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Accelerating the energy transition: cost or opportunity?

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Accelerating the energy transition: cost or opportunity?

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Transforming the Netherlands' energy system could provide a boost to the economy while lowering greenhouse-gas emissions in line with European goals.

To realize the European Union’s goal of cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 95 percent by the year 2050, the Netherlands would have to triple the annual rate of emission reduction that it averaged from 1990 to 2014. There are few if any precedents for how to achieve such a change. One thing is certain, though: transforming the Dutch energy system to bring about deep GHG emissions reductions will require significant levels of investment. For policymakers and business leaders, this imperative raises the crucial question of how to minimize the costs and maximize the benefits of an energy transition in the Netherlands.

This report finds that an accelerated but flexible approach to reducing the country's GHG emissions can yield substantial economic value. We estimate that investing €10 billion per year between 2020 and 2040 in a low-carbon energy system could boost economic growth and create some 45,000 jobs in the near term, with the potential addition of tens of thousands of jobs over the long run. The report also explores how the government and the private sector can make such an investment program more efficient and support the development of sectors with the most potential to generate economic growth and increase employment.

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green bond :-)

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Business News Live, Share Market News - Read Latest Finance News, IPO, Mutual Funds News

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Business News- Read Latest Financial news, Stock/Share Market News, Economy News, Business News on The Economic Times. Find IPO Analysis, Mutual Funds Trends & Analysis, Gold Rate, Real Estate & more.

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A new centre of excellence and an innovative new strategy for manufacturing form part of a major new investment aimed at revolutionising Scotland's circular economy.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has today (15 February) announced that the £70m Circular Economy Investment Fund will help Scottish Government work with relevant industries and educational institutions to stimulate innovation and improve productivity to Scotland's manufacturing sector, with the aim of making it a global competitor.

Speaking during a visit to Glenhead Engineering in Clydebank, Sturgeon said: "While manufacturing has undergone a significant transformation in recent decades, with increased globalisation and greater use of digital technology, it remains a high skills and high wage sector, with earnings that are above the Scottish average.

"Our Programme for Government committed us to further action and backed by £70m of new circular economy funding, the Action Plan outlines how the Scottish Government, our Enterprise Agencies and Zero Waste Scotland will work with industry and higher and further education institutions to stimulate innovation, productivity and investment.

"Amongst the key actions in the strategy will be the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Manufacturing which will act as a hub for continuous innovation to ensure Scotland remains a sustainable and competitive place to do business."

Manufacturing currently represents more than half of Scotland's international exports and investment into research and development. Nearly 190,000 people are employed through the industry. The Circular Economy Investment Fund will help manufacturers develop new technologies, business models and infrastructure that incorporate both the concept and implementation stages. Existing products and services will also be able to apply for redesign.

Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland - which will partially oversee the investment fund - said: "This new funding and support package will push boundaries in business innovation to develop circular models that will keep products in use for longer and ultimately save precious raw materials and resources.

"This makes great economic as well as environmental sense. By investing now, the Scottish Government is putting down foundations to build an ever more sustainable future - one that is resource efficient and most definitely circular."
Square pegs, round holes
This new investment comes off the back of £1.3m Scottish Government funding to develop the Scottish Institute of Remanufacture, which aims to realise the value of materials like gold and electrical components harvested from recycled televisions, mobile phones and computers.

On a broader level, the European Commission - which is providing £30m of the investment through the European Regional Development Fund - unveiled the new circular economy package lates last year, which included weakened recycling targets, tools to halve food waste by 2030, and measures to promote reparability in the design phase of products.

A recent report from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation concluded that combining circular economy principles with the explosion of smart and connected devices (the Internet of Things) could dramatically boost resource efficiency and lead to 'broad social benefits. Meanwhile, WRAP last week unveiled new research and an interactive map which shows the job-creation potential of the circular economy all the way down to a constituency level.

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circular economy boon for scotland with £70m investment fund

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Circular economy boon for Scotland with £70m Investment Fund

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A new centre of excellence and an innovative new strategy for manufacturing form part of a major new investment aimed at revolutionising Scotland's circular economy. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has today (15 February) announced that the £70m Circular Economy Investment Fund will help Scottish Government work with relevant industries and educational institutions to stimulate innovation and improve productivity to Scotland's manufacturing sector, with the aim of making it a global competitor.

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Is the Spanish Government Putting the Brakes on Solar PV?

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Is the Spanish Government Putting the Brakes on Solar PV?

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Spain's Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Transport announced this spring that it would hold an auction for the installation of 500 MW and 200 MW of new wind and biomass power capacities, respectively. The date for the auction was not announced but it is expected that the call for submissions will be published in the State Official Bulletin in the near future. Bids for solar power capacity need not apply.

Sun Edison project in Caravaca de la Cruz (near Murcia), Spain. Credit: UNEF.

The Spanish Photovoltaic Union (UNEF) was upset by the news and is currently working to have solar PV technology, which it called "the most competitive in the world," included in the auction. "The attempted eradication of the photovoltaic industry from the government does not have any explanation," said Jorge Barredo, President of UNEF, adding that solar is highly competitive "not only between renewable energies, but also compared with traditional fossil fuels."

The exclusion of solar PV from the recent auction announcement was not the only blow against the solar PV sector. Pedro Palencia, energy policy director at UNEF explained that earlier this year Spain's government announced an auction for new power capacity for the Canary Islands that only sought wind. The Canary Islands complex is located in the North West Africa and has the highest solar irradiation in Spain.

Self-Consumption "Sun Tax" In The Making

There are other concerns regarding Spain's current policy framework for the self-consumption of PV power and the lack of net-metering. The current self-consumption policy framework is very general and applies to both on- and off-grid systems. The government said it would publish the detailed regulations soon, adding that it is considering imposing a tariff that UNEF calls a "sun tax." Effectively, this would mean that PV system owners will be taxed for the power they produce even if it is solely for their own use and not fed into the grid.

UNEF said that a "sun tax" like that would make solar uneconomical even for self-consumption. Net-metering, a policy found in almost all other Mediterranean countries, including Portugal, Italy, Greece and Cyprus, is not available in Spain.

The Flawed Spanish Energy Market

The Spanish energy sector faces serious problems stemming from caps on retail electricity prices, which have lead to market distortions. According to David Robinson of the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, since 2001 the Spanish electricity system has accumulated a €30 billion deficit resulting from inadequate tariffs that were not high enough to cover electricity transmission and distribution costs, renewable and conventional energy subsidies and other regulated costs. All Spanish governments have been unwilling to pass the full costs on to customers, and the current situation has worsened due to a decrease in energy demand, the high costs of renewable subsidies and more specifically a terribly wrong remuneration policy for solar PV systems in 2007 to 2012, said Robinson.

Large solar installation in Spain. Credit: UNEF.

Solar on a residence in Spain. Credit: UNEF.

According to Robinson, the accumulated debt, "accounts for about 55 percent of a typical customer's electricity cost, with the remaining 45 percent associated with the wholesale price of energy."

UNEF's Palencia confirms this. "The actual costs covering the electricity generation in Spain count for less than half of the consumer's electricity bill and vary according to the power prices. The biggest chunk of the electricity bill covers a huge list of other costs, non-related to the fluctuating power prices of the wholesale market. Such fixed costs are set by the government, which aims to increase them further," Palencia said. "Under these circumstances, we [UNEF] don't see how self-consumption can become competitive in Spain," Palencia remarked.

...continued from Digital Edition

Overcapacity and Depressed Demand

Last year's new RD413/2014 renewable energy law paved the way for public procurement auctions for new power plants, which are expected to take place in 2016 at the earliest. The recent announcement to auction 700 MW of new wind and biomass capacities took analysts by surprise. Spain's major energy sector problem is "excess capacity together with depressed demand," Aitor Ciarreta, professor of Economics at the University of the Basque Country, Bilbao said.

UNEF's Palencia agrees. "Spain has installed almost double the power capacity it currently needs and this problem tends to increase further due to the weak state of the economy and the depressed demand," he remarked.

A glimpse of hope shined in February when Spain and France opened a new transmission line interconnecting the two countries and doubling the electricity exchange among them. The new line, which has a power capacity of 2 GW and is capable of reversing the direction of flow of the energy exchanges between Spain and France in just 50 milliseconds, is expected to boost Spanish electricity exports to France and alleviate Spain's overloaded system. Spain is considered one of Europe's energy islands being largely disconnected from the rest of Europe and the new line, which is expected to go into commercial operation in June, can provide a small, partial solution.

According to the latest statistics published today by Spain's electricity grid operator Red Eléctrica de España (REE), the electricity generation from January to April 2015 consisted of 22.9 percent wind power, 23.1 percent nuclear, 15.4 percent coal, 14.3 percent hydro, 10 percent co-generation technologies, 8.4 percent combined cycle gas, 2.8 percent solar PV, 1.7 percent thermal renewable technologies and 1.4 percent solar thermal. In April alone, an impressive 63.9 percent of electricity generation came from technologies producing zero carbon dioxide emissions, including nuclear energy.

In terms of installed renewable power capacity, wind leads with more than 23 GW, hydro has installed about 2.1 GW, solar PV 4.7 GW, solar thermal 2.3 GW and other renewable thermal technologies around 1 GW. Spain's total energy system has approximately 110 GW of installed power capacity.

Policy Soup

Spain's latest renewable energy RD413/2014 law, passed last year scrapped feed-in tariffs (FITs) altogether. Instead, each project receives an income calculated separately per project and based on a series of parameters that take into account a plant's “efficient operation.”

Based on the latest law, subsidy payments "to renewable power plants, (especially wind plants), with certain age, almost disappear. For newer plants the new system pays the ‘recognized cost' which is an amount to recover fixed cost and variable cost associated to capital cost," Professor Ciarreta said.

Furthermore, renewable power plants are now obliged to compete with all other forms of energy in the wholesale market in equal terms. "All the units must go through the pool. Renewable units are not the ones indicated to be used as secondary or tertiary reserves. They sell as much electricity as they can. Clearly, units that benefit are those with low variable cost, while the price in the pool should remain low because of the overcapacity of the system" Ciarreta added.

Most stakeholders agree that a new policy framework was needed to cut the deficit and establish regulatory stability. But critics say the reform didn't result in a convincing restructuring of the country's wholesale and retail energy markets, rather it is a patchwork that penalizes renewable power investments.

A crucial question is how Spain's energy mix will be decided. Given that the new renewable energy policy obliges renewable power plants to participate in the pool and compete in the wholesale market, one would expect market forces alone would drive the country's energy mix but the latest government announcement indicates that the opposite is happening. The government will dictate the energy mix deciding the size and sort of installations.

Specifically, the Spanish government appears to object to the disruptive nature of smaller, distributed solar PV installations in favor of the incumbents. But such policy aims are already outdated. The emerging new energy landscape worldwide is moving toward a decentralized power system that empowers the consumer and communities to make decisions on a level-playing field.

Critics say that Spanish energy policy lacks the long-term vision that will keep it up-to-date with the latest technological progress and encourage future investments in the most market-friendly way, decided by the consumer. Instead, the present policies, although by and large have abolished the renewable power subsidies, are subject to favoritism and lobbying, hindering consumers and businesses to make their own energy choices.

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Niet alleen in Nederland maar over de hele wereld is commercie belangrijker dan snelle reductie CO2. De lol is dat het veel betere economie oplevert wanneer je kiest voor duurzaam.

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australias solar energy resource and world demand - Google Search

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australia's solar energy resource and world demand australias solar energy resource and world demand

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Australia's energy policy

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There was a brief exchange on the ABC TV's Q&A program on Monday night that neatly summed up all that is wrong with Australia's energy policy.

Grahame Morris - a former chief of staff to Coalition prime minister John Howard, and a corporate lobbyist who is influential in the government of Tony Abbott - had, in the words of host Tony Jones, steam coming out of his ears at the idea that wind and solar could offer a future energy solution.

Flapping his arms about and pointing his finger, Morris exclaimed: "Look, not everyone wants a bloody big windmill in their backyard ... nuclear power is clean ... one of the problems with the third world with poverty is that they don't have electricity. We have coal and we have uranium that can provide energy sources for those people. You are talking about poverty ... that is the answer."

Morris also scoffed at the idea of climate change and, with that, pretty much summed up the policy position of the Abbott government, its principal advisors, and the conservative think tanks that influence and applaud it.

It is a discourse - the belief in the primacy of centralised generation, be it coal or nuclear - that is guiding the Abbott government's climate, energy and industrial policy. Disconcertingly, it is a view that spreads to the Labor Party, too, judging by the response of Labor's Joel Fitzgibbon, from the Hunter Valley.

It's also parroting the key marketing point of Big Coal: one that ridicules or downplays climate science, talks down the need to act, and places its faith in ageing technologies. The push against wind farms is a symptom of the view that nothing can or should change, and green policy can't be allowed to be right about anything.

But it is plain wrong, and dangerously so. Later today, the global analyst firm Bloomberg New Energy Finance will release a new study and forecasts that are stunning in the speed and scale, and the flow of investment trillions, towards a new global energy system.

The BNEF report - see details on it here - predicts that households and business will account for more than half of Australia's demand by 2040, and is the latest, and most comprehensive, of a series of reports that highlight the rapidly shifting sands of the global energy market, and the move from centralised generation to a decentralised future.

This has been canvassed by the likes of the CSIRO, the International Energy Agency, the biggest utilites, and global investment banks.

UBS last month came up with a report stating that a scenario where 50 per cent of all electricity generation was provided by solar by 2050 could not be ruled out. Much of this would be behind the meter, on the rooftops of homes and businesses.

Morgan Stanley has predicted 2.4 million homes in Australia will have battery storage. Even the owner of the Hazelwood coal-fired generator, one of Australia's biggest and certainly its dirtiest coal plant, says half of all electricity consumption will be localised, rather than centralised within a few decades.

Remarkably, the Australian Energy Market Operator says that within 10 years, rooftop solar in South Australia will meet 100 per cent of demand on some days in the state. That leaves no room for baseload, centralised generation.

Last weekend I had a fascinating meeting with the head of smart grids for one of the world's biggest engineering and power supply companies. The pace of development that he was talking about - and the investment dollars driving it - was quite stunning.

As one small example: A new housing development in NSW about to begin construction will be entirely off-grid. The economics are simple. Connecting a new housing division requires a developer to spend millions on grid infrastructure which it then has to "gift" back to the grid operator, and then its consumers pay rent for its use. Half of their bills will come from "networks costs". It is energy as an indirect form of taxation.

But new technology and financial modeling means the network is not needed for such developments. The cost of solar PV and battery storage has now come down to the point where it is a "no brainer" to operate on a mini-grid. This is being recognised by international investment giants, with billions of dollars being invested. This housing development will be the first, but most will follow.

And it's not just new housing projects. One town in Queensland is currently negotiating to go off-grid, and another dozen are contemplating the same thing. The same thing is happening in NSW.

The engineer says that households and business electricity use - and whole communities - will be almost entirely delivered by on-site or localised energy supply. He says that centralised generation can forget about the household and commercial markets. They will need to find large industrial consumers, and many of them will be seeking cleaner options than are currently on offer.

As Simon Richardson, the mayor of Byron shire, told a forum on the weekend, this push towards localised generation will be an irresistible and unstoppable force.

"Things are happening so fast in technology, what was considered pie in the sky just a few years ago is now considered to be legitimate and mainstream," he said. Richardson had just returned from the climate talks in Bonn, where he was presenting Byron shire's plan to be "zero net emissions" within 10 years.

In these scenarios, as Rob Stobbe, the head of SA Power Networks, has suggested, large centralised generators struggle to find a role. Any new development will be renewable, not fossil fuel, and they will be paired with storage. South Australia is currently looking to install the world's largest utility-scale non-hydro storage scheme in the world.

Australia is likely to be a leader, notwithstanding the roadblocks erected by the Abbott government and state-owned and private utilities. It has the highest electricity prices, the cheapest solar prices, and the best conditions for the deployment of battery storage, without subsidies.

Yet Abbott, his advisors, their cronies, and those with vested interests and nuclear ideologies understand nothing of this. Like Morris, they believe that renewables are costly and ineffective. They dismiss "unreliables", they see nuclear as the only replacement for coal.

The current push back against wind turbines, and the Abbott-endorsed witch-hunt, is just one example of this. In a hearing last week, an ANU professor James Prest is called "a prat", and howled down by cross-bench and LNP Senators, when he dares point out the health impacts of coal-fired power stations.

Abbott's campaign against wind has halted investment, will slow down future projects and put the brakes on the energy transition, making it more expensive than it need be.

His comment seems intent on encouraging, or investing, billions of dollars in investment in assets that are likely to be stranded by these new technologies. The reason why the market price for both thermal coal and uranium has plunged is that global demand is evaporating. The rest of the world has discovered new technologies and embraced them. Abbott is still trying to sell them the energy equivalent of a fax machine.

At least it has spawned some humour. Check out the video below for a funny take on Abbott's wind farm policy.

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Tony Abbott in denial about Australia's energy future

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Q&A highlighted why Abbott has got it wrong on energy. An ideology that promotes coal, nuclear and centralised systems, over solar, wind and mini-grids is likely to be an expensive boondoggle. And new reports suggest the pace of change will be even quicker than thought.

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Competing uses of biomass for energy and chemicals: Implications for long-term global CO2 mitigation potential
Article | 04-10-2014
Biomass is considered a low carbon source for various energy or chemical options. This paper assesses it′s different possible uses, the competition between these uses, and the implications for long-term global energy demand and energy-system emissions. A scenario analysis is performed using the TIMER energy system model. Under baseline conditions, 170 Exajoule/year of secondary bioenergy is consumed in 2100 (approximately 18% of total secondary energy demand), used primarily in the transport, buildings and non-energy (chemical production) sectors. This leads to a reduction of 9% of CO₂ emissions compared to a counterfactual scenario where no bioenergy is used.

to the article (doi)

to the TIMER model

Bioenergy can contribute up to 40% reduction of emissions at carbon taxes greater than 500$/ton of Carbon. As higher CO₂ taxes are applied, bioenergy is increasingly diverted towards electricity generation. Results are more sensitive to assumptions about resource availability than about technological parameters.

To estimate the effectiveness of bioenergy in specific sectors, experiments are performed in which bioenergy is only allowed in one sector at the time. The results show that cross-sectoral leakage and emissions from biomass conversion limit the total emission reduction possible in each sector.

