Milk goes green as eco-friendly 'papier-mache' bottles hit supermarkets nationwide

A new environmentally-friendly milk bottle is set to go on sale in supermarkets throughout the UK.

Suffolk-based Martin Mysercough invented the revolutionary GreenBottle after he saw the impact plastic milk bottles were having on his local landfill.
The bottles, which comprises of an outer shell made from recycled paper and a thin plastic liner to store the milk, will be rolled out across all Asda stores after a successful pilot scheme.
The revolutionary outer shell of the green cartons, which look similar to a normal plastic milk bottle, can be recycles again or thrown away and will decompose in a matter of weeks.

The average plastic bottle takes around 500 years to decompose and 15 million bottles are used every day according to The Guardian.
Mr Mysercough said he came up with the idea after speaking to a friend at a local pub.
He told the paper: 'A chap I row with was running the local landfill, so I asked him what was the main problem and he said plastic bottles, especially milk bottles and that got me thinking.'
The inventor then explained how his son's papier-mache balloon inspired him with the design and he played with several different designs before coming up with the GreenBottle.

Over 18 months, his team based in Framlingham worked on their design.

GreenBottle was first piloted in the Lowestoft branch of ASDA in May 2007 and sold at the same price as the milk in conventional containers.

It will now be a permanent fixture on the shelves nationwide starting with stores in Cornwall this week.

Speaking in 2008 Chris Brown, head of ethical and sustainable sourcing at ASDA, said they had been impressed by the concept model.

'The GreenBottle is robust, practical and fit for purpose, meaning there is no danger of spilled milk at breakfast time,' he added.
Enlarge An out shell it made from paper. A loose inner bag is inserted into a paper spout. The bag is foulded and placed into the outer shell. The bottle is glued and filled.
An independent lifecycle analysis of the GreenBottle found it had a carbon footprint 48 per cent lower than that of a standard milk bottle.
The bottle is filled locally with milk supplied by Suffolk's Marybelle dairy.

James Strachan, director of Marybelle Dairy, said: 'The GreenBottle system is the single biggest leap forward in dairy manufacturing technology in years.

'We are thrilled to be able to offer our customers the same high quality milk, in a more sustainable, high quality bottle.'
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs predicts that by 2020 half of all milk packaging will be made from recycled materials.


By Daily Mail Reporter

Tesco Promotes 'Energy Saving' with Installation of Touch Screen Boards

Retail giant Tesco has set itself an ambitious target of becoming zero-carbon by 2050.
To help meet this target, Tesco installed touchscreen energy boards in retail stores. This was done only after the successful implementation of a test program across nine stores.
The total energy consumption dropped by two to three percent after the test run at the nine stores where the test took place. Tesco described the cut in energy costs as "a huge margin" for one piece of equipment.

The energy boards are to be installed in 500 locations across the U.K. and will be placed in the staff areas of each store in an effort to determine which sections are consuming the most energy. The monitor boards will display the parts of the store that are using the most energy. By identifying this, the staff will be in a position to gauge the areas using the most power, enabling it to take appropriate measures to ensure that those areas consume less power. Thus, they can reduce the carbon footprint.

Company officials said that the new energy display screens will have the potential to prevent the release of an additional 23,000 tons of CO2.

Energy display screens installed in Tesco’s Portsmouth store showed clearly that its petrol station was consuming the most energy. Staff at the store went into action and reduced consumption by reducing the lighting during the day. Interestingly, the total energy consumption dropped by two to thee percent.

Officials at Tesco described the whole exercise as an effort not only to get employees involved, but also help further reduce the stores' carbon footprint. Reams of paper data that would normally be required to detail the store's energy consumption would no longer be required.

Richard Lee, head of Energy at Tesco, said: "This is an exciting development in Tesco’s long term plans to reduce the carbon footprint of its stores by 2020. The energy boards also present a visual snapshot of the data, which is far more meaningful that reams of paper based data and empowers people to actively promote energy saving."

This is the first time such technology has been used in a supermarket to cut carbon emissions and Tesco has won an international award on the back of it. In a related news release, Tesco won the 'Energy Efficiency Program of the Year – Commercial End-User' award at the Platts Global Energy Awards in New York because of its use of the touch screen monitors.

Marina operators respond to diesel bug concerns....

Three of the UK's biggest marina operators have moved to calm fears about the possibility of a diesel bug epidemic caused by biodiesel entering the fuel supply.

The problem has arisen thanks to new fuel quality regulations handed down by the EU that could potentially see some fuel companies supplying road diesel, which contains up to 7% biodiesel, to marinas.

Biodiesel is water-attracting and contains fatty-acid methyl esters (FAME), which together provide a good environment for the growth of diesel bug.

But Premier Marinas, MDL Marinas and Yacht Havens Group have all told MBY that steps are being taken to make sure the fuel reaching their customers is free from any risk of contamination.

One of Europe's biggest marina operators, MDL told MBY they had negotiated with their supplier, Shell, to offer boaters low-sulphur diesel with no biofuel content. They also said they conducted regular tank cleaning and fuel testing.

Yacht Havens Group, which runs a number of large marinas around the coast, said that they are now being supplied with low-sulphur, biodiesel-free fuel and that they checked every fuel delivery for biodiesel content.

Premier Marinas, meanwhile, said it would will continue to sell high-sulphur, biodiesel-free fuel at all its sites except Chichester, which has been branded "not at sea" for the purposes of the new fuel regulations.

The company told MBY that it will be selling low-sulphur diesel at the marina which contains up to 2% biodiesel until the middle of the year, when it will be able to source low-sulphur fuel with no biodiesel content.

At such small amounts, Premier said they didn't expect diesel bug to become a problem, but were taking precautions anyway, by adding Soltron to all the fuel sold at the marina.

Solar power enters the plastic age....

Cheaper and lighter compared to its more expensive, cumbersome silicon cousin, plastic photovoltaics (PV) could herald a revolution in the solar power market, according to a UK solar panel expert.

"Plastics are much cheaper to process than silicon. In principle the devices we've been making might be very, very cheap and cover large areas," said David Lidzey from the UK's University of Sheffield.

Unlike rigid silicon panels, plastic (or organic) PV is far more flexible making it easier to install, which Lidzey says could hand it a huge advantage.

"If you've got panels that almost roll up like a big sheet of wallpaper then that might be a very good way of powering developing countries," he said

Polymer solar panels differ from most commercial plastics like polythene which are essentially insulators.

Turning them from a material that prevents conductivity into ones that promote it requires chemists to "tweak their molecular structure," says Lidzey.

But he says some everyday plastic products aren't a million miles away from the plastic PV he's researching.

"If you look at a (chip) packet, what you've got is a plastic film, a few layers of inks and a printed metal layer to keep the materials fresh. Rearrange the order of those layers and you get to a structure that's very similar to the PV devices we're looking at," Lidzey said.

On of the leading lights in developing plastic PV is U.S.-based tech company, Konarka who are already applying their "Power Plastic" technology to a wide range of products including luggage and parasols.

Larger arrays are also being fitted to street furniture, as can be seen with San Francisco's bus shelters.

Researchers are also hopeful that buildings could also get the plastic treatment in the future.

In 2009, Konarka installed a "curtain wall" to an outside section of its Florida offices as part of a pilot project.

Plastic PV, say the company, can absorb sunlight from "all sorts of ranges" allowing it to be installed onto vertical walls.

Founded in 2001, Konarka are one of many companies trying to perfect the technology. And the news is increasingly promising. But there are some issues to be resolved before plastic can truly find its place in the sun.

