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Q&A on the Commission's proposal for the revision of industrial emissions legislation in the EU

Reference: MEMO/07/623 Date: 21/12/2007
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MEMO/07/623 Brussels, 21 December 2007 Questions and Answers on the Commission's proposal for the revision of industrial emissions legislation in the EU. 1) What is the Commission proposing in the new legislation on industrial emissions? The Commission's proposal focuses on four key problems (see question 4) identified during a two-year review process when data was collected through an extensive programme with ten studies and continuous consultation with stakeholders (information about the data collection and consultation exercises undertaken is available on http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/env/ippc_rev/library). Firstly, the Commission proposes to overhaul seven existing pieces of legislation on industrial emissions[1], moulding them into a single directive (for more information on existing legislation, see questions 8 and 9). This directive improves the clarity and coherence of the legislation and reduces the administrative burden through combined requirements on granting permits and streamlined reporting. Secondly, the new directive improves and clarifies the concept of Best Available Techniques (BATs, see question 10). Decisions that set permit conditions outside BATs can only be taken in specific cases and need to be justified and documented. This will lead to a more coherent and EU-wide application of Best Available Techniques. In addition, the directive tightens current minimum emission limit values for large combustion plants to ensure that emission reductions needed for achieving the objectives of the Commission's Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution are carried out (see question 5). Thirdly, the proposal introduces minimum provisions on environmental inspections of installations, the review of permit granting conditions, and reporting of compliance and soil protection. Incentives for the development and promotion of environmentally-friendly technologies are also included. Finally, the scope of the legislation is extended to include additional activities such as combustion plants of between 20 and 50 MegaWatts (MW), production of wood-based panels and preservation of wood. The Commission proposal also clarifies the scope of certain activities already covered by existing legislation, such as waste treatment and food production. Although it is not included in the legislative proposal, the Commission will continue to work on developing possible EU-wide rules on emissions trading for NOx and SO2, thus building on experience gained through the implementation of the EU's carbon trading scheme. 2) What are the expected health and environmental benefits of the Commission proposal? The Commission proposal will bring substantial benefits for human health and the environment. Significant improvements in Member States' performance are expected as a result of basing the granting of permits conditional on Best Available Techniques (BATs). This will have positive knock-on effects on health and the environment, greatly exceeding the costs installations will incur to comply with the new directive. For example, the net benefits from Large Combustion Plants (LCP) – taking into account health benefits and compliance costs – would be between €7 and 28 billion a year, including saving 13,000 and 125,000 premature deaths and years of life lost, respectively. Extending the legislation to cover new activities will also lead to further environmental and health benefits. For example, including a larger number of combustion installations by lowering the threshold installations the directive applies to from 50 MW to 20 MW will lead to net environmental and health benefits – taking into account compliance and administrative costs – of between €732 million and €1.6 billion. The proposal is also expected to play a key role in stimulating the development of environmental technologies, thus allowing the EU to be at the leading edge of this increasingly important sector. 3) What is the expected impact of the proposal on the simplification and reduction of administrative burden? Current legislation on industrial pollution is complex and sometimes inconsistent. A single directive on industrial emissions will provide a clear, coherent and simplified legal framework. It will address the inconsistencies that exist in current legislation and will also reduce administrative costs, most notably by simplifying the granting of permits, reducing reporting requirements by operators and streamlining reporting by Member States. The Commission's review identified certain unnecessary administrative costs that could be reduced at Member State level as part of the implementation of the legislation. The Commission will therefore establish Action Programmes with Member States to reduce the administrative burden at national, regional and local levels. The main impact of the proposal on administrative burden is expected to result in: Alleviating the administrative burden by about €30 million/year as a result of combined permitting and €2 million/year through streamlined reporting and monitoring. significant administrative cost reductions at Member State level – estimated at between €150 to 300 million/year. Most opportunities to cut the administrative burden are found at the national or regional level. The entire Commission proposal is expected to reduce the administrative burden by about €105 to €255 million a year. Administrative simplification will also lead to environmental and human health benefits, as clearer links between BATs and sectoral requirements lead to a better uptake of BATs. 4) What are the shortcomings of the current legislation? The Commission has analysed in detail the quality of industrial pollution permits issued so far and has also examined the permitting, compliance and enforcement regimes adopted by Member States. On the basis of a two-year process of data collection involving an extensive programme of studies and continuous consultation of stakeholders, the Commission has concluded that the key principles of the current IPPC directive – in particular the integrated approach based on Best Available Techniques – still offer a sound platform for the future development of EU legislation on industrial emissions. However, there are important shortcomings in the implementation of the current legislation that hinder the full exploitation of the environmental potential originally intended by the directive that render enforcement at EU level very difficult. The four key issues highlighted are: Insufficient implementation of the Best Available Techniques (BATs). Limitations to enforcement and environmental improvements that hinder environmental protection and the stimulation of innovation. Unnecessary administrative burdens due to the complexity and incoherence of parts of the current legal framework. Insufficient scope and unclear provisions of the current IPPC Directive that could hinder the achievement of the Thematic Strategies' objectives. Another issue that came up in the review concerned the limitations on the use of flexible instruments such as NOx and SO2 emission trading systems within the present legislation. This issue will be explored further but separately from the directive's revision. 5) Emissions from industry have gone down, so why does industry need to do more? The Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution[2] includes clear objectives for the reduction of a number of important air pollutants in order to achieve levels of air quality that do not give rise to significant negative impacts on and risks to human health and the environment. The Strategy was developed under the 6th Environmental Action Programme and contributes to the long term objective of the National Emissions Ceilings Directive[3]. While industrial emissions have decreased over the past few years they continue to have a significant impact on the environment and need to be reduced further. The largest industrial installations still account for a considerable share of total emissions of key atmospheric pollutants (83% for sulphur dioxide (SO2), 34% for nitrogen oxides (NOx), 43% for dust and 55% for volatile organic compounds (VOC)). Member States' projected air emissions will greatly exceed the 2020 targets of the Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution unless timely action is taken. All sources of pollution need to be reduced. Based on the Commission assessments, achieving the objectives set will only be possible with the full application of BATs by industry. Industrial installations are also the source of emissions to water and soil and generate waste and use substantial amounts of energy. Strengthening the application of BATs will prevent and control emissions of dangerous substances to water. They will also contribute to the objectives of the Water Framework Directive and the related Commission's initiatives to protect surface water from pollution[4]. The Thematic Strategy on Soil[5] emphasises the need to prevent the contamination of soils from dangerous substances. The Commission proposal harmonises the obligation to avoid pollution risks, to return installation sites to a 'satisfactory state' and to periodically monitor soil on sites. 6) Why did the Commission launch a review of the IPPC Directive before the date of implementation for existing installations (30 October 2007)? The review of the legislation should not hamper the correct and full implementation of the IPPC Directive and the sectoral directives in their current form. This remains a high priority for the Commission. However, it is good regulatory governance to review, on the basis of implementation experiences, a piece of legislation that was adopted over 10 years ago. Achieving compliance by the deadline of 30 October 2007 for existing installations has required a preparatory phase of several years with permits issued sufficiently early to allow technical upgrades and changes. However, by mid-2006 the Commission found that only 50% of installations in the EU (see question 7) had been granted permits. This is where a number of shortcomings were identified thus leading to the review of the IPPC Directive and related legislation (see question 4). In addition, investigations undertaken by the Commission revealed that the quality of the permits issued was also a problem, in particular as regards the implementation of BATs. There was no discernable difference between those sectors where the BAT Reference Documents had been adopted several years before the deadline of the Directive and those that had been issued more recently. Furthermore, the analysis of the Member States' projected emissions, as provided under the Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution, showed that full implementation of BATs for large combustion plants was not foreseen by 2020. The Commission therefore concluded that delaying the review of the current legal framework would only postpone the streamlining and the necessary strengthening, and would lead to an unacceptable delay in achieving significant environmental and health improvements. In addition, the revision was also one of the key demands from the 2003 stakeholder consultation on the IPPC Directive and the call for Better Regulation[6]. 