In terms of reducing emissions per unit of bioenergy use, we show that the use of bioelectricity is the most effective, especially when used with carbon capture and storage. However, this technology only penetrates at a high carbon price (>100$/ton of Carbon) and competition with transport fuels may limit its adoption.

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Medio 2015 there was a press release in Netherlands that the countries use of renewable energy at 2014 has raised in a surprisingly higher step than before. Around 5,6% of the total energy consumption.It's all about the message that is send to the public. A fact is: The Netherlands has to make a huge step in making more renewable energy. Visionairy policies, government and stimulance for sustainable businesses have to increase in The Netherlands , also in local levels. More info, see

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Energy access and security in Eastern Africa

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Energy access and security in Eastern Africa

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New Polish government will face challenges far greater than the EU

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New Polish government will face challenges far greater than the EU

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https://sandbag.org.uk/blog/2015/oct/27/new-polish-government-will-face-challenges-far-gre/

The Polish elections results are official as from today. Law and Justice Party (Prawo i Sprawiedliwość), a conservative and Eurosceptic party, has taken enough seats to govern alone – a precedent in 26 years. The biggest challenge ahead for the new government is securing an economically viable model of energy supply. The issue has little relevance to the heated Polish debate about the European climate package. Sandbag is looking forward to the first steps of the new government hoping they will treat it as an opportunity to support already emerging market and consumer solutions.

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New Polish government will face challenges far greater than the EU by Sanbag Blog

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New Polish government will face challenges far greater than the EU by Sanbag Blog

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The Polish elections results are official as from today. Law and Justice Party (Prawo i Sprawiedliwość), a conservative and Eurosceptic party, has taken enough seats to govern alone – a precedent in 26 years. The biggest challenge ahead for the new government is securing an economically viable model of energy supply. The issue has little relevance to the heated Polish debate about the European climate package. Sandbag is looking forward to the first steps of the new government hoping they will treat it as an opportunity to support already emerging market and consumer solutions.

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Yvonne/Urgenda wins the case for better Dutch climate policies

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Yvonne/Urgenda wins the case for better Dutch climate policies

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The Hague, 24 June 2015 – Urgenda and nine hundred co-plaintiffs were victorious in the climate case today, forcing the Dutch government to adopt more stringent climate policies. The district court of The Hague has granted the plaintiffs’ claims, and the government is now required to take more effective climate action to reduce the Netherlands’ considerable share in global emissions. This is the first time that a judge has legally required a State to take precautions against climate change. This verdict will provide support to all the other climate cases around the world.

“All the plaintiffs are overjoyed by the result. This makes it crystal clear that climate change is a huge problem that needs to be dealt with much more effectively, and that states can no longer afford inaction. States are meant to protect their citizens, and if politicians will not do this of their own accord, then the courts are there to help,” says Marjan Minnesma, who in 2013 initiated this case against the Dutch State with a team of lawyers and nine hundred co-plaintiffs. “It’s all up to the State now. Luckily, sustainable solutions are ripe for the picking.”

Groundbreaking verdict
The State has a legal obligation to protect its citizens, and has therefore been required by the court to take the necessary precautions. The court is demanding that the Dutch government do what the government itself has already deemed necessary in order to avert dangerous climate change. The court is ordering the Netherlands to reduce CO2 emission by a minimum of 25% (compared to 1990) by 2020, while current ambitions are hovering at 16%. Climate change measures are feasible and affordable. Denmark and Germany are already on course to cut 40% of their CO2 emissions by 2020. In its defense, the State itself has even said that it still sees plenty of room to reduce emissions. The judge’s verdict is a serious breakthrough, according to Urgenda.

Internationally justified
Not just Urgenda and its co-plaintiffs have been eagerly awaiting this verdict, but so have UNFCCC negotiators, citizens in countries who have pending suits against their states (e.g. Belgium), or are currently preparing one (e.g. Norway).  “Millions of people that are already suffering the consequences of climate change are hoping that we, the people that have caused the emissions and have the means to reduce them, will intervene while there is still time”, says Minnesma. “Those people can now, with our verdict in their hands, start their own climate cases.” These lawsuits are supported by the Oslo Principles, which holds that states have the legal obligation to avert dangerous climate change.

Dutch emissions
The Netherlands cannot solve the climate crisis by itself, but it certainly can do its fair share. Historically, The Netherlands is among the largest per capita emitters of the world. The science is crystal clear: we need to prevent the earth’s temperature from rising more than two degrees. Currently, the earth is headed for a temperature rise of 4, or even 6, degrees Celsius, which will mean an unlivable planet.

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Energy companies have become less "Green" ( Angelique  de Ru)

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Energy companies have become less "Green" ( Angelique  de Ru)

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According to last weeks news, a study conducted by 6 Dutch NGO's show that energy companies have chosen to burn "cheap" coal rather then develop and invest in more sustainable forms of energy.

This has resulted in very little progress wrt. development of more Sustainable energy systems since the signing off on the Dutch National Energy agreement for Sustainable growth 2 years ago. ("Nationaal Energie akkoord voor duurzame groei")

See news article below (in Dutch)

http://nos.nl/artikel/2065267-stroom-wordt-steeds-minder-groen.html

Full Dutch report is in attachment below

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PV-system financed by the neighborhood
This PV-system of 27.5 kWp situated in Haarlem, The Netherlands, is financed by 24 neighbors of this 100 years old industrial building “Seinwezen”.

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neem iets vaker de ezel

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Obesitas? Has this anything to do with energy transition?

I like to drop another view on energy: Personal energy awareness is also part of success in energy transition. This is were a society has to start. A healthy planet starts with health people. So I would suggest to take a broad perspective when we want to transit, therefore my article is linked to personal relevancy: Therefore my article is about energy transition in our body. Obesitas is a result of imbalance in our personal energy system. Energy balance is the key word. It is not only about techniques, it is about mindset and use of power. Therefore this example to broaden the discussion.

http://vorige.nrc.nl//international/article2421024.ece/Obesity_on_the_rise_among_Dutch_children

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Nieuwe wetgeving

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http://www.renewableenergyfocususa.com/view/43114/netherlands-offshore-wind-bid-what-you-need-to-know/

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Artikel Technisch Weekblad 2015 wk42-43 _0002

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This is typically how is produced electricity in France, about 75% of nuclear energy. Few renewables apart from hydroelectric dam.<br>

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My point exactly when introducing myself: Dutch politics are staying desperately behind on strong action to help progress the energy transition in the Netherlands!

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Beste Mark, de Nederlandse politiek blijft achter in de energie transitie

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The Government of Tamil Nadu realized the importance and need for renewable energy, and set up a separate Agency, as registered society, called the Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA) as early as 1985,as per G.O.Ms.No.163, P. & D. (EC) Department, dated 29.11.1984 with the following specific objectives:-

1. To promote the use of new and renewable sources of energy (NRSE) and to implement projects therefore.

2. To promote energy conservation activities.

3. To encourage research and development on renewable sources of energy.

Renewable Energy Installations

Achievements of TEDA as on 31.7.2014
Power Sector at a Glance

Renewable Energy Programme/ Systems | Cumulative achievement up to 31.7.2014 (MW)
Wind Power | 7349.41
Bagasse Cogeneration | 659.40
Biomass Power | 226.00
Solar Power (SPV) | 109.26
Total | 8344.07

India (30.06.2014)
Thermal | 1,72,286.09 MW
Hydro | 40,730.09 MW
Renewable (12%) | 31,692.14 MW
Nuclear | 4,780.00 MW
TOTAL | 2,49,488.31 MW

Tamilnadu (30.06.2014)
Thermal | 10411 MW
Hydro | 2182 MW
Renewable (12%) | 8075 MW
Nuclear | 524 MW
TOTAL | 21192 MW

INSTALL SOLAR ON HOUSE – SAVE UPTO RS.14,700 PER YEAR

Interested in solar rooftop for your house? You need to pay Rs 43,700 to Rs 60,000 for 1 KW after subsidy

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The Government of Tamil Nadu realized the importance and need for renewable energy, and set up a separate Agency, as registered society, called the Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA) as early as 1985,as per G.O.Ms.No.163, P. & D. (EC) Department, dated 29.11.1984 with the following specific objectives:- To promote the use of new and renewable sources of energy (NRSE) and to implement projects therefore. To promote energy conservation activities. To encourage research and development on renewable sources of energy. Renewable Energy Installations Achievements of TEDA as on 31.7.2014 Power Sector at a Glance Renewable Energy Programme/ Systems Cumulative achievement up to 31.7.2014 (MW) Wind Power 7349.41 Bagasse Cogeneration 659.40 Biomass Power 226.00 Solar Power (SPV) 109.26 Total 8344.07 India (30.06.2014) Thermal 1,72,286.09 MW Hydro 40,730.09 MW Renewable (12%) 31,692.14 MW Nuclear 4,780.00 MW TOTAL 2,49,488.31 MW Tamilnadu (30.06.2014) Thermal 10411 MW Hydro 2182 MW Renewable (12%) 8075 MW Nuclear 524 MW TOTAL 21192 MW INSTALL SOLAR ON HOUSE – SAVE UPTO RS.14,700 PER YEAR Energy-Company-Grant-Money-for-Green-Upgrades-300x225 Interested in solar rooftop for your house? You need to pay Rs 43,700 to Rs 60,000 for 1 KW after subsidy

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TEDA | Tamilnadu Energy Development Agency

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There is an ever increasing demand for energy in spite of the rising prices of oil & other fossil fuel / depletion of fossil fuels. Energy demand, in particular electricity production has resulted in creation of fossil fuel based power plants that let out substantial green house gas / carbon emission into the atmosphere causing climate change and global warming.

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Article about emission-reduction goals of the Dutch government.

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The Dutch government is to appeal against a landmark court ruling which ordered it to do more to reduce CO2 emissions.

In June, judges in The Hague ruled the Dutch government must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25% by 2020 compared with 1990 - in line with international agreements.

According to Trouw, junior environment minister Wilma Mansveld will send a briefing to MPs outlining the government's decision later on Tuesday. She will also outline extra steps which the government is prepared to take to reduce emissions.

The legal case was brought by 886 Dutch citizens, united in the Urgenda organisation, who said the government is not doing enough to avoid climate change.

The court ruled the government has a duty of care and cannot hide behind claims that the Netherlands is a small part of a worldwide process. The Netherlands is on target to reduce emissions by just 17% by 2020.
Reductions
However, the national statistics office CBS said on Tuesday greenhouse gas emissions in the Netherlands were down 5% last year compared with 2013. Compared with 1990, emissions were down 15%, the CBS said.

The reduction was due to the warmer weather which reduced the amount of energy used on heating. Cars are also becoming more fuel efficient and this too is having an impact, the CBS said.

The CBS also said the government earned almost €24bn from environmental taxes and other levies last year. Of that, two-thirds came from private households, the rest from industry.

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Dutch state to appeal against climate ruling, CO2 emissions fall - DutchNews.nl

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The Dutch government is to appeal against a landmark court ruling which ordered it to do more to reduce CO2 emissions. In June, judges in The Hague ruled the Dutch government must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25% by 2020 compared with 1990 - in line with international agreements.

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Article about emission-reduction goals of the Dutch government.

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The Dutch government is to appeal against a landmark court ruling which ordered it to do more to reduce CO2 emissions.

In June, judges in The Hague ruled the Dutch government must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25% by 2020 compared with 1990 - in line with international agreements.

According to Trouw, junior environment minister Wilma Mansveld will send a briefing to MPs outlining the government's decision later on Tuesday. She will also outline extra steps which the government is prepared to take to reduce emissions.

The legal case was brought by 886 Dutch citizens, united in the Urgenda organisation, who said the government is not doing enough to avoid climate change.

The court ruled the government has a duty of care and cannot hide behind claims that the Netherlands is a small part of a worldwide process. The Netherlands is on target to reduce emissions by just 17% by 2020.
Reductions
However, the national statistics office CBS said on Tuesday greenhouse gas emissions in the Netherlands were down 5% last year compared with 2013. Compared with 1990, emissions were down 15%, the CBS said.

The reduction was due to the warmer weather which reduced the amount of energy used on heating. Cars are also becoming more fuel efficient and this too is having an impact, the CBS said.

The CBS also said the government earned almost €24bn from environmental taxes and other levies last year. Of that, two-thirds came from private households, the rest from industry.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dutch state to appeal against climate ruling, CO2 emissions fall - DutchNews.nl

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Dutch government is to appeal against a landmark court ruling which ordered it to do more to reduce CO2 emissions. In June, judges in The Hague ruled the Dutch government must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25% by 2020 compared with 1990 - in line with international agreements.

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Energy programma summary for an energy neutral Almere

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Energy programma summary for an energy neutral Almere

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Growing Green Cities is the leading theme in Almere, shaping a healthy, vital and smart city. Part of this theme is renewable energy, and under the heading of ‘Energizing’, Growing Green aims at finding completely renewable energy sources for Almere. The coalition agreement ‘De kracht van de stad’ (The Power of the City) Almere 2014-2018 expressly includes this energy transition and
identifies it as an important pillar for the development of the city of Almere.
The Municipality of Almere is ambitious when it comes to energy. The target is to be
energy-neutral by 2022 (excluding mobility). In this respect a motion has been adopted by the Municipal Executive and agreements have been made with the national government.
This means that as much energy from renewable sources will be used as possible. This ambition is driven by the realization that energy, and transmission of energy, will - in the
long run - increasingly become a scarce item so that, consequently, its price will rise. This will impose an increased financial burden on businesses, individuals and other users of the city. The energy charges for the schools, associations, individuals and businesses in Almere can be substantially reduced. In fact: they will benefit and even make a profit. In addition to the financial consequences of scarcity of energy, it has meanwhile been incontrovertibly established that the quality of life will deteriorate if we continue to use fossil fuels. The
weather conditions will become more extreme as a result of the climate change and will increasingly have an adverse effect on the healthy and comfortable living environment. These are undesired developments that can be reversed by using renewable energy sources.
The ultimate goal is to reduce the CO2 emission. Analyses show that generating more
renewable energy is the most effective way to realize this in the young city of Almere.
Finally, the transition towards a renewable energy supply is a movement that will bring
a new economy in its wake. New technologies and innovation in that respect will both directly and indirectly generate employment. The realization that this innovation and new
employment can make Almere a better place is all the more drive to speed up the energy transition.
The Municipality currently has numerous ‘Energizing’ initiatives and ideas, varying from feasible in the short term to visions for the future, the concrete result of which cannot yet be estimated. The amount of initiatives and ideas makes us hopeful but without additional and
focused use of this energy, the policy will not significantly accelerate the efforts towards
becoming as energy-neutral as possible. For example, despite the many good developments, currently no more than approximately 7% (0.5 petajoules) of the energy
consumed in Almere comes from renewable sources. In order to set the movement towards a completely renewable energy supply in motion, a further acceleration and a clear course are needed. The emphasis here is on encouraging sustainable behaviour among the various
target groups, for that is where we have the most to gain. With a target group approach, the programme will contribute to a new awareness regarding energy consumption. We encourage target groups to become sustainable. We want to let them feel ownership and to
enable them to act accordingly by feeding them the right information, setting good examples and, where necessary, providing them with other resources, including finance (subsidies,
cheap loans), process support and advice. This does not mean that we can ignore making our own municipal real estate sustainable. In order to actually speed up the energy transition and to meet targets, that aspect, too, is highly important.
The necessity to bring focus in the joint effort has prompted us to set up a programme that will ensure an acceleration in realizing a renewable energy supply with, by and for the city.
That is the reason why this programme plan is called ‘Energy Works!’

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No further Gas infrastructure investments?

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No further Gas infrastructure investments?

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http://www.volkskrant.nl/opinie/stop-met-gas-en-investeer-in-duurzame-noordzeegrid~a3872669/

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Beyond batteries: The diverse technologies vying for the bulk storage market
                      
                    

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Beyond batteries: The diverse technologies vying for the bulk storage market
                      
                    

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All the talk in the electric utility industry these days seems to be about battery storage, but there are other ways to save generated electricity for later.

With more demanding state renewable portfolio standards, the finalization of the EPA's Clean Power Plan and utilities increasingly turning to renewables as a least-cost option, grid operators are likely to need more and bigger storage options by the mid-2020s, if not before.

“The excitement in the market now is around the policies we have in place, which very specifically exclude big pumped hydro applications,” explained California Energy Storage Alliance (CESA) Sr. Advisor Mark Higgins, the VP/COO at Strategen Consulting. “Those policies were designed to create a diversity of technologies. Bulk storage would work against that.”

But, Higgins said, by around 2024, when California gets to about 40% renewables, there will be a real need to shift excess renewable energy supplies from the middle of the day to the late afternoon and evening. “That will require storage resources that can handle big amounts of energy over long periods of time.”

Higgins expects California regulators to again take the lead, as they did with the AB 2514 policy now driving battery technology growth, and put in place incentives for long duration storage technologies.

Pumped hydro promises big capacity

Pumped hydro storage (PSH) uses energy to move water from a lower reservoir to a higher reservoir where it can, at need, be released. The energy is recaptured as hydroelectric power as the water flows back to the lower reservoir.

“Pumped hydro's sweet spot is bulk energy shifting,” Higgins said. “But there are not many good sites left, upfront capital costs are high and policy support is limited." Such obstacles have limited excitement about pumped hydro's growth.

Duke Energy, however, says it is excited about pumped hydro, according to Spokesperson Lisa Parrish, because its quick start up time provides flexibility the utility needs. “Pumped storage functions like a giant water battery…At a moment’s notice, the stored water can be used to meet peak demand.”

The potential of Califonia’s Bison Peak 1 and 2 PSH Projects excites Alton Energy President Ed Duggan. Eagle Crest’s Eagle Mountain PSH Project was green-lighted first by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), in hopes of helping fill the gap left by the shuttering of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. But Duggan believes the combined 2,000 MW capacity of the Bison projects will have more benefits if he can get a green light from FERC.

“Bison 1 and 2 meet three crucial criteria,” he explained. “First, they are strategically located at an intersection point of the California grid and some of the biggest utility-scale wind and solar installations already online.”

He was describing the nearly 1,200 MW of photovoltaic solar in the Antelope Valley and the over 5,000 MW of wind capacity in the Tehachapi Mountains that form the Valley’s north boundary.

