Tag Archives: climate
UK Government To Introduce Biomass Sustainability Criteria From April 2015
EBR Staff Writer Published 26 August 2013 UK government has asked the biomass industry to demonstrate fuel sustainability starting April 2015, failure of which may cost the financial aid allotted to the producers. The companies producing 1MW capacity or more using solid biomass or biogas feedstock are needed to demonstrate to claim support under the Renewables Obligation. In order to ensure sustainability of wood-fuel, the government stated that biomass electricity would produce over 70% greenhouse gas savings compared to fossil fuel alternatives. Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change Greg Barker said that the coalition is committed to delivering clean, affordable and secure energy for consumers and that includes an important role for biomass power as part of the UK’s energy mix. “The new criteria will provide the necessary investor certainty and, crucially, ensure that the biomass is delivered in a transparent and sustainable way,” added Barker. New criteria for sustainable forest management are formulated due to the issues including sustainable harvesting rates, biodiversity protection and land use rights for indigenous populations. Meanwhile, the Renewable Energy Association has welcomed the government’s sustainability criteria stating that it would ensure that only projects with strong ecological protections and high carbon savings can be supported under the Renewables Obligation (RO). REA chief executive Nina Skorupska said, “These sustainability criteria ensure that the UK can reap the benefits of biomass, safe in the knowledge that it is making a real dent in our carbon emissions and that ecologically sensitive land is being protected. Continue reading
Wood Biomass An Untapped Resource, Climate Group Says
University of Northern British Columbia president George Iwama in front of the Nexterra biomass gasification system installed at UNBC, which is designed to replace 85 per cent of the natural gas consumed on campus. Waste wood from logging and forest fire mitigation could replace 30 to 50 per cent of the fossil fuel used in B.C. and significantly reduce carbon emissions for heating buildings and water, a new study says. Biomass that is routinely collected and burned in the name of forest management around B.C.’s small and remote towns could generate clean energy at a lower cost than fossil fuels, according to a new white paper from the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions. Dozens of First Nations communities are not on B.C.’s natural gas or electric grids, but may be surrounded by forests that could supply them with affordable energy, said study co-author Dale Littlejohn. PICS has created a new online assessment tool that will allow communities to quickly determine whether their local environment can produce enough biomass sustainably to fuel such a system. Even forests that are not being logged or thinned for fire prevention can be managed for the purpose of harvesting biomass for energy. Trees killed by pine beetle are also a potential fuel source. “We have a huge amount of waste biomass in B.C.” said Littlejohn. “There is huge potential at a building scale and a district energy scale.” District energy systems supply heat to entire communities — from clusters of commercial buildings to schools, prisons and hospitals — usually through underground pipes. At least half a dozen biomass generators are already in operation at the University of B.C., the University of Northern B.C. and in small towns such as Enderby and Quesnel. The biomass system at UNBC in Prince George is designed to replace 85 per cent of the natural gas consumed on campus. The technology is already well established in Europe, where most of B.C.’s pelletized waste wood is shipped as fuel, Littlejohn said. The PICS screening tool — called the Fire Interface Rural Screening Tool for Heating, or FIRST Heat — uses detailed information about the composition of the forest and estimates the amount of biomass that could be harvested through forest fire risk management without compromising the long-term viability of the ecosystem and the soil, which is usually replenished by wood waste and naturally occurring forest fires. The resulting data, along with information about the capital costs of generators and district heating systems, are used to calculate potential energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions compared with using conventional fossil fuels to heat space and water. The paper predicts local energy systems will create jobs in the forestry, transportation and service sectors and keep money spent on energy from flowing out of the local economy. “This is a great way to leverage a resource that is all around us and this biomass is going to burned one way or another,” said Littlejohn. “At least [biomass generators] reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and keep that money in the community.” Cases studies conducted by PICS found that Sicamous could reduce annual energy costs by up to $2.3 million and GHG emissions by up to 10,895 tonnes using biomass harvested from 70,963 hectares of mature local forest. On the other hand, the case for profitably managing young forests around Burns Lake was marginal due to lower biomass estimates. rshore@vancouversun.com Blog: vancouversun.com/greenman Podcast: vancouversunpodcasts.com/category/green-man Read more: http://www.vancouver…l#ixzz2dMCpI8se Continue reading
Sweden ‘Most Sustainable Country in the World’
August 19, 2013 is the most sustainable country in the world, a ranking it earned for its use of renewable energy sources and low carbon dioxide emissions, as well as social and governance practices such as labor participation, education and institutional framework, according to a report by sustainability investment firm Robecosam. The ranking aims to offer insight into investment risks and opportunities related to environmental, social and governance practices such as emissions and reliance on fossil fuels, and allows investors to compare countries to each other. Australia, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway round out the top five. The United Kingdom ranks sixth, followed by Canada, Finland, the US and the Netherlands. Countries with the lowest scores include Nigeria in the bottom spot, along with Egypt, Venezuela, Indonesia and Russia. The sustainability report by Robecosam evaluated 59 countries, 21 developed and 38 emerging markets, on environmental, social and governance factors considered relevant to investors. A weighted set of indicators determined each country’s score with 10 being the highest. Countries were judged on their environmental policies, emissions , energy use, energy sources, risk mitigation and biodiversity. For example, countries that rely heavily on fossil fuel imports are vulnerable to external price movements or shortages, which would result in a lower score, the report says. A majority of investors view climate change as a material risk and as a consequence have retained — and in many cases advanced — their commitment to addressing climate change in their investment activities, according to research by consultant Mercer published earlier this month. This is despite wider economic challenges and continuing policy uncertainty, according to the third annual Global Investor Survey on Climate Change. A report released last year in Doha by the World Energy Council urged governments to design long-term energy policies, enable market conditions that attract long-term investments and encourage research and development in energy technology. It said developed countries such as Sweden, Switzerland and Canada are the closest to achieving sustainable energy systems . Neither the US nor the UK made the top 10 list. Earlier this year Volvo unveiled plug-in hybrid buses — which the company says reduce fuel consumption by at least 75 percent compared with diesel buses — in Gothenburg, Sweden as part of a field test. Volvo says the plug-in technology will also reduce carbon dioxide by 75 to 80 percent, compared with current diesel buses, and reduce total energy consumption by about 60 percent. Continue reading
