Board (ESB) reports it is partnering with Oslo, Norway-based energy company Equinor to identify suitable sites for and develop new offshore wind farms in Irish waters. The two firms will also investigate potential wind energy storage and other related technologies.

Together, ESB and Equinor are specifically interested in large scale wind projects that could be in commercial operation by 2030. ESB notes its recent investment in the Galloper offshore wind farm in the UK in line with its Brighter Future Strategy. (Source: ESB, Equinor, Silicon Republic, Others, 21 Nov., 2019) Contact: ESB Generation and Trading, Jim Dollard, 00353 21 238 6555, esbnetworks@esb.ie,www.esb.ie ; Equinor, Pal Eitrheim, VP New Energy Solutions, www.equinor.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Equinor,  ESB,  Wind ,  Offshore Wind,  

Elecnor SA
Date: 2019-11-25
Madrid-based construction and engineering firm Elecnor SA is reporting receipt of a €16 million ($17.8-million) turnkey contract from the Mexican state of Baja California to construct a 30-MW wind park in the community of San Matias.

The project will incorporate eight 3.8-MW wind turbines and will be monitored and managed from within its electrical substation. The project is being financed through Spanish Banco Sabadell's wholly-owned subsidiary Sinia Renovables and its local unit Fuerza Eolica de San Matias.(Source: Elecnor SA, 22 Nov., 2019) Contact: Elecnor, +91 417 99 00, +91 597 14 40 - fax, elecnor@elecnor.com, www.elecnor.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Elecnor SA ,  Wind,  Mexico Wind,  

Earth Energy Production Corporation
Date: 2019-11-25
As prviously reported,the office of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Lib) is confirming the government will provide $25.6 million (Cdn) ($19.28 million) in funding for a 5-MW geothermal power facility to be developed near Estevan, by Deep Earth Energy Production Corp. headquartered in Saskatoon. The plant will be Canada's first commercial scale geothermal facility. (Source: Office of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Stock Dish, 24 Nov., 2019) Contact: Earth Energy Production Corporation, Kirsten Marcia, Pres, CEO, 306 261-6979, kmarcia@deepcorp.ca,www.deepcorp.ca

More Low-Carbon Energy News Geothermal,  

Pertamina
Date: 2019-11-25
In Jakarta, Indonesian state gas and oil company Pertamina reports it is now distributing B30 palm oil biodiesel blend transportation fuel a month earlier that its targeted 28th January 2020 implementation date at fuel terminals in central Java and six other fuel terminals in the near future until December 31, 2019.

Initially, 670,000 kiloliters of B30 fuel will be produced and distributed (Source: Pertamina, Tempo.co, 25 Nov., 2019) Contact: Pertamina, Fajriyah Usman, VP Communications, 1-500-000 pcc@pertamina.com, www.pertamina.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Pertamina,  Palm Oil,  B30,  Biodiesel,  Biodiesel Blend ,  

Illinois Energy Conservation Authority
Date: 2019-11-25
The Illinois Energy Conservation Authority NFP (IECA) reports the Kane County Energy Efficiency Program (KEEP) closed a commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) $351,136 financing on roof improvements and a solar PV system for a 48,000-square-foot, indoor-outdoor soccer campus facility in Elgin, Illinois. This transaction marks KEEP's first C-PACE financed project. Kane County the first C-PACE program in Illinois.

The solar PV system will be installed by Naperville-based Bright Life Renewable Energy, LLC. Bright Life initiated the C-PACE application with their client through the IECA, a not-for-profit organization committed to bringing C-PACE program administration to the Chicagoland area. (Source: Illinois Energy Conservation Authority, PR, RE Journals, Nov., 2019) Contact: Illinois Energy Conservation Authority, www.iecapace.org; C-PACE Alliance, Cliff Kellogg (202) 744-1984, ckellogg@c-pacealliance.com, www.c-pacealliance.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News C-PACE,  Energy Efficiency,  

Mainstream Renewable Power
Date: 2019-11-25
Global renewable energy developer Mainstream Renewable Power reports it has closed on $580 million for its wholly-owned Chilean subsidiary, Andes Renovables,for construction of the largest solar and wind generation plant in the whole of Latin America. A group of banks -- KfW IPEX-Bank, Societe Generale, SMBC, CaixaBank, Natixis, DNB, Banco Santander -- provided debt financing for the deal.