Whereas silicon has an efficiency of around 15-18%, plastic devices can only achieve 7-8% at best, currently.

Problems also remain with operational lifetime. Silicon devices will generally last around 20 years and are very stable, Lidzey says.

Organic-based (plastic) systems are less so, degrading much more quickly. But things are improving.

"There is a lot of activity to find out what the mechanisms are by which these materials degrade so we can produce better packaging materials to prevent this," Lidzey said.

He concedes there is some way to go before plastic PV catches up with silicon's superior efficiency and durability, but even that might not be an issue, he says.

"The idea is that you might not need to catch up provided you can make them cheap enough," he said.

"My guess is that it will be between five and ten years, and then we will see a significant volume of devices being made from plastic."

Homes see '60% electricity bill saving' after smart meter fitting

A European project designed to monitor and change the behaviour of households with regard to their energy usage has clocked up some "remarkable results" in Birmingham.

Over a 12-week period, the homes taking part in the trial, run by Digital Birmingham and Family Housing Association, saved over 10 tonnes of CO2, with some households saving around £35 per month in electricity costs.

DEHEMS smart meters - standing for Digital Environment Home Energy Management System - were installed in 49 homes in the city. The meters are linked to the mains electricity board to monitor usage overall, with some homes having socket monitors which can measure the usage of individual appliances. Electricity usage can be monitored via an 'online dashboard' on a PC, showing householders how much electricity they use and when they use it - and thus how they can adjust their behaviour and habits to save energy.

The Birmingham project, which covers homes in Lozells, Handsworth, and Edgbaston is part of a wider European DEHEMS initiative which is working with homes in Manchester and Bristol as well as in Bulgaria.

As well as the DEHEMS meter, residents taking part in the trial benefited from 'Green Doctor' training designed to change their behaviour and encourage efficient energy usage.

After monitoring their results for just one week, the average household in the Birmingham trial cut their energy usage by eight per cent. Research at the end of the 12 week trial showed that the number of people always turning off their lights when they leave a room, unplugging chargers from the mains, never leaving appliances on standby and boiling just enough water for one person when they use a kettle had, on average, doubled over the period.

Jean Allison from Handsworth is one person who believes that taking part in the trial has changed her behaviour for good.

"Before the project, it didn't matter if the kettle was filed that little bit more," she said.

"The information I now have thanks to the project has changed my behaviour - particularly with my wash cycle. We don't leave equipment plugged in all the time now; the computer is only one when it need to be used - and I know when my partner's sound system is on because I can see the electricity peak on the screen.

"It's had a great impact on my bills - my direct debit has gone down from £90 to £55 per month."

Research following the project revealed that two thirds of the participants believed environmental concerns were now as important to them as cost when making energy decisions. Over 80% said that having the meter installed helped them understand their energy use more.

Digital Birmingham says that the DEHEMS project shows how easy it is for individuals to make a difference.

"The interesting thing is people's understanding that being greener and more environmentally responsible doesn't just help save the planet, it can save money for the individual as well," said Heike Schuster-James, Digital Birmingham's programme and business manager.

"The average household saved over 46kwh of electricity over the 12 week trial - which equates to 229kg of CO2 - with very little change in lifestyle.

"It goes to prove that the individual can make a difference that matters to them - and collectively, to the community and the wider world."

Claire Hardwick, head of community investment at Family Housing Association, said: "We are delighted to be able to offer residents the chance to take part in this valuable project. Through learning more about how their home uses energy, householders are reducing their energy consumption; cutting the cost of their fuel bills as well as reducing their carbon emissions as a result.

"By understanding whether knowledge of energy consumption results in behavioural change, we can also establish the viability of introducing such a system across our stock and the potential impact on our financial inclusion work."

The DEHEMS project now enters stage three which includes the installation of a gas meter to enable residents to monitor their gas consumption for the first time and get a more rounded picture of their total household energy usage.

Cornwall MP warning over new solar farms

A rush of applications for solar farms in Cornwall may be curbed by the government, an MP has warned.

Cornwall Council has had 100 informal requests for solar farms. Four formal applications have been granted and eight are pending.

Developers want to take advantage of a guaranteed premium price paid for renewable energy.

George Eustice, MP for Camborne and Redruth, said the tariff should be aimed at domestic solar panels.

"The government has sent very strong signals to the industry that they don't want all this money spent on large-scale arrays.

"I think they would be happy to see a few of them as pilot projects, but they don't want to see all the money go that way," he said.

Mr Eustice said a lower feed-in tariff - the price paid for renewable energy fed into the electricity grid - may be introduced for large-scale solar farms.

Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said in a statement that he would act "if the current growth of solar farms gets out of hand".

Julian German, Cornwall Council cabinet member for the environment, said: "My opinion and the council's is that there won't be a change to the feed-in tariff before April 2012.

"We are concerned that we restrict the visual impact of large sites, but there are sites in Cornwall that can host such sites."

Will the UK follow Germany in the FIT reductions?

Just last week I saw the news that yet more changes are on the way this year for Germany’s feed-in tariff. However, in contrast with the usual ‘we’re cutting our rates’ scenario, the German Government has actually decided to increase the tariff should solar photovoltaic installations not reach expected heights. Since the UK Government seems intent on chopping the rates, despite the market’s infancy, I thought I should look into the differences between these two systems.

The German model

Germany’s solar market remains the most prominent in the world, its success forming the blueprint for fledgling countries such as the UK. The country now has over 17,000MW installed. One of the main reasons for the success of the German market is, of course, its generous feed-in tariff.

The FiT system certainly proved itself in Germany, yet all I read on the wires at the moment is how the country’s Government is planning on cutting the rates. Why would it want to do this?

In Germany, the Federal Network Agency, or Bundesnetzagentur, publishes the country's new tariffs for photovoltaic systems on an annual basis. Under the arrangements in the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), the Bundesnetzagentur determines the tariffs and degression for the upcoming year based on the data supplied by the PV system operators on new installations. The EEG sets forth a range of threshold values for a higher or lower degression level.

Throughout last year there was much to-ing and fro-ing surrounding the amount by which the tariff would be cut, with figures as high as 16% being bandied about. But according to the rates published in November 2010, photovoltaic systems due to begin operation in 2011 face a 13% cut in subsidy compared with previous tariffs. This cut also took into consideration falling PV equipment prices.

Impact of the German cut

The threatened decrease in subsidy payments spurred a huge amount of growth at the end of last year as project developers rushed to get their systems installed under the higher FiT rate. The pressure caused by these reports also left a lot of uncertainty in the market, as some news sites with Government sources were reporting that additional cuts were possible during 2011.

Last week, however, the German Government announced that further aggressive cuts to the German feed-in tariff, which were expected to take place mid-year on the back of installations exceeding 6GW in 2010, have been averted as the industry and Government came up with a provisional agreement for a new tariff structure. Although yet to be ratified into law, the new FiT structure limits regression to a maximum of 12% in July, should installations reach 6.5GW from March-May (normalised annually).

Further, the new mechanism also allows for an FiT increase should installations not reach 2.5GW. No cut would be implemented should installations fail to reach 3.5GW on a normalised annual run-rate based on installations from March to May 2011.

Importantly, the standard annual FiT reduction is expected to be changed from the current 21% reduction to a more palatable 9%, reviving the previously long-standing annual tariff regression rates.

The proposed tariff changes are as follows:

• 2.5GWp: FiT would be increased by 2.5%
• <> 6.5GWp: 12% FiT cut



This is, of course, great news for the German market investors and industry players alike.

