Isramart news:
Autorităţile din UE şi SUA au început să ancheteze utilizarea fondurilor publice în industria de energie regenerabilă. Investigaţiile iniţiate în ultimul an arată un nivel îngrijorător al corupţiei în domeniul utilizării energiilor regenerabile.
Numai în UE, peste şase miliarde de euro au fost alocate până în 2013, proiectelor de dezvoltarea resurselor de energie regenerabilă. Oficialităţile spun că este imposibil să se determine exact nivelul corupţiei în cheltuirea fondurilor publice în proiectele centralelor eoliene, deorece investigaţiile se desfăşoară în mai multe state, cu regimuri şi politici fiscale foarte diferite.
„Este la fel ca în timpul goanei după aur, fiecare vrea o fermă eoliană, indiferent de preţ", declară un avocat american, specializat în în acest domeniu.
Expertul britanic John Etherington spune că din cauza dependenţei de subvenţii, industria este foarte expusă la fenomenul corupţiei. Investigaţiile privind posibile fraude din banii publici s-au înmulţit în ultima perioadă în Europa.
În Italia, trei investigaţii denumite codificat „Pe Aripile Vântului" au condus la descoperirea a ceea ce autorităţile au definit ca fiind o escrocherie complexă, creată după celebra schemă Ponzi, valoarea fraudei fiind de peste 30 de milioane de euro, unul dintre cei arestaţi fiind chiar preşedintele asociaţiei naţionale de profil.
Energia eoliană e dependentă de subvenţii
Profitul obţinut din exploatarea parcurilor eoliene este foarte mare. O turbină eoliană standard, de doi megawaţi costă aproximativ 2,75 milioane de euro, iar din vânzarea energiei la preţurile actuale ale pieţei europene se obţin 275.000 de euro pe an.
Însă profitul se poate dubla cu bonusurile acordate de stat, la peste 500.000 de euro pe an. În Germania, de exemplu, un parc eolian primeşte aproximativ 83,6 euro pe MWh, în timp ce pe piaţa liberă tariful variază între 30 şi 70 de euro pe MWh. În Spania, bonusurile plătite pentru energia eoliană, au totalizat în 2009 peste 1,2 miliarde de euro, cost suportat de consumatorii finali.
În SUA, una dintre primele trei ţări ce utilizează energie eoliană, alături de Germania şi Spania, bugetul federal acoperă 30% din valoarea investiţei, sumele utilizate în acest an fiind de un miliard de dolari, grantul acordat unui beneficar fiind în jur de 100 de milioane de dolari.
Dacă ţinem cont că cei 600 de membri ai Asociaţiei Europene pentru Energie Eoliană au atras, în 2008, peste 11 miliarde de euro pentru construirea de ferme eoliene, din care mare parte reprezintă, subvenţii, bonusuri, certificate verzi, se poate bănui că o parte din aceste fonduri au fost deturnaţi.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Isramart : 141.247 certificate verzi tranzactionate in 2009
Isramart news:
Un numar de 141.247 certificate verzi a fost tranzactionat pe Piata Centralizata a Certificatelor Verzi, in 2009, conform datelor publicate de operatorul pietei de energie, OPCOM, transmite Agerpres.
Preturile au variat in perioada mentionata intre 194,09 lei/certificat si 215,34 lei/certificat. Anul trecut, numarul certificatelor verzi tranzactionate pe PCCV s-a ridicat la 95.593 unitati, preturile variind intre 142,72 lei/certificat si 194,09 lei/certificat. In decembrie au fost tranzactionate 874 unitati, cu 5.667 unitati mai putine fata de luna precedenta, cand au fost tranzactionate 6.541 certificate verzi.
Incepand cu data de 1 decembrie 2006, a intrat in vigoare Regulamentul de organizare si functionare a Pietei de Certificate Verzi, aprobat prin Ordinul ANRE 22 din 18 octombrie 2006. Certificatul Verde este un document care atesta o cantitate de 1 MWh de energie electrica produs din surse regenerabile de energie. Producatorii primesc pentru fiecare unitate de energie electrica livrata in retea (1 MWh), un Certificat Verde, care poate fi vandut separat de energia electrica, pe Piata de Certificate Verzi.
Pentru indeplinirea obligatiei, furnizorii trebuie sa detina un numar de Certificate Verzi egal cu cota de energie electrica din surse regenerabile de energie impusa. Pretul Certificatelor Vezi variaza intr-un interval stabilit prin Hotarare de Guvern. Pretul minim este impus pentru protectia producatorilor, iar pretul maxim, pentru protectia consumatorilor.
