Sustainable Energy News: 02/13/12

Monday, February 13, 2012

Forgotten carbon sinks: Freshwater wetlands

Scientist: Temperate Freshwater Wetlands Are 'Forgotten' Carbon Sinks - ScienceNewsline

A new study comparing the carbon-holding power of freshwater wetlands has produced measurements suggesting that wetlands in temperate regions are more valuable as carbon sinks than current policies imply, according to researchers. The study compared several wetlands at two Ohio wetland sites: one composed of mostly stagnant water and one characterized by water regularly flowing through it. The study showed that the stagnant wetland had an average carbon storage rate per year that is almost twice as high as the carbon storage rate of the flow-through wetland.

Yup, oil palms make a great carbon sink as well as producing a great biofuel feed stock without taking foodstuff off the market

The truth about oil palms and carbon sinks | MY palm oil

FORESTS are often called “the lungs of the world” — huge carbon sinks absorbing carbon dioxide emitted by the industrialised world, and producing the oxygen we need to breathe. At the same time, agriculture is seen as “polluting” in the sense that land clearing and development release greenhouse gas into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. “People tend to forget that oil palms are trees and that they absorb carbon dioxide in the air, only to release oxygen and in the same process, convert solar energy into biomass,” says Melling in an interview in Kuching. “Trees are trees, they function the same whether they are part of the forest or plantations. “Since tree plantations are perennial, they are more efficient carbon sequesters than seasonal oilseeds like soy, rapeseed and sunflower. Oil palms can feed on year-round tropical sun and rainfall to create biomass, i.e. carbon stock, without any soil disturbance compared with seasonal oilseeds.” When peer-reviewed studies by soil scientists were adduced at the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) meetings, it became evident that reports containing alarmist predictions were founded on calculations riddled with statistical bias and lacking in real evidence.Environmental organisations such as Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Wetlands International as well as their local affiliates take this view further by lobbying for a moratorium on planting oil palm on peat soil and the imposition of greenhouse gas criteria on palm oil exports.

Have a laugh (:

Chemistry Cat

Organic carbon is the basic building block for all life on - and in - the earth. We cannot live without it. Neither can our soils.

Carbon (C) provides the structural basis for thousands of different compounds. It is so common, we take it for granted. We often take hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) for granted too - but where would we be without H2O – our precious, life sustaining water? The significance of soil water is becoming more apparent as we lose soil carbon. Low soil moisture and low levels of soil organic carbon go hand in hand.

Organic carbon begins and ends its journey as a gas, carbon dioxide (CO2). Atmospheric carbon is an extremely valuable resource. When sequestered in topsoil as organic carbon, it brings with it a wealth of environmental, productivity and quality of life benefits. An understanding of the ‘carbon cycle’ and the role of carbon in soils, is essential to our understanding of life on earth.

In the miracle of photosynthesis, which takes place in the chloroplasts of green leaves, carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and water (H2O) from the soil, combine to capture sunlight energy and store it in the form of a simple sugar - glucose (C6H12O6). Through a myriad of chemical reactions, this glucose forms the basis of a great diversity of carbon compounds, including carbohydrates, proteins, organic acids, humic substances, waxes and oils – and our ‘fossil fuels’ coal, oil and gas. We have a great deal to thank green leaves for!!

Congrats Hawaiian Airlines!

Hawaiian Airlines Awarded First Ever Aviation Carbon Credits Using Pratt & Whitney's EcoPower®...

Hawaiian Airlines, a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA), was today awarded the first ever aviation-based carbon credit. The credits are Verified Carbon Units, issued under the requirements of the Verified Carbon Standard using a new methodology developed by Pratt & Whitney. The methodology provides a validated process for calculating the CO2 savings achieved from using EcoPower engine wash. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.