UK market overview

The UK solar feed-in tariff was introduced in April 2010, as you all know. This was a huge move forward for the country’s renewable energy industry, which was before then pretty non-existent. Due to its novelty it took a little while to get off the ground, yet once word spread that you can actually get paid for producing your own energy, solar power installations sprung up in their hundreds.

These FiT rates were threatened just six months later.

Uncertainty central

At the time of the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), held on October 20th, the industry sat on the edge of its seat to hear whether or not the self-dubbed ‘greenest Government ever’ would adhere to rumours and cut the FiT off in its prime. Fortunately for the industry, the tariff was left alone – for the time being.



“The efficiency of feed-in tariffs will be improved at the next formal review, rebalancing them in favour of more cost-effective carbon abatement technologies. This will save £40 million in 2014-15.”

This means that unless the energy companies are absolutely bombarded with applications for solar installations, the review of tariffs will take place, as planned, in 2012. All changes made at this point will then take effect from 2013 onwards. The efforts made at this point are aimed at saving £40m, or 10% of the previous estimate of £400 million, in 2014 and 2015.

However, despite saying that changes could take place from 2013, the DECC did not say what these changes could be, or what the trigger that set the changes off would look like. At the time I asked a Department representative “just how much is too much in terms of bringing the date for change forward?” but was told that nothing would be announced until the end of the year.

While this indecision surrounding a possible reduction to the FiT shook investor confidence to an extent, it was about to be compressed further in the form of a threatened cut to the support for large-scale installations.

“We inherited a system that failed to anticipate industrial field arrays. While we will not act retrospectively, large field arrays should not be allowed to distort the market for roof mounted and other PV or other renewables,” outlined Climate Minister, Greg Barker post CSR.

If we bear in mind that the feed-in tariff had only been in place a few months at this point, the UK solar market had had quite a few speculative ups and downs – which in my opinion are far worse than concrete decisions. By this point, no one really knew a) what was happening and b) what the future held for the country’s solar industry. UK investors were scratching their heads, pondering what the Government was up to, while foreign investors ran for the hills. Those who had already spent thousands – if not millions – on solar enterprises were just plain angry.

Things took a final nosedive when it was reported that the total amount spent on FiTs during the period 2014-15 could now not exceed £360 million, which is a 10% reduction on the previous estimate of £400 million. This effectively capped the system, putting a final kybosh on the future of widespread installations.

Now, before the usual comments wondering why I’m talking about the FiT payments as a pot of money ensue; let me clarify this once and for all: the FiT policy is treated as public expenditure for reporting purposes for the OECD (the Office of Budget Responsibility) and the Office of National Statistics. It is also subjected to the same value for money assessment methodologies as “normal” public expenditure, and requires a Regulatory Impact Assessment, as well as falling under the requirements for EU State Aid clearance. The Treasury therefore has considerable locus and influence over the policy, regardless of it being funded by electricity bills rather than general taxation. The CSR’s agreed spending envelope for this policy is therefore subject to the same accountability as any other item of public expenditure, and the DECC Permanent Secretary fully accountable for its delivery on budget.

The REA strongly disagrees with the Government’s position on capping, as it believes that this “goes against the whole principle of a tariff-based mechanism. The 1.6% contribution assumed from small-scale renewables had always been viewed as the estimated contribution; it was never originally intended to be a cap.” By placing a limit on the amount of money that could go into the FiT, the system is not an FiT at all.

Cuts confusion

It was at this point that I started wondering what on Earth was going on in the Government’s mind. By scaring investors and limiting the amount of money that can be spent on FiT payments, the UK solar market could surely not evolve into a long-term energy solution. Does the UK Government not care about generating renewable electricity? Is it just concerned with reaching targets and saving money? Was the implementation of the FiT just for appearance’s sake? I’d like to think not, but faced with the evidence set out here it’s hard to assume otherwise.

So, what’s going on?

Ashamed as I am to admit it, the UK has again got it wrong. We tried to learn from the ways of the Germans, following their glowing example of how the FiT policy can work, and work well, yet we screwed it up.

The German Government is clearly intent on making its renewable energy policy function in order to cut the country’s carbon footprint, thus increasing the amount of green jobs and promoting the industry to the best of its ability. The UK, however, seems intent on making threats left, right and centre, which is having a severely negative effect on the industry as a whole.

Germany carefully considers the feed-in tariff each year, making sure that any changes are in line with market developments, and even plans to increase the rates should installation figures begin to fall. In contrast, although the UK is yet to actually cut the tariff rates, the frequent suggestion that it will happen is enough to stop installations in their tracks, rather than spur them on before it occurs. For such a fledgling industry a cap is borderline preposterous.

While the UK Government has clearly looked to Germany for an example of how a feed-in tariff should be structured, it seems that only half of the research was done. The UK is not reacting to the market conditions; it is making rash decisions based on monetary values.

Will we meet our EU carbon reduction targets this way? No, we most certainly will not.




by Emma Hughes

Renewable energy will soon out-strip demand for oil, BP forecasts

The demand for renewable energy will overtake the need for oil for the first time ever, according to BP’s latest projection of energy trends - the BP Energy Outlook 2030.

According to the oil giant's analysis, the diversification of energy sources will increase and non-fossil fuels (nuclear, hydro and renewables) are together expected to be the biggest source of growth for the first time.

Between 2010 to 2030 the contribution to energy growth of renewables (solar, wind, geothermal and biofuels) is seen to increase from 5% to 18%.

According to the report, natural gas is projected to be the fastest growing fossil fuel, and coal and oil are likely to lose market share as all fossil fuels experience lower growth rates.

It forecasts fossil fuels’ contribution to primary energy growth is projected to fall from 83% to 64%. and OECD oil demand peaked in 2005 and in 2030 is projected to be roughly back at its level in 1990. Biofuels will account for 9% of global transport fuels.

The BP Energy Outlook 2030 is the first of BP’s forward-looking analyses to be published, after 60 years of producing definitive historical data in the BP Statistical Review of World Energy.

In launching the BP Energy Outlook 2030, Group Chief Executive Bob Dudley said: “The issues covered in this document are huge ones – the effort to provide energy to fuel the global economy, sustainably, in an era of unprecedented growth. I believe one of our responsibilities is to share the information we have, to inform the debate on energy, and now on climate change.”

“What producers, governments and consumers all want is secure, affordable and sustainable energy. But on a global scale, this remains an aspiration. And to meet that aspiration over the next two decades, we need smart, market-oriented policies to deliver the energy we need in a manageable way – without inhibiting economic development or jeopardising the improvements in living standards now being experienced by billions of people worldwide.”

“I need to emphasize that the BP Energy Outlook 2030 base case is a projection, not a proposition. It is our dispassionate view of what we believe is most likely to happen on the basis of the evidence.

“For example, we are not as optimistic as others about progress in reducing carbon emissions. But that doesn’t mean we oppose such progress. As you probably know, BP has a 15-year record of calling for more action from governments, including the wide application of a carbon price.

“Our base case assumes that countries continue to make some progress on addressing climate change, based on the current and expected level of political commitment. But overall, for me personally, it is a wake-up call.”

The report says the strong carbon policy drive in OECD countries risks being more than offset by growth in emerging economies.

According to the analysis, wind, solar, bio-fuels and other renewables will continue to grow strongly, increasing their share in primary energy from less than 2% now to more than 6% projected by 2030. Biofuels will provide 9% of transport fuels and nuclear and hydropower will grow steadily and gain market share in total energy consumption.

The US and Brazil will continue to dominate biofuel production with 76% of total output in 2010 but falling to 68% in 2030 as output from Asia-Pacific begins to rise.