“Second, the Bison projects have a larger elevation differential than other proposed pumped storage projects,” Duggan said. Competitors include the privately funded Lake Elsinore project, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s Iowa Hills project, EDF’s Swan Lake project, and smaller ones proposed by the San Diego Water Authority.

“The greater elevation differential would allow Bison Peak to supply more power faster with less water,” Duggan explained.

Finally, he said, Bison Peak’s bulk storage would be geographically available through the Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric transmission systems to the Los Angeles and San Francisco region load centers.

Duggan believes the state will need at least 10 GW and possibly as much as 50 GW of bulk storage like PSH to meet the state’s targeted 80% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050.
Alton Energy says the elevation of its Bison Peak project will allow it to provide more power with less water. Credit: Alton Energy
Take the ARES train

But the bulk storage may not all come from PSH, according to Advanced Rail Energy Storage (ARES) North America VP Francesca Cava.

“We are like pumped hydro but without the constraints of water,” Cava said. “And we estimate ARES requires about half the capital expenditure.”

ARES would use energy to do with box cars on a rail line what PSH does with water – push them up an incline so they can be released to generate electricity with their downhill momentum. The concept has been proven with a “peer-reviewed, patented” demonstration project in which ARES has moved a 6.5 ton rail car up a 15-inch gauge track with Tehachapi Mountain wind energy, according to the company.

It is a gravitational technology but an intriguing if fairly simple concept, Higgins said. “The questions are: What are the applications? And how cost effective is it versus something else?”

ARES will soon begin providing more answers, Cava said. They expect to be granted a Bureau of Land Management permit by the end of this year for a selected Nevada site and they expect to have an operational 50 MW project selling into the California grid’s ancillary services market via the Valley Electric Association cooperative utility by the end of 2017.

It will have a 78.3% round trip efficiency, a 34 second full charge to full discharge response, and a 40-year system life. Ultimately, the ARES team believes, projects with multiple, side-by-side lines can provide up to 3 GW of storage over a 24 hour duration.

“Pumped hydro can be very large but so can ARES,” Cava said. “And twice the capacity is not twice the cost so it scales relatively economically.”
Rail storage and pumped hydro can provide a lot of power, but have a longer discharge time than other technologies. Credit: ARES North America
The case for CAES

There are only two operating utility-scale Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) facilities in the world, though others in the U.S., the UK, and Europe are in various stages of development. The 290 MW, four hour full-output Huntorf facility in Germany went into service in 1978. The 110 MW, 26-hour full-output McIntosh facility in Alabama went into service in 1991.

At both sites, energy is used to compress air into underground salt caverns. When that air is released, on demand, it turns generators that send electricity back to the grid.

CAES makes sense when there is a need for a long duration response of between 8 hours and 26 hours, Higgins said, because the cost is largely upfront. Compared to the linear cost of increasing batteries’ storage volume, it is not very expensive to expand a CAES facility's capacity.

“But,” he added, “it is not often you find a good storage site with all the advantages of the one in Utah being proposed for development by Burbank Water and Power (BWP) and its partners in the Pathfinder group. There is an underground salt cavern that happens to be next to a major transmission line and near sites of thermal plants scheduled to be shuttered.”

“Geology is the biggest hurdle for CAES,” acknowledged BWP Power Resources Manager Lincoln Bleveans. “But another company has already proven the viability of this geology by storing natural gas liquids there.”

BWP estimates it could build “about 90 caverns, each about the size and shape of the Empire State Building” in the underground salt deposits at Delta, Utah, Bleveans said.

Around 2010, BWP began to realize California’s renewables mandate was eventually going to increase. Talk was emerging about over-generation and the increasing need for stored energy to meet an increasing late-afternoon, post-solar-availability peak.

Bleveans and his team began more seriously considering the storage site near the Intermountain Power Project (IPP), from which the municipal utility already bought a small share of the facility’s 1,900 MW of coal-generated electricity. Adding to the site's appeal was that most of the IPP’s generation was already being sent along existing transmission to Southern California region munis.

BWP also discovered Pathfinder Wind Energy was beginning the process of developing up to 3 GW of Wyoming wind and investigating ways to deliver the electricity it could generate to West Coast load centers.

Soon BWP also discovered the Transwest Express, Gateway, and Zephyr high capacity transmission systems to be in development. All could potentially pickup Wyoming and other High Plains wind-generated electricity and deliver it to the storage site for later deliervy, on demand, to Western and Southwestern loads.

BWP, Pathfinder, equipment provider Dresser-Rand, transmission builder Duke-ATC, and technology supplier ABB recently won preliminary approval for a $628 Department of Energy loan guarantee that would allow them to develop a 300 MW pilot project at the Delta site, Bleveans said.

“CAES is very geology specific. It lives and dies on geology,” Bleveans repeated. “We are in due diligence mode. We are peeling the onion. And we haven’t cried yet. But we are still peeling the onion and trying to figure out if it is the right thing for our utility.”

Bleveans declined to provide cost information but the current facilities are averaging $1,600 per kW to $2,200 per kW, according to Energy Storage Update. The report puts PHS at $1,200 per kW to $2,100 per kW, lithium-ion batteries at $1,000 per kW to $2,000 per kW, and flywheel storage at $2,100 per kW to $2,600 per kW.

Compressed air can provide a lot of storage capacity, but is limited by geologic factors.
Credit:
Burbank Water and Power

Flywheels struggle on cost

Though cost would appear an obstacle for flywheels, they can be cost effective when they are cycled frequently, Higgins said. “It is like a giant spring. Energy is used to wind it up and energy is released when it unwinds.”

But charge-discharge cycling doesn’t cause the same wear-and-tear in flywheels as it does in the chemistry of batteries, so performance degrades less.

“Flywheels are a short-duration, high-power resource,” Higgins said. “They are most cost-effective for fast response ancillary grid services.”

The PJM Interconnection and New York’s grid operator are both using 20 MW Beacon Power flywheels for frequency regulation, Higgins added.

But lithium ion battery storage seems to be most grid operators' preference in recent ancillary services contract bidding, verifying flywheel technology's lack of cost competitiveness as reflected in the Energy Storage Update cost information cited above.

Flywheels have, however, found some success in support of electric trains. “Flywheels can quickly deliver a lot of load as a fast train draws power to leave the station,” Higgins explained. “That avoids any strain on the grid from a sudden increased power demand.”

Storing the sun

Molten salt storage from the sun’s heat is just beginning to demonstrate its viability at U.S. solar power plants. Abengoa Solar’s 280 MW Solana parabolic trough solar power plant in the Arizona desert has proven it can provide Arizona Public Service with up to six hours of full capacity generation after dark or at other times when there is inadequate sun.

SolarReserve’s Crescent Dunes solar power tower, due online in October, will raise the bar by providing NV Energy with ten hours of stored 110 MW generation. Its system drives molten salts up to the top of a 540 foot tower and into a 100 foot tall receiver, where they are heated by the sun to 1050 degrees Fahrenheit. They then flow into a 3.6 million gallon hot tank.

At the utility’s need, the hot salts are released to flow past a closed water system in a heat exchanger where they transfer half their heat to boil the water. The steam drives a 110 MW turbine to generate electricity and is largely recaptured. The molten salts flow, at 550 degrees Fahrenheit, to the “cold” tank to await another cycle.

The price of these “solar thermal” technologies includes the cost of both generation and storage. SolarReserve’s power purchase agreement with NV Energy set the price of its output at $0.132 per kWh.

Recently, photovoltaic (PV) solar projects that generate power from the sun’s light have been bidding for utility contracts at and below $0.05 per kWh, pushing concentrating solar power projects like Solana and Crescent Dunes out of the market.

But PV solar can only be stored in batteries or other technologies that hold electricity. They are more expensive, less efficient, and less scalable than molten salts, according to SolarReserve CEO Kevin Smith. With renewables mandates rising, utilities will soon see the value of stored solar heat to meet an increasing late afternoon-early evening peak in demand, he said. As Utility Dive has reported, storage capabilities could prove to be the savior for large CSP projects in the coming years.

CSP is struggling to compete with PV on price, but its storage attributes could help its appeal in coming years.
Credit:
from SolarReserve (used with permission)

The coolest tech: Ice storage

Ice Energy and CALMAC provide thermal storage at the opposite end of the temperature spectrum from solar power plant developers.

Both companies are leaders in shifting the energy used to cool buildings from when the day is hottest, demand on the grid is highest, and electricity is most expensive, to the cooler night when demand is low and abundant, wind-generated electricity can be bought from most grid systems at very low prices.

Both companies’ devices attach to building air conditioning (A/C) units. They freeze water at night so when cooling is needed the next day, the draw from the A/C is sharply reduced.

CALMAC’s business model focuses on building owners, winning customers by simply cutting their electricity bills. The technology can have a huge impact, especially where high demand charges from peaking A/C use can be controlled.

Ice Energy partners with utilities. Though already widely used across the U.S., its Ice Bear product got its biggest recognition yet by winning 16 contracts for 26 MW of distributed and behind-the-meter storage in the Southern California Edison (SCE) 2014 local capacity requirement (LCR) bidding.

By allowing the utility to control if and when the Ice Bear is used, the technology acts as a demand response resource, Higgins said. SCE expects to eventually be able to cut its peak load, when necessary, by 95% of the contracted 26 MW with the flip of a control switch, according to Ice Energy.

Building cooling is unaffected, but if SCE throws the switch, the cooling would be coming from wind energy-generated power, which helps the utility meet its renewables mandate. That electricity would also be lower priced.

BWP, Glendale Water & Power, Redding Electric Utility, and Riverside Public Utilities also employ the Ice Energy technology, according to Energy Storage Update.

Ice Energy’s business is expanding quickly, reported Chief Information Officer Chris B. Tillotson. It already has 12MW installed and 30MW contracted for and it is working on a development pipeline of over 100 MW. It is also readying an Ice Cub residential product, which should hit the market in time to be an early player in the aggregated distributed energy resources markets being developed in California and New York.

The best tech depends on location

“We believe this is the only non-battery distributed storage technology,” Tillotson said, taking the cooling technology out of competition with the bulk providers.

For all the gravity-driven bulk storage technologies, Higgins said, “the question is whether the final engineering costs make it cost-effective.”

“We are comparable to pumped hydro but it is easier to locate and build an ARES project, way easier because pumped hydro depends on water,” Cava said. “We need land and a mild grade but we have found at least 27 sites just in the state of California.”

I don’t want to say PHS, ARES, or CAES is better, Bleveans said. CAES seems to have great potential if you have the right geology. LA DWP’s Castaic PHS facility proves the right geology and topography can make that a terrific solution. And with the right conditions, an ARES project might be good, too.

"At the scale of bulk storage," Bleveans explained, “you have to be agnostic about technology because the technology has to be driven by site conditions.”

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
All the talk in the electric utility industry these days seems to be about battery storage, but there are other ways to save generated electricity for later.

With more demanding state renewable portfolio standards, the finalization of the EPA's Clean Power Plan and utilities increasingly turning to renewables as a least-cost option, grid operators are likely to need more and bigger storage options by the mid-2020s, if not before.

"The excitement in the market now is around the policies we have in place, which very specifically exclude big pumped hydro applications," explained California Energy Storage Alliance (CESA) Sr. Advisor Mark Higgins, the VP/COO at Strategen Consulting. "Those policies were designed to create a diversity of technologies. Bulk storage would work against that."

But, Higgins said, by around 2024, when California gets to about 40% renewables, there will be a real need to shift excess renewable energy supplies from the middle of the day to the late afternoon and evening. "That will require storage resources that can handle big amounts of energy over long periods of time."

Higgins expects California regulators to again take the lead, as they did with the AB 2514 policy now driving battery technology growth, and put in place incentives for long duration storage technologies.

Pumped hydro promises big capacity

Pumped hydro storage (PSH) uses energy to move water from a lower reservoir to a higher reservoir where it can, at need, be released. The energy is recaptured as hydroelectric power as the water flows back to the lower reservoir.

"Pumped hydro's sweet spot is bulk energy shifting," Higgins said. "But there are not many good sites left, upfront capital costs are high and policy support is limited." Such obstacles have limited excitement about pumped hydro's growth.

Duke Energy, however, says it is excited about pumped hydro, according to Spokesperson Lisa Parrish, because its quick start up time provides flexibility the utility needs. "Pumped storage functions like a giant water battery... At a moment's notice, the stored water can be used to meet peak demand."

The potential of Califonia's Bison Peak 1 and 2 PSH Projects excites Alton Energy President Ed Duggan. Eagle Crest's Eagle Mountain PSH Project was green-lighted first by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), in hopes of helping fill the gap left by the shuttering of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. But Duggan believes the combined 2,000 MW capacity of the Bison projects will have more benefits if he can get a green light from FERC.

"Bison 1 and 2 meet three crucial criteria," he explained. "First, they are strategically located at an intersection point of the California grid and some of the biggest utility-scale wind and solar installations already online."

He was describing the nearly 1,200 MW of photovoltaic solar in the Antelope Valley and the over 5,000 MW of wind capacity in the Tehachapi Mountains that form the Valley's north boundary.

"Second, the Bison projects have a larger elevation differential than other proposed pumped storage projects," Duggan said. Competitors include the privately funded Lake Elsinore project, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District's Iowa Hills project, EDF's Swan Lake project, and smaller ones proposed by the San Diego Water Authority.

"The greater elevation differential would allow Bison Peak to supply more power faster with less water," Duggan explained.

Finally, he said, Bison Peak's bulk storage would be geographically available through the Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric transmission systems to the Los Angeles and San Francisco region load centers.

Duggan believes the state will need at least 10 GW and possibly as much as 50 GW of bulk storage like PSH to meet the state's targeted 80% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050.

Take the ARES train

But the bulk storage may not all come from PSH, according to Advanced Rail Energy Storage (ARES) North America VP Francesca Cava.

"We are like pumped hydro but without the constraints of water," Cava said. "And we estimate ARES requires about half the capital expenditure."

ARES would use energy to do with box cars on a rail line what PSH does with water - push them up an incline so they can be released to generate electricity with their downhill momentum. The concept has been proven with a "peer-reviewed, patented" demonstration project in which ARES has moved a 6.5 ton rail car up a 15-inch gauge track with Tehachapi Mountain wind energy, according to the company.

It is a gravitational technology but an intriguing if fairly simple concept, Higgins said. "The questions are: What are the applications? And how cost effective is it versus something else?"

ARES will soon begin providing more answers, Cava said. They expect to be granted a Bureau of Land Management permit by the end of this year for a selected Nevada site and they expect to have an operational 50 MW project selling into the California grid's ancillary services market via the Valley Electric Association cooperative utility by the end of 2017.

It will have a 78.3% round trip efficiency, a 34 second full charge to full discharge response, and a 40-year system life. Ultimately, the ARES team believes, projects with multiple, side-by-side lines can provide up to 3 GW of storage over a 24 hour duration.

"Pumped hydro can be very large but so can ARES," Cava said. "And twice the capacity is not twice the cost so it scales relatively economically."

The case for CAES

There are only two operating utility-scale Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) facilities in the world, though others in the U.S., the UK, and Europe are in various stages of development. The 290 MW, four hour full-output Huntorf facility in Germany went into service in 1978. The 110 MW, 26-hour full-output McIntosh facility in Alabama went into service in 1991.

At both sites, energy is used to compress air into underground salt caverns. When that air is released, on demand, it turns generators that send electricity back to the grid.

CAES makes sense when there is a need for a long duration response of between 8 hours and 26 hours, Higgins said, because the cost is largely upfront. Compared to the linear cost of increasing batteries' storage volume, it is not very expensive to expand a CAES facility's capacity.

"But," he added, "it is not often you find a good storage site with all the advantages of the one in Utah being proposed for development by Burbank Water and Power (BWP) and its partners in the Pathfinder group. There is an underground salt cavern that happens to be next to a major transmission line and near sites of thermal plants scheduled to be shuttered."

" Geology is the biggest hurdle for CAES," acknowledged BWP Power Resources Manager Lincoln Bleveans. "But another company has already proven the viability of this geology by storing natural gas liquids there."

BWP estimates it could build "about 90 caverns, each about the size and shape of the Empire State Building" in the underground salt deposits at Delta, Utah, Bleveans said.

Around 2010, BWP began to realize California's renewables mandate was eventually going to increase. Talk was emerging about over-generation and the increasing need for stored energy to meet an increasing late-afternoon, post-solar-availability peak.

Bleveans and his team began more seriously considering the storage site near the Intermountain Power Project (IPP), from which the municipal utility already bought a small share of the facility's 1,900 MW of coal-generated electricity. Adding to the site's appeal was that most of the IPP's generation was already being sent along existing transmission to Southern California region munis.

BWP also discovered Pathfinder Wind Energy was beginning the process of developing up to 3 GW of Wyoming wind and investigating ways to deliver the electricity it could generate to West Coast load centers.

Soon BWP also discovered the Transwest Express, Gateway, and Zephyr high capacity transmission systems to be in development. All could potentially pickup Wyoming and other High Plains wind-generated electricity and deliver it to the storage site for later deliervy, on demand, to Western and Southwestern loads.

BWP, Pathfinder, equipment provider Dresser-Rand, transmission builder Duke-ATC, and technology supplier ABB recently won preliminary approval for a $628 Department of Energy loan guarantee that would allow them to develop a 300 MW pilot project at the Delta site, Bleveans said.

"CAES is very geology specific. It lives and dies on geology," Bleveans repeated. "We are in due diligence mode. We are peeling the onion. And we haven't cried yet. But we are still peeling the onion and trying to figure out if it is the right thing for our utility."

Bleveans declined to provide cost information but the current facilities are averaging $1,600 per kW to $2,200 per kW, according to Energy Storage Update. The report puts PHS at $1,200 per kW to $2,100 per kW, lithium-ion batteries at $1,000 per kW to $2,000 per kW, and flywheel storage at $2,100 per kW to $2,600 per kW.

Flywheels struggle on cost

Though cost would appear an obstacle for flywheels, they can be cost effective when they are cycled frequently, Higgins said. "It is like a giant spring. Energy is used to wind it up and energy is released when it unwinds."

But charge-discharge cycling doesn't cause the same wear-and-tear in flywheels as it does in the chemistry of batteries, so performance degrades less.

