Caesar's is Turning Out the Lights for Earth Hour 2012

Caesars Entertainment Sheds Light On Sustainability by Turning Off Lights for Earth Hour 2012 - PR Newswire - The Sacramento Bee

LAS VEGAS, March 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Caesars Entertainment Corporation has committed for the fourth consecutive year to participate in the World Wildlife Fund's Earth Hour, visually demonstrating its commitment to operate in an environmentally responsible manner. More than 40 Caesars worldwide resorts and casinos will shut off non-essential exterior lighting and marquees from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. local time on March 31.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/03/08/4321587/caesars-entertainment-sheds-light.html#storylink=cpy

Moving beyond treaties, targets and trading

Time to move beyond treaties, targets and trading - reneweconomy.com.au : Renew Economy

THE breakdown of the UN-based treaties, targets and trading model of climate policy, which I charted in the first of this two-part series, is disappointing in its own terms. It also has grave implications for Australian climate policy, which has been fashioned to fit that “3Ts” model of global action

Carbon pollution levels drop to new low

Carbon pollution levels drop to new low in US | Government content from Western Farm Press

The average fuel efficiency for new cars and light duty trucks has increased while the average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions continue to decrease for the seventh consecutive year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s annual report, “Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 Through 2011.”

$3 million given to Makani Airborne Wind Turbine from energy department

Makani Airborne Wind Turbine Gets $3 Million Energy Department Grant

A California company, Makani Power, was awarded a $3 million grant to further their development of a flying wind turbine which has 90% less mass than traditional wind turbines, plus the ability to generate electricity from much lower wind speeds than most other turbines can harvest.

Green technology!

HP Labs Using Laser-Powered Chips for Faster, Energy-Efficient Computing 

Nothing is faster than the speed of light. So you might think that is why HP Labs wants to use photonics (light) instead of electrons to set new computing speed limits. But you would be wrong. HP Labs' laser-based chip project, codenamed Corona, would use light instead of electricity to communicate information between chip cores and also from the chips to memory in order to save space and to save energy.

Solar Storm Nears Earth

Airlines Shift U.S.-Asia Flights Further South as Solar Storm Nears Earth - Bloomberg

Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL) and United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL) shifted 11 U.S.-Asia flights further south today to avoid potential radio disruptions as a solar storm hits Earth.
The changes added 10 to 15 minutes to the affected flights, the airlines said. AMR Corp. (AAMRQ)’s American Airlines moved three flights to lower altitudes on some routes close to the polar regions, Tim Smith, an airline spokesman, said in an e-mail.

Texas: the Alamo, longhorn cattle, the Dallas Cowboys, and.....clean energy?

Don’t Mess With Texas's Clean Energy

When you think of Texas, what comes to mind? The Alamo? Longhorn cattle? The Dallas Cowboys? Add clean energy to that list. "Some might not think of Texas as a hotspot for renewables. But if you look at what cities here are doing, you might have to change your mind,” says Jen Powis, who leads the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal state-wide campaign in the Lone Star State.

CSA cutting carbon emissions by delivering by sailboat!

CSA Now Delivers By Sailboat to Cut Carbon 

Whenever we post on fancy kite-powered ships, we get comments that traditional sail boats might be a better option. In fact a number of businesses are already reviving wind-powered transportation and delivery or, as some have dubbed it, Slow Freight.

Mass transit is going green!

Mass Transit Goes Green With Enhanced Energy Storage

To avoid ever-rising gas prices, more people are making the switch to public transportation. Instead of traveling by car, they are more apt to ride the bus or train which increases the need for mass transportation. Manufacturers and design engineers are feeling pressure to produce hybridized transportation, making it cleaner and more efficient, while simultaneously increasing the number of public transportation options available to meet the growing consumer demand. This shift to clean transportation has been addressed in Asia, South America and Europe where energy efficient transits have been the recipient of noteworthy investments. Now, this initiative is also coming to the top of the US agenda, with the US Department of Transportation looking to decrease the negative environmental impacts of mass transit by funding energy efficient transit projects. The agency is allocating $112 million in funds to 46 energy-efficient mass transit projects across seven states.

Global Reporting Initiative's carbon emissions are rising

Global Reporting Initiative’s Own Sustainability Report: Emissions Rise

Direct and indirect carbon emissions from office operations at the Global Reporting Initiative increased from about 78 to 80 metric tons of CO2 between fiscal years 2009-10 and 2010-11, according to the body’s sustainability report.

