Isramart news:
Acoperisurile verzi sunt tot mai raspandite in Mexico City. In ultimii 2 ani, un spital, o gradinita si o cladire guvernamentala si-au inverzit acoperisurile, potrivit cop15.dk.
Exemplul acestora a fost urmat in aceasta sapatmana si de reprezentantii Ministerului mexican al Mediului care au plantat o gradina de cactusi si una de legume pe acoperisul cladirii institutiei.
Aceste gradini reduc poluarea dar si temperatura orasului, absorbind in acelasi timp si dioxidul de carbon emis de vehiculele care circula pe strazile din apropire.
“Cladirile sunt mai recoroase si necesita mai putin aer conditionat sau chiar deloc, in special la ultimul etaj care se afla exact sub gradinile de pe acoperis”, a explicat Maria de los Angeles Islas, director general al Centrului nord-american pentru comunicare si informatii despre mediu.
Caldura provenita de la un acoperis normal poate ajunge si pana la 80 de grade Celsius, insa multumita vegetatiei, temperatura unui acoperis verde este mentinuta la 25 de grade Celsius, a arat Tania Muller, liderul programului de reimpadurire urbana a parcurilor si a rutelor pentru biciclete din Mexico City.
Ministerul Sanatatii a oferit recent autoritatilor din Mexico City acordul de a crea acoperisuri verzi pe 28 de spitale.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Isramart : Evenimentul Zilei: De ce nu reciclam gunoiul?
Isramart news:
Desi trendul eco a patruns si in Romania, si are numerosi adepti, majoritatea romanilor sunt in continuare nepasatori fata de importanta reciclarii deseurilor. Nu numai ca nu le triaza, dar, de multe ori, le arunca oriunde.
Un studiu recent realizat de Daedalus Millward Brown a evidentiat ca peste 90% dintre repondenti admit ca activitatea de colectare selectiva a deseurilor este importanta (13,7%) si foarte importanta (80,8%), insa, in continuare, nu actioneaza in aceasta directie. Ei sunt dispusi sa adopte un comportament ecologic, privind echipamentele electronice, doar in masura in care acest lucru nu presupune eforturi foarte mari din partea lor si, eventual, li se ofera facilitati financiare la achizitia altor produse noi.
Desi trendul eco a patruns si in Romania, si are numerosi adepti, majoritatea romanilor sunt in continuare nepasatori fata de importanta reciclarii deseurilor. Nu numai ca nu le triaza, dar, de multe ori, le arunca oriunde.
Un studiu recent realizat de Daedalus Millward Brown a evidentiat ca peste 90% dintre repondenti admit ca activitatea de colectare selectiva a deseurilor este importanta (13,7%) si foarte importanta (80,8%), insa, in continuare, nu actioneaza in aceasta directie. Ei sunt dispusi sa adopte un comportament ecologic, privind echipamentele electronice, doar in masura in care acest lucru nu presupune eforturi foarte mari din partea lor si, eventual, li se ofera facilitati financiare la achizitia altor produse noi.
Isramart : Elvetia isi reduce emisiile cu 20% pana in 2020
Isramart news:
Guvernul elvetian si-a propus sa reduca emisiile de CO2 ale tarii cu 20% pana in 2020, iar procentul ar putea creste in cazul in care se ajunge la un acord la Copenhaga in decembrie, potrivit Reuters.
Intr-o declaratie a executivului elvetian se arata ca planul va completa o lege ce reglementeaza emisiile tarii pana in 2012. Modificarea legislativa mai trebuie votata in parlament. In cazul in care summitul pentru clima de la Copenhaga se va incheia cu un acord care limiteaza mai drastic emisiile la nivel global, guvernul elvetian este pregatit sa opereze modificari mai drastice.
Propunerea elvetienilor este similara cu tintele Uniunii Europene, din care nu face parte, si mai radicala decat plafonul fixat de majoritatea tarilor puternic industrializate. Cu toate acestea, procentul votat intr-un referendum public organizat in Elvetia a fost de 30%.
Guvernul elvetian a luat in discutie si cateva masuri pentru reducerea emisiilor, inclusiv taxe suplimentare pentru combustibili, sprijin financiar pentru izolarea termica a cladirilor si dezvoltarea de energii regenerabile.
Un grup de experti al Natiunilor Unite a facut un apel in 2007 pentru reducerea emisiilor de gaze cu efect de sera cu 25-40% pana in 2020 pentru ca efectele schimbarilor climatice sa fie ameliorate.
Guvernul elvetian si-a propus sa reduca emisiile de CO2 ale tarii cu 20% pana in 2020, iar procentul ar putea creste in cazul in care se ajunge la un acord la Copenhaga in decembrie, potrivit Reuters.
Intr-o declaratie a executivului elvetian se arata ca planul va completa o lege ce reglementeaza emisiile tarii pana in 2012. Modificarea legislativa mai trebuie votata in parlament. In cazul in care summitul pentru clima de la Copenhaga se va incheia cu un acord care limiteaza mai drastic emisiile la nivel global, guvernul elvetian este pregatit sa opereze modificari mai drastice.
Propunerea elvetienilor este similara cu tintele Uniunii Europene, din care nu face parte, si mai radicala decat plafonul fixat de majoritatea tarilor puternic industrializate. Cu toate acestea, procentul votat intr-un referendum public organizat in Elvetia a fost de 30%.
Guvernul elvetian a luat in discutie si cateva masuri pentru reducerea emisiilor, inclusiv taxe suplimentare pentru combustibili, sprijin financiar pentru izolarea termica a cladirilor si dezvoltarea de energii regenerabile.
Un grup de experti al Natiunilor Unite a facut un apel in 2007 pentru reducerea emisiilor de gaze cu efect de sera cu 25-40% pana in 2020 pentru ca efectele schimbarilor climatice sa fie ameliorate.
Isramart : Conferinta de la Copenhaga, o necunoscuta pentru bucuresteni Joi, 27 August 2009 - 12:09
Isramart news:
Conferinta ONU de la Copenhaga, cel mai asteptat eveniment de mediu al anului, se apropie cu pasi repezi. Ecologistii isi pun toate sperantele in acest summit care va aduce un nou acord climatic global de reducere a emisiilor, iar campanii de constientizare conving oameni din toata lumea sa puna presiune pe liderii politici din tara lor pentru semnarea unui acord. Pentru a afla ce ecouri are la Bucuresti summit-ul de la Copenhaga, am intrebat cativa bucuresteni daca stiu de existenta conferintei si de miza acesteia. Desi nu au auzit de negocierile pentru un acord global de reducere a emisiilor, locuitorii Capitalei considera ca summit-ul de la Copenhaga este “o idee buna” si spera ca acesta sa rezolve problemele de mediu.
„Nu, nu am auzit de summit. Cred ca este o idee buna, nu numai pe plan global, ci si pentru Romania. Este un lucru foarte bun. Din punctul meu de vedere, curatenia este prima problema. Daca ar fi toata lumea mai precauta, sa nu arunce nimic, ar fi mult mai bine. Fata de alte tari in care am fost, la noi este mizerie foarte mare. Cred ca nici in 50 de ani de acum incolo, la noi nu o sa fie curatenie“, ne-a declarat doamna Costea, 55 de ani, pensionara.
“Nu am auzit. E bine asa, in fond, daca stai sa te gandesti. Va incepe sa se imbunatateasca ceva, sa se limiteze incalzirea globala. E la moda acum sa nu mai ai masini mari, care consuma mult, ci mai degraba masini hibrid. Dar nu stiu daca un summit de care nu a auzit mai niAlexandru, studentmeni o sa rezolve ceva. Poate pana in decembrie mai aude lumea de el. Oricum, este o initiativa buna. Problemele sunt multe: de la uzine, toate masinile care polueaza aerul, poluarea in general”, spune Alexandru, 19 ani, student.
“Nu am aflat de summit. Initiativa este buna, dar nu cred ca vor reusi sa ajunga la vreun acord, pentru ca marii poluatori sunt si cei care castiga si cei mai multi bani. Cred ca masinile sunt cea mai mare problema in acest moment, alaturi de aparatele electrocasnice care consuma mult”, este de parere Ramona Bobe, 39 de ani, inginer.
“Nu am auzit de summit. Important este ca dupa ce se ajunge la un acord sa se faca si ceva concret, sa fie respectat acordul. Oricum vor avea loc niste schimbari climatice mari si ne va fi mai intai rau, inainte sa ne fie bine. Mi se pare ca problema cea mai mare este ca degradam planeta. Pur si simplu, e ca si cand am avea mici insecte pe noi si fiecare si-ar lua o bucatica din oasele noastre sa isi faca nu stiu ce, o bucatica din pielea noastra sa isi faca altceva si asa facem si noi cu planeta”, spune Andreea, 25 de ani, studenta.
“Nu am aflat. Cred ca vor ajunge la un acord si ca este o treaba foarte buna. Pentu ca este sanatatea oamenilor in joc. Cred ca poluarea masinilor ne afecteaza cel maBogdan, pompieri mult in ziua de azi. Cei de la Copenhga ar trebui sa urmereasca sa reduca poluarea, care e peste tot: in apele din conducte, in aer, peste tot”, a declarat Sandu Stefan, 53 de ani, mecanic de avion.
“N-am auzit, mamica, de summit. Cred ca e un lucru foarte bun, dar la criza care e acum, cred ca nimic nu se rezolva, numai schimbarea planetei poate sa mai rezolve ceva. Poate Dumnezeu va face ceva bun. Poluarea ma deranjeaza cel mai mult, aerul asta si masinile, mai ales ca in Bucurestiul asta nu se mai poate trai“, a spus doamna Ruinea, 55 ani, pensionara.
“Nu am auzit. Sper si cred ca vor ajunge la un acord, pentru ca e mai bine sa fie mai curat, aer mai bun de respirat. Cred ca poluarea este cea mai arzatoare problema de mediu. Traim cu totii in poluare si daca nu se respira ca lumea, nu e bine”, crede Bogdan Florin, 30 de ani, pompier.
“Habar n-am, nu ma intreseaza si nici nu am auzit. Este un lucru bun, ca probabil s-ar mai reduce din poluare, oamenii ar mai reduce din consumul de apa, de curent. Sa murim asfixiati si nu o sa mai putem sa respiram. Sunt foarte multe cladiri, foarte multe masini, parcurile s-au dus…Cred ca problema numarul unu ar fi ca parcurile au inceput sa dispara, defrisarile sunt masive si impaduriri deloc”, ne-a zis Ghita Cristina, 18 ani, studenta.
Lucian Cristescu, pensionar
“Am auzit, dar, cum sa va spun, au mai fost… Si au fost unii care s-au pus de-a curmezisul si nu a iesit nimic. Statele Unite au spus 'nu, domn’le, noi nu servim reducerea poluarii, ca ne inchidem industria'. Are cineva ce sa le faca? Cea mai grava problema acum este defrisarea padurilor, pentru ca se desertifica planeta si, hai sa zicem, ca asta cu dioxidul de carbon ridicat, o mai fi fost vreodata, dar taierea padurilor… Stiti, Dumnzeu cand a exterminat animalele alea cat blocul, a zis 'astia, daca ii mai las, imi distrug toate padurile de pe Pamant' si i-a ras. Si au ramas mamiferele mici”, spune Lucian Cristescu, 70, pensionar.
„Nu, nu am auzit de summit. Nu cred a un summit de genul asta va avea vreun impact, pentru ca de obicei nu se face nimic. Sa speram… Traficul mi se pare cea mai grava problema, ca este un nivel ridicat de poluare”, e de parere Lucia, 26 ani, studenta.
Lucia, 26 de ani“Nu am auzit. Da, consider ca este o initiativa buna. Dar se va ajunge la un acord in functie de interese, in functie de ce interese primeaza la aceasta intalnire. Din punctul meu de vedere, poluarea este cea mai grava problema. Pe restul le mai putem suporta, dar si poluarea este pe doua paliere: pe de o parte este o problema si pe alta, este necesara, pentru ca folosim automobilele, tot felul de mijloace care polueaza…” considera Gina Manescu, 47 ani, anteprenor.
Conferinta ONU de la Copenhaga, cel mai asteptat eveniment de mediu al anului, se apropie cu pasi repezi. Ecologistii isi pun toate sperantele in acest summit care va aduce un nou acord climatic global de reducere a emisiilor, iar campanii de constientizare conving oameni din toata lumea sa puna presiune pe liderii politici din tara lor pentru semnarea unui acord. Pentru a afla ce ecouri are la Bucuresti summit-ul de la Copenhaga, am intrebat cativa bucuresteni daca stiu de existenta conferintei si de miza acesteia. Desi nu au auzit de negocierile pentru un acord global de reducere a emisiilor, locuitorii Capitalei considera ca summit-ul de la Copenhaga este “o idee buna” si spera ca acesta sa rezolve problemele de mediu.
„Nu, nu am auzit de summit. Cred ca este o idee buna, nu numai pe plan global, ci si pentru Romania. Este un lucru foarte bun. Din punctul meu de vedere, curatenia este prima problema. Daca ar fi toata lumea mai precauta, sa nu arunce nimic, ar fi mult mai bine. Fata de alte tari in care am fost, la noi este mizerie foarte mare. Cred ca nici in 50 de ani de acum incolo, la noi nu o sa fie curatenie“, ne-a declarat doamna Costea, 55 de ani, pensionara.
“Nu am auzit. E bine asa, in fond, daca stai sa te gandesti. Va incepe sa se imbunatateasca ceva, sa se limiteze incalzirea globala. E la moda acum sa nu mai ai masini mari, care consuma mult, ci mai degraba masini hibrid. Dar nu stiu daca un summit de care nu a auzit mai niAlexandru, studentmeni o sa rezolve ceva. Poate pana in decembrie mai aude lumea de el. Oricum, este o initiativa buna. Problemele sunt multe: de la uzine, toate masinile care polueaza aerul, poluarea in general”, spune Alexandru, 19 ani, student.
“Nu am aflat de summit. Initiativa este buna, dar nu cred ca vor reusi sa ajunga la vreun acord, pentru ca marii poluatori sunt si cei care castiga si cei mai multi bani. Cred ca masinile sunt cea mai mare problema in acest moment, alaturi de aparatele electrocasnice care consuma mult”, este de parere Ramona Bobe, 39 de ani, inginer.
“Nu am auzit de summit. Important este ca dupa ce se ajunge la un acord sa se faca si ceva concret, sa fie respectat acordul. Oricum vor avea loc niste schimbari climatice mari si ne va fi mai intai rau, inainte sa ne fie bine. Mi se pare ca problema cea mai mare este ca degradam planeta. Pur si simplu, e ca si cand am avea mici insecte pe noi si fiecare si-ar lua o bucatica din oasele noastre sa isi faca nu stiu ce, o bucatica din pielea noastra sa isi faca altceva si asa facem si noi cu planeta”, spune Andreea, 25 de ani, studenta.
“Nu am aflat. Cred ca vor ajunge la un acord si ca este o treaba foarte buna. Pentu ca este sanatatea oamenilor in joc. Cred ca poluarea masinilor ne afecteaza cel maBogdan, pompieri mult in ziua de azi. Cei de la Copenhga ar trebui sa urmereasca sa reduca poluarea, care e peste tot: in apele din conducte, in aer, peste tot”, a declarat Sandu Stefan, 53 de ani, mecanic de avion.
“N-am auzit, mamica, de summit. Cred ca e un lucru foarte bun, dar la criza care e acum, cred ca nimic nu se rezolva, numai schimbarea planetei poate sa mai rezolve ceva. Poate Dumnezeu va face ceva bun. Poluarea ma deranjeaza cel mai mult, aerul asta si masinile, mai ales ca in Bucurestiul asta nu se mai poate trai“, a spus doamna Ruinea, 55 ani, pensionara.
“Nu am auzit. Sper si cred ca vor ajunge la un acord, pentru ca e mai bine sa fie mai curat, aer mai bun de respirat. Cred ca poluarea este cea mai arzatoare problema de mediu. Traim cu totii in poluare si daca nu se respira ca lumea, nu e bine”, crede Bogdan Florin, 30 de ani, pompier.
“Habar n-am, nu ma intreseaza si nici nu am auzit. Este un lucru bun, ca probabil s-ar mai reduce din poluare, oamenii ar mai reduce din consumul de apa, de curent. Sa murim asfixiati si nu o sa mai putem sa respiram. Sunt foarte multe cladiri, foarte multe masini, parcurile s-au dus…Cred ca problema numarul unu ar fi ca parcurile au inceput sa dispara, defrisarile sunt masive si impaduriri deloc”, ne-a zis Ghita Cristina, 18 ani, studenta.
Lucian Cristescu, pensionar
“Am auzit, dar, cum sa va spun, au mai fost… Si au fost unii care s-au pus de-a curmezisul si nu a iesit nimic. Statele Unite au spus 'nu, domn’le, noi nu servim reducerea poluarii, ca ne inchidem industria'. Are cineva ce sa le faca? Cea mai grava problema acum este defrisarea padurilor, pentru ca se desertifica planeta si, hai sa zicem, ca asta cu dioxidul de carbon ridicat, o mai fi fost vreodata, dar taierea padurilor… Stiti, Dumnzeu cand a exterminat animalele alea cat blocul, a zis 'astia, daca ii mai las, imi distrug toate padurile de pe Pamant' si i-a ras. Si au ramas mamiferele mici”, spune Lucian Cristescu, 70, pensionar.
„Nu, nu am auzit de summit. Nu cred a un summit de genul asta va avea vreun impact, pentru ca de obicei nu se face nimic. Sa speram… Traficul mi se pare cea mai grava problema, ca este un nivel ridicat de poluare”, e de parere Lucia, 26 ani, studenta.
Lucia, 26 de ani“Nu am auzit. Da, consider ca este o initiativa buna. Dar se va ajunge la un acord in functie de interese, in functie de ce interese primeaza la aceasta intalnire. Din punctul meu de vedere, poluarea este cea mai grava problema. Pe restul le mai putem suporta, dar si poluarea este pe doua paliere: pe de o parte este o problema si pe alta, este necesara, pentru ca folosim automobilele, tot felul de mijloace care polueaza…” considera Gina Manescu, 47 ani, anteprenor.
Isramart : Copaci artificiali vor absorbi CO2-ul din atmosfera
Isramart news:
O padure de 100.000 de copaci artificiali ar putea absorbi in 10-20 de ani emisiile de carbon din atmosfera, informeaza BBC.
Studiul realizat de Institution of Mechanical Engineers din Marea Britanie arata ca efectele periculoase ale schimbarilor climatice nu pot fi ameliorate fara sa se apeleze la geo-inginerie. Raportul intocmit detaliza un plan pe 100 de ani pentru „de-carbonizarea” economiei globale.
„Copacii artificiali sunt deja in faza de prototip, iar designul lor este foarte avansat in termeni de automatizare si in privinta componentelor ce ar fi folosite. S-ar putea ca, intr-o perioada scurta de timp, sa se treaca la productia de masa”, a explicat dr. Tim Fox, cel care a condus studiul.
Copacii artificiali functioneaza ca un filtru, iar dioxidul de carbon capturat astfel trebuie depozitat. Din acest motiv, tehnologia necesara pentru realizarea copacilor trebuie sa se dezvolte in paralel cu cea a depozitarii carbonului.
Geo-inginerii au mai propus capturarea carbonului prin instalarea unor „foto-bio-reactoare" pe baza de alge pe cladiri si reducerea radiatiilor solare cu ajutorul unor panouri reflectorizante. Toate aceste optiuni sunt inca in stadiul de cercetare, iar cercetatorii au cerut guvernului britanic fonduri de 10 milioane de lire sterline.
Autorii studiului sustin ca geo-ingineria trebuie folosita pe termen scurt pentru a castiga timp, dar pe termen lung este crucial sa se reduca emisiile de gaze cu efect de sera.
O padure de 100.000 de copaci artificiali ar putea absorbi in 10-20 de ani emisiile de carbon din atmosfera, informeaza BBC.
Studiul realizat de Institution of Mechanical Engineers din Marea Britanie arata ca efectele periculoase ale schimbarilor climatice nu pot fi ameliorate fara sa se apeleze la geo-inginerie. Raportul intocmit detaliza un plan pe 100 de ani pentru „de-carbonizarea” economiei globale.
„Copacii artificiali sunt deja in faza de prototip, iar designul lor este foarte avansat in termeni de automatizare si in privinta componentelor ce ar fi folosite. S-ar putea ca, intr-o perioada scurta de timp, sa se treaca la productia de masa”, a explicat dr. Tim Fox, cel care a condus studiul.
Copacii artificiali functioneaza ca un filtru, iar dioxidul de carbon capturat astfel trebuie depozitat. Din acest motiv, tehnologia necesara pentru realizarea copacilor trebuie sa se dezvolte in paralel cu cea a depozitarii carbonului.
Geo-inginerii au mai propus capturarea carbonului prin instalarea unor „foto-bio-reactoare" pe baza de alge pe cladiri si reducerea radiatiilor solare cu ajutorul unor panouri reflectorizante. Toate aceste optiuni sunt inca in stadiul de cercetare, iar cercetatorii au cerut guvernului britanic fonduri de 10 milioane de lire sterline.
Autorii studiului sustin ca geo-ingineria trebuie folosita pe termen scurt pentru a castiga timp, dar pe termen lung este crucial sa se reduca emisiile de gaze cu efect de sera.
Isramart : U.S. budget update stands pat on CO2 permit auction
Isramart news:
The White House budget update released on Tuesday still reflects a controversial Obama administration plan to combat global warming by auctioning all permits to emit greenhouse gases even though Congress has said it will give away a substantial portion to industry.
The White House budget update released on Tuesday still reflects a controversial Obama administration plan to combat global warming by auctioning all permits to emit greenhouse gases even though Congress has said it will give away a substantial portion to industry.
Isramart : World’s Largest Companies Need to Double Pace of CO2 Reductions to Avoid Catastrophic Climate Change
Isramart news:
Calling it a Carbon Chasm, the Carbon Disclosure Project reports that the world’s largest companies need to double the pace of their carbon emissions reduction efforts if catastrophic climate change is to be avoided:
Their new study shows that the Global 100 firms are on track for annual emission reductions of 1.9%, versus the 3.9% needed to reduce emissions 80% by 2050:
Few Companies Have Plans in Place Past 2012
Of the 92 companies surveyed with emission reductions targets with a self-imposed deadline, 84% have emission reductions targets in place for 2012 (the final year of the Kyoto Protocol) but have not put plans in place for reduction targets past that — the suggested reason being that they are waiting to see what comes out of the COP15 climate talks this December, where a successor to the Kyoto Protocol is (hopefully) enacted.