The first phase of the project is going to see the construction of three wind power generation assets and one for solar energy. The second and third phases of the project's construction have not yet been announced. (Source: Mainstream Renewable Power, CryptoNewsZ, 23 Nov., 2019) Contact: Mainstream Renewable Power, Andy Kinsella, CEO, +353 (0) 1 290 2000, +56 (2) 25923100 -- Santiago, Chile Office, info-Chile@mainstreamrp.com, www.mainstreamrp.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Mainstream Renewable Power,  Chile Wind,  Chile Salr,  Renewable Energy,  

Methae, EPA
Date: 2019-11-25
Reporting from Boston, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey on Friday last joined a coalition of 20 state attorneys general in calling on the Trump administration EPA to "withdraw its illegal attempt to gut Obama era regulations that limit methane emissions and other harmful pollutants from new, reconstructed and modified sources in the oil and natural gas sector" -- the largest industrial source of environmentally damaging methane emissions.

The coalition contends the EPA's unlawful proposal to rescind the Obama era methane regulation will threaten public health and the environment by increasing extremely harmful methane emissions, smog-forming volatile organic compounds (VOCs), benzene, formaldehyde and others.

The Obama era 2015 rule is projected to reduce 300,000 tons of methane, 150,000 tons of VOCs, and 1,900 tons of hazardous air pollutants in 2020 alone. The rule will protect the environment and save businesses money with a net benefit of $35 million in 2020 and $170 million in 2025. On the other hand, the EPA's estimates show their planned proposal will increase methane emissions and VOCs by hundreds of thousands of tons through 2025!

Joining AG Healey are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia, as well as the City of Chicago, the City and County of Denver, and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. (Source: Office of Mass. AG, STL News, 23 Nov., 2019) Contact: Office of Mass. AG, (617) 727-2200, www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-attorney-general-maura-healey

More Low-Carbon Energy News Methane,  Methane Emissions,  EPA Methane Emissions Rollback,  

Johnson Controls,EasyIO
Date: 2019-11-25
Milwaukee-headquartered HVAC and building automation systems specialist Johnson Controls (JCI) reports it has agreed to purchase the EasyIO Building and Energy Management System (BEMS) product line. Based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, EasyIO has operations in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

EasyIO's product line includes IP-based and network-ready controllers, HMI products, peripherals, gateways, and modems. The company serves the facility management market, including office buildings, utilities, industrial facilities, hotels, healthcare facilities, retail stores, residences and educational facilities, according to the company website. (Source: Johnson Controls PR, Renewables, 22 Nov., 2019) Contact: Johnson Controls, www.johnsoncontrols.com/building-automation-and-controls; EasyIO, www.easyio.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Johnson Controls,  

Adirondack North Country Association
Date: 2019-11-25
In the Empire State, the Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) is touting completion of two New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) programs -- the Cleaner Greener Communities (CGC) One Stop Shop (OSS) Program and the Clean Energy Communities (CEC) Program, both of which are designed to help municipalities reduce costs and increase energy efficiency. Together, the CEC and OSS programs provided over $2M in energy efficiency project funding to the region, according to the ANCA release.

The OSS program included the creation of four Energy Circuit Rider (ECR) positions and the development of tools and resources. ANCA was awarded the OSS grant in 2015 as part of NYSERDA's Cleaner Greener Communities Program which has assisted 195 North Country communities in completing a variety of clean energy projects including: LED lighting upgrades; building envelope improvements; battery energy storage feasibility studies; net zero design; pellet boiler installations; LED streetlight conversions; electric vehicle charging station installation; solar siting and solar installations.

Starting in 2016, ANCA's ECRs led an outreach campaign through the CEC program, providing technical and financial support for 35 North Country communities and assisted each in the adoption of at least four of ten "high impact action items" determined by the State as important first steps in achieving its clean energy goals.

