Tag Archives: goals
Report Finds Biofuels Offer Economic Means To Meet GHG Goals
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Alaska Airlines To Buy Sustainable Biojet From Hawaii BioEnergy
By Alaska Airlines | July 29, 2013 Photo: Alaska Airlines. Alaska Airlines and Hawai`i BioEnergy LLC announced they have signed an agreement for the carrier to purchase sustainable biofuel for its aircraft. Founded in 2006, Hawai`i BioEnergy is a consortium of three of Hawaii’s largest landowners and three venture capital companies who plan to use locally grown feedstocks to produce biofuels. Alaska Airlines is Hawai`i BioEnergy’s second customer, and the first airline to sign a contract. Hawaiian Electric Co. previously announced it had agreed to purchase 10 million gallons of fuel a year from Hawai`i BioEnergy for power generation to the state, pending approval by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission. Hawai`i BioEnergy will ramp up production of the sustainable fuels within five years of regulatory approval, allowing Alaska Airlines to begin procuring sustainable jet fuel for its Hawaii flights possibly as soon as fall 2018. “We are pleased to be partnering with Hawai`i BioEnergy to encourage the production and commercial distribution of sustainable fuels,” said Keith Loveless, Alaska Air Group’s executive vice president and general counsel. “Beyond the environmental advantages, it improves the fuel supply integrity in the state of Hawaii, which will allow for the further growth of our airline operations throughout the Islands.” “Alaska Airlines shares our goals of environmental responsibility and our commitment to sustainable, local energy production,” said Joel Matsunaga, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Hawai`i BioEnergy. “The development and commercialization of local, renewable energy is of critical importance to Hawaii, given the state imports 95 percent of its energy needs. Use of locally grown feedstocks for biofuel production will improve Hawaii’s energy sustainability and security while creating jobs in our communities.” The feedstock for the biofuel is anticipated to be woody biomass-based and will be consistent with the sustainability criteria established by the Roundtable for Sustainable Biofuels, an international multistakeholder initiative concerned with ensuring the sustainability of biomass production and processing. Alaska Airlines has reduced its carbon footprint intensity by 30 percent (measured by revenue passenger miles) since 2004. In 2011, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air were the first domestic airlines to fly multiple passenger flights powered by a biofuel blend. Alaska Airlines, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, together with its partner regional airlines, serves 95 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines has ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers” in the J.D. Power and Associates North America Airline Satisfaction StudySM for six consecutive years from 2008 to 2013. Hawai`i BioEnergy LLC is a consortium established by three of Hawaii’s largest landowners: Kamehameha Schools, Grove Farm Company Inc., and Maui Land & Pineapple Inc., along with venture capital partnerships including Vinod Khosla, Ulupono Initiative and Finistere Ventures. HBE’s mission is to contribute to a sustainable energy future for the state of Hawai`i through the production of biobased liquid fuels, power and other valuable coproducts from locally grown feedstocks. Continue reading
Funds Warn EU Energy Policy Is Not Investment Friendly
Thu Jun 27, 2013 6:01am EDT * Commission has issued 2030 policy discussion document * Debate on firm policy goals displaced by cost worries * Major investment decisions must be taken before 2020 By Barbara Lewis BRUSSELS, June 27 (Reuters) – Pensions, insurers and other funds responsible for 7.5 trillion euros ($9.75 trillion) in assets said investment is likely to shun the European Union unless it can draw up new energy and climate policy before the end of the year. Representing more than 80 of Europe’s largest investors, including HSBC Investments, Mercer Global Investments Europe and the BT Pension Scheme, the group on Thursday urged the EU executive not to delay draft law on 2030 policy. “The longer the delay, the more investors will start to doubt Europe’s resolve to make its low carbon roadmap a reality,” Craig Mackenzie, head of sustainability at Scottish Widows Partnership, said in a statement. Mackenzie is also board director of the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC), which published its reaction to a European Commission document that launches the debate on how to follow climate and energy legislation after it runs out in 2020. Without detailed policies, long-term investment needed for the multi-year planning cycles of the energy sector might not be forthcoming, the IIGCC said, adding its members are much better able to provide that than short-term financial markets . The group helps to fund heavy industry, including chemicals and steel , as well as infrastructure for green energy. To upgrade networks to absorb higher levels of renewable energy, the Commission, the EU executive, has estimated around 1 trillion euros is needed by 2020 and that figure rises to 7 trillion euros over the next 40 years, the IIGCC said. Debate on the goals the Commission outlined early this year has been sluggish as financial crisis has prioritised cost, competitiveness and saving jobs over climate and energy policy. Uncertainty has been aggravated by the collapse of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), the European Union’s carbon market, which is too weak to drive low carbon investment. The European Union has been unable to agree on a rescue plan, although the European Parliament will hold another vote to try to resolve the issue next week. The IIGCC wants structural reforms of the carbon market, as well as a 2030 goal for a 40 percent cut in carbon emissions compared with 1990 levels and a system to ensure investors always have a target 15 years ahead. To achieve 2030 goals, major investment decisions must be taken before 2020, the group said, adding substantial progress on new law was needed before 2014 to ensure that happens. In 2014, the European Union has a change of parliament and Commissioners, which creates a hiatus in the law-making process. Commission officials have acknowledged the need for urgency. They also hope 5.1 billion euros of EU money, set aside in the multi-annual budget for energy infrastructure, can lure further investment. “We want to be able to (by the end of year) get energy markets back on track by a stable political framework up to 2030 with as much commitment as we can,” Philip Lowe, a director general in the European Commission, said on the sidelines of a London conference. Continue reading