Strong Emission Reductions a Competitive Advantage
Paul Dickinson, CEO of the Carbon Disclosure Project:
While 73% of Global 100 companies have set some form of reduction target, the majority need to be far more aggressive if they are to achieve the long-term reductions required. This is a time of huge opportunity for businesses to gain competitive advantage by reducing their own impact
on the climate and benefit from associated cost savings, as well as sparking major innovation around the production of new, lower carbon products and services.
Here’s How to Bridge the Carbon Chasm
The CDP recommends the following steps to rectify the situation:
1) Companies should set a CO2 reduction target (if they haven’t already), with clear baselines and target years;
2) Governments need to agree to clear medium and long-term reduction goals at the Copenhagen talks, to provide businesses with a framework for their reductions.
3) These targets should reflect the IPCC scientific recommendations — namely, 25-40% reductions by 2020 and 80-95% reductions by 2050.
More: Carbon Disclosure Project: Carbon Chasm
Carbon Emissions
World Wildlife Fund Looks at Telecommuting as Carbon Emissions Solution
China Will Not Commit to Binding Emissions Reduction Targets
Carbon Emissions in UK 49% Higher Than Acknowledged: New Report
Calling it a Carbon Chasm, the Carbon Disclosure Project reports that the world’s largest companies need to double the pace of their carbon emissions reduction efforts if catastrophic climate change is to be avoided:
Their new study shows that the Global 100 firms are on track for annual emission reductions of 1.9%, versus the 3.9% needed to reduce emissions 80% by 2050:
Few Companies Have Plans in Place Past 2012
Of the 92 companies surveyed with emission reductions targets with a self-imposed deadline, 84% have emission reductions targets in place for 2012 (the final year of the Kyoto Protocol) but have not put plans in place for reduction targets past that — the suggested reason being that they are waiting to see what comes out of the COP15 climate talks this December, where a successor to the Kyoto Protocol is (hopefully) enacted.
Strong Emission Reductions a Competitive Advantage
Paul Dickinson, CEO of the Carbon Disclosure Project:
While 73% of Global 100 companies have set some form of reduction target, the majority need to be far more aggressive if they are to achieve the long-term reductions required. This is a time of huge opportunity for businesses to gain competitive advantage by reducing their own impact
on the climate and benefit from associated cost savings, as well as sparking major innovation around the production of new, lower carbon products and services.
Here’s How to Bridge the Carbon Chasm
The CDP recommends the following steps to rectify the situation:
1) Companies should set a CO2 reduction target (if they haven’t already), with clear baselines and target years;
2) Governments need to agree to clear medium and long-term reduction goals at the Copenhagen talks, to provide businesses with a framework for their reductions.
3) These targets should reflect the IPCC scientific recommendations — namely, 25-40% reductions by 2020 and 80-95% reductions by 2050.
More: Carbon Disclosure Project: Carbon Chasm
Carbon Emissions
World Wildlife Fund Looks at Telecommuting as Carbon Emissions Solution
China Will Not Commit to Binding Emissions Reduction Targets
Carbon Emissions in UK 49% Higher Than Acknowledged: New Report
Isramart : IPCC Chairman Personally Backs 350ppm CO2 Targets, Holding Temperature Rise to 1.5°C
Isramart news:
The IPCC as an organization is prohibited from making specific policy prescriptions — confining itself to the science of climate change — but the most recent IPCC report did say that 450ppm should be the absolute limit for atmospheric CO2 concentrations to prevent catastrophic climate change. However, IPCC chairman Dr Rajendra Pachauri has just told AFP that personally he supports the more stringent benchmark of 350ppm:
AFP asked Dr Pachauri about the ongoing calls from poor nations of the world for stronger mid-term emissions cuts from rich nations, and whether 350ppm was a more appropriate target for governments to set. He responded:
As chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), I cannot take a position because we do not make recommendations, but as a human being I am fully supportive of that goal. What is happening, and what is likely to happen, convinces me that the world must be really ambitious and very determined at moving toward a 350 target.
Things Will Be Worse Than We Originally Anticipated
Pachauri went on to say that keeping global average temperature rise to 1.5°C, rather than the more commonly touted 2°C, would be “a good development.”
He added, from what I can gather commenting on efforts from the developing world to hold develop countries to stronger emissions reduction targets,
Now people — including some scientists — see the seriousness of the impacts of climate change, and the fact that things are going to get substantially worse than what we had anticipated.
The IPCC as an organization is prohibited from making specific policy prescriptions — confining itself to the science of climate change — but the most recent IPCC report did say that 450ppm should be the absolute limit for atmospheric CO2 concentrations to prevent catastrophic climate change. However, IPCC chairman Dr Rajendra Pachauri has just told AFP that personally he supports the more stringent benchmark of 350ppm:
AFP asked Dr Pachauri about the ongoing calls from poor nations of the world for stronger mid-term emissions cuts from rich nations, and whether 350ppm was a more appropriate target for governments to set. He responded:
As chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), I cannot take a position because we do not make recommendations, but as a human being I am fully supportive of that goal. What is happening, and what is likely to happen, convinces me that the world must be really ambitious and very determined at moving toward a 350 target.
Things Will Be Worse Than We Originally Anticipated
Pachauri went on to say that keeping global average temperature rise to 1.5°C, rather than the more commonly touted 2°C, would be “a good development.”
He added, from what I can gather commenting on efforts from the developing world to hold develop countries to stronger emissions reduction targets,
Now people — including some scientists — see the seriousness of the impacts of climate change, and the fact that things are going to get substantially worse than what we had anticipated.
Isramart : DOE selects projects to Monitor and Evaluate Geologic CO2 storage
Isramart news:
he U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the selection of 19 projects to enhance the capability to simulate, track, and evaluate the potential risks of carbon dioxide (CO2) storage in geologic formations.
The projects’ total value is approximately $35.8 million over four years, with $27.6 million of DOE funding and $8.2 million of non-Federal cost sharing. The work will be managed by the Office of Fossil Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory.
Coal is the Nation’s most abundant energy resource, supplying nearly 50 percent of domestic electricity. In order for low-cost electricity from coal-fired power plants to remain available, economical methods for capturing and storing the greenhouse gas emissions from these plants must be developed. It is widely believed that CO2 storage in deep geologic formations will be one of the most economical ways to achieve this goal.
The projects selected today will develop technologies and protocols that will significantly improve our ability to—
Monitor the movement of CO2 into, through, and out of the targeted geologic storage area.
Verify the location of CO2 that has been placed in geologic storage.
Account for the entire quantity of CO2 that has been transported to geologic storage sites.
Mathematically simulate the placement, storage, movement, and release of CO2 into, through, and from geologic formations.
Assess the risks associated with the placement of the CO2 in geologic formations and the potential release of CO2 from these formations after it is stored.
It is anticipated that the projects will create nearly 100 jobs that will last for up to four years.
Monitoring, Verification, and Accounting (MVA)
Projects in this topic area will investigate technologies to track the amount of CO2 stored at a geologic sequestration site, monitor the site for potential leaks or other deterioration of storage integrity over time, and verify that the CO2 is sustaining expected levels of permanence. Successful technologies will significantly increase the confidence that CO2 placed in geologic formations is being accurately tracked and remains permanently stored, thus protecting human health and the environment.
Columbia University, New York, N.Y.—Researchers will develop systems for tagging CO2 with carbon-14 at atmospheric level (1 part per trillion) and measuring the carbon-14 CO2 levels. Such tagging will better quantify CO2 monitoring and make it possible to accurately inventory geologically stored carbon. The systems will be tested in the laboratory and at the CarbFix sequestration project in Iceland, where CO2 will be injected into a permeable basalt formation at 600 meters in depth. (DOE share: $1,692,269; recipient share: $471,801; duration: 36 months)
Fusion Petroleum Technologies, The Woodlands, Texas—Fusion Petroleum Technologies intends to develop seismic data software to complement existing software. The project team will determine whether fewer points in a surface seismic array, collected more frequently, along with new and existing software will allow them to develop a more accurate CO2 reservoir modeling package. (DOE share: $2,000,000; recipient share: $500,175; duration: 24 months).
Montana State University, Bozeman, Mont.—A differential absorption light detection and ranging (lidar) instrument will be built to scan across a field test area to determine possible CO2 leakage to the atmosphere. The project team will assemble and test the instrument in the laboratory, then validate its operation and reliability at a Center for Zero Emissions Research and Technology site and at the future Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnerships large-scale CO2 storage test site. (DOE share: $405,119; recipient share: $110,127; duration: 36 months).
Planetary Emissions Management Inc. (PEM), Cambridge, Mass.—PEM is commercializing a carbon-14 field-ready analyzer with a sensitivity of approximately 1 part per million of fossil fuel–produced CO2 in ambient air. The analyzer will be deployed at sites where CO2 leaks from natural geologic reservoirs and at a pilot CO2 injection site for testing and validation. Ideally, this will be followed by long-term deployment at large-scale operating CO2 storage projects. (DOE share: $2,003,703; recipient share: $429,300; duration: 48 months).
Schlumberger Carbon Services, Columbus, Ohio—Investigators will develop methods for risk quantification that can be directly applied to individual wells using borehole logging tools and measurements. Methods to quantify the probability of leakage will be developed for specific zones in the well, e.g., the casing, cement, cement-casing interface, cement-formation interface, and any existing defects. (DOE share: $1,995,228; recipient share: $477,699; duration: 27 months).
Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.—This project will provide robust methodologies for using seismic data for quantitative mapping of the movement, presence, and permanence of CO2 relative to its intended storage location. Optimized rock-fluid models will incorporate the seismic signatures of (1) saturation scales and free versus dissolved gas in a CO2-water mixture, (2) pore pressure changes, and (3) CO2-induced chemical changes to the host rock. (DOE share: $1,177,957; recipient share: $320,900; duration: 48 months).
University of Miami Rosenstiel School, Miami, Fla.—Researchers will use high-precision space geodesy to relate subtle displacements of the earth’s surface to pressure and volume changes at depth due to storage of CO2. Geochemical modeling will separate the effects of formation of CO2 reaction products from potential CO2 leakage or loss from the reservoir. Leakage, if any, will be detected using sensors to measure CO2 concentrations and mass spectrometers to measure isotopic ratios. (DOE share: $1,735,545; recipient share: $341,711; duration: 48 months).
University of Texas at Austin, Bureau of Economic Geology, Austin, Texas—In this project, investigators will use new technology to acquire three-dimensional multi-component seismic data across brine-filled strata that can be used for CO2 storage. The data will be processed and interpreted using rock physics principles to show that the combination of compressional and shear seismic attributes provides more rock, fluid, and geologic information to use in MVA tasks than does the use of compressional seismic data alone. (DOE share: $1,354,253; recipient share: $270,850; duration: 36 months).
University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyo.—The University of Wyoming will combine multiphase flow simulations with multi-component seismic waveform modeling and inversion to determine if seismic waveform inversion can accurately predict CO2 plume movements within storage reservoirs in post-injection scenarios involving rewetting and trapping of CO2 by bypassing and snap-off mechanisms. (DOE share: $1,046,917; recipient share: $470,646; duration: 36 months).
West Virginia University Research Corporation, Morgantown, W.V.—High-sensitivity permanent downhole gauges will be placed in a formation where CO2 is being stored. The complex and highly convoluted real-time data transmitted by multiple gauges will be processed and modeled using state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and data-mining technology to identify the location and amount of CO2 leakage. (DOE share: $1,369,442; recipient share: $343,454; duration: 36 months).
Simulation
Projects in this topic area will develop advanced numerical models that simulate the behavior of geologically stored CO2. The development of refined and coupled geochemical, mechanical, and flow models will yield better predictions of subsurface CO2 behavior, thereby assisting the design and implementation of CO2 geologic storage projects.
Advanced Resources International, Arlington, Va.—Advanced Resources International researchers will develop and test three advanced geochemical and geomechanical modules to increase accuracy of simulating CO2 behavior in coals and shales, and they will couple these with flow simulation. Coal storage factors such as coal failure and permeability enhancement, matrix swelling and shrinking, and competition of water as adsorbed phase on coals will be addressed. (DOE share: $1,000,000; recipient share: $1,139,016; duration: 36 months).
Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio—In this project, investigators will develop a simulation framework for geologic CO2 storage along the U.S. Arches geologic province (Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio) by building a geologic model and completing reservoir simulations necessary for large-scale CO2 storage. (DOE share: $1,524,649; recipient share: $546,835; duration: 36 months).
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colo.—Researchers will develop a comprehensive reservoir simulator for modeling non-isothermal multiphase flow and transport of CO2 in saline reservoirs with heterogeneity, anisotropy, and fractures and faults, coupled with geochemical and geomechanical processes that would occur during CO2 geologic sequestration. (DOE share: $1,599,998; recipient share: $400,000; duration: 48 months).
Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Mo.—This project will couple a reservoir model and geomechanical model to simulate potential cap rock leakage for the CO2 capture and storage demonstration site at City Utilities of Springfield, Mo. Materials and methods for stopping potential leakage through the cap rock will be examined. The approach is designed to be applicable to other CO2 injection sites. (DOE share: $917,603; recipient share: $339,929; duration: 36 months).
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Soccoro, N.M.—A basin-scale hybrid analytical-numerical multi-layer model of CO2 storage will be developed explicitly representing freshwater, brine, and CO2 phases using sharp-interface theory. The model will simulate an injection of 100 million metric tonnes of CO2 annually at dozens of power plant locations across Indiana and Illinois. (DOE share: $853,144; recipient share: $191,151; duration: 36 months).
Risk Assessment
Projects in this topic area will develop models and protocols to assess the programmatic and technical risks associated with storing CO2 in a geologic formation. The models and protocols will enable scientists, engineers, and storage-project administrators to develop approaches to minimize those risks.
GoldSim Technology Group, Issaquah, Wash.—An integrated system-level risk analysis approach for geologic CO2 storage will be achieved by adapting and extending an existing highly regarded and widely used probabilistic simulation framework (GoldSim) that was originally developed for long-term safety analyses of nuclear waste disposal. (DOE share: $1,111,920; recipient share: $277,979; duration: 27 months).
Headwaters Clean Carbon Services, Lawrenceville, N.J.—Researchers will develop a process-based risk assessment model to determine quantitatively the potential risks and impacts of CO2 storage, as well as the cost savings for risk mitigation. The model will be applied to the SACROC field site in Texas and two other known CO2 geologic storage sites. (DOE share: $1,811,790; recipient share: $441,635; duration: 48 months).
Princeton University, Princeton, N.J.—Princeton investigators will develop a framework for examining carbon capture and storage investment decisions in light of uncertainty in CO2 leakage risks, potential subsurface liability, and the associated losses in carbon credits. (DOE share: $2,000,000; recipient share: $500,000; duration: 36 months).
University of Texas at Austin, Bureau of Economic Geology, Austin, Texas—The risks associated with CO2 storage in brine reservoirs will be quantified by (1) employing Bayesian inference techniques, (2) learning from the safety record of the CO2-EOR industry, (3) using expert panels drawn from industry and non-governmental organizations to evaluate programmatic risks, (4) examining the risks produced by CO2 dissolution and pressure fields associated with injection into brine reservoirs, and (5) assessing the consequences of potential CO2 leakage on water ecology and energy resources. (DOE share: $1,996,126; recipient share: $634,450; duration: 48 months).
he U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the selection of 19 projects to enhance the capability to simulate, track, and evaluate the potential risks of carbon dioxide (CO2) storage in geologic formations.
The projects’ total value is approximately $35.8 million over four years, with $27.6 million of DOE funding and $8.2 million of non-Federal cost sharing. The work will be managed by the Office of Fossil Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory.
Coal is the Nation’s most abundant energy resource, supplying nearly 50 percent of domestic electricity. In order for low-cost electricity from coal-fired power plants to remain available, economical methods for capturing and storing the greenhouse gas emissions from these plants must be developed. It is widely believed that CO2 storage in deep geologic formations will be one of the most economical ways to achieve this goal.
The projects selected today will develop technologies and protocols that will significantly improve our ability to—
Monitor the movement of CO2 into, through, and out of the targeted geologic storage area.
Verify the location of CO2 that has been placed in geologic storage.
Account for the entire quantity of CO2 that has been transported to geologic storage sites.
Mathematically simulate the placement, storage, movement, and release of CO2 into, through, and from geologic formations.
Assess the risks associated with the placement of the CO2 in geologic formations and the potential release of CO2 from these formations after it is stored.
It is anticipated that the projects will create nearly 100 jobs that will last for up to four years.
Monitoring, Verification, and Accounting (MVA)
Projects in this topic area will investigate technologies to track the amount of CO2 stored at a geologic sequestration site, monitor the site for potential leaks or other deterioration of storage integrity over time, and verify that the CO2 is sustaining expected levels of permanence. Successful technologies will significantly increase the confidence that CO2 placed in geologic formations is being accurately tracked and remains permanently stored, thus protecting human health and the environment.
Columbia University, New York, N.Y.—Researchers will develop systems for tagging CO2 with carbon-14 at atmospheric level (1 part per trillion) and measuring the carbon-14 CO2 levels. Such tagging will better quantify CO2 monitoring and make it possible to accurately inventory geologically stored carbon. The systems will be tested in the laboratory and at the CarbFix sequestration project in Iceland, where CO2 will be injected into a permeable basalt formation at 600 meters in depth. (DOE share: $1,692,269; recipient share: $471,801; duration: 36 months)
Fusion Petroleum Technologies, The Woodlands, Texas—Fusion Petroleum Technologies intends to develop seismic data software to complement existing software. The project team will determine whether fewer points in a surface seismic array, collected more frequently, along with new and existing software will allow them to develop a more accurate CO2 reservoir modeling package. (DOE share: $2,000,000; recipient share: $500,175; duration: 24 months).
Montana State University, Bozeman, Mont.—A differential absorption light detection and ranging (lidar) instrument will be built to scan across a field test area to determine possible CO2 leakage to the atmosphere. The project team will assemble and test the instrument in the laboratory, then validate its operation and reliability at a Center for Zero Emissions Research and Technology site and at the future Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnerships large-scale CO2 storage test site. (DOE share: $405,119; recipient share: $110,127; duration: 36 months).
Planetary Emissions Management Inc. (PEM), Cambridge, Mass.—PEM is commercializing a carbon-14 field-ready analyzer with a sensitivity of approximately 1 part per million of fossil fuel–produced CO2 in ambient air. The analyzer will be deployed at sites where CO2 leaks from natural geologic reservoirs and at a pilot CO2 injection site for testing and validation. Ideally, this will be followed by long-term deployment at large-scale operating CO2 storage projects. (DOE share: $2,003,703; recipient share: $429,300; duration: 48 months).
Schlumberger Carbon Services, Columbus, Ohio—Investigators will develop methods for risk quantification that can be directly applied to individual wells using borehole logging tools and measurements. Methods to quantify the probability of leakage will be developed for specific zones in the well, e.g., the casing, cement, cement-casing interface, cement-formation interface, and any existing defects. (DOE share: $1,995,228; recipient share: $477,699; duration: 27 months).
Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.—This project will provide robust methodologies for using seismic data for quantitative mapping of the movement, presence, and permanence of CO2 relative to its intended storage location. Optimized rock-fluid models will incorporate the seismic signatures of (1) saturation scales and free versus dissolved gas in a CO2-water mixture, (2) pore pressure changes, and (3) CO2-induced chemical changes to the host rock. (DOE share: $1,177,957; recipient share: $320,900; duration: 48 months).
University of Miami Rosenstiel School, Miami, Fla.—Researchers will use high-precision space geodesy to relate subtle displacements of the earth’s surface to pressure and volume changes at depth due to storage of CO2. Geochemical modeling will separate the effects of formation of CO2 reaction products from potential CO2 leakage or loss from the reservoir. Leakage, if any, will be detected using sensors to measure CO2 concentrations and mass spectrometers to measure isotopic ratios. (DOE share: $1,735,545; recipient share: $341,711; duration: 48 months).
University of Texas at Austin, Bureau of Economic Geology, Austin, Texas—In this project, investigators will use new technology to acquire three-dimensional multi-component seismic data across brine-filled strata that can be used for CO2 storage. The data will be processed and interpreted using rock physics principles to show that the combination of compressional and shear seismic attributes provides more rock, fluid, and geologic information to use in MVA tasks than does the use of compressional seismic data alone. (DOE share: $1,354,253; recipient share: $270,850; duration: 36 months).
University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyo.—The University of Wyoming will combine multiphase flow simulations with multi-component seismic waveform modeling and inversion to determine if seismic waveform inversion can accurately predict CO2 plume movements within storage reservoirs in post-injection scenarios involving rewetting and trapping of CO2 by bypassing and snap-off mechanisms. (DOE share: $1,046,917; recipient share: $470,646; duration: 36 months).
West Virginia University Research Corporation, Morgantown, W.V.—High-sensitivity permanent downhole gauges will be placed in a formation where CO2 is being stored. The complex and highly convoluted real-time data transmitted by multiple gauges will be processed and modeled using state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and data-mining technology to identify the location and amount of CO2 leakage. (DOE share: $1,369,442; recipient share: $343,454; duration: 36 months).
Simulation
Projects in this topic area will develop advanced numerical models that simulate the behavior of geologically stored CO2. The development of refined and coupled geochemical, mechanical, and flow models will yield better predictions of subsurface CO2 behavior, thereby assisting the design and implementation of CO2 geologic storage projects.
Advanced Resources International, Arlington, Va.—Advanced Resources International researchers will develop and test three advanced geochemical and geomechanical modules to increase accuracy of simulating CO2 behavior in coals and shales, and they will couple these with flow simulation. Coal storage factors such as coal failure and permeability enhancement, matrix swelling and shrinking, and competition of water as adsorbed phase on coals will be addressed. (DOE share: $1,000,000; recipient share: $1,139,016; duration: 36 months).
Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio—In this project, investigators will develop a simulation framework for geologic CO2 storage along the U.S. Arches geologic province (Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio) by building a geologic model and completing reservoir simulations necessary for large-scale CO2 storage. (DOE share: $1,524,649; recipient share: $546,835; duration: 36 months).