"Flywheels are a short-duration, high-power resource," Higgins said. "They are most cost-effective for fast response ancillary grid services."

The PJM Interconnection and New York's grid operator are both using 20 MW Beacon Power flywheels for frequency regulation, Higgins added.

But lithium ion battery storage seems to be most grid operators' preference in recent ancillary services contract bidding, verifying flywheel technology's lack of cost competitiveness as reflected in the Energy Storage Update cost information cited above.

Flywheels have, however, found some success in support of electric trains. "Flywheels can quickly deliver a lot of load as a fast train draws power to leave the station," Higgins explained. "That avoids any strain on the grid from a sudden increased power demand."

Storing the sun

Molten salt storage from the sun's heat is just beginning to demonstrate its viability at U.S. solar power plants. Abengoa Solar's 280 MW Solana parabolic trough solar power plant in the Arizona desert has proven it can provide Arizona Public Service with up to six hours of full capacity generation after dark or at other times when there is inadequate sun.

SolarReserve's Crescent Dunes solar power tower, due online in October, will raise the bar by providing NV Energy with ten hours of stored 110 MW generation. Its system drives molten salts up to the top of a 540 foot tower and into a 100 foot tall receiver, where they are heated by the sun to 1050 degrees Fahrenheit. They then flow into a 3.6 million gallon hot tank.

At the utility's need, the hot salts are released to flow past a closed water system in a heat exchanger where they transfer half their heat to boil the water. The steam drives a 110 MW turbine to generate electricity and is largely recaptured. The molten salts flow, at 550 degrees Fahrenheit, to the "cold" tank to await another cycle.

The price of these "solar thermal" technologies includes the cost of both generation and storage. SolarReserve's power purchase agreement with NV Energy set the price of its output at $0.132 per kWh.

Recently, photovoltaic (PV) solar projects that generate power from the sun's light have been bidding for utility contracts at and below $0.05 per kWh, pushing concentrating solar power projects like Solana and Crescent Dunes out of the market.

But PV solar can only be stored in batteries or other technologies that hold electricity. They are more expensive, less efficient, and less scalable than molten salts, according to SolarReserve CEO Kevin Smith. With renewables mandates rising, utilities will soon see the value of stored solar heat to meet an increasing late afternoon-early evening peak in demand, he said. As Utility Dive has reported, storage capabilities could prove to be the savior for large CSP projects in the coming years.

The coolest tech: Ice storage

Ice Energy and CALMAC provide thermal storage at the opposite end of the temperature spectrum from solar power plant developers.

Both companies are leaders in shifting the energy used to cool buildings from when the day is hottest, demand on the grid is highest, and electricity is most expensive, to the cooler night when demand is low and abundant, wind-generated electricity can be bought from most grid systems at very low prices.

Both companies' devices attach to building air conditioning (A/C) units. They freeze water at night so when cooling is needed the next day, the draw from the A/C is sharply reduced.

CALMAC's business model focuses on building owners, winning customers by simply cutting their electricity bills. The technology can have a huge impact, especially where high demand charges from peaking A/C use can be controlled.

Ice Energy partners with utilities. Though already widely used across the U.S., its Ice Bear product got its biggest recognition yet by winning 16 contracts for 26 MW of distributed and behind-the-meter storage in the Southern California Edison (SCE) 2014 local capacity requirement (LCR) bidding.

By allowing the utility to control if and when the Ice Bear is used, the technology acts as a demand response resource, Higgins said. SCE expects to eventually be able to cut its peak load, when necessary, by 95% of the contracted 26 MW with the flip of a control switch, according to Ice Energy.

Building cooling is unaffected, but if SCE throws the switch, the cooling would be coming from wind energy-generated power, which helps the utility meet its renewables mandate. That electricity would also be lower priced.

BWP, Glendale Water & Power, Redding Electric Utility, and Riverside Public Utilities also employ the Ice Energy technology, according to Energy Storage Update.

Ice Energy's business is expanding quickly, reported Chief Information Officer Chris B. Tillotson. It already has 12MW installed and 30MW contracted for and it is working on a development pipeline of over 100 MW. It is also readying an Ice Cub residential product, which should hit the market in time to be an early player in the aggregated distributed energy resources markets being developed in California and New York.

The best tech depends on location

"We believe this is the only non-battery distributed storage technology," Tillotson said, taking the cooling technology out of competition with the bulk providers.

For all the gravity-driven bulk storage technologies, Higgins said, "the question is whether the final engineering costs make it cost-effective."

"We are comparable to pumped hydro but it is easier to locate and build an ARES project, way easier because pumped hydro depends on water," Cava said. "We need land and a mild grade but we have found at least 27 sites just in the state of California."

I don't want to say PHS, ARES, or CAES is better, Bleveans said. CAES seems to have great potential if you have the right geology. LA DWP's Castaic PHS facility proves the right geology and topography can make that a terrific solution. And with the right conditions, an ARES project might be good, too.

"At the scale of bulk storage," Bleveans explained, "you have to be agnostic about technology because the technology has to be driven by site conditions."

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Beyond batteries: The diverse technologies vying for the bulk storage market

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All the talk in the electric utility industry these days seems to be about battery storage, but there are other ways to save generated electricity for later. With more demanding state renewable portfolio standards, the finalization of the EPA's Clean Power Plan and utilities increasingly turning to renewables as a least-cost option, grid operators are likely to need more and bigger storage options by the mid-2020s, if not before.

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Rijk zonder CO2: naar een duurzame energievoorziening in 2050

Rli - september 2015

Aanleiding en adviesvraag

Aanleiding voor dit advies is de vraag van minister Kamp van Economische Zaken aan de raad voor de leefomgeving en infrastructuur: hoe komen we tot een volledig duurzame energievoorziening in 2050?  De minister beschouwt het advies als belangrijke bouwsteen voor het Energierapport 2015.

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Leander van Bijsterveld,  Electricity Industry Trends and Figures 2015

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Leander van Bijsterveld,  Electricity Industry Trends and Figures 2015

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The present report aims to introduce the readers to the new dynamics of the ‘energy transition’ and how it impacts both energy policy/regulation and businesses. The report outlines the efforts carried out by the power industry in adapting to these changes with the objective of delivering continuous safe, affordable and cost efficient electricity supply to its customers.

The report is build on six pillars: Energy Policy Context, Demand, Electricity generation, Capacity and investment, Markets, & Environment.

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Dutch market parties in Energy look into the future of flexibele energy systems. Saskia

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Electricity generation in  the Czech Republic

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Electricity generation in  the Czech Republic

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Electricity generation in  the Czech Republic

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Astrid van der Werf / Riding solar station on its way! 

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Astrid van der Werf / Riding solar station on its way! 

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Rijdende zonnecentrale is in aantocht - Reportage - Zonnewagens / Geen brandstofkosten en nog energie over voor thuis. De Eindhovense zonne-auto, nu deelnemer aan de Solar-race in Australië, brengt dat ideaal dichterbij. / VAN ONZE VERSLAGGEVER BARD VAN DE WEIJER / EINDHOVEN

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Zonne-energie benutten neemt elke 2 jaar met factor 2 toe en wordt 2x goedkoper. Foto bij MilieuEducatieCentrum in Maarssenbroek.

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The new Greek Minister of Energy and Environment, Panos Skourletis, announces new strategic goals, long-term energy planning, gradual independence from fossil fuels, measures to increase energy efficiency and greater market penetration for renewable energy sources. (article in Greek..)

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Τους στρατηγικούς στόχους για την διαμόρφωση ενός οικονομικά και περιβαλλοντικά βιώσιμου μακροπρόθεσμου ενεργειακού σχεδιασμού για τη χώρα μας περιέγραψε από το βήμα της Βουλής ο υπουργός Ενέργειας και Περιβάλλοντος, Πάνος Σκουρλέτης, κατά τη διάρκεια των Προγραμματικών Δηλώσεων της κυβέρνησης.

Όπως είπε ο υπουργός στρατηγικός στόχος της κυβέρνησης στον ενεργειακό τομέα είναι ένα νέο δημοκρατικό ενεργειακό μοντέλο με προτεραιότητα στις κοινωνικές και περιβαλλοντικές ανάγκες σε τοπικό, περιφερειακό και εθνικό επίπεδο. Στην κατεύθυνση αυτή προκρίνεται η σταδιακή απεξάρτηση από τα ορυκτά καύσιμα, η αύξηση της ενεργειακής αποδοτικότητας και ο κοινωνικά προσανατολισμένος σχεδιασμός της αύξησης διείσδυσης των ΑΠΕ.

Από την ομιλία του κ. Σκουρλέτη δεν έλειψε η ιδιωτικοποίηση του ΑΔΜΗΕ, η οποία -σύμφωνα με τον ίδιο- αποκρούστηκε στο πλαίσιο της αναζήτησης εναλλακτικής λύσης, ενώ παράλληλα έκανε λόγο και για τη "Μικρή ΔΕΗ", προαπαιτούμενο το οποίο τελικά τέθηκε εκτός συζήτησης με τους δανειστές.

Επιπροσθέτως, ανακοινώθηκε η σύσταση Εθνικού Συμβουλίου Ενέργειας στο οποίο θα κληθούν να συμμετάσχουν όλοι οι φορείς του Τομέα και όλες οι κατηγορίες των καταναλωτών.

Στο θέμα των ελληνικών υδρογονανθράκων, ο υπουργός σημείωσε ότι σε σύντομο χρονικό διάστημα, μετά από διαβούλευση με αρμόδιους επιστημονικούς φορείς, εταιρείες και τις τοπικές κοινωνίες, θα προωθηθεί ένα νέο, σύγχρονο, θεσμικό πλαίσιο που -μεταξύ άλλων- θα περιλαμβάνει τη θεσμοθέτηση κρατικής εταιρείας υδρογονανθράκων.

Για ακόμη μια φορά ο υπουργός Ενέργειας επανέλαβε ότι η διατήρηση της στρατηγικής θέσης του Δημοσίου στα ΕΛΠΕ θα επιτρέψει σε διεθνείς συνεργασίες, στη μετεξέλιξη της εταιρείας σε διεθνή ενεργειακή εταιρεία με αυξημένο εξαγωγικό προσανατολισμό και θα συμβάλει στην εθνική ενεργειακή στρατηγική. Ειδικότερα, "στη βάση της σημερινής διυλιστικής ικανότητας των ΕΛΠΕ, της τεχνολογικής υποδομής τους και της υψηλής τεχνογνωσίας του εργατικού δυναμικού τους μπορούν να προωθηθούν πολιτικές:

- περαιτέρω αξιοποίησης επενδύσεων για τη μεγαλύτερη καθετοποίηση των δραστηριοτήτων λιανικής εμπορίας και πετροχημικών με κλάδο διύλισης, με τη προσέλκυση μεγάλων και φερέγγυων διεθνών εταίρων.

- διαφοροποίησης διεθνών πηγών προμήθειας καυσίμων και πρώτων υλών

- βελτίωσης της παραγωγικότητας της εταιρείας μέσω του εξορθολογισμού λειτουργικών δαπανών, μείωσης του χρηματοδοτικού κόστους, ενσωμάτωσης της καινοτομίας".

Τελειώνοντας την τοποθέτησή του, ο κ. Σκουρλέτης χαρακτήρισε εκτός πραγματικότητας τα όσα ακούστηκαν για τις Σκουριές κατά τη διάρκεια της προεκλογικής περιόδου, έστειλε μήνυμα στην αντιπολίτευση λέγοντας ότι δεν δίνει λάθος σήμα στο επενδυτικό κοινό η απόφαση της κυβέρνησης για το θέμα αυτό και κατέληξε λέγοντας "έχουμε λάβει εντολή για την προστασία του περιβάλλοντος, των εργαζομένων και της νομιμότητας".
Ολόκληρη η ομιλία του κ. Σκουρλέτη στη Βουλή έχει ως εξής:
Κυρίες και κύριοι συνάδελφοι

Εφαλτήριο για μια νέα αναπτυξιακή και παραγωγική προσπάθεια στη χώρα μας δεν μπορεί παρά να είναι η διαμόρφωση μιας νέας ενεργειακής πολιτικής.

Στρατηγικός μας στόχος είναι η διαμόρφωση ενός οικονομικά και περιβαλλοντικά βιώσιμου μακροπρόθεσμου ενεργειακού πλάνου και η υιοθέτηση μίας νέας δομής και ενός νέου μοντέλου λειτουργίας της ενεργειακής αγοράς που θα έχει ως προτεραιότητα τα νοικοκυριά, τη στήριξη των μικρών και μεγάλων επιχειρήσεων μέσω εξασφάλισης ανταγωνιστικού κόστους ενέργειας και την προώθηση ενεργειακών επενδύσεων με πολλαπλασιαστικό αντίκτυπο στην οικονομία.

Η διαμόρφωση μιας νέας ενεργειακής πολιτικής, που να λαμβάνει σοβαρά υπόψη τις διεθνείς τάσεις και εξελίξεις, αλλά και τις ιδιαιτερότητες της ελληνικής οικονομίας και κοινωνίας, είναι άμεση προτεραιότητα αλλά και προϋπόθεση για την επανεκκίνηση της οικονομίας, την παραγωγική ανασυγκρότηση, την ανταγωνιστικότητα, τη στήριξη της απασχόλησης και την κοινωνική συνοχή.

Στο πλαίσιο αυτό, θα εξαντλήσουμε όλα τα περιθώρια ώστε να ενταχθούν σε αυτή τη στρατηγική οι σχετικές δεσμεύσεις για μεταρρυθμίσεις που περιλαμβάνονται στη συμφωνία, με την κατάλληλη εφαρμογή τους στην ελληνική πραγματικότητα και, όπου απαιτείται, με την εξεύρεση εναλλακτικών λύσεων και επιλογών. Στη διαδικασία αυτή, θα επιμείνουμε ότι η οποιαδήποτε απελευθέρωση της αγοράς στη βάση των Ευρωπαϊκών Οδηγιών, δεν θα έχει πραγματικό όφελος εάν δεν εξασφαλίζει επενδύσεις για την ασφάλεια εφοδιασμού και εάν δεν παρέχει καλύτερες υπηρεσίες αλλά και φθηνότερο κόστος ηλεκτρικής ενέργειας προς τους πολίτες και την οικονομία.

Προς την κατεύθυνση αυτή, η διαμόρφωση ενός ορθολογικού και δίκαιου θεσμικού και ρυθμιστικού πλαισίου είναι ο ακρογωνιαίος λίθος για την αποδοτική λειτουργία της αγοράς ενέργειας και τη στήριξη της οικονομίας.

Η κρίση του προηγούμενου αναπτυξιακού προτύπου, που οδήγησε και στη κρίση χρέους, παροξύνθηκε την πενταετία του μνημονίου οδηγώντας στη μείωση της κατανάλωσης και της ενεργειακής ζήτησης. Μέσα σε αυτό το κλίμα, μεθοδεύθηκαν πολιτικές ιδιωτικοποίησης με επίκεντρο τη ΔΕΗ και το Δίκτυο Μεταφοράς Ηλεκτρικής Ενέργειας.

Το προηγούμενο πολιτικό σύστημα, με βάση τις ιδιοτελείς δεσμεύσεις και εξαρτήσεις του, δεν μπόρεσε να προσεγγίσει τις σύγχρονες τεχνολογικές εξελίξεις, να επεξεργαστεί και να υλοποιήσει έναν σύγχρονο μακρόπνοο ενεργειακό σχεδιασμό. Η ανεξέλεγκτη και αγοραία ανάπτυξη της παραγωγικής υποδομής της ηλεκτρικής ενέργειας δημιούργησε τη σημερινή υπερεπάρκεια ισχύος παραγωγής και διαμόρφωσε μια ψευδεπίγραφη εγχώρια αγορά ενέργειας. Ενεργοποιήθηκαν ποικίλοι μηχανισμοί αποζημιώσεων, ενισχύσεων και εν τέλει εγγυημένων κερδών για ένα κρατικοδίαιτο ιδιωτικό τομέα παραγωγής και διάθεσης στην αγορά ενέργειας.

Η ενίσχυση του μεριδίου Φυσικού Αερίου στο ενεργειακό μίγμα αντί να διοχετευτεί στην άμεση καύση, στη βιομηχανία και στα νοικοκυριά, χρησιμοποιήθηκε στην παραγωγή ηλεκτρισμού στις μονάδες ΦΑ των ιδιωτών παραγωγών επιβαρύνοντας το ενεργειακό κόστος με τις αντίστοιχες κοινωνικές συνέπειες. Ταυτόχρονα ο τρόπος που αναπτύχθηκαν οι ανανεώσιμες πηγές ενέργειας (ΑΠΕ), που αποτέλεσαν μία ακόμη αναπτυξιακή "μεγάλη ιδέα", τις μετέτρεψε σε παράγοντα επιβάρυνσης του γενικού ενεργειακού κόστους και ιδιωτικής χειραγώγησης της αγοράς.

Η χώρα λοιπόν παραμένει μέχρι σήμερα σε συνθήκες ενός αντιφατικού και αβέβαιου ενεργειακού τοπίου με ένα ασταθές και μεταβαλλόμενο ενεργειακό μίγμα καυσίμου, χωρίς κανέναν απολύτως ενεργειακό σχεδιασμό. H προσαρμογή του εγχώριου ενεργειακού συστήματος στα ευρωπαϊκά δεδομένα δεν έχει γίνει δυνατή μέχρι σήμερα με ευθύνη του παλιού πολιτικού συστήματος. Η όποια εναρμόνιση της εγχώριας αγοράς στα ευρωπαϊκά πρότυπα, όπως αυτά έχουν ορισθεί από την ευρωπαϊκή πολιτική της τρίτης δέσμης μέτρων και του Target model, παραμένει υπό την ομηρία ιδιοτελών ιδιωτικών συμφερόντων της κρατικοδίαιτης επιχειρηματικότητας.

