Company Cars getting greener
Lex Autolease – the UK’s largest company car provider – has released new data today revealing a significant shift in company car leasing habits over the last year, in favour of greener and more fuel-efficient models.
The leasing business has also acknowledged that average emissions across its whole fleet of 350,000 vehicles, has fallen from last years 158g/km to below 152g/km this year. In addition, the organisation has now supplied more than 30,000 vehicles to companies across the UK with emissions of 120g/km or less.
Steve Osborne, head of fleet management at Lex Autolease, advises that the growing interest in smaller company cars is being driven by the desire to reduce carbon emissions and fuel costs, in conjunction with the introduction of lower taxes which have been applied to the most fuel-efficient vehicles.
Under new tax rules which were introduced in April this year, any company car with emissions of under 161g/km is subject to higher allowances against corporation tax, whilst the government’s banding of company-car taxes also means that vehicles emitting less than 120g/km of CO2 are subject to the lowest 10% tax rate.
Mr. Osborne commented that while each of those company car drivers – emitting less than 120g/km – pays the lowest rate of benefit-in-kind tax and gets the most out of their employment package, the company could also be making thousands of pounds in post-tax savings.
Source;
Businessgreen.com/ News/ Transport
http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2250847/executives-embrace-green
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Cap emissions before energy bill
Advising business leaders at a Clean Energy Forum this week, the White House’s top climate and energy adviser, Carol Browner categorically stated that it would be a “big mistake” for Congress to approve an energy bill this year without first placing a cap on greenhouse emissions – “I think you have to keep these programs coordinated because they do impact with each other”
The Reuters report yesterday advised that with climate change legislation facing a hard road to passage in the Senate, some lawmakers are suggesting that the chamber should instead focus on moving less controversial legislation just supporting renewable energy.
Both the House and Senate bills revolve around the cap-and-trade system which limits carbon emissions whereby companies would need permits for every ton of carbon pollution they release into the atmosphere – then utilities and factories which do not use all their permits can trade, or sell them, to those companies who need more.
Discussing the issue, Ms. Browner played down the significance of having a climate change bill approved by both chambers and signed into law before the international climate negotiations begin in Copenhagen in December – where leaders will try to form an agreement to replace the 1997 Kyoto protocol to fight climate change.
“We will manage in Copenhagen wherever we are in the process” she said.
The House earlier this year passed legislation that would limit greenhouse emissions by requiring companies to acquire permits for the carbon dioxide they release into the atmosphere.
Any climate legislation in the Senate is likely to come across a battle seeing as lawmakers from heavy industrial states in both parties have already raised concerns about burdening companies with additional energy costs.
Source;
e-news @ newenergyfinance.com
link http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE59657620091007
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Japan Buys Latvia’s Emission Rights
In a report by The Japan Times Online – Japan has confirmed an agreement with Latvia to acquire rights to emit 1.5 million tons of greenhouse gases in terms of carbon dioxide – in a bid help achieve the country’s reduction goal under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.
Japan has acquired the rights directly from the Baltic state under the green investment scheme – a mechanism in the framework of international emissions trade that requires the rights-selling country to use the funds for projects aimed at reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.
Earlier this year, Japan used a similar mechanism which allowed it to buy gas-emission rights from Ukraine and the Czech Republic.
Source;
e-News @ newenergyfinance.com
ttp://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20091007a6.html
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DECC reveals Energy Efficiency Scheme
Final details of the Government’s scheme that will save organisations money on fuel bills as well as reduce the UK’s carbon emissions, have been revealed today by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).
According to an issued press release by the DECC – The Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme is the new regulatory incentive devised to improve energy efficiency within large public and private sector organisations, whereby large energy users in business as well as the public sector will be required to take part in the scheme from 1st April 2010.
After carrying out extensive consultation with businesses and trade bodies the Department for Energy and Climate Change has made the following improvements:
• To smooth the introduction of the scheme and to help ease the upfront costs, organisations will only have to report emissions in the first year (2010/11). In subsequent years organisations will have to buy allowances corresponding to their emissions from energy use, and then surrender them by the end of the year.
• In the second year (2011/12) extra weighting will be given to organisations which take action early to improve energy efficiency.
• Recognition will be given to organisations which use onsite renewable energy like wind turbines or solar panels by publishing the increased carbon savings from such measures.