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colo.—Researchers will develop a comprehensive reservoir simulator for modeling non-isothermal multiphase flow and transport of CO2 in saline reservoirs with heterogeneity, anisotropy, and fractures and faults, coupled with geochemical and geomechanical processes that would occur during CO2 geologic sequestration. (DOE share: $1,599,998; recipient share: $400,000; duration: 48 months).
Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Mo.—This project will couple a reservoir model and geomechanical model to simulate potential cap rock leakage for the CO2 capture and storage demonstration site at City Utilities of Springfield, Mo. Materials and methods for stopping potential leakage through the cap rock will be examined. The approach is designed to be applicable to other CO2 injection sites. (DOE share: $917,603; recipient share: $339,929; duration: 36 months).
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Soccoro, N.M.—A basin-scale hybrid analytical-numerical multi-layer model of CO2 storage will be developed explicitly representing freshwater, brine, and CO2 phases using sharp-interface theory. The model will simulate an injection of 100 million metric tonnes of CO2 annually at dozens of power plant locations across Indiana and Illinois. (DOE share: $853,144; recipient share: $191,151; duration: 36 months).
Risk Assessment
Projects in this topic area will develop models and protocols to assess the programmatic and technical risks associated with storing CO2 in a geologic formation. The models and protocols will enable scientists, engineers, and storage-project administrators to develop approaches to minimize those risks.
GoldSim Technology Group, Issaquah, Wash.—An integrated system-level risk analysis approach for geologic CO2 storage will be achieved by adapting and extending an existing highly regarded and widely used probabilistic simulation framework (GoldSim) that was originally developed for long-term safety analyses of nuclear waste disposal. (DOE share: $1,111,920; recipient share: $277,979; duration: 27 months).
Headwaters Clean Carbon Services, Lawrenceville, N.J.—Researchers will develop a process-based risk assessment model to determine quantitatively the potential risks and impacts of CO2 storage, as well as the cost savings for risk mitigation. The model will be applied to the SACROC field site in Texas and two other known CO2 geologic storage sites. (DOE share: $1,811,790; recipient share: $441,635; duration: 48 months).
Princeton University, Princeton, N.J.—Princeton investigators will develop a framework for examining carbon capture and storage investment decisions in light of uncertainty in CO2 leakage risks, potential subsurface liability, and the associated losses in carbon credits. (DOE share: $2,000,000; recipient share: $500,000; duration: 36 months).
University of Texas at Austin, Bureau of Economic Geology, Austin, Texas—The risks associated with CO2 storage in brine reservoirs will be quantified by (1) employing Bayesian inference techniques, (2) learning from the safety record of the CO2-EOR industry, (3) using expert panels drawn from industry and non-governmental organizations to evaluate programmatic risks, (4) examining the risks produced by CO2 dissolution and pressure fields associated with injection into brine reservoirs, and (5) assessing the consequences of potential CO2 leakage on water ecology and energy resources. (DOE share: $1,996,126; recipient share: $634,450; duration: 48 months).
Isramart : Slashing – BEAR Data Systems Offers Win-Win Solutions for Slashing Data Center Carbon Footprint
Isramart news:
SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)– BEAR Data Systems, Inc., (www.Bdata.com) a leading California IT solutions and services provider and Cisco® Gold-certified partner, announced today complete, end-to-end data center solutions that budget-conscious businesses of all sizes can use to reduce their carbon footprint. The hardware and virtualization tools that BEAR Data uses provide companies with win-win solutions because they not only help them cut their carbon footprint, they lower their energy costs, enhance productivity and streamline monitoring. With all of these benefits and the utility rebates available to companies that reduce their energy usage, BEAR Data?s new IT greening solutions are easy to justify.
For complete information on greening up a data center, visit BEAR Data at VMworld 2009, Booth #2514, August 31 – September 3, 2009 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA
Additional incentives for improving data center energy efficiency come in the form of the government?s proposed carbon tax legislation which will increase the cost of energy for businesses even further. With Executive Order 13423, federal agencies are also mandated to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions.
To meet the needs of companies looking to slash their carbon footprint and gain energy efficiencies, BEAR Data provides one-stop shopping with services that encompass the entire lifecycle of their IT system — from assessment, planning and design, to implementation and operational services. BEAR Data combines its IT integration expertise with proven hardware and software solutions from industry leaders such as Cisco Systems® (NASDAQ: CSCO) for the infrastructure and VMware (NYSE: VMW) for the virtualization tools.
?There are a number of ways to green up your data center,? said Don James, CEO of BEAR Data Systems, Inc. ?It can range from simple server consolidation to using energy efficient servers and virtualization tools as well as cooling technology and techniques. Removing inefficient legacy servers can save up to $1,200 per server every year. That?s $300 to $600 in direct energy expenses and a similar amount in cooling expenses. Then,? he continued, ?by moving server-based applications into virtual machines on an energy efficient server, the match between the customer?s computing capacity and application workloads can be substantially improved. With a power management system installed, monitoring is also simplified and less time-consuming. The end result is the ability to do more with fewer machines.?
About BEAR Data Systems
Headquartered in San Francisco, BEAR Data Systems, Inc. has regional offices and engineering offices located throughout California that focus on helping clients design, optimize and support mission-critical IT infrastructures. Service areas include virtualization, data center services, unified communications, networking, storage, database, security, wireless solutions, staffing and support contract management. BEAR Data was recently named to the 2009 Inc. 5000 List of the Fastest-growing Private Companies in the U.S. and was named #21 on the 2009 Fast Growth 100 list by CRN Magazine. In 2008, BEAR Data was named the #23 Fastest Growing Private Company in Northern California by the San Francisco Business Times. BEAR Data has also been awarded the Cisco Customer Satisfaction Excellence Award five years in a row. In 2007, BEAR Data was awarded the “Newcomer of the Year” award and ranked as the 13th fastest growing company in North America by VARBusiness. BEAR Data combines expert engineering resources, best-of-breed technologies and superior customer service to deliver high performance IT solutions on-time and on-budget. For more information and BEAR Data locations, visit www.Bdata.com.
Cisco and Cisco Systems are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. VMware is a registered trademark of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.
SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)– BEAR Data Systems, Inc., (www.Bdata.com) a leading California IT solutions and services provider and Cisco® Gold-certified partner, announced today complete, end-to-end data center solutions that budget-conscious businesses of all sizes can use to reduce their carbon footprint. The hardware and virtualization tools that BEAR Data uses provide companies with win-win solutions because they not only help them cut their carbon footprint, they lower their energy costs, enhance productivity and streamline monitoring. With all of these benefits and the utility rebates available to companies that reduce their energy usage, BEAR Data?s new IT greening solutions are easy to justify.
For complete information on greening up a data center, visit BEAR Data at VMworld 2009, Booth #2514, August 31 – September 3, 2009 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA
Additional incentives for improving data center energy efficiency come in the form of the government?s proposed carbon tax legislation which will increase the cost of energy for businesses even further. With Executive Order 13423, federal agencies are also mandated to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions.
To meet the needs of companies looking to slash their carbon footprint and gain energy efficiencies, BEAR Data provides one-stop shopping with services that encompass the entire lifecycle of their IT system — from assessment, planning and design, to implementation and operational services. BEAR Data combines its IT integration expertise with proven hardware and software solutions from industry leaders such as Cisco Systems® (NASDAQ: CSCO) for the infrastructure and VMware (NYSE: VMW) for the virtualization tools.
?There are a number of ways to green up your data center,? said Don James, CEO of BEAR Data Systems, Inc. ?It can range from simple server consolidation to using energy efficient servers and virtualization tools as well as cooling technology and techniques. Removing inefficient legacy servers can save up to $1,200 per server every year. That?s $300 to $600 in direct energy expenses and a similar amount in cooling expenses. Then,? he continued, ?by moving server-based applications into virtual machines on an energy efficient server, the match between the customer?s computing capacity and application workloads can be substantially improved. With a power management system installed, monitoring is also simplified and less time-consuming. The end result is the ability to do more with fewer machines.?
About BEAR Data Systems
Headquartered in San Francisco, BEAR Data Systems, Inc. has regional offices and engineering offices located throughout California that focus on helping clients design, optimize and support mission-critical IT infrastructures. Service areas include virtualization, data center services, unified communications, networking, storage, database, security, wireless solutions, staffing and support contract management. BEAR Data was recently named to the 2009 Inc. 5000 List of the Fastest-growing Private Companies in the U.S. and was named #21 on the 2009 Fast Growth 100 list by CRN Magazine. In 2008, BEAR Data was named the #23 Fastest Growing Private Company in Northern California by the San Francisco Business Times. BEAR Data has also been awarded the Cisco Customer Satisfaction Excellence Award five years in a row. In 2007, BEAR Data was awarded the “Newcomer of the Year” award and ranked as the 13th fastest growing company in North America by VARBusiness. BEAR Data combines expert engineering resources, best-of-breed technologies and superior customer service to deliver high performance IT solutions on-time and on-budget. For more information and BEAR Data locations, visit www.Bdata.com.
Cisco and Cisco Systems are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. VMware is a registered trademark of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.
Isramart : Next round of low carbon projects confirmed
Isramart news:
Details of the successful schemes for the second round of funding from the Homes and Communities Agency’s (HCA) low carbon infrastructure initiative, totalling £8.80m, were announced today.
The initiative, a partnership with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and Communities and Local Government (CLG), will provide funding for schemes across the country to benefit from new and existing low carbon energy plants by creating the infrastructure needed to link them up.
The successful bidders for the second round of the national housing and regeneration agency’s initiative, are:
Hackney, London – £0.5m to install pipework to retrofit CHP energy to three high density housing estates. The funding will help provide risers in the high rise blocks and interface units in the homes.
Greenwich, London – £3m for a number of schemes that will eventually deliver 10,000 homes. The funding will make provision to connect the homes to a London wide heat network, provide two heat spines for CHP energy and will support the construction of an energy centre.
Rowner, Gosport – £1.12m to connect 700 new homes, of which 40 per cent will be affordable, to a CHP plant.
Hanham Hall, South Gloucestershire – £0.8m to extend planned onsite biomass CHP plant that will power 195 zero carbon homes and take waste heat for use in neighbouring secondary school.
Manton and Reynolds Towers, Birmingham – £0.78m to connect two thirteen storey tower blocks to a new biomass energy system at the nearby Holte School. There is also potential for some of the funding to be used alongside PFI funding to connect planned new housing in the area to the system.
Wood End, Henley Green and Manor Farm (WEHM) estates, Coventry – £1.6m to help develop a community energy scheme using ground source heat pump technology that will provide heating and hot water for 154 homes, the first phase of a scheme that is ultimately planned to include a district CHP plant to power the whole neighbourhood.
Yarn Street, Aire Valley in Leeds – £1m to provide a new heat network supplying CHP energy from waste plant and micro-technologies to power 280 new homes that will form part of the urban eco settlement vision for the area.
Sir Bob Kerslake, chief executive of the Homes and Communities Agency, said: “Together with nearly £12m we allocated to low carbon infrastructure schemes in July, this funding will help ensure that more people have access to energy that is both less harmful to the environment than traditional sources and lower cost for them.
“The range of projects we have been able to allocate money to shows there is a real appetite for this kind of infrastructure and the benefits it brings to communities and the industry as a whole. We look forward to using the lessons we learn from these innovative projects in our future work at the HCA, to help create and support sustainable places around the country.”
Housing Minister John Healey said: “Homes account for a quarter of carbon emission so reducing this is a major part of our efforts to tackle climate change. By making all new homes zero carbon from 2016 we are already leading the way to a much greener housing stock, and lower energy bills for residents. But we also have to make existing homes greener, and this funding will help both new and existing developments to access clean energy sources.”
Energy and Climate Change Minister Lord Hunt said: “This latest round of funding will make it possible for thousands more people to keep warm in their homes whilst reducing energy bills and carbon emissions. Community heating schemes are an excellent example of how we can work together to tackle climate change.”
With more than a quarter of Britain’s carbon emissions produced from homes, the announcement are a major step towards meeting the Government’s green policy pledges and Britain’s transition to a low carbon country.
Details of the successful schemes for the second round of funding from the Homes and Communities Agency’s (HCA) low carbon infrastructure initiative, totalling £8.80m, were announced today.
The initiative, a partnership with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and Communities and Local Government (CLG), will provide funding for schemes across the country to benefit from new and existing low carbon energy plants by creating the infrastructure needed to link them up.
The successful bidders for the second round of the national housing and regeneration agency’s initiative, are:
Hackney, London – £0.5m to install pipework to retrofit CHP energy to three high density housing estates. The funding will help provide risers in the high rise blocks and interface units in the homes.
Greenwich, London – £3m for a number of schemes that will eventually deliver 10,000 homes. The funding will make provision to connect the homes to a London wide heat network, provide two heat spines for CHP energy and will support the construction of an energy centre.
Rowner, Gosport – £1.12m to connect 700 new homes, of which 40 per cent will be affordable, to a CHP plant.
Hanham Hall, South Gloucestershire – £0.8m to extend planned onsite biomass CHP plant that will power 195 zero carbon homes and take waste heat for use in neighbouring secondary school.
Manton and Reynolds Towers, Birmingham – £0.78m to connect two thirteen storey tower blocks to a new biomass energy system at the nearby Holte School. There is also potential for some of the funding to be used alongside PFI funding to connect planned new housing in the area to the system.
Wood End, Henley Green and Manor Farm (WEHM) estates, Coventry – £1.6m to help develop a community energy scheme using ground source heat pump technology that will provide heating and hot water for 154 homes, the first phase of a scheme that is ultimately planned to include a district CHP plant to power the whole neighbourhood.
Yarn Street, Aire Valley in Leeds – £1m to provide a new heat network supplying CHP energy from waste plant and micro-technologies to power 280 new homes that will form part of the urban eco settlement vision for the area.
Sir Bob Kerslake, chief executive of the Homes and Communities Agency, said: “Together with nearly £12m we allocated to low carbon infrastructure schemes in July, this funding will help ensure that more people have access to energy that is both less harmful to the environment than traditional sources and lower cost for them.
“The range of projects we have been able to allocate money to shows there is a real appetite for this kind of infrastructure and the benefits it brings to communities and the industry as a whole. We look forward to using the lessons we learn from these innovative projects in our future work at the HCA, to help create and support sustainable places around the country.”
Housing Minister John Healey said: “Homes account for a quarter of carbon emission so reducing this is a major part of our efforts to tackle climate change. By making all new homes zero carbon from 2016 we are already leading the way to a much greener housing stock, and lower energy bills for residents. But we also have to make existing homes greener, and this funding will help both new and existing developments to access clean energy sources.”
Energy and Climate Change Minister Lord Hunt said: “This latest round of funding will make it possible for thousands more people to keep warm in their homes whilst reducing energy bills and carbon emissions. Community heating schemes are an excellent example of how we can work together to tackle climate change.”
With more than a quarter of Britain’s carbon emissions produced from homes, the announcement are a major step towards meeting the Government’s green policy pledges and Britain’s transition to a low carbon country.
Isramart : Carbon neutral decision in Denmark
Isramart news:
The second biggest city in Denmark is set to decide whether to push on with plans to become entirely carbon neutral.
Aarhus has previously outlined its ambition to achieve the status by 2030 and a vote in September will determine whether the project is financed.
City council representatives will make the decision on the £8.1 million investment plan to begin next year.
Installing electric car charge spots and renovating inefficient municipal buildings are among the schemes being proposed.
Claus Nickelsen, leader of Aarhus’ department for nature and environment, told the Guardian: “Aarhus wants to manage its own house by carrying demonstration projects into effect and by influencing the national legislation.”
Other green ideas for the city include creating a new railway network, adding new bike paths and discouraging people from driving.
The Danish government has named six locations as eco-cities. These include the capital, Copenhagen, which has set a target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2025.
The second biggest city in Denmark is set to decide whether to push on with plans to become entirely carbon neutral.
Aarhus has previously outlined its ambition to achieve the status by 2030 and a vote in September will determine whether the project is financed.
City council representatives will make the decision on the £8.1 million investment plan to begin next year.
Installing electric car charge spots and renovating inefficient municipal buildings are among the schemes being proposed.
Claus Nickelsen, leader of Aarhus’ department for nature and environment, told the Guardian: “Aarhus wants to manage its own house by carrying demonstration projects into effect and by influencing the national legislation.”
Other green ideas for the city include creating a new railway network, adding new bike paths and discouraging people from driving.
The Danish government has named six locations as eco-cities. These include the capital, Copenhagen, which has set a target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2025.
Isramart : Airways Will Pay for CO2 Emissions from 2012
Isramart news:
Starting from 2012, the aviation sector, including 33 Chinese airways, will have to pay for the CO2 it emits and increase their operation costs under the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) of European Union (EU), China Business News (CBN) reported Tuesday.
According to an EU’s list released on August 22nd, more than 2,000 airways enter the EU ETS, which means they will be charged for the CO2 emissions when their flights land or take off within the EU.
From 2012, these airlines will be allotted certain emission quotas, and they can sell their quota surplus or buy the shortage, according to the EU’s regulation. The quotas are set to decrease year on year.
“With increasing margin for Chinese airlines on European lines, the ETS will increase cost pressure on domestic airlines,” a Chinese airline’s official told CBN.
Take Air China for example. One of the largest aviation giants in China, it accounts for the largest market share in the international lines and owns more than ten European routes facilitating at least 40 flights every week. Under the upcoming proposals, charges for CO2 emissions will be increasing, CBD said.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimated that under the EU ETS, the total charge in 2012 would increase the aviation industry’s operational costs by 3.5 billion Euros (5 billion US dollars), or half of the aviation industry’s loss last year.
Starting from 2012, the aviation sector, including 33 Chinese airways, will have to pay for the CO2 it emits and increase their operation costs under the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) of European Union (EU), China Business News (CBN) reported Tuesday.
According to an EU’s list released on August 22nd, more than 2,000 airways enter the EU ETS, which means they will be charged for the CO2 emissions when their flights land or take off within the EU.
From 2012, these airlines will be allotted certain emission quotas, and they can sell their quota surplus or buy the shortage, according to the EU’s regulation. The quotas are set to decrease year on year.
“With increasing margin for Chinese airlines on European lines, the ETS will increase cost pressure on domestic airlines,” a Chinese airline’s official told CBN.
Take Air China for example. One of the largest aviation giants in China, it accounts for the largest market share in the international lines and owns more than ten European routes facilitating at least 40 flights every week. Under the upcoming proposals, charges for CO2 emissions will be increasing, CBD said.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimated that under the EU ETS, the total charge in 2012 would increase the aviation industry’s operational costs by 3.5 billion Euros (5 billion US dollars), or half of the aviation industry’s loss last year.
Isramart : UK Businesses Risk Falling Foul of Carbon Control Regulations
Isramart news:
The Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) is a new carbon emissions trading scheme that will affect large organisations in the UK. It is coming into force soon and businesses who flout the regulations risk a heavy fine.
The CRC forms part of the Climate Change Bill that was introduced into Parliament on 14 November 2007 and became law on 26 November 2008. If your electricity bills exceed £500,000 you will have to comply. Even if your bill is lower than this, you may still be required to register.
The scheme is central to the UK’s strategy for controlling carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. It will tackle C02 emissions not already covered by Climate Change Agreements and the EU Emissions Trading System and will help to deliver the ambitious emissions reduction targets set in the Government’s Climate Change Act. The scheme will start in April 2010, although it is based on 2008 energy consumption.
Around 20,000 organisations may be affected by the scheme and yours could be one of them. Failure to comply with your obligations will result in penalties including fines.
Although suppliers will be sending letters to all their qualifying customers this month (you may have already received one), it will be your responsibility to respond and manage your carbon emissions, not your supplier.
As with any trading scheme there will be winners and losers;
The real losers will be the companies who ignore the rules or get the documentation lost in their internal systems. This could result in heavy fines. Making somebody within the organisation responsible for registration and reporting is the first step. Some companies offer a service to do this for you. Asking your supplier to do this is a bad idea, it restricts your options for competitive supply in the future if you are too reliant on your incumbent supplier.
Registration and reporting will mitigate some risk but the ability to forecast and manage energy will be imperative. Companies who are not already doing this could find themselves having to purchase credits after 2011 if they are using more energy than they did in 2008. Business growth will be no excuse, if you use more energy you will have to pay.
The Carbon Trust has an accreditation scheme for good energy management practice. Registration on this scheme provides some advantage.
The real winners will be those who can manage their energy well and source or generate genuine renewable energy.
The scheme is controversial, the argument being that it penalises companies who have already done a lot to reduce their consumption before 2008 and rewards those who have done nothing. Detractors also say it will make UK businesses uncompetitive in global markets compared to countries who are doing far less. There is much evidence to support this argument but there is not much to be gained by grumbling about it. The era of paying for the right to use energy is coming and it is unlikely to go away in the foreseeable future.
The Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) is a new carbon emissions trading scheme that will affect large organisations in the UK. It is coming into force soon and businesses who flout the regulations risk a heavy fine.
The CRC forms part of the Climate Change Bill that was introduced into Parliament on 14 November 2007 and became law on 26 November 2008. If your electricity bills exceed £500,000 you will have to comply. Even if your bill is lower than this, you may still be required to register.
The scheme is central to the UK’s strategy for controlling carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. It will tackle C02 emissions not already covered by Climate Change Agreements and the EU Emissions Trading System and will help to deliver the ambitious emissions reduction targets set in the Government’s Climate Change Act. The scheme will start in April 2010, although it is based on 2008 energy consumption.
Around 20,000 organisations may be affected by the scheme and yours could be one of them. Failure to comply with your obligations will result in penalties including fines.
Although suppliers will be sending letters to all their qualifying customers this month (you may have already received one), it will be your responsibility to respond and manage your carbon emissions, not your supplier.
As with any trading scheme there will be winners and losers;
The real losers will be the companies who ignore the rules or get the documentation lost in their internal systems. This could result in heavy fines. Making somebody within the organisation responsible for registration and reporting is the first step. Some companies offer a service to do this for you. Asking your supplier to do this is a bad idea, it restricts your options for competitive supply in the future if you are too reliant on your incumbent supplier.
Registration and reporting will mitigate some risk but the ability to forecast and manage energy will be imperative. Companies who are not already doing this could find themselves having to purchase credits after 2011 if they are using more energy than they did in 2008. Business growth will be no excuse, if you use more energy you will have to pay.
The Carbon Trust has an accreditation scheme for good energy management practice. Registration on this scheme provides some advantage.
The real winners will be those who can manage their energy well and source or generate genuine renewable energy.