Incredible "green" bookstores

7 Amazing Green Bookstores and Libraries from Around the World

Westbury-sub-Mendip’s 24-hour phone booth library was a local resident's solution to the disappearance of the town's weekly mobile library. Conceived a way to pay tribute to Britain's iconic phone booth while satiating the curious minds of the township, the classic red booth was recycled into what has now become one of the country’s smallest libraries

CME Crude Futures Shut Down

Crude Futures Resume Electronic Trading | Fox Business

A technical glitch temporarily shut down trading Monday on the CME Group’s Globex electronic market for crude oil futures and options contracts. The error occurred shortly after 2 p.m. EST and the electronic platform reopened at 3:15 p.m. EST. “Due to technical issues, the CME Globex Crude Complex markets have been halted,” the CME said on its website moments after the shutdown. A short time later, the CME released a statement, saying, “Our IT teams are working to resolve the problem as soon as possible.”

The World Bank's Carbon Fund

Carbon_Fund_12-1-09_web.pdf

The World Bank - 10 Years Of Experience In Carbon Finance

South Africa blazing the trail to a new sustainable industry.

South Africa's First Hemp House Goes Greener With a Planted Roof

We've been writing about South Africa's first hemp house for a while, so it was almost mythical to finally visit the tranquil space in person and get dirty on its brand new green roof. Overlooking long stretches of beautiful beaches about 22 miles from the 2014 World Design Capital (Cape Town), the Noordhoek home represents the best of the Rainbow Nation's strident green achievements. Not only have Tony Budden and his partner Duncan Parker overcome huge legislative obstacles to get the house built since the government still considers hemp to be an illegal narcotic, but they are also blazing a path that leads to a new, sustainable industry that has amazing potential to transform the country. Listen to Tony talk about the benefits of planted roofs right after the jump.

Low carbon venture capital fund is going backwards

Environmental Finance | News | Low Carbon Accelerator goes into reverse

Low Carbon Accelerator (LCA), a London-listed company specialising in low-carbon venture capital investment, is to begin liquidating its portfolio after a disappointing performance. The firm announced today that its net asset value slumped by more than 50% last year, putting the value of its portfolio at £24 million ($38 million) on 30 November 2011, down from £52 million a year earlier.

Are the "environment friendly" cars the ones causing the most pollution?

New Study Finds That Electric Cars Pollute MNew Study Finds That Electric Cars Can Pollute More Than Their Gasoline Counterpartsore than Gasoline Cars

Electric cars and hybrids have generally been thought of as being more environmentally friendly than their gasoline powered counterparts, but new findings are proving otherwise. There have been countless studies showing that the environmental impact of the battery production for the battery packs in electric vehicles is significant. A new finding from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville shows that electric cars in China have a higher impact on pollution than gasoline vehicles. While we’re big fans of green transportation and thing there’s a bigger picture to look at (namely getting away from oil), we do think it’s important to see all sides of the coin.

Symbolic art bringing attention to sizable issues.

Luzinterruptus' Luminous Recycled Bottles Cascade From Dismantled Drinking Fountains in Madrid

Spanish art collective Luzinterruptus recently staged a stunning installation of recycled glass containers cascading from dismantled public fountains in the streets of Madrid. The glowing public work of art is an intervention - it's intended not only to look beautiful, but to bring attention to the lack of water facilities in public spaces in the Spanish city.

The faster Japan transitions to clean, renewable power sources, the better off they (and all of us) will be.

Study Shows Spike in Japan's CO2 Levels After Fukushima Nuclear Disaster

A newly released study from the Breakthrough Institute shows a clear indication on how dependent Japan has been on nuclear power. First the good news: after the devastating earthquake and resulting destruction of the Fukushima Nuclear Plant in Japan last year the nation reduced its energy consumption by 9.8%. Unfortunately, the reduction in energy is not enough to offset the environmental impact of replacing nuclear energy with carbon-intensive fuels. From a glass-half-empty perspective, it looks like reducing energy consumption is not a magic bullet as CO2 levels rose 15%. But we are glass-half-full types here at Inhabitat – and the numbers are a clear indicator that the faster Japan transitions to clean, renewable power sources, the better off they (and all of us) will be.

