Parliamentary inquiry in renewable energy in SA

A South Australian Parliamentary Committee is inquiring into renewable energy in the state.

The Economic and Finance Committee is undertaking the inquiry following the recommendation of the Economic Development Board that South Australia position itself as an innovator in clean energy.

The committee will study barriers to investment and any regulatory impediments to the positioning of the state in taking a leading role in the development of clean energy.

Parties interested in making submissions to the inquiry can do so until the end of October 2009.

The committee will consider all submissions it receives and may invite parties to present evidence supporting their submissions to public hearings. For further information about the inquiry go here or contact

Companiile aeriene cer Bruxelles-ului să modifice plafonul emisiilor de CO2 calculat pentru 2012

Asociaţia de transport aerian internaţional (IATA) contestă plafonul de emisii de CO2 calculat de Comisia Europeană (CE), ce ar trebui să fie aplicat sectorului din 2012, ca urmare a sumei mari pe care firmele aeriene ar trebui să o dea anual ca să cumpere cotele aferente, Les Echos. Foto (1)
Vezi Galerie Articol
Sectorul aerian, responsabil pentru 2-3% din emisiile globale de gaze cu efect de seră, nu este de acord cu metoda de calcul a Executivului european, care i-ar afecta foarte mult afacerile în fiecare an.

Numai în 2012 companiile aeriene ar trebui să achite circa 1 miliard euro pentru achiziţionarea cotelor, în cadrul sistemului de tranzacţionare a emisiilor de CO2, pentru a cumpăra de pe piaţă 77 milioane tone de CO2, sub formă de cote, potrivit unui studiu efectuat de compania de consultanţă Point Carbon, citat de Les Echos.

Toate companiile aeriene, europene sau nu, care au zboruri regulate în Uniunea Europeană, vor trebui să respecte un plafon ce corespunde în 2012 cu 97% din media emisiilor de gaze cu efect de seră din perioada 2004-2006, care va trebui să coboare la 95% în 2013, potrivit CE. În faţa avalanşei de proteste, Bruxelles-ul care ar fi urmat să anunţe plafonul emisiilor (reprezentând media acestora) la începutul lunii august, a amânat publicarea cifrelor pentru toamnă.

Potrivit unor calcule iniţiale, media ar ajunge la 216 milioane tone de CO2 în intervalul 2004-2006 pentru ansamblul sectorului, ceea ce ar duce la un plafon de 210 milioane emisii pentru 2012.

Companiile cel mai puternic afectate de decizia Bruxelles-ului ar urma să fie Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, British Airways, Ryanair, Qantas, Continental Airlines, EasyJet, Thai Airways, American Airlines şi Air France-KLM. Numai de la acestea sumele de plătit s-ar ridica la 351,6 milioane euro, la un cost de 14,40 euro pe tona de CO2 emisă.

Servicios en el comercio de derechos de emisión de CO2 de la UE para empresas en España

Para las empresas sujetas al comercio de emisiones, así como para empresas del sector energético con sus centrales térmicas, eléctricas así como plantas con dispositivos de combustión y producción de vapor e industrias del vidrio, papel, cemento y cerámicas ofrecemos nuestros servicios de asesoría y comerciales.
Los principales son:

•Elaboración de solicitud de autorización de emisión de gases y preparación estratégica para el período de asignación 2013-2017
•Elaboración y control de sistemas de seguimiento según las nuevas pautas comunitarias MRG2007 para el segundo período de asignación.
•Asesoría técnica y empresarial para la optimización de una planta mediante ahorro de CO2 y derechos de emisión
•Elaboración de informes anuales para el RENADE
•Gestión y administración de los registros de cuentas en el RENADE, incluida la realización de devoluciones y transmisiones
•Traspaso de certificados CER y EUA a fin de ponerlos en venta en bolsa, parquets financieros o a través de otros agentes del mercado
•Estructuración, administración y maximización del beneficio de los certificados de comercio de emisiones de empresas mediante remuneración con prima fija o solo en caso de éxito (no wins no fee)
•Realización de compra y venta de certificados de emisión EUA2 y CER en las bolsas de energía EXAA, APX y EEX, así como en comercio bilateral
•Asesoría en la compra o venta de certificados de emisión EUA2 y CER en el mercado de futuros (contrato ahora, transacción después)
•Asesoría en permutas de EUA2 por certificados CER, minimizando riesgos mediante la eliminación de los provenientes de la otra parte contratante y optimización del pago compensatorio
•Seminarios e Inhouse-Workshops sobre balances y fiscalidad del comercio de emisiones
•Asesoría para implementar un Management de riesgo en el comercio de emisiones
•Concepción y desarrollo de sistemas de garantía de calidad
•Realización de servicios de asesoría en el comercio de emisiones en el sector de las empresas de tecnología de la información