The scheme is controversial, the argument being that it penalises companies who have already done a lot to reduce their consumption before 2008 and rewards those who have done nothing. Detractors also say it will make UK businesses uncompetitive in global markets compared to countries who are doing far less. There is much evidence to support this argument but there is not much to be gained by grumbling about it. The era of paying for the right to use energy is coming and it is unlikely to go away in the foreseeable future.
Isramart : Excel to Host UK’s “First Ever” Carbon Neutral Exhibition
Isramart news:
The Haymarket Exhibitions event called The Carbon Show will offset carbon expended at the show using show sponsors Ecosecurities. Local tap water, food and beverages will be served and stand will operate a “no lighting policy”.
Recyclable USB sticks will be offered out at presentations, badges and lanyards will be recyclable and all registration is online.
Ecometrica will have four members of staff at the exhibition equipped helping visitors to participate in a live carbon footprinting exercise – ‘CarbonFootprintLive’. Throughout the day the results of the survey will be updated and displayed on a large screen.
The Haymarket Exhibitions event called The Carbon Show will offset carbon expended at the show using show sponsors Ecosecurities. Local tap water, food and beverages will be served and stand will operate a “no lighting policy”.
Recyclable USB sticks will be offered out at presentations, badges and lanyards will be recyclable and all registration is online.
Ecometrica will have four members of staff at the exhibition equipped helping visitors to participate in a live carbon footprinting exercise – ‘CarbonFootprintLive’. Throughout the day the results of the survey will be updated and displayed on a large screen.
Isramart : Definitive report published to address safe subsurface storage of CO2
Isramart news:
Oil exploration and production technology holds the key to secure CO2 storage as part of large scale deployment of CO2 Capture & Storage (CCS), according to a report published by the CO2 Capture Project (CCP). The report provides a definitive treatment of the CO2 storage subsurface technical issues and how oil and gas experience technology and protocols are available now to address them.
The report draws on the shared expertise of the CCP participants, research of more than 50 academic institutions, and feedback from leading environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Entitled “A Technical Basis for Carbon Dioxide Storage”, the 86-page report, edited by Cal Cooper (formerly of ConocoPhillips), provides guidance on how to assess and manage industrial-scale CO2 Geological Storage (CGS) projects through appropriate site assessment, operational parameters and monitoring.
Aimed at technical and non-technical stakeholders, it provides key lessons and experience that could support the deployment of CCS at industrial scale by enabling decision makers to draw upon more than 50 years of subsurface expertise from the oil and gas industry.The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change believes CCS could contribute 15-55% of the cumulative mitigation effort until 2100, while the International Energy Agency found that the cost of containing climate change would be 70% higher without CCS.
Scott Imbus, CCP Storage Team Leader, said: “The report – and the ongoing work of CCP – is the result of a remarkable collaboration between industry, government and academia in pursuit of the goal of finding real world, industry scale solutions to the issue of carbon management. Understanding secure storage of CO2 underground is critical to advancing CCS deployment, even as work continues to resolve other related issues such as carbon capture cost, regulatory frameworks and market incentives”.
There are four main topical areas covered in the report: site selection; well construction and integrity; monitoring programs; and development, operations and closure. Key findings include:
Site Selection – The most effective way to ensure permanent safe storage is to choose sites of sufficient depth (deeper than 800m where CO2 can be injected efficiently in its dense phase) with adequate capacity and an overlying sealing system to ensure containment of fluids. With well-chosen sites, CO2 will be efficiently stored while greatly reducing the risk of operational and containment problems.
• Well Construction and Integrity –Wells must have functional barriers that provide isolation between geological storage intervals and from drinking water and the near surface environment. The well integrity study example included illustrates that good drilling and cementing practices are more important than specific materials used in well construction.
• Monitoring Programs – A wide array of monitoring technologies have been successfully applied by the oil and gas industry to understand fluid movement in the subsurface [e.g. geological structures below the surface]. These techniques are readily adaptable to CO2 storage. The challenge is to select to most appropriate techniques to apply based on site specifics and level of risk.
• Development. Operations and Closure – As in hydrocarbon extraction, the progression of a CO2 project from site assessment to closure will be accompanied by learning that will greatly improve its efficiency and risk profile. With operational and monitoring data, anomalous events can be detected and intervention applied. At the time of project closure, a thorough understanding of the geology of the system and fluid movement within it will form the basis for the future behaviour of CO2 and longer term needs for monitoring and intervention contingencies.
The CCP is a technical authority on CCS, formed in 2000, with the aim of facilitating the sharing of expertise to advance the development of next-generation capture technologies, transport and the development of key aspects of CO2 geological storage, including a certification framework for CO2 Geological Storage.
Scott Imbus, CCP Storage Team Leader continued:
“With this report, the oil and gas industry is transferring decades of experience and nine years of technology development to the fledgling industry of CCS. We hope this will provide the critical boost to turn the potential of CCS into a practical reality.
“A Technical Basis for Carbon Dioxide Storage” is not just based on scientific and academic research and CCS demonstration projects but also the considerable expertise and operational data from analogous oil and gas operations by all of the CCP’s member companies. The findings further validate that, with the right site selection, CO2 can be – and is – safely stored in geological formations, and that the expertise available to select and manage storage sites is available now.”
Oil exploration and production technology holds the key to secure CO2 storage as part of large scale deployment of CO2 Capture & Storage (CCS), according to a report published by the CO2 Capture Project (CCP). The report provides a definitive treatment of the CO2 storage subsurface technical issues and how oil and gas experience technology and protocols are available now to address them.
The report draws on the shared expertise of the CCP participants, research of more than 50 academic institutions, and feedback from leading environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Entitled “A Technical Basis for Carbon Dioxide Storage”, the 86-page report, edited by Cal Cooper (formerly of ConocoPhillips), provides guidance on how to assess and manage industrial-scale CO2 Geological Storage (CGS) projects through appropriate site assessment, operational parameters and monitoring.
Aimed at technical and non-technical stakeholders, it provides key lessons and experience that could support the deployment of CCS at industrial scale by enabling decision makers to draw upon more than 50 years of subsurface expertise from the oil and gas industry.The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change believes CCS could contribute 15-55% of the cumulative mitigation effort until 2100, while the International Energy Agency found that the cost of containing climate change would be 70% higher without CCS.
Scott Imbus, CCP Storage Team Leader, said: “The report – and the ongoing work of CCP – is the result of a remarkable collaboration between industry, government and academia in pursuit of the goal of finding real world, industry scale solutions to the issue of carbon management. Understanding secure storage of CO2 underground is critical to advancing CCS deployment, even as work continues to resolve other related issues such as carbon capture cost, regulatory frameworks and market incentives”.
There are four main topical areas covered in the report: site selection; well construction and integrity; monitoring programs; and development, operations and closure. Key findings include:
Site Selection – The most effective way to ensure permanent safe storage is to choose sites of sufficient depth (deeper than 800m where CO2 can be injected efficiently in its dense phase) with adequate capacity and an overlying sealing system to ensure containment of fluids. With well-chosen sites, CO2 will be efficiently stored while greatly reducing the risk of operational and containment problems.
• Well Construction and Integrity –Wells must have functional barriers that provide isolation between geological storage intervals and from drinking water and the near surface environment. The well integrity study example included illustrates that good drilling and cementing practices are more important than specific materials used in well construction.
• Monitoring Programs – A wide array of monitoring technologies have been successfully applied by the oil and gas industry to understand fluid movement in the subsurface [e.g. geological structures below the surface]. These techniques are readily adaptable to CO2 storage. The challenge is to select to most appropriate techniques to apply based on site specifics and level of risk.
• Development. Operations and Closure – As in hydrocarbon extraction, the progression of a CO2 project from site assessment to closure will be accompanied by learning that will greatly improve its efficiency and risk profile. With operational and monitoring data, anomalous events can be detected and intervention applied. At the time of project closure, a thorough understanding of the geology of the system and fluid movement within it will form the basis for the future behaviour of CO2 and longer term needs for monitoring and intervention contingencies.
The CCP is a technical authority on CCS, formed in 2000, with the aim of facilitating the sharing of expertise to advance the development of next-generation capture technologies, transport and the development of key aspects of CO2 geological storage, including a certification framework for CO2 Geological Storage.
Scott Imbus, CCP Storage Team Leader continued:
“With this report, the oil and gas industry is transferring decades of experience and nine years of technology development to the fledgling industry of CCS. We hope this will provide the critical boost to turn the potential of CCS into a practical reality.
“A Technical Basis for Carbon Dioxide Storage” is not just based on scientific and academic research and CCS demonstration projects but also the considerable expertise and operational data from analogous oil and gas operations by all of the CCP’s member companies. The findings further validate that, with the right site selection, CO2 can be – and is – safely stored in geological formations, and that the expertise available to select and manage storage sites is available now.”
Isramart : Prepare your business for the new cost of carbon
Isramart news:
In the near future, carbon won’t be free. Governments will tax it and retailers will mention carbon content on their product labels. Business customers will demand transparency about the way carbon is used in supply chains. Already, consumers have started to make decisions based on the presence of carbon in the products they buy. These trends will drive new costs and shift the playing field for every business—sometimes in unpredictable ways.
If you haven’t started planning for a post-carbon world, now is the time. To prepare for this new future, executives must:
1. Reevaluate existing products. The carbon intensity of some products, and of their production and distribution, will lead to cost hikes that will make these products uncompetitive. Others will be marginalized when cost hikes either erode product margins or reduce consumer demand. Most firms will find it necessary to withdraw from particular markets, or develop replacement products.
2. Rethink investment priorities. Companies will boost investment in order to create new products or production processes that revitalize their portfolios. And with the declining value of assets that support carbon-intensive production, many firms will be forced to repair their balance sheets.
3. Make innovation central to your strategy. New technologies that mitigate the impact of carbon emissions will be a growing source of competitive advantage. At a minimum, the carbon tax will force firms to replace existing products and distribution methods with newer, less carbon-intensive versions.
4. Engage constituents in an ongoing conversation about sustainability. Navigating the world of sustainable business operations means participating in continuous, authentic conversations with a broad range of constituencies (including business partners, nongovernment organizations and customers) about what they care about and what you’re doing about it. These conversations will help you sense shifts in public opinion that could pose a problem (or an opportunity) for your business.
5. Realize that success will depend less on operational excellence. Raw materials and commodity goods will become more expensive (and more regulated) based on their carbon footprint. These cost increases will hamper margin improvements made through traditional operational mechanisms. Companies will therefore need to rely on new profit-maximizing tactics.
6. Plan for different scenarios. Consider evaluating choices through scenario planning, rather than traditional forecasts. Seek tighter relationships with value-chain partners, as well as opportunities for risk sharing and cooperation in areas that will drive growth.
The implications of running a profitable business in a post-carbon world are bigger than most executives recognize. Business leaders need to plan now for how they will adjust to these new economic realities before they’re forced to make tough decisions no leader wants to make.
In the near future, carbon won’t be free. Governments will tax it and retailers will mention carbon content on their product labels. Business customers will demand transparency about the way carbon is used in supply chains. Already, consumers have started to make decisions based on the presence of carbon in the products they buy. These trends will drive new costs and shift the playing field for every business—sometimes in unpredictable ways.
If you haven’t started planning for a post-carbon world, now is the time. To prepare for this new future, executives must:
1. Reevaluate existing products. The carbon intensity of some products, and of their production and distribution, will lead to cost hikes that will make these products uncompetitive. Others will be marginalized when cost hikes either erode product margins or reduce consumer demand. Most firms will find it necessary to withdraw from particular markets, or develop replacement products.
2. Rethink investment priorities. Companies will boost investment in order to create new products or production processes that revitalize their portfolios. And with the declining value of assets that support carbon-intensive production, many firms will be forced to repair their balance sheets.
3. Make innovation central to your strategy. New technologies that mitigate the impact of carbon emissions will be a growing source of competitive advantage. At a minimum, the carbon tax will force firms to replace existing products and distribution methods with newer, less carbon-intensive versions.
4. Engage constituents in an ongoing conversation about sustainability. Navigating the world of sustainable business operations means participating in continuous, authentic conversations with a broad range of constituencies (including business partners, nongovernment organizations and customers) about what they care about and what you’re doing about it. These conversations will help you sense shifts in public opinion that could pose a problem (or an opportunity) for your business.
5. Realize that success will depend less on operational excellence. Raw materials and commodity goods will become more expensive (and more regulated) based on their carbon footprint. These cost increases will hamper margin improvements made through traditional operational mechanisms. Companies will therefore need to rely on new profit-maximizing tactics.
6. Plan for different scenarios. Consider evaluating choices through scenario planning, rather than traditional forecasts. Seek tighter relationships with value-chain partners, as well as opportunities for risk sharing and cooperation in areas that will drive growth.
The implications of running a profitable business in a post-carbon world are bigger than most executives recognize. Business leaders need to plan now for how they will adjust to these new economic realities before they’re forced to make tough decisions no leader wants to make.
Isramart : Biocombustibil pentru avioane militare
Isramart news:
Marina americana planuieste ca in aceeasi perioada a anului viitor sa testeze biocombustibili pe unul din avioanele sale de vanatoare F/A-18 Super Hornet, potrivit Treehugger.
Exista deja o cerere pentru cei peste 150.000 de litri de biocombustibili necesari testelor, singura conditie pusa de aviatie fiind ca acesta sa nu fie fabricat din recolte comestibile. Combustibilul bio va fi amestecat in proportie de 50/50 cu petrol.
Plantele din care combustibilul ar putea fi fabricat sunt jatropha, camelina si algele, dar alegerea ii apartine companiei cu care marina va semna un contract. Acest lucru se va intampla la sfarsitul acestei luni.
In functie de consumul de combustibil al avionului, testele ce se vor desfasura anul viitor ar putea acoperi peste 24.000 de kilometri.
Marina americana planuieste ca in aceeasi perioada a anului viitor sa testeze biocombustibili pe unul din avioanele sale de vanatoare F/A-18 Super Hornet, potrivit Treehugger.
Exista deja o cerere pentru cei peste 150.000 de litri de biocombustibili necesari testelor, singura conditie pusa de aviatie fiind ca acesta sa nu fie fabricat din recolte comestibile. Combustibilul bio va fi amestecat in proportie de 50/50 cu petrol.
Plantele din care combustibilul ar putea fi fabricat sunt jatropha, camelina si algele, dar alegerea ii apartine companiei cu care marina va semna un contract. Acest lucru se va intampla la sfarsitul acestei luni.
In functie de consumul de combustibil al avionului, testele ce se vor desfasura anul viitor ar putea acoperi peste 24.000 de kilometri.
Isramart : Pepenele rosu, cea mai noua sursa de biocombustibil
Isramart news:
Oamenii de stiinta au descoperit ca pepenele rosu este o sursa de zahar ce poate fi usor distilata in alcool, care la randul lui poate alimenta automobilele si vehiculele folosite in agricultura, potrivit The Teleraph.
Fructul este cu atat mai potrivit cu cat, doar in America, 360.000 de tone de pepene trebuie aruncati in fiecare an pentru ca sunt sub standardele pietii. Doar aceste resturi ar putea produce 7,5 milioane de litri de biocombustibil pe an.
Studiul Departamentului pentru agricultura al Statelor Unite a avut in vedere doar acei pepeni rosii care nu ajung pe piata din cauza imperfectiunilor. Aproape o cincime din recoltele din fiecare an raman pe camp pentru ca nu au forma corecta sau pentru ca au o coaja imperfecta.
„Am aratat ca sucul acestor pepeni este o sursa facila de zaharuri fermentabile in etanol, ce ar putea furniza combustibil valoros”, a explicat dr. Wayne Fish, cel care a condus echipa de cercetatori.
Studiul, publicat in revista Biotechnology for Biofuels, arata ca pepenii rosii ar putea produce in jur de 75 de litri de combustibil la fiecare 0,4 hectare cultivate.
Productia de biocombustibili este privita de guvernele occidentale ca o metoda de a ajunge mai aproape de tintele fixate pentru energia regenerabila. In tarile Uniunii Europene, 5,75% din combustibilii folositi in transporturi trebuie sa provina din surse regenerabile pana in 2010.
Oamenii de stiinta au descoperit ca pepenele rosu este o sursa de zahar ce poate fi usor distilata in alcool, care la randul lui poate alimenta automobilele si vehiculele folosite in agricultura, potrivit The Teleraph.
Fructul este cu atat mai potrivit cu cat, doar in America, 360.000 de tone de pepene trebuie aruncati in fiecare an pentru ca sunt sub standardele pietii. Doar aceste resturi ar putea produce 7,5 milioane de litri de biocombustibil pe an.
Studiul Departamentului pentru agricultura al Statelor Unite a avut in vedere doar acei pepeni rosii care nu ajung pe piata din cauza imperfectiunilor. Aproape o cincime din recoltele din fiecare an raman pe camp pentru ca nu au forma corecta sau pentru ca au o coaja imperfecta.
„Am aratat ca sucul acestor pepeni este o sursa facila de zaharuri fermentabile in etanol, ce ar putea furniza combustibil valoros”, a explicat dr. Wayne Fish, cel care a condus echipa de cercetatori.
Studiul, publicat in revista Biotechnology for Biofuels, arata ca pepenii rosii ar putea produce in jur de 75 de litri de combustibil la fiecare 0,4 hectare cultivate.
Productia de biocombustibili este privita de guvernele occidentale ca o metoda de a ajunge mai aproape de tintele fixate pentru energia regenerabila. In tarile Uniunii Europene, 5,75% din combustibilii folositi in transporturi trebuie sa provina din surse regenerabile pana in 2010.
Isramart : Mars va avea instalatie solara
Isramart news:
Fabrica Mars Snackfood din SUA va beneficia de o instalatie solara care va oferi 20% din electricitatea necesara cladirii in orele cu operatiuni maxime.
Fabrica din Hackettstown, New Jersey, dispune de 28.000 de panouri fotovoltaice si este cea mai mare instalatie solara a unei fabrici de procesare a alimentelor din New Jersey.
Instalatia, care va furniza pana la 2 megawati de electricitate in octombrie cand va fi finalizata, va reduce emisiile de CO2 cu peste 1.000 de tone.
Noul sistem solar face parte din parteneriatul dintre Mars si PSEG Solar Source, firma care va asigura intretinerea panourilor.
Printre alte initiative de mediu incluse la fabrica Mars se numara reducerea deseurilor trimise la gropile menajere, reciclarea ambalajelor si un proiect de reducere a consumului de electricitate din iluminat.
Fabrica Mars Snackfood din SUA va beneficia de o instalatie solara care va oferi 20% din electricitatea necesara cladirii in orele cu operatiuni maxime.
Fabrica din Hackettstown, New Jersey, dispune de 28.000 de panouri fotovoltaice si este cea mai mare instalatie solara a unei fabrici de procesare a alimentelor din New Jersey.
Instalatia, care va furniza pana la 2 megawati de electricitate in octombrie cand va fi finalizata, va reduce emisiile de CO2 cu peste 1.000 de tone.
Noul sistem solar face parte din parteneriatul dintre Mars si PSEG Solar Source, firma care va asigura intretinerea panourilor.
Printre alte initiative de mediu incluse la fabrica Mars se numara reducerea deseurilor trimise la gropile menajere, reciclarea ambalajelor si un proiect de reducere a consumului de electricitate din iluminat.
Isramart : Parc solar de 53 MW in Germania
isramart news:
Cea mai noua centrala solara a Germaniei este si cea mai mare din tara. Aceasta are o capacitate de 53 megawati si se afla in apropierea orasului german Cottbus, potrivit Treehugger. Pana acum cea mai mare centrala solara a Germaniei avea o capacitate de 10 megawati.
Parcul solar Lieberose se afla inca in constructie si va fi finalizat la sfarsitul acestui an. Dezvoltata de juwi Group si First Solar, centrala va ocupa 162 hectare de teren pe o fosta locatie a armatei sovietice si va include aproximativ 700.000 de module solare.
Pe langa energia solara in sine, parcul solar va genera si fonduri pentru finantarea restaurarii ecologice a sitului, inclusiv decontaminarea solului de munitie.
Dupa o perioada infloritoare, industria solara din Germania se confrunta la ora actuala cu o concurenta acerba din partea companiilor chineze. Este motivul pentu care mai multi producatori de celule fotovoltaice au fost nevoiti sa-si inchida portile ori sa-si reduca productia.
Cea mai noua centrala solara a Germaniei este si cea mai mare din tara. Aceasta are o capacitate de 53 megawati si se afla in apropierea orasului german Cottbus, potrivit Treehugger. Pana acum cea mai mare centrala solara a Germaniei avea o capacitate de 10 megawati.
Parcul solar Lieberose se afla inca in constructie si va fi finalizat la sfarsitul acestui an. Dezvoltata de juwi Group si First Solar, centrala va ocupa 162 hectare de teren pe o fosta locatie a armatei sovietice si va include aproximativ 700.000 de module solare.
Pe langa energia solara in sine, parcul solar va genera si fonduri pentru finantarea restaurarii ecologice a sitului, inclusiv decontaminarea solului de munitie.
Dupa o perioada infloritoare, industria solara din Germania se confrunta la ora actuala cu o concurenta acerba din partea companiilor chineze. Este motivul pentu care mai multi producatori de celule fotovoltaice au fost nevoiti sa-si inchida portile ori sa-si reduca productia.
Isramart : Solar Trust - tehnologie noua
isramart news:
Compania germana de energie solara termala Millennium AG si constructorul de centrale electrice, MAN Ferrostaal AG, au creat o noua companie denumita Solar Trust of America LLC, informeaza Reuters.
Cele doua companii au anuntat recent noul lor proiect care a luat nastere prin achizitionarea firmei Solar Millennium's U.S. arm, de catre Solar Millennium si MAN Ferrostaal.
Uwe Schmidt, directorul executiv al Solar Trust, a explicat ca noua companie intentioneaza sa aduca pe piata din SUA energie solara termala sau energie solara concentrata (CSP) in procent de 20%.
Spre deosebire de panourile solare, care folosesc lumina soarelui pentru a crea electricitate, centralele CSP utilizeaza caldura soarelui pentru a crea abur care pune in micare o turbina pentru generarea electricitatii.
Tehnologia Solar Trust, care foloseste oglinzi parabolice pentru a concentra caldura soarelui, este deja utilizata in Spania. Compania mai are si alte centrale CSP in constructie in sud-vestul SUA.
Compania germana de energie solara termala Millennium AG si constructorul de centrale electrice, MAN Ferrostaal AG, au creat o noua companie denumita Solar Trust of America LLC, informeaza Reuters.