Coal is dead

U.S. carbon rules could slam door on new coal plants

The Obama administration

is expected soon to unveil

long-delayed rules limiting

carbon emission from new

coal-fired power stations,

possibly helping to slam

the door shut well into

the future on building plants that run on the fuel. The Environmental Protection Agency

has dragged its feet in proposing the new standards on carbon emissions that would hit

new coal plants or facilities undergoing expansion.

The convergence of sustainability and public life online.

Sustainability and social media – groundwork laid but long way to go

Social media has reconfigured the world in which all businesses now communicate. Open-source and inherently anarchic, it has created a universe antithetical to the tight image controls that brands once successfully exercised. Once-marginalised dissenters can now make mince meat of the mightiest multinational brands thanks to an explosion of public platforms that have created unlimited venues for sharing facts, spreading rumours and propagating aggressive calls to action.

Energy Points launches with sustainability metric and $3M

Energy Points

Zik Energy Points Inc. has launched with a new $3 million initial funding round and a way to help companies measure their sustainability efforts - by sophisticated algorithms and a new universal energy usage metric, the EPG. The acronym stands for Energy Per Gallon, and is based on the amount of energy contained in one gallon of gasoline. With its EnergyPoints platform, which will be sold under a Software-as-a Service model, Energy Points will then take geospatial data for the region a company has its operations in, and apply that to the EPG constant, to give each company an accurate baseline of the energy cost of any activity at the company for that specific location. So, one hour of running 100 light bulbs in one office in Cambridge, for example, may be 1 EPG, but in Alexandria, Va., it might be 1.2 EPG and in Seattle maybe 0.8 EPG.

Cheap and Dirty Emissions trading

Emissions trading: Cheap and dirty - FT.com

When the European Union decided last month to press ahead with a plan to force foreign airlines to pay for the carbon pollution generated by each flight landing at its airports, Brussels policymakers justified their action as the only way to forge a global solution to one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

China bans it's carriers from taking part in the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme and the chorus of concern surrounding it.

EU aviation carbon tax fuels concerns, may go to U.N

Global planemaker Airbus joined a chorus of concern that a European scheme to charge airlines for carbon emissions risks triggering a full-blown trade war, with implications for plane deals and even Europe's crippling sovereign debt crisis. The EU's Emissions Trading Scheme ETS.L, introduced on January 1, has drawn howls of protest from airlines around the world, with China banning its carriers from taking part. The escalating row comes on the eve of a China-EU summit in Beijing, with the EU looking to China to dip into its huge foreign exchange reserves to help the eurozone tackle a debt build-up that threatens its economic stability.

Electric taxiing system trial will determine how much fuel airlines could be saving

EasyJet to Trial Electric Taxiing System

EasyJet will be the first airline to trial an electric taxiing system being developed by Honeywell and Safran.The budget airline expects to start operational trials next year using the system, which is designed to reduce or completely eliminate the need for tugs to maneuver aircraft in and out of stands.The savings could be significant: EasyJet says about four percent of its annual fuel use comes from taxiing, because of the high frequency of its short-haul flights. Its aircraft average 20 minutes of taxi time per flight – the equivalent of 3.5 million miles a year.

Green minded companies with a "no bragging" policy

Green Companies Quiet on Eco Credentials

Bourbon distillery Maker’s Mark, tile maker Fireclay Tile and design materials manufacturer Kirei are three examples of green companies that do not boast about their eco credentials, according to an article on CNN Money.Maker’s Mark’s headquarters (pictured) is in a nature reserve, it recycles its bourbon byproducts to power its plant and an on-site wastewater treatment plant pumps fresh water back into local creeks. But few consumers other than those that visit the Loretto, Ky., distillery hear about the company’s green-mindedness, the web site reports.