The first 18 communities to achieve CEC designation were awarded $50K-$250 to complete clean energy projects. To date, 19 North Country municipalities have been designated CEC Communities. (Source: ANCA, Adirondack Almanac, 24 Nov., 2019) Contact: ANCA, (518) 891-6200 , energy@adirondack.org, www.adirondack.org; NYSERDA Designated Clean Energy Communities, www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Programs/Clean-Energy-Communities/Designated-Clean-Energy-Communities

More Low-Carbon Energy News NYSERDA,  Energy Efficiency,  

Jordan,Siemens Gamesa
Date: 2019-11-25
Madrid-based Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE), through its wind engineering subsidiary reports the signing of a 10-year power supply agreement with the Kingdom of Jordan's Al Samra Power Company to operate and maintain an 80 MW wind power plant in the Ma'an wind farm, a $148 million projects backed by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.

In 2018, Jordan integrated roughly 771 MW of wind and solar power capacity into its grid as part of its plan to increase its renewable capacity to 2.7 GW by 2021. The country of approximately 9.9 million residents imports roughly 95 pct of it energy. (Source: Petra News, N Business, 24 Nov., 2019) Contact: Al Samra Power Company, +962 6 550 6510, www.sepco.com.jo; Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Markus Tacke, www.siemensgamesa.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Siemens Gamesa,  Wind,  Renewable Energy,  

Qatar Science & Technology Park,Total
Date: 2019-11-25
Reporting from the Qatar Science & Technology Park, Total Research Centre-Qatar (TRC-Q) is announcing the launch of two new research projects using locally sourced microalgae to produce sustainable biofuels and for carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS). The Centre is also collaborating with Hamad Bin Khalifa University's Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute to develop various clean energy technologies, products and solutions.

According to the release, TRC-Q currently has projects for analytical organic geochemistry and acid stimulation of wells to improve production, as well as flagship projects related to sustainable development, marine biodiversity biofuels and solar energy Microalgae is a promising pathway to sustainable Biofuels and TRC-Q is working with QU and universities and research organisations in the Netherlands, France and China to explore biofuels, as an option for limiting transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions, according to the release. (Source: Total Research Centre-Qatar, Gulf Times, 25 Nov., 2019) Contact: Total, www.total.com/en; Total Research Centre-Qatar, Yousef al-Jaber, Dir., www.afaq.total.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Algae news,  Microalgae.Biofuel news,  

Orillia
Date: 2019-11-22
In Ontario, the City of Oriliia (pop. 32,000 +-) city council reports it is investigating the conversion of its 3,200 high pressure sodium streetlights which have an estimated end-of-life of 24,000 operating hours, or more than 2.5 years, to LED lighting. The proposed switch to LEDs would include "smart" lighting controls that would allow the city to monitor and change light output levels as needed.

With the proposed conversion to LEDs, energy consumption is projected to decrease by approximately 76 pct with a resulting 80 pct drop in annual maintenance costs and a $40,000 drop in operating cost.

The proposed switch to LEDs is expected to cost roughly $2.850 million. (Source: City of Orillia, CTV, 20 Nov., 2019)Contact: City of Orillia, www.orillia.ca

More Low-Carbon Energy News LED Streetlight,  Energy Efficient Lighting,  

Green Wall
Date: 2019-11-22
In the UK, plans have been submitted to the City of London to build Citicape House, including a 40,000 square feet exterior "green" wall incorporating more than 400,000 plants -- Europe's largest.

The "green" wall is projected to capture over 8 tpy ofcarbon, produce 6 tpy of oxygen, lower the local temperature by three to five degrees Celsius, and significantly improve local air quality by trapping approximately 500 kg per year of particulate matter.

Citicape House, designed by architecture firm Sheppard Robson, will feature a five-star hotel, 40,000 square-feet of workspace, a sky bar, meeting and events space, a spa, a restaurant, and various other spaces. (Source: Shepard Robson Architects, electrek, 20 Nov., 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Green Wall,  Building Energy Efficiency,  

U.S. Green Building Council
Date: 2019-11-22
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is reporting the launch of "Insight", a new data-driven tool that highlights building project design features that can lead to better performance.