Cele doua companii au anuntat recent noul lor proiect care a luat nastere prin achizitionarea firmei Solar Millennium's U.S. arm, de catre Solar Millennium si MAN Ferrostaal.
Uwe Schmidt, directorul executiv al Solar Trust, a explicat ca noua companie intentioneaza sa aduca pe piata din SUA energie solara termala sau energie solara concentrata (CSP) in procent de 20%.
Spre deosebire de panourile solare, care folosesc lumina soarelui pentru a crea electricitate, centralele CSP utilizeaza caldura soarelui pentru a crea abur care pune in micare o turbina pentru generarea electricitatii.
Tehnologia Solar Trust, care foloseste oglinzi parabolice pentru a concentra caldura soarelui, este deja utilizata in Spania. Compania mai are si alte centrale CSP in constructie in sud-vestul SUA.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
isramart: La Corée du Sud fait le pari de la croissance verte
À 2 % du PIB, l'effort budgétaire de Séoul est sans égal au sein de l'OCDE.
La somme est colossale : soixante milliards d'euros. C'est ce que va investir la Corée du Sud dans la croissance verte au cours des cinq prochaines années, soit 2 % de son produit intérieur brut par an. Un effort sans égal au sein de l'OCDE. Le chiffre est comparable à celui promis par les États-Unis, et à peine inférieur au total des dépenses de recherche et de développement de l'ensemble des pays de l'OCDE en 2006 (2,2 % du PIB).
À l'origine, il s'agissait surtout de réduire la facture énergétique du pays, qui importe 97 % de l'énergie qu'il consomme, rappelle Kang Sun-jin, professeur à la prestigieuse Korea University. Mais aujourd'hui c'est devenu une cause nationale. «Le vert pour sortir du rouge», résume un slogan.
La Corée du Sud espère contenir le recul de son PIB à 1,5 % cette année, alors que le Fonds monétaire international prévoit une chute de 3 %. Elle compte sur cette fameuse croissance verte pour limiter les dégâts.
Une dizaine de grands projets vont être lancés, depuis l'aménagement des fleuves jusqu'à la voiture propre, en passant par les transports publics et les énergies alternatives. «Nous sommes les seuls au monde à avoir décidé un plan de cinq ans. Si nous réussissons nous serons suivis par d'autres», se félicite le premier ministre, Han Seung-soo . Mais il va falloir persuader le pays tout entier de mettre la main à la pioche et convaincre pas moins de 16 régions et villes de province de suivre la capitale.
Créer 1,8 million d'emplois
«C'est possible, la Corée a les hommes et les moyens. Toutes nos entreprises ont des centres de recherche pointus qui nous permettent d'être numéro un dans n'importe quel domaine», assure Chang Jae-chul, chercheur au Samsung Economic Research Institute.
«Il y a deux ans, pas un seul industriel coréen n'était dans l'écologie, mais aujourd'hui ils y sont tous», confirme un homme d'affaires français. Et d'ajouter : «Pour eux, la crise est une opportunité et ils ont un appétit carnassier.» En cinq ans, le gouvernement compte créer 1,8 million d'emplois nouveaux et il calcule que l'expérience va lui rapporter entre 102,5 et 116 milliards d'euros.
Cependant, pour le président Lee Myung-bak, dont la cote de popularité ne cesse de baisser, il va falloir «harmoniser avec doigté les intérêts publics et les intérêts privés», note Kang Sung-jin. C'est la raison pour laquelle le gouvernement tient deux fers au feu.
D'une part, il va proposer des incitations fiscales aux entreprises pour qu'elles investissent dans les économies d'énergie. D'autre part, il va mettre sur pied dans les prochains mois une expérience pilote de 600 villages verts destinés à tester en grandeur réelle les vertus de l'écologie. Mais la Corée du Sud ne compte pas s'arrêter là. Elle a prévu de porter l'ensemble de ses investissements de recherche et de développement à 5 % de son PIB en 2012. Un seuil qui représenterait alors un record absolu dans le monde.
La somme est colossale : soixante milliards d'euros. C'est ce que va investir la Corée du Sud dans la croissance verte au cours des cinq prochaines années, soit 2 % de son produit intérieur brut par an. Un effort sans égal au sein de l'OCDE. Le chiffre est comparable à celui promis par les États-Unis, et à peine inférieur au total des dépenses de recherche et de développement de l'ensemble des pays de l'OCDE en 2006 (2,2 % du PIB).
À l'origine, il s'agissait surtout de réduire la facture énergétique du pays, qui importe 97 % de l'énergie qu'il consomme, rappelle Kang Sun-jin, professeur à la prestigieuse Korea University. Mais aujourd'hui c'est devenu une cause nationale. «Le vert pour sortir du rouge», résume un slogan.
La Corée du Sud espère contenir le recul de son PIB à 1,5 % cette année, alors que le Fonds monétaire international prévoit une chute de 3 %. Elle compte sur cette fameuse croissance verte pour limiter les dégâts.
Une dizaine de grands projets vont être lancés, depuis l'aménagement des fleuves jusqu'à la voiture propre, en passant par les transports publics et les énergies alternatives. «Nous sommes les seuls au monde à avoir décidé un plan de cinq ans. Si nous réussissons nous serons suivis par d'autres», se félicite le premier ministre, Han Seung-soo . Mais il va falloir persuader le pays tout entier de mettre la main à la pioche et convaincre pas moins de 16 régions et villes de province de suivre la capitale.
Créer 1,8 million d'emplois
«C'est possible, la Corée a les hommes et les moyens. Toutes nos entreprises ont des centres de recherche pointus qui nous permettent d'être numéro un dans n'importe quel domaine», assure Chang Jae-chul, chercheur au Samsung Economic Research Institute.
«Il y a deux ans, pas un seul industriel coréen n'était dans l'écologie, mais aujourd'hui ils y sont tous», confirme un homme d'affaires français. Et d'ajouter : «Pour eux, la crise est une opportunité et ils ont un appétit carnassier.» En cinq ans, le gouvernement compte créer 1,8 million d'emplois nouveaux et il calcule que l'expérience va lui rapporter entre 102,5 et 116 milliards d'euros.
Cependant, pour le président Lee Myung-bak, dont la cote de popularité ne cesse de baisser, il va falloir «harmoniser avec doigté les intérêts publics et les intérêts privés», note Kang Sung-jin. C'est la raison pour laquelle le gouvernement tient deux fers au feu.
D'une part, il va proposer des incitations fiscales aux entreprises pour qu'elles investissent dans les économies d'énergie. D'autre part, il va mettre sur pied dans les prochains mois une expérience pilote de 600 villages verts destinés à tester en grandeur réelle les vertus de l'écologie. Mais la Corée du Sud ne compte pas s'arrêter là. Elle a prévu de porter l'ensemble de ses investissements de recherche et de développement à 5 % de son PIB en 2012. Un seuil qui représenterait alors un record absolu dans le monde.
isramart : USA : les lois sur les gaz polluants devront attendre
La réforme de la Santé aux Etats-Unis remise au second plan le vote par les sénateurs de l'American Clean Energy and Security Act qui vise à réduire les émissions de gaz toxiques.
Priorité à la réforme de l'assurance-maladie : les lois relatives au changement climatique, encore en débat au Congrès, risquent d'attendre. La Chambre a adopté à la fin du mois dernier l'American Clean Energy and Security Act, la vaste réforme qui vise à réduire l'émission de gaz toxiques. En 2020, avec 15 % de l'énergie nationale générée par les technologies «vertes», les gaz polluants devraient être réduits de 17 % par rapport à leur niveau de 2005.
Mais le Sénat, où l'enthousiasme pour une réforme radicale est tiède, ne s'est pas encore prononcé, et les lobbys opposés à la réforme redoublent leur effort, encouragés par la marge étroite du vote à la Chambre (219 voix contre 212).
Le dossier est soumis à cinq commissions, dont la plupart sont mobilisées par le débat sur la santé. Aucun vote au Sénat n'est attendu avant la rentrée. Les deux assemblées devront ensuite négocier un compromis sur un texte final à soumettre au président.
Barack Obama espère malgré tout signer une loi à temps pour la conférence de Copenhague sur le climat à la fin de l'année. Soit un pari qui est loin d'être gagné.
Priorité à la réforme de l'assurance-maladie : les lois relatives au changement climatique, encore en débat au Congrès, risquent d'attendre. La Chambre a adopté à la fin du mois dernier l'American Clean Energy and Security Act, la vaste réforme qui vise à réduire l'émission de gaz toxiques. En 2020, avec 15 % de l'énergie nationale générée par les technologies «vertes», les gaz polluants devraient être réduits de 17 % par rapport à leur niveau de 2005.
Mais le Sénat, où l'enthousiasme pour une réforme radicale est tiède, ne s'est pas encore prononcé, et les lobbys opposés à la réforme redoublent leur effort, encouragés par la marge étroite du vote à la Chambre (219 voix contre 212).
Le dossier est soumis à cinq commissions, dont la plupart sont mobilisées par le débat sur la santé. Aucun vote au Sénat n'est attendu avant la rentrée. Les deux assemblées devront ensuite négocier un compromis sur un texte final à soumettre au président.
Barack Obama espère malgré tout signer une loi à temps pour la conférence de Copenhague sur le climat à la fin de l'année. Soit un pari qui est loin d'être gagné.
isramart : Nissan fait le pari d'une voiture 100 % électrique
La première voiture grand public entièrement électrique vient d'être dévoilée par Carlos Ghosn. Disponible en 2010, la Nissan Leaf aura une autonomie de 160 km en usage normal.
Il faudra patienter jusqu'à fin 2010 pour la découvrir en concession mais, cette fois, c'est fait. La voiture électrique grand public existe.
Elle a été présentée par Carlos Ghosn lui même, sans même attendre le Salon de Tokyo au mois d'octobre. C'était à l'occasion de l'inauguration du nouveau quartier général de Nissan, à Yokohama, près de Tokyo. Le président de Nissan et de Renault a dévoilé la Leaf, sa première voiture tout électrique qui viendra s'ajouter aux véhicules équivalents de Mitsubishi, l'I-MiEV et la Stella. L'I-MiEV rebadgée fournira d'ailleurs à bon compte au groupe PSA en 2011 ses versions Peugeot et Citroën du tout électrique. Côté partenariat, Nissan n'est pas à la traîne puisque Renault aura aussi son dérivé jumeau de la Nissan Leaf, un modèle au losange qui sera révélé à la mi-septembre au Salon de Francfort.
Cette soudaine accélération en faveur de la voiture tout électrique - Volkswagen annonce la sienne pour 2012 - pourra réjouir le belge Camille Jenatzy, qui fut le premier à franchir le cap des 100 km/h avec cette technique en… 1899. Que s'est-il passé depuis pour que le courant ne repasse que 110 ans plus tard ? L'automobile électrique, qui ne peut dérouler un fil derrière elle, se heurte avant tout au poids de l'énergie transportée, un lot de batteries pesant cinq à six fois plus qu'un réservoir de 50 litres de carburant.
Pourtant, il y a l'intime conviction de Carlos Ghosn, le PDG de Nissan et de son allié français Renault, que l'électrique représente une option stratégique. Une option qu'il ne peut plus négliger en plein débat sur les énergies renouvelables. Il n'est pas parvenu en effet à constituer ce groupe hyper rentable à la façon de Toyota, qui fut son exemple à suivre. De plus, ses modèles récents à moteur thermique reçoivent un accueil plus ou moins mitigé selon les marchés. Il lui fallait donc, pour redresser la barre, emprunter une troisième voie : celle de l'innovation technologique.
On le voit clairement posé au travers de la Leaf, la voiture électrique n'est pas faite pour déplaire ni même surprendre. De taille moyenne (5 places), elle se destine au grand public, à la différence des flottes visées par les projets Heuliez, Bolloré ou Dassault. Du coup, son style ne joue pas le baroque à la Prius ou l'Insight et pourrait être celui d'une berline compacte traditionnelle.
En revanche, Carlos Ghosn fait le pari, en se basant sur le constat que 70 % des acheteurs peuvent se satisfaire d'une voiture à rayon d'action limité, que l'autonomie de 160 km en usage normal ne sera pas, pour eux, un handicap. La recharge complète s'effectuera à domicile en huit heures, durant la nuit probablement, sur une prise 220 volts. Sur la route, des bornes flash réapprovisionneront à hauteur de 80 % les batteries, en l'espace d'une demi-heure. De quoi être retardé donc mais pas coincé comme avec les autres véhicules électriques, incapables de dépasser 60 ou 80 kilomètres.
Plutôt agréable à regarder, la Leaf est aussi la première voiture totalement conçue autour de l'électrique et non une thermique adaptée pour la circonstance. Cela change beaucoup de choses en architecture véhicule mais cela implique aussi l'amortissement d'une coque supplémentaire dans la stratégie du constructeur. Le nœud du succès ou de l'échec de cette voiture réside pourtant dans la batterie et dans la confiance que lui accorderont les premiers acheteurs.
D'une technologie Lithium Ion identique à celle des téléphones portables, elle est plus performante à volume équivalent, beaucoup plus chère et a la fâcheuse tendance à chauffer - ce qui est une déperdition d'énergie en soi. Développée par NEC en collaboration avec Nissan-Renault, elle ne sera pas vendue avec le véhicule mais proposée en leasing. De cette façon, des batteries usagées ne pèseront pas sur le prix à la revente et la voiture n'est pas condamnée à une technologie de batterie qui deviendra obsolète lorsque des progrès surviendront dansle domaine. Selon Nissan, le coût avec les pleins devrait rivaliser aisément avec le budget énergie d'une voiture classique comparable.
Capable d'atteindre 140 km/h avec son moteur de 80 Kw (100 ch), la Nissan Leaf laisse en suspens une question essentielle : son prix de vente. Carlos Ghosn a évoqué un prix voisin de celui d'un modèle classique de même gabarit mais il soustrait probablement les aides que plusieurs nations accordent aux voitures à zéro émission de CO2 (5 000 euros en France).
Le constructeur prévoit de la commercialiser en Europe à partir de fin 2010, après le Japon et les Etats-Unis. Il a, dans la foulée, conclu 27 accords de coopération avec des États (Israël, Danemark, etc.) et collectivités de par le monde, qui tisseront l'indispensable réseau de stations de recharge sur leur territoire. «Nous voyons les voitures électriques non comme un marché de niche, mais comme un marché de masse qui pèsera plus de 5 % des ventes mondiales» a assuré, confiant, Carlos Ghosn.
Il faudra patienter jusqu'à fin 2010 pour la découvrir en concession mais, cette fois, c'est fait. La voiture électrique grand public existe.
Elle a été présentée par Carlos Ghosn lui même, sans même attendre le Salon de Tokyo au mois d'octobre. C'était à l'occasion de l'inauguration du nouveau quartier général de Nissan, à Yokohama, près de Tokyo. Le président de Nissan et de Renault a dévoilé la Leaf, sa première voiture tout électrique qui viendra s'ajouter aux véhicules équivalents de Mitsubishi, l'I-MiEV et la Stella. L'I-MiEV rebadgée fournira d'ailleurs à bon compte au groupe PSA en 2011 ses versions Peugeot et Citroën du tout électrique. Côté partenariat, Nissan n'est pas à la traîne puisque Renault aura aussi son dérivé jumeau de la Nissan Leaf, un modèle au losange qui sera révélé à la mi-septembre au Salon de Francfort.
Cette soudaine accélération en faveur de la voiture tout électrique - Volkswagen annonce la sienne pour 2012 - pourra réjouir le belge Camille Jenatzy, qui fut le premier à franchir le cap des 100 km/h avec cette technique en… 1899. Que s'est-il passé depuis pour que le courant ne repasse que 110 ans plus tard ? L'automobile électrique, qui ne peut dérouler un fil derrière elle, se heurte avant tout au poids de l'énergie transportée, un lot de batteries pesant cinq à six fois plus qu'un réservoir de 50 litres de carburant.
Pourtant, il y a l'intime conviction de Carlos Ghosn, le PDG de Nissan et de son allié français Renault, que l'électrique représente une option stratégique. Une option qu'il ne peut plus négliger en plein débat sur les énergies renouvelables. Il n'est pas parvenu en effet à constituer ce groupe hyper rentable à la façon de Toyota, qui fut son exemple à suivre. De plus, ses modèles récents à moteur thermique reçoivent un accueil plus ou moins mitigé selon les marchés. Il lui fallait donc, pour redresser la barre, emprunter une troisième voie : celle de l'innovation technologique.
On le voit clairement posé au travers de la Leaf, la voiture électrique n'est pas faite pour déplaire ni même surprendre. De taille moyenne (5 places), elle se destine au grand public, à la différence des flottes visées par les projets Heuliez, Bolloré ou Dassault. Du coup, son style ne joue pas le baroque à la Prius ou l'Insight et pourrait être celui d'une berline compacte traditionnelle.
En revanche, Carlos Ghosn fait le pari, en se basant sur le constat que 70 % des acheteurs peuvent se satisfaire d'une voiture à rayon d'action limité, que l'autonomie de 160 km en usage normal ne sera pas, pour eux, un handicap. La recharge complète s'effectuera à domicile en huit heures, durant la nuit probablement, sur une prise 220 volts. Sur la route, des bornes flash réapprovisionneront à hauteur de 80 % les batteries, en l'espace d'une demi-heure. De quoi être retardé donc mais pas coincé comme avec les autres véhicules électriques, incapables de dépasser 60 ou 80 kilomètres.
Plutôt agréable à regarder, la Leaf est aussi la première voiture totalement conçue autour de l'électrique et non une thermique adaptée pour la circonstance. Cela change beaucoup de choses en architecture véhicule mais cela implique aussi l'amortissement d'une coque supplémentaire dans la stratégie du constructeur. Le nœud du succès ou de l'échec de cette voiture réside pourtant dans la batterie et dans la confiance que lui accorderont les premiers acheteurs.
D'une technologie Lithium Ion identique à celle des téléphones portables, elle est plus performante à volume équivalent, beaucoup plus chère et a la fâcheuse tendance à chauffer - ce qui est une déperdition d'énergie en soi. Développée par NEC en collaboration avec Nissan-Renault, elle ne sera pas vendue avec le véhicule mais proposée en leasing. De cette façon, des batteries usagées ne pèseront pas sur le prix à la revente et la voiture n'est pas condamnée à une technologie de batterie qui deviendra obsolète lorsque des progrès surviendront dansle domaine. Selon Nissan, le coût avec les pleins devrait rivaliser aisément avec le budget énergie d'une voiture classique comparable.
Capable d'atteindre 140 km/h avec son moteur de 80 Kw (100 ch), la Nissan Leaf laisse en suspens une question essentielle : son prix de vente. Carlos Ghosn a évoqué un prix voisin de celui d'un modèle classique de même gabarit mais il soustrait probablement les aides que plusieurs nations accordent aux voitures à zéro émission de CO2 (5 000 euros en France).
Le constructeur prévoit de la commercialiser en Europe à partir de fin 2010, après le Japon et les Etats-Unis. Il a, dans la foulée, conclu 27 accords de coopération avec des États (Israël, Danemark, etc.) et collectivités de par le monde, qui tisseront l'indispensable réseau de stations de recharge sur leur territoire. «Nous voyons les voitures électriques non comme un marché de niche, mais comme un marché de masse qui pèsera plus de 5 % des ventes mondiales» a assuré, confiant, Carlos Ghosn.
isra-mart report: L'Allemagne veut un million de voitures électriques
Berlin, qui s'inquiète du retard pris sur les constructeurs asiatiques, a adopté mercredi un plan ambitieux pour l'électromobilité.
L'Allemagne voit grand pour la voiture électrique. Berlin a adopté mercredi un plan national pour le développement de l'électromobilité. Objectif : la vente de 100 000 voitures électriques par an, soit un million sur les routes en 2020.
À quelques semaines des élections législatives, le gouvernement allemand se garde toutefois de chiffrer le coût d'un éventuel programme d'incitation, même s'il indique qu'une enveloppe de 500 millions d'euros dans son plan de relance profite pour l'essentiel à l'électromobilité. C'est peu comparé aux 5 milliards d'euros que Berlin a consacrés à la prime à la casse. Mais, dans l'immédiat, les voitures électriques sont moins «utiles» économiquement. Elles ne risquent pas de soutenir le marché puisqu'il n'y en a pas encore de stock.
Les Allemands s'inquiètent surtout de leur retard face aux constructeurs asiatiques. Nissan, l'allié de Renault, prévoit de commercialiser la Leaf, son modèle 100 % électrique, dès la fin 2010. Les Allemands, eux, ne prévoient pas de production en série avant 2011. Volkswagen programme sa voiture à batterie en 2013. Certains estiment qu'il vaudrait mieux encourager la fabrication de voitures économes en carburant plutôt que d'avoir la folie verte des grandeurs.
L'Allemagne voit grand pour la voiture électrique. Berlin a adopté mercredi un plan national pour le développement de l'électromobilité. Objectif : la vente de 100 000 voitures électriques par an, soit un million sur les routes en 2020.
À quelques semaines des élections législatives, le gouvernement allemand se garde toutefois de chiffrer le coût d'un éventuel programme d'incitation, même s'il indique qu'une enveloppe de 500 millions d'euros dans son plan de relance profite pour l'essentiel à l'électromobilité. C'est peu comparé aux 5 milliards d'euros que Berlin a consacrés à la prime à la casse. Mais, dans l'immédiat, les voitures électriques sont moins «utiles» économiquement. Elles ne risquent pas de soutenir le marché puisqu'il n'y en a pas encore de stock.
Les Allemands s'inquiètent surtout de leur retard face aux constructeurs asiatiques. Nissan, l'allié de Renault, prévoit de commercialiser la Leaf, son modèle 100 % électrique, dès la fin 2010. Les Allemands, eux, ne prévoient pas de production en série avant 2011. Volkswagen programme sa voiture à batterie en 2013. Certains estiment qu'il vaudrait mieux encourager la fabrication de voitures économes en carburant plutôt que d'avoir la folie verte des grandeurs.
Pollution aéronautique : Bruxelles publie sa liste
Quatre mille sociétés sont concernées par la nouvelle loi européenne sur la réduction des émissions de CO2 qui s'appliquera à partir de 2012.
