The Obama administration took on the powerful farming interests in America's heartland today, making clear it does not see corn-based ethanol as part of the long-term solution to climate change.
The new proposals on the biofuel – in the face of intense pressure from agricultural companies and members of Congress from corn-growing states – were seen as the first test of Barack Obama's promise to put science above politics in deciding America's energy future.
Ethanol had once appeared to provide a transport fuel which did not increase carbon dioxide. But studies have suggested that the fuel needed to process the corn meant the ethanol could be more polluting than the fossil fuel it was meant to replace. Furthermore, the use of food crops for biofuel was blamed for a substantial part of the large price rises seen in 2008.
Administration officials set out a $1.8bn (£1.19bn) plan to develop a new generation of more environmentally-friendly biofuels that are not made from food crops and have a lower carbon footprint, while also providing an immediate bail-out of existing corn ethanol producers, which are suffering in the global economic crisis: falling petrol prices have undercut demand for ethanol at the pump.
Lisa Jackson, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, made clear she does not see corn-based ethanol as a permanent part of America's clean energy mix. "Corn-based ethanol is a bridge... to the next generation of fuels ," she said.
The EPA proposed a new standard for advanced biofuels, ensuring they are at least 50% cleaner than petrol. Jackson said existing bio-ethanol resulted in a 16% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
The agency said it would also take into account the environmental impact of turning land over to biofuel crops, a key demand of the industry's critics.
Environmentalists saw the move as an early indication that the Obama administration would stand its ground against powerful industrial interests.
"For an administration that has already staked so much on restoring science to the process of governing, this was a really critical test," said Nathanael Greene, a renewable energy expert at the National Resources Defence Council. "This was the first big industry where we are starting to see some of the potential changes required by climate policy and the administration is ready to stick to the science and not get rolled by industry."
The country's fuel producers gave a cautious welcome to the announcement, but added that they would continue to challenge the EPA's criteria for measuring the environmental cost of fuel crops.
The impact on the ethanol industry of the agency's proposal, which now undergoes public review, was softened by Obama's decision to put the agriculture secretary, Tom Vilsack, who is from the corn growing state of Iowa, in charge of a new task force that will oversee biofuel development. The officials also said there would be considerable sums available to farmers to make the transition from using corn to make biofuels to using pulp and agricultural waste.
The programme envisages $1.1bn to help ethanol producers market the fuel, and to convert their processing plants from fossil fuels to renewable energy. "There is over $1.1 billion of opportunity here," Vilsack said.
Energy secretary Steven Chu said there would be an additional $786m towards the development of new biofuel refineries and the design of flex-fuel cars.
The administration's move on ethanol comes nearly two years after Congress ordered fuel refineries to increase their use of ethanol, and by 2022 to step up the share of advanced biofuels in the country's fuel mix.
The law ordered all ethanol produced after 2007 to meet a standard 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and for advanced biofuels to meet a 50% reduction target.
Existing ethanol producers will be exempt from those targets, but new plant will be required to make the grade. That represents a big challenge for the production technology.
Source - The Guardian
Showing posts with label Obama administration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obama administration. Show all posts
Thursday, 7 May 2009
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
The Gas Company to Award Metropolitan Transportation Authority More Than $600,000 for Adoption of Solar Power, Energy Efficiency
As the Obama Administration pushes for increased use of renewables in the fight against global warming, Southern California Gas Co. (The Gas Company) announced today it expects to award incentives of up to $633,000 to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) for installing the nation's largest solar photovoltaic system at a transit facility, as well as a state-of-the-art energy management system.
The 6,720 solar panels at Metro's Support Service Center in downtown Los Angeles -- Metro's central maintenance facility for busses -- represent the largest solar installation in the City of Los Angeles, with a capability of generating 1.2 megawatts of power. Metro expects to cut the facility's annual $1.1 million energy bill in half with the system and reduce carbon emissions by more than 3,700 metric tons -- the equivalent of taking 600 cars off the road.