Apparently Walmart is all talk and zero walk

Walmart Accused of Greenwashing

Walmart’s heavily-promoted sustainability initiatives have done more to improve the company’s image than to help the environment, according to research by the nonprofit Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Nordex to Build 27.5-Megawatt Wind Farm in Turkey

Nordex Wins Order to Build 27.5-Megawatt Wind Farm in Turkey - Bloomberg

Nordex SE (NDX1), a German wind turbine maker, won an order to supply and build a 27.5-megawatt wind farm in Turkey.  Nordex will deliver 11 of its 2.5-megawatt machines to the Sincik project commissioned by Tektuk Elektrik Group, Hamburg- based Nordex said in a statement today. The wind farm, to be built this fall on a mountain ridge near the city of Adiyaman, is expected to generate 60 gigawatt-hours of power a year.

Denham Capital to Invest $190 Million in Solar With Fotowatio - Bloomberg

Denham Capital to Invest $190 Million in Solar With Fotowatio - Bloomberg

Denham Capital Management LP agreed to invest $190 million in a solar-plant venture with Spain’s Fotowatio SL as falling component prices lure funds to the industry.
Denham, a U.S.-based energy investor overseeing $6.5 billion, will have a majority stake in the venture that will develop solar plants in Australia, South Africa and Latin America, Managing Partner Scott Mackin said today by telephone. The company aims to build a portfolio of several 100 megawatts over about five years, he said.

$283 Million Investment in Brazil Ethanol Projects

Santa Terezinha Invests $283 Million in Brazil Ethanol Projects - Bloomberg

Usina de Acucar Santa Terezinha Ltda., a Brazilian ethanol producer, plans to invest 500 million reais ($283 million) in a mill and sugar-cane plantations as the country seeks to increase its supply of the renewable fuel.  The company expects to build the first phase of a 300 million-real cane project in the center-west state of Mato Grosso do Sul by 2015 and will spend another 200 million reais to develop plantations for its eight existing mills, Sidney Meneguetti, director of Maringa, Brazil-based Santa Terezinha, said today in an e-mail.

EU Carbon Market Has Become ‘Residual’

EU Carbon Market Has Become ‘Residual’ in Power, IHS CERA Says - Bloomberg

The European Union carbon market, the world’s biggest by traded volume, has become “residual” in power generation because of national renewable energy policies in the bloc, said IHS CERA, the energy adviser.  “The emissions trading system has become a residual market for carbon abatement in the power sector,” Fabien Roques, director at the unit of Englewood, Colorado-based IHS Inc. (IHS), said yesterday in a CDC Climat publication. “Policies in support of renewables or nuclear have been the prime drivers of power sector investments over the past decade in Europe.”

Airlines Commend Bipartisan Support of Senate EU ETS Bill

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2012: Airlines for America Commends Bipartisan Support of Senate EU ETS Bill | PRNewswire | Bradenton Herald Today

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2012 — /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today commended Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) for co-sponsoring a bill that would prohibit U.S. aircraft operators from participating in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) because the scheme violates U.S. sovereignty and international law, and imposes an unfair and burdensome tax on U.S. airlines and consumers. The legislation also would seek to hold airlines harmless from not participating in the scheme.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/03/07/3924359/airlines-for-america-commends.html#storylink=cpy

Dairy sustainability winners named

Dairy sustainability award winners named Latest News - Current Stories, Commentary, Markets

On Wednesday, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy announced the winners of the inaugural U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards, a program to recognize dairy farms, dairy companies and collaborative partnerships for efforts that advance the sustainability of the dairy industry.
“Across the supply chain, the dairy industry continues to demonstrate leadership in meeting consumer demand for great-tasting, wholesome and nutritious dairy products, while finding new ways to preserve our planet’s precious resources,” said Barbara O’Brien, president of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, which was founded by dairy producers.

Swaps boost emissions market volumes

Environmental Finance | News | Set-aside, swaps boost emissions market volumes

Volumes in the European carbon market jumped last month, boosted by speculation ahead of a key European Parliament vote on supply-curbing measures and the widening spread between key carbon commodity prices.  European emissions market volumes typically rise in February, ahead of the 31 March deadline for participants in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) to submit verified emissions data for the preceding year, and the end April deadline to surrender the equivalent emissions units.  However, market participants said that this year the compliance deadline was not the main driver of activity in February, and instead pointed to speculative buying ahead of the 28 February vote on removing EU allowances (EUAs) from Phase III (2013-20) of the EU ETS as well as a widening spread between prices of EUAs and certified emission reductions (CERs), the carbon credits generated by Clean Development Mechanism projects.