Bruxelles vient enfin de publier la liste des 4 000 compagnies aériennes et constructeurs aéronautiques tels qu'Airbus contraints de réduire leurs émissions de CO2, s'ils veulent continuer de voler en Europe. Cette mesure s'appliquera, dès 2012, dans le cadre d'un système pollueur-payeur que les grands syndicats du transport aérien mondial n'ont de cesse de critiquer.
L'Union européenne a fait fi de ces oppositions, mais a dû remanier largement cette liste tant attendue. Une version préliminaire avait été établie au mois de février. Le document ne fait toujours pas l'unanimité. «Des compagnies comme la néo-zélandaise Air Nelson ou l'américaine Virgin America, qui ne volent pas vers l'Europe, se trouvent sur la liste !», ironise le porte-parole de l'Association internationale du transport aérien.
Éviter les tensions avec les États-Unis
Le syndicat, qui ne désarme pas, affirme toutefois «demander à ses membres de se mettre en conformité avec la législation européenne», en attendant le sommet climatique de Copenhague où un accord global pourrait être trouvé. Si les termes de ce dernier diffèrent des exigences européennes, Bruxelles devrait chercher à s'adapter, afin, notamment, d'éviter les tensions avec les États-Unis.
Pour l'heure, la liste, tant décriée et publiée au Journal officiel de l'Union européenne samedi dernier, tente de recenser les compagnies aériennes, toutes nationalités confondues, qui opèrent sur le territoire de l'Union. À compter du 1er janvier 2012, celles-ci devront plafonner leurs émissions de CO2 à 97 % d'un niveau annuel de référence, calculé à partir d'une moyenne des années 2004 à 2006. De plus, elles devront payer 15 % de leurs permis de polluer aux pays européens, dans le cadre d'une bourse d'échange, le reste étant gratuit.
Chaque compagnie se voit assigner, dans cette liste, un État européen à qui elle va devoir détailler, dans les prochaines semaines, comment elle entend calculer ses émissions polluantes. C'est à cet État qu'elle achètera ultérieurement ses droits à polluer. Les compagnies aériennes qui ne respecteraient les délais prévus par le texte sont menacées d'être fortement pénalisées.
Bruxelles vient enfin de publier la liste des 4 000 compagnies aériennes et constructeurs aéronautiques tels qu'Airbus contraints de réduire leurs émissions de CO2, s'ils veulent continuer de voler en Europe. Cette mesure s'appliquera, dès 2012, dans le cadre d'un système pollueur-payeur que les grands syndicats du transport aérien mondial n'ont de cesse de critiquer.
L'Union européenne a fait fi de ces oppositions, mais a dû remanier largement cette liste tant attendue. Une version préliminaire avait été établie au mois de février. Le document ne fait toujours pas l'unanimité. «Des compagnies comme la néo-zélandaise Air Nelson ou l'américaine Virgin America, qui ne volent pas vers l'Europe, se trouvent sur la liste !», ironise le porte-parole de l'Association internationale du transport aérien.
Éviter les tensions avec les États-Unis
Le syndicat, qui ne désarme pas, affirme toutefois «demander à ses membres de se mettre en conformité avec la législation européenne», en attendant le sommet climatique de Copenhague où un accord global pourrait être trouvé. Si les termes de ce dernier diffèrent des exigences européennes, Bruxelles devrait chercher à s'adapter, afin, notamment, d'éviter les tensions avec les États-Unis.
Pour l'heure, la liste, tant décriée et publiée au Journal officiel de l'Union européenne samedi dernier, tente de recenser les compagnies aériennes, toutes nationalités confondues, qui opèrent sur le territoire de l'Union. À compter du 1er janvier 2012, celles-ci devront plafonner leurs émissions de CO2 à 97 % d'un niveau annuel de référence, calculé à partir d'une moyenne des années 2004 à 2006. De plus, elles devront payer 15 % de leurs permis de polluer aux pays européens, dans le cadre d'une bourse d'échange, le reste étant gratuit.
Chaque compagnie se voit assigner, dans cette liste, un État européen à qui elle va devoir détailler, dans les prochaines semaines, comment elle entend calculer ses émissions polluantes. C'est à cet État qu'elle achètera ultérieurement ses droits à polluer. Les compagnies aériennes qui ne respecteraient les délais prévus par le texte sont menacées d'être fortement pénalisées.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Isramart : Energia Europei va veni din Sahara?
Isramart news:
Europa ar putea obtine toata energia de care are nevoie acoperind o portiune din desertul Sahara cu panouri solare.
Afirmatia ii apartine unui om de stiinta austriac, dr. Anthony Patt, care a enuntat acesta idee indrazneata la o conferinta asupra schimbarilor climatice, desfasurata la Copenhaga. Tehnologia ar implica transformarea unui fluid in vapori, sub influenta temperaturilor ridicate – obtinute cu ajutorul unor oglinzi care focalizeaza razele solare asupra tevilor prin care circula fluidul –, urmand ca vaporii sa fie utilizati in turbine cuplate la generatoare electrice. Aceasta tehnologie nu este foarte scumpa la ora actuala si, intrucat costul transportului energiei la distante mari a scazut si el in ultimii ani, metoda ar avea toate sansele sa devina un mijloc rentabil de a procura Europei energia electrica de care are nevoie.
Instaland astfel de panouri solare pe o suprafata de aproximativ 80.000 kmp, in nordul Africii, Europa si-ar putea atinge scopul propus pentru anul 2020 - acela de a obtine cel putin 20% din energie din resurse regenerabile - si ar depinde mai putin de Rusia si Orientul Mijlociu in privinta energiei. In desertul Sahara, soarele straluceste puternic si aproape permanent, rar intamplandu-se sa fie acoperit de nori, chiar si in timpul iernii.
Europa ar putea obtine toata energia de care are nevoie acoperind o portiune din desertul Sahara cu panouri solare.
Afirmatia ii apartine unui om de stiinta austriac, dr. Anthony Patt, care a enuntat acesta idee indrazneata la o conferinta asupra schimbarilor climatice, desfasurata la Copenhaga. Tehnologia ar implica transformarea unui fluid in vapori, sub influenta temperaturilor ridicate – obtinute cu ajutorul unor oglinzi care focalizeaza razele solare asupra tevilor prin care circula fluidul –, urmand ca vaporii sa fie utilizati in turbine cuplate la generatoare electrice. Aceasta tehnologie nu este foarte scumpa la ora actuala si, intrucat costul transportului energiei la distante mari a scazut si el in ultimii ani, metoda ar avea toate sansele sa devina un mijloc rentabil de a procura Europei energia electrica de care are nevoie.
Instaland astfel de panouri solare pe o suprafata de aproximativ 80.000 kmp, in nordul Africii, Europa si-ar putea atinge scopul propus pentru anul 2020 - acela de a obtine cel putin 20% din energie din resurse regenerabile - si ar depinde mai putin de Rusia si Orientul Mijlociu in privinta energiei. In desertul Sahara, soarele straluceste puternic si aproape permanent, rar intamplandu-se sa fie acoperit de nori, chiar si in timpul iernii.
Isramart :In premiera: in jurul lumii cu o barca alimentata cu energie solara
Isramart news:
In 2007, un vas alimentat cu energie solara a traversat pentru prima data Oceanul Atlantic. Acum, un grup de exploratori elvetieni ridica stacheta: ei vor incerca sa faca ocolul lumii intr-o ambarcatiune alimentata de baterii solare.
Vasul a pornit din portul german Kiel, iar echipajul spera sa incheie prima etapa a calatoriei – travesarea Atlanticului – in doua saptamani. Ambarcatiunea, numita Planet Solar, poate atinge o viteza maxima de 25 km/h.
Energia este furnizata de panourile solare, cu o suprafata de 465 metri patrati (cam cat doua terenuri de tenis), foarte eficiente, care convertesc aproximativ 23% din energia solara in energie electrica (cu 6% mai mult decat panourile solare obisnuite).
Echipa elvetiana planuieste sa-si incheie calatoria in primavara anului 2011.
In 2007, un vas alimentat cu energie solara a traversat pentru prima data Oceanul Atlantic. Acum, un grup de exploratori elvetieni ridica stacheta: ei vor incerca sa faca ocolul lumii intr-o ambarcatiune alimentata de baterii solare.
Vasul a pornit din portul german Kiel, iar echipajul spera sa incheie prima etapa a calatoriei – travesarea Atlanticului – in doua saptamani. Ambarcatiunea, numita Planet Solar, poate atinge o viteza maxima de 25 km/h.
Energia este furnizata de panourile solare, cu o suprafata de 465 metri patrati (cam cat doua terenuri de tenis), foarte eficiente, care convertesc aproximativ 23% din energia solara in energie electrica (cu 6% mai mult decat panourile solare obisnuite).
Echipa elvetiana planuieste sa-si incheie calatoria in primavara anului 2011.
Isramart : Un nou record pentru cel mai lung zbor alimentat cu energie solara
Isramart news:
Cardozo din Marea Britanie este cu siguranta ceea ce am putea numi o familie nonconformista. Dincolo de gradul de rudenie, ii leaga dorinta de aventura, astfel incat vacantele lor de vara sunt oarecum neobisnuite: zboruri deasupra Mediteranei, inotatul in ape ticsite cu rechini, plus stabilirea unui nou record pentru cel mai lung zbor cu un paramotor alimentat de energie solara.
Familia a calatorit pe o distanta de 2.000 de kilometri, din Monte Carlo pana in Maroc, folosindu-se de un paramotor alimentat cu energie solara. Expeditia de 15 zile a inclus Franta si Spania si traversarea apelor populate cu rechini din stramtoarea Gibraltar.
Paramotorul electric este alimentat de baterii cu litiu, polimerice, care se incarca cu ajutorul a 12 panouri solare instalate deasupra vehiculului utilizat pentru transportul celor care nu au participat direct la experiment.
Familia care a stabilit noul record mondial a dedicat acest succes unei cauze nobile, aceea de a atrage atentia asupra ataxiei, o boala de care sufera trei dintre cei sase copii ai familiei. Sotii Cardozo au infiintat o societate de caritate, cu misiunea de a atrage atentia asupra maladiei.
Ataxia se manifesta prin imposibilitatea de a coordona grupele musculare in cursul miscarilor voluntare, avand ca rezultat miscari imprecise si dificultati de mobilitate. Apare, de regula, in cazul leziunilor cerebeloase sau in cele ale maduvei spinarii.
Cardozo din Marea Britanie este cu siguranta ceea ce am putea numi o familie nonconformista. Dincolo de gradul de rudenie, ii leaga dorinta de aventura, astfel incat vacantele lor de vara sunt oarecum neobisnuite: zboruri deasupra Mediteranei, inotatul in ape ticsite cu rechini, plus stabilirea unui nou record pentru cel mai lung zbor cu un paramotor alimentat de energie solara.
Familia a calatorit pe o distanta de 2.000 de kilometri, din Monte Carlo pana in Maroc, folosindu-se de un paramotor alimentat cu energie solara. Expeditia de 15 zile a inclus Franta si Spania si traversarea apelor populate cu rechini din stramtoarea Gibraltar.
Paramotorul electric este alimentat de baterii cu litiu, polimerice, care se incarca cu ajutorul a 12 panouri solare instalate deasupra vehiculului utilizat pentru transportul celor care nu au participat direct la experiment.
Familia care a stabilit noul record mondial a dedicat acest succes unei cauze nobile, aceea de a atrage atentia asupra ataxiei, o boala de care sufera trei dintre cei sase copii ai familiei. Sotii Cardozo au infiintat o societate de caritate, cu misiunea de a atrage atentia asupra maladiei.
Ataxia se manifesta prin imposibilitatea de a coordona grupele musculare in cursul miscarilor voluntare, avand ca rezultat miscari imprecise si dificultati de mobilitate. Apare, de regula, in cazul leziunilor cerebeloase sau in cele ale maduvei spinarii.
Isramart : Energie solara in scolile din Botosani
Isramart news:
Primaria orasului Botosani intentioneaza sa doteze gradinitele si scolile din municipiu cu panouri solare pentru a reduce cheltuielile cu incalzirea si apa calda in unitatile de invatamant. Edilii urmeaza sa realizeze un proiect pentru atragerea de fonduri nerambursabile.
In Occident se merge mult pe surse alternative de energie. Energia solara este des folosita in ultimul timp si pe astfel de proiecte se dau foarte multi bani europeni. Incercam si noi sa atragem fonduri”, a declarat viceprimarul Florin Ghiorghita pentru Adevarul. Unitatile scolare ce urmeaza sa beneficieze de pe urma programului vor fi selectate in urma unei analiza care va verifica daca structura cladirilor si izolatia termica a acestora permit montarea panourile solare.
„Se va face un punctaj in functie de vechimea cladirii, de tipul de termoizolatie, dar si de alte aspecte. Cu cat punctajul este mai mare, cu atat cresc sansele sc primesti banii”, a mai spus viceprimarul. In Botosani exista deja un exemplu de asemenea initiativa venit din partea conducerii Penitenciarului de Maxima Siguranta Botosani care a facut deja un astfel de proiect si acum asteapta un raspuns de la Ministerul de Justitie.
Primaria orasului Botosani intentioneaza sa doteze gradinitele si scolile din municipiu cu panouri solare pentru a reduce cheltuielile cu incalzirea si apa calda in unitatile de invatamant. Edilii urmeaza sa realizeze un proiect pentru atragerea de fonduri nerambursabile.
In Occident se merge mult pe surse alternative de energie. Energia solara este des folosita in ultimul timp si pe astfel de proiecte se dau foarte multi bani europeni. Incercam si noi sa atragem fonduri”, a declarat viceprimarul Florin Ghiorghita pentru Adevarul. Unitatile scolare ce urmeaza sa beneficieze de pe urma programului vor fi selectate in urma unei analiza care va verifica daca structura cladirilor si izolatia termica a acestora permit montarea panourile solare.
„Se va face un punctaj in functie de vechimea cladirii, de tipul de termoizolatie, dar si de alte aspecte. Cu cat punctajul este mai mare, cu atat cresc sansele sc primesti banii”, a mai spus viceprimarul. In Botosani exista deja un exemplu de asemenea initiativa venit din partea conducerii Penitenciarului de Maxima Siguranta Botosani care a facut deja un astfel de proiect si acum asteapta un raspuns de la Ministerul de Justitie.
Isramart :Cum functioneaza o turbina eoliana ?
Isramart news:
Sistemul se bazeaza pe un principiu simplu. Vantul pune in miscare palele care la randul lor actioneaza generatorul electric. Sistemul mecanic are in componenta si un multiplicator de viteza care actioneza direct axul central al generatorului electric.
Curentul electric obtinut este, fie transmis spre imagazinare in baterii si folosit apoi cu ajutorul unui invertor DC-AC in cazul turbinelor de mica capacitate , fie livrat direct retelei de curent alternativ ( AC) spre distribuitori.
Utilizarea energiilor regenerabile in tarile din Europa si pe plan mondial.
Inceputa cu cca. 30 de ani in urma, utilizarea energiilor regenerabile in special a energiei solare, eoliene, apelor geotermale si a mareelor, provocata de prima criza a petrolului din 1972, a ajuns n prezent sa reprezinte un procent important din balanta de furnizare a energiei n multe tari ce poseda potential in acest domeniu, printre care citam:
1) Suedia : hidro 55%,
2) Islanda : hidro 17%, geotermala 55%
3) Elvetia : hidro 43%
4) Turcia : biomasa 9%, geotermala 1%
5) Germania : eoliana 40% din capacitatea mondiala
In aceste tari se depaseste cu mult pragul propus prin Directivele UE pana in anul 2010 in domeniul utilizarii energiilor regenerabile de 12%, legat si de respectarea prevederilor protocolului de la Kyoto.
Principalele parghii n acest domeniu sunt:
a. Investitiile masive de la 5 miliarde dolari din 1995 pana la peste 20 miliarde dolari in 2003 pe plan mondial, economiile anuale realizate la energie primara (carbune, hidrocarburi) fiind estimate numai in SUA la cca. 36 miliarde de dolari pe an ncepand din 2005. Energia verde fiind nepoluanta rezulta ca n plus se economisesc si cheltuielile ascunse cum ar fi cele pentru sanatate publica si cele legate de pierderi de recolte vis-a-vis de ploile acide.Ceea ce este ciudat este faptul ca, pentru producerea energiei electrice cu cele mai poluante tehnologii n centralele pe carbune si cele nucleare, se investesc si in prezent cca. 90% din fondurile disponibile, pe cnd utiliznd tehnologii curate doar cteva procente, desi acestea se implementeaza usor si nu au efecte nocive asupra mediului nconjurator.
b. Subventii importante care ajung pana la 110 E / m2 de colectori solari folositi pentru incalzirea spatiilor n Germania. n conformitate cu prevederile Cartii albe pentru energii regenerabile (1997) se prevede ca pina in 2010 sa fie instalati 100 milioane m2 de colectori solari in toata Europa. Se mentioneaza ca n prezent n Spania sunt instalati mai mult de 500.000 m2 de colectori solari. n Germania se acorda deasemeni subventii importante pentru montarea de celule fotovoltaice integrate n special in acoperisurile si ferestrele cladirilor existente.
c.Imbunatatirea tehnologiilor de producere a instalatiilor care duce la scaderea pretului de cost (de ex. la celule fotovoltaice de la 30 $/w n urma cu 30 de ani la cca.3-4 E/w, n prezent).
Aceasta capacitate reprezinta cca. 19% din capacitatea instalatiilor hidro mari si 4 % din capacitatea totala instalata pentru producerea energiei electrice.
Intre tarile in curs de dezvoltare se remarca pasii mari facuti n ultimul timp de China care are cca. 55% din numarul total de colectoare solare montate pe plan mondial.
Si in Romania au existat preocupari n domeniul utilizarii energiei solare (colectoare solare cu serpentina de Cu, pe litoral) energiei vntului (Sf. Gheorghe), energiei geotermale (n special in Ardeal).
In lipsa preocuparii si a intretinerii corespunzatoare, aceste instalatii au fost practic abandonate.
Pentru anul 2005 s-au fixat prin lege, n sarcina producatorilor de energie electrica procente din productia anuala ce urmeaza a fi realizate cu utilizarea energiilor regenerabile (de exemplu 0,7% utiliznd energie solara).
Energia eoliana.
Conform analistului Axel Eunhoff de la Banca de Investitii Bear Stearns International, in Europa energia provenita din centrale eoliene va ajunge la 65.000 MW, iar sumele necesare investitiilor vor fi 60-70 mld. euro.
In urmatorii 8 ani va fi instalata o putere de 110.000 MW in centralele eoliene. Daca acestea s-au dezvoltat pe zonele de coasta, in prezent tendinta este de a construi unitati in interior pentru a furniza energie pentru mii de gospodarii, ferme, mici intreprinderi.
Cea mai dezvoltata zona eoliana in Germania este Westfalia - regiunea Sintfeld, unde sunt montate 65 de instalatii cu o capacitate de 180 milioane kWh pe an (adica suficient pentru 50.000 gospodarii).
Cel mai mare producator mondial de turbine eoliene este firma Flender GmbH, care livreaza 40% din toate centralele eoliene instalate in lume (Europa, SUA si China).
O intreaga industrie s-a dezvoltat pentru fabricarea componentelor, pentru servicii de montaj, intretinere, exploatare.
Centralele eoliene actuale au puteri standardizate, incepand de la 100 kW la 5 MW/unitate. Unde este posibil, unitatile sunt cuplate in baterii pentru a obtine puteri mai mari.
Industria romaneasca ar putea sa se implice intr-o piata de 60-70 mld.euro (estimata pe 8 ani), putand produce o serie de componente cum ar fi: motoare si generatoare electrice, componente mecanice - arbori grei, stalpi de sustinere, carcase, reductoare, confectii metalice, pe baza de avantaje comparative si competitive.
Aproximativ 80% din energia eoliana din lume este produsa acum in California, dar energia eoliana este pe cale de raspandire Midwest-ul american, in Europa- in special in Belgia - si in alte regiuni.
4.Concluzii.
Lumea se schimba. Incet, incet (poate uneori prea incet) incepem sa ne dam seama ca ne taiem craca de sub picioare. Si o punem pe foc. Si pentru ca suntem fiinte inteligente, ne adaptam. Vechile centrale care ard carbuni si innegresc cerul si plamanii vor deveni o amintire (neagra evident) a unei epoci de cosmar pentru stratul de ozon.
Putem spune astfel ca omul, ca fiu al Planetei, se maturizeaza. Pana acum a supt de la sanul mamei in copilarie, i-a luat si camasa de pe spate in adolescenta, iar acum, ajuns pe picioarele lui, isi ingrijeste maica batrana si bolnava.
Sa speram ca el, omul, nu se va lasa pagubas
Sistemul se bazeaza pe un principiu simplu. Vantul pune in miscare palele care la randul lor actioneaza generatorul electric. Sistemul mecanic are in componenta si un multiplicator de viteza care actioneza direct axul central al generatorului electric.
Curentul electric obtinut este, fie transmis spre imagazinare in baterii si folosit apoi cu ajutorul unui invertor DC-AC in cazul turbinelor de mica capacitate , fie livrat direct retelei de curent alternativ ( AC) spre distribuitori.
Utilizarea energiilor regenerabile in tarile din Europa si pe plan mondial.
Inceputa cu cca. 30 de ani in urma, utilizarea energiilor regenerabile in special a energiei solare, eoliene, apelor geotermale si a mareelor, provocata de prima criza a petrolului din 1972, a ajuns n prezent sa reprezinte un procent important din balanta de furnizare a energiei n multe tari ce poseda potential in acest domeniu, printre care citam:
1) Suedia : hidro 55%,
2) Islanda : hidro 17%, geotermala 55%
3) Elvetia : hidro 43%
4) Turcia : biomasa 9%, geotermala 1%
5) Germania : eoliana 40% din capacitatea mondiala
In aceste tari se depaseste cu mult pragul propus prin Directivele UE pana in anul 2010 in domeniul utilizarii energiilor regenerabile de 12%, legat si de respectarea prevederilor protocolului de la Kyoto.
