Sustainable Energy News: 05/02/12

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

European Carbon Market Update

European Carbon Market Update - MarketWatch

The successful implementation of emissions schemes in the near future largely depends on domestic politics, climate policy enforcement, and commitment to combat climate change. The EU has continued with its agenda of environmental reforms and carbon markets clearly have the potential to experience dramatic growth, thereby providing significant opportunities for utilities and cleantech investments.

South Korean Parliament Approves Carbon Trading System

South Korean Parliament Approves Carbon Trading System - Bloomberg

South Korea approved a cap-and-trade system to cut carbon emissions as President Lee Myung Bak seeks support from factories and power plants in the fastest-growing producer of greenhouse gases among industrialized democracies. The National Assembly passed a bill to establish a cap-and- trade system in the country by 2015 with the backing of both ruling and opposition parties, according to the assembly’s webcast of the main session yesterday.

China must act urgently to curb city emissions: World Bank

China must act urgently to curb city emissions: World Bank - chicagotribune.com

BEIJING (Reuters) - China must act urgently on multiple fronts if it is to cut greenhouse gas emissions from its rapidly expanding cities and hit government targets for curbing carbon intensity, a new report from the World Bank said on Thursday.

Latest Carbon News Headlines

News - Point Carbon - Providing critical insights into energy and environmental markets

Point Carbon's OTC price assessments

		Close	+/-
EUA	Dec 2012	7.26	-0.32
sCER	Dec 2012	3.74	-0.12

Policy

02 May 2012 13:18

South Korea approves carbon trading scheme

South Korea's lawmakers approved a national emissions trading scheme on Wednesday to tackle its grow…

Policy

03 May 2012 00:00

U.S. clean energy bill to cut coal 50 pct by 2020: EIA

A Senate bill aimed at boosting the share of cleaner energy in the U.S. would cut coal-fired generat…

Policy

02 May 2012 17:28

FACTBOX-South Korea's emissions trading scheme to start in 2015

South Korea, Asia's fourth largest economy, will launch a national emissions trading scheme in 2015…

Policy

02 May 2012 17:07

EU Parliament slashes delegation to Rio+20 as costs soar

The European Parliament has cut the number of delegates it will send to the U.N.’s landmark sustaina…

Markets

02 May 2012 12:34

UPDATE 2: EU firms use 254.6 mln U.N. CO2 offsets to meet 2011 caps

Installations covered by the EU Emissions Trading Scheme surrendered 254.6 million U.N.-backed offse…

Markets

02 May 2012 18:05

POLL: EU carbon price forecast bumped up to 8.22 euros

The average forecast for European Union carbon permit prices in the second half of this year rose sl…

Markets

02 May 2012 16:05

EEX appoints second CO2 market maker

German energy exchange EEX has selected CF Partners to provide liquidity in its EU Allowance, aviati…

Latest news

03 May 12 04:24 China must act urgently to curb city emissions: World Bank
03 May 12 00:18 Shaky data harms Quebec's carbon target: watchdog
03 May 12 00:00 U.S. clean energy bill to cut coal 50 pct by 2020: EIA
02 May 12 18:05 POLL: EU carbon price forecast bumped up to 8.22 euros
02 May 12 17:35 EU carbon dips 3.8 pct on profit-taking
02 May 12 17:28 South Korea's emissions trading scheme to start in 2015
02 May 12 17:07 EU Parliament slashes delegation to Rio+20 as costs soar
02 May 12 16:05 EEX appoints second CO2 market maker
02 May 12 14:12 Australia, NZ delay decision on signing Kyoto 2
02 May 12 13:18 South Korea approves carbon trading scheme
02 May 12 12:34 EU firms use 254.6 mln U.N. CO2 offsets to meet 2011 caps
02 May 12 11:38 Climate concerns irrelevant in approving coal mines: NZ court
02 May 12 11:00 Brazilian exchange offers forest offset trade
02 May 12 10:49 NZ proposes to exempt small, remote landfills from ETS
01 May 12 17:48 EUAs retreat from six-week high
01 May 12 17:31 U.N. opens direct communication channel with CDM investors
01 May 12 17:11 EU carbon volume drops in April, up 25 pct in 2012
01 May 12 12:49 ANALYSIS: Permit glut points to new EU carbon policy tool
01 May 12 12:37 EU use of U.N. CO2 credits nearly doubled in 2011: analysts
30 Apr 12 21:39 Canada enlists IDB to manage $250 mln climate fund
30 Apr 12 19:22 IFC launches first green bond for U.S. investors
30 Apr 12 17:27 EEX sees boost in 2013 allowance sales after EIB joins
30 Apr 12 17:22 Lower coal, higher gas prices force EUAs up to 6-day high
30 Apr 12 16:26 Emerging economy growth to heat planet quicker than expected
30 Apr 12 13:31 Poland to sell 14.7 mln EUAs in Q4

All news

Sustainability Indicator: $0.77 on the Dollar

Sustainability Indicator: $0.77 on the Dollar - Businessweek

Today's sustainability indicator, 77 cents, is the amount of income women in the U.S. receive for every $1 paid to men for the same work. The median income for men was higher in all but one of 265 occupations in 2010.

Does the quantum wave function represent reality?

Does the quantum wave function represent reality?

Two meteorologists predicting the chance of sunshine in a weather forecast. The meteorologist on the left has access to additional data (today's weather, which is partly cloudy), and consequently the two make different forecasts. Unlike a weather forecast, the quantum mechanical wave function gives a complete description of a quantum system's future behavior, and nature itself is inherently probabilistic at small scales. Image credit: Colbeck and Renner. ©2012 APS

Brazil to boost military presence to protect Amazon

Brazil to boost military presence to protect Amazon

File picture shows an aerial view of the Novo river in the Amazon state of Para, northern Brazil. Brazil will boost its military presence in the Amazon region to protect its huge natural resources from any external threat, Defense Minister Celso Amorim told the Senate.