Insight is available as a feature of the Arc platform and provides information on the design attributes of LEED certified buildings within a specified geographic region. Using the tool, project teams can compare and rank potential sustainability strategies to see how they stack up against the performance of other buildings.

Insight leverages the depth of the existing LEED data to aid designers and builders in adopting smart, practical and achievable sustainability strategies.

Insight can be leveraged by LEED and green building teams to improve the design -- and eventually performance -- of their buildings by encouraging the implementation of best practices during the design and construction stage. Insight helps green building and LEED project teams identify practices that could improve building performance and eliminate those that pose a risk to their long-term investment. (Source: USGBC, Milehigh CRE, 20 Nov., 2019) Contact: US Green Building Council, Mahesh Ramanujam, Pres., CEO, (202) 552-1500, www.usgbc.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News LEED Certification,  U.S. Green Building Council,  Energy Eficiency,  

Santa Barbara County Planning Commission
Date: 2019-11-22
In the Golden State, the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission reports it is considering a proposal from an affiliate of German renewable energy developer BayWa r.e. for the 30-turbine, 98 MW Strauss Wind Energy Project south of Lompoc.

If approved and constructed, the project will generate sufficient electric power for roughly 45,000 homes and double the county's renewable energy power generation. (Source: Santa Barbara County Planning Commission Noozhawk, 19 Nov., 2019) Contact: Santa Barbara Clean Coalition, Craig Lewis, Exec. Dir., craig@clean-coalition.org; Santa Barbara County Planning Commission, (805) 737-7775, www.countyofsb.org/plndev/hearings/cpc.sbc; BayWa r.e., Hakan Wallin, CEO, +49 (89) 383932 131, www.baywa-re.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Wind,  BayWa,  

Algonquin Power,Renewable Energy Systems
Date: 2019-11-22
Oakville, Ontario-headquartered Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp is reporting the groundbreaking for the 492-MW Maverick Creek wind project in Concho County, Texas. The $700 million, 127-turbine project is being developed with UK-based Renewable Energy Systems (RES) and will generate sufficient power for approximately 200,000 homes when fully online. (Source: Algonquin Power & Utilities, PR, Renewables 19 Nov., 2019) Contact: Algonquin Power & Utilities, 905-465-4500, 905-465-4514 - fax., www.algonquinpower.com: Renewable Energy Systems, +44 (0)1923 299 200, www.res-group.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Renewable Energy Systems,  Algonquin Power,  Wind,  

SeQuential , Crimson Renewable Energy
Date: 2019-11-22
Portland, Oregon-headquartered biodiesel fuel company SeQuential reports it has increased production of low-carbon biodiesel from used cooking oil and restaurant grease at its Salem, Oregon, plant by 30 pct to 12 million gpy.

The plant, which was commissioned in 2008, was acquired by Denver-based Crimson Renewable Energy LP in 2018. (Source: SeQuential, Electrek, 20 Nov., 2019) Contact: SeQuential, Harry Simpson, CEO, Tyson Keever, COO, 800-447-3794 www.choosesq.com; Crimson Renewable Energy LP, Harry Simpson, CEO, (720) 475-5400, hsimpson@crimsonrewable.com, www.crimsonrenewable.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Crimson Renewable Energy,  ,  SeQuential ,  Biodiesel,  

Efficiency Canada
Date: 2019-11-22
Canadian energy efficiency advocacy group Efficiency Canada, based at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, reports it has awarded the province of British Columbia the top spot in its first-ever provincial scorecard.

According to Efficiency Canada policy director Brendan Haley, B.C.'s top ranking is largely due to the province's green building code, ambitious natural gas savings and significant progress in vehicle electrification. But it says there's still room for improvement when it comes to electricity savings, an area where B.C. is dropping compared with other provinces. (Source: Efficiency Canada, Canadian Press, 20 Nov., 2019) Contact: Efficiency Canada, www.scorecard.efficiencycanada.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Efficiency Canada,  

DRAX
Date: 2019-11-22
In the UK, power producer Drax Group plc, through its Drax Biomass subsidiary, report it plans to increase its present 1.5 million mtpy wood pellet production to 5 million mtpy by 2027. The company's three U.S plants will increase production by by 350,000 metric tpy over the next two years. Drax notes it is also looking at developing an additional 3 million mtpy of capacity over the next seven years.

