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| SUSTAINABLE ENERGY NEWS NUMBER 9 |
| 4. General Sustainable Energy News | |
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IEA International Energy Outlook 2002 released The OECD International Energy Outlook 2002 was released on September 19. It is a long-term scenario, up to year 2030, and will be widely read and used in government circles. The International Energy Outlook 2002 can be seen, and used, in two ways. Either it just shows what will happen in the absence of new policies (and in fact it also offers and "alternative policy scenario", which however is only slightly less frightening as regards CO2). Or it is a self-fulfilling prophecy and a defence for the indefensible. It will certainly be used in the latter way by the anti-Kyoto crowd, and by the inert bureaucrats and politicians in most nations. Among the highlights:
Other interesting items: The role of nuclear power will decline markedly, because few new reactors will be built and some will be retired. Nuclear production will peak at the end of this decade, then decline gradually." Carbon sequestration and storage technologies hold out the long-term prospect of enabling fossil fuels to be burned without emitting carbon into the atmosphere. These technologies, however, are unlikely to be deployed on a large scale before 2030. They are at an early stage of development and are very costly." - F. Lundberg, www.vetenskapsjournalisterna.se European Parliament votes in favour of mandatory targets for biofuels Meeting on 4 July 2002, Members of the European Parliament voted on the first reading of a Proposal for a Directive on the promotion of the use of biofuels for transport, expressing clear support for mandatory targets for the use of biofuels. The European Parliament's decision - which endorses the Commission's original proposal - acknowledges the urgent need to reverse the increase of greenhouse gas emissions from road transport and to reduce the EU's dependence on crude oil imports. With this vote, MEPs also confirmed that the EU will require a strong and ambitious regulatory framework if it is to develop its biofuel industry. The European Committee for Biofuels (CEB) called upon all Member States to take due account of the European Parliament's decision and recalls that this vote took place only two weeks after all Member States reached a political agreement on the proposal for a Directive amending Directive 92/81/CE, which aims to introduce a different taxation system for biofuels. - www.jxj.com California passes strong renewables standard California has passed a bill establishing a state-wide renewable energy portfolio, and requiring electricity retailers to increase their use of renewable resources by at least one percent per year. By 2017, retailers must produce at least 20% of their retail electricity sales from renewable sources such as solar, wind, geothermal and biomass energy. At least two of the major utilities serving California customers - Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison - already come close to the requirements of the new law, producing 12 to 15% of the electricity they sell from renewable sources. But smaller utilities, which rely more heavily on traditional power sources, may have trouble meeting the 2017 deadline for the 20 percent renewable portfolio. - www.ens-news.com China's solar thermal operations compete with European market China now has a well-established solar thermal industry with over 1000 factories manufacturing and selling systems. Most of these collectors are used to heat water and are sold without subsidies. Significant growth in the Chinese solar water heater sector would capitalize it for entry into the European market - a source of competition, or opportunities, for European companies. However, the inconsistent quality of product and the fragmented nature of the solar industry frequently impede overall market penetration and long-term market growth. The success of such technologies in China could be attributed to government promotion of renewable energy; the Chinese government, governmental agencies and sector associations sponsor and organize trade fairs. At a recent trade fair for renewable energy in rural areas, held in Beijing, most (115 out of 177) of the exhibitors were from the solar water heater (SWH) industry. International organizations, such as the International Finance Corporation, are also very interested in the Chinese SWH sector, as it is the leading industry in the commercialisation of renewable energy. - www.jxj.com Collapse of British nuclear energy company proves nuclear power is not only dangerous but also uneconomical In the latest financial year, British Energy lost GBP 518 million and is already heavily in debt. The company started urgent talks with the Government early September after warning that it faced insolvency without immediate financial help. The company runs eight nuclear power stations in the UK and said the collapse in the price of electricity meant it now cost more to generate power than it could get for selling it. Ministers admitted that only massive Westminster support could prevent the UK's biggest electricity supplier going bust. But they promised there would be no "blank cheque" to shareholders and claimed it was not a repeat of the Railtrack fiasco. But shareholders insisted the two cases were similar and were demanding Government compensation. And a senior figure within the industry warned that British Energy could be only the first UK electricity generator to require Government aid as the wholesale price of power continues to drop. Meanwhile, environmental campaigners demanded that the Government should refuse to bail out the company with Scottish Greens, saying the Torness nuclear power station in East Lothian should remain closed for good because of possible "design flaws". Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt said: "There is no question at all of taxpayers writing a blank cheque to British Energy and its shareholders." She said the main reason for getting involved with the company was because of the Government's responsibility to ensure the safety of nuclear power. As the crisis deepened and share trading in British Energy was suspended, union leaders sought urgent talks with the company and the Government over fears that jobs could be lost among the 5200- strong workforce. David Porter, of the Association of Electricity Producers, said British Energy was not the only company in difficulty. "We have an extremely competitive wholesale electricity market and this is a market that now leaves us with blood on the carpet," he said. SNP shadow environment minister Bruce Crawford called for any Government bail-out of the company to be a prelude to "a structured phasing out" of nuclear power. "British Energy finds itself on the brink of insolvency, proving beyond any doubt that nuclear power is not only dangerous but also uneconomic," he said. - www.energycentral.com Kilometre-tall power tower approved Plans for a one-kilometre tall "Solar Tower" that would provide clean energy for up to 200,000 homes have been approved by the Australian government. But some environmental campaigners are questioning the practical benefits of the scheme. The 130 metre-wide tower would produce electricity using currents of air heated by the sun's rays. A vast greenhouse would surround the tower itself, seven kilometres across. Hot air inside the greenhouse would be effectively sucked up the tower through turbines at its base. Heat-storing material inside the greenhouse would continue to heat air during the night. The massive structure would be visible from 80 kilometres away. Australian company EnviroMission plans to build it in the desert on the border between New South Wales and Victoria. Australia's federal industry minister put the Ј308m project into a fast-track planning process. EnviroMission says the building would generate 760 Gigawatt-hours of energy per year. Roger Higman, senior climate campaigner for Friends of the Earth, is concerned that construction costs could outweigh the potential benefits. "If they're planning to build a truly enormous tower they could use a lot of fossil fuels," Higman said. Higman adds that a conventional wind farm could produce a comparable amount of power without requiring so much construction work. A smaller 200 metre tall prototype Solar Tower was built by a Spanish and German team in Spain in 1982. If the New South Wales state authority gives approval for the new tower, construction work could begin in 2003 and the structure could be completed by 2005. - http://www.newscientist.com |
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