Pentru perioada 2005-2012 valoarea anuala minima si maxima de tranzactionare a certificatelor verzi este de 24 Euro/certificat, respectiv 42 Euro/certificat, calculata la cursul de schimb stabilit de Banca Nationala a Romaniei, pentru ultima zi lucratoare a lunii decembrie din anul precedent.
Un numar de 141.247 certificate verzi a fost tranzactionat pe Piata Centralizata a Certificatelor Verzi, in 2009, conform datelor publicate de operatorul pietei de energie, OPCOM, transmite Agerpres.
Preturile au variat in perioada mentionata intre 194,09 lei/certificat si 215,34 lei/certificat. Anul trecut, numarul certificatelor verzi tranzactionate pe PCCV s-a ridicat la 95.593 unitati, preturile variind intre 142,72 lei/certificat si 194,09 lei/certificat. In decembrie au fost tranzactionate 874 unitati, cu 5.667 unitati mai putine fata de luna precedenta, cand au fost tranzactionate 6.541 certificate verzi.
Incepand cu data de 1 decembrie 2006, a intrat in vigoare Regulamentul de organizare si functionare a Pietei de Certificate Verzi, aprobat prin Ordinul ANRE 22 din 18 octombrie 2006. Certificatul Verde este un document care atesta o cantitate de 1 MWh de energie electrica produs din surse regenerabile de energie. Producatorii primesc pentru fiecare unitate de energie electrica livrata in retea (1 MWh), un Certificat Verde, care poate fi vandut separat de energia electrica, pe Piata de Certificate Verzi.
Pentru indeplinirea obligatiei, furnizorii trebuie sa detina un numar de Certificate Verzi egal cu cota de energie electrica din surse regenerabile de energie impusa. Pretul Certificatelor Vezi variaza intr-un interval stabilit prin Hotarare de Guvern. Pretul minim este impus pentru protectia producatorilor, iar pretul maxim, pentru protectia consumatorilor.
Pentru perioada 2005-2012 valoarea anuala minima si maxima de tranzactionare a certificatelor verzi este de 24 Euro/certificat, respectiv 42 Euro/certificat, calculata la cursul de schimb stabilit de Banca Nationala a Romaniei, pentru ultima zi lucratoare a lunii decembrie din anul precedent.
Isramart : Cash cows boost carbon trading; Cleaning up in California greenhouse-gas emissions
Isramart news:
The thousands of dairy cows in just one of the 100 industrial farms in California's San Joaquin Valley can produce the daily equivalent of waste a small town produces. The manure is cleaned out of the barns with high-pressure water and turned into liquid slurry, which is pumped into an outdoor lagoon that is about five metres deep and the size of a large parking lot.
There, it festers: The solid waste separates from the liquid and falls to the bottom of the lagoon, where it becomes food for bacteria. As the bacteria digest this waste, they produce methane gas that rises to the surface of the putrid lake, releasing thousands of tonnes of methane — a greenhouse gas — into the atmosphere, altering the Earth's climate.
The farmers' crap has become the driver of a Quebec company's balance book. L2I Solutions, based in Saint-Lambert, on Montreal's south shore, is turning this odorous, harmful sludge into millions for itself and the farmers in rural California by creating a carbon-offset program, handling the paperwork and the verification process and acting as a middleman between the farmers and the carbon brokers, who do the actual selling and trading. The World Bank estimates the global carbon-credit market was worth about US$126-billion at the beginning of 2009.
Yves Legault, L2I Solutions vice-president in corporate finance, and his team convinced 28 San Joaquin Valley dairy farmers to use a waste-filtering technology before pumping the manure slurry into their lagoons. The waste that is filtered out in this two-step process is reused as bedding for the cows and as fertilizer. As a consequence, less manure enters the lagoon, eliminating a good deal of the food for bacteria and the corresponding methane.
The methane that has been saved or "offset" from entering the atmosphere can be quantified. One tonne of carbon dioxide equals one carbon credit. Since methane, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has a global warming potential 23 times that of CO2, each tonne of methane not released into the atmosphere is worth about 23 carbon credits.
L2I Solutions estimates in the span of the offsetting program, which runs until 2015, the farmers, together, can create about 1.6 million carbon credits. The price of these credits varies widely because there is no federally regulated market in either Canada or the United States.
The thousands of dairy cows in just one of the 100 industrial farms in California's San Joaquin Valley can produce the daily equivalent of waste a small town produces. The manure is cleaned out of the barns with high-pressure water and turned into liquid slurry, which is pumped into an outdoor lagoon that is about five metres deep and the size of a large parking lot.