“The global fuel mix continues to diversify – but for the first time, non-fossil fuels will be major sources of supply growth,” said Rühl.

Environmental policy The Energy Outlook 2030 assumes continued policy action to address concerns about both climate change and energy security, based on the current trend of political commitment. BP has developed an alternative ‘policy case’ to explore the implications of a significant increase in the level of political commitment which translates into a tightening of policy.

“The key focus of the policy case is to reduce dependence on carbon intensive fuels. This can be achieved through a wide range of policy instruments, including various ways of putting a price on carbon,” said Rühl.

“In BP’s policy case “global emissions peak just after 2020, but will still be 20% above 2005 levels. The emissions path is still expected to be well above the International Energy Agency’s 450 Scenario, indicating how much more effort will be required after 2030 to put the world onto a ‘safe’ path.”

Rühl explained a cut in emissions in the policy case would be achieved through a combination of more rapid efficiency gains, fuel switching – from gas to coal and from fossil fuels to nuclear, hydro and renewables – and the introduction of carbon capture and storage (CCS) for both coal and gas power plants.

by ClickGreen

UK lawmakers call for energy rationing with personal fuel quotas

An influential group of MPs has recommended the introduction of a system of energy rationing to ensure the UK remains on course to achieve its carbon reduction targets.

The cross-party committee suggests the nation's adult population would each be granted an equal free quota of energy units, which would be traded in every time gas and electricity was purchased and even when filling the car with petrol.

Under the Tradable Energy Quotas (TEQs) scheme, the amount every adult received would be equal but not necessarily enough to meet their needs - forcing people to directly think about their energy use.

Remaining units would be free to be bought and sold, while businesses and Government would have to buy their units in a regular auction which would generate money to help fund the transition to a low-carbon economy.

The total number of credits on the market will gradually decline over a 20 year period to reduce the nation's dependence on fossil fuel energy.

The units could be rated on the basis of how much carbon they produce, as part of efforts to meet national carbon "budgets" and reduce the UK's emissions by 80% by 2050, the report by the Lean Economy Connection for the All Party Parliamentary Group on Peak Oil said.

Or in times of power scarcity they could be rated on the quantity of energy used, to ensure that everybody gets a fair amount of the available energy and the poor are not left struggling in fuel poverty as costs continue to soar.

TEQs (pronounced “tex”) are measured in units and every adult is given an equal free entitlement of TEQs units. Industry and Government bid for their units at a weekly tender.

At the start of the scheme, a full year’s supply of units is placed on the market. Then, every week, the number of units in the market is topped up with a week’s supply.

If consumers use less than their entitlement of units, they can sell their surplus and if they need more, they can buy them.

The report authors suggest all fuels (and electricity) carry a “rating” in units, with one unit represents one kilogram of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent in other greenhouse gases, released when the fuel is used.

They envisage when consumers buy energy, such as petrol or electricity, units corresponding to the amount of energy they have bought are deducted from their TEQs account, in addition to the money payment. TEQs transactions will be automatic, using credit-card or (more usually) direct-debit technology.

The proposals suggest the number of units available on the market is set out in the TEQs Budget, which looks 20 years ahead and he size of the Budget goes down year-by-year – step-by-step, like a staircase.

The Budget is set by the Energy Policy Committee, which will be independent of the Government.

Caroline Lucas, Leader of the Green Party and MP for Brighton Pavilion, said: “TEQs have long been Green Party policy, as we believe that we need a fair and transparent system to reduce energy demand and give each person a direct connection to the carbon emissions associated with their lifestyle.

“The TEQs scheme would guarantee that the UK's targeted carbon reductions are actually achieved, while ensuring fair shares of available energy.

And Jeremy Leggett, author, and Chairman of Solarcentury - a member company of the UK Industry Taskforce on Peak Oil, added: “What I like about TEQs is the fairness of it. When the energy crunch hits us, it will behove government and industry to ensure equitable access to available energy, within a national budget.

“TEQs is a route to synergisitic efforts of the kind we will need if we are to mobilise the infrastructure of a zero-carbon future fast, under pressure. It would increase the chances of working our way through the grim times to renaissance-through-resilience.

Tim Yeo MP, Chairman, House of Commons Energy and Climate Change Select Committee, said of the report's proposals: “Whilst I am less convinced than some people about the imminence of peak oil I firmly believe, regardless of this, that tradable personal carbon allowances could make a big contribution to reducing energy consumption and therefore carbon emissions in Britain.

“I also believe that it is extremely urgent for Britain, and all developed countries, to move away from a fossil fuel-based economy as quickly as possible.”

The report warned that without a TEQs system, the UK would struggle to meet its carbon reduction budgets or cope with predicted energy scarcity in the future.

John Hemming MP, Chairman, All Party Parliamentary Group on Peak Oil and Gas, said: "We urgently need to have a system in place to mitigate the economic and social consequences of peak oil. I believe TEQs provide the fairest and most productive way to deal with the oil crisis and to simultaneously guarantee reductions in fossil fuel use to meet climate change targets."

And Colin Challen, Founder Chairman, All Party Parliamentary Group on Climate Change, added:
"A concept of brilliant simplicity, offering a predictable and orderly reduction of greenhouse gas emissions year-on-year, with flexibility in an enclosed system, independent of taxation
and providing complete transparency between goals and delivery."

Jonathon Porritt, Founder Director, Forum for the Future, said of the report's proposals: "This eloquently presented proposal merits very serious consideration by all political parties. There remains an undeniable gap between the current policy mix and what we actually need to do urgently both to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and to avoid the potentially devastating consequences of declining fossil fuels.

“TEQs offer significant policy advantages in addressing both these pressing imperatives."

The All Party Parliamentary Group on Peak Oil was set up in July 2007 to review estimates of future oil production and consider the consequences of declining world oil production for the UK and world economy.

Report authors, the Lean Economy Connection, is an independent research centre founded by Dr David Fleming in 1994 to develop the application of lean thinking to environment policy

London to Edinburgh by electric car: it was quicker by 1830's stagecoach

In its obsessive desire to promote the virtues of electric cars, the BBC proudly showed us last week how its reporter Brian Milligan was able to drive an electric Mini from London to Edinburgh in a mere four days – with nine stops of up to 10 hours to recharge the batteries (with electricity from fossil fuels).

What the BBC omitted to tell us was that in the 1830s, a stagecoach was able to make the same journey in half the time, with two days and nights of continuous driving. This did require 50 stops to change horses, but each of these took only two minutes, giving a total stopping time of just over an hour and a half.

Considering that horse power was carbon-free, emitting only organic fertiliser along the way, isn’t it time the eco-conscious BBC became more technologically savvy?

Friday fun... Fox shot human

A wounded fox shot its would be killer in Belarus by pulling the trigger on the hunter's gun as the pair scuffled after the man tried to finish the animal off with the butt of the rifle, media said Thursday.

The unnamed hunter, who had approached the fox after wounding it from a distance, was in hospital with a leg wound, while the fox made its escape, media said, citing prosecutors from the Grodno region.

"The animal fiercely resisted and in the struggle accidentally pulled the trigger with its paw," one prosecutor was quoted as saying.

Fox-hunting is popular in the picturesque farming region of northwestern Belarus which borders Poland.

Is Biomass Clean or Dirty Energy?

Should turning tree parts into electricity qualify as renewable power or is the practice dirtier than burning coal?

The Obama administration put off for another three years a decision on whether to regulate planet-warming gases from biomass power. The surprise delay dealt a blow to green groups' hopes for pollution controls on wood-burning incinerators anytime soon, while industry breathed sighs of relief.