Στρατηγικός στόχος της κυβέρνησης στον ενεργειακό τομέα είναι ένα νέο δημοκρατικό ενεργειακό μοντέλο με προτεραιότητα στις κοινωνικές και περιβαλλοντικές ανάγκες σε τοπικό, περιφερειακό και εθνικό επίπεδο. Στην κατεύθυνση αυτή προκρίνεται η σταδιακή απεξάρτηση από τα ορυκτά καύσιμα, η αύξηση της ενεργειακής αποδοτικότητας και ο κοινωνικά προσανατολισμένος σχεδιασμός της αύξησης διείσδυσης των Ανανεώσιμων Πηγών Ενέργειας.
Κατά τη περίοδο της προηγούμενης κυβέρνησης
§ Παρά τις προαναφερθείσες δυσκολίες, την έλλειψη ρευστότητας και την υπερχρέωση της ενεργειακής αγοράς, πάρθηκαν μέτρα αντιμετώπισης των ελλειμμάτων και ρυθμίστηκαν οφειλές οικιακών καταναλωτών και επιχειρήσεων προς τη Δημόσια Επιχείρηση Ηλεκτρισμού.

§ Επανατροφοδοτήθηκαν με ηλεκτρικό ρεύμα εκατοντάδες χιλιάδες άποροι πολίτες. Χορηγήθηκαν γενναίες ρυθμίσεις οφειλών από τη νέα Διοίκηση της ΔΕΗ σε εκατοντάδες χιλιάδες νοικοκυριά και επιχειρήσεις, καθώς και σημαντικές εκπτώσεις τιμολογίων.

§ Ακυρώθηκαν οι αυξήσεις στα τιμολόγια του ηλεκτρικού ρεύματος, που είχαν προωθηθεί εν κρυπτώ από την απελθούσα συγκυβέρνηση,

§ Σε συνεργασία με τη ΔΕΠΑ, μειώθηκαν σημαντικά, κατά τουλάχιστον 16%, οι τιμές φυσικού αερίου.

§ Πάγωσαν οι αυξήσεις στα ρυθμιζόμενα τιμολόγια των δικτύων

§ Τέθηκαν οι βάσεις για την κατασκευή του Νότιου Ευρωπαϊκού Αγωγού που θα μεταφέρει ρωσικό φυσικό αέριο, μέσω της ελληνικής επικράτειας, στις χώρες της Κεντρικής Ευρώπης. Υπεγράφη μεταξύ της ελληνικής και ρωσικής κυβέρνησης, Μνημόνιο Συνεργασίας για την κατασκευή και λειτουργία του αγωγού.

Με σκληρή διαπραγμάτευση, μετά από μεγάλη προετοιμασία, αποκρούστηκε εκτός των άλλων η άμεση ιδιωτικοποίηση του ΑΔΜΗΕ, ενώ η πρόταση της κυβέρνησης καταγράφηκε στη συμφωνία στα πλαίσια της αναζήτησης εναλλακτικής λύσης.

Το ρητό χρονοδιάγραμμα διαχωρισμού και ιδιωτικοποίησης της "Μικρής ΔΕΗ", που επανέφεραν με επιμονή οι δανειστές και τα εγχώρια συμφέροντα, και που είχε νομοθετήσει και δρομολογήσει η κυβέρνηση ΝΔ-ΠΑΣΟΚ, τέθηκε εκτός συζήτησης και ακυρώθηκε.

Ο σχεδιασμός και η υλοποίηση των διαφόρων μηχανισμών που θα ρυθμίζουν κανονιστικά την παραγωγή και προμήθεια ηλεκτρικού ρεύματος, στη βάση των γενικών πολιτικών ενέργειας της Ε.Ε., παραμένουν ανοιχτά πεδία διαπραγμάτευσης και διεκδίκησης για τη διασφάλιση της ενέργειας ως κοινωνικού αγαθού και αναπτυξιακού μεγέθους με αποφασιστικό δημόσιο έλεγχο της οργάνωσης και διαχείρισης του όλου συστήματος.

Κυρίες και κύριοι συνάδελφοι

* Το διεθνές ενεργειακό περιβάλλον δεν εξαντλείται στα όρια της ΕΕ. Στη βάση της ιδιαίτερης γεωπολιτικής θέσης της χώρας επιβάλλεται ένα συνεκτικό και μακρόπνοο σχέδιο στρατηγικής που θα έχει ως στόχο την Ενεργειακή Κυριαρχία της χώρας, με πλουραλισμό ενεργειακών πηγών, συνεργασιών και εταιρικών συμμαχιών. Η κυβερνητική πρόταση φιλοδοξεί να αξιοποιηθεί η θέση της χώρας στο διεθνές ενεργειακό πεδίο ως βάση επενδύσεων.

* Για τη συνολική οργάνωση του ενεργειακού πεδίου είναι απαραίτητη η χάραξη αλλά και η υλοποίηση Εθνικής Ενεργειακής Στρατηγικής εναρμονισμένης και με τις γενικές πολιτικές της Ε.Ε. αλλά κυρίως προσαρμοσμένης στις οικονομικές, κοινωνικές, παραγωγικές, γεωφυσικές και γεωπολιτικές ιδιαιτερότητες της χώρας μας. Για το σκοπό αυτό θα συστήσουμε Εθνικό Συμβούλιο Ενέργειας στο οποίο θα κληθούν να συμμετάσχουν όλοι οι φορείς του Τομέα και όλες οι κατηγορίες των καταναλωτών.

* Ο τομέας των ΑΠΕ είναι στρατηγικής σημασίας για τη χώρα μας, παράγοντας που εναρμονίζεται με τη γενικότερη Ευρωπαϊκή πολιτική. Η αξιοποίηση του εγχώριου δυναμικού των στην ΑΠΕ συμβάλλει στη διαφοροποίηση του εθνικού ενεργειακού μίγματος, στην ενεργειακή ασφάλεια της χώρας και στη συμμετοχή της στην προστασία του κλίματος.

* Προκρίνεται η διαμόρφωση ενός πλουραλιστικού στις μορφές του κοινωνικού / δημόσιου τομέα παραγωγής ενέργειας με πυρήνα την ΔΕΗ (προστατευμένη από πρακτικές ιδιωτικοποίησης). Στα επιβαλλόμενα πλαφόν παραγωγής και διανομής Η.Ε. που προβλέπονται από τη συμφωνία ώστε να δημιουργηθεί τεχνητά χώρος σε ιδιώτες, οφείλουμε να σχεδιάσουμε τους θεσμικούς και χρηματοδοτικούς όρους για τη σύσταση βιώσιμων εταιρικών σχημάτων με κοινωνική συνεργατική συγκρότηση - συσχετισμένα πχ με την ενεργειακή αυτονομία επιλεγμένων νησιών, τις τεχνολογίες ΑΠΕ η υβριδικών συστημάτων. Ακόμα και μορφές συμπράξεων η και πραγματικών ιδιωτικών παραγωγικών επενδύσεων, αυτοπαραγωγής βιομηχανικών μονάδων και συστάδων αγροτικής παραγωγής μπορούν να αμβλύνουν τις επιπτώσεις από τον επιβεβλημένο με ποσοστά "ανταγωνισμό".

* Καθοριστικός παράγοντας της ενεργειακής μας πολιτικής και στρατηγικής είναι η εξοικονόμηση ενέργειας και η ριζική αλλαγή του σημερινού ενεργειακού ισοζυγίου. Η δημόσια κατάρτιση ενός προγράμματος επενδύσεων στην εξοικονόμηση ενέργειας θα συντελέσει στη μείωση του ενεργειακού κόστους, στην προστασία του περιβάλλοντος, στη βελτίωση της ποιότητας ζωής των πολιτών, στη δημιουργία χιλιάδων νέων θέσεων εργασίας με την επαναδραστηριοποίηση μεγάλου αριθμού μικρομεσαίων επιχειρήσεων του κατασκευαστικού κλάδου. Απαιτείται η μεταρρύθμιση των συστημικών πρακτικών εξοικονόμησης ενέργειας σε κοινωνική πολιτική που αξιοποιεί το σε αργία επιστημονικό δυναμικό και τις γνώσεις του, δημιουργεί θέσεις ειδικευμένης εργασίας και προσανατολίζεται στη μικρή κλίμακα με εμβρυουλκό τις δημόσιες υποδομές. Στη μεγάλη κλίμακα απαιτείται η μεσοπρόθεσμη αντικατάσταση με οικονομοτεχνικά κριτήρια των παλαιών ρυπογόνων λιγνιτικών μονάδων με σύγχρονες πολύ καλύτερου βαθμού απόδοσης και αντιρρυπαντικής τεχνολογίας.

* Απαιτείται εκ των πραγμάτων η ανασυγκρότηση των "ανεξαρτήτων" αρχών ώστε να ενισχυθεί ο ανεξάρτητος και υπέρ του δημοσίου συμφέροντος, ρόλος τους. Να αναστραφεί η μέχρι τις μέρες μας επίκληση κανόνων απελευθέρωσης της αγοράς για την πριμοδότηση ιδιωτών, σε αυστηρό έλεγχο τιμών, λειτουργιών προσφοράς και παραγωγής με στόχο τη μείωση του γενικού κόστους και των τιμών. Στόχος είναι η ένταξη τους σε μια δημόσια ενεργειακή πολιτική, που θα κατευθύνει και ελέγχει την αγορά σε πρακτικές που θα είναι συμβατές με κοινωνικές ανάγκες έναντι της ενεργειακής φτώχειας και παραγωγικής αποδόμησης.

* Η ανασύνταξη του ενεργειακού πεδίου μπορεί να απελευθερώσει το καθηλωμένο ερευνητικό δυναμικό της χώρας με δημόσιους όρους και κοινωνικά ωφέλιμα ερευνητικά αποτελέσματα. Μια συνεκτική στρατηγική παρέμβασης και σχεδιασμού στο ενεργειακό πεδίο οφείλει να αξιοποιήσει και να τροφοδοτήσει περαιτέρω τη δημόσια έρευνα σε κατευθύνσεις όπως: καθαρές τεχνολογίες άνθρακα, αποταμιευτήρες ενέργειας σε αυτόνομα συστήματα (νησιά / ΑΠΕ), υβριδικά συστήματα για την κάλυψη της στοχαστικότητας των ΑΠΕ, τεχνολογίες έξυπνων δικτύων μετρητών. Μελέτες εφαρμογής δυνατοτήτων ανάπτυξης μονάδων μικρής έως μεσαίου μεγέθους ισχύος παραγωγής ενέργειας από ανανεώσιμες πηγές.

* Επιδίωξη και στόχος της προτεινόμενης αναμόρφωσης της λιανικής αγοράς του ΦΑ, παραμένει η ταχύτερη δυνατή μείωση του ενεργειακού κόστους στη βιομηχανία και στην οικιακή κατανάλωση, η αύξηση της χρήσης του ΦΑ με άμεση καύση και η διαφοροποίηση των πηγών προμήθειας. Η αύξηση της διασύνδεσης σε περιφερειακό και Ευρωπαϊκό επίπεδο, η επαναδιαπραγμάτευση των υφισταμένων συμβάσεων με στόχο τη μείωση των τιμών. Η επέκταση της χρήσης του ΦΑ σε περισσότερες περιοχές της χώρας μαζί με τη διασφάλιση της δυνατότητας των καταναλωτών να επιλέγουν προμηθευτή, οδηγούν σε εκλογίκευση των τιμών με στόχο να προσεγγίσουν το μέσο Ευρωπαϊκό επίπεδο και οι μειωμένες τιμές του ΦΑ να φτάσουν στους τελικούς καταναλωτές.

* Ολοκληρώνεται η διευθέτηση των ανοικτών θεμάτων σχετικά με τον αγωγό ΤΑΡ προκειμένου να διασφαλισθούν σε νέα βάση τα κατά το δυνατόν μεγαλύτερα οφέλη τόσο δημοσιονομικά όσο και για τις τοπικές κοινωνίες.

* Η διατήρηση της στρατηγικής θέσης του Δημοσίου στα ΕΛΠΕ επιτρέπει διεθνείς συνεργασίες, τη μετεξέλιξη της εταιρείας σε διεθνή ενεργειακή εταιρεία με αυξημένο εξαγωγικό προσανατολισμό και τη συμβολή της εταιρείας στην Εθνική Ενεργειακή Στρατηγική. Στη βάση της σημερινής διυλιστικής ικανότητας των ΕΛΠΕ, της τεχνολογικής υποδομής τους και της υψηλής τεχνογνωσίας του εργατικού δυναμικού τους μπορούν να προωθηθούν πολιτικές:

- περαιτέρω αξιοποίησης επενδύσεων για τη μεγαλύτερη καθετοποίηση των δραστηριοτήτων λιανικής εμπορίας και πετροχημικών με κλάδο διύλισης, με τη προσέλκυση μεγάλων και φερέγγυων διεθνών εταίρων.

- διαφοροποίησης διεθνών πηγών προμήθειας καυσίμων και πρώτων υλών

- βελτίωσης της παραγωγικότητας της εταιρείας μέσω του εξορθολογισμού λειτουργικών δαπανών, μείωσης του χρηματοδοτικού κόστους, ενσωμάτωσης της καινοτομίας.

- ιδιαίτερη αναφορά πρέπει να κάνουμε στα ζητήματα ασφάλειας, που έχει γίνει σημαντικό έργο.

Κυρίες και κύριοι συνάδελφοι

Κυριότερη όμως ενέργεια αποτελεί η χάραξη μακροχρόνιου ενεργειακού σχεδιασμού, που δεν εφαρμόστηκε ποτέ με αξιοπιστία στη χώρα μας όπου θα τίθενται οι αντικειμενικοί στόχοι και οι επιπτώσεις από την εφαρμογή τους που είναι επιβεβλημένη.

Απαιτούνται για αυτό:

* Η αποθήκευση ενέργειας

· Γεωθερμία

Η αξιοποίηση της γεωθερμίας που είναι συνεχούς διαθεσιμότητας ΑΠΕ. Στην Ελλάδα δεν υπάρχει μέχρι σήμερα ηλεκτροπαραγωγή γεωθερμικής προέλευσης.

* Η διαγωνιστική διαδικασία για την εκχώρηση των πεδίων αυτών για έρευνα και αξιοποίηση βρίσκεται σήμερα εν υπνώσει. Το θεσμικό πλαίσιο της χώρας είναι ικανοποιητικό και σύγχρονο για να προσελκύσει επενδύσεις στον τομέα της ηλεκτροπαραγωγής από γεωθερμικές πηγές, αλλά και για την αξιοποίηση πεδίων χαμηλότερων θερμοκρασιών για επιχειρηματικές δραστηριότητες όπως είναι η τηλεθέρμανση, ο γεωργικός και ο τουριστικός τομέας.
Σχετικά με τα Δίκτυα και τις διασυνδέσεις
Η ανάπτυξη των διασυνδέσεων είναι καθοριστικής σημασίας στο Ευρωπαϊκό σύστημα(Internal Energy Market, Target Model) και στην ευρύτερη περιφέρεια της Βαλκανικής. Στο Ελληνικό σύστημα οι υφιστάμενες διασυνδέσεις (αν και η Ελλάδα είναι πολύ κοντά στο καθοριζόμενο 10%) δεν είναι πολύ ισχυρές και απαιτούνται νέες διασυνδέσεις που πρέπει να προωθήσει ο ΑΔΜΗΕ με τα προγράμματά του στα πλαίσιο προώθησης έργων Κοινού Ευρωπαϊκού Ενδιαφέροντος. Η διαθέσιμη μεταφορική ικανότητα είναι χαμηλή λόγω περιορισμών στα γειτονικά δίκτυα της Βαλκανικής.

Στο επίπεδο της Ε.Ε έχουν συμφωνηθεί δεσμευτικοί ενεργειακοί στόχοι για τα κράτη μέλη μέχρι το 2020, σε σχέση με τη διείσδυση των ΑΠΕ και τη μείωση των εκπομπών αερίων του φαινομένου του Θερμοκηπίου. Ως γνωστόν από το 2013 η ηλεκτροπαραγωγή επιβαρύνεται με το συνολικό κόστος εκπομπών, διότι έχει παύσει να ισχύει η δωρεάν διανομή δικαιωμάτων εκπομπών. Επιπροσθέτως η Ε.Ε επεξεργάζεται σχέδιο αναδιάρθρωσης της πολιτικής της για τις εκπομπές του CO2 και από την 01/01/2015 όλες οι αγορές οφείλουν να πληρούν τα κριτήρια του "Μοντέλου στόχου" (Target model) με την εξαίρεση ορισμένων κρατών μελών μεταξύ των οποίων και η Ελλάδα που δεσμεύεται να ολοκληρώσει την ένταξή της στο τέλος του 2017. Η αύξηση της αγοράς αερίων ρύπων θα προκαλέσει επίσης επιπρόσθετα προβλήματα στους ρύπους κατά την παραγωγή ενέργειας από τον λιγνίτη(προστίθεται προσεχώς μια νέα μονάδα, στη λιγνιτική παραγωγή, η Πτολεμαΐδα V) ενώ είναι περίπου απαγορευτική η εισαγωγή άνθρακα στην Ελλάδα. Απαιτείται επομένως προσπάθεια διαπραγμάτευσης με την Επιτροπή (ETS) λόγω της μακράς δημοσιονομικής προσαρμογής που εφαρμόζει η Ελλάδα.

* Για την περίοδο μέχρι το 2020 η ευρωπαϊκή ενεργειακή πολιτική έχει καθορίσει το γνωστούς στόχους 20-20-20. Η Ελλάδα με το νόμο 3851/2010 καθόρισε συγκεκριμένους στόχους αναπτυξιακών και περιβαλλοντικών πολιτικών. Αύξηση του εθνικού στόχου συμμετοχής των ΑΠΕ στην ακαθάριστη τελική κατανάλωση ενέργειας στο 20%. Ο στόχος αυτός εξειδικεύεται σε 40% συμμετοχή των ΑΠΕ στην ηλεκτροπαραγωγή, 20% σε θέρμανση και ψύξη, και 10% στις μεταφορές.
Σχετικά με τις Γεωπολιτικές εξελίξεις
Το κυοφορούμενο σχέδιο για τον νέο αγωγό ΦΑ του λεγόμενου "Κεντρικού Διαδρόμου" που θα δημιουργηθεί με τη συμφωνία κρατών μελών της Ε.Ε της Νοτιοανατολικής Ευρώπης IGB (Ελλάδα, Βουλγαρία, Ρουμανία και Ουγγαρία). Η υποστηριζόμενη από την Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή συνεργασία Ελλάδας-Ιταλίας-Αλβανίας για τη θέσπιση κατάλληλου κανονιστικού πλαισίου για την προώθηση του Ανδριατικού αγωγού/ΤΑΡ, με τον οποίο θα αυξηθούν οι ποσότητες ΦΑ από την περιοχή της Κασπίας που θα φτάνουν στην Ε.Ε, αλλάζουν τα γεωενεργειακά δεδομένα στην περιοχή της Νοτιοανατολικής Ευρώπης. Ανάλογο ενδιαφέρον παρουσιάζει και η νέα ελληνορωσική πρωτοβουλία που βρίσκεται σε εξέλιξη για την επέκταση του αγωγού φυσικού αερίου Turkish Stream προς την Κεντρική και Βόρεια Ευρώπη μέσω της Ελλάδας, που θα ενισχύσει σημαντικά τη θέση της, ως χώρας κόμβου και διαμετακόμισης ενέργειας.
Στοχεύουμε στη διασφάλιση της Ενεργειακής ασφάλειας
Η ενεργειακή ασφάλεια του εφοδιασμού πρέπει να αποτελεί τον μείζονα ενεργειακό στόχο της χώρας και προϋποθέτει:

- Διαφοροποίηση των πηγών και των προμηθευτών και διασφάλιση περισσοτέρων της μιας πηγών ενέργειας.