According to a company statement, Drax produced 650,000 metric tons of wood pellets during the first half of 2019, a sligth drop from the same period in 2018. The company also noted the expansion in biomass capacity would allow it to develop an unsubsidized biomass generation business by 2027. (Source: DRAX, Biomass, 20 Nov., 2019) Contact: DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 0 1757 618381, www.draxpower.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News DRAX,  Woody Biomass,  Biomass,  

POET, Poet-DSM
Date: 2019-11-22
Sioux Falls, South Dakota-based POET-DSM Advanced Biofuel reports it is temporarily halting production of cellulosic biofuels at its Emmetsburg, Iowa, facility due in part to the uncertainties surrounding the EPA's Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) policies.

The company, a 50/50 joint venture between Royal DSM and POET, LLC., will now focus on R&D aimed at improving mechanical reliability, creating additional technological efficiencies and licensing technologies in countries that support the use of low carbon fuels from crop residue and other biomass, according to the company. (Source: Poet-DSM, Biofuels 20 Nov., 2019) Contact: POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels, Steve Hartig, General Manager, (630) 780-8171, steve.hartig@dsm.com, www.poetdsm.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Project Liberty,  POET,  Poet-DSM,  Cellulosic Biofuel,  Advanced Biofuel,  

Ontario Wind
Date: 2019-11-22
Following up on our 16 July, 2018 coverage -- Ford Killing 758 Ontario Renewable Energy Deals -- reporting from Queens Park, CBC notes that provincial documents show the government of freshman Ontario Premier Doug Ford (C) spent in excess of $230 million to cancel renewable energy projects in Ontario.

The province's public accounts for 2018-19 show spending of $231 million on what the Ministry of Energy deceptively described only as "other transaction." Upon further investigation the unexplained "other transactions" were found to cover the cost of keeping the often colourful Premier's campaign promise to wind down wind energy and other renewable energy development in Ontario. (Source: CBC, 19 Nov., 2019) Contact: Ontario Energy Minister Greg Rickford https://twitter.com/gregrickford?lang=en; Office of Ontario Premier Doug Ford, www.ontario.ca/page/premier

More Low-Carbon Energy News Ontario Wind,  Wind,  Doug Ford,  

NYSERDA
Date: 2019-11-22
In the Empire State, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Adirondack Park Agency, and New York State Police are reporting the commissioning of a woody biomass pellet-fired heating system at the State Office Campus in Ray Brook.

The $3 million project, developed in partnership with DEC, State Police, APA, the New York Power Authority and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), supports Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's (D) BuildSmart NY program, which calls for a 20 pct reduction in energy consumption by all state agencies by 2020. The installation is also expected to cut annual energy costs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 391 tpy.

NYSERDA provided more than $500,000 for the project with the balance split by the three benefiting state agencies. (Source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, NYSERDA, 19 Nov., 2019) Contact: NYSERDA, Alicia Barton, Pres., CEO, (518) 862-1090, www.nyserda.ny.gov; New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, www.dec.ny.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News NYSERDA,  Biomass Heat,  Woody Biomass,  

Savion, Macquarie Green Investment Group
Date: 2019-11-22
Kamsas City, Missouri-based utility-scale solar and energy storage project developer Savion, LLC has announced its official launch as a new utility-scale solar and energy storage project development company.

Backed by Macquarie Green Investment Group, Savion will focus on the development of utility-scale solar and energy storage projects in partnership with utilities, municipalities, corporate customers, and landowners across the U.S.. (Source: Savion LLC, PR, BusinessWire, 21 Nov., 2019) Contact:Savion, LLC, Rob Freeman, CEO, Kelly Cooper, Parris Communications (816) 931-8900 kcooper@parriscommunications.com, www.savionenergy.com; Macquarie Green Investment Group, www.macquarie.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Macquarie Green Investment Group,  Solar,  Energy Storage,  

Climate Change
Date: 2019-11-22
"When these ideas of reducing energy production to zero or relying only on solar or wind power are promoted, I think humanity could once again end up in caves, simply because it won't consume anything.