• Organisations will be given greater flexibility in how they participate. Subsidiaries who are large enough to qualify in own right (at least 6000MWh) may opt to do so separately from their organisational group.
• Given the primary focus of the scheme is energy efficiency, the CRC will now be known as CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme.
Joan Ruddock, Energy and Climate Change Minister stated:
“The UK is leading the way in tackling climate change and in the move to a low carbon economy. Organisations and the public sector must play a central role including all government departments, regardless of size…
… Large organisations have huge potential to achieve cost-effective energy efficiency savings. There are clear benefits from positive, immediate action to tackle climate change. Investment that takes place in the next few decades will have a profound effect on the climate in the second half of this century and in the next…
… The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme will help organisations to become more energy efficient, to save significant sums of money on fuel bills, and to show customers, clients and competitors that their organisation is a leader in tackling climate change”
Source;
Decc.gov.uk – Press release – Energy efficiency scheme will save cash and carbon-07.10.09
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/pn112/pn112.aspx
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Reduced Carbon Footprint
According to figures released by the Climate Change Department – Green efforts by the great British public are starting to pay off. The data shows that more than three-quarters of local councils across the UK have reduced their carbon emissions over a two-year period, and that Greater London boasts the lowest emissions per person.
The statistics, covering emissions from homes, businesses, road transport and land use across each area, showed that there were reductions for 335 out of 434 local authorities in the period 2005 to 2007, and also revealed a slight fall in UK-wide emissions, which dropped 2% over the same period, however, some councils did see their carbon footprint increase.
Greater London produces the lowest emissions per person, at six tonnes each, in comparison to the North East which had the highest level at 12.5 tonnes per person in 2007. Interestingly, the North East was also the region with the biggest improvement for the two years preceding. Local and regional figures reflect on the density of the population along with energy use and business activity in any given area.
David Kidney, Energy and Climate Change Minister, said that he is very encouraged by the published results. He continued by saying that every community in the country is working to reduce their carbon footprint -local Authorities are at the heart of the community and as such are able to set an example on tackling climate change via their own actions.
Further more, Mr Kidney advised that the government is helping people as well as businesses to save energy, cut emissions and save money, and that their plans include every home having a smart meter to monitor energy use by 2020, more homes will be insulated, incentives will be provided for businesses to go green and that they will be targeting support to those vulnerable people who need it most.
Source article;
http://www.greenenergy.uk.com/Article.aspx?ARTICLE_ID=130
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UK Trading Emissions makes a loss
UK-based company Trading Emissions – investors in tradable environmental permits, has recorded a pre-tax loss of £232 million compared to a profit of £194 million in the previous year – due to falling carbon prices – The drop in carbon prices from €20 to €13 per ton has resulted in the firms net asset value per share falling to 150 pence from 227 pence.
Trading Emissions – which specialises in renewable energy projects and emissions instruments – remarks that countries will offer more commitment to climate change at the United Nations summit in Copenhagen, but according to Reuters there will be very little detail on these measures.
Leaders are gathering in Copenhagen in December to thrash out a replacement for the Kyoto Protocol, under which companies can invest in clean energy projects in developing countries. In return, they will receive Certified Emissions Reduction Credits (CERs) from the United Nations (UN) which they can sell for profit.
The company’s initial investments take place in projects developed under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Joint Implementation (JI) of the Kyoto Protocol.
Source;
Email news @ powertechnology.com
Link to –
http://www.power-technology.com/news/news65957.html?WT.mc_id=DN_News&mxmroi=14002247/2190980/false
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Obama Administration steps up Greenhouse gas regs
As reported by nytimes.com – Science/Environment – The Obama administration has announced that it will move forward on new rules to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from hundreds of power plants and large industrial facilities – unwilling to wait for Congress to act.
US President, Barack Obama advised that he would prefer a more comprehensive legislative approach to regulating emissions and stemming global warming and not a piecemeal application of rules.
Obama also stated that he is committed to the passage of a climate bill this year, but has authorised the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to move towards regulation, which could goad lawmakers into reaching an agreement.
The move could also provide evidence of the United States’ seriousness as negotiators prepare for United Nations talks in Copenhagen in December where it is intended that an international agreement to combat global warming will be produced.
