Obama's goal for the hybrid cars will be a challenge
Apr 16, 2009
Omaha World Herald
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's campaign pledge to put 1 million plug-in hybrid cars on the road by 2015 is fraught with difficulties, from technical and engineering hurdles to the realities of the economy and the price of gasoline.
It took eight long years to get 1 million hybrids on the road in the United States, and even a White House task force says one of the leading new plug-in cars being developed is too expensive to gain popularity any time soon.
Obama's goal could help revitalize the struggling U.S. auto industry and begin shifting motorists away from the gas pump. But to many, it's overly optimistic.
President Barack Obama on a tour of the Edison Electric Vehicle Technical Center in Pomona, Calif., last month.
"The economics won't make sense for the majority of Americans in the next several years," said Brett Smith, who studies plug-in hybrids at the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Center for Automotive Research.
Plug-in hybrids allow motorists to drive a limited number of miles on battery power before the engine switches over to run on gasoline or other fuels. A driver can plug the car into a conventional wall outlet at night and be ready to go electric again in the morning.
The cars could dramatically reduce gasoline use because many commuters drive less than 40 miles a day.
Obama last month toured a California electric car facility where he announced $2.4 billion to develop advanced batteries and electric cars. The administration has said the vehicles would play a role in its goal to reduce dependence on foreign oil, cut greenhouse gas emissions and create "green" jobs.
"Even as our American automakers are undergoing some painful adjustments, they are also retooling and reimagining themselves into an industry that can compete and win," Obama said in Pomona, Calif.
During his campaign, Obama promised $4 billion in tax credits to automakers to revamp their plants to build plug-ins, and a $7,000 tax credit for consumers who buy early versions of the cars. He even pledged to convert the White House vehicle fleet to plug-ins within a year, as security permits, and require half the cars bought by the government to be plug-in or all-electric by 2012.
To automakers, battery makers and utilities, the pledge was akin to one made by President John F. Kennedy generations ago. "That's a 'Go to the moon' kind of goal," said Nancy Gioia, Ford's director of hybrid vehicle programs. She said it would demand "unparalleled collaboration" among the government, the industry and academia.
Automakers are already committed to plug-ins and electric vehicles. Toyota Motor Corp. will produce a few hundred plug-in Prius hybrids later this year as a test fleet, General Motors Corp. plans to release an extended range electric plug-in called the Chevrolet Volt in limited numbers in late 2010, and Nissan Motor Co. is planning to sell an all-electric car next year. Chrysler, Ford and Daimler are all developing plug-ins and electric cars.
But numerous questions remain about the cars. One of the biggest hurdles is whether their large lithium ion batteries are ready for mass production. Some analysts have pegged the cost of the batteries at $1,000 per kilowatt hour, which could add about $16,000 to the cost of a first-generation Volt and thousands of dollars to a plug-in Prius.
Lithium ion batteries have been used commonly in cell phones and laptop computers, but the auto industry needs to ensure that the batteries will remain long-lasting and safe. Automakers have partnered with utilities and universities to develop recharging stations and a common way of communicating between the vehicles and the electric grid.
None of the major automakers has made a firm commitment on the mass production of plug-ins — building 100,000 vehicles a year or more — that would be required to meet Obama's goal.
"It certainly is a difficult challenge to achieve that goal," said Tony Posawatz, GM's vehicle line director for the Volt. GM has not released production figures for the Volt, but Posawatz estimated it would be in the "tens of thousands" of vehicles by 2015.
"It's not readily obvious, based on the product plans that have been communicated, that the 2015 objective aligns with what is currently on the books," he said.
Conventional gas-electric hybrids account for less than 3 percent of the car market and it took about eight years to get 1 million hybrids on the road in the United States, according to automotive consulting firm R.L. Polk & Co.
Obama's own auto industry task force, which is trying to help GM and Chrysler emerge from the crisis that left them needing $17.4 billion in government loans, casts doubt on the Volt in a March 30 report. That report says that although the car "holds promise, it will likely be too expensive to be commercially successful in the short term."
GM has not announced pricing for the Volt, but it's expected to cost between $30,000 and $40,000.
Current fuel prices also are an issue; $2-a-gallon gas gives consumers few incentives to spend thousands of dollars extra for a hybrid or even more for a plug-in. It would take years for the fuel savings to outweigh the price premium.
The industry also will need a smooth transition for plug-ins to take off. Any hiccups along the way could hurt the vehicles' image.
"They've got to be commercial-ready," said Tom Stricker, Toyota's director of technical and regulatory affairs. "You do risk having a negative response from the consumer if the technology doesn't meet their expectation in terms of durability, cost and performance."
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Lighting control and energy management
'SA facing serious energy crisis' 03/04/2009 08:04 - (SA)
Pretoria - Urgent steps are needed to counter South Africa's low electricity reserve margin, Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said on Thursday.
Despite the success of the Earth Hour on Saturday, the minister urged South Africans to do more.
She said the government commended the Earth Hour initiative and hoped that it promoted awareness that the country was still facing a serious energy crisis.