UN Registry Table Suggests Japan Added to Supply of Kyoto CO2 Offsets Faster Than AAUs

160209 registry table summary

Japan last year added to its stockpile of United Nations emission offsets at a faster pace than Assigned Amount Units, suggesting the nation or its emitters have not started swapping the credits for cheaper AAUs. Japan had 120.1 million metric tons of UN Certified Emission Reduction credits at the end of the year, 17 percent more than a year earlier, according to reports on the website of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The nation more than doubled the number of Emission Reduction Units in its inventory to 5.1 million tons, as its holdings of Assigned Amount Units rose 0.6 percent to 6.123 billion tons. Japanese emitters may ramp up exchanges of CERs for cheaper AAUs this year to free up cash, an executive from Mitsubishi Corp. (8058) said last year. Swapping might push down the price of UN credits and drive European Union carbon allowances lower because EU factories and power stations are the biggest source of demand for the offsets.

Not much swapping was taking place as of October, Jerzy Chlebowski, manager of the global environment business development division of Mitsubishi Corp. International (Europe) Plc, said at the time. “Toward 2012, this process will start and get more intense,” he said. AAUs, given to developed nations with targets in the UN- overseen 1997 Kyoto Protocol, were valued in October at 3.50 euros ($4.61) a ton by Trading Emissions Plc. UN CERs for December were at 3.74 euros today on the ICE Futures Europe exchange in London as of 2:20 p.m., compared with 7.80 euros for EU allowances.

Green Energy Stock Price Crash Deters New Investments

Green Energy Profit Crash Deters New CEOs - Bloomberg

Renewable energy companies are losing their allure with top executives after profits and stock prices collapsed across the industry, making it more difficult for boards to replace underperforming managers. First Solar Inc. (FSLR), the biggest U.S. solar company, ousted its chief executive officer in October and is still seeking a replacement. At Vestas Wind Systems A/S (VWS), the largest turbine maker, the chairman and finance director are leaving after the company cut sales forecasts twice in three months, and CEO Ditlev Engel said his own job is safe.

Nominees For 2012 Sustainable Biofuels Awards Announced

Shortlist for 2012 Sustainable Biofuels Awards Announced - MarketWatch

LONDON, Feb 13, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- World Biofuels Markets 2012 ( www.worldbiofuelsmarkets.com ), Europe's largest congress and exhibition focused on biofuels, announced the shortlist of award winners for the 2012 Sustainable Biofuels Awards ( www.sustainablebiofuelsawards.com ). The awards, designed to recognise innovation in the development of truly sustainable and renewable fuels, will be presented on day two (Wednesday 14th March) of the 7th annual World Biofuels Markets.

California’s AB 32 Is A Climate Change Laboratory

California’s Climate Change Laboratory: AB 32 · Environmental Management & Energy News · Environmental Leader

“It is one of the happy accidents of the federal system that a single courageous state may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory, and try novel social and economic experiments without risk to the rest of the country.” (New State Ice Co. v. Liebman, 285 U.S. 262, 311 (1932) (dissent).

Bell Carter Gets $115K Rebate For Saving $329K Per Year

Bell Carter Gets Rebate, Under 1-Year ROI for Wastewater Aeration System · Environmental Management & Energy News · Environmental Leader

Bell Carter Foods, an olive processor in Corning, Calif., has received a $114,475 utility rebate for efforts to reduce the energy consumption of its wastewater processing. PG&E gave Bell Carter the rebate for a new aeration system expected to save about 2.7 million kWh, or enough to power about 396 homes, according to KHSL of Chico. The $228,949 project is projected to save the company $329,208 a year, and reduce its carbon footprint by an annual 788 tons, the Red Bluff Daily News reports.

In College The Field of Sustainability Studies Is Growing Like A Week

Steven Cohen: The Growing Field of Sustainability Studies

One of the most encouraging trends I've seen in recent years has been the growth of environmental studies programs in many American universities. For past decade, I've directed an MPA (Master of Public Administration) Program in Environmental Science and Policy at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and Earth Institute. Today, over 500 graduates of that program are working as environmental professionals all over the world. About a year and a half ago, the Earth Institute partnered with Columbia's School of Continuing Education and launched a MS (Master of Science) program in Sustainability Management. That program now enrolls over 250 students and has already graduated over 30 students.