7) What has emerged from the monitoring of implementation of the present legislation? Given the shortcomings in implementation of the legislation identified by the Commission, and in particular the IPPC Directive, action needs to be taken. The late implementation of the legislation is unacceptable, especially in situations where further contributions to emission reductions are necessary to meet environmental objectives as indicated, as in the Commission's Air Thematic Strategy for instance (see question 5). It is clear that efforts made to date will not enable all Member States to comply with the directive deadline of 30 October 2007. This is an unacceptable situation. The Commission will therefore have to consider action to ensure compliance with permitting as soon as possible. The Commission will continue to collect information from Member States and decisions will be made on the basis of such information. Where required the Commission will pursue all necessary actions to ensure that the Directive is correctly transposed and implemented, bringing infringement cases if necessary. For more information about the state of implementation, see MEMO/07/441. Furthermore, the Commission has revised and refocused its current IPPC Action Plan[7] for the period 2008-2010, using the following 5 key actions. Action 1 – Ensure full transposition of the legislation on industrial emissions. The Commission will be requesting information from Member States on the state of their implementation of the IPPC Directive and the sectoral Directives, in particular the Solvents Emissions and Large Combustion Plants Directives. The Commission will pursue all necessary actions to ensure that the Directives are fully and correctly transposed, including through infringement cases. Action 2 – Support Member States in their implementation of the legislation. This will incorporate aspects of enhanced information exchange, guidance development, visits to authorities and training. Action 3 – Enhanced monitoring and compliance checks of the application of the legislation on industrial emissions. The Commission will continue to monitor the number of IPPC permits issued and updated, and where required investigate the system of monitoring and inspection at IPPC installations. Action 4 – Improve data collection for review of BREFs and create stronger links with the Research Framework Programme. The review of the BAT Reference Documents (BREFs) will continue based on the agreed work programme and in close cooperation with stakeholders. The Commission will ensure closer links between the BREF elaboration process, the European Research Framework Programme and the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme. Action 5 – Support Member States in cutting administrative burdens. The Commission will organise an information exchange with Member States on the establishment of specific Action Programmes on cutting administrative burdens at the Member State level for the permitting and control of IPPC installations. 8) What are the objectives and provisions of the current IPPC Directive? The Directive concerning Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) was adopted in 1996 and had to be transposed into the national legislation of EU Member States by 30 October 1999. This was also the date of application for new installations, while all existing installations had to fully comply by 30 October 2007. The aim of this key law on industrial emissions is to achieve a high level of environmental protection through the integrated permitting of industrial and agricultural installations. It covers a wide range of activities, including the production of metals, the processing of minerals, chemical manufacture, poultry and pig farming, waste incineration and fuel combustion in large combustion plants. About 52,000 installations all over EU-27 currently fall under the scope of the IPPC Directive. The permit system to be put in place by Member States aims to ensure that all of the relevant environmental issues for an installation are considered in an integrated way. This includes the following: operators of installations take preventive measures against pollution, in particular through the application of the Best Available Techniques; no significant pollution (air, water, land, noise, odour etc.) is caused; waste that cannot be avoided is recovered or disposed of safely; energy is used efficiently; accidents are prevented and their consequences are limited; the site is returned to a satisfactory state when the installation closes. Member States must ensure that permits issued under the IPPC Directive include emission limit values based on Best Available Techniques. Operators of the installations concerned must obtain and comply with the permit conditions in order to continue to undertake their activity. Permits must not prescribe the use of any particular techniques or specific technology, and they may take into account the technical characteristics of the installation concerned, its geographical location and the local environmental conditions. Most Member States delegate their obligations under the directive to regional or local authorities. 9) What are the sectoral directives related to industrial emissions covered by the Commission's proposal? The current EU legal framework on industrial emissions comprises the IPPC Directive and six “sectoral" directives, namely the Large Combustion Plants Directive[8], the Waste Incineration Directive[9], the Solvents Emissions Directive[10] and three directives related to the production of Titanium Dioxide[11]. The sectoral directives regulate the emissions (generally to air and in some cases also to water) from certain industrial activities. They define in particular specific requirements (generally emission limit values and monitoring provisions) for certain pollutants for the installations concerned. For the installations covered by both the IPPC Directive and by the sectoral directives, the latter set only the minimum requirements that apply without prejudice to the IPPC Directive. This means that the IPPC Directive may require stricter or additional conditions than would apply under the sectoral directives alone. Assessment of the implementation of the sectoral directives will continue. For the Waste Incineration Directive, the Commission has provided its assessment of implementation within the Communication issued alongside the legislative proposal. This indicates that in general incineration plants meet the air emission limit values set in the Directive and that the implementation of the Waste Incineration Directive has brought significant improvement in the control of waste incinerators across the EU. The Commission will also consider the efforts that have been made by Member States to meet the implementation deadlines for both the Solvent Emissions and Large Combustion Plants Directives. 10) What are Best Available Techniques (BATs)? Best Available Techniques (BATs) are defined in the IPPC Directive as the most effective techniques to achieve a high level of environmental protection, taking into account the costs and benefits. BATs do not only refer to the technology used at an installation, but also to the way the installation is designed, built, operated and maintained. In the determination of the Best Available Techniques (BATs), the authorities that issue permits have to take into account the BAT Reference Documents (BREFs) adopted by the European Commission. These BREFs are based on an exchange of information through technical working groups consisting of experts from industry, Member State authorities, research institutes and NGOs. This exchange is coordinated by the Commission's European IPPC Bureau in Seville (http://eippcb.jrc.es/), which is part of the Institute for Prospective Technology Studies at EU Joint Research Centre in Seville (Spain). This process has resulted in the adoption and publication by the Commission of 31 BREFs. The BREFs describe what is considered to be a BAT at EU level for each activity covered by the directive. The executive summaries of the BREFs are also translated into the official EU languages[12]. The BREFs will be reviewed in the coming years to ensure that they stay up-to-date with technological developments. Further information on the IPPC Directive and the sectoral sirectives is available at: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/environment/ippc/index.htm http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/stationary.htm#1 For more information see about the state of implementation of the IPPC Directive, see also MEMO/07/441. [1] Directive 96/61/EC concerning integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) and 6 so-called sectoral directives for large combustion plants, waste incineration, activities using organic solvents and titanium dioxide production. [2] http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/cafe/index.htm [3] http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/ceilings.htm [4] http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-dangersub/surface_water.htm [5] http://ec.europa.eu/environment/soil/index.htm [6] See http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ippc/com_communication.htm [7] See http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ippc/ippc_implementation.htm [8] Directive 2001/80/EC on the limitation of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants [9] Directive 2000/76/EC on the incineration of waste [10] Directive 1999/13/EC on the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain activities and installations [11] Directives 78/176/EEC, 82/883/EEC and 92/112/EEC related to the titanium dioxide industry [12] http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/env/ippc_brefs/library