"South Africa is one of the least energy efficient nations in the world and the least efficient in Africa", she said.
"We also hold the number 11 spot on the top 20 greenhouse gas emitters list and are responsible for 42% of Africa's emissions. Every kilowatt of electricity you use produces one kilogram of carbon dioxide, one of the main greenhouse gases."
Two years ago, the minister warned that South Africans needed to start saving 10% of their electricity usage every year for the next five years or the energy supply would be threatened.
In early 2008, periodic blackouts outraged all South Africans, yet by October of the same year only 0.4 percent had been saved.
'We are in trouble'
A healthy electricity reserve margin sat at 17 to 20%, an amount that ensured sudden changes in demand or supply and power-plant maintenance did not cause blackouts, but South Africa's reserve margin remained much lower than that.
"The recent lack of blackouts has led to the assumption that our energy situation has been resolved," Sonjica said.
"Unfortunately this is far from the truth. We are in trouble unless we all begin to take responsibility for our habits of energy wastage."
She said nations across the world were rising to the challenge of sustainable energy development and conservation.
Sonjica said energy sustainability had become an issue that no country, industry or individual could afford to ignore. - SAPA News 24
Wayne Felton.
Pretoria - Urgent steps are needed to counter South Africa's low electricity reserve margin, Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said on Thursday.
Despite the success of the Earth Hour on Saturday, the minister urged South Africans to do more.
She said the government commended the Earth Hour initiative and hoped that it promoted awareness that the country was still facing a serious energy crisis.
"South Africa is one of the least energy efficient nations in the world and the least efficient in Africa", she said.
"We also hold the number 11 spot on the top 20 greenhouse gas emitters list and are responsible for 42% of Africa's emissions. Every kilowatt of electricity you use produces one kilogram of carbon dioxide, one of the main greenhouse gases."
Two years ago, the minister warned that South Africans needed to start saving 10% of their electricity usage every year for the next five years or the energy supply would be threatened.
In early 2008, periodic blackouts outraged all South Africans, yet by October of the same year only 0.4 percent had been saved.
'We are in trouble'
A healthy electricity reserve margin sat at 17 to 20%, an amount that ensured sudden changes in demand or supply and power-plant maintenance did not cause blackouts, but South Africa's reserve margin remained much lower than that.
"The recent lack of blackouts has led to the assumption that our energy situation has been resolved," Sonjica said.
"Unfortunately this is far from the truth. We are in trouble unless we all begin to take responsibility for our habits of energy wastage."
She said nations across the world were rising to the challenge of sustainable energy development and conservation.
Sonjica said energy sustainability had become an issue that no country, industry or individual could afford to ignore. - SAPA News 24
Wayne Felton.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Electrical and Lighting Control
Dear Editor,
What we wanted and what we got from our last vote.
We were promised:
1.Free education
Parents and caregivers have never paid this much for education. School fees have trebled. Higher school fees and ridiculously larger number of pupils per class, implying less and less individual attention to your child. Both parents need to work to ensure fees are paid.
2. Free water and electricity
Apparently some big wigs at Eskom did mention to the leaders of the New South Africa that a new power station needs to be built or else South Africa is sure to suffer in the near future.
However, the New South Africa's priorities were much too important. Road names needed to be changed for one, let alone the overseas holidays taken on the tax payers money. So unfortunately the promise of free water and cheaper electricity changed to higher rates and higher water bills.
3. Free or cheaper housing
Over the past three years property prices shot up so high that it became impossible for the average person to purchase. For those who did manage to just about qualify to buy, they were hit down when interest rates shot up so high that their entire salaries were going just towards the bond.
4. Cheaper everyday living
Bread is now R90, so let's round that off to R10. Since you now don't have your own home, for whatever reasons listed in point three above, you are back living with your parents.
There's grandma, grandpa, mum, dad, three children. So let's say two loaves are enough for everyone for the day. Lunch is reduced to one slice per person. R600 a month for bread. Meat prices... say no more.
5. Freedom
Our streets have never been more dangerous. In fact you don't even need to go out into the streets, the perpetrators will come to your home.
E-mails recently being circulated are a structured table of which vehicles are hijacked; e-mails on how to make it safely from a mall to your car; e-mails on how to fill up at the garage without being mugged, raped or killed. Crimes are taking new and exciting turns: schools, churches, mosques, offices, medical centres, and even grave yards.
The criminal profession has expanded. The criminal has the freedom to do as he pleases. The criminal has the freedom to mug, rape and shoot you. The criminal has the freedom to take away your most precious belongings. The criminal has the freedom to fair trial and evidence based judgement (if that evidence is ever found at the police station). The criminal has a right to education in prison. The criminal has a right to MNet and internet in prison. The criminal has a right to intercourse with his/her partner whilst in prison.
I am not white, Indian, black or coloured. I am SOUTH AFRICAN. As a South African I reserve the right not just to live in this country but to live happily. Think before you vote.
A Voter
What we wanted and what we got from our last vote.
We were