Source article;
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/science/earth/01epa.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
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Permit For Port Talbot Biomass Plant
The Environment Agency Wales (EAW) granted a licence yesterday for the building of Britain’s largest biomass plant at Port Talbot in Wales, reports BBC News Online.
The permit means that the developers, Prenergy Power will be legally bound to emission limits and health and environmental standards. However a campaign group has warned that they believe emission limits will not be met.
The plant will cost £400m to build and once completed will be able to power around 500,000 homes. The electricity will be produced with lower carbon emissions as the plant will use biological material such as woodchips to generate energy.
The licence from the EAW means that the woodchips used at the plant will have to be from a sustainable source. However, local residents are concerned that the plant will have an adverse effect on air quality and therefore an impact on the health of local residents.
However, Prenergy said the plant will be closely monitored and EAW said it set emissions limits to protect the health of those living in the area.
The plant is set to begin operating in 2011 and the construction process will create around 850 jobs.
Source and further details: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/8281767.stm
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China keeps cap-and-trade in hand
Insiders believe that China is set to announce the launch of an emissions cap-and-trade scheme as early as the Copenhagen climate talks in December, according to a senior figure in the carbon market who is currently working closely with the Chinese government.
Speaking at The Carbon Show in London, Philippe Chauvancy a director at climate exchange BlueNext, commented that an announcement made last week to develop China’s first standard for voluntary emission reduction projects alongside the government-backed China Beijing Environmental Exchange, could in fact lay the foundations for a voluntary cap-and-trade scheme – Chinese officials on the whole are committed to the idea of a national cap-and-trade scheme and could move quickly over the next few months.
Leaders are meeting in Copenhagen in December to discuss a new international framework revolved around the current Kyoto Protocol – an important first step towards a truly global emission reduction regime – which is coming to the end of its first commitment period in 2012, and therefore opportunity for the Chinese and the Americans to make their statement on cap and trade schemes.
Mr. Chauvancy continues by saying that he is expecting the US to have a national cap-and-trade system up and running in the next two years, but is suggesting that China could beat the US to it, seeing as they have the money and the resources and the will to do it.
Therefore, widely held perceptions that China does not want to take action on climate change are now outdated, as the Chinese government is seen to be committed to tackling the issue.
Other delegates at The Carbon Show also agree that China is in a better position to roll out a carbon trading scheme quite quickly.
Source;
Emailed news @ businessgreen.com
http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2250315/china-cap-trade-announcement
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Shell Sponsors The Prince’s Rainforest Project
Multinational petroleum company Shell is one of the six “supermajors” – vertically integrated private sector oil exploration, natural gas, and petroleum product marketing companies, where, as an official partner of the Prince’s Rainforest Project is campaigning to raise awareness of the consequences of deforestation – the clearance of naturally occurring forests by the processes of logging and/or burning of trees in a forested area.
Shell World UK (Autumn 2009) features an interview with Tony Juniper, the former head of Friends of the Earth, who is currently advising the Prince’s Rainforests Projects. Taking time out to answer Shell’s questions regarding deforestation and its connection to climate change, Mr Juniper confirmed that deforestation is a major factor causing climate warming whereby one fifth of the emissions entering the atmosphere are actually creating by the clearance of forests.
However, the seriousness of deforestation is put into perspective when it is considered that we actually rely on forests to absorb about 15% of emissions released into the air by industrial pollutants. Therefore, by cutting down the trees, or indeed burning the areas of natural forest, not only are emissions being increased, but the key resource for soaking them up – is no longer there.
The article explains how HRH The Prince of Wales established The Prince’s Rainforests Project due to the severity of the effect of deforestation on climate change. Mr. Juniper goes on to explain that this project is intended not to be portrayed as another overseas aid project or loan – rather likened to paying a utility bill, paying for your gas or electricity for example.
The argument for this is that the global community needs to pay those rainforest nations a utility bill, securing climate protection, rainfall generation and the nature conservation that comes from preserving the rainforests, which is the purpose of the project – working out how to raise and spend money whilst monitoring performance.
The implications of deforestation are global – having a significant effect on the environment and climate change, which is why rainforests are at the forefront of climate change campaigns. If you are interested in supporting the campaign to curb tropical deforestation or would like to find out more about The Prince’s Rainforests Project visit www.rainforestsos.org