Metro also installed new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, and compressed air systems, and replaced about 4,000 lighting fixtures, all controlled by a state-of-the-art energy management system.
Metro qualified for the incentives by participating in The Gas Company's Self-Generation Incentive and Business Energy-efficiency programs. Both are state-sponsored programs that provide financial incentives to businesses for generating their own electricity on site and improving energy efficiency.
"Thanks, in part, to The Gas Company's incentives, Los Angeles is now one step closer to becoming the solar capital of the United States," said Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chair Antonio Villaraigosa. "Today's unveiling of the city's largest solar-powered facility will not only generate clean, renewable energy, but will provide the kinds of green jobs that this economy so desperately needs."
"The Gas Company has awarded more than $70 million since 2001 to customers installing electric-generation systems, providing the state with 77 megawatts of much-needed generation -- enough to power about 50,000 homes," said Hal D. Snyder, vice president of customer solutions for The Gas Company. "Over the past 18 years, our energy-efficiency programs have helped customers conserve more than 386 million therms of natural gas, or enough to supply energy to more than 770,000 homes for one year, at a cost savings of more than $320 million.
"We commend Metro for its leadership in the use of renewable energy and energy-efficient equipment, reducing costs and helping California meet its greenhouse-gas emissions-reduction goals," said Snyder.
The Metro Support Service Center is used for the central maintenance of Metro's bus fleet, which includes more than 2,500 compressed natural gas-fueled busses. Spanning 27 acres, the 400,000-square foot facility consists of five separate buildings where technicians and mechanics keep Metro's bus fleet in all of the agency's 11 operating divisions in top condition.
For more information on The Gas Company's energy-efficiency and self-generation incentive programs, customers can visit the utility's Web site at www.socalgas.com/business.
Southern California Gas Co. has been delivering clean, safe and reliable natural gas to its customers for more than 140 years. It is the nation's largest natural gas distribution utility, providing safe and reliable energy to 20.5 million consumers through 5.7 million meters in more than 500 communities. The company's service territory encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles in diverse terrain throughout Central and Southern California, from Visalia to the Mexican border. The Gas Company is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE). Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company.
Source - marketwire
The 6,720 solar panels at Metro's Support Service Center in downtown Los Angeles -- Metro's central maintenance facility for busses -- represent the largest solar installation in the City of Los Angeles, with a capability of generating 1.2 megawatts of power. Metro expects to cut the facility's annual $1.1 million energy bill in half with the system and reduce carbon emissions by more than 3,700 metric tons -- the equivalent of taking 600 cars off the road.
Metro also installed new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, and compressed air systems, and replaced about 4,000 lighting fixtures, all controlled by a state-of-the-art energy management system.
Metro qualified for the incentives by participating in The Gas Company's Self-Generation Incentive and Business Energy-efficiency programs. Both are state-sponsored programs that provide financial incentives to businesses for generating their own electricity on site and improving energy efficiency.
"Thanks, in part, to The Gas Company's incentives, Los Angeles is now one step closer to becoming the solar capital of the United States," said Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chair Antonio Villaraigosa. "Today's unveiling of the city's largest solar-powered facility will not only generate clean, renewable energy, but will provide the kinds of green jobs that this economy so desperately needs."
"The Gas Company has awarded more than $70 million since 2001 to customers installing electric-generation systems, providing the state with 77 megawatts of much-needed generation -- enough to power about 50,000 homes," said Hal D. Snyder, vice president of customer solutions for The Gas Company. "Over the past 18 years, our energy-efficiency programs have helped customers conserve more than 386 million therms of natural gas, or enough to supply energy to more than 770,000 homes for one year, at a cost savings of more than $320 million.
"We commend Metro for its leadership in the use of renewable energy and energy-efficient equipment, reducing costs and helping California meet its greenhouse-gas emissions-reduction goals," said Snyder.
The Metro Support Service Center is used for the central maintenance of Metro's bus fleet, which includes more than 2,500 compressed natural gas-fueled busses. Spanning 27 acres, the 400,000-square foot facility consists of five separate buildings where technicians and mechanics keep Metro's bus fleet in all of the agency's 11 operating divisions in top condition.
