In this edition, coverage of closer carbon market linkage talks between California and Australia from The Age and Bloomberg. Meanwhile, in the wind space, a move by Buffet: Warren Buffett to snap up US wind farms, reports Business Green. Also, Spain Adds $32 Billion Power-System Bailout to Bank Rescue.
Quote of the Day:
“Taking a pro-climate stance is a political winner, especially for Democrats. It’s not the most important issue [for most undecided voters but] it’s somewhere in their lexicon of issues.”
–Edward Maibach, director for the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University, in Bloomberg’s “Global Warming Links Democrats, Independents Isolating Romney.”
Lead Stories
Australia, California in talks to link carbon trading
The Age
Australian and Californian government officials have pledged to work towards linking their nascent carbon markets, they said on Sunday.
http://jlne.ws/O1erjr
**RKB – Talk so far limited to a planned “forum” but that pledge did come from Aussie Climate Change Secretary Mark Dreyfus. Of course, EU and Australia expressed their hopes for a future in August.
Australia in Talks With California to Link Emission Programs
Bloomberg
Australia said it agreed to work with the state of California to promote global emission markets. Mark Dreyfus, Australia’s secretary for climate change and energy efficiency, has set up an “ongoing working relationship” with the California Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board, according to a release from his office yesterday. Dreyfus is in the U.S. for clean energy and climate talks, according to the release.
http://jlne.ws/P758jv
Carbon Trading Grows as Preferred Policy Tool, IETA Says
Bloomberg
The expansion of carbon-trading mechanisms demonstrates that emission markets are the “policy instrument of choice” for cutting greenhouse gases, according to the International Emissions Trading Association.
http://jlne.ws/U39U3K
THE REPORT:
IETA Greenhouse Gas Market 2012
http://jlne.ws/Sv5z6y
Warren Buffett to snap up US wind farms
Business Green
Warren Buffett has beefed up his presence in the US renewable energy market, confirming plans to purchase two giant Californian wind farms through his MidAmerican Energy utility.
http://jlne.ws/UCNBN0
**RKB – More coverage in Power section.
UN official: Climate skeptics are losing
The Hill’s E2 Wire
Christiana Figueres, the United Nations’ top climate change official, expressed optimism Monday that skepticism of scientific views on global warming is on the wane in the United States.
http://jlne.ws/PSTN3n
GOP looks to force reforms on EPA’s Science Advisory Board
The Hill’s E2 Wire
House Republicans introduced a bill late last week that would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reform its Science Advisory Board, the body that acts as a scientific adviser to the EPA as the EPA writes regulations.
http://jlne.ws/QktXoR
SunGard Enhances Aligne ETRM Solution with Functionality for Dodd-Frank and Natural Gas Market
Press Release
SunGard has extended Aligne, its energy trading and risk management (ETRM) solution, to help customers comply with the Dodd-Frank Act and find new opportunities in the growing natural gas market.
http://jlne.ws/Si4IHX
EU to monitor shipping emissions from next year
Reuters
Global steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the shipping industry are moving too slowly so the European Union will introduce its own system next year in a bid to accelerate reform, its executive body said on Monday.
http://jlne.ws/QFi4LW
Obama and Romney find little common ground on energy production
Los Angeles Times
No matter who wins the 2012 election, the next president will take office as the United States faces vast new opportunities in energy production and profound challenges to environmental protection.
http://jlne.ws/Wa61Ya
Global Warming Links Democrats, Independents Isolating Romney
Bloomberg
Democrats and independent voters overwhelmingly accept the scientific evidence that human activity is warming the earth’s temperature, while almost two out of three Republicans don’t.
http://jlne.ws/Qki2r6
Events
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
Different green energy ideas from McKenna, Inslee
AP
Climate change may have faded as a national issue, but it remains prominent in the Washington governor’s race.
http://jlne.ws/QkdcdF
Natural Gas/Coal
New York Will Probably Restart Review Process on Fracking
Bloomberg
New York will probably miss a deadline to develop fracking regulations, requiring the state to begin all over again and delaying indefinitely a decision on whether to allow the natural-gas drilling, officials said.
http://jlne.ws/Si1MLt
Finland may be first European country to halt coal use
The Age
Finland may phase out the use of coal in energy production by 2025, the first European country to do so, Economy Minister Jyri Haekaemies said.
http://jlne.ws/Signq8
Power
Spain Adds $32 Billion Power-System Bailout to Bank Rescue
Bloomberg
After Spain’s rescue of its banks and cash-strapped regions, the 2013 budget reveals a bailout of the power industry to cover 25 billion euros ($32 billion) of debt accumulated by the electricity system.
http://jlne.ws/QkkDkX
EnBW asset sales could be more than 1.5 bln euros
Reuters
Germany’s third-largest utility EnBW could end up selling more than a planned 1.5 billion euros ($1.9 billion) in assets, the group’s new chief executive said on Monday.
http://jlne.ws/QxKlB1
U.S. investor eyes TenneT German power grid: report
Reuters
U.S. energy transmission developer Anbaric is mulling taking a stake in German power grid operator TenneT TNETH.UL and wants to invest around $4 billion, a German magazine reported.
http://jlne.ws/O18dQA
MidAmerican Wind to buy two California wind projects
Reuters
MidAmerican Wind agreed to buy two California wind projects from a unit of Terra-Gen Power, it said on Sunday, as the Berkshire Hathaway Inc- (BRKa.N) owned company looks to increase its renewable energy assets.
http://jlne.ws/QxKSDd
Sumitomo Sees ‘Solar Bubble’ as Japan Rejects Nuclear: Energy
Bloomberg
As Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) and billionaire Masayoshi Son lead a swarm of investors exploiting Japan’s solar power subsidies, the world’s biggest, Sumitomo Corp. (8053) is betting on wind.
http://jlne.ws/V817Nd
Wind to Make Denmark Reliant on Power Imports, Lobby Says
Bloomberg
A surge in output from Nordic renewable-power may depress electricity prices, forcing Danish fossil-fuel plants to close and making the country reliant on power imports for the first time, according to the Danish Energy Association.
http://jlne.ws/Si2hFw
Alstom Plans $15 Million Wind-Tower Production Factory in Brazil
Bloomberg
Alstom SA (ALO), Europe’s second-largest power-equipment maker, will build a 30 million-real ($14.8 million) factory in Brazil’s southern state of Rio Grande do Sul that will make towers for wind farms.
http://jlne.ws/SyDHKi
Miscellaneous
UCLA researchers say last year’s Carmageddon improved air quality
LA Times
The reprieve lasted for only one weekend, but UCLA researchers say that last year’s Carmageddon closure of the 405 Freeway rid Los Angeles of both traffic and another notorious problem: pollution.
http://jlne.ws/U2ZTU5
IDB eyes investment in Kazakh, Central Asia energy, farming
Reuters
The Islamic Development Bank is looking to resource-rich Kazakhstan and Central Asia as a fertile ground for investment, with the launch of a $50 million renewable energy fund on Monday and plans to finance agricultural projects, an official said.
http://jlne.ws/SULGHm
COLUMN-You can count on new burst of infrastructure spending
Reuters
As global economies from Beijing to Berlin struggle to keep their heads above water, a new wave of stimulus spending is under way. Given that infrastructure spending is almost always a function of population growth – which does not seem to be slowing down in emerging markets – this is a potent trend if you are a long-term investor.
http://jlne.ws/RvE6Rc
Reports
The Hidden Costs of Electricity: Comparing the Hidden Costs of Power Generation Fuels (Posted Sept. 19, 2012)
http://jlne.ws/PCt372
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