tag: EU, industrial emissions,

Toyota Hybrid PickupTruck, Concept

Toyota Motor is at it again. On Jan. 13, the Japanese automaker will take the wraps off another product that could have embattled American automakers scrambling to catch up. Its new concept truck, dubbed A-BAT, will make its worldwide debut in the heart of the U.S. auto industry, at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. And the tough-looking pickup packs a hybrid gas-electric power supply similar to the Prius sedan, likely the most well-known green machine on American roads.

In November, 2007, General Motors introduced a hybrid version of its largest pickup, but no other automaker currently offers a modern, small truck with a gas-electric power plant. And none have Toyota's environmental street cred to make such a vehicle a sales star.

Toyota's truck division had a banner year in 2007, giving it significant momentum into '08. Now, the A-BAT shows a potential new small truck that could slot into the company's truck lineup under the Tundra and midsize Tacoma, effectively creating a new segment. The small vehicle, which could be built on a car platform, looks big but is about the size of the company's smallest sport-utility vehicle, the RAV4, and could prove popular with young buyers looking for a fuel-efficient but versatile vehicle.

Toyota designers gave BusinessWeek.com an exclusive peek at the pre-production concept model. Take a spin.
Tags: Toyota, A-BAT, hybrid pickup, Prius

Cities Entice People To Go Green

PARKLAND, Fla. (AP) — Free hybrid-car parking. Cash rebates for installing solar panels. Low-interest loans for energy-saving home renovations. Money to tear up desert lawns and replace them with drought-resistant landscaping.

Frustrated by what they see as insufficient action by state and federal government, municipalities around the country are offering financial incentives to get people to go green.

"A lot of localities recognize they're going to get a lot more done using carrots and incentives rather than regulatory means," said Jason Hartke, director of advocacy for the U.S. Green Building Council.

In Parkland, where the motto is "Environmentally Proud," the city plans next year to begin dispensing cash rebates to its 25,000 residents for being more environmentally friendly.

