In this edition, Reuters tells us that “China picks stable power prices over emissions targets,” while Bloomberg reports “EU Pledge ’Fair and Equal’ Access to CO2 Auction Proposal.” And, Financial Times Deutschland reports, noted by Bloomberg, that “Germany Threatened by Energy Overcapacity.”
Quote of the Day:
“We should continue to develop renewable energy and promote innovative solutions. We have to do it in a cost-efficient way. This means: producing wind and solar power where it makes economic sense and trading it within Europe, as we do for other products and services.”
–Gunther Oettinger, EU energy commissioner, in Business Green’s “EU calls for 2030 green goals”
Lead Stories
China picks stable power prices over emissions targets
Reuters
China will continue to keep electricity prices steady even if its stance complicates efforts to rein in runaway energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, an official of the country’s state planning agency said on Wednesday.
http://jlne.ws/Mrt3lT
Argus expands coverage of California, US renewables trading
Press Release
Leading energy and commodity price reporting agency Argus has launched a series of new market assessments for renewable energy certificates (RECs) and carbon markets in California, the western US and elsewhere.
http://jlne.ws/Kkj1lF
Dubai Mercantile Exchange appoints CME Group’s Owain Johnson as its Chief of Products and Services
Press Release
The Dubai Mercantile Exchange (DME), the leading energy futures exchange in the Middle East, today announced the addition of Owain Johnson as the Chief of Products and Services to the strategic management team of the Exchange.
http://jlne.ws/Lczo5j
UN climate watchdog backs new greenhouse gas protocol
AFP
A UN climate science task force urged on Thursday the adoption of new measures aimed at providing the broadest and most accurate snapshot of carbon emissions ahead of Rio+20.
http://jlne.ws/Mh1U8q
EU Pledge ’Fair and Equal’ Access to CO2 Auction Proposal
Bloomberg
European Union regulators pledged to guarantee “fair and equal” access for market participants to a planned proposal on delaying auctions of some carbon allowances to curb oversupply.
http://jlne.ws/LxSdTe
EU calls for 2030 green goals
Business Green
Europe should agree 2030 climate goals for renewable energy as soon as possible or risk investment in the sector sputtering out, according to the EU’s latest strategy statement.
http://jlne.ws/L7wvnT
**RKB — European Commission renewable energy communication: http://jlne.ws/K37FaZ
Germany Threatened by Energy Overcapacity, FT Deutschland Says
Financial Times Deutschland/Bloomberg
Competition by Germany’s regions to produce renewable energy as the country shifts away from nuclear and coal power could cause overcapacity if the process isn’t coordinated, the Financial Times Deutschland reported.
http://jlne.ws/LcxGRs
Tweaking U.S. tax code could spur green energy: senator
Reuters
A freshman U.S. Democratic senator thinks he may have found a way to encourage investment in wind, solar and biofuel projects without sapping too many taxpayer dollars or injecting new venom into a bitter partisan battle over energy incentives.
http://jlne.ws/Lh2MJn
Decade Old Ecuadorian Water Fund Providing Template For Entire Region
Ecosystem Marketplace
Ten years ago, the city of Quito implemented a $21,000 program designed to preserve upland water supplies by getting downstream water users to pay indigenous people to act as guardians of the watershed. Today, FONAG is a multi-million-dollar program with a history of results and scores of imitators.
http://jlne.ws/L7xzrK
Events
Responsible Business Summit
Asherleaf
June 27 -28, 2012, New York
http://jlne.ws/I9JaGh
Carbon Forum North America
October 1-2, 2012
Washington, DC
http://jlne.ws/zDe43B
Sustainability Summit – Innovation Challenge
October 9, 2012
New York
http://jlne.ws/wKbX7U
Carbon
New Jersey Is Sued Over Cap-and-Trade Reversal
The New York Times
Since Gov. Chris Christie pulled New Jersey out of the multistate carbon trading system known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative last year, supporters of the program have been clamoring for a reversal of the decision.