"It was a total shock," said Margaret Sheehan, a lawyer with the Cambridge, Mass.-based Biomass Accountability Project, who said that she believes Big Timber was behind the U.S. EPA's decision.

Dan Whiting, spokesperson for the National Alliance for Forest Owners (NAFO), an organization of private forest owners in 47 states, said he was "pleasantly surprised."

Still, the delay leaves wide open a question central to the industry's future: Should turning tree parts into electricity qualify as clean renewable power in the eyes of government regulators, or should biomass emissions be regarded as a source of greenhouse gas pollution?

The verdict on that, however it is decided, will have major implications for developers of the $1 billion industry and U.S. states striving to meet clean energy targets.

Biomass includes plant waste, wood chips, organic debris and whole trees, and industry representatives say burning it is "carbon neutral." They argue that new growth absorbs CO2 and cancels out emissions spewed into the atmosphere from burning the wood.

"Biomass greenhouse gas emissions ... are part of the natural carbon cycle, and they don't increase carbon in the atmosphere," Whiting told SolveClimate News.

Conservationists dispute that claim with a very different understanding of what constitutes the natural carbon cycle. Rotting biomass enriches soils, which capture and sequester some of the carbon of the once-living plant tissue.

They argue that biomass combustion produces more CO2 than burning fossil fuels — by how much varies depending on the type of materials and how they are transported. Harvesting whole trees is seen as the worst for climate change. But Sheehan said that using logging leftovers is not much better.

"It's not really waste. It's part of a natural carbon cycle. If we vacuum up the forest floor to burn all the twigs and leftover debris, then they will continue to deplete our soil," she told SolveClimate News.

EPA said it would bring the best science to bear on the issues over the next three years. By July 2014, it will decide how to treat biomass under its "tailoring" rule, which determines which polluters are required to account for their emissions under the Clean Air Act.

EPA began formally regulating heat-trapping gases from power plants and refineries on January 2 under the rule.

in May 2010, EPA proposed that emissions from biomass combustion be regarded as greenhouse gas emissions, but in July, the agency released a "call for information" on the issue and received more than 7,000 comments. The following month, NAFO sent a petition urging the agency to exclude biomass facilities from regulation altogether, which led to this week's decision.

Industry to Feel 'Significant Regulatory Chill?'

Sheehan said "the significant regulatory chill" may "throw the entire industry in chaos."

"The simple fact that EPA is calling for a three-year study of the carbon neutrality issue indicates that there is a serious question here," she said. "In the past, biomass has gotten a completely free pass. It's been just assumed with no questions that it was climate neutral."

Industry representatives disagreed.

Bob Cleaves, CEO and president of the Biomass Power Association (BPA), the largest U.S. biomass trade group, said the decision "provides a lot of regulatory certainty at the moment."

"Three years is a long time," he told SolveClimate News. "During that period, projects that are viable and are ready to be permitted, will be permitted."

Industry believes its arguments will win out in the EPA review process. "The science is very clearly on our side. Biogenic emissions are far different than fossil fuels, and they're beneficial to the climate," Whiting said.

Trees Instead of Coal ?

In the meantime — as the agency considers the future of biomass energy policy in the nation — it gave the industry the greenlight to use biomass at coal burning and other fossil-powered facilities to control pollution, a designation known as "Best Available Control Technology."

Sheehan called the idea of burning woody material to clean-up coal "ironic."

"The science already shows that for greenhouse gases, biomass is dirtier than coal," she said.

Kevin Bundy, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, agreed: "The EPA’s Orwellian suggestion that biomass pollution is a form of pollution control makes it look like the agency has already made up its mind to ignore the science."

BPA, which represents 80 biomass power plants, said the decision to qualify biomass as BACT "is really helpful."

"I would be absolutely shocked if EPA three years from now, says 'We've actually reconsidered the science,'" Cleaves said.

Coal Instead of Trees?

Industry fears that if biomass emissions were regulated under the tailoring rule, power producers would be encouraged to burn more coal instead, at a time when the nation is grappling with downsizing its carbon ouput during a time of record-breaking temperature increases.

"Obviously fossil fuels are a more efficient energy source, and if you layer on too many regulations ... utilities and other producers are going to lean toward fossil fuel use," Whiting said.

A recent study out of the University of Washington supported that pint of view. Called Unintended Consequences of the Tailoring Rule’s Treatment of Biomass, a compilation of previous research, the study concluded that "new investment in bioenergy development will be discouraged and existing biofuel facilities may be motivated to shut down or use more fossil fuels."

The resource is seen as a particularly valuable in Southern states, which lack wind and solar opportunities available in other states.

For Sheehan and other advocates, the game plan now is to try to put the industry a freeze on growth of the industry until 2014.

"We will be calling for a moratorium on all permitting for biomass plants during this three-year period," she said.

Cleaves of BPA said "the idea of a moratorium has no basis in law" under the Clean Air Act, which "certainly doesn't prohibit biomass plants from being constructed."

"To the contrary," he said, "I think every government out there is encouraging biomass."



By Stacy Feldman

Round-up of largest renewables projects of 2010

A recently published round-up of the biggest renewable energy projects completed during the year shows that, despite the global recession, the renewable energy sector remained buoyant during 2010. The list of record-breaking projects was put together by the editors of Renewable Energy World.
Offshore wind

2010 was the year in which offshore wind came of age. The UK’s Crown Estate led the way, announcing the winners of its Round 3 tender process in January 2010, which will see an additional 32 GW of clean electricity feeding into the UK grid from offshore wind farms in the North Sea, on top of the 8 GW planned from previous rounds.

This initiative is by far and the way the largest of its kind currently under way in the world and has also meant that some of the largest offshore wind projects to be completed in 2010 were located around the UK; the biggest being the $1.2 billion Thanet offshore wind farm near the coast of Kent. This 300-MW array officially started sending power to the grid in the last quarter of the year and is currently the largest offshore wind farm in the world.

Despite its impressive size, Thanet will be dwarfed by subsequent wind farms that are in the pipeline as part of Round 3, including Dogger Bank at 9 GW, Norfolk Bank (7.2 GW), and Irish Sea (4.2 GW).

Returning to the largest projects of 2010, Thanet was followed by Rødsand II, a 207-MW extension of an existing wind farm in Denmark installed by E.ON in 2010, and the 180-MW Robin Rigg wind farm, again constructed by E.ON in April. This is Scotland's first offshore wind farm. Onshore wind Turning to wind farms on land, the US was the place to be in 2010, with the Roscoe wind farm – the largest onshore wind farm in the world – being commissioned in November. This 781.5-MW wind farm was closely followed by the Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center at 735.5 MW. The largest wind farm under construction is also in the US and consists of the 800-MW Alta Wind Energy Center, while the largest proposed project is the massive 10-GW Gansu wind farm in China; a country which will undoubtedly boast some of the largest wind projects in 2011.

Hydroelectric

Renewable Energy World turned to the editors of Hydroworld.com to look at the biggest projects in the hydroelectric sector, finding that the largest project that began operation in 2010 also holds the record as Southeast Asia's largest hydroelectric power station. The first of six turbines at Vietnam’s 2.4-GW Son La station was connected to the national power grid in late December, and it is forecast that the two-billion-dollar plant will be fully operational in 2012, three years ahead of a target set by the National Assembly.

South East Asia is also home to the second largest project that went online in 2010. The Nam Theun 2 hydroelectric power project in Laos was completed in December at a cost of $1.45 billion and has a capacity of 1,070-MW. The project is co-owned by Electricite de France, the Lao government, the Electricity Generating Public Co. of Thailand and Italian-Thai Development.