"We will literally issue them a check," said Vice Mayor Jared Moskowitz. "We're sick of waiting for the federal government to do something, so we've got to do what we can."

Residents who install low-flow toilets or shower heads will get $150. Replacing an old air conditioner with a more energy-efficient one brings $100. Buying a hybrid car? An additional $200 cash back. And the list goes on.

Based on an estimate of 1,000 residents participating in the rebate program during the first year, the city predicts it will cost up to $100,000.

"Could this bankrupt the city if the program grows by leaps and bounds?" Moskowitz asked. "I can only wish that so many residents want to go green that that becomes an issue."

Many states already offer similar rebates and incentives through tax breaks, loans and perks such as allowing hybrid-car drivers to use car pool lanes.

Utilities have long provided incentives to buy energy-efficient appliances, solar panels and toilets that use less water. The federal government, too, offers tax incentives for purchases of many hybrid vehicles and energy-saving products.

Still, for many cities, it's just not enough.

"In terms of waiting for the federal government, we've waited a long time, and frankly, we haven't gotten very much," said Jared Blumenfeld, director of San Francisco's Department of Environment. "And how do you change someone's behavior? The simple answer is cash."

Starting next year, San Francisco will offer homeowners rebates of up to $5,000 for installing solar panels if they use a local contractor. Coupled with state and federal incentives, that could cut in half the $21,000 cost for an average household, Blumenfeld said.

The city will also cover up to 90 percent of the costs of making apartment buildings more energy-efficient, and will pay residents $150 to replace old appliances.

The neighboring city of Berkeley is financing the cost of solar panels for homeowners who agree to pay the money back through a 20-year property tax assessment.

Nearby Marin County offers a $500 rebate to homeowners who install solar systems.

Baltimore offers at least $2,000 toward closing costs for people who buy new homes close to where they work. It is called the "Live Near Your Work" program.

"Just living near your job and taking transit or walking to meet your daily needs provides basically the same environmental benefit as buying a hybrid car," said Amanda Eaken of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Residents of Albuquerque, N.M., get fast-track building permits and other perks if they agree to make their homes more energy-efficient.

In Arizona, many cities pay residents to replace grass with artificial turf or plants that use less water. Scottsdale, outside Phoenix, will pay up to $1,500.

"We're in the middle of a desert and water is absolutely the most precious resource we have," said city spokesman Mike Phillips.

On the Net:

• Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency: http://www.dsireusa.org
• American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy: http://www.aceee.org

Tags: Berkeley, Berkeley Solar Initiative, green initiative, solar power loan program, solar panels, solar hot water systems

GE Money Through GEOSmart Finances Yes! Solar Solutions At Yes! retail energy outlet in Sacramento, California

KETTERING, Ohio, Dec 26, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- GE Money and Yes! Solar Solutions(TM: 107.70, -1.17, -1.07%), a retail outlet for solar-powered modules and panels, today announced a new multi-year relationship to provide revolving and installment consumer loans on solar products. Loans are provided through the GEOSmart Financing program, managed by GE Money's Sales Finance unit and are available through the Yes! retail energy outlet in Sacramento, Calif.

"Installing a solar power system is equivalent to prepaying for 40 years of power at a fraction of the cost you currently pay," said Jeff Winzeler, president for Yes! Solar Solutions. "We're excited to offer the GEOSmart Loan program, making it more convenient and easily affordable for homeowners to make a positive impact on their homes and the environment."

"The advantages of using solar power are compelling," said Bruce Christensen, vice president and general manager, Home Improvement industry, GE Money - Sales Finance. "At GE, we're committed to doing our part in providing earth-friendly products and services, and we're excited to partner with Yes! Solar Solutions on this new financing program tailored for consumers purchasing renewable energy products."

Yes! Solar Solutions plans additional energy outlet franchise locations throughout California. Consumers visiting these outlets can learn how sunlight is converted to electricity, as well as how the solar systems are installed and the economic and environmental benefits they deliver.

The Yes! energy outlet has been designed to educate, involve and engage homeowners with Yes! Solar Solutions' proprietary solar power systems, which are designed to reduce or eliminate their electricity expense year round. In addition to home energy systems, the retail outlet carries a solar-centric product line, which includes educational products, fun and entertaining solar-powered devices, and many daily use items as well. The Yes! solar solutions retail facility provides visitors with a unique and informative experience and provides them with a single source for solar energy solutions.

Tags: Yes! Solar Solutions, GEOSmart , GE Money

Global Warming Debunked, Again

A U.S. Senate report says that global warming has been disputed by over 400 "scientists" and claims UN IPCC and Al Gore are wrong.
Well we aught to take that Nobel Prize and present it to the true messenger of the hope, Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), who released a so-called “report,” pointing to hundreds of alleged independent scientists who agree with him about climate change — which is to say, they deny the reality of global warming.
"Over 400 prominent scientists from more than two dozen countries recently voiced significant objections to major aspects of the so-called "consensus" on man-made global warming. These scientists, many of whom are current and former participants in the UN IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), criticized the climate claims made by the UN IPCC and former Vice President Al Gore.

The new report issued by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s office of the GOP Ranking Member details the views of the scientists, the overwhelming majority of whom spoke out in 2007."

So;

•"There's no need to be worried. It's very interesting to study [climate change], but there's no need to be worried.", Anton Uriarte, a professor of physical geography at the University of the Basque Country in Spain

I am getting too sick to write any more, read this well wriiten article at Climate Progress.

Tags: climate change, global warming, Climate Action Network, Nobel Prize

Have A Sunny XMAS!