- Αξιοποίηση, της νέας Ρωσικής πρωτοβουλίας, να επεκτείνει πέραν της Τουρκίας και μέσω Ελλάδας προς την Κεντρική Ευρώπη, τον υπό εκκόλαψη αγωγό ΦΑ 50 bcm, Turkish Stream, με παράλληλη προώθηση των ήδη προαποφασισμένων αγωγών φυσικού αερίου TAP και IGB που θα καταστήσουν τη χώρα ενεργειακό κόμβο.

- Στρατηγική για την καλύτερη χρήση και την αξιοποίηση και αποθήκευση του LNG καυσίμου που αποκτά στρατηγικό χαρακτήρα λόγω των διεθνών εξελίξεων ανάπτυξης της παγκόσμιας διακίνησης του (από ΗΠΑ, και Καναδά) καθώς και νέοι αποθηκευτικοί χώροι υποδοχής και κόμβοι και αγωγοί επεξεργασίας και διανομής του, επέκταση υπαρκτών εγκαταστάσεων αποθήκευσης και αναζήτηση φυσικών υπόγειων αποθηκευτικών χώρων του υπεδάφους.

- Ανάπτυξη αποθηκευτικών κόμβων (Hub ΦΑ) που ευνοούν την παράλληλη εισαγωγή από πολλές πηγές αερίου και υγραερίου, στην Ανατολική και Νότια Ευρώπη.

- Διαφάνεια στις ιδιωτικές Συμβάσεις ΦΑ που προκαλούν την άναρχη και κερδοσκοπική διατίμηση του ΦΑ.
Για την έρευνα Υδρογονανθράκων
* Η Έρευνα Υδρογονανθράκων βρίσκεται σε αρχικά στάδια και απόψεις που έχουν προβληθεί ακόμη και σε ανώτερο επίπεδο (πχ κατά την επίσκεψη Σαμαρά σε ΗΠΑ) για τεράστια κοιτάσματα, μόνο επικοινωνιακούς λόγους εξυπηρετούν. Μέχρι ν' αποδειχθεί ότι υπάρχουν εκμεταλλεύσιμα κοιτάσματα ο δρόμος είναι μακρύς.

* Αναγνωρίζοντας την αξία του περιβάλλοντος, δραστηριότητες που σχετίζονται με τους υδρογονάνθρακες πρέπει να πραγματοποιηθούν αν πληρούνται και τηρούνται απολύτως οι σύγχρονοι κανονισμοί ασφαλείας και προστασίας του περιβάλλοντος.

* Σε σύντομο χρονικό διάστημα, μετά από διαβούλευση με αρμόδιους επιστημονικούς φορείς, Εταιρείες, αλλά και τις τοπικές κοινωνίες, θα προωθηθεί ένα νέο, σύγχρονο, θεσμικό πλαίσιο που μεταξύ άλλων θα περιλαμβάνει, τη θεσμοθέτηση κρατικής εταιρείας υδρογονανθράκων

Κύριες και κύριοι συνάδελφοι
Αξιόπιστος χωρικός σχεδιασμός
Ο χωρικός σχεδιασμός, η χωροταξία, αποτελεί ίσως το πιο σημαντικό εργαλείο για την παραγωγική ανασυγκρότηση και ένα κρίσιμο εργαλείο πολιτικής για την άμβλυνση των ανισοτήτων σε όλες τις κλίμακες και την αναδιανομή της υπεραξίας που προκύπτει τοπικά και πολύ προσδιορισμένα στο χώρο από την άνιση εκμετάλλευση της γης και των πόρων. Είναι επίσης και εργαλείο για την διασφάλιση της προστασίας του φυσικού περιβάλλοντος και των κοινών αγαθών και κληρονομιάς και κατά τούτο προσδιορίζεται και απ' το Σύνταγμα ως υποχρέωση του Δημοσίου.

Επιδιώκουμε να ανασυγκροτήσουμε ένα νέο υπόδειγμα δημόσιου χωρικού σχεδιασμού δημοκρατικού, απλού και για το σύνολο του χώρου. Η αποκατάσταση της δημοκρατίας και της χωροκοινωνικής δικαιοσύνης περνά κατεξοχήν μέσα από τη διαπραγμάτευση με την κοινωνία για το μέλλον του χώρου και της χώρας. Και αυτό τον κρίκο διαπραγμάτευσης συνιστά ακριβώς ο χωρικός σχεδιασμός. Με το νέο υπόδειγμα ερχόμαστε να δώσουμε βοήθεια στο εγχείρημα της ανάπτυξης και της παραγωγικής ανασυγκρότησης τροφοδοτώντας τις πολιτικές της με τις απαραίτητες πληροφορίες και δεσμεύσεις που υποβάλλει ο χώρος, οι τόποι, οι κοινωνίες, τα οικοσυστήματα.

Επιδιώκουμε οι πολίτες και οι επενδυτές, να μπορούν να χτίζουν και να εκμεταλλεύονται την γη εκεί όπου επιτρέπεται για όλους, χωρίς εξαιρέσεις για ορισμένους, χωρίς πλαστά δικαιώματα δόμησης ή εκμετάλλευσης, χωρίς κατίσχυση του δικαιώματος του ισχυρότερου. Αυτό θα πει ασφάλεια δικαίου, ισονομία, οργανωμένο κράτος και προστασία περιβάλλοντος.
Οι προγραμματικές δεσμεύσεις
* Προχωράμε μετά από επιστημονική και κοινωνική διαβούλευση στην ουσιαστική αναθεώρηση της υφιστάμενης πολιτικής χωρικού σχεδιασμού και χρήσεων γης με άξονες την απλοποίηση των επιπέδων σχεδιασμού, τον εκδημοκρατισμό του με ενίσχυση της συμμετοχής των τοπικών κοινωνιών και τον δημόσιο χαρακτήρα.

* Ολοκληρώνουμε την αναθεώρηση των Περιφερειακών Πλαισίων Χωροταξικού Σχεδιασμού και Αειφόρου Ανάπτυξης που έχουν βαρύνουσα σημασία για την οργάνωση του χώρου, μπορούν να συνθέσουν τις επιμέρους τομεακές κατευθύνσεις στον χώρο αμβλύνοντας έτσι τις συγκρούσεις χρήσεων, ενώ συνδέονται με τον αναπτυξιακό προγραμματισμό σε επίπεδο Περιφέρειας και το ΕΣΠΑ. Για την επίτευξη αυτού του στόχου κρίθηκε απαραίτητη και προωθείται η αναθεώρηση/ επαναπροσέγγιση των προβλεπόμενων από τα σχέδια κατευθύνσεων πολιτικής για τη χωρική ανάπτυξη και οργάνωση των περιφερειών.

* Μετά τον πρόσφατο ορισμό νέας διοίκησης στην ΕΚΧΑ ΑΕ, προωθείται η ολοκλήρωση του Κτηματολογίου σε όλη τη χώρα, μέσα από:

- την επίσπευση της ανάθεσης με διαφάνεια και ισονομία των μελετών κτηματογράφησης σε όλη τη χώρα.

- την προτεραιότητα στην ολοκλήρωση, ανάρτηση και κύρωση των Δασικών Χαρτών και η συνεργασία με το Υπουργείο Οικονομικών για την παράλληλη ολοκλήρωση και κύρωση των γραμμών αιγιαλού με τον αναγκαίο επιστημονικό τρόπο. Η σωστή οριοθέτηση προστατευόμενων περιοχών, ακτών και ευαίσθητων οικοσυστημάτων είναι παράλληλα πολιτική που εμπίπτει στην εθνική στρατηγική μας για την αντιμετώπιση της Κλιματικής Αλλαγής.

* Από την ΕΚΧΑ ΑΕ, δίνεται επίσης έμφαση στην ανάπτυξη της εθνικής υποδομής γεωχωρικών δεδομένων. Στρατηγικός στόχος της πολιτικής της πολιτικής μας παραμένει ο κοινωνικός και οικολογικός μετασχηματισμός του παραγωγικού μοντέλου, η ουσιαστική ενσωμάτωση της περιβαλλοντικής διάστασης στα προγράμματα για την βιώσιμη ανασυγκρότηση της οικονομίας. Η χώρα διαθέτει ένα μοναδικό φυσικό και οικιστικό περιβάλλον, με ιδιαίτερα χαρακτηριστικά, που προσδίδει αξία στο σύνολο της παραγωγικής διαδικασίας, για μια σειρά κλάδους της οικονομίας (τουρισμός, παραγωγή τροφίμων, μεταποίηση και βιομηχανία, ανανεώσιμες πηγές ενέργειας) και περιοχές της χώρας. Η καλή ποιότητα του περιβάλλοντος αποτελεί σημαντικό συγκριτικό πλεονέκτημα και αποτελεί όρο για την ικανοποίηση βασικών αναγκών, ενώ βελτιώνει πολύπλευρα την ποιότητα ζωής όλων των κατοίκων.

Το υπόδειγμα βιώσιμης παραγωγικής ανασυγκρότησης που καταθέτει ο ΣΥΡΙΖΑ προς την κοινωνία βρίσκεται στον αντίποδα του μοντέλου υπερεκμετάλλευσης και αυθαιρεσίας που γνωρίσαμε. Θέτει στο επίκεντρό του την περιβαλλοντική προστασία, τη συμμετοχή των πολιτών, τη δημιουργία ποιοτικών θέσεων εργασίας. Επιδιώκει την αποκατάσταση των εργαλείων του δημόσιου σχεδιασμού που αποσαθρώθηκαν τα προηγούμενα χρόνια. Εστιάζει στην αξιοποίηση των διαθέσιμων ανανεώσιμων πόρων, στην εγχώρια επιστημονική γνώση και τις υπάρχουσες δυνατότητες για κοινωνική καινοτομία, ιδιαίτερα σε τοπικό επίπεδο.

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Σκουρλέτης: Οι στόχοι για τη διαμόρφωση ενός μακροπρόθεσμου ενεργειακού σχεδιασμού

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Τους στρατηγικούς στόχους για την διαμόρφωση ενός οικονομικά και περιβαλλοντικά βιώσιμου μακροπρόθεσμου ενεργειακού σχεδιασμού για τη χώρα μας περιέγραψε από το βήμα της Βουλής ο υπουργός Ενέργειας και Περιβάλλοντος, Πάνος Σκουρλέτης, κατά τη διάρκεια των Προγραμματικών Δηλώσεων της κυβέρνησης.

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Governments should provide stable, long-term policies (Marc De Niel, Belgium)

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Governments should provide stable, long-term policies (Marc De Niel, Belgium)

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"Governments should agree on 'secure, stable, clear, consistent and long-term policies' to support a shift to lower-carbon energy, CEOs of eleven companies that generate a third of the world’s electricity said."

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/11/us-climatechange-electricity-idUSKCN0S503Q20151011

Unfortunately, the Belgian Minister of Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development does exactly the opposite: about two weeks ago, she expressed doubts as to the nuclear phase-out, planned for 2025. And then she says : "investors" (in electrical power plants) "do not come when ordered".
I doubt if they will invest in power plants in Belgium after such statements...

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Het zou kunnen lukken, maar het is nog lang niet zeker dat Nederland zijn duurzaamheidsdoelen haalt. Dat staat in de Nationale Energieverkenning (NEV) 2015 die vrijdag is gepubliceerd. Daarin maken de planbureaus (PBL, ECN en CBS) jaarlijks de staat op van de energiehuishouding.

De ontwikkeling van wind op zee ligt op schema, maar de aanleg van windparken op land loopt moeilijk. Doel was om 6.000 megawatt (MW) te halen, maar dat zou nu slechts uitkomen op 5.100 MW. Zeker 140 actiegroepen verzetten zich door het hele land tegen de aanleg van windmolens in hun omgeving. Ook de besparing van energie loopt achter. Die moet voor een belangrijk deel worden opgebracht door de industrie. Maar ook door isolatie van gebouwen en woningen. Een proces dat eveneens moeizaam verloopt.

De opstellers van de NEV spreken van een 'kantelpunt'. Op dit moment dalen energieverbruik en uitstoot van broeikasgassen, maar dat zal naar verwachting na 2020 weer toenemen.

In het Energieakkoord (2013) hebben overheid, bedrijfsleven en milieuorganisaties afgesproken dat in 2020 14 procent van de energie duurzaam moet worden opgewekt. In 2023 moet dat 16 procent zijn.

Dat wordt niet gehaald, stelt de NEV. Volgens de meest gunstige berekening haalt Nederland maximaal 12,4 procent in 2020. Volgens de rekenmethode die de Europese Commissie hanteert slechts 11,9 procent. Voor 2023 houdt het rapport een slag om de arm. Het doel van 16 procent zou slechts „in zicht" komen.

Ook op het gebied van energiebesparing, een van de belangrijkste elementen in verduurzaming, zijn de resultaten niet eenduidig. Het Europese doel van 480 petajoule besparing tot 2020 wordt gehaald. Maar niet de 100 petajoule extra die in het Energieakkoord is afgesproken.

Nadat de cijfers van de NEV donderdag waren uitgelekt, reageerden de milieuorganisaties verontrust dat de „geloofwaardigheid" van het Energieakkoord in het geding was. Zij eisten van minister Kamp (Economische Zaken, VVD) dat er snel extra maatregelen zouden komen.

Daaraan geeft de minister deels gehoor, zo blijkt uit zijn reactie vrijdag op de cijfers. Zijn ministerie zal de komende maanden „intensiever" met de provincies samenwerken om de windparken op land toch op tijd te kunnen aanleggen. Ook gaat minister Kamp opnieuw met de partijen van het Energieakkoord overleggen hoe de extra besparing van 100 petajoule - die voor een groot deel uit de industrie moet komen - alsnog kan worden gerealiseerd. Tot slot trekt Kamp ook de portemonnee. Voor 2016 stelt hij een bedrag van 8 miljard euro beschikbaar voor duurzame projecten (SDE). Dat was afgelopen jaar nog 3,5 miljard euro.

Ed Nijpels, die namens alle partijen van het Energieakkoord toeziet op de uitvoering, komt mogelijk eind november met voorstellen voor nog meer extra maatregelen om de duurzaamheidsdoelen te bereiken.

Reacties Kamp blijft optimistisch

Minister Kamp (Economische Zaken, VVD) toonde zich vrijdag optimistisch dat de doelen uit het Energieakkoord alsnog gehaald zullen worden. „De overgang is nu echt goed op gang gekomen. De 16 procent gaan we halen en voor de 14 procent in 2020 moeten we wat extra doen en dat ga ik ook doen."

Milieudefensie noemt het optimisme van minister Kamp „misplaatst". „Het lijkt wel alsof Kamp een totaal andere versie van de Nationale Energieverkenning heeft gelezen dan wij. Nederland blijft onderaan alle ranglijstjes bungelen."

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Energiedoelen halen? Het kan, maar het wordt lastig

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Het zou kunnen lukken, maar het is nog lang niet zeker dat Nederland zijn duurzaamheidsdoelen haalt. Dat staat in de Nationale Energieverkenning (NEV) 2015 die vrijdag is gepubliceerd. Daarin maken de planbureaus (PBL, ECN en CBS) jaarlijks de staat op van de energiehuishouding.

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Niets is onmogelijk

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Het zou kunnen lukken, maar het is nog lang niet zeker dat Nederland zijn duurzaamheidsdoelen haalt. Dat staat in de Nationale Energieverkenning (NEV) 2015 die vrijdag is gepubliceerd. Daarin maken de planbureaus (PBL, ECN en CBS) jaarlijks de staat op van de energiehuishouding.

De ontwikkeling van wind op zee ligt op schema, maar de aanleg van windparken op land loopt moeilijk. Doel was om 6.000 megawatt (MW) te halen, maar dat zou nu slechts uitkomen op 5.100 MW. Zeker 140 actiegroepen verzetten zich door het hele land tegen de aanleg van windmolens in hun omgeving. Ook de besparing van energie loopt achter. Die moet voor een belangrijk deel worden opgebracht door de industrie. Maar ook door isolatie van gebouwen en woningen. Een proces dat eveneens moeizaam verloopt.

De opstellers van de NEV spreken van een 'kantelpunt'. Op dit moment dalen energieverbruik en uitstoot van broeikasgassen, maar dat zal naar verwachting na 2020 weer toenemen.

In het Energieakkoord (2013) hebben overheid, bedrijfsleven en milieuorganisaties afgesproken dat in 2020 14 procent van de energie duurzaam moet worden opgewekt. In 2023 moet dat 16 procent zijn.

Dat wordt niet gehaald, stelt de NEV. Volgens de meest gunstige berekening haalt Nederland maximaal 12,4 procent in 2020. Volgens de rekenmethode die de Europese Commissie hanteert slechts 11,9 procent. Voor 2023 houdt het rapport een slag om de arm. Het doel van 16 procent zou slechts „in zicht" komen.

Ook op het gebied van energiebesparing, een van de belangrijkste elementen in verduurzaming, zijn de resultaten niet eenduidig. Het Europese doel van 480 petajoule besparing tot 2020 wordt gehaald. Maar niet de 100 petajoule extra die in het Energieakkoord is afgesproken.