Principalele parghii n acest domeniu sunt:
a. Investitiile masive de la 5 miliarde dolari din 1995 pana la peste 20 miliarde dolari in 2003 pe plan mondial, economiile anuale realizate la energie primara (carbune, hidrocarburi) fiind estimate numai in SUA la cca. 36 miliarde de dolari pe an ncepand din 2005. Energia verde fiind nepoluanta rezulta ca n plus se economisesc si cheltuielile ascunse cum ar fi cele pentru sanatate publica si cele legate de pierderi de recolte vis-a-vis de ploile acide.Ceea ce este ciudat este faptul ca, pentru producerea energiei electrice cu cele mai poluante tehnologii n centralele pe carbune si cele nucleare, se investesc si in prezent cca. 90% din fondurile disponibile, pe cnd utiliznd tehnologii curate doar cteva procente, desi acestea se implementeaza usor si nu au efecte nocive asupra mediului nconjurator.
b. Subventii importante care ajung pana la 110 E / m2 de colectori solari folositi pentru incalzirea spatiilor n Germania. n conformitate cu prevederile Cartii albe pentru energii regenerabile (1997) se prevede ca pina in 2010 sa fie instalati 100 milioane m2 de colectori solari in toata Europa. Se mentioneaza ca n prezent n Spania sunt instalati mai mult de 500.000 m2 de colectori solari. n Germania se acorda deasemeni subventii importante pentru montarea de celule fotovoltaice integrate n special in acoperisurile si ferestrele cladirilor existente.
c.Imbunatatirea tehnologiilor de producere a instalatiilor care duce la scaderea pretului de cost (de ex. la celule fotovoltaice de la 30 $/w n urma cu 30 de ani la cca.3-4 E/w, n prezent).
Aceasta capacitate reprezinta cca. 19% din capacitatea instalatiilor hidro mari si 4 % din capacitatea totala instalata pentru producerea energiei electrice.
Intre tarile in curs de dezvoltare se remarca pasii mari facuti n ultimul timp de China care are cca. 55% din numarul total de colectoare solare montate pe plan mondial.
Si in Romania au existat preocupari n domeniul utilizarii energiei solare (colectoare solare cu serpentina de Cu, pe litoral) energiei vntului (Sf. Gheorghe), energiei geotermale (n special in Ardeal).
In lipsa preocuparii si a intretinerii corespunzatoare, aceste instalatii au fost practic abandonate.
Pentru anul 2005 s-au fixat prin lege, n sarcina producatorilor de energie electrica procente din productia anuala ce urmeaza a fi realizate cu utilizarea energiilor regenerabile (de exemplu 0,7% utiliznd energie solara).
Energia eoliana.
Conform analistului Axel Eunhoff de la Banca de Investitii Bear Stearns International, in Europa energia provenita din centrale eoliene va ajunge la 65.000 MW, iar sumele necesare investitiilor vor fi 60-70 mld. euro.
In urmatorii 8 ani va fi instalata o putere de 110.000 MW in centralele eoliene. Daca acestea s-au dezvoltat pe zonele de coasta, in prezent tendinta este de a construi unitati in interior pentru a furniza energie pentru mii de gospodarii, ferme, mici intreprinderi.
Cea mai dezvoltata zona eoliana in Germania este Westfalia - regiunea Sintfeld, unde sunt montate 65 de instalatii cu o capacitate de 180 milioane kWh pe an (adica suficient pentru 50.000 gospodarii).
Cel mai mare producator mondial de turbine eoliene este firma Flender GmbH, care livreaza 40% din toate centralele eoliene instalate in lume (Europa, SUA si China).
O intreaga industrie s-a dezvoltat pentru fabricarea componentelor, pentru servicii de montaj, intretinere, exploatare.
Centralele eoliene actuale au puteri standardizate, incepand de la 100 kW la 5 MW/unitate. Unde este posibil, unitatile sunt cuplate in baterii pentru a obtine puteri mai mari.
Industria romaneasca ar putea sa se implice intr-o piata de 60-70 mld.euro (estimata pe 8 ani), putand produce o serie de componente cum ar fi: motoare si generatoare electrice, componente mecanice - arbori grei, stalpi de sustinere, carcase, reductoare, confectii metalice, pe baza de avantaje comparative si competitive.
Aproximativ 80% din energia eoliana din lume este produsa acum in California, dar energia eoliana este pe cale de raspandire Midwest-ul american, in Europa- in special in Belgia - si in alte regiuni.
4.Concluzii.
Lumea se schimba. Incet, incet (poate uneori prea incet) incepem sa ne dam seama ca ne taiem craca de sub picioare. Si o punem pe foc. Si pentru ca suntem fiinte inteligente, ne adaptam. Vechile centrale care ard carbuni si innegresc cerul si plamanii vor deveni o amintire (neagra evident) a unei epoci de cosmar pentru stratul de ozon.
Putem spune astfel ca omul, ca fiu al Planetei, se maturizeaza. Pana acum a supt de la sanul mamei in copilarie, i-a luat si camasa de pe spate in adolescenta, iar acum, ajuns pe picioarele lui, isi ingrijeste maica batrana si bolnava.
Sa speram ca el, omul, nu se va lasa pagubas
Isramart : Lower-cost Solar Cells To Be Printed Like Newspaper, Painted On Rooftops
Isramart news:
Solar cells could soon be produced more cheaply using nanoparticle “inks” that allow them to be printed like newspaper or painted onto the sides of buildings orBrian Korgel, a University of Texas at Austin chemical engineer, is hoping to cut costs to one-tenth of their current price by replacing the standard manufacturing process for solar cells – gas-phase deposition in a vacuum chamber, which requires high temperatures and is relatively expensive.
“That’s essentially what’s needed to make solar-cell technology and photovoltaics widely adopted,” Korgel said. “The sun provides a nearly unlimited energy resource, but existing solar energy harvesting technologies are prohibitively expensive and cannot compete with fossil fuels.”
For the past two years, Korgel and his team have been working on this low-cost, nanomaterials solution to photovoltaics – or solar cell – manufacturing. Korgel is collaborating with professors Al Bard and Paul Barbara, both of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Professor Ananth Dodabalapur of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. They recently showed proof-of-concept in a recent issue of Journal of the American Chemical Society.
The inks could be printed on a roll-to-roll printing process on a plastic substrate or stainless steel. And the prospect of being able to paint the “inks” onto a rooftop or building is not far-fetched.
“You’d have to paint the light-absorbing material and a few other layers as well,” Korgel said. “This is one step in the direction towards paintable solar cells.”
Korgel uses the light-absorbing nanomaterials, which are 10,000 times thinner than a strand of hair, because their microscopic size allows for new physical properties that can help enable higher-efficiency devices.
In 2002, he co-founded a company called Innovalight, based in California, which is producing inks using silicon as the basis. This time, Korgel and his team are using copper indium gallium selenide or CIGS, which is both cheaper and benign in terms of environmental impact.
“CIGS has some potential advantages over silicon,” Korgel said. “It’s a direct band gap semiconductor, which means that you need much less material to make a solar cell, and that’s one of the biggest potential advantages.”
His team has developed solar-cell prototypes with efficiencies at one percent; however, they need to be about 10 percent.
“If we get to 10 percent, then there’s real potential for commercialization,” Korgel said. “If it works, I think you could see it being used in three to five years.”
He also said that the inks, which are semi-transparent, could help realize the prospect of having windows that double as solar cells. Korgel said his work has attracted the interest of industrial partners.
Funding for the research comes from the National Science Foundation, the Welch Foundation and the Air Force Research Laboratory. rooftops to absorb electricity-producing sunlight.
Solar cells could soon be produced more cheaply using nanoparticle “inks” that allow them to be printed like newspaper or painted onto the sides of buildings orBrian Korgel, a University of Texas at Austin chemical engineer, is hoping to cut costs to one-tenth of their current price by replacing the standard manufacturing process for solar cells – gas-phase deposition in a vacuum chamber, which requires high temperatures and is relatively expensive.
“That’s essentially what’s needed to make solar-cell technology and photovoltaics widely adopted,” Korgel said. “The sun provides a nearly unlimited energy resource, but existing solar energy harvesting technologies are prohibitively expensive and cannot compete with fossil fuels.”
For the past two years, Korgel and his team have been working on this low-cost, nanomaterials solution to photovoltaics – or solar cell – manufacturing. Korgel is collaborating with professors Al Bard and Paul Barbara, both of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Professor Ananth Dodabalapur of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. They recently showed proof-of-concept in a recent issue of Journal of the American Chemical Society.
The inks could be printed on a roll-to-roll printing process on a plastic substrate or stainless steel. And the prospect of being able to paint the “inks” onto a rooftop or building is not far-fetched.
“You’d have to paint the light-absorbing material and a few other layers as well,” Korgel said. “This is one step in the direction towards paintable solar cells.”
Korgel uses the light-absorbing nanomaterials, which are 10,000 times thinner than a strand of hair, because their microscopic size allows for new physical properties that can help enable higher-efficiency devices.
In 2002, he co-founded a company called Innovalight, based in California, which is producing inks using silicon as the basis. This time, Korgel and his team are using copper indium gallium selenide or CIGS, which is both cheaper and benign in terms of environmental impact.
“CIGS has some potential advantages over silicon,” Korgel said. “It’s a direct band gap semiconductor, which means that you need much less material to make a solar cell, and that’s one of the biggest potential advantages.”
His team has developed solar-cell prototypes with efficiencies at one percent; however, they need to be about 10 percent.
“If we get to 10 percent, then there’s real potential for commercialization,” Korgel said. “If it works, I think you could see it being used in three to five years.”
He also said that the inks, which are semi-transparent, could help realize the prospect of having windows that double as solar cells. Korgel said his work has attracted the interest of industrial partners.
Funding for the research comes from the National Science Foundation, the Welch Foundation and the Air Force Research Laboratory. rooftops to absorb electricity-producing sunlight.
Isramart : Future tense: How a solar-hydrogen economy could provide us with all the energy we need
Isramart news:
What one energy source has the ability to – in the long term – supply the people of the world with all of the energy they need in an reliable and renewable manner? According to Derek Abbott, professor of electrical engineering at the University of Adelaide in Australia, there is only one possible answer: solar-hydrogen.
Solar-hydrogen means using solar power to generate electricity and then using the electricity to electrolyze water to generate hydrogen when necessary – for example, to run automobiles on hydrogen power. Abbott believes that solar-hydrogen could one day produce about 70 percent of the world's energy requirements, and he's done some math over on PhysOrg that he says proves him right. The short version: the solar energy that hits the earth (and is not reflected or absorbed by clouds) is "more than 5,000 times our present global energy consumption."
Aside from the sustainability angle, solar-hydrogen beats all other energy sources on economic grounds, Abott believes. His preferred method of capturing the energy of the sun is solar thermal collectors. Here's how he thinks it'll work in the coming decades:
Governments should begin by setting up sizable solar farms that supplement existing grid electricity and provide enough hydrogen to power buses. Enthusiasts will then buy hydrogen cars, retrofit existing cars, and refuel at bus depots. Then things will grow from there. You gotta start somewhere.
Abbott's other reasons for choosing H2 over battery-powered electrics include: fewer chemicals and toxic waste due to lack of batteries and that "gasoline combustion engines can be retrofitted to run on hydrogen, and the car manufacturing industry has infrastructure tailored to combustion technology." Hmm, maybe he should read Greenlings.
What one energy source has the ability to – in the long term – supply the people of the world with all of the energy they need in an reliable and renewable manner? According to Derek Abbott, professor of electrical engineering at the University of Adelaide in Australia, there is only one possible answer: solar-hydrogen.
Solar-hydrogen means using solar power to generate electricity and then using the electricity to electrolyze water to generate hydrogen when necessary – for example, to run automobiles on hydrogen power. Abbott believes that solar-hydrogen could one day produce about 70 percent of the world's energy requirements, and he's done some math over on PhysOrg that he says proves him right. The short version: the solar energy that hits the earth (and is not reflected or absorbed by clouds) is "more than 5,000 times our present global energy consumption."
Aside from the sustainability angle, solar-hydrogen beats all other energy sources on economic grounds, Abott believes. His preferred method of capturing the energy of the sun is solar thermal collectors. Here's how he thinks it'll work in the coming decades:
Governments should begin by setting up sizable solar farms that supplement existing grid electricity and provide enough hydrogen to power buses. Enthusiasts will then buy hydrogen cars, retrofit existing cars, and refuel at bus depots. Then things will grow from there. You gotta start somewhere.
Abbott's other reasons for choosing H2 over battery-powered electrics include: fewer chemicals and toxic waste due to lack of batteries and that "gasoline combustion engines can be retrofitted to run on hydrogen, and the car manufacturing industry has infrastructure tailored to combustion technology." Hmm, maybe he should read Greenlings.
isramart : Home Solar Power in Needham, Massachusetts
Isramart news:
Welcome new SunRun home solar customers Tyson and Yasmine in Needham, MA. Their new home solar system was turned on in July, in time to help with high summer power bills. Check out the great photo that they submitted of the new solar panels on their home.
Here’s their story: Tyson and Yasmine moved a few years ago from Dallas, Texas to Needham, a suburb of Boston. Soon, they realized that they were paying over twice what they used to pay for power. Their new monthly power bills from NStar in Needham averaged almost $200.
It took them a long time to find a solution. They knew solar was an option, but they started initially looking at a solar hot water heater. While it was affordable, it didn’t seem like it would make much of a dent in their power bills. Solar panels would help reduce high power bills, but came at a high cost, almost $35,000.
Eventually, local Massachusetts solar installer groSolar pointed Tyson and Yasmine towards SunRun solar financing. The rest is history. They paid a few thousand dollars to get the panels installed, and will pay SunRun a low fixed rate for their electricity every month.
If they could, they would have shortened the time it took them to figure out a more affordable option for home solar panels, but asking the right questions and talking to a number of people eventually led them to a good solution. In Needham, SunRun works with two of Massachusetts’ most trusted solar installers, groSolar and Alteris Inc.
As Tyson says, “Energy prices in the Northeast are really expensive. Now we’re at a point where solar is economically viable. It’s a win-win for everyone: for me, for the local economy, and for solar in general.”
Solar Stats for Needham, MA:
* Residential solar installations in Needham are just under 1/4 of the state’s leading solar cities, Amherst and East Falmouth, MA.
* Tyson and Yasmine weren’t imagining things! MA residents pay 50% more for their power than the U.S. average.
Welcome new SunRun home solar customers Tyson and Yasmine in Needham, MA. Their new home solar system was turned on in July, in time to help with high summer power bills. Check out the great photo that they submitted of the new solar panels on their home.
Here’s their story: Tyson and Yasmine moved a few years ago from Dallas, Texas to Needham, a suburb of Boston. Soon, they realized that they were paying over twice what they used to pay for power. Their new monthly power bills from NStar in Needham averaged almost $200.
It took them a long time to find a solution. They knew solar was an option, but they started initially looking at a solar hot water heater. While it was affordable, it didn’t seem like it would make much of a dent in their power bills. Solar panels would help reduce high power bills, but came at a high cost, almost $35,000.
Eventually, local Massachusetts solar installer groSolar pointed Tyson and Yasmine towards SunRun solar financing. The rest is history. They paid a few thousand dollars to get the panels installed, and will pay SunRun a low fixed rate for their electricity every month.
If they could, they would have shortened the time it took them to figure out a more affordable option for home solar panels, but asking the right questions and talking to a number of people eventually led them to a good solution. In Needham, SunRun works with two of Massachusetts’ most trusted solar installers, groSolar and Alteris Inc.
As Tyson says, “Energy prices in the Northeast are really expensive. Now we’re at a point where solar is economically viable. It’s a win-win for everyone: for me, for the local economy, and for solar in general.”
Solar Stats for Needham, MA:
* Residential solar installations in Needham are just under 1/4 of the state’s leading solar cities, Amherst and East Falmouth, MA.
* Tyson and Yasmine weren’t imagining things! MA residents pay 50% more for their power than the U.S. average.
Isramart : Rising Diesel Prices Good for Biodiesel Biz
isramart news:
Prices for diesel continue to climb in the U.S., hitting their highest point of the year… and that’s good news for producers of green, renewable biodiesel.
Biodiesel Magazine reports that according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the national average price of diesel fuel went up 1.6 cents per gallon from $2.652 per gallon Aug. 17 to $2.668 per gallon Aug. 24:
This marks the fifth week in a row for rising diesel prices, which biodiesel producers and marketers should make note of. The lower the price of diesel fuel, the tougher it is for biodiesel to remain competitively priced.
While it’s good news, the diesel prices are still considerably lower than a year ago when they were pushing $4.15 per gallon… and still down from the July 2008 high of $4.764 per gallon.
Prices for diesel continue to climb in the U.S., hitting their highest point of the year… and that’s good news for producers of green, renewable biodiesel.
Biodiesel Magazine reports that according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the national average price of diesel fuel went up 1.6 cents per gallon from $2.652 per gallon Aug. 17 to $2.668 per gallon Aug. 24:
This marks the fifth week in a row for rising diesel prices, which biodiesel producers and marketers should make note of. The lower the price of diesel fuel, the tougher it is for biodiesel to remain competitively priced.
While it’s good news, the diesel prices are still considerably lower than a year ago when they were pushing $4.15 per gallon… and still down from the July 2008 high of $4.764 per gallon.
Isramart : NREL Installs Two Giant Wind Turbines for Testing
Isramart news:
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado has installed two of the biggest wind turbines ever tested at the facility.
The video above shows workers putting up the 220 tons of wind turbine parts for the 253-foot diameter blades. This story in EnergyCurrent.com says they’ll be able to generate 1.5 megawatts of power:
“This turbine is a modern, utility-scale machine that will serve as a general-purpose research platform,” said Fort Felker, director of the wind center.
Thousands of similar turbines are already being used at wind farms across the country, but the blades on those machines need to keep spinning, generating as much electricity as possible and working to recoup investments in the farm.
But at the wind center, researchers will be able to tweak the turbine to get the most energy possible from the available wind in an effort to close the already-shrinking gap between the cost of wind energy and the cost of electricity from fossil fuels.
“Wind energy is cost-effective now, but there are lots of opportunities to be more reliable and more efficient,” said David Simms, manager of testing and operations. “We’re trying to figure out how to get more wind turbines out there that are more effective.”
The article goes on to say that an even bigger wind turbine with a rotor diameter of 331 feet will be put up at NREL’s National Wind Technology Center later this year. Researchers believe the extreme wind conditions, along with snow, ice, lightning and severe storms, in that part of Colorado will be a great testing ground to see how much the big blades can take.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado has installed two of the biggest wind turbines ever tested at the facility.
The video above shows workers putting up the 220 tons of wind turbine parts for the 253-foot diameter blades. This story in EnergyCurrent.com says they’ll be able to generate 1.5 megawatts of power:
“This turbine is a modern, utility-scale machine that will serve as a general-purpose research platform,” said Fort Felker, director of the wind center.
Thousands of similar turbines are already being used at wind farms across the country, but the blades on those machines need to keep spinning, generating as much electricity as possible and working to recoup investments in the farm.
But at the wind center, researchers will be able to tweak the turbine to get the most energy possible from the available wind in an effort to close the already-shrinking gap between the cost of wind energy and the cost of electricity from fossil fuels.
“Wind energy is cost-effective now, but there are lots of opportunities to be more reliable and more efficient,” said David Simms, manager of testing and operations. “We’re trying to figure out how to get more wind turbines out there that are more effective.”
The article goes on to say that an even bigger wind turbine with a rotor diameter of 331 feet will be put up at NREL’s National Wind Technology Center later this year. Researchers believe the extreme wind conditions, along with snow, ice, lightning and severe storms, in that part of Colorado will be a great testing ground to see how much the big blades can take.
Isramart : S. Korea plans fuel cell subsidy for 2010
Isramart news:
The Korean government is forging ahead with plans to promote renewable energy, announcing plans today to offer subsidies starting in 2010 that would eliminate 80 percent of the cost of hydrogen fuel cells to power and heat homes.
According to Korea's JoongAng Daily newspaper, the subsidies would drop to 50 percent of the system cost from 2013 to 2016, and to 30 percent from 2017 to 2020 before expiring. A system today would typically cost 50 million won ($40,300), but government subsidies and economies of scale could reduce the cost to 10 million won in 2015 and 5 million won in 2018.
South Korea generates 2.49 percent of its electricity from renewables, with less than 0.1 percent from fuel cells, solar and wind. The government has announced plans to reach 3 percent renewables within three years, with the Renewable Portfolio Standard increasing to 10 percent of energy demand from renewables by 2020.
Wind is expected to make up a significant portion of energy demand by 2014, which is the targeted completion date for two major projects still in the planning stages.
The Korea Development Institute is studying the feasibility of a proposed 40-megawatt project on reclaimed land at Saemangeum that would serve as a test-bed for Korean wind technology (see S. Korea plans $72M for renewable energy). The Presidential Committee on Green Growth said today it wants to build a 400 billion won, 100-MW wind farm on the country's west coast.
Solar is expected to also comprise a significant portion of the RPS requirements, with government aiming for 100 MW by 2011. A 2008 JP Morgan report said South Korea is going to be one of the fastest growing solar markets during the next four years, potentially growing power generating capacity 89 percent to nearly 1 gigawatt from solar
The Korean government is forging ahead with plans to promote renewable energy, announcing plans today to offer subsidies starting in 2010 that would eliminate 80 percent of the cost of hydrogen fuel cells to power and heat homes.
According to Korea's JoongAng Daily newspaper, the subsidies would drop to 50 percent of the system cost from 2013 to 2016, and to 30 percent from 2017 to 2020 before expiring. A system today would typically cost 50 million won ($40,300), but government subsidies and economies of scale could reduce the cost to 10 million won in 2015 and 5 million won in 2018.
South Korea generates 2.49 percent of its electricity from renewables, with less than 0.1 percent from fuel cells, solar and wind. The government has announced plans to reach 3 percent renewables within three years, with the Renewable Portfolio Standard increasing to 10 percent of energy demand from renewables by 2020.
Wind is expected to make up a significant portion of energy demand by 2014, which is the targeted completion date for two major projects still in the planning stages.
The Korea Development Institute is studying the feasibility of a proposed 40-megawatt project on reclaimed land at Saemangeum that would serve as a test-bed for Korean wind technology (see S. Korea plans $72M for renewable energy). The Presidential Committee on Green Growth said today it wants to build a 400 billion won, 100-MW wind farm on the country's west coast.
Solar is expected to also comprise a significant portion of the RPS requirements, with government aiming for 100 MW by 2011. A 2008 JP Morgan report said South Korea is going to be one of the fastest growing solar markets during the next four years, potentially growing power generating capacity 89 percent to nearly 1 gigawatt from solar
Isramart : China Racing Ahead of U.S. in Drive to Go Solar
Isramart news:
Chinese companies have already played a leading role in pushing down the price of solar panels by almost half over the last year. Shi Zhengrong, the chief executive and founder of China’s biggest solar panel manufacturer, Suntech Power Holdings, said in an interview here that Suntech, to build market share, is selling solar panels on the American market for less than the cost of the materials, assembly and shipping.