Also Track Santa Here!
VOIP IP Telephony: Track Santa OnLine As NORAD Follows Santa,!
Tags: Track Santa, The Worlds Fastest Flying Object, XMAS,

Free Calls For Xmas From Jajah

Do not forget to take advantage of generous offer from Jajah to make local and international calls free up to 60 minutes. Follow the link for instructions.
VOIP IP Telephony: Free Calls, Free International Calls, From Jajah For The Holiday Season

tags: jajah,free calls, Free international calls, christmas,hanukka, kwanza, holiday, jajah direct, voip, voice 2.0

The Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC 2008)

Hosted by the United States Government, in cooperation with the American Council On Renewable Energy, WIREC 2008 is the third global ministerial-level conference on renewable energy, following events in Beijing in 2005 and Bonn in 2004.

In 2004, Germany hosted the first International Conference for Renewable Energies in Bonn. More than 3,600 participants focused on three central themes: the formation of political framework conditions to allow market development of renewable energies, increasing public and private financing in order to secure reliable demand for renewable energies, and human and institutional capacity building-including the coordination of research and development. Participants came away with 197 concrete actions and commitments by governments and other actors.

In 2005, a second conference held in Beijing capitalized on the success of the past year. This conference had a broad focus on policies, strategies, and financing mechanisms, as well as individual forums on investment and finance, industrialists and entrepreneurs, technology, and north-south cooperation. At the close of the conference, government representatives from 78 countries signed a declaration affirming their commitment to renewable energy and discussing the challenges the industry faces.

Since the close of the Beijing conference, worldwide enthusiasm for renewable energy has increased dramatically, and production has soared. The global community fully recognizes the imperative to promote widespread adoption of renewable energies such as biofuels, wind, solar, geothermal, and hydropower.

WIREC 2008 will build upon the outcomes of the conferences in Bonn and Beijing to foster increased political support and public awareness for renewable energy, new and innovative actions to promote widespread adoption of renewable energy, and advanced tools for collecting and disseminating best practices to end users.

WIREC 2008 focuses on four pillars necessary to support renewable energy industries: Agriculture and Rural Development; Technology/Research and Development; Finance; and Market Adoption/Deployment. Each track will examine how public policies and private efforts can most effectively advance renewable energy across the globe.

Visit previous conferences:

Beijing 2005

Bonn 2004

View Frequently Asked Questions for more information on WIREC 2008.

Tags: Solar, Renewable Energy, WIREC 2008,

NanoSolar "prints" and Ships 1st Megawatt Worth Of Solar Panels

Solar start-up Nanosolar on said that it has started shipping its flexible thin-film solar cells, meeting its own deadline and marking a milestone for alternative solar-cell materials. NanoSOlar CEO Martin Roscheisen announced that the first megawatt of its solar panels will be used as part of a power plant in eastern Germany.
NanoSOlar touts;

- the world’s first printed thin-film solar cell in a commercial panel product;

- the world’s first thin-film solar cell with a low-cost back-contact capability;

- the world’s lowest-cost solar panel – which we believe will make us the first solar manufacturer capable of profitably selling solar panels at as little as $.99/Watt;

- the world’s highest-current thin-film solar panel – delivering five times the current of any other thin-film panel on the market today and thus simplifying system deployment;

- an intensely systems-optimized product with the lowest balance-of-system cost of any thin-film panel – due to innovations in design we have included.

Also they announced that of the first three of our commercial panels that were produced;

Panel #1 will remain at Nanosolar for exhibit.

Panel #2 can be purchased by you in an auction on eBay starting today.

Panel #3 has been donated to the Tech Museum in San Jose.

Press Release Nanosolar Shipping for Megawatt Municipal Power Plant

Tags: solar panel, solar cell, NanoSolar, printable solar cell

California Greenhouse Gas Law Prevails

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The auto industry's lawsuit challenging the state of California's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles was rejected Wednesday by a federal judge.

The ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Anthony Ishii clears one of the hurdles in California's effort to regulate tailpipe emissions from cars, trucks and sports utility vehicles.

Automakers sued the state over the tailpipe standards it approved in 2004, which would force automakers to build cars and light trucks that produce about 30 percent fewer greenhouse gases by 2016.

However, the state still needs a waiver from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to begin implementing the program. The EPA has not yet issued a decision. California and 14 other states sued the agency in November seeking quicker action.

"It's a major victory and a giant step forward for California," California Attorney General Jerry Brown said of Wednesday's ruling. "I hope this will get the attention of President Bush and have him support significant caps on greenhouse gas emissions."

In its lawsuit against the state, the auto industry argued that California did not have the authority to set its own standards because it would force manufacturers to produce vehicles using too many different fuel efficiency standards.

But Ishii rejected that claim, saying Congress gave California and the EPA the authority to regulate vehicle emissions, even if those rules are more strict than those imposed by the federal government.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

SACRAMENTO (AP) — A federal judge Wednesday rejected an automakers' lawsuit against California, saying the state has the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles.

The ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Anthony Ishii clears one of the hurdles in California's effort to regulate tailpipe emissions from cars, trucks and sports utility vehicles.

Automakers sued the state over the tailpipe standards it approved in 2004, which would force automakers to build cars and light trucks that produce about 30 percent less greenhouse gases by 2016.

However, the state still needs a waiver from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to begin implementing the program. The EPA has not yet issued a decision.

Tags: California greenhouse gas law, greenhouse gas law, Low emission, automakers' lawsuit, EPA Waiver, Judge Anthony Ishii

Australia Signs The Kyoto Protocol

NUSA DUA, Indonesia (Reuters) - Australia's new prime minister handed over documents ratifying the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations in Bali on Wednesday and said his own country was already suffering from global warming.