There, it festers: The solid waste separates from the liquid and falls to the bottom of the lagoon, where it becomes food for bacteria. As the bacteria digest this waste, they produce methane gas that rises to the surface of the putrid lake, releasing thousands of tonnes of methane — a greenhouse gas — into the atmosphere, altering the Earth's climate.
The farmers' crap has become the driver of a Quebec company's balance book. L2I Solutions, based in Saint-Lambert, on Montreal's south shore, is turning this odorous, harmful sludge into millions for itself and the farmers in rural California by creating a carbon-offset program, handling the paperwork and the verification process and acting as a middleman between the farmers and the carbon brokers, who do the actual selling and trading. The World Bank estimates the global carbon-credit market was worth about US$126-billion at the beginning of 2009.
Yves Legault, L2I Solutions vice-president in corporate finance, and his team convinced 28 San Joaquin Valley dairy farmers to use a waste-filtering technology before pumping the manure slurry into their lagoons. The waste that is filtered out in this two-step process is reused as bedding for the cows and as fertilizer. As a consequence, less manure enters the lagoon, eliminating a good deal of the food for bacteria and the corresponding methane.
The methane that has been saved or "offset" from entering the atmosphere can be quantified. One tonne of carbon dioxide equals one carbon credit. Since methane, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has a global warming potential 23 times that of CO2, each tonne of methane not released into the atmosphere is worth about 23 carbon credits.
L2I Solutions estimates in the span of the offsetting program, which runs until 2015, the farmers, together, can create about 1.6 million carbon credits. The price of these credits varies widely because there is no federally regulated market in either Canada or the United States.
Isramart : Rhewum : Reduction of CO2 Emissions By Rhewum
Isramart news:
Remscheid, Germany -- Rhewum has been awarded the contract by Geldof N.V. to supply 3 screening machines for a leading Belgian energy supplier.
The screening machines type WA 220x538/1 including corresponding distributing feeders have been installed at Electrabel's site in Nijmegen, Netherlands.
With a feed capacity of 120 m³/h (approx. 30 t/h) per each screen it has to be guaranteed that the crushed wood pellets will be separated from any oversize product. Such oversize grains would possibly lead to a clogging of the downstream processing units that blow the crushed wood pellets into conventional steam boilers.
The partial replacement of coal dust through crushed wood pellets as a source of emission allows to shift CO2 emissions of conventional energy sources to renewable ones.
This demanding screening application is realized by Rhewum WA screening machines with their highly efficient electro-magnetic drive system. The Rhewum electro-magnetic vibrating heads are the optimum solution for keeping the screen cloths free from any product cloggings and when applying fine resp. very fine screen cuts at high feed rates. The deciding factor for the screening is the high accelerations achieved by the magnetic drives.
The inclination of the screening machine which classifies the feed product according to the projected mesh size further assists to prevent any cakings through wood fibers which themselves are being fluidised by means of the high-frequent oscillations. A flat standing screening machine (e.g. a RhewumMDS screen) would not ensure a keeping-free of the screen cloths.
The crushed wood pellets flow at high speed over the screen cloths. Even at this high processing speed the screen installation length of 5.38 m in combination with the high frequency of the electro-magnetic drives ensure that each particle will frequently be in contact with the applied screen cloths for being screened out eventually.
Remscheid, Germany -- Rhewum has been awarded the contract by Geldof N.V. to supply 3 screening machines for a leading Belgian energy supplier.
The screening machines type WA 220x538/1 including corresponding distributing feeders have been installed at Electrabel's site in Nijmegen, Netherlands.
With a feed capacity of 120 m³/h (approx. 30 t/h) per each screen it has to be guaranteed that the crushed wood pellets will be separated from any oversize product. Such oversize grains would possibly lead to a clogging of the downstream processing units that blow the crushed wood pellets into conventional steam boilers.
The partial replacement of coal dust through crushed wood pellets as a source of emission allows to shift CO2 emissions of conventional energy sources to renewable ones.
This demanding screening application is realized by Rhewum WA screening machines with their highly efficient electro-magnetic drive system. The Rhewum electro-magnetic vibrating heads are the optimum solution for keeping the screen cloths free from any product cloggings and when applying fine resp. very fine screen cuts at high feed rates. The deciding factor for the screening is the high accelerations achieved by the magnetic drives.
The inclination of the screening machine which classifies the feed product according to the projected mesh size further assists to prevent any cakings through wood fibers which themselves are being fluidised by means of the high-frequent oscillations. A flat standing screening machine (e.g. a RhewumMDS screen) would not ensure a keeping-free of the screen cloths.