Nadat de cijfers van de NEV donderdag waren uitgelekt, reageerden de milieuorganisaties verontrust dat de „geloofwaardigheid" van het Energieakkoord in het geding was. Zij eisten van minister Kamp (Economische Zaken, VVD) dat er snel extra maatregelen zouden komen.

Daaraan geeft de minister deels gehoor, zo blijkt uit zijn reactie vrijdag op de cijfers. Zijn ministerie zal de komende maanden „intensiever" met de provincies samenwerken om de windparken op land toch op tijd te kunnen aanleggen. Ook gaat minister Kamp opnieuw met de partijen van het Energieakkoord overleggen hoe de extra besparing van 100 petajoule - die voor een groot deel uit de industrie moet komen - alsnog kan worden gerealiseerd. Tot slot trekt Kamp ook de portemonnee. Voor 2016 stelt hij een bedrag van 8 miljard euro beschikbaar voor duurzame projecten (SDE). Dat was afgelopen jaar nog 3,5 miljard euro.

Ed Nijpels, die namens alle partijen van het Energieakkoord toeziet op de uitvoering, komt mogelijk eind november met voorstellen voor nog meer extra maatregelen om de duurzaamheidsdoelen te bereiken.

Reacties Kamp blijft optimistisch

Minister Kamp (Economische Zaken, VVD) toonde zich vrijdag optimistisch dat de doelen uit het Energieakkoord alsnog gehaald zullen worden. „De overgang is nu echt goed op gang gekomen. De 16 procent gaan we halen en voor de 14 procent in 2020 moeten we wat extra doen en dat ga ik ook doen."

Milieudefensie noemt het optimisme van minister Kamp „misplaatst". „Het lijkt wel alsof Kamp een totaal andere versie van de Nationale Energieverkenning heeft gelezen dan wij. Nederland blijft onderaan alle ranglijstjes bungelen."

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Energiedoelen halen? Het kan, maar het wordt lastig

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Het zou kunnen lukken, maar het is nog lang niet zeker dat Nederland zijn duurzaamheidsdoelen haalt. Dat staat in de Nationale Energieverkenning (NEV) 2015 die vrijdag is gepubliceerd. Daarin maken de planbureaus (PBL, ECN en CBS) jaarlijks de staat op van de energiehuishouding.

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MUSCAT: The Ecohaus of the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech), a pioneering net-zero-energy residential house built on the university’s campus in Halban, won the category ‘Best Sustainable Project’ at the ‘Middle East & North Africa Interior Design & Architecture Awards 2015’.
The Ecohaus project was funded with a grant from The Research Council (TRC) and supported by GUtech.
Various companies and consultancies joined the project with cost- based or free of charge ecomaterials, products, or services.
“The initial design was done in a course work by a group of students from our batch in the second year.
From then on we were always busy with the Ecohaus besides the other subjects; in workshops with consultants; on regular site visits; on excursions to learn about how the eco products were made in factories and yards; in internships with the team; as team members to get the site completed; and finally by presenting the project to the public at various events.
It was a great experience and changed the way I look at architecture and the environment,” said Shaharin Hossein, Ecohaus team member and graduate from GUtech’s undergraduate programme in Urban Planning and Architectural Design (UPAD).
“We are happy to feel the positive echo of the project in the region. There are many projects for energy efficient buildings on paper, but we went further and actually built one. We designed, planned and built the Ecohaus with students and graduates, who are now out in the professional world carrying on the message and methods of sustainable building and developing it further. This shows how at GUtech we combine teaching, research, and practice,” said Nikolaus Knebel, project leader and Associate Professor at UPAD.
The Ecohaus demonstrates the impact of low and high technology elements on the energy efficiency of a home. For the highly insulating outer wall we used natural materials such as pumice, perlite, and compressed earthen bricks. The windows are doubleglazed with highquality frames. An airtight vapour barrier was applied. The efficient cooling system is based on water-cooled panels that create a healthy and comfortable interior climate.
Photovoltaic panels installed on the roof generate the electricity required for the Ecohaus. Waste water is treated through a reedbed and used for irrigation of a garden landscaped with native Omani plants and local rocks. All furniture is made from recycled construction timber. Textiles are made by local family businesses. Reusable formwork further reduced waste on site. Paints are strictly VOCfree. Wherever possible, Omani products were used.
The MENA Region Award recognises and reward outstanding interior design and architecture projects across 19 countries in the Middle East and North Africa."

Oman Observer. 2014. http://omanobserver.om/gutech-ecohaus-wins-eco-award/

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Kerst Ruiter - the Dutch are lagging behind

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Kerst Ruiter - the Dutch are lagging behind

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the Netherlands really has some catching up to do when it comes to reaching their renewable energy targets. for now, 2015, they start to focus on wind farms, since it is one of the few large scale renewable energy sources available and they do not have any time anymore to try other options.

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The truth behind Costa Rica´s renewable energy

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This month, Costa Rica's state-run electricity company announced that the country had gone 75 days using only renewable resources for electricity. Costa Ricans are the first in the world to power their country for so long without the use of fossil fuels, and the record-breaking achievement was quickly picked up by news agencies all over the world.

Costa Rican residents have certainly benefited from the clean energy, with electricity prices set to tumble between 7% and 15% in April. But despite the world's congratulatory backslaps for the renowned green country, its clean energy production is not likely to last at this scale, nor is it a model that would work in many other parts of the world.

Costa Rica gets most of its electricity from hydroelectric plants and a recent period of unusually heavy rain allowed the country to reach the milestone. This clean power is bolstered by geothermic energy from the country's volcanoes and a small amount of wind and solar power. Most years, these sources allow Costa Rica to generate approximately 90% of its electricity without burning fossil fuels.

The abundance of natural resources, combined with Costa Rica's strong commitment to environmentalism, spurred policymakers to set a goal for carbon neutrality by 2021. If Costa Rica meets the target, it will likely become the first carbon-neutral country in the world, but there are obstacles.

The downside to hydropower is that it requires consistent rainfall. Though the dams in Costa Rica are now full, just months ago the country was suffering one of the worst droughts in its history. This forced Costa Rican utility companies to burn fuel to generate power, releasing greenhouse gases and causing rate rises.

This unpredictability in rain patterns isn't unique to Costa Rica and is considered to be one of the primary effects of climate change. Ironically, this means that the bulging reservoirs that gave Costa Rica its green energy surge are likely to be attributable, at least partially, to climate change. And while there is plenty of clean power today, it could just as easily be gone tomorrow.

Even if Costa Rica were able to sustain 100% clean electricity production, the country still relies on petroleum for transportation, and emissions from this sector are the largest hurdle the country faces in reaching its carbon neutrality goal. The environment ministry reports that fuel burned by cars, buses and trains accounted for almost 70% of the country's carbon emissions in 2014. According to customs there are only 200 or so hybrid cars in Costa Rica to take advantage of the energy produced by renewables on the grid.

The fact that even a country like Costa Rica, which has made major investments to produce clean energy, still struggles with these obstacles, shows just how difficult it would be for larger, more industrialised nations to follow in its footsteps.

With a population under 5 million and no major industry, Costa Rica uses much less power than most developed countries, and its geography of tightly packed volcanoes, rivers and mountains is more suited to producing clean power than most. Though small, Costa Rica is able to produce enough energy to power itself while leaving much of its wilderness intact.

To tap into all of the natural resources in the rest of the world would require environmental loss of a different kind, by altering rivers, displacing people and animals, and destroying vegetation. Solar and nuclear power offer other alternatives for clean energy but need more research and investment to make them cost-effective and safe. Even if it were possible to power the world's largest countries with renewable energy, the destruction required would be unfathomable with only the current technologies.

These limitations, along with a lack of political will, are what has meant the world relied on fossil fuels for almost 90% of its energy since 1999. As admirable as Costa Rica's feats in energy production may be, its model is not realistic for the world's largest energy consumers.

But what most of the industrialised world lacks in natural resources, it more than makes up for with other assets. To seriously make a difference in global energy consumption would require significant investment in the research and design of new sources of non-polluting energy, a task most easily funded by richer nations.

While the world may not be able to tailor its energy programmes to Costa Rica's geography-specific model, the lesson here is not about science and infrastructure, but about volition and ideals.
Topics

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The truth behind Costa Rica's renewable energy | Lindsay Fendt

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This month, Costa Rica's state-run electricity company announced that the country had gone 75 days using only renewable resources for electricity. Costa Ricans are the first in the world to power their country for so long without the use of fossil fuels, and the record-breaking achievement was quickly picked up by news agencies all over the world.

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FD October 16, 2015. Important phrase: "Most large energy companies still are working according the classical model of production and supply, while new players no longer make money with power itself, but with new energy services."

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In Ukraine, the topic of energy in many cases comes to the problem of dependency on Russian imported resourses

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In Ukraine, the topic of energy in many cases comes to the problem of dependency on Russian imported resourses

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/economic/295934.html

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australias solar energy resource and world demand - Google Search

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australia's solar energy resource and world demand australias solar energy resource and world demand

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Rick van Dijk / New law enables grid operators in the Netherlands to act in energy transition.

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Rick van Dijk / New law enables grid operators in the Netherlands to act in energy transition.

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The Dutch government accepted a law which, among other things, enables Dutch grid operators to act actively in the energy transition. Because it's a regulatory business in the Netherlands, grid operators were not officially allowed to innovate and try to find new business models and new products and services which could accelerate the energy transition. Good progress if you ask me!

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DE Koepel - Energia y noticias del mundo real

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Experts: energiereuzen werken onvoldoende aan energietransitie
(registratie)

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Met uw toestemming verzamelen FD Mediagroep en derde partijen via cookies informatie over uw bezoek aan FD.nl en uw persoonlijke interesses, onder meer om het nieuws voor u te personaliseren en advertenties aan te passen aan uw interesses. Meer over het cookie gebruik op FD.nl leest u in het Cookiebeleid en privacybeleid FD Mediagroep.

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In the Netherlands, the agreed goals for energy efficiency and the share of renewable energy for 2020, will by far not be achieved. Action is required, however the Dutch Minister for Economic Affairs is not willing to act.

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Lithuania Grabs LNG in Effort to Curb Russian Dominance

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Lithuania Grabs LNG in Effort to Curb Russian Dominance

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The main challenge in Lithuanian energy sector is to secure it's supply since very little energy is produced in the country and most of it is/was imported from Russia. While international relations and political situation is kind of unstable between Lithuania and Russia country decided to secure it's energy supply from alternative sources. The Independence - LNG ship - is the biggest and most important Lithuanian energy project to meet this supply challenge. Also, electricity links with Poland and Sweden are projects of high priority and will be finally implemented in the beginning 2016. Additionally gas link with Poland was approved recently and contract between Latvia and Lithuanian signed to assure gas market development in Baltic countries. However, sustainable energy sources has been put aside, as a secondary priorities, since it has not shown a clear productivity and has been included in some of money laundering scandals. Thus, to sum up, Lithuanian energy sector has chosen the path of diverse traditional energy sources which can assure energy independence and solve energy island problems, but sustainable energy projects still is of secondary importance and still has to prove it's value to the whole energy system.

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Lithuania is declaring natural-gas Independence.

After less than three years and spending of 350 million litai ($128 million), an off-shore liquefied natural-gas vessel is anchoring on the former Soviet republic Baltic coast today and will convert LNG into natural gas and pump the commodity to the mainland.

The aim is to free the country from its dependence on Russia's OAO Gazprom, the world's largest gas supplier and the sole source for Lithuania. Years before the Ukraine conflict renewed fears of another winter gas shutoff from Russia, Lithuania requisitioned the Independence, a South Korean-made ship the length of three football fields. It is docking in the port of Klaipeda and may replace all Russia's annual 2.7 billion cubic meters of gas supplies.

"Lithuania made a bold, yet timely, decision to begin an independent and fast construction of the LNG terminal," Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said. "Lithuania now has a choice."

The terminal gives the country of 2.9 million ammunition in price negotiations with Gazprom when a long-term supply contract ends next year. Lithuania says it pays the highest price for Russian gas in the 28-member European Union.

Cheaper Price

The Baltic state now "can very seriously consider the option of not having any agreements with" Gazprom when the gas supply contract expires, Grybauskaite said. Still, Lithuania doesn't "strictly reject Russian gas, especially if it comes at a cheaper and competitive price for us."

Lithuania paid 36 percent more for the Russian gas than the German border price in the first four months of 2014, according to a quarterly report on the European gas markets published by the European Commission on Oct. 8. Gazprom sold Lithuania 0.6 percent of its total output in 2013, according to the company's financial report.

"We've suffered very high energy prices," said Energy Minister Rokas Masiulis. "Finally, we have our energy independence. And this independence can be shared" with "our neighbors."

Lithuania got a 23 percent price reduction for Gazprom's supplies, which will more than cover the construction costs of the jetty and pipelines at the Klaipeda terminal, Masiulis said.

"A new source of gas gives competition at the wholesale level," Karen Sund, the founder of Sund Energy AS in Oslo, said by e-mail. "The more gas from other sources, the lower the reliance on current supply source will be."

Independence Capacity

The Independence, with a capacity of 170,000 cubic meters, is leased by Klaipedos Nafta AB, the state-owned energy terminal operator, from Norway's Hoegh LNG Holdings for 10 years with an option to buy the regasification unit. Hoegh will also provide maintenance and the crew.

Norway's Statoil ASA has a contract to supply the terminal with LNG for five years to cover its minimum operations with the first delivery scheduled tomorrow. Statoil's supplies will come "in the same price-range" as Gazprom's exports to Lithuania after this year;s price-reduction, Masiulis said.

If running at full-capacity of almost 4 billion cubic meters, the terminal could cover 80 percent of demand of the entire Baltic region, including Latvia and Estonia. The Independence would be able to cover 90 percent of Baltic needs "should our neighbors need this," said Grybauskaite.

Geopolitical Project

"This is a strategic geopolitical project that may decide the future of the whole region," she said in a speech in Klaipeda today. Lithuania "will become an energy-security guarantor for the whole Baltic region."

Any move on the Russian side to cut gas flows for a month would cause "important" gas shortages for some customers in Estonia and Lithuania, the European Commission said in its Oct. 16 report.

"In the absence of the Klaipeda LNG terminal the situation would be more dramatic in Estonia as there would be no gas in their system, including for protected customers, within 4-5 days," the commission said. Once the LNG terminal is up and running, "the supply for the protected customers would be ensured in the three Baltic States in all scenarios."

(Updates with president's comment in first paragraph under Geopolitical Project subheadline.)

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Lithuania Grabs LNG in Effort to Curb Russian Dominance

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Lithuania is declaring natural-gas Independence. After less than three years and spending of 350 million litai ($128 million), an off-shore liquefied natural-gas vessel is anchoring on the former Soviet republic Baltic coast today and will convert LNG into natural gas and pump the commodity to the mainland.

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A new self-consumption decree states that installations up to 100 kW provide electricity to the grid as a gift. High taxes are spared only partially for systems up to 10 kW and plants on islands off the coast of Spain.

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The not in my backyard argument is widely been criticized due to it's simple argumentation. There seem to be more arguments that relate to opposition against wind farm siting. Wolsink (2000) states that there are four types of resistance: 1. NIMBY (the one and only real NIMBY) 2. NITBY (Not in that Backyard) 3. NIABY (not in any backyard) 4. and a changing attitude from positive towards negative because of a game changer or new information. Also the NIMBY argument is widely been used by developers and policy makers to clarify the opposition. Developers sometimes think that the local community is irrational, subjective, and doesn't have common knowledge. They think that everyone should be a 'homo economicus'. Ratio over emotion. The so-called NIMBY-myth or syndrome is in my opinion an interesting topic.

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When 2015 started, the boom in the Wind Power generation in the northeast of Brazil gave space to the Solar Energy sector (PV technology), giving us a hope of low prices for solar and a more diverse use of resources. How will the energy transition be affected by the new infraestructure plan of the Brazilian Government? What do renewables have to do with it?

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Thorium

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Colombia is beginning to install small solar systems 

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Colombia is beginning to install small solar systems 

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Most of the electricity in Colombia comes form water and thermal energy (coal and gas) and the penetration of non conventional renewable has been very slow

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En busca de una apuesta ecológica y de energía limpia, fueron instalados paneles solares en el techo de Plaza de las Américas.

Este proyecto empezó hace dos años, y hace parte de uno de las acciones de responsabilidad social que ha hecho que este lugar sea acreedor los últimos cuatro años consecutivos a la certificación de Fenalco Solidario como un centro comercial socialmente responsable.

Panasonic asesoró a los directivos de Plaza de las Américas, que decidieron instalar paneles con la tecnología de células solares HIT, que se caracterizan por ser de alta eficiencia y óptimos rendimientos energéticos incluso en condiciones de mala luminosidad, convirtiendo al centro comercial como la planta de paneles solares con esta tecnología más grande de América Latina.

Los resultados 'verdes' han sido notorios, debido a que la planta de Plaza de las Américas produce aprox. 24.000KWh/mes, lo que equivale a la energía de 38 casas, o 6.600 bombillos de 20W al mes, dando como resultado un ahorro en emisiones de CO2 de no menos de 96,5 toneladas cada año, esto es comparable aunque no equivalente a la función que cumplen unos 34.400 árboles.

"Esto no solo lo hacemos por el medio ambiente, sino también para mandar un mensaje a la comunidad de que algo de esta magnitud es posible, tiene viabilidad financiera. Los empresarios deberían unirse a estas iniciativas, para que entre todos podamos lograr estrategias que permitan ayudar al planeta", afirmó Ana Isabel Coba, gerente general de Plaza de las Américas.

En total fueron 1.020 metros cuadrados de paneles, con una inversión de 500 dólares por metro cuadrado, que se proponen recuperar en siete años.

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Plaza de las Américas instala paneles solares

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En busca de una apuesta ecológica y de energía limpia, fueron instalados paneles solares en el techo de Plaza de las Américas. Este proyecto empezó hace dos años, y hace parte de uno de las acciones de responsabilidad social que ha hecho que este lugar sea acreedor los últimos cuatro años consecutivos a la certificación de Fenalco Solidario como un centro comercial socialmente responsable.

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Can we trust Shell’s ‘Energy Transitions Commission’?

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Can we trust Shell’s ‘Energy Transitions Commission’?