Kevin Rudd handed the documents to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the sidelines of climate talks on the Indonesian island, where 190 nations are trying to initiate two-year talks on a global pact to fight a warming planet.

"For Australians, climate change is no longer a distant threat," Rudd told delegates at the opening of the conference's main session.

"Our rivers are dying, bushfires are more ferocious and more frequent and our natural wonders -- the Great Barrier Reef, Kakadu, our rainforests -- are now at risk."

Rudd, whose Labor Party won a landslide election victory last month, signed the pact last week as his first official act, leaving the United States as the only major developed nation outside the pact to fight climate change.

Nations are meeting in Bali to discuss terms for starting formal negotiations to expand or replace the 10-year-old Kyoto Protocol.

Rudd described climate change as one of humanity's greatest moral and economic challenges. "Australia now stands ready to assume its responsibility in responding to this challenge -- both at home and in the negotiations that lie ahead across the community of nations."
Continue to read at Reuters

Tags: Kyoto Protocol, Australia, Indonesia, Ban Ki-moon, Bali, Kevin Rudd

U.S Says No To 2020 greenhouse goals in Bali, Again :(

NUSA DUA, Indonesia (Reuters) - Washington rejected stiff 2020 targets for greenhouse gas cuts by rich nations at U.N. talks in Bali on Monday as part of a "roadmap" to work out a new global pact to fight climate change by 2009.

"It's prejudging what the outcome should be," chief negotiator Harlan Watson said of a draft suggesting that rich nations should aim to axe emissions of heat-trapping gases by between 25 and 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.

He said that Washington wanted the December 3-14 talks, of 190 nations with more than 10,000 delegates, to end on Friday with an accord to start two years of negotiations on a new global climate treaty to succeed the Kyoto Protocol beyond 2012.

A draft final text by Indonesia, South Africa and Australia says evidence by the U.N. climate panel demands cuts of 25-40 percent by rich nations to avoid the worst impacts of climate change such as more droughts, floods and rising seas.

"We don't want to start out with numbers," Watson told a news conference, adding that the 25-40 percent range was based on "many uncertainties" and a small number of scientific studies by the U.N. Climate Panel, a Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Other countries such as Japan are also opposed, fearing such stiff goals would choke economic growth.

The Bali talks are trying to agree the principles for a successor to Kyoto, which binds 36 industrial nations to cut emissions, mainly from burning fossil fuels, by five percent below 1990 by 2008-12.

"Our opinion about Kyoto has not changed," Watson said. President George W. Bush opposes Kyoto, saying it would damage the U.S. economy and wrongly excludes 2012 goals for developed nations, such as China, India and Brazil.
Pleas continue to read at Reuters.

Tags: 2020 greenhouse goals, Kyoto protocol, Bali

Fairbanks utility SNAPs sustainable energy Producers and Buyers Together.

For more than two years, Golden Valley Electric Association has helped keep Alaska green, according to an article on Alaska Journal of Commerce. Through an innovative program known SNAP, this Fairbanks-based utility company is empowering its members to contribute and purchase sustainable energy.
SNAP stands for Sustainable Natural Alternative Power. The program is based on a model developed by Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County, Wash. The program links members (SNAP producers) who want to produce renewable power with those who are willing to support renewable power (SNAP purchasers).According to public relations analyst Dianne Porter, GVEA is only the third utility to copy the program. GVEA hopes to pave the way for other Alaska utilities looking to promote sustainable energy among their members.
GVEA members generate 100 percent of SNAP energy. This power is added to the existing power supply and transferred across GVEA's electric grid. Solar and wind power is received by SNAP purchasers who voluntarily agree to pay a little more on their bill - usually around $2 - each month. One hundred percent of SNAP funds go to producers. Producers also receive a percentage of the off-peak wholesale power rate, paid by Golden Valley Electric, for the power they produce.
The amount paid to producers depends on the total amount contributed by purchasers, and the total amount generated by producers. The greater the amount contributed, the greater the amount that will be distributed among participating SNAP producers. The maximum payment is $1.50 per kilowatt-hour.
According to Dianne Porter, current figures indicate that 14,885 kilowatt-hours have been produced since January 2007.
Complete article is here.

Tags: alternative energy, Alaska, Golden Valley Electric Association, GVEA, SNAP producers, SNAP purchasers, SNAP, Solar Power, wind power

Fletcher to Get Largest Residential Solar Thermal Power Plant

Blue Ridge Now is reporting that the sun will heat and cool 400 units of what's being called the largest use of residential solar thermal technology in the country.
The Rivercane development will open many doors to "green" living for residents of its town homes, condos and "live-work" studios, with homes above commercial spaces.
Residents will pay an estimated $100,000 to $300,000 for units where the heat, air conditioning and hot water comes from the sun. They may work in the adjacent Fletcher Business Park, run and bike on an extension of the Fletcher Greenway and play in a creekside park the developer plans to donate to the town.
The 38-acre project site lies along Cane Creek between Cane Creek Industrial Park Drive and Mills Gap Road in the broad valley. Ringed by views of the distant Black and Blue Ridge ranges and closer Burney Mountain, the property has sat vacant for decades since it served as a runway for the old Asheville airport.
The News Article is Here.

Tags: solar thermal technology, solar energy

Senate is still running on Oil and Cars, Blocks Energy Bill

Brushing aside a veto threat from the White House, the House passed a package of energy measures on Thursday that includes a 40 percent increase in fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks sold in the United States. But the measure stalled today in the Senate, as expected.
Continue reading at New York Times.