The crushed wood pellets flow at high speed over the screen cloths. Even at this high processing speed the screen installation length of 5.38 m in combination with the high frequency of the electro-magnetic drives ensure that each particle will frequently be in contact with the applied screen cloths for being screened out eventually.
Isramart : U.S. CO2 Emissions to Rise 8.7% by 2035 Unless Government Acts
Isramart news:
If the U.S. government changes nothing about its approach toward energy and global warming, the nation's energy consumption will grow 14 percent by 2035. Fossil fuels will retain a relatively high share of that total, and U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from energy will increase by 8.7 percent.
Those are the latest long-term projections described by the Department of Energy's Energy Information Agency on Monday.
The findings highlight a need for federal regulations if greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced as Congress is considering and members of the international community are demanding in Copenhagen this week. The findings also suggest that state efforts to increase energy efficiency and renewable energy use will begin to pay off.
The EIA's Annual Energy Outlook 2010 projects the landscape of U.S. energy consumption and production from 2008 through 2035. Its reference case, released on Monday, assumes no new policies that would cap or otherwise regulate the production of greenhouse gas-producing energy and "only include technologies that are commercially available or can reasonably be expected to become commercially available over roughly the next decade."
Within this model, domestic natural gas production increases 2.3 percent in 2035, with natural gas production from shale deposits growing to 6 trillion cubic feet due to expected technology improvements. This offsets predicted declines in more conventional sources of natural gas production.
A similar phenomenon occurs in liquid fuel consumption, where the EIA says that liquid fuel consumption will grow from 19 million barrels per day in 2008 to 22 million per day in 2035, but that all growth this will be due to growth in the use of biofuels. Consumption of petroleum-based liquid fuels will remain flat.
The production of petroleum-based fuels is expected to increase in absolute terms, however, with much of this growth coming from increases in offshore and terrestrial production. Imported oil should decline significantly.
The electricity consumption of an increasing population is expected to grow by 1 percent per year, and most of the growth in carbon dioxide emissions can be attributed to the electric power, as well as transportation, sectors.
As the EIA points out, even without greenhouse gas policies in place, the peak of U.S. oil demand was likely in 2005, when demand reached 20.8 million barrels per day. Following the drop during the recession, biofuels will account for any rise in liquid fuel demand, the report states.
"We do not think it will go back to what previous levels have been," EIA chief Richard Newell said at a briefing Monday in Washington.
Greater Efficiency and Renewables
Even without emissions caps in place, technology and existing policies that encourage energy efficiency will have an important impact on energy consumption, the EIA says. The efficiency rate for vehicles, for example, is expected to rise from 2000's 25 miles per gallon to 40 mpg in 2035. While the nation's overall CO2 emissions from energy will rise, per capita emissions will fall.
The EIA also sees growth in electricity use slowing to 1 percent per year, though coal's share of electricity production would only drop from 48.5 to 43.8 percent.
Similarly, current policies, largely at the state level, that encourage energy production from renewable sources are expected to have an impact, as renewable generation grows from nine percent of energy produced in 2008 to 17 percent in 2035. Renewables, especially biomass and solar, would make up 41 percent of increases in electricity production.
"Our projections show that existing policies that stress energy efficiency and alternative fuels, together with higher energy prices, curb energy consumption growth and shift the energy mix toward renewable fuels," Newell said.
Uncertainty for Businesses
But the inability of these projections to take into account emissions-reducing policies not yet in place underlines the uncertainty that troubles some businesses and others who depend on having reliable information about the future when making decisions.
Coca-Cola and Unilever became the latest businesses to publicly commit to cutting their own greenhouse gas emissions as they launched a joint report Friday illustrating "how consumer goods companies can tackle climate change" throughout the value chain and by affecting consumer behavior.
They are among the companies calling for a clear policy on emissions reductions. Though many businesses still remain fearful of climate change legislation or regulation, many others are more fearful of remaining in the current limbo where these policies are looming but not yet certain.
The stability that comes with firm policies in place would, they feel, allow for greater clarity regarding future decades, and thus more long-term investment.
If the U.S. government changes nothing about its approach toward energy and global warming, the nation's energy consumption will grow 14 percent by 2035. Fossil fuels will retain a relatively high share of that total, and U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from energy will increase by 8.7 percent.
Those are the latest long-term projections described by the Department of Energy's Energy Information Agency on Monday.
The findings highlight a need for federal regulations if greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced as Congress is considering and members of the international community are demanding in Copenhagen this week. The findings also suggest that state efforts to increase energy efficiency and renewable energy use will begin to pay off.