Backed by lavish government support, the Chinese are preparing to build plants to assemble their products in the United States to bypass protectionist legislation. As Japanese automakers did decades ago, Chinese solar companies are encouraging their United States executives to join industry trade groups to tamp down anti-Chinese sentiment before it takes root.
The Obama administration is determined to help the American industry. The energy and Treasury departments announced this month that they would give $2.3 billion in tax credits to clean energy equipment manufacturers. But even in the solar industry, many worry that Western companies may have fragile prospects when competing with Chinese companies that have cheap loans, electricity and labor, paying recent college graduates in engineering $7,000 a year.
“I don’t see Europe or the United States becoming major producers of solar products — they’ll be consumers,” said Thomas M. Zarrella, the chief executive of GT Solar International, a company in Merrimack, N.H., that sells specialized factory equipment to solar panel makers around the world.
Since March, Chinese governments at the national, provincial and even local level have been competing with one another to offer solar companies ever more generous subsidies, including free land, and cash for research and development. State-owned banks are flooding the industry with loans at considerably lower interest rates than available in Europe or the United States.
Suntech, based here in Wuxi, is on track this year to pass Q-Cells of Germany, to become the world’s second-largest supplier of photovoltaic cells, which would put it behind only First Solar in Tempe, Ariz.
Hot on Suntech’s heels is a growing list of Chinese corporations backed by entrepreneurs, local governments and even the Chinese military, all seeking to capitalize on an industry deemed crucial by China’s top leadership.
Dr. Shi pointed out that other governments, including in the United States, also assist clean energy industries, including with factory construction incentives.
China’s commitment to solar energy is unlikely to make a difference soon to global warming. China’s energy consumption is growing faster than any other country’s, though the United States consumes more today. Beijing’s aim is to generate 20,000 megawatts of solar energy by 2020 — or less than half the capacity of coal-fired power plants that are built in China each year.
Solar energy remains far more expensive to generate than energy from coal, oil, natural gas or even wind. But in addition to heavy Chinese investment and low Chinese costs, the global economic downturn and a decline in European subsidies to buy panels have lowered prices.
The American economic stimulus plan requires any project receiving money to use steel and other construction materials, including solar panels, from countries that have signed the World Trade Organization’s agreement on free trade in government procurement. China has not.
In response to this, and to reduce shipping costs, Suntech plans to announce in the next month or two that it will build a solar panel assembly plant in the United States, said Steven Chan, its president for global sales and marketing.
“It’ll be to facilitate sales — ‘buy American’ and things like that,” Mr. Chan said, adding that the factory would have 75 to 150 workers and be located in Phoenix, or somewhere in Texas.
But 90 percent of the workers at the $30 million factory will be blue-collar laborers, welding together panels from solar wafers made in China, Dr. Shi said.
Yingli Solar, another large Chinese manufacturer, said on Thursday that it also had a “preliminary plan” to assemble panels in the United States.
Western rivals, meanwhile, are struggling. Q-Cells of Germany announced last week that it would lay off 500 of its 2,600 employees because of declining sales. It and two other German companies, Conergy and SolarWorld, are particularly indignant that German subsidies were the main source of demand for solar panels until recently.
“Politicians might ask whether this is still the right way to do this, German taxpayers paying for Asian products,” said Markus Wieser, a Q-Cells spokesman.
But organizing resistance to Chinese exports could be difficult, particularly as Chinese discounting makes green energy more affordable.
Even with Suntech acknowledging that it sells below the marginal cost of producing each additional solar panel — that is, the cost after administrative and development costs are subtracted — any antidumping case, in the United States, for example, would have to show that American companies were losing money as a result.
First Solar — the solar leader, in Tempe — using a different technology from many solar panel manufacturers, is actually profitable, while the new tax credits now becoming available may help other companies.
Even organizing a united American response to Chinese exports could be difficult. Suntech has encouraged executives at its United States operations to take the top posts at the two main American industry groups, partly to make sure that these groups do not rally opposition to imports, Dr. Shi said.
The efforts of Detroit automakers to win protection from Japanese competition in the 1980s were weakened by the presence of Honda in their main trade group; they expelled Honda in 1992.
Some analysts are less pessimistic about the prospects for solar panel manufacturers in the West. Joonki Song, a partner at Photon Consulting in Boston, said that while large Chinese solar panel manufacturers are gaining market share, smaller ones have been struggling.
Mr. Zarrella of GT Solar said that Western providers of factory equipment for solar panel manufacturers would remain competitive, and Dr. Shi said that German equipment providers “have made a lot of money, tons of money.”
The Chinese government is requiring that 80 percent of the equipment for China’s first municipal power plant to use solar energy, to be built in Dunhuang in northwestern China next year, be made in China.
Dr. Shi said his company would try to prevent similar rules in any future projects.
The reason is clear: almost 98 percent of Suntech’s production goes overseas.
Chinese companies have already played a leading role in pushing down the price of solar panels by almost half over the last year. Shi Zhengrong, the chief executive and founder of China’s biggest solar panel manufacturer, Suntech Power Holdings, said in an interview here that Suntech, to build market share, is selling solar panels on the American market for less than the cost of the materials, assembly and shipping.
Backed by lavish government support, the Chinese are preparing to build plants to assemble their products in the United States to bypass protectionist legislation. As Japanese automakers did decades ago, Chinese solar companies are encouraging their United States executives to join industry trade groups to tamp down anti-Chinese sentiment before it takes root.
The Obama administration is determined to help the American industry. The energy and Treasury departments announced this month that they would give $2.3 billion in tax credits to clean energy equipment manufacturers. But even in the solar industry, many worry that Western companies may have fragile prospects when competing with Chinese companies that have cheap loans, electricity and labor, paying recent college graduates in engineering $7,000 a year.
“I don’t see Europe or the United States becoming major producers of solar products — they’ll be consumers,” said Thomas M. Zarrella, the chief executive of GT Solar International, a company in Merrimack, N.H., that sells specialized factory equipment to solar panel makers around the world.
Since March, Chinese governments at the national, provincial and even local level have been competing with one another to offer solar companies ever more generous subsidies, including free land, and cash for research and development. State-owned banks are flooding the industry with loans at considerably lower interest rates than available in Europe or the United States.
Suntech, based here in Wuxi, is on track this year to pass Q-Cells of Germany, to become the world’s second-largest supplier of photovoltaic cells, which would put it behind only First Solar in Tempe, Ariz.
Hot on Suntech’s heels is a growing list of Chinese corporations backed by entrepreneurs, local governments and even the Chinese military, all seeking to capitalize on an industry deemed crucial by China’s top leadership.
Dr. Shi pointed out that other governments, including in the United States, also assist clean energy industries, including with factory construction incentives.
China’s commitment to solar energy is unlikely to make a difference soon to global warming. China’s energy consumption is growing faster than any other country’s, though the United States consumes more today. Beijing’s aim is to generate 20,000 megawatts of solar energy by 2020 — or less than half the capacity of coal-fired power plants that are built in China each year.
Solar energy remains far more expensive to generate than energy from coal, oil, natural gas or even wind. But in addition to heavy Chinese investment and low Chinese costs, the global economic downturn and a decline in European subsidies to buy panels have lowered prices.
The American economic stimulus plan requires any project receiving money to use steel and other construction materials, including solar panels, from countries that have signed the World Trade Organization’s agreement on free trade in government procurement. China has not.
In response to this, and to reduce shipping costs, Suntech plans to announce in the next month or two that it will build a solar panel assembly plant in the United States, said Steven Chan, its president for global sales and marketing.
“It’ll be to facilitate sales — ‘buy American’ and things like that,” Mr. Chan said, adding that the factory would have 75 to 150 workers and be located in Phoenix, or somewhere in Texas.
But 90 percent of the workers at the $30 million factory will be blue-collar laborers, welding together panels from solar wafers made in China, Dr. Shi said.
Yingli Solar, another large Chinese manufacturer, said on Thursday that it also had a “preliminary plan” to assemble panels in the United States.
Western rivals, meanwhile, are struggling. Q-Cells of Germany announced last week that it would lay off 500 of its 2,600 employees because of declining sales. It and two other German companies, Conergy and SolarWorld, are particularly indignant that German subsidies were the main source of demand for solar panels until recently.
“Politicians might ask whether this is still the right way to do this, German taxpayers paying for Asian products,” said Markus Wieser, a Q-Cells spokesman.
But organizing resistance to Chinese exports could be difficult, particularly as Chinese discounting makes green energy more affordable.
Even with Suntech acknowledging that it sells below the marginal cost of producing each additional solar panel — that is, the cost after administrative and development costs are subtracted — any antidumping case, in the United States, for example, would have to show that American companies were losing money as a result.
First Solar — the solar leader, in Tempe — using a different technology from many solar panel manufacturers, is actually profitable, while the new tax credits now becoming available may help other companies.
Even organizing a united American response to Chinese exports could be difficult. Suntech has encouraged executives at its United States operations to take the top posts at the two main American industry groups, partly to make sure that these groups do not rally opposition to imports, Dr. Shi said.
The efforts of Detroit automakers to win protection from Japanese competition in the 1980s were weakened by the presence of Honda in their main trade group; they expelled Honda in 1992.
Some analysts are less pessimistic about the prospects for solar panel manufacturers in the West. Joonki Song, a partner at Photon Consulting in Boston, said that while large Chinese solar panel manufacturers are gaining market share, smaller ones have been struggling.
Mr. Zarrella of GT Solar said that Western providers of factory equipment for solar panel manufacturers would remain competitive, and Dr. Shi said that German equipment providers “have made a lot of money, tons of money.”
The Chinese government is requiring that 80 percent of the equipment for China’s first municipal power plant to use solar energy, to be built in Dunhuang in northwestern China next year, be made in China.
Dr. Shi said his company would try to prevent similar rules in any future projects.
The reason is clear: almost 98 percent of Suntech’s production goes overseas.
Isramart : Conferinta “Sursele regenerabile de energie, cheia unui viitor durabil”
Isramart news:
Compania Meda Consulting impreuna cu Camera de Comert si Industrie a Municipiului Bucuresti organizeaza cea de-a doua editie a Conferintei “Sursele regenerabile de energie, cheia unui viitor durabil”, care se va desfasura in perioada 9-11 septembrie la Hotel Opal, Jupiter – Cap Aurora.
Scopul Conferintei este de a promova valorificarea potentialului surselor de energie regenerabila in contextul in care ne apropiem de termenul limita propus ca obiectiv national in domeniul securitatii energetice – 2010: 33% ponderea energiei electrice din surse regenerabile.
A doua editie a Conferintei “Sursele regenerabile de energie, cheia unui viitor durabil” doreste sa creeze o platforma de discutii pentru producatori, furnizori, distribuitori, consumatori mari de energie, investitori si creditori, reprezentanti ai autoritatilor, manageri de top si specialisti ce activeaza in domeniu.
Vor fi abordate teme precum strategia de valorificare SRE, posibilitati de sustinere a investitiilor E-SRE, Planul Strategic pentru Tehnologii
Energetice, retele flexibile E-SRE, infrastructura retelei, cote obligatorii, certificate verzi, tranzactionare; contracte bilaterale, bursa energiei, precum si tehnologii de producere a energiei din SRE in Romania.
Compania Meda Consulting impreuna cu Camera de Comert si Industrie a Municipiului Bucuresti organizeaza cea de-a doua editie a Conferintei “Sursele regenerabile de energie, cheia unui viitor durabil”, care se va desfasura in perioada 9-11 septembrie la Hotel Opal, Jupiter – Cap Aurora.
Scopul Conferintei este de a promova valorificarea potentialului surselor de energie regenerabila in contextul in care ne apropiem de termenul limita propus ca obiectiv national in domeniul securitatii energetice – 2010: 33% ponderea energiei electrice din surse regenerabile.
A doua editie a Conferintei “Sursele regenerabile de energie, cheia unui viitor durabil” doreste sa creeze o platforma de discutii pentru producatori, furnizori, distribuitori, consumatori mari de energie, investitori si creditori, reprezentanti ai autoritatilor, manageri de top si specialisti ce activeaza in domeniu.
Vor fi abordate teme precum strategia de valorificare SRE, posibilitati de sustinere a investitiilor E-SRE, Planul Strategic pentru Tehnologii
Energetice, retele flexibile E-SRE, infrastructura retelei, cote obligatorii, certificate verzi, tranzactionare; contracte bilaterale, bursa energiei, precum si tehnologii de producere a energiei din SRE in Romania.
Isramart : Sisteme „verzi“ de încălzire, pe banii statului
Isramart news:
Programul de înlocuire sau completare a sistemelor clasice de încălzire cu sisteme care utilizează energie solară, energie geotermală şi energie eoliană ori alte sisteme care conduc la îmbunătăţirea calităţii aerului, apei şi solului este susţinut de Administraţia Fondului pentru Mediu. Suma alocată programului provine din taxa pe poluare pentru autovehicule, conform OUG 50/21.04.2008 privind instituirea taxei de poluare pentru autovehicule.
Scopul Programului îl reprezintă îmbunătăţirea calităţii aerului, apei şi
solului prin reducerea gradului de poluare cauzată de arderea lemnului şi a combustibililor fosili utilizaţi pentru producerea energiei termice folosite pentru încălzire şi obţinerea de apă caldă menajeră, precum şi stimularea utilizării sistemelor care folosesc în acest sens sursele de energie regenerabilă, nepoluante.
Unităţile administrativ-teritoriale pot depune proiecte de finanţare în
cadrul Programului pentru imobilele aflate în proprietatea sau administrarea lor ori pentru asociaţiile de proprietari/locatari cu personalitate juridică, care au sediul pe raza administrativă a respectivelor unităţi administrativ-teritoriale.
Pentru a participa la Program, solicitantul trebuie să îndeplinească
următoarele criterii de eligibiliate: să nu înregistreze obligaţii de plată
restante la bugetul general consolidat; să deţină contribuţia proprie în
vederea implementării proiectului şi să aibă în administrare sau proprietate imobilul pe care urmează să se implementeze proiectul sau a încheiat un contrat de mandat.
Alocarea din Fondul pentru mediu a sumei necesare finanţării Programului se face anual, în limita fondurilor stabilite cu această destinaţie prin bugetul anual de venituri şi cheltuieli al Administraţiei Fondului pentru Mediu, aprobat prin hotăråre de Guvern.
Pentru anul 2009, suma prevăzută pentru derularea Programului este de 310.000 mii de lei.
Unităţile administrativ-teritoriale pot solicita finanţare pentru mai multe locaţii în cadrul aceleiaşi cereri de finanţare.
Finanţarea se acordă prin modalitate nerambursabilă, ca procent din
cheltuielile eligibile ale proiectului.
Procentul de cheltuieli eligibile nefinanţat constituie contribuţia proprie a solicitantului şi este asigurată din surse financiare proprii.
Finanţarea se face eşalonat, în interiorul perioadei de valabilitate a
contractului pentru finanţare şi pe măsura realizării proiectului.
Finanţarea nerambursabilă, asigurată de Administraţia Fondului pentru Mediu, se acordă în procent de pånă la 80% din cheltuielile eligibile ale
proiectului. Consiliul Local va stabili cota de participare pentru
asociaţiile de proprietari/locatari.
Cuantumul finanţării variază pentru unităţile administrativ-teritoriale de la 500.000 de lei la 4.000.000 de lei, în funcţie de numărul de locuitori.
Documente necesare
Documentele necesare unităţilor administrativ-teritoriale pentru a participa la acest program sunt următoarele: cererea de finanţare; copia certificatului de înregistrare fiscală; copie după hotărårea Consiliului Local, Consiliului Judeţean şi acordul cu privire la contractarea finanţării; înscrisuri din care să rezulte că beneficiarul are în proprietate sau administrare imobilul în care se va monta sistemul de încălzire; aprobarea în Consiliul Local sau Consiliul Judeţean al studiului de fezabilitate; declaraţie pe proprie răspundere că sunt prevăzute în buget sumele necesare cofinanţării proiectelor de mediu; declaraţie pe proprie răspundere că vor include în dosarul achiziţiilor publice solicitările Administraţiei Fondului; studiul de fezabilitate care să cuprindă explicit: consumul lunar de apă rece şi apă caldă menajeră, certificat de documentele de plată şi numărul de utilizatori, exceptånd acorduri şi autorizaţii.
De asemenea, firmele care doresc să participe la licitaţiile pentru instalare trebuie să îndeplinească şi ele nişte condiţii: să fie persoană juridică şi obiectul de activitate principal sau secundar să corespundă grupei CAEN 432 - „Lucrări de instalaţii electrice şi tehnico-sanitare şi alte lucrări de instalaţii pentru construcţii“; să aibă experienţă în domeniu; să aibă îndeplinite obligaţiile de plată a taxelor, impozitelor şi contribuţiilor către bugetul general consolidat, Fondul pentru mediu; să nu fie insolvabil; să nu sponsorizeze activităţi cu efect negativ asupra mediului; să declare, prin reprezentantul său legal, că sistemele utilizate în cadrul instalaţiei sunt conforme cu standardele europene; să asigure o garanţie de 3 ani pentru sistemele de încălzire; să fie autorizat pentru comercializarea şi montajul echipamentelor; să aibă personal specializat; echipamentele şi instalaţiile sub regim ISCIR să fie însoţite de documentaţia solicitată de legile în vigoare.
Sumele neutilizate într-o sesiune vor fi folosite în următoarea sesiune.
Programul de înlocuire sau completare a sistemelor clasice de încălzire cu sisteme care utilizează energie solară, energie geotermală şi energie eoliană ori alte sisteme care conduc la îmbunătăţirea calităţii aerului, apei şi solului este susţinut de Administraţia Fondului pentru Mediu. Suma alocată programului provine din taxa pe poluare pentru autovehicule, conform OUG 50/21.04.2008 privind instituirea taxei de poluare pentru autovehicule.
Scopul Programului îl reprezintă îmbunătăţirea calităţii aerului, apei şi
solului prin reducerea gradului de poluare cauzată de arderea lemnului şi a combustibililor fosili utilizaţi pentru producerea energiei termice folosite pentru încălzire şi obţinerea de apă caldă menajeră, precum şi stimularea utilizării sistemelor care folosesc în acest sens sursele de energie regenerabilă, nepoluante.
Unităţile administrativ-teritoriale pot depune proiecte de finanţare în
cadrul Programului pentru imobilele aflate în proprietatea sau administrarea lor ori pentru asociaţiile de proprietari/locatari cu personalitate juridică, care au sediul pe raza administrativă a respectivelor unităţi administrativ-teritoriale.
Pentru a participa la Program, solicitantul trebuie să îndeplinească
următoarele criterii de eligibiliate: să nu înregistreze obligaţii de plată
restante la bugetul general consolidat; să deţină contribuţia proprie în
vederea implementării proiectului şi să aibă în administrare sau proprietate imobilul pe care urmează să se implementeze proiectul sau a încheiat un contrat de mandat.
Alocarea din Fondul pentru mediu a sumei necesare finanţării Programului se face anual, în limita fondurilor stabilite cu această destinaţie prin bugetul anual de venituri şi cheltuieli al Administraţiei Fondului pentru Mediu, aprobat prin hotăråre de Guvern.
Pentru anul 2009, suma prevăzută pentru derularea Programului este de 310.000 mii de lei.
Unităţile administrativ-teritoriale pot solicita finanţare pentru mai multe locaţii în cadrul aceleiaşi cereri de finanţare.
Finanţarea se acordă prin modalitate nerambursabilă, ca procent din
cheltuielile eligibile ale proiectului.
Procentul de cheltuieli eligibile nefinanţat constituie contribuţia proprie a solicitantului şi este asigurată din surse financiare proprii.
Finanţarea se face eşalonat, în interiorul perioadei de valabilitate a
contractului pentru finanţare şi pe măsura realizării proiectului.
Finanţarea nerambursabilă, asigurată de Administraţia Fondului pentru Mediu, se acordă în procent de pånă la 80% din cheltuielile eligibile ale
proiectului. Consiliul Local va stabili cota de participare pentru
asociaţiile de proprietari/locatari.
Cuantumul finanţării variază pentru unităţile administrativ-teritoriale de la 500.000 de lei la 4.000.000 de lei, în funcţie de numărul de locuitori.
Documente necesare
Documentele necesare unităţilor administrativ-teritoriale pentru a participa la acest program sunt următoarele: cererea de finanţare; copia certificatului de înregistrare fiscală; copie după hotărårea Consiliului Local, Consiliului Judeţean şi acordul cu privire la contractarea finanţării; înscrisuri din care să rezulte că beneficiarul are în proprietate sau administrare imobilul în care se va monta sistemul de încălzire; aprobarea în Consiliul Local sau Consiliul Judeţean al studiului de fezabilitate; declaraţie pe proprie răspundere că sunt prevăzute în buget sumele necesare cofinanţării proiectelor de mediu; declaraţie pe proprie răspundere că vor include în dosarul achiziţiilor publice solicitările Administraţiei Fondului; studiul de fezabilitate care să cuprindă explicit: consumul lunar de apă rece şi apă caldă menajeră, certificat de documentele de plată şi numărul de utilizatori, exceptånd acorduri şi autorizaţii.
De asemenea, firmele care doresc să participe la licitaţiile pentru instalare trebuie să îndeplinească şi ele nişte condiţii: să fie persoană juridică şi obiectul de activitate principal sau secundar să corespundă grupei CAEN 432 - „Lucrări de instalaţii electrice şi tehnico-sanitare şi alte lucrări de instalaţii pentru construcţii“; să aibă experienţă în domeniu; să aibă îndeplinite obligaţiile de plată a taxelor, impozitelor şi contribuţiilor către bugetul general consolidat, Fondul pentru mediu; să nu fie insolvabil; să nu sponsorizeze activităţi cu efect negativ asupra mediului; să declare, prin reprezentantul său legal, că sistemele utilizate în cadrul instalaţiei sunt conforme cu standardele europene; să asigure o garanţie de 3 ani pentru sistemele de încălzire; să fie autorizat pentru comercializarea şi montajul echipamentelor; să aibă personal specializat; echipamentele şi instalaţiile sub regim ISCIR să fie însoţite de documentaţia solicitată de legile în vigoare.
Sumele neutilizate într-o sesiune vor fi folosite în următoarea sesiune.
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