Major hydro power projects were also completed in Brazil (the 855-MW Foz do Chapeco hydropower plant) and Ethiopia (the 460-MW Beles plant), while the largest hydroelectric project in North America (the Toba Montrose project) went online in British Columbia (Canada) after three years of construction and at a cost of $663 million.

Solar photovoltaic

Europe was very much at the forefront of major solar photovoltaic (PV) projects throughout last year, with all but the largest of the top eight projects being constructed in Italy, Germany and Spain. Nonetheless, prompted by a succulent feed-in tariff, the largest solar PV array to be completed in 2010 was located in Ontario (Canada), after solar developers chose to expand the Sarnia PV plant to a 97-MW capacity.

Developed by SunRay Renewable and acquired by SunPower in February 2010, the Montalto di Castro in Italy followed closely behind the Sarnia plant, with a capacity of 84.2 MW. Third slot was held by Q-cells International’s 80.7-MW Solarpark Finsterwalde I,II,III in Germany.

Geothermal

Renewable Energy World found that while the US continues to lead in overall geothermal development, the top three biggest geothermal projects completed during 2010 were all located outside the country.

The biggest plant in 2010 was built at Rotokawa in New Zealand. Coming in at 132-MW, Mighty River Power’s Nga Awa Purua plant is the largest single-turbine project ever developed.

Italy again figured as host of one of the flagship renewable projects of the year, when the second-largest geothermal plant to be constructed in 2010 was competed at the Larderello field, which has been under exploitation for 80 years. Enel Green Power’s Nuova Radicondoli 2 and Chiusdino 1 wells, both 20-MW, came online this year.

Finally, Africa was home to the third biggest project fully completed in 2010. Sited in Kenya, the 35-MW expansion of the Olkaria II power plant brought the entire project to a total capacity of 105 MW, making it the largest geothermal plant in Africa.

Biofuels

The US and Brazil were the most favorable locations for new ethanol plants last year, with most of the sector’s top eight projects being started up in these two countries. The developer ADM was responsible for the two largest plants, located in Iowa and Nebraska (US). Each has a maximum output of 300 million gallons per annum and uses corn as a feed stock.

Brazil is home to the sixth, seventh and eighth largest plants, the first two in Goiás and with capacities of 98 and 95 million gallons per annum each, and the latter sited in Mato Grosso, also with a capacity of 95 million gallons per year. All three plants operate using sugarcane.

In the renewable diesel segment, Dynmic Fuels in Geismar, Louisiana (US) headed the field, when its synthetic diesel plant was commissioned. The plant produces 75 million gallons of renewable fuels per year from non-food grade animal fats produced or procured by Tyson Foods.

Nestlé Oil opened the largest renewable diesel plant in the world in 2010. Located in Singapore, the plant produces 240 million gallons per annum of NExBTL renewable diesel from a mix of palm oil, rapeseed oil, and waste fat from the food industry.

While the list compiled by Renewable Energy World is certainly not definitive, leaving out for example the solar thermal electric sector that saw a number of major new plants go live during 2010 including Acciona’s Palma del Rio facility in Cordoba (Spain), it does go some way to reflecting how much progress the clean energy sector is making as we move forward into the next decade.

The electric Rolls Royce: Luxury firm plans eco-friendly vehicle

At 15 miles to the gallon, the Phantom is hardly a car for the carbon-conscious. But all that might be about to change.

Rolls-Royce is planning an electric limousine, which would be rechargeable...with zero emissions.

There has been speculation for two years that Rolls-Royce was planning a top secret electric model.
Confirmed: Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes, CEO of Rolls Royce, told the Daily Mail before Christmas that an electric or alternatively-fuelled model would be a ‘good idea’
Then, before Christmas, Rolls-Royce’s chief executive said an electric or alternatively-fuelled ‘experimental’ Rolls-Royce model would be a ‘good idea’.
And yesterday, Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes confirmed ‘all options’ for alternatively-fuelled vehicles were being considered.

A super-green car for the wealthy could be on the road in time for the 2012 Olympics where parent company BMW will be showcasing its ground-breaking electric and environmentally-friendly technology to the world.
The company's flagship £300,000 Phantoms currently manage just 15 miles to the gallon.
There has been intense speculation over the last two years that Rolls-Royce was planning a top secret electric car.
Mr Mueller-Oetvoes increased that speculation when he told the Daily Mail before Christmas that an electric or alternatively-fuelled ‘experimental’ Rolls-Royce model would be a ‘good idea.’

BMW, which also owns British-based MINI, has already launched an electric powered MINI-E which can be re-charged from the mains.

With the world’s eyes watching the 2012 Olympics - where parent company BMW will be showing off their low-emissions cars to ferry 80,000 VIPs to and from venues - it could be the perfect opportunity to showcase just such a vehicle running on electric power, or even a fuel-cell.
British gangster movie director Guy Ritchie, former husband of Madonna, took delivery of one before Christmas
Mr Mueller-Oetvoes said: 'We are not going to make any rash decisions. It would be wrong for the brand and wrong for our customers if we were to take a decision without fully exploring all options.'

Traditionally, Rolls-Royce has produced one-off ‘experimental’ models to showcase to potential the luxury car company’s latest technological advances.
When the Daily Mail pressed Mr Mueller-Oetvoes before Christmas that a super-green electric Rolls-Royce using the latest in environmentally-friendly technology for the super-rich with a conscience would make an ideal new ‘experimental’ model, he acknowledged it would be a ‘good idea’.

He was speaking as Rolls-Royce announced record annual car sales in 2010 - up 171per cent on 2009 and more than double the previous record of 1,212 cars set in 2008. In 2009 the company sold 1,002 cars.
The USA remained the biggest single market for Rolls-Royce in 2010, followed by China and the UK with all areas showing ‘significant growth’, particularly in Asia Pacific, the USA and the Middle East.
Wealthy women, like Paris Hilton pictured test driving a Roller, buying the smaller ‘baby’ Rolls-Royce Ghost models are fuelling the boom in sales from the company’s hi-tech factory
Wealthy women buying the smaller ‘baby’ Rolls-Royce Ghost models are fuelling the boom in sales from the company’s hi-tech factory is in the grounds of the Earl of March’s Goodwood estate.
Pop star and Geordie X Factor judge Cheryl Cole has one of the £196,000 cars, and British gangster movie director Guy Ritchie, former husband of Madonna, took delivery of one before Christmas.
The company sells about three Ghosts to every one Phantom.
Mr Mueller-Oetvoes told the Daily Mail that women are attracted to the car’s ‘masculinity’ and now account for up to 10 per cent of sales of the Ghost, a more compact and ‘less formal’ Royce saloon than the massive £300,000 Phantom.
'Women love their Ghosts. But they are not buying a car for women. Rolls-Royce is a male brand. And women like that. It’s a nice masculine car. ‘
But female customers do like to customise their interiors with a more feminine choice of colours and detailing, leathers and stitching, he said.

Although sales are bucking the economic gloom, the Rolls-Royce boss did admit that colour schemes are more in tune with the downbeat mood, with a shift from ‘bling’ to more subtle interior shades: There’s a degree of sobriety.'

China Moves Toward Carbon Emissions Trading to Improve Energy Efficiency and Competitiveness

SHANGHAI - When professor Chen Hongbo tried to promote carbon trading in China three years ago, he found himself under fire. As developing countries like China aren't obliged to limit the byproduct of their economic growth, opponents argued vehemently that they saw no need to motivate Chinese industries to either emit less greenhouse gases or pay for their emissions.