For more information on The Gas Company's energy-efficiency and self-generation incentive programs, customers can visit the utility's Web site at www.socalgas.com/business.
Southern California Gas Co. has been delivering clean, safe and reliable natural gas to its customers for more than 140 years. It is the nation's largest natural gas distribution utility, providing safe and reliable energy to 20.5 million consumers through 5.7 million meters in more than 500 communities. The company's service territory encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles in diverse terrain throughout Central and Southern California, from Visalia to the Mexican border. The Gas Company is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE). Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company.
Source - marketwire
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Obama must pass climate laws ahead of Copenhagen, Danish minister warns
American leadership on climate change will be undermined if the Obama administration does not swiftly pass laws to reduce carbon pollution, according to Denmark's minister for climate and energy.
Connie Hedegaard said Obama must move from promises to action and push through global warming legislation ahead of the climate change summit in Copenhagen this December. Without that she said it would be hard for the US to exercise a credible leadership role at the summit.
"We can postpone anything but we have been postponing things for many years. We must come from this era where we talk about what to do and instead come to the era where we actually do things. We must come to that now," Hedegaard told the Guardian.
"The deadline set — 2009 — is actually set also by the former Bush administration. It is not just Denmark or Europe or somebody who set that deadline. It is set also by the United States. We must deliver on that deadline and I can see no better alternative than having cap and trade."
Hedegaard was the most forceful among a group of visiting foreign dignitaries in Washington this week who have been trying to build momentum ahead of the Copenhagen talks.
Also in Washington were Ed Miliband, the secretary of state for energy and climate change, Jim Prentice, Canada's environment minister, Yvo de Boer, the UN's environment minister and Tony Blair. The EU environment commissioner, Stavros Dimas, is due to visit Washington next week.
Blair said it was important for America to show the developing world it was serious about enacting measures at home on climate change — but stopped short of saying it needed to introduce a carbon cap and trade regime.
"People have to know that America is committed. Whether it is necessary to have that done legislatively — I don't know," he said.
Hedegaard, in remarks to Congress on Tuesday, returned to her theme that much preparation remained for the Copenhagen talks to make progress.
"We all have a load of homework before Copenhagen but the world is looking towards the United States to provide leadership," she said.
She said: "We know what we are going to do. We will have to set targets. We will have to come up with financial means. We will have to find ways and means to disseminate technologies faster and to help the least developed countries adapt to the climate change they are already experiencing. Those are the major issues on the table."
The visiting officials broadly see Obama as a positive force for climate change negotiations — a sea change from George Bush who had refused to ratify the Kyoto agreement, which the Copenhagen meeting will seek to replace.
Obama, who campaigned on a promise to green America's economy, added to those expectations by investing $100bn in environmental measures in his economic recovery plan earlier this month.
But Hedegaard said that move had to be followed up by climate change legislation. That could be difficult for Obama. An attempt last year to put a cap on carbon struggled to get even Democratic support before it was defeated.
Todd Stern, the state department's lead climate negotiator, agreed that the prospects for a successful outcome at Copenhagen would be improved if the US could pass climate legislation in advance.
"The optimum would be legislation that is signed, sealed and delivered," he said. "I think nothing would give a more powerful signal to other countries in the world than to see a significant, major, mandatory American plan."
However, he admitted that may not happen — although Democrats in Congress say they will take up legislation by the summer.
Some Democrats are pushing for Congress to take up other energy issues, such as mandating greater use of wind and solar power, before dealing with carbon caps.
But Hedegaard said that such actions would not be considered effective substitutes.
"Could we just put some taxes and things? Well then you will not be sure that we actually reduce the level of emissions and that is important if we are going to stick to what science tells us."
The US was also facing pressure to set interim targets — as a stepping stone towards reducing emissions by 80% in 2050.
But Stern told Congress, that America would not meet the short-term target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 to 40% by 2020.