Certyfikaty CO2 w Polsce na kontach od 02.04.2009!

Wczoraj 02.04.2009 zostaly rozdane certyfikaty EUA przez KASHUE na konta polskich operatorów instalacji.

Tym samym mozna zwrócic do 30.04.2009 do KASHUE certyfikaty, które zostaly zuzyte w roku 2008.

Jezeli przyjzec siê dokladniej liczbie 874 operatorów instalacji w Polsce, to uwidacznia siê fakt iz:

•221 instalacji ma niedobór certyfikatów za rok 2008 (tzn. ze brakuje certyfikatów, które powinny byc dokupione)
•176 instalacji nie zdazylo zlozyc dpowiednich raportów dotyczacych zuzycia na rok 2008 (tzn. ze w tym przypadku grozi kara w wysokosci 100,00 € za kazda tonê)
•477 instalacji ma za rok 2008 nadwyzkê certyfikatów (tzn. ze nadmiar certyfikatów moze byc natychmiast sprzedany na gieldzie)


Emissionshändler.com jako czlonek 3 róznych gield CO2 w Europie jest w stanie sprzedac Pañstwu bezposrednio na gieldzie w przeciagu jednego dnia wszystkie nadwyzki uprawnieñ do emisji CO2! Jest to sprzedaz bez posredników handlowych, bez doradców i przede wszystkim bez posrednictwa banków. Z reguly przychód banków zwraca siê od 10-20 % z transakcji, a doradcy i handlowcy chcieliby równiez prowizjê w odpowiedniej wysokosci. U nas zaplaca Pañstwo tylko jedna ryczaltowa oplatê za transakcjê gieldowa kupna/sprzedazy jak równiez oplatê Euro-centa za tonê (oplata gieldowa/clearingowa).

W razie pytañ prosimy o bezposredni kontakt telefoniczny lub tez poinformowanie siê na stronie www.handel-emisjami.pl

Od nadchodzacego poniedzialku otrzymaja Pañstwo wiêcêj dokladniejszych informacji.

Basic Facts regarding EUA-CER Change

Within the European Community EU all plants with more than 20 MW burning capacity are obliged to participate in the CO2-Trading scheme. Within the EU these are about 12.000 individual plants, in Germany about 2400 plants belonging to about 1.100 enterprises, in Poland about 850 plants. The operators of the plants are entitled to receive EUA`s = European Union Allowances which cover an emission amount more or less in the actual range of their emissions. One EUA is the equivalent of the right to emit one ton of CO2.


In case an enterprise emits less t CO2 compared to the awarded amount than it can sell the surplus rights. On the other hand if more t CO2 are emitted additional rights have to be bought.
In each trading period (2005-2007, 2008-2012, 2013-2017) the enterprises will get less emission rights allocated than they actually used in the period before. Within the scheme of Trade of emission rights the allocation of free rights to the operators will become diminished and a market will develop for the commercial Trade with the scarce Emission rights. These mechanisms will push investments in modern environmentally benign technologies at the locations where results can be achieved with the lowest cost.