The EIA's Annual Energy Outlook 2010 projects the landscape of U.S. energy consumption and production from 2008 through 2035. Its reference case, released on Monday, assumes no new policies that would cap or otherwise regulate the production of greenhouse gas-producing energy and "only include technologies that are commercially available or can reasonably be expected to become commercially available over roughly the next decade."
Within this model, domestic natural gas production increases 2.3 percent in 2035, with natural gas production from shale deposits growing to 6 trillion cubic feet due to expected technology improvements. This offsets predicted declines in more conventional sources of natural gas production.
A similar phenomenon occurs in liquid fuel consumption, where the EIA says that liquid fuel consumption will grow from 19 million barrels per day in 2008 to 22 million per day in 2035, but that all growth this will be due to growth in the use of biofuels. Consumption of petroleum-based liquid fuels will remain flat.
The production of petroleum-based fuels is expected to increase in absolute terms, however, with much of this growth coming from increases in offshore and terrestrial production. Imported oil should decline significantly.
The electricity consumption of an increasing population is expected to grow by 1 percent per year, and most of the growth in carbon dioxide emissions can be attributed to the electric power, as well as transportation, sectors.
As the EIA points out, even without greenhouse gas policies in place, the peak of U.S. oil demand was likely in 2005, when demand reached 20.8 million barrels per day. Following the drop during the recession, biofuels will account for any rise in liquid fuel demand, the report states.
"We do not think it will go back to what previous levels have been," EIA chief Richard Newell said at a briefing Monday in Washington.
Greater Efficiency and Renewables
Even without emissions caps in place, technology and existing policies that encourage energy efficiency will have an important impact on energy consumption, the EIA says. The efficiency rate for vehicles, for example, is expected to rise from 2000's 25 miles per gallon to 40 mpg in 2035. While the nation's overall CO2 emissions from energy will rise, per capita emissions will fall.
The EIA also sees growth in electricity use slowing to 1 percent per year, though coal's share of electricity production would only drop from 48.5 to 43.8 percent.
Similarly, current policies, largely at the state level, that encourage energy production from renewable sources are expected to have an impact, as renewable generation grows from nine percent of energy produced in 2008 to 17 percent in 2035. Renewables, especially biomass and solar, would make up 41 percent of increases in electricity production.
"Our projections show that existing policies that stress energy efficiency and alternative fuels, together with higher energy prices, curb energy consumption growth and shift the energy mix toward renewable fuels," Newell said.
Uncertainty for Businesses
But the inability of these projections to take into account emissions-reducing policies not yet in place underlines the uncertainty that troubles some businesses and others who depend on having reliable information about the future when making decisions.
Coca-Cola and Unilever became the latest businesses to publicly commit to cutting their own greenhouse gas emissions as they launched a joint report Friday illustrating "how consumer goods companies can tackle climate change" throughout the value chain and by affecting consumer behavior.
They are among the companies calling for a clear policy on emissions reductions. Though many businesses still remain fearful of climate change legislation or regulation, many others are more fearful of remaining in the current limbo where these policies are looming but not yet certain.
The stability that comes with firm policies in place would, they feel, allow for greater clarity regarding future decades, and thus more long-term investment.
Isramart : Canada stung by fake CO2 emissions targets
Isramart news:
Canada's government on Monday decried a hoax announcement of its new plans for deep carbon emissions cuts that underscored its rift with environmentalists at international climate talks in Copenhagen.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's spokesman, Dimitri Soudas, accused famed environmentalist Steven Guilbeault of betraying Canada for criticizing its climate record in a series of spoof press releases.
The first of the phony announcements touted Canada's adoption of a bold new binding target to reduce its CO2 emissions by 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.
In fact, Canada's target is closer three percent.
Guilbeault, co-founder of environmental lobby Equiterre, reportedly confronted Soudas at the UN summit in Copenhagen, denying any links to the deception and demanded an apology from the prime minister's office.
None would be forthcoming, officials said.
Such trickery is "incredibly childish," Soudas told AFP. "This is an important summit ... and there's no place here for this sort of rhetoric."
"What's at stake is battling climate change," he said by telephone from Copenhagen.
Equiterre said in a statement Soudas "should stop throwing baseless accusations. A better way to use his time would probably be to advise the Canadian government to change its deeply flawed position on climate."
The original fictitious release obtained by AFP was followed by two more fakes.
One claimed that the Ugandan delegation at the UN climate talks praised Canada's tough new targets and its offer to pay African nations 13 billion dollars in climate damage "reparations."
Another claimed to be sent by Environment Canada, denouncing the first two releases for generating "hurtful rumors" and misleading conference delegates on Canada's climate change position.