http://jlne.ws/KfNmIN
EU Court Said to Dismiss Steel Producers’ Suit on Carbon
Bloomberg
The European Court of Justice declared inadmissible two lawsuits brought by European steel producers contesting the European Union’s method for allocating free carbon permits, according to two EU officials.
http://jlne.ws/KkdFHi
Claims new gas plants could help cut emissions branded ‘ridiculous’
Business Green
Green campaigners have dismissed claims that building more gas plants would help the UK cut emissions as “ridiculous”, insisting a new “dash for gas” would leave the country locked in to a high carbon trajectory.
http://jlne.ws/L0qvyR
**Repeats in Nat Gas/Coal
Natural Gas/Coal
Indonesia says no plan to tax coal exports
Reuters
Indonesia, the world’s top exporter of thermal coal, has no intention of imposing export duties on the power plant fuel, the energy minister said on Thursday, after officials had said this week curbs were being planned.
http://jlne.ws/JQXbXq
Claims new gas plants could help cut emissions branded ‘ridiculous’
Business Green
Green campaigners have dismissed claims that building more gas plants would help the UK cut emissions as “ridiculous”, insisting a new “dash for gas” would leave the country locked in to a high carbon trajectory.
http://jlne.ws/L0qvyR
**Repeats in Carbon
Energy Titans Look to Myanmar
The Wall Street Journal
U.S. energy giants Chevron Corp. CVX +0.59% and General Electric Co. GE +0.64% are seeking deals in Myanmar as Washington slowly removes investment restrictions, playing catch-up to global rivals who have already rushed in to take advantage of the country’s mostly untapped oil and gas wealth.
http://jlne.ws/NRmtZ6
Pressure Mounts to End Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining
Huffington Post
This week hundreds of residents from Appalachia and beyond came to Washington, D.C., to demand Congress end mountaintop removal coal mining and enforce the Clean Water Act.
http://jlne.ws/L7Be91
Power
Enerkem Opens Ethanol Plant, May License Trash-to-Fuel System
Bloomberg
Enerkem Inc., the Canadian biofuels maker that withdrew its initial public offering in April, began production at a trash-to-ethanol demonstration plant in Quebec and is considering licensing its technology.
http://jlne.ws/NR37Dx
Italy mulls lifting solar cap in renewables decree
Reuters
Italy is considering changes to its new incentive scheme for renewable energy production including a hike to the cap it previously placed on solar power support as it seeks to head off criticism from the solar industry and the European Union, according to a document seen by Reuters.
http://jlne.ws/L7vGeL
GE Picks Wind-Industry Survivors as Tax Credit Expires
Bloomberg
Vic Abate expects that many makers of gearboxes, towers and blades for wind turbines will go under next year. He should know — as vice president of General Electric Co. (GE)’s renewable energy business, Abate is the executive who will seal their fates.
http://jlne.ws/KmPda0
Reports
Characterizing Pivotal Sources of Methane Emissions from Unconventional Natural Gas Production (Posted June 4, 2012)
API, ANGA
http://jlne.ws/M6RzMQ
Vulnerability of US and European electricity supply to climate change (Posted June 4, 2012)
Nature Climate Change
http://jlne.ws/L3Slcb
Developing Dimension: State of the Voluntary Carbon Markets 2012 (Posted May 31, 2012)
Ecosystem Marketplace
http://jlne.ws/JQ18Bv
Tackling exposure: placing disaster risk management at the heart of national economic and fiscal policy (Posted May 22, 2012)
http://jlne.ws/JArFwf
Fossil fuel price shocks and a low carbon economy (Posted May 21, 2012)
Oxford/DECC
http://jlne.ws/JgVKG9
Using the Allowance Value from California’s Carbon Trading System: Legal Risk Factors, Impacts to Ratepayers and the Economy (Posted May 17, 2012)
Next10
http://jlne.ws/KEYcW5.
Inclusive Green Growth: The Pathways to Sustainable Development (Posted May 9, 2012)
World Bank
http://jlne.ws/IJXP8B
Meeting Canada’s 2020 Climate Change Commitments (Posted May 8, 2012)
Office of Auditor General
http://jlne.ws/K9Lxvd