In order to make sure this will be optimized under a worldwide scheme the Kyoto Protocol has applied the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Enterprises are not urged to reduce the CO2-Emissions in their own plants only. They also can participate in projects for climate protection internationally under the scheme of Certified Emissions Reductions (CER). This concerns projects in Developing Countries under independents surveillance of the UNFCCC, the Climate Secretariat of the UN, which has to allow and register each of these projects. The investors of such projects will issue CO2-Reduction-Certificates, which bear the name of Certified Emissions Reductions (CER). By that means enterprises in Europe can substitute the EUA’s of the second Trading period to a certain degree with CER’s (in Germany 22%, in Poland 10%), in order of fulfilling their legal requirement of returning CO2-Emissions-Allowances for their real CO2-Output. This is being regulated in Germany in the law and in Poland through Point 6 of the Ministry Regulation of May 16, 2008 of the KPUE.

Economisirea energiei şi reducerea emisiei de CO2

Compania Sony Ericsson şi-a luat angajamentul de a elimina factorii care cauzează modificări climatice. În timp ce lucrăm continuu în vederea minimizării consumului de energie pentru produsele noastre, considerăm că toţi partenerii din această industrie trebuie să colaboreze pentru un viitor sustenabil. În noiembrie 2007, Sony Ericsson a semnat, în acord cu Comunicatul de la Bali, un cadru cuprinzător de acţiuni al Naţiunilor Unite menit să coordoneze lupta împotriva factorilor de schimbare a climei.

GreenHeart™
GreenHeart™ este rezultatul anilor de inovaţie pentru a oferi telefoane care reprezintă o opţiune mai ecologică. Sony Ericsson a anunţat portofoliul Sony Ericsson GreenHeart™, care prezintă inovaţii ecologice prin care este redus impactul general al telefonului asupra mediului fără a se face compromisuri la stil sau caracteristici. Datorită tuturor următoarelor caracteristici GreenHeart™, emisiile generale de CO² de la telefon sunt reduse cu 15%:

•Un manual electronic, în telefon, înlocuieşte versiunea standard pe hârtie şi îţi oferă acces convenabil şi instantaneu la ghidul de asistenţă pentru produs indiferent unde te-ai afla

•De asemenea, manualul electronic face economii de peste 90% la hârtie şi reduce impactul asupra mediului prin transportarea prodului final în ambalaje mai compacte

•Realizat din cel puţin 50% materiale plastice reciclate

•Senzor de lumină optimizat pentru afişaj, care utilizează mai puţină energie

•Telefonul este colorat cu vopsele de apă, care reduc expunerea la compuşii organici volatili (VOC) şi pot fi transportate ca materii prime, utilizând apa locală pentru reconstituire la fabrica de asamblare, reducând semnificativ emisiile de CO² asociate cu transportul.

No Greek plan for low-carbon energy supply

ATHENS – The lack of a structured long-term plan to reduce emissions is hurting Greece’s climate change credentials and the satisfaction caused to Greek environmental organisations by the decision of the Ministry of Development to ban the construction of hard-coal units five months ago has given way to deep concern.
Bellona, 28/06-2009
According to the Greek Public Power Company’s (PPC) operational plan for 2009-2014 (download the PDF to the right) the utility company would cover the country’s increasing electricity needs by constructing two lignite units, two hard-coal units and two natural gas units. Now that the hard-coal units have been cancelled it remains to be decided how they are going to be replaced.

According to Chrysa Liagou’s article, published in the credible Kathimerini newspaper “given the ban of hard-coal, PPC would have to move towards further investments in natural gas and lignite (…) further investments in the use of natural gas is in practice impossible, though due to high uncertainty regarding the capacity and the security of supply.”

That subsequently means that declarations concerning more investments in lignite, which is a mineral extracted domestically, should be expected soon, as it appears to be the only credible way to cover the gap in the energy mix caused by the decision to ban hard-coal.

Investments in alternative energy have also been very few due to the lack of a coherent state strategy to support such plans, as well as because of overwhelming obstacles posed by the Greek bureaucracy. Yet as a local expert underlines “renewable energy cannot become the backbone of the energy mix any time soon as there is no infrastructure to make use of produced energy.” Wind energy, for instance, cannot be stored.

The fact that there is no ability yet to rely on renewable energy as well as the lack of any plan to deal with emissions caused by the country’s mid-term dependence on coal by engaging in a serious discussion to promote CCS technology only underlines the lack of a coherent strategy regarding Climate Change. As many environmentalists point out Climate Change measures taken reflect only instinctive reactions to rules imposed by the EU and international agreements.