Today, China is still free of that obligation, but the internal dispute seems to have ended. In its proposed development plan for the next five years, the government has for the first time revealed its interest in building a domestic carbon market.

"Everybody now agrees this is a must," said Chen, an associate professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a key government think tank in Beijing.

What silenced the dispute, according to Chen, was the recognition that carbon trading not only tightens a valve on China's greenhouse gas emissions, but also goes hand in hand with another primary concern -- energy efficiency.

To make local businesses more competitive and ensure national energy security, the Chinese government has been scrambling for ways to reduce the country's energy use. But its previous attempts -- such as simply shutting down inefficient factories -- cost jobs and couldn't be scaled up.

Carbon trading, however, may serve the mission better. In a nation where nearly 70 percent of the power supply comes from coal, a high carbon-emitting fuel, putting a price on carbon could drive businesses to use energy more wisely.

For now, China's only way to engage in carbon trading is through the United Nations' Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), a carbon emission credit system under the Kyoto Protocol. But with the clock ticking toward the expiration of the protocol in 2012, Chinese leaders appear to feel a greater urgency about building an alternative scheme at home in China.

Already, several Chinese cities are experimenting with carbon trading among local businesses, Xie Zhenhua, a deputy director from the National Development and Reform Commission, China's economic planning agency, told reporters in Beijing last November.

And looking into the next five years, "we are likely to move faster [in terms of developing domestic carbon trading]," Xie said.

This move is being watched closely by Western countries, which view it as a step forward to combat global warming, and also by other major emitters from the developing world. Aside from Europe, the United States has the most experience with emissions trading. It developed a cap-and-trade system in the 1990s that successfully reduced sulfur emissions that cause acid rain.

The greenhouse gas form of this market-based system of emissions reductions -- originally designed to appeal to businessmen and Republicans -- failed to pass the U.S. Senate last year, and Republicans demonized it as "cap and tax" in recent congressional elections.

China's use of the practice could demonstrate to other developing countries how to use carbon trading as a lever to achieve low-carbon growth, said Ashok Bhargava, a senior energy specialist from the Asian Development Bank.

Seeking another way out of a dangerous spiral

In 2010, China estimated it used 20 percent less energy for each unit of economic output than in 2005, achieving a landmark victory in its fight for energy efficiency. But that is viewed as merely one battle in a much greater war.

Simon Powell, head of sustainable research of CLSA, an Asia-focused investment group in Hong Kong, noted that China's heavy industries -- such as steel mills and cement makers -- still require more energy than their foreign peers to produce the same goods.

"So in a world where China's currency might strengthen, Beijing recognizes that some of these industries need to move to remain competitive," Powell said.

Additionally, Beijing is facing a growing threat on its energy security front. In 2009, the perennial coal exporter for the first time bought more from abroad than it sent out. And this trend continued into the first half year of 2010 at an even faster pace, according to the latest official statistics.

Improving energy efficiency, Powell said, is a key to maintaining competitiveness of Chinese businesses on the global stage and mitigating the risk of overreliance on imported fuels.

Indeed, many expect Beijing to unveil another goal for energy efficiency in March during the next annual meeting of the Congress. But what seems more urgent is finding a way to meet the upcoming goal.

To ensure the success of China's energy efficiency campaign, Beijing had urged industries to eliminate inefficient capacity during the past few years. In the last summer alone, more than 2,000 factories were shut down, which raised the question of whether such a practice could hurt social stability.

Worse yet, in order to satisfy their superiors, local officials began rushing for energy cuts by hook or by crook. One of those infamous stories came from north China's Anping town, where the local government cut off electricity supplies to factories, households and even hospitals.

As problems emerged from their previous attempts, Chinese policymakers started seeking new means to skin the cat. Then carbon emissions trading caught their eyes.

Can't depend on the CDM

Chinese policymakers and carbon trading are no strangers to each other. Policymakers first learned the economic importance of this market in 2005, when China stepped into international carbon trading through the CDM.

Overseen by the United Nations, the CDM allows companies in industrialized nations to sponsor greenhouse gas emissions-reducing projects in developing countries. As a result, the sponsor offsets emissions with a lower cost, while the host country obtains cash from implementing low-carbon technologies.

Through this system, Chinese sold nearly $1.3 billion carbon credits in 2009 alone, according to the China Beijing Environmental Exchange, a major platform that facilitates CDM transactions. And the money has helped businesses here upgrade technologies and save energy, Beijing reported happily in its 2010 annual climate change statement.

There's only one problem: China may no longer benefit from the CDM.

Carter Brandon, the World Bank's lead environmental economist in Beijing, said that if international climate change talks don't result in the renewal of the Kyoto Protocol, "the future of the CDM is very much in doubt."

"Even if the CDM continues, it isn't clear whether the buyers will want to buy credits from China," Brandon added. He pointed out that the Europeans -- dominant buyers in the CDM -- now prefer to sponsor less-developed countries rather than the world's second-largest economy, China.

His view is supported by other experts. In a 2009 report, the Copenhagen Climate Council, an international environmental group, raised doubts as to whether the proliferation of CDM projects in China has undermined the need for Chinese leaders to launch their own carbon trading scheme.

"So politically and economically, China can't depend on the CDM," Brandon said.

The Chinese carbon market is in sight

Chinese leaders appear to be aware of that problem. Last October, Beijing documented its desire to develop a domestic carbon market and high-level officials began talking about this issue openly. Meanwhile, the real question is what the Chinese carbon market would look like.

Yang Zhi, who heads the Climate Change and Low-carbon Economy Research Institute of China's Renmin University, predicted that China would cap the emissions of energy-intensive industries, as Europe has done. That is because China pledged a 40 to 45 percent cut in its emissions per unit of economic output by 2020, compared with 2005 levels. Yang said such goal could translate into the specific amounts that industries can emit.

But not everyone agrees. Other experts, like Chen, argued that even if China wants to launch a mandatory carbon trading scheme, it is far from ready.

Although several cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin, started testing voluntary carbon trading two years ago, the infrastructure in China is virtually nonexistent. To date, China still lacks essential legislation and third-party verifications to support domestic carbon trading.

Thus, Chinese leaders and industry players should first warm up with voluntary carbon trading, said Chen, adding that the first step is to improve the infrastructure.

That seems to match the government view. Local media cited Chinese officials as saying that the nation's first regulation on voluntary emissions trading is already drafted. And the Tianjin Climate Exchange, one of China's three major voluntary environmental exchanges, is working with Asian Development Bank to tailor a carbon trading platform.

Bhargava, who directs this project in the Asian Development Bank, said that the cooperation includes various aspects, from designing legal frameworks to developing a system for monitoring, reporting and verification of emissions data.

Despite the uncertainty over the nature of China's carbon trading scheme, Bhargava said he is optimistic regarding the development of this market.

"Whatever China decides to do, they do it very quickly," Bhargava said. "China has shown a lot of commitments, and interest now in developing domestic carbon trading. We expect something should be up and running about it very soon."




by COCO LIU of ClimateWire

Harvesting energy: body heat to warm buildings

Body heat is not an energy source that normally springs to mind when companies want to keep down soaring energy costs.

But it did spring to the mind of one Swedish company, which decided the warmth that everybody generates naturally was in fact a resource that was going to waste.

Jernhusen, a real estate company in Stockholm, has found a way to channel the body heat from the hoards of commuters passing through Stockholm's Central Station to warm another building that is just across the road.

"This is old technology being used in a new way. The only difference here is that we've shifted energy between two different buildings," says Klas Johnasson, who is one of the creators of the system and head of Jernhusen's environmental division.