Tags: Energy Politics, White House

Another Oil Spill Hurts South Korea (Our World)

TAEAN, South Korea, Dec 9 (Reuters) - South Korea deployed over 100 ships and thousands of troops on Sunday to clean up the worst oil spill in its history, which has blackened beaches, coated birds in tar and cast a foul smell over a nature reserve.

The slick has washed up in an area spanning 17 kms (11 miles) of the west coast, about 100 km southwest of Seoul, that is home to popular tourist beaches, a national park and oyster beds. The spill is threatening to become a major environmental disaster.

The slick extends about 20 km from the Hong Kong-registered tanker that began leaking an estimated 10,500 tonnes of crude oil on Friday, after a barge carrying a crane punched holes in its hull while it was anchored, the coast guard said.
Reuters article.

Tags: Oil Spill, Tanker accident

Zonbu, The Earth and Pocket Friendly PC

With the specifications like;

• Processor: 1.2GHz, VIA C7 ULV
  Intel-compatible, ultra-low energy use
• Memory: 512 MB
• Compact Flash local storage: 4GB
• Graphics: VIA CX700M2 UniChrome PRO II, VGA output, supports up to 2048 x 1536 (16 million colors, 75 Hz)

	Standard PC	Zonbu device
Average energy use	175 W	15 W
Energy consumption	1534 kWh/year	131 kWh/year
CO2 emission	2071 pounds	177 pounds
Emission after carbon offset	2071 pounds	0 pounds
Equivalent gallons of gasoline used	107 gallons	0 gallons

So they can say that they are truely friendly to the environment and that could mean as much as $10 a month in energy savings for you — and might just help save the planet, too. Not only does Zonbu's low power design reduce CO2 emissions, but by buying carbon offsets, They make the operation of your Zonbu device completely carbon neutral. Talk about guilt-free computing!

With Zonbu, green doesn't mean you make you extra efforts in your computing..! With its efficient ultra low power design, Zonbu delivers the power of a traditional desktop computer but uses just a fraction of the energy. Most of the work you do at a desk could be easily handled with this PC. I am using it as a server. I will not go in to detail but it took over from a internet facing server that has been running since 2001. It was not a powerful server but it was using 2oo watts. I got the Zonbu PC without a service plan due to my requirements and the nature of the business that it is going to be in.
But the contracts are very attractive and provided in multiple formats to suit everyones needs. Also the price of the PC and the notebook could drop drastically depending on the service plan you decide to go with.

If you do decide to buy one, when you get it, please don't send it back thinking it is not working because there is no noise. It is meant to be noiseless!.

This is the link to get to know about it and get one, Zonbu.

Tags: Green PC, Zonbu

Worlds Frirst Floating Wind Generator.

BERLIN (AFP) - A floating wind turbine that its makers claim could significantly boost the renewable energy sector was officially launched at a trade show in the German capital on Wednesday.
Dutch company Blue H Technologies said its invention, which adapts technology used in offshore oil rigs, was a world first.
It will soon go into operation off the coast of Puglia in southern Italy. Unlike normal offshore wind turbines it does not need to be anchored to the seabed and can be used in waters deeper than 50 metres (164 feet), depths at which installation costs for fixed turbines become prohibitive. The German government on Wednesday approved a major package of measures to fight climate change, including a target to make renewable energy from sources such as wind contribute between 25 and 30 percent of the country's energy needs by 2020, compared to the current level of 12 percent.

Tags: wind turbine, Blue H Technologies

Environmentally Friendly Kangaroo Farts Might Fight Global Warming

SYDNEY (AFP) - Australian scientists are trying to give kangaroo-style stomachs to cattle and sheep in a bid to cut the emission of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming, researchers say. Thanks to special bacteria in their stomachs, kangaroo flatulence contains no methane and scientists want to transfer that bacteria to cattle and sheep who emit large quantities of the harmful gas. While the usual image of greenhouse gas pollution is a billowing smokestack pushing out carbon dioxide, livestock passing wind contribute a surprisingly high percentage of total emissions in some countries.
"Fourteen percent of emissions from all sources in Australia is from enteric methane from cattle and sheep," said Athol Klieve, a senior research scientist with the Queensland state government.
"And if you look at another country such as New Zealand, which has got a much higher agricultural base, they're actually up around 50 percent," he told AFP.

Researchers say the bacteria also makes the digestive process much more efficient and could potentially save millions of dollars in feed costs for farmers.
"Not only would they not produce the methane, they would actually get something like 10 to 15 percent more energy out of the feed they are eating," said Klieve.
Even farmers who laugh at the idea of environmentally friendly kangaroo farts say that's nothing to joke about, particularly given the devastating drought Australia is suffering.
"In a tight year like a drought situation, 15 percent would be a considerable sum," said farmer Michael Mitton. But it will take researchers at least three years to isolate the bacteria, before they can even start to develop a way of transferring it to cattle and sheep.

Source

Tags: kangaroo, global warming, carbon dioxide, methane, environmentally friendly kangaroo, greenhouse gas pollution, greenhouse gas, pollution

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. unveiled the nation's first solar-powered billboard

SAN FRANCISCO – Pacific Gas and Electric Company today unveiled the nation’s first solar-powered billboard, located in San Francisco, Calif. The billboard is part of the utility’s new advertising campaign, titled “We Can Do This”, which features information about a variety of programs and services PG&E offers that reflect the company’s commitment to the environment.

“As a leader in the fight against climate change, we’re always looking for new ways to educate our customers,” said Greg Pruett, senior vice president of corporate relations at PG&E Corporation. “With this solar-powered billboard – the nation’s first – we increase the amount of clean, renewable energy we provide our customers. We also hope to capture the imagination of Americans about the actionable steps one can take to reduce their environmental impact.”