In a country that resents the idea of appearing as a laggard in taking strict climate change measures there has been no report on a national strategy for Climate Change since 2003 (download the PDF to the right). Furthermore there is no official prediction on how the Greek energy mix should be formed by 2050.

The only relevant report issued by the Ministry of Development in consultation with the Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE) and the Centre for Renewable Energy Sources (CRES) offers an energy plan only until 2020. This report holds that the main pillars of the national effort to reduce emissions would be to replace old coal plants with new more effective ones, to take advantage of the country’s climatic potential by investing on a wider deployment of photovoltaics and to increase the import of natural gas.

Besides the fact that this report does not provide the much needed long-term answer to Greece’s Climate Change strategy it fails to offer a solution regarding dealing with emissions produced by lignite plants that will cover in the mid-term the country’s needs for energy.

As the international pressure will mount on Greece to adjust its energy strategy to the critical need to reduce emissions the lack of any such plan proves the inability of the political leaders to grasp the gravity of the issue. An organised attempt to discuss CCS technology in Greece, in particular whether CO2 can be safely stored in Greece, and present a real project proposition entailing economic and technological aspects would be a move towards developing a realistic plan to reduce emissions that would provide a credible answer to concerns posed by the country’s mid-term dependence on coal.

România şi Bulgaria au primit cote de CO2 mai mari decât oricare stat al UE

România va avea dreptul să emită cu până la 19% mai mult dioxid de carbon până în 2020. Asta în comparaţie cu 2005, luat ca an de referinţă, pentru că atunci a avut loc ultima evaluare ştiinţifică a nivelului emisiilor poluante. Totodată, însă, România trebuie să-şi crească ponderea energiei regenerabile la 24% din producţia totală de energie.

Normele adoptate ieri de Comisia Europeană sunt obligatorii din punct de vedere juridic. Chiar dacă legislaţia prezentată de preşedintele forului european,Jose Manuel Barroso, are la bază principiul '20-20-20 până în 2020", adică o creştere cu 20% a eficienţei energetice, o reducere cu 20% a emisiilor de gaze cu efect de seră, şi utilizarea în proporţie de 20% a surselor regenerabile de energie, ţările mai bogate vor trebui să meargă chiar mai departe.

De cealaltă parte, ţărilor mai sărace, la care se adaugă şi toate statele est-europene, li se va permite să-şi crească emisiile de dioxid de carbon pe măsură ce economiile lor se dezvoltă. Cele mai favorizate sunt România şi Bulgaria. Ele au primit cote de dioxid de carbon mai mari decât oricare alt stat membru pe motivul că sunt ultimele state aderate la Uniununea Europeană şi trebuie să recupereze întârzierile din dezvoltarea economică.

Astfel, Bulgaria va beneficia de o creştere de 20% a emisiilor de CO2, România de 19%,Ungaria de 10%, Polonia de 14% şi Slovacia de 13%. În schimb, România va trebui să sporească ponderea energiilor regenerabile în totalul producţiei, de la 17,8% în prezent, la 24% până în 2020. La rândul său Bulgaria va trebui să ajungă la o pondere a energiei regenerabile la 16% de la 9,4% cât este în prezent.

Diferenţa rezultată din urma relocării acestor cote de emisii de dioxid de carbon, va fi suportată de cele 15 state vechi membre. Asta pentru ca,blocul comunitar să-şi poată atinge ţinta de reducere a gazelor cu efect de seră. Cele mai mari reduceri vor trebui să le facă Danemarca, Irlanda şi Luxemburg-ul, 20 de procente, în timp ce Germania, cea mai mare economie europeană, va trebui să-şi reducă emisiile cu 14% până în 2020.

Totodată, oficialii de la Bruxelles speră ca până în 2020, o cincime din consumul energetic total să provină din energii regenerabile. Nu este însă un plan ieftin, pentru că ar putea costa până la 18 miliarde de euro pe an. Beneficiile sună însă bine: Europa liderul mondial în tehnologia 'verde', fapt care generează locuri de muncă, exporturi şi venituri de peste 150 de miliarde de euro până în 2016.