"There are about 250,000 people a day who pass through Stockholm Central Station. They in themselves generate a bit of heat. But they also do a lot of activities. They buy food, they buy drinks, they buy newspapers and they buy books.

Excess body heat
All this energy generates an enormous amount of heat. So why shouldn't we use this heat. It's there. If we don't use it then it will just be ventilated away to no avail."

So how does the system work in practice?
Heat exchangers in the Central Station's ventilation system convert the excess body heat into hot water.

That is then pumped to the heating system in the nearby building to keep it warm.
Not only is the system environmentally friendly but it also lowers the energy costs of the office block by as much as 25%.

"This is generally good business," says Mr Johansson. "We save money in energy costs and so the building becomes worth more.

"We are quite surprised that people haven't done this before. For a large scale project like Kungbrohuset (the office block) this means a lot of money."

Over the next 40 years, most experts agree that the supply of oil and gas will become less abundant.

There will be strong competition and higher prices for the resources that remain. Given the abundance of human body heat worldwide and the growing need for renewable energy to replace costly fossil fuels - is this Swedish idea going to catch on?

Costs and benefits
"People are now starting to think about urban heat distribution networks everywhere," says Doug King, a consultant specialising in design innovation and sustainable development in construction.

"But the financial costs and the benefits will depend very much on the climate and the pricing of energy in a particular country."

He explains that harnessing body heat works particularly well in Sweden because of their low winter temperatures and high gas prices.

Spin offs
"It means a low-grade waste heat source, like body heat, can be used advantageously. It's worth them spending a little bit of money on electricity to move heat from building to building, rather than spending a lot on heating with gas."

Mr Johansson is hoping there will be a lot of spin offs from their idea at Stockholm Central Station: "To get energy usage down in buildings what we need to do is use the energy that is being produced all around us.

"We own both Central Station and Kungbrohuset along with the land in between. So we are in charge of all of it and that has made it easier for us. But this doesn't mean that it cannot be done otherwise. It just means that real estate owners have to collaborate with each other."

He also advocates sustainability. "It's important in Sweden. But it should be important everywhere. Sustainability is the key ingredient to the future of mankind. We need to get sustainable with energy if we are supposed to live on this planet for a long time to come."

But what about the Swedish commuters in the station - will they be the ones left out in the cold?

"The commuters won't get chilly because we don't steal energy from Central Station we use excess heat that was already there before," says Mr Johansson.

So, with its freezing winters, green credentials and high energy costs, Sweden takes a creative approach to heating.

To stay warm all they need to do is keep the heat on. And, if Stockholm's Central Station stays busy then for one building at least it is well on the road to a low carbon and energy secure future

Freak solar storm could hit London Olympics

London with 9.3 billion pounds sitting on the 2012 London Olympics, organisers have every reason to worry that a peak solar storm could hit the event.

The solar flare could disrupt power supply, damage communication satellites and force planes to divert.

The Games' organisers have admitted to monitoring the situation carefully after the Met office warned that the next solar storm may occur during the Games, the Daily Mail reported.

The Met office said it could cause a national grid failure up to 12 hours and damage 30 percent of satellites, disrupting communications, earth observation facilities and position navigation and timing services including GPS.

A weather expert said: "Extreme space weather events typically occur at the solar maximum, which itself follows a roughly 11-year cycle. The next solar maximum is expected around 2012-13 - potentially coinciding with the London Olympic Games."

The most powerful solar storm to hit earth was the 1859 Carrington event, which was blamed for telegraph systems failing in North America and Europe.

Walk to charge your mobile phone.

There is yet another reason to walk or run now, other than for just being healthy. Tremont Electric, a U.S.-based company, announced a new device that will help charge gadgets by using power generated by walking or running.

The device is called the 'nPower PEG' where 'PEG' stands for 'personal energy generator' and is shaped like a baton. Put it in your pocket, or a bag, and the internal weight moves, generating electricity in its coils as you move around. It can be connected to the phone or other gadgets through a small USB port and a cable.

However, the device produces only about a minute of talktime for every 15 to 30 minutes of walking on smartphones but is more energy efficient for devices like the iPod.

The gadget, which was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics show, is expected to be hugely popular among people who spend a lot of time on outdoor activities.

It is fairly lightweight, at 312 grams and is expected to work with more than 3,000 handheld devices.

The company began shipping the gadget, which is priced at $159.99, last September and intends to ramp up production soon to meet the growing demand.

Fast-track green patent applications are benefiting green UK businesses.

On average, it takes a company eight months compared with 32 months for standard applications to obtain a patent.

Since May 2010 when the scheme came in, 329 patent applications have been, or are being, fast-tracked.

The Intellectual Property Office's Green Channel service offers accelerated processing for patent applications where the invention has an environmental benefit.

The Green Channel service has attracted interest from other countries with the US, Australia and South Korea all introducing similar schemes.

One third of the applications received so far by the service relate to energy saving. Green Channel applications have also been made for technologies ranging from harnessing natural sources of power, such as wind wave and solar energy, to recycling and transport.

Intellectual Property Minister Baroness Wilcox said: "The demand for low carbon products is growing across the world.

"Putting the UK at the forefront of the green technology industry will deliver enormous benefits to this country.

"It will provide the UK with economic growth and new jobs as well as improving our environment.

"Fast-tracking green patents provides businesses with practical help in developing green technology and bringing it to the consumer as quickly as possible."

Requests for fast-tracking can be refused if the invention does not have an environmental benefit but so far 2% of requests have so far been turned down.

Eco-bulb cost to treble: Makers cash in as the ban on old-style bulbs kicks in

The price of energy-saving light bulbs will treble as the final supplies of traditional bulbs dry up, industry experts have warned.
The Government has ordered energy companies to scrap the subsidies that have kept the price of eco-bulbs artificially low for the last few years.
At the same time, manufacturers are increasing wholesale prices to take advantage of the European ban on ‘energy guzzling’ old-style bulbs.

Retailers also claim bulbs that currently cost only 33p are expected to sell for more than £1 within three months. Some will cost £3 or more.
The move comes as Britain is gearing up to phase out the last incandescent light bulbs in an effort to meet climate change targets.
The EU has already banned shops from buying stocks of 100watt bulbs and stopped them stocking up on any type of frosted incandescent bulbs.

From September it will prevent retailers buying in 60watt bulbs. By 2012 all incandescent bulbs will be banned – forcing shoppers to buy low-energy alternatives for almost all the light fittings in their homes.
Supermarkets and big DIY chains have already stopped selling bulbs above 40watts under a scheme backed by the Government.
James Shortridge, managing director of the independent lighting chain Ryness, said the cost of eco-bulbs would soar in the New Year.
‘Prices will easily rise threefold – if not more,’ he said.
‘Manufacturers put up prices two years ago when the first ban came in and clearly will do the same again. It’s the perfect storm for them.
‘Wholesale prices are already creeping up and when the subsidy ends those big supermarkets will have to increase their prices substantially or run a loss.’
The quality of eco-bulbs has improved in the last two years but critics complain that their light is harsh and flickery.

Medical charities say they can trigger epileptic fits, migraines and skin rashes and have called for an ‘opt out’ for vulnerable people.
Under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target, big energy suppliers subsidised eco-bulbs. But from March companies will be forced to spend the money on helping consumers improve loft and wall insulation.
Eco-bulbs were at the centre of a health scare in December when a German study showed broken lamps release potentially harmful levels of mercury.
However the UK Health Protection Agency said the bulbs contained too little mercury to be a hazard.


By David Derbyshire