It provided a link to a bogus Wall Street Journal online story about Canada's purported tough new climate policy.
Environment Canada confirmed that all three emails sent to major news outlets were forgeries.
A spokeswoman for the government agency said Ottawa "remains committed to reducing Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent from 2006 levels by 2020, and 60-70 percent by 2050."Canada's government on Monday decried a hoax announcement of its new plans for deep carbon emissions cuts that underscored its rift with environmentalists at international climate talks in Copenhagen.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's spokesman, Dimitri Soudas, accused famed environmentalist Steven Guilbeault of betraying Canada for criticizing its climate record in a series of spoof press releases.
The first of the phony announcements touted Canada's adoption of a bold new binding target to reduce its CO2 emissions by 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.
In fact, Canada's target is closer three percent.
Guilbeault, co-founder of environmental lobby Equiterre, reportedly confronted Soudas at the UN summit in Copenhagen, denying any links to the deception and demanded an apology from the prime minister's office.
None would be forthcoming, officials said.
Such trickery is "incredibly childish," Soudas told AFP. "This is an important summit ... and there's no place here for this sort of rhetoric."
"What's at stake is battling climate change," he said by telephone from Copenhagen.
Equiterre said in a statement Soudas "should stop throwing baseless accusations. A better way to use his time would probably be to advise the Canadian government to change its deeply flawed position on climate."
The original fictitious release obtained by AFP was followed by two more fakes.
One claimed that the Ugandan delegation at the UN climate talks praised Canada's tough new targets and its offer to pay African nations 13 billion dollars in climate damage "reparations."
Another claimed to be sent by Environment Canada, denouncing the first two releases for generating "hurtful rumors" and misleading conference delegates on Canada's climate change position.
It provided a link to a bogus Wall Street Journal online story about Canada's purported tough new climate policy.
Environment Canada confirmed that all three emails sent to major news outlets were forgeries.
A spokeswoman for the government agency said Ottawa "remains committed to reducing Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent from 2006 levels by 2020, and 60-70 percent by 2050."
Canada's government on Monday decried a hoax announcement of its new plans for deep carbon emissions cuts that underscored its rift with environmentalists at international climate talks in Copenhagen.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's spokesman, Dimitri Soudas, accused famed environmentalist Steven Guilbeault of betraying Canada for criticizing its climate record in a series of spoof press releases.
The first of the phony announcements touted Canada's adoption of a bold new binding target to reduce its CO2 emissions by 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.
In fact, Canada's target is closer three percent.
Guilbeault, co-founder of environmental lobby Equiterre, reportedly confronted Soudas at the UN summit in Copenhagen, denying any links to the deception and demanded an apology from the prime minister's office.
None would be forthcoming, officials said.
Such trickery is "incredibly childish," Soudas told AFP. "This is an important summit ... and there's no place here for this sort of rhetoric."
"What's at stake is battling climate change," he said by telephone from Copenhagen.
Equiterre said in a statement Soudas "should stop throwing baseless accusations. A better way to use his time would probably be to advise the Canadian government to change its deeply flawed position on climate."
The original fictitious release obtained by AFP was followed by two more fakes.
One claimed that the Ugandan delegation at the UN climate talks praised Canada's tough new targets and its offer to pay African nations 13 billion dollars in climate damage "reparations."
Another claimed to be sent by Environment Canada, denouncing the first two releases for generating "hurtful rumors" and misleading conference delegates on Canada's climate change position.
It provided a link to a bogus Wall Street Journal online story about Canada's purported tough new climate policy.
Environment Canada confirmed that all three emails sent to major news outlets were forgeries.
A spokeswoman for the government agency said Ottawa "remains committed to reducing Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent from 2006 levels by 2020, and 60-70 percent by 2050."Canada's government on Monday decried a hoax announcement of its new plans for deep carbon emissions cuts that underscored its rift with environmentalists at international climate talks in Copenhagen.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's spokesman, Dimitri Soudas, accused famed environmentalist Steven Guilbeault of betraying Canada for criticizing its climate record in a series of spoof press releases.
The first of the phony announcements touted Canada's adoption of a bold new binding target to reduce its CO2 emissions by 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.
In fact, Canada's target is closer three percent.
Guilbeault, co-founder of environmental lobby Equiterre, reportedly confronted Soudas at the UN summit in Copenhagen, denying any links to the deception and demanded an apology from the prime minister's office.
None would be forthcoming, officials said.
Such trickery is "incredibly childish," Soudas told AFP. "This is an important summit ... and there's no place here for this sort of rhetoric."