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An industry inspired effort to muddy the waters or a real push to develop a low carbon future? The jury is out

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An industry inspired effort to muddy the waters or a real push to develop a low carbon future? The jury is out
By Tom Burke The Energy Transitions Commission was launched in Houston, Texas on Monday 28 September 2015. It is an initiative put together by Shell and McKinsey.
I was quoted online in the Financial Times on the Friday before the launch, describing the initiative as 'ill-advised'. Let me explain why.

The purpose of the Commission is 'to support energy decision-makers to meet the twin objectives of economic development and climate change mitigation.'

No-one could quarrel with the importance of this task, though one might wonder why this was only a matter for 'energy decision-makers'. Energy is central to all our lives. Making a transition from high to low carbon energy has implications that go far wider than energy policy.

The world's governments have accepted an obligation under the UN's climate body to keep the climate within the 2C threshold of danger.

Should they fail then economic development will be delayed, damaged or destroyed for us all. Clearly, the world's fossil fuel companies have a part to play, along with everyone else, in meeting this challenge. There is no doubting the value of creating a better informed public debate on how to do so.
Leadership?
Shell has been among the first of the fossil companies to respond to the urgency and gravity of limiting climate change to 2C. It has a better understanding than most of its peers about what is at stake.

No-one should doubt the importance of identifying whether there are pathways for fossil fuel companies to remain viable within this constraint. Why then my reservations about this initiative?

There are two principal reasons why it is ill-advised. Neither the model used to create the Commission, nor the process it has adopted to develop its findings command confidence. This would have been true prior to the recent revelations about Volkswagen. It is even more true now.
Credibility challenge
Large corporations are not trusted by the public or civil society. They are perceived to, and often do, put their commercial interests above the public interest.

Keeping the climate safe by eliminating carbon pollution is patently a direct threat to the future of fossil fuel companies. Faced with such a threat, any initiative primarily funded by the industry starts with a considerable credibility problem.

This is a difficult, but not insurmountable, problem. Unfortunately, the founders of this Commission have made no effort to solve it.

Rather, we are asked to take on trust the choice by Shell and McKinsey of how, on what terms and with whom to establish the Commission. I have no doubt the organisers mean well but that is not enough for confidence.

The 'wise men' model, and indeed all but one of this Commission are men of a certain age, of establishing authority is a throwback to the 20th Century.

The Brandt Commission on the global economy from 1977 and the Brundtland Commission on environment and development a decade later both helped start important global debates.
Group-think
But times have moved on. Authority of any kind is much less readily accepted. In a connected world a more informed and better educated citizenry expects to participate directly in global debates about its future. Through a vast array of civil society bodies it is well organised to do so.

There is no reason for anyone to doubt the independence or the integrity of the individual Commissioners. They are all people with long track records, predominantly in the established energy sector. As a group they are remarkably alike.

This creates an inevitable risk of group-think as their mutual respect for each other softens the edges of the acute debate between them necessary to tackle such a difficult set of problems.

This places a particular burden on the secretariat of the Commission. The Commissioners are busy people. The amount of time they will be able to devote to following the detail of the Commission's work is, inevitably, limited.

Many of the Commissioners will, of course, have staff to support them personally. Even so, the scope of the Commission's programme is so large - effectively advising nearly 200 nations on how best to build a carbon neutral energy system by the middle of the century - that much will depend on the knowledge and judgement of the secretariat.
Compromised expertise
It will be provided by McKinsey. This is a company with a great deal of experience in advising global corporations. It has been a significant thought leader in meeting the energy challenges of the 21st Century. It will undoubtedly bring a group of able and informed people to the task.

But, and this is a big but, McKinsey has an extensive set of other commercial relationships on a wide range of corporate issues with many of the companies represented on the Commission.

Fair minded people with any experience of the realities of the corporate world will find it difficult to take on trust that these relationships do not compromise McKinsey's ability to provide the 'trusted, authoritative fact-base on key debates' to which the Commission aspires.

This is a very heavily contested space. The 'facts' are elusive and not widely agreed. Much of the debate is conducted on the basis of projections whose assumptions are unclear and whose significance is capable of a wide range of interpretation. The stakes are very high for the large, powerful companies involved. Trust is in short supply.

Nevertheless, the huge task of keeping the climate safe does require an informed and sustained engagement between the fossil fuel companies and the rest of society. Tackling a problem of this magnitude needs all of us to play a part - not just 'energy decision-makers'.

Indeed, since we are all energy consumers we are all, in an increasingly important sense, energy decision-makers. An energy system compatible with a safe climate will not command the necessary investment if it does not also command wide public confidence.

Creating a group of like-minded Commissioner's, selected by an obscure process, supported by a compromised secretariat is not obviously the best way to command public confidence. A difficult dilemma must first be resolved.
Dirty, dumb, dangerous?
Only corporations or governments can afford the required level of funding to pay for any such initiative on a global scale. But if they pay for it, understandably few civil society organisations will readily accept the findings.

If they do not pay for it, then it will not happen and the current dysfunctional debate will continue. This is a true dilemma. If the funding is accepted the value of the findings is lost. If the funding is not accepted there are no findings and so the value is lost anyway.

We have been here before. In the late nineties the global mining industry was widely considered to be dirty, dumb and dangerous.

If faced widespread opposition to its activities across the world. Demand for its products was growing but its efforts to meet that demand were increasingly impeded by opposition. It had no answer to the question 'How can mining be sustainable?'

This was a far less difficult problem than the one currently faced by the fossil fuel companies as the world works to keep the climate safe. Nevertheless, lessons were learned that are relevant to the challenges the Commission intends to address but which its founders have overlooked.
Building trust
I was asked by Rio Tinto to advise the mining industry on how to meet this challenge. The result was the Global Mining Initiative which I created and helped to lead.

The centrepiece of the GMI was a shared analysis[1] of the issues facing the industry as it tried to define its contribution to sustainable development. Its purpose, much the same as the Commission's, was to identify an agenda for action around which industry, government, international institutions and civil society could align their efforts.

This project faced the same dilemma as the Commission. If the mining industry paid for the analysis its findings would be compromised.

If industry did not pay for the analysis there would be no findings. Resolving this dilemma, as with all true dilemmas, required innovation and imagination. The result was the creation of an elaborate, and expensive, governance structure to safeguard the integrity of the analysis.

The willingness of the global mining industry to invest in these safeguards was a token both of its good faith and the seriousness it attached to the findings. The project dispensed with 'wise men' recognising that to be credible its findings needed to flow from direct dialogues between industry leaders and other social partners.

A dedicated secretariat was created supervised by a global assurance group with 25 members. Written charters governed the activities of the secretariat, the assurance group and the industry sponsors[2]. The dialogue ran for two years, involved four regional processes and a large number of workshops involving over 750 participants.

Elaborate and expensive though it was the results justified the effort. A tenth anniversary review of the project's report found that it was exerting a continuing and beneficial influence on the activities of the mining industry and its relationship with society.

I know from experience what it takes to build trust in a global industry regarded with suspicion or even hostility. The fossil fuel industry comes into the climate change debate with a reputation at least as badly damaged as the mining industry.

Hence my conclusion that the establishment of the Energy Transition Commission in its current form is ill-advised. It faces a far more difficult challenge than the mining industry. The fossil fuel industry is already seen by many as working to minimise the collision between its future and the maintenance of a safe climate.

Without the kind of integrity safeguards described above, or some equally credible alternative, the findings of the Commission will not, and should not, command public confidence. This will reduce their impact on the wide range of decision makers involved in bringing about the energy transition.

The Commissioners have invested their personal reputations in this project. If it fails the integrity test those reputations will be damaged. Furthermore, there is a risk that the Commission's work will be seen as an industry public relations campaign rather than a serious effort to play a part in tackling the most urgent problem facing the whole of humanity.

It is not too late to redeem the Commission. The magnitude and urgency of keeping the climate safe to permit development badly needs initiatives of this ambition. As now constructed it lacks sufficient integrity to make a positive contribution.

Indeed, there is a real risk that it will be widely seen as an industry inspired effort to muddy the waters. The first meeting of the Commission will be an opportunity to remedy its defects. Whether it is taken will say much about the founders intent.
[1] This was the Mining Minerals and Sustainable Development Project whose report, Breaking New Ground, and further details of how the project was organised can be found on the IIED website at www.iied.org/mining-minerals-sustainable-development-mmsd [2] The details of how the governance structure was established and worked can be found in the website cited in the above footnote. This article first appeared at tomburke.co.uk

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Can we trust Shell's 'Energy Transitions Commission'?

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An industry inspired effort to muddy the waters or a real push to develop a low carbon future? The jury is out By Tom Burke The Energy Transitions Commission was launched in Houston, Texas on Monday 28 September 2015. It is an initiative put together by Shell and McKinsey.

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Michael Colijn / ABP Pension Fund with E350 billion will invest only in sustainable businesses. Huge policy shift away from fossil fuel.

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Michael Colijn / ABP Pension Fund with E350 billion will invest only in sustainable businesses. Huge policy shift away from fossil fuel.

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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Met uw toestemming verzamelen FD Mediagroep en derde partijen via cookies informatie over uw bezoek aan FD.nl en uw persoonlijke interesses, onder meer om het nieuws voor u te personaliseren en advertenties aan te passen aan uw interesses. Meer over het cookie gebruik op FD.nl leest u in het Cookiebeleid en privacybeleid FD Mediagroep.

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"Okay, do we go for sustainability?"

"Or do we just keep on making fat profits?"

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Intermittent
Energy generation, storage

And supply  

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/apr/08/new-energy-storage-plant-could-revolutionise-renewable-sector

The issue of intermittent generation of energy from
renewables out of sync to demand requirements in a variable climate like that
in the UK are highlighted in this article. It indicates that solutions are
being worked on but there is still a need for fossil fuel to take up the
shortfall as this is an already inter-grated system that can assist in demand
surges.

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Intermittent
Energy generation, storage

And supply  

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/apr/08/new-energy-storage-plant-could-revolutionise-renewable-sector

The issue of intermittent generation of energy from
renewables out of sync to demand requirements in a variable climate like that
in the UK are highlighted in this article. It indicates that solutions are
being worked on but there is still a need for fossil fuel to take up the
shortfall as this is an already inter-grated system that can assist in demand
surges.

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This is a proposal for a biobase connector I made for the MOOC Biobased Economy. The flow of biomass in the green line can also represent the flow of energy incorporated in biomass processes.

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How visible are offshore windfarms really?

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How visible are offshore windfarms really?

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Entertaining and informative tool. Highly recommend to anyone interested in wind energy

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Dutch agreement on energy for sustainable growth: a policy in practice

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Dutch agreement on energy for sustainable growth: a policy in practice

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Learn more about the transition to sustainable energy in the Netherlands by reading this brochure

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World energie consump 2013

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An essential book available for free online which assesses the UK's options for being fuelled entirely by sustainable energy, looking at a variety of pragmatic combinations of energy sources:

http://www.withouthotair.com/

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As it can be seen, Jordan imports most of its energy (97 %).

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In 2016 8 miljard euro SDE+ Budget to achieve our energy targets in 2020.

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This is a project in which I participate. We are using sensor data, to analyze our energy grid.

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Mikel Ormazabal/A Pioneering Plant in Andalucia 

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Mikel Ormazabal/A Pioneering Plant in Andalucia 

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Arranged across 185 acres (75 hectares) in Andalucia, heliostats reflect sunlight to a central solar tower at the Gemasolar plant-the world’s first 24/7 commercial solar plant combining molten salt heat storage and a central tower receiver. Torresol Energy owns the plant; it is a joint venture between Spanish construction and engineering firm Sener and the Abu Dhabi government’s renewable energy company, Masdar.

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Dutch windmills to power Google’s Eemshaven data centerGoogle buys 10 years of renewable energy in deal with Dutch power company and wind farm developer EnecoRotterdam,18November2014

Windpark DelfzijlGoogle and Eneco, Eneco, a leading Dutch renewable power company today announced that Google will buy the entire output of a new wind farm, currently being built at Delfzijl, Netherlands, for a period of ten years, starting early 2016. The deal ensures that Google’s new EUR 600m data center, currently under construction at the Eemshaven, Netherlands, will be powered 100% by locally generated renewable energy from its first day of operation, scheduled for the first half of 2016.The agreement with Eneco is Google’s third power purchase agreement (PPA) in Europe over the last 18 months, and is the eighth such agreement globally to procure renewable energy for its data centers.Eneco has already started construction of the new wind farm at Delfzijl. The construction of the 19-turbine project, with a total combined capacity of 62MW, will provide 80 jobs for local contractors over the building period of 18 months.“We promised that our new Eemshaven datacenter would run on renewable energy from day one of operation - and it will,” said Francois Sterin, Director Global Infrastructure. “Power purchase agreements help give wind farm developers like Eneco the economic certainty to invest in new renewable energy generation capacity, which is good for the environment - but also makes great financial sense for companies like Google.”“Our agreement with Google is a further endorsement of the potential of wind power and our commitment to sustainable energy”, said Jeroen de Haas, CEO at Eneco. “We’re looking forward to working with Google over the next ten years to help them stay ahead of their commitment to carbon neutrality.”For further information on Google’s investments in and use of renewable energy, please visit http://www.google.com/green/energy/. You can also pay a virtual visit to our data centers at http://www.google.com/about/data centers/inside/index.html

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Dutch windmills to power Google’s Eemshaven data centerGoogle buys 10 years of renewable energy in deal with Dutch power company and wind farm developer EnecoRotterdam,18November2014

Windpark DelfzijlGoogle and Eneco, Eneco, a leading Dutch renewable power company today announced that Google will buy the entire output of a new wind farm, currently being built at Delfzijl, Netherlands, for a period of ten years, starting early 2016. The deal ensures that Google’s new EUR 600m data center, currently under construction at the Eemshaven, Netherlands, will be powered 100% by locally generated renewable energy from its first day of operation, scheduled for the first half of 2016.The agreement with Eneco is Google’s third power purchase agreement (PPA) in Europe over the last 18 months, and is the eighth such agreement globally to procure renewable energy for its data centers.Eneco has already started construction of the new wind farm at Delfzijl. The construction of the 19-turbine project, with a total combined capacity of 62MW, will provide 80 jobs for local contractors over the building period of 18 months.“We promised that our new Eemshaven datacenter would run on renewable energy from day one of operation - and it will,” said Francois Sterin, Director Global Infrastructure. “Power purchase agreements help give wind farm developers like Eneco the economic certainty to invest in new renewable energy generation capacity, which is good for the environment - but also makes great financial sense for companies like Google.”“Our agreement with Google is a further endorsement of the potential of wind power and our commitment to sustainable energy”, said Jeroen de Haas, CEO at Eneco. “We’re looking forward to working with Google over the next ten years to help them stay ahead of their commitment to carbon neutrality.”For further information on Google’s investments in and use of renewable energy, please visit http://www.google.com/green/energy/. You can also pay a virtual visit to our data centers at http://www.google.com/about/data centers/inside/index.html

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The idea is to use the (huge amounts of) excess heat from the Rotterdam harbor area and use it to heat housing and industry throughout Southern Holland

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De Warmterotonde is de infrastructuur voor collectieve warmte in het zuidelijk deel van de provincie Zuid-Holland voor de komende 30-50 jaar. Hiermee kan maximaal worden bespaard op fossiele energie.

Flexibel

De Warmterotonde is een flexibel systeem, waarop meerdere aanbieders en meerdere bronnen van verschillende herkomst toegang krijgen. Er wordt naar gestreefd om steeds meer lokale duurzame bronnen te ontsluiten en toe te voegen. Bronnen zijn bijvoorbeeld het Rotterdamse haven- en industriecomplex en bronnen van geothermie: hernieuwbare warmte die bestaat in het aardoppervlak.

Gebied Warmterotonde Zuid-Holland

De Warmterotonde bestaat uit een ringnet van leidingen, waarin door water warmte wordt vervoerd van bron naar afnemer. De Warmterotonde wordt vaak afgebeeld als een verzameling van aan elkaar gekoppelde leidingen die zowel de Haven uit Rotterdam, Leiden, Dordrecht, het
Westland, Delft en Den Haag met elkaar verbinden.

Onder de afnemers zullen tuinbouwbedrijven zijn in bijvoorbeeld het Westland, maar ook woningen, kantoorgebouwen en ziekenhuizen. De Warmterotonde levert daarbij warmte aan netwerken voor stadsverwarming.

Dit innovatieve, grote en duurzame collectieve warmtenet is uniek voor de wereld door de verbinding die wordt gelegd tussen de haven, de glastuinbouw en het stedelijk gebied.

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De Warmterotonde is de infrastructuur voor collectieve warmte in het zuidelijk deel van de provincie Zuid-Holland voor de komende 30-50 jaar. Hiermee kan maximaal worden bespaard op fossiele energie. Flexibel De Warmterotonde is een flexibel systeem, waarop meerdere aanbieders en meerdere bronnen van verschillende herkomst toegang krijgen.

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Renewable Energy creates more work than traditional in Germany

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Renewable Energy creates more work than traditional in Germany

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Dangerous Return to Nuclear Power in Japan

Today witnessed the restart of the second reactor facility here in Japan. All reactors were off-line following the earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, and most of us here in Japan hoped that would be the new status quo. Unfortunately, the current government is hell-bent on restarting reactors across the country...very dangerous, very unfortunate...

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/15/japan-restarts-second-nuclear-reactor-despite-public-opposition

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Czech Republic's ČEZ finally pulls plug on nuclear tender

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Czech Republic's ČEZ finally pulls plug on nuclear tender

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http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/2014/04/10/czech-republics-cez-finally-pulls-plug-on-nuclear-tender/

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Petroleum reserves of Malaysia

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Malaysia Oil and Gas 2011 - www-austrade-gov-au

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Malaysia Oil and Gas 2011 - www-austrade-gov-au

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Something that is becoming very worrying in the UK is fracking. In my mind, this cartoon somes it up pretty well. As an Environmentalist the idea of fracking is incredibly scary in every sense. Unfortunately many people are too worried about renewable energy sources such as solar and wind farms being 'too ugly' and so these forms of energy production are not being allowed to grow at the rate that they could. It seems almost like fracking is sneaking in under the radar due to people's concerns about other ways of producing energy.

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Official opening of EnTranCe in Groningen by the King of the Netherlands himself.