"The technology is currently such that we simply won't be able to preserve civilization without hydrocarbons, nuclear energy or hydropower." -- Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, The Moscow Times, 20 Nov., 2019

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  

International Air transport Association
Date: 2019-11-22
In Geneva, the Switzerland-headquartered International Air transport Association (IATA) is calling on the EU to develop a regulatory framework to encourage more production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) but NOT to impose an EU-wide mandate requiring airlines to blend lower-carbon SAF with fossil jet-A.

Some European countries are reportedly planning to require airlines to gradually increase share of renewable and low-emission fuels blend rate and Brussels is reportedly likely to follow the trend. (Source: IATA, AIN, 21 Nov., 2019) Contact: IATA, Carsten Spohr, Chairman, Michael Gill, Director Aviation Environment, Alexandre de Juniac, CEO, +41 22 770 2967, (514) 874-0202 - Montreal Office, www.iata.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News International Air transport Association,  Sustainable Aviation Fuel,  Aviation Biofuel,  

New York Department of Agriculture and Markets
Date: 2019-11-22
In Albany, the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets reports it has finalised a rule allowing the sale of E15 ethanol blend fuels in the Empire State -- America's fourth-largest fuel market.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved E15 for all vehicle models year 2001 and newer. (Source: New York Department of Agriculture and Markets, Biofuels Int'l. 21 Nov., 2019) Contact: New York Department of Agriculture and Markets, 800-554-4501, www.ny.gov › agencies › department-agriculture-and-markets

More Low-Carbon Energy News E15,  Biofuel Blend,  

Date: 2019-11-22
"(Wind) There is no other renewable energy resource that provides us with either the electric-generation or economic-growth potential of offshore wind.

When we reach our goal of 7,500 megawatts, New Jersey's offshore wind infrastructure will generate electricity to power more than 3.2 million homes and meet fifty percent of our state's electric power need." -- NJ Governor Phil Murphy 19 Nov., 2019)

"If the United States is going to compete and win in the 21st century's global clean energy marketplace, ramping up our nation's wind production is going to be absolutely critical. Offshore wind has an important role to play as an untapped, but potentially massive, emerging market in the U.S. that can drive billions of dollars in economic investment and create tens of thousands of American jobs." -- Gregory Wetstone, Pres. & CEO, American Council on Renewable Energy, CNBC, 19 Nov., 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Wind,  

Date: 2019-11-22
At Queens Park, the Government of Ontario reports it will launch consultations to pinpoint potential changes that could enable the province's $35 million-a-year biogas sector to grow by up to 50 pct over the next five years.

According to the release, consultations will look at opportunities for "on-farm" biogas production upgrading, ways to streamline approvals and requirements for off-farm and agricultural feedstocks. The discussions could lead to changes that would also benefit Ontario's food processors by providing an alternative to landfill disposal while saving millions of dollars and reducing greenhouse gases. (Source; Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Bioenergy Insights, 21 Nov., 2019) Contact: Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, 519-826-3100, minister.omafra@ontario.ca, www.omafra.gov.on.ca

More Low-Carbon Energy News Biogas,  

City of Ypsilanti
Date: 2019-11-22
In Washtenaw County, Michigan, the city of Ypsilanti (pop. 22,000 +-) City Council reports it has resolved to develop a draft plan to achieve carbon neutrality in the community by 2035. The initiative is in line with the city's commitment to locally combat climate change and join the city of Ann Arbor in its sustainability efforts.

The city of Ann Arbor has declared a climate emergency and set a goal to make the community carbon-neutral by 2030. Ypsilanti plans to work with Ann Arbor officials to develop a regional plan. Washtenaw County allocated $30,000 to hire a consultant to do a greenhouse gas inventory for the county to begin the action plan that could include moving away from fossil fuels, using clean energy, and balancing remaining carbon emissions with offsetting efforts like planting trees to achieve a zero-carbon footprint. (Source: City of Ypsilanti, MLive, 21 Nov., 2019) Contact: City of Ypsilanti, 734-482-1025, www.cityofypsilanti.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon-Neutral,  Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change,  