"What's at stake is battling climate change," he said by telephone from Copenhagen.
Equiterre said in a statement Soudas "should stop throwing baseless accusations. A better way to use his time would probably be to advise the Canadian government to change its deeply flawed position on climate."
The original fictitious release obtained by AFP was followed by two more fakes.
One claimed that the Ugandan delegation at the UN climate talks praised Canada's tough new targets and its offer to pay African nations 13 billion dollars in climate damage "reparations."
Another claimed to be sent by Environment Canada, denouncing the first two releases for generating "hurtful rumors" and misleading conference delegates on Canada's climate change position.
It provided a link to a bogus Wall Street Journal online story about Canada's purported tough new climate policy.
Environment Canada confirmed that all three emails sent to major news outlets were forgeries.
A spokeswoman for the government agency said Ottawa "remains committed to reducing Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent from 2006 levels by 2020, and 60-70 percent by 2050."
Isramart : Plug-In Cars May Not Soon Cut Oil Use, CO2 Emissions
Isramart news:
Sales of plug-in cars, touted by the Obama administration and automakers as a way to curb oil use and greenhouse gases, may be held back for decades by battery costs, a study for the U.S. government found.
Rechargeable autos in 2010 may cost $18,000 more to build than conventional gasoline cars because of their lithium-ion batteries, the National Research Council of the National Academies said in a summary of the study today. Batteries probably won’t be cheap enough until 2030 to spur sales that would reduce oil use and carbon pollution.
“Battery technology has been developing rapidly, but steep declines in cost do not appear likely over the next couple of decades,” the council said in the report. “While these costs will come down, a fundamental breakthrough in battery technology, unforeseen at present, would be needed to make plug- ins widely affordable in the near future.”
The findings cast doubts on plans by General Motors Co., Nissan Motor Co. and startups Tesla Motors Inc. and Fisker Automotive Inc. to sell high volumes of lithium-ion powered models in the next few years. The more than 18-month study, relying on university and industry research, U.S. labs and consultants, was sponsored by the Energy Department. The government often uses National Academies data to guide policy.
Plug-ins are hybrid-electric vehicles that can be recharged at household outlets. The study suggests conventional hybrids that don’t need to be plugged in, such as Toyota Motor Corp.’s Prius, may be a better near-term option for curbing oil use.
‘Committed to Electrification’
“We remain committed to electrification,” said Rob Peterson, a GM spokesman. “We’re seeing that our cost per kilowatt hour is already significantly lower than what industry estimates have been and what this study indicates.”
Fred Standish, a spokesman for Nissan, wasn’t immediately able to comment on the study. Yokohama, Japan-based Nissan plans to eventually sell hundreds of thousands of Leaf hatchbacks a year propelled solely by lithium-ion batteries, the first models arriving in 2010.
“I worry that right now government investment is essentially prejudging winning and losing technologies,” said Johan de Nysschen, president of Audi AG’s U.S. unit. The Ingolstadt, Germany-based carmaker is adding more diesel vehicles in the U.S. to lift fuel-efficiency, he said.
“We will eventually overcome the cost and technology challenges of electric vehicles,” de Nysschen said at the National Press Club in Washington. “Until we get there, clean diesel represents such a leap forward that it shouldn’t be ignored.”
Plug-In Prius
Toyota intends to begin retail sales of a plug-in version of the Prius in two years and aims to sell “several tens of thousands” of plug-ins a year globally, Executive Vice President Takeshi Uchiyamada told reporters in Tokyo. The Toyota City, Japan-based company will also start selling a short- distance, battery-only electric car in 2012.
President Barack Obama has set a goal of having as many as 1 million plug-in electric vehicles on U.S. roads by 2015. To meet that target, the Energy Department this year provided $11 billion in low-cost loans and grants to accelerate production of rechargeable vehicles. To entice consumers, there’s a $7,500 U.S. tax credit for plug-in car purchases.
Concerns that carbon-dioxide emissions may be contributing to climate change, along with a rise in fuel prices last year, have pushed carmakers to focus on developing alternatives to gasoline power.
GM has committed about $1 billion to develop the rechargeable Chevrolet Volt, which the Detroit-based automaker is banking on to leapfrog Toyota’s Prius.
40 Million Vehicles
“Subsidies in the tens to hundreds of billions of dollars” over the next several decades are needed to reach broad market penetration, according to the report, which focused on plug-ins with an electric range of 10 miles to 40 miles.
Under the most optimistic assumptions, as many as 40 million plug-ins may be on the road by 2030, the study found. If costs and infrastructure improve at a slower pace, the market may be 13 million vehicles by 2030, according to the report.