Riscurile scaparilor de CO2 stocat au fost supraestimate

Un studiu publicat recent de reputatul Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), care a analizat riscurile de scapari de dioxid de carbon din depozitele subterane, a ajuns la concluzia ca CO2 ramane captiv odata ce a fost injectat prin tehnologia captarii si stocarii carbonului (CCS). Concluziile subliniaza potentialul stocarii geologice a CO2 ca instrument sigur de lupta impotriva schimbarilor climatice.


Foto: meic.org

Studiul, al carui obiectiv a fost intelegerea mai buna a comportamentului dioxidului de carbon injectat in subteran, s-a bazat pe simulari de scapari potentiale si pe estimari ale capacitatilor de stocare ale acviferilor salini.

In timp ce simularile au aratat ca raman multe semne de intrebare in privinta estimarii capacitatilor de stocare, in privinta simularilor de scapari de dioxid de carbon, lucrurile sunt diferite. Potrivit rezultatelor, exista o anumita probabilitate de scapari. Totusi, cantitatea de CO2 care poate reveni in atmosfera este doar la nivelul unei fractiuni de procent din volumele totale de CO2 injectat. In plus, abia in decursul a mii de ani vor aparea scapari

Investors eye forest CO2 market, climate pact key-poll

BANGKOK, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Investors such as UBS, Citigroup and Blackrock back a potentially multi-billion dollar carbon credit market centred on saving forests but regulations and cash were needed to build a market first, a survey has found.

The survey of investors with $7 trillion of assets under management by the Brunswick Group for global conservation group WWF said banks and fund managers were waiting for the forest carbon scheme to be included in a broader U.N. climate pact.

They also said rich nations needed to include the U.N.-backed scheme, called reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD), into laws that allow forest carbon offsets to be included as part of steps to meet national emissions targets.

The tougher the targets the likely greater the demand for the offsets. The survey was released on Tuesday.

"REDD is critical to a climate solution and financing is critical to make REDD work," said Donald Kanak, chairman of WWF's Forest Carbon Initiative, which commissioned the survey of 25 senior institutional money managers, analysts and sustainability investors globally.

"In the long term private capital could play a major role if certain conditions are satisfied. We need the public sector to support sufficient financing in the near term to help forest countries become REDD ready," he told reporters in Bangkok.

Delegates from about 180 countries are trying to narrow differences on emissions reduction targets, climate finance and transfer of clean-energy technology before a December deadline to try to seal a tougher pact to replace the Kyoto Protocol. [ID:nSP450470].

REDD is seen as a crucial part of a new climate pact because deforestation is responsible for about 20 percent of mankind's greenhouse gas emissions, so saving forests is a key part of the climate puzzle.

Developing countries could potentially earn billions of dollars in annual funds from selling carbon offsets from projects that protect or rehabilitate forests for decades, thereby locking away large amounts of carbon dioxide.

PRECONDITIONS But Kanak said a number of preconditions needed to be met before a global forest carbon market could take off.

"Agreement on a climate treaty at Copenhagen, with support from major economies such as China and India, and legislation in the U.S. are key pre-requisites," he said. Negotiators will try to agree on a broad outline of a post-Kyoto pact in Copenhagen in December.

"Public sector funding will be vital before a market-based approach can take effect," he said, adding that problems on ensuring REDD projects are permanent and lead to significant long-term CO2 reductions could be addressed if there was a strong political framework in place.

"National governments must also put in place robust and durable legal frameworks to create certainty for investors," he said.

The survey also found more than a third of investors expected a forest CO2 market would evolve from the existing voluntary carbon market to a "compliance" market backed by national emissions trading schemes in five to 15 years if the preconditions were met.

Jahrelang schien die Gruppe der Acht übermächtig: Demonstranten rannten gegen ihre Gipfel an, mit dem Ergebnis, dass im nächsten Jahr wieder getagt wu

Das Wechselkurssystem von Bretton Woods zusammengebrochen, die erste Ölkrise noch lange nicht überstanden: sechs Regierungs- und Staatschef versammeln sich 1975 in trauter Runde zu einem Kamingespräch auf Schloss Rambouillet, nahe Paris. Krisen schweißen zusammen, und so suchen die sechs größten Industrienationen Deutschland, Frankreich, Großbritannien, Italien, Japan und die USA Antworten auf ihre dringenden Finanz- und Währungsfragen.