Latest Carbon News Headlines

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Point Carbon's OTC price assessments

		Close	+/-
EUA	Dec 2012	8.62	0.15
sCER	Dec 2012	4.51	0.08

Markets

08 Mar 2012 11:06

UK auction clears at 8.55 euros, bidding interest falls

The UK government auctioned 3.5 million EU carbon permits for 8.55 euros each on Thursday, bringing…

CDM/JI/AAU

08 Mar 2012 13:40

CDM investment to die unless CERs hit 20 euros: financier

An unlikely fourfold increase in U.N. carbon prices is needed before significant investment returns…

Markets

08 Mar 2012 12:45

Oil price far bigger drag on GDP than carbon cost: HSBC

Record high crude oil prices are serving as an exponentially larger drag on global economic growth t…

Policy

07 Mar 2012 15:03

Poland to veto EU climate decisions Friday: govt sources

Poland is set to veto on Friday the European Union's 2050 road-map laying out emission reduction goa…

Domestic policy

08 Mar 2012 01:07

NYC mayor seeks waste-to-energy proposals

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg issued a request for proposals Tuesday to build a new facility…

CDM/JI/AAU

07 Mar 2012 14:58

Carbon capture under CDM may never happen: auditor

A lack of demand for carbon credits and geographical restrictions on the use of offsets in the EU’s…

Policy

08 Mar 2012 00:12

Brazil forest bill vote postponed to next week

Brazil's lower chamber of Congress has postponed to next week a high-profile vote on a controversial…

Latest news

• 08 Mar 12 13:40  CDM investment to die unless CERs hit 20 euros: financier 
• 08 Mar 12 12:45  Oil price far bigger drag on GDP than carbon cost: HSBC
• 08 Mar 12 11:06  UK auction clears at 8.55 euros, bidding interest falls 
• 08 Mar 12 10:17  EUAs rise 1.2 pct ahead of UK auction 
• 08 Mar 12 09:33  NZ carbon little changed amid lack of direction 
• 08 Mar 12 01:07  NYC mayor seeks waste-to-energy proposals 
• 08 Mar 12 00:12  Brazil forest bill vote postponed to next week 
• 07 Mar 12 17:49  EUAs ease on German power, Polish veto threat
• 07 Mar 12 15:03  Poland to veto EU climate decisions Friday: govt sources 
• 07 Mar 12 14:58  Carbon capture under CDM may never happen: auditor 
• 07 Mar 12 12:14  EnBW’s emissions rise 4.3 pct in 2011 as nuclear plants close 
• 07 Mar 12 12:04  UK sets three more 2012 EUA auction dates 
• 07 Mar 12 11:11  Analysts predict delays to China pilot CO2 scheme 
• 07 Mar 12 10:27  EC awaits Council signal on set-aside, ministers mull options 
• 07 Mar 12 00:01  Alberta offset supply tightens as new rules kick in 
• 06 Mar 12 22:06  CDM rules deny carbon finance to Brazil sugarcane electricity 
• 06 Mar 12 18:45  CO2 permit set-aside may not produce price spike: analyst 
• 06 Mar 12 18:25  EU-Australia carbon market link unlikely before 2020: lawyer 
• 06 Mar 12 17:42  CORRECTED: EUAs hit 3-wk low on weaker energy, UK auction 
• 06 Mar 12 16:40  Dublin-based REDD investor to create 30 jobs 
• 06 Mar 12 16:37  U.N. seeks role as ‘glue’ for global carbon markets 
• 06 Mar 12 16:05  CO2 floor price has long-term merit: EC advisor 
• 06 Mar 12 14:13  EU to launch tender for CO2 auction platform by H1 
• 06 Mar 12 13:36  Climex seeks 40,000 VERs for unnamed buyer
• 06 Mar 12 12:10  EU to use 252 mln U.N. carbon credits in 2012: analysts 

All news

Could The EU's Emissions Trading Scheme Hurt Airbus?

EADS Warns EU's Emissions Trading Scheme Could Hurt Airbus Business | Fox Business

 PARIS –  The Chinese government is blocking sales of Airbus jets to Chinese airlines and the commercial aircraft maker stands to suffer a loss of business if the European Commission fails to heed protests from airlines around the world about its emissions trading scheme, Louis Gallois, the chief executive of parent company European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. NV (EAD.FR), said Thursday.