In addition to cheaper batteries, access to electric outlets in parking spaces is needed to persuade many people to buy plug-in cars, according to the report. For home charging, consumers will need advanced smart meters and electrical system upgrades that may cost more than $1,000.
The U.S. needs to adopt a “portfolio approach” to curbing oil use.
“This should include increasing the fuel efficiency of conventional vehicles and pursuing research, development, and demonstration into alternative strategies, including the use of bio-fuels, electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles,” according to the report.
Sales of plug-in cars, touted by the Obama administration and automakers as a way to curb oil use and greenhouse gases, may be held back for decades by battery costs, a study for the U.S. government found.
Rechargeable autos in 2010 may cost $18,000 more to build than conventional gasoline cars because of their lithium-ion batteries, the National Research Council of the National Academies said in a summary of the study today. Batteries probably won’t be cheap enough until 2030 to spur sales that would reduce oil use and carbon pollution.
“Battery technology has been developing rapidly, but steep declines in cost do not appear likely over the next couple of decades,” the council said in the report. “While these costs will come down, a fundamental breakthrough in battery technology, unforeseen at present, would be needed to make plug- ins widely affordable in the near future.”
The findings cast doubts on plans by General Motors Co., Nissan Motor Co. and startups Tesla Motors Inc. and Fisker Automotive Inc. to sell high volumes of lithium-ion powered models in the next few years. The more than 18-month study, relying on university and industry research, U.S. labs and consultants, was sponsored by the Energy Department. The government often uses National Academies data to guide policy.
Plug-ins are hybrid-electric vehicles that can be recharged at household outlets. The study suggests conventional hybrids that don’t need to be plugged in, such as Toyota Motor Corp.’s Prius, may be a better near-term option for curbing oil use.
‘Committed to Electrification’
“We remain committed to electrification,” said Rob Peterson, a GM spokesman. “We’re seeing that our cost per kilowatt hour is already significantly lower than what industry estimates have been and what this study indicates.”
Fred Standish, a spokesman for Nissan, wasn’t immediately able to comment on the study. Yokohama, Japan-based Nissan plans to eventually sell hundreds of thousands of Leaf hatchbacks a year propelled solely by lithium-ion batteries, the first models arriving in 2010.
“I worry that right now government investment is essentially prejudging winning and losing technologies,” said Johan de Nysschen, president of Audi AG’s U.S. unit. The Ingolstadt, Germany-based carmaker is adding more diesel vehicles in the U.S. to lift fuel-efficiency, he said.
“We will eventually overcome the cost and technology challenges of electric vehicles,” de Nysschen said at the National Press Club in Washington. “Until we get there, clean diesel represents such a leap forward that it shouldn’t be ignored.”
Plug-In Prius
Toyota intends to begin retail sales of a plug-in version of the Prius in two years and aims to sell “several tens of thousands” of plug-ins a year globally, Executive Vice President Takeshi Uchiyamada told reporters in Tokyo. The Toyota City, Japan-based company will also start selling a short- distance, battery-only electric car in 2012.
President Barack Obama has set a goal of having as many as 1 million plug-in electric vehicles on U.S. roads by 2015. To meet that target, the Energy Department this year provided $11 billion in low-cost loans and grants to accelerate production of rechargeable vehicles. To entice consumers, there’s a $7,500 U.S. tax credit for plug-in car purchases.
Concerns that carbon-dioxide emissions may be contributing to climate change, along with a rise in fuel prices last year, have pushed carmakers to focus on developing alternatives to gasoline power.
GM has committed about $1 billion to develop the rechargeable Chevrolet Volt, which the Detroit-based automaker is banking on to leapfrog Toyota’s Prius.
40 Million Vehicles
“Subsidies in the tens to hundreds of billions of dollars” over the next several decades are needed to reach broad market penetration, according to the report, which focused on plug-ins with an electric range of 10 miles to 40 miles.
Under the most optimistic assumptions, as many as 40 million plug-ins may be on the road by 2030, the study found. If costs and infrastructure improve at a slower pace, the market may be 13 million vehicles by 2030, according to the report.
In addition to cheaper batteries, access to electric outlets in parking spaces is needed to persuade many people to buy plug-in cars, according to the report. For home charging, consumers will need advanced smart meters and electrical system upgrades that may cost more than $1,000.
The U.S. needs to adopt a “portfolio approach” to curbing oil use.
“This should include increasing the fuel efficiency of conventional vehicles and pursuing research, development, and demonstration into alternative strategies, including the use of bio-fuels, electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles,” according to the report.
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