Vom Kamingespräch zum elitären Mammutgipfel



Über die Jahre kommen neue Themen hinzu: die Wirtschaft im weiteren Sinne, Bevölkerungsentwicklung, Umweltschutz und Klimawandel, Strafverfolgung und Terrorismusbekämpfung. Aus sechs werden mit Kanada sieben Mitglieder, schließlich mit Russland acht. Von den finanz- und wirtschaftspolitischen Beratungen ist Russland jedoch bis heute weitgehend ausgeschlossen. Der Vorsitz rotiert im Jahrestakt und aus dem kleinen Forum ist eine permanente Kooperation geworden und ein jährlicher riesiger Gipfel - der letzte fand im Juli 2009 im italienischen L’Aquila statt. Und der nächste ist schon anberaumt: 2010, Huntsville, Kanada.



Der Aufstieg der Schwellenländer



Doch viele bezweifeln, dass es einen nächsten Gipfel im kleinen Kreis der Acht tatsächlich geben wird. Denn schon der Abruzzengipfel in L'Aquila markierte eine Zäsur: weg vom elitären Zirkel der Acht hin zu den Zwanzig (G-20). Dort sitzen nicht nur die acht großen Industrienationen und eine Vertretung der EU, sondern auch Schwellenländer wie China, Brasilien und Indien sowie wichtige Öllieferanten wie Saudi-Arabien. Schon seit Jahren werden Länder wie China, Indien, Mexiko oder Brasilien als Zaungäste zum G-8-Gipfel geladen, denn aus den internationalen Finanz- oder Handelsbeziehungen sind sie nicht mehr wegzudenken. Vor allem in L'Aquila aber wurde klar, dass sich die G-8 überlebt hat: die meiste Zeit auf dem Gipfel waren Schwellenländer oder afrikanische Staaten in die Gespräche mit eingebunden.



Seit der Wirtschaftskrise unumgänglich: die G-20



Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Wollen mehr Einfluss: Regierungschefs aus Indien, Mexiko, Brasilien und Südafrika Schon mit dem Wegfall der Mauer und der wachsenden Globalisierung wurde die G-8 ein politisch wie wirtschaftlich unpassendes Format. Vor allem aber nach dem Zusammenbruch des Finanzsystems kamen auch die G-20-Kritiker nicht mehr umhin, aus den Zaungästen Partner zu machen. Zu global waren die Probleme, als dass man sie im kleinen Kreis hätte lösen können. So traf sich im November 2008 die von Finanzministern gegründete G-20-Runde erstmals auf Regierungschef-Ebene zum ersten Weltfinanzgipfel. Das war in Washington. Fünf Monate später noch einmal in London. Die Regierungschefs schnürten Milliarden-Pakete, um einen Zusammenbruch der Weltwirtschaft zu verhindern. Und nun folgt Pittsburgh.




Ohne demokratische Legitimation



Doch die Frage bleibt, inwieweit die G-20 ein geeignetes Forum ist, die großen Probleme unserer Zeit anzugehen. Zwar stehen ihre Mitglieder für 90 Prozent des weltweiten Bruttosozialproduktes, für 80 Prozent des weltweiten Handels und für zwei Drittel der Weltbevölkerung, doch die Mehrheit der Staaten - vor allem die armen Entwicklungsländer - muss nach wie vor draußen bleiben. Und wie schon die G-8 ist die G-20 ein informelles Gremium, ohne jede demokratische Legitimation. Einen Ausweg sehen Kritiker der Clubformate in einem Weltwirtschaftsrat unter dem Dach der UNO - ähnlich dem Weltsicherheitsrat. Ihm sollten sich dann der Internationale Währungsfonds IWF und die Weltbank, die wieder an Bedeutung zunehmen, sowie die Welthandelsorganisation WTO unterordnen.