In today’s edition: Reuters and Business Green take on the gas glut concerns for prices. And politics persists this election year, including in The Hill’s “House Republicans scrub climate change concerns from EPA bill” and Bloomberg’s “Romney Aide Says Obama Rules Hinder Energy Independence.”
Quote of the Day:
“Governments are feeling more and more uncomfortable to put money in renewables especially in the days of austerity, and some governments are cutting their support. The availability of cheap or lower gas prices are putting additional pressure on renewable energies.”
Fatih Birol, of West’s energy watchdog at an energy conference in Berne, Switzerland, in Reuters’ “Gas glut threatens climate battle-IEA”
Lead Stories
Gas glut threatens climate battle-IEA
Reuters
A new “golden age of gas” could derail global efforts to fight climate change as indebted governments mull a switch to the cheaper fuel, the International Energy Agency’s chief economist said on Thursday.
http://jlne.ws/SJZS6M
Kyoto carbon credit glut is far larger than expected, warn analysts
Business Green
The giant surplus of carbon credits currently swamping the global carbon market may never recede, removing any hope of reducing global emissions without a significant increase in national emission reduction targets, campaigners will warn today.
http://jlne.ws/RVYtHL
UN approves $3mn for CDM loan scheme
Argus
A UN loan scheme designed to increase the number of clean development mechanism (CDM) projects in developing countries has authorised more than $3mn towards 23 CDM projects.
http://jlne.ws/ROqC4O
Trillion-dollar nature needs boardroom seat, says U.N. economist
Reuters
Nature lacks a seat in the boardrooms of most big companies even though it provides valuable resources that should have a price tag, one of world’s most influential green economists said.
http://jlne.ws/PfrsEl
Romney Aide Says Obama Rules Hinder Energy Independence
Bloomberg
An energy adviser to Republican Mitt Romney said drilling advances are putting the U.S. on course to emerge “from under OPEC dominance,” while the Obama administration is stalling development with excessive rules.
http://jlne.ws/Sjv4DE
**RKB – And he plays the jobs card.
House Republicans scrub climate change concerns from EPA bill
The Hill’s E2 Wire
The latest House bill aimed at thwarting climate change regulations drops previous language that acknowledged scientific concerns about global warming and evidence of rising temperatures and sea levels.
http://jlne.ws/QWliMT
France seen turning to renewables in policy shake-up
Reuters
France’s government begins a review of the world’s most nuclear-dependent country’s energy policy on Friday, strongly in support of its small and ailing renewables sector.
http://jlne.ws/R2iicj
Chinese-Owned Ralls Corp. Sues U.S. Over Wind-Farm Order
Bloomberg
A U.S. company owned by executives of China-based Sany Group Co. accused a Treasury-led national security panel in Washington in a lawsuit of barring it from wind-farm projects without explanation or proper legal process.
http://jlne.ws/RVTJ4T
Events
GreenGov Symposium
ACCO & White House Council on Environmental Quality
September 24-25, 2012
http://jlne.ws/OfOB9D
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
EMA 2012 Fall Meeting
**Keynote speaker is Richard Sandor
October 24 – October 26, 2012
Santa Monica, CA
http://jlne.ws/NIFCwM
Carbon
Opinion: Climate Change: Carbon market needs efficient global rules
Mail & Guardian
The world stands at a critical juncture. The effects of climate change are accelerating and the predicted rise in global temperatures will have an increasingly devastating impact on food security, human settlement and our ability to survive as a people and a planet. But global action to address this looming crisis falls far short of what is needed. This lack of action to cut carbon dioxide emissions (referred to as “mitigation” in climate jargon) is also having an impact on carbon markets.
http://jlne.ws/PhgjlZ
EU Nations Uphold Support for CO2 Aviation Curbs, Hedegaard Says
Bloomberg
European Union nations reiterated their support for the inclusion of aviation in the bloc’s emissions trading system, denying media reports that some members seek a suspension, the EU Climate Commissioner said.
http://jlne.ws/OLGss9
Natural Gas/Coal
BASF Mothership Under Siege as Shale Forces Bock to Fight Back
Bloomberg
BASF SE (BAS) has spent almost 150 years expanding its German chemical mothership into an organism the size of Manhattan, whose intricate web of pipes and interlocking plants use every last bit of oil and gas brought in.
