Inside the Ethanol Subsidies Controversy

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Hardly a week goes by in the U.S. without another round of jousting in the debate over whether government subsidies for ethanol are the harbinger of a brave new low-carbon world or simply to blame for the still-record food prices facing consumers.

Both sides in the debate are aggressively agitating at the moment and no doubt intent on trying to influence the incoming Obama Administration with the merits of their respective points of view. » read more

New Carbonetworks Web Portal Illustrates Environmental Performance

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:00:00 -0500

Canadian software developer Carbonetworks unveiled on Tuesday a new tool that allows companies to create custom web portals illustrating their carbon management and environmental performance.

The Corporate Carbon Portal can be used to tout greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategies and progress, environmental projects and executive discussion of environmental stewardship goals internally to employees or externally to other stakeholders. The portal is based on content from Carbonetworks' Emissions Management Platform and is included in a Carbonetworks subscription. » read more

RGGI States to Develop Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Eleven states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions will join forces to develop a low carbon fuel standard to reduce vehicle-related greenhouse gas emissions.

The 11 states include Pennsylvania plus the 10 members of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a coalition creating a greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program for the power generation sector. The low carbon fuel standard will require a reduction in the average lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions per unit of useful energy, and may include advanced biofuels and electricity. » read more

Dynegy Abandons Bid to Build New Coal Power Plants

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Dynegy will pull out of a joint venture that aimed to build several new coal-fired power plants due to credit and regulatory concerns.

The Houston-based power producer said Friday it will dissolve a joint venture with LS Power Associates that formed in 2006 with the intent of building six coal power plants in Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan and Nevada. LS Power will receive $19 million in the deal while Dynegy will take a loss. » read more

Munich Re Calls for Global Climate Agreement

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 19:00:00 -0500

One of the world's largest reinsurers is calling for an international treaty to address climate change or face growing insurance losses from weather-related natural catastrophes.

Munich Re urged world leaders last week to reach a post-Kyoto successor at the next climate summit in Copenhagen in late 2009. Failing to do so will likely cause more financial and human losses; 2008 was the third most expensive on record, behind 2005 and 1995. » read more

Bad Economy Leads to Slimmer Climate Change Plan in Washington State

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:00:00 -0500

The state of Washington is reportedly planning on a watered-down climate change action plan in light of the economic recession and a multi-billion dollar state budget deficit.

Gov. Chris Gregoire released a slimmer budget proposal two weeks ago that calls for spending roughly $25 million to address climate change but won't pursue other steps recommended by the state's task force, such as compact urban development, improved recycling and incentives for energy efficient buildings, the Associated Press reported. » read more

Groups Sue EPA Over New Coal Waste Dumping Rule

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 08:00:00 -0500

Several environmental groups are suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Interior Department over a recent rule that eases the dumping of coal mining waste into nearby streams.

The Sierra Club, Earthjustice, Waterkeeper Alliance and others want to overturn the new rule, which went into effect Dec. 12 and revised an earlier version prohibiting the waste disposal from mountaintop coal mining within 100 feet of streams. » read more

Second RGGI Auction Nets $106.5M

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:00:00 -0500

More than 31.5 million carbon permits were sold in the second auction of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) Wednesday, raising some $106.5 million for energy efficiency programs in the 10 state region.

The shares sold for $3.38 per ton of carbon dioxide, 31 cents higher than the clearing price of $3.07 per allowance in the first auction.

Sixty-nine bidders from the energy, financial and environmental sectors participated in the second auction, generating demand for allowances that was 3.5 times the available supply. The third auction is set for March. » read more

U.K. Shipping Industry Proposes Maritime Cap-and-Trade

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:00:00 -0500

The United Kingdom shipping industry has proposed creating a global cap-and-trade program for a sector responsible for transporting 80 percent of the world's trade goods.

The program would put a price on maritime greenhouse gas emissions and incentivize companies to adopt low-carbon technologies. The U.K. Chamber of Shipping suggested the emissions scheme because the sector is one of the last big industries to allude the regulatory constraints of greenhouse gas emissions reduction requirements. » read more

Emissions in 2008 Well Below RGGI Cap: Report

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:00:00 -0500

Greenhouse gas emissions in the Northeast this year could ring in about 16 percent lower than the emissions cap set in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), according to a nonprofit.

Lower electricity consumption, the economic slowdown, higher energy prices earlier this year and greater non-fossil fuel generation caused emissions to drop. But with today's energy costs falling through the floor, Environment Northeast (ENE) warned the low emissions may not last. » read more