With choices like Biodiesel and Ethanol, what’s the best fuel for your vehicle?

With choices like Biodiesel and Ethanol, what’s the best fuel for your vehicle?

With the rapid growth in vehicle use around the world, it would be nice to know what are the most efficiency, economic, and least carbon emitting fuels. The number of motor vehicles on the road is increasing rapidly. The number of cars and trucks in China is up over 3,600 percent in the last thirty years. Data from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Ward’s Communications, Ward’s World Motor Vehicle Data provide an interesting view of the growth in motor vehicle use.

Energy Finance

Energy Finance

Solar Opportunities - To understand the dynamics of solar PV cell industry it is important to analyze the underlying fundamentals of the semiconductor market from which the solar cell is derived.

SDSU Students Harness the Sun to Power Campus Facilities

SDSU Students Harness the Sun to Power Campus Facilities - Yahoo! News

San Diego State University (SDSU) is now powering one of its busiest student facilities with solar energy. The Aztec Recreation Center (ARC), a facility managed by the SDSU student government, Associated Students, is the newest addition to student initiated sustainability projects on campus. The facility, which is managed by Associated Students now hosts the second largest solar array on campus.

“This project represents the student led initiative for sustainability on campus,” said Morgan Chan, Sustainability Commissioner of Associated Students, “Sustainability is important to the students, the size of this project and the great savings we will have because of the new solar array really stands out to people within the Associated Students and the larger University community as well.”

The 7 lessons learned from 24 million EV miles

The 7 lessons learned from 24 million EV miles | GreenBiz.com

In the world of electric vehicles, nothing attracts as much speculation or disagreement as the debate over exactly how EV drivers behave. Do they need 100 miles of range or will 30 miles do? How many public recharge stations do they need? Do energy prices influence charging? And so on.

Wind’s $168 Billion North Sea Boom Lures Oil Industry

Wind’s $168 Billion North Sea Boom Lures Oil Industry - Bloomberg

Oil service companies led by Technip SA (TEC) and Subsea 7 SA (SUBC) for the first time are working with wind energy developers in the North Sea’s 14 billion-euro ($19 billion) a year market. The offshore engineers plan to exploit the similarities between building undersea oil installations and constructing offshore wind farms and have both established renewable energy units. Petrofac Ltd. (PFC) also offers expertise to wind developers in the North Sea, where fossil fuels first discovered in 1966 are being depleted as clean energy demand rises.

Shell's stance on wind power reveals a profound truth of capitalism

Shell's stance on wind power reveals a profound truth of capitalism | Andrew Simms | Environment | guardian.co.uk

They couldn't "make the numbers work". There's something so blithe – and enormously telling - about the excuse offered by the oil company Shell to explain why they were not investing in wind power in Britain. Presented with an accounting fact – that, on Shell's terms, wind power is deemed insufficiently profitable – observers are expected to automatically understand their logic, nod in agreement and move on.

A woman's place is everywhere in the green economy

A woman's place is everywhere in the green economy | GreenBiz.com

Imagine: You've been a practicing lawyer for 20 years. You've been elected to Parliament. You've run the environment Ministry for a whole country. You've been a Cabinet member. You own a successful business, including the building from which it operates. You have an impeccable financial record.

CoolPlanet Biofuels: Too good to be true?

CoolPlanet Biofuels: Too good to be true? | GreenBiz.com

Imagine a company that says it can produce virtually limitless amounts of cheap gasoline, create arable land for food production and solve the climate crisis -- all at once.
That's the promise of CoolPlanet BioFuels.

Emissions reality check

The week in cleantech and carbon: Emissions reality check - reneweconomy.com.au : Renew Economy

The clean energy sector can be a capricious beast, all sunny investment one moment and dire outlook the next. There was a reminder for ministers from 23 economies – representing 90 per cent of global renewables and efficiency investment – at the Clean Energy Ministerial in London last week that the sector’s progress to date is still not sufficient to address the climate change challenge.

Asset owners misunderstand sustainable investment

Environmental Finance | News | Asset owners misunderstand sustainable investment

Asset owners could help boost sustainable investing by engaging more with investors on their progress in the area, say experts. In order to see environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues more widely evaluated by investors, there needs to be more transparency on progress made, Rory Sullivan, senior research fellow at the University of Leeds and strategic advisor at Ethix SRI Advisors, told MSCI’s ESG leadership conference on Friday.

Gucci takes stake in offset developer

Environmental Finance | News | PPR takes stake in offset developer

The company which owns luxury brands including Gucci and Alexander McQueen has acquired a stake in forest carbon project developer Wildlife Works Carbon. France’s PPR group has paid an undisclosed amount for a 5% stake in US-based Wildlife Works, a developer of projects that reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD). Last year, insurance giant Allianz bought a 10% stake in Wildlife Works. PPR has previously bought credits from Wildlife Works’ main project in Kenya to offset its emissions.

Sustainable Timber & Energy issue oversubscribed

Environmental Finance | News | Sustainable Timber & Energy issue oversubscribed

The UK’s FIM Services has closed fundraising for its Sustainable Timber & Energy LP fund having raised £20.2 million ($32.9 million) against a target of £20 million. The fund now has total assets of more than £65 million, invested mostly in a portfolio of 55 UK forestry properties and two onshore windfarms in Scotland. It is intended primarily for high-net-worth individuals and aims to achieve a 3% annual distribution to investors. Total returns in the year ended 31 May 2011 were 20.2%.