http://jlne.ws/RQjfEt
Chesapeake’s McClendon Taps Expanding Shale Oil Demand
Bloomberg
Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK) negotiated a higher-than-expected price for oil fields in the U.S. Southwest as the natural-gas driller exploited a growing appetite for shale assets among the world’s largest energy explorers.
http://jlne.ws/UaxAh3
Climate Change Committee says “dash for gas” would be illegal
Business Green
The independent Climate Change Committee (CCC) has today warned unequivocally that the government would breach the Climate Change Act if it pursues Chancellor George Osborne’s plans for a surge in new gas investment.
http://jlne.ws/Q7FVRq
Power
Softbank Aims to Be Japan’s Biggest Wind Producer With New Plant
Bloomberg
Softbank Corp. (9984), Japan’s third- biggest mobile phone company, plans to build a wind farm in the nation’s north that could make it the country’s largest producer of wind power.
http://jlne.ws/TRrmHd
Goldwind to Supply Panama Wind Farm With 25% of Turbines
Bloomberg
Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co. (2208), China’s largest wind-turbine maker by revenue, will supply Union Eolica Panamena with a quarter of the equipment it needs for a wind farm in Panama.
http://jlne.ws/U0S4eO
Vestas Said to Weigh Share Offer If Mitsubishi Plan Fails
Bloomberg
Vestas Wind Systems A/S (VWS), the world’s largest wind turbine maker, is considering selling shares to existing investors if talks on a strategic cooperation with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (7011) fail, said two people with knowledge of the matter.
http://jlne.ws/QnV3up
Japan seen exiting nuclear power by 2030s
Reuters
Japan is expected on Friday to propose abandoning nuclear power by the 2030s, a major shift from policy goals set before last year’s Fukushima disaster that aimed to increase the share of atomic energy to more than half of electricity supply.
http://jlne.ws/NrDr3a
Ireland eyes renewable power exports to UK by 2017
Reuters
Power grid operators signed a deal on Thursday to develop a 5,000 megawatt electricity transportation system which could export wind power from Ireland to the UK within five years.
http://jlne.ws/Qfi9G5
Plans for UK-Ireland “energy bridge” edge closer with Mainstream agreement
Business Green
The prospect of an “energy bridge” passing renewable electricity between the UK and Ireland edged closer yesterday after two European companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Grid.
http://jlne.ws/PzgNWx
Japan utilities’ Aug gas consumption rises 6 pct y/y
Reuters
Japan’s 10 utilities consumed 6 percent more natural gas in August than a year earlier in generating electricity as all but two of the nation’s nuclear reactors remain shut amid safety concerns, industry data showed on Friday.
http://jlne.ws/Pfr5JM
Reports
CDP Global 500 Climate Change Report (Posted Sept. 11, 2012)
Carbon Disclosure Project
Beyond the bluster: Why wind power is an effective technology (Posted Aug. 30, 2012)
IPPR
http://jlne.ws/UeZB9b
Carbon Tax Revenue and the Budget Deficit: A Win-Win Solution? (Posted Aug. 27, 2012)
MIT
http://jlne.ws/Ri3So8
The 21st Century Corporation: The Ceres Roadmap for Sustainability (Posted Aug. 21, 2012)
Ceres
http://jlne.ws/ONwe8M
EPA REGULATIONS AND ELECTRICITY (Posted Aug. 16, 2012)
GAO
http://jlne.ws/NHwlos
European Power & Renewables Deals: Quarterly M&A outlook (Posted August 15, 2012)
Pricewaterhousecoopers
http://jlne.ws/TFZjaV
Advancing Technology for America’s Transportation Future (Posted August 6, 2012)
http://jlne.ws/MA2U6I
Benchmarking Air Emissions Of the 100 Largest Electric Power Producers in the United States (Posted July 31, 2012)
http://jlne.ws/QbRr0J
Per capita CO2 emissions in China reached European level (July 18, 2012)
http://jlne.ws/NAjBQQ
The Interim Regulation of Voluntary Greenhouse Gases Emission Trading in China (Posted July 10, 2012)
The Climate Group
http://jlne.ws/Mhv62s
Measure for Management: C40 Cities (July 9, 2012)
Carbon Disclosure Project
http://jlne.ws/L9LC37