Mew Mexico Climate Change
Date: 2019-11-22
Since Governor Lujan Grisham (D) signed Executive Order 2019-003, bringing New Mexico to the forefront of states taking ambitious climate action, we have made rapid progress towards our goals. New Mexico joined the U.S. Climate Alliance and committed to a statewide reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of at least 45 pct by 2030, as compared to 2005 levels. Legislation signed into law by the Governor during the 2019 legislative session demonstrates the seriousness and speed of our work: New Mexico's landmark Energy Transition Act contains one of the most ambitious renewable energy and zero-carbon electricity standards in the United States and establishes worker and community transition funds. New Mexico's electric utility efficiency standards are stronger than ever. The Climate Change Task Force, which spans all state agencies, has developed an initial suite of ambitious policies to accelerate the state's transition into a clean energy future.

These policies, which include a methane emission reduction regulatory framework, an update to the state's building codes, and electricity transmission corridors to transport renewable electricity resources to market -- among many others -- are already beginning to come to fruition. This is only the beginning.

Download the New Mexico Climate Strategy 2019 Report HERE. (Source: Arizona Climate Action, Las Cruces Sun News, Nov., 2019 Contact: Arizona Climate Action, www.climateaction.state.nm.us

More Low-Carbon Energy News Cliamte Change,  Low-Carbon Energy,  Carbon Emissions,  

Cornell University
Date: 2019-11-22
In the Empire State, Cornell University is reporting completion of a comprehensive indoor and outdoor lighting upgrade to LEDs at its Ithaca campus. The upgrades, which began in 2014, have saved the campus more than 18,000 tons of carbon and $2.9 million to date for an expected $16 million savings over the lifetime of their use. The new lighting also reduces the campus carbon footprint by nearly 3 pct per year and will remove more than 45,500 metric tons of CO2 equivalent from the campus carbon footprint in the next five years. (Source: Cornell Univ., American School & University, 21 Nov., 2019) Contact: Cornell University, www.cornell.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency,  LED Light,  Energy Efficiency,  

Hewlett Packard ,NREL
Date: 2019-11-20
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) reports they will collaborate with the US DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on the development of water and energy efficiency software for data centers.

HPE expects the three-year collaboration to train machine learning models to detect anomalies so that energy efficiency issues can be predicted and prevented. (Source: HPE, Storage Review, 18 Nov., 2019) Contact: HPE, www.hpe.com; NREL, www.nrel.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News Hewlett Packard,  Energy Efficiency,  NREL ,  

Heliogen
Date: 2019-11-20
Los Angeles, California-based solar energy tech company Heliogen -- fka Edisun -- is reporting development of a way to create concentrated solar energy at temperatures hot enough to replace fossil fuels in industrial processes that contribute significantly to global carbon emissions.

The company's technology works by using cutting-edge computer vision technology to align a large array of mirrors to reflect sunlight to a precise target. The process creates heat exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 Fahrenheit), that can replace traditional fuels such as coal, gas and oil in the production of materials such as cement, steel and petrochemicals.

The company was founded by entrepreneur and inventor Bill Gross with the backing of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures Fund , AOL founder Steve Case, Los Angeles-based investor and entrepreneur Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong and others. (Source: Heliogen, Geek Wire, 19 Nov., 2019) Contact: Heliogen, Bill Gross, CEO, Fatimah Bello, VP, Business Development 626.585.6900, hello@heliogen.com, www.heliogen.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Concentrated Solar,  Heliogen,  Edisun,  Solar,  

Advanced Biofuels Canada
Date: 2019-11-20

Montana State University
Date: 2019-11-20
Montana State University in Bozeman reports will seek Montana Board of Regents permission to spend $2.5 million to expand on-campus geothermal energy to cut campus heating and energy costs and to reduce carbon Emissions. The university is also seeking approval for the hiring of a renewable energy and energy efficiency consulting firm.

MSU presently uses geothermal heating and cooling in five on-campus buildings in its North Campus energy district. The school is also working on a campus energy master plan with a goal of reducing campus energy consumption by 20 pct. (Source: Montana State University, Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 17 Nov., 2019) Contact: Montana State Univ., www.montana.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News Montana State University,  Geothermal,