The nation’s first solar-powered billboard is prominently located at 1000 Brannan Street in San Francisco, visible from the Highway 101 9th Street exit. It is outfitted with 20 solar modules that can provide up to 3.4 kilowatts of renewable solar energy to the PG&E grid. The power generated by the system exceeds the power used at night to illuminate the billboard’s lights. In addition to installing solar, PG&E replaced the billboard’s halophane light fixtures with energy-efficient LED lights.

"Solar power is a core element in California’s response to meeting increased electric demand and reducing greenhouse gas emissions," said Adam Browning, Executive Director of the Vote Solar Initiative. "PG&E has demonstrated a commitment to making renewable energy work for California. This leadership is critical if we are to be successful in fighting global warming.”

The solar panels, provided by SunTech Power, collect direct current (DC) electricity from the sun’s rays. Using a Fronius IG 3000 grid-tie inverter, the renewable energy is converted to alternating current (AC) power and fed into the electricity grid.

With the debut of PG&E’s solar-powered billboard, the United States joins Canada and South Africa as the only countries worldwide to utilize solar technology in this innovative way. Unlike the two Canadian solar-powered billboards located in Vancouver and Toronto, PG&E’s billboard is interconnected to the grid, providing renewable energy to the utility’s customers. The South African solar-powered billboard is also interconnected.

With more than 18,000 customer solar interconnections, representing more than 153 megawatts of generation, PG&E is the leading solar utility in the nation. PG&E proudly provides its customers with among the cleanest energy in the nation. On average, more than 50 percent of the energy PG&E delivers to its customers emits zero carbon dioxide.

PG&E currently supplies 12 percent of its energy from qualifying renewable sources under California's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) program and the company is well on its way to reaching its renewable energy portfolio of 20 percent delivered or under contract by 2010. Through its leading energy efficiency and demand response programs, the company has helped prevent more than 125 million tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere, while saving its customers nearly $20 billion.

To see how you can become involved in helping to slow climate change, visit www.pge.com/wecandothis.

Tags: solar power, solar-powered billboard, PG&E, We Can Do This, the grid

Another Inconvenient Truth, Save your Marriage and Save the World

A really inconvenient truth: Divorce is not green. Dec. 3, 2007

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The data are in. Divorce is bad for the environment.

A novel study that links divorce with the environment shows a global trend of soaring divorce rates has created more households with fewer people, has taken up more space and has gobbled up more energy and water. The findings of Jianguo “Jack” Liu and Eunice Yu at Michigan State University are published in this week’s online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

A statistical remedy: Fall back in love. Cohabitation means less urban sprawl and softens the environmental hit.

“Not only the United States, but also other countries, including developing countries such as China and places with strict religious policies regarding divorce, are having more divorced households,” Liu said. “The consequent increases in consumption of water and energy and using more space are being seen everywhere.”

Liu and his research assistant Yu started with the obvious – that divorce rates across the globe are on the rise. Housing units, even if they now have few people in them, require resources to construct them and take up space. They require fuel to heat and cool. A refrigerator uses roughly the same amount of energy whether it belongs to a family of four or a family of two.

When they calculated the cost in terms of increased utilities and unused housing space per capita, they discovered that divorce tosses out economy of scale. Among the findings:

• In the United States alone in 2005, divorced households used 73 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and 627 billion gallons of water that could have been saved had household size remained the same as that of married households. Thirty-eight million extra rooms were needed with associated costs for heating and lighting.
  
  
• In the United States and 11 other countries such as Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Greece, Mexico and South Africa between 1998 and 2002, if divorced households had combined to have the same average household size as married households, there could have been 7.4 million fewer households in these countries.
  
  
• The numbers of divorced households in these countries ranged from 40,000 in Costa Rica to almost 16 million in the United States around 2000.
  
  
• The number of rooms per person in divorced households was 33 percent to 95 percent greater than in married households.

To track what happens when divorced people returned to married life, the study compared married households with households that had weathered marriage, divorce and remarriage. The results: The environmental footprint shrunk back to that of consistently married households.

Liu, a University Distinguished Professor of fisheries and wildlife and Rachel Carson Chair in Ecological Sustainability at MSU’s Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, has spent more than two decades integrating ecology with social sciences to understand the complex interrelationships between nature and humans and how those interactions affect the environment and biodiversity. Liu and Yu began to discuss this research project when Yu was a high school student.

This new work also acknowledges that divorce is not the only lifestyle trend changing family living structures – the demise of multigenerational households and people remaining single longer are examples.

“People’s first reaction to this research is surprise, and then it seems simple,” Liu said. “But a lot of things become simple after research is done. Our challenges were to connect the dots and quantify their relationships. People have been talking about how to protect the environment and combat climate change, but divorce is an overlooked factor that needs to be considered.”

The research, Liu said, shows that environmental policy is more complex than one single solution. Governments across the world may need to start factoring in divorce when examining environmental policy, Liu said.

“Solutions are beyond a single idea,” Liu said. “Consider the production of biofuel. Biofuel is made from plants, which also require water and space. We’re showing divorce has significant competition for that water and space. On the other hand, more divorce demands more energy. This creates a challenging dilemma and requires more creative solutions.”

The research was funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station.

A copy of the paper can be downloaded from www.pnas.org or www.csis.msu.edu/research.htm#publications.

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Michigan State University has been advancing knowledge and transforming lives through innovative teaching, research and outreach for more than 150 years. MSU is known internationally as a major public university with global reach and extraordinary impact. Its 17 degree-granting colleges attract scholars worldwide who are interested in combining education with practical problem solving.

Tags: inconvenient truth, Michigan State University, environment, biodiversity, Ecological Sustainability, going green