"I don't think it's necessary, and I do know it's not possible," he said.
The European Union committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020 late last year. But it said it would increase the cut if other industrialised states get on board. Obama has committed to reducing emissions by 20% on 2005 levels by 2020.
Hedegaard and others believe that interim targets are essential.
"It's always easy for politicians to set targets that are 41 years away," she said. "We also need ambitious action by the United States in the short- to medium-term."
Source - The Guardian
Connie Hedegaard said Obama must move from promises to action and push through global warming legislation ahead of the climate change summit in Copenhagen this December. Without that she said it would be hard for the US to exercise a credible leadership role at the summit.
"We can postpone anything but we have been postponing things for many years. We must come from this era where we talk about what to do and instead come to the era where we actually do things. We must come to that now," Hedegaard told the Guardian.
"The deadline set — 2009 — is actually set also by the former Bush administration. It is not just Denmark or Europe or somebody who set that deadline. It is set also by the United States. We must deliver on that deadline and I can see no better alternative than having cap and trade."
Hedegaard was the most forceful among a group of visiting foreign dignitaries in Washington this week who have been trying to build momentum ahead of the Copenhagen talks.
Also in Washington were Ed Miliband, the secretary of state for energy and climate change, Jim Prentice, Canada's environment minister, Yvo de Boer, the UN's environment minister and Tony Blair. The EU environment commissioner, Stavros Dimas, is due to visit Washington next week.
Blair said it was important for America to show the developing world it was serious about enacting measures at home on climate change — but stopped short of saying it needed to introduce a carbon cap and trade regime.
"People have to know that America is committed. Whether it is necessary to have that done legislatively — I don't know," he said.
Hedegaard, in remarks to Congress on Tuesday, returned to her theme that much preparation remained for the Copenhagen talks to make progress.
"We all have a load of homework before Copenhagen but the world is looking towards the United States to provide leadership," she said.
She said: "We know what we are going to do. We will have to set targets. We will have to come up with financial means. We will have to find ways and means to disseminate technologies faster and to help the least developed countries adapt to the climate change they are already experiencing. Those are the major issues on the table."
The visiting officials broadly see Obama as a positive force for climate change negotiations — a sea change from George Bush who had refused to ratify the Kyoto agreement, which the Copenhagen meeting will seek to replace.
Obama, who campaigned on a promise to green America's economy, added to those expectations by investing $100bn in environmental measures in his economic recovery plan earlier this month.
But Hedegaard said that move had to be followed up by climate change legislation. That could be difficult for Obama. An attempt last year to put a cap on carbon struggled to get even Democratic support before it was defeated.
Todd Stern, the state department's lead climate negotiator, agreed that the prospects for a successful outcome at Copenhagen would be improved if the US could pass climate legislation in advance.
"The optimum would be legislation that is signed, sealed and delivered," he said. "I think nothing would give a more powerful signal to other countries in the world than to see a significant, major, mandatory American plan."
However, he admitted that may not happen — although Democrats in Congress say they will take up legislation by the summer.
Some Democrats are pushing for Congress to take up other energy issues, such as mandating greater use of wind and solar power, before dealing with carbon caps.
But Hedegaard said that such actions would not be considered effective substitutes.
"Could we just put some taxes and things? Well then you will not be sure that we actually reduce the level of emissions and that is important if we are going to stick to what science tells us."
The US was also facing pressure to set interim targets — as a stepping stone towards reducing emissions by 80% in 2050.
But Stern told Congress, that America would not meet the short-term target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 to 40% by 2020.
"I don't think it's necessary, and I do know it's not possible," he said.
The European Union committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020 late last year. But it said it would increase the cut if other industrialised states get on board. Obama has committed to reducing emissions by 20% on 2005 levels by 2020.
Hedegaard and others believe that interim targets are essential.
"It's always easy for politicians to set targets that are 41 years away," she said. "We also need ambitious action by the United States in the short- to medium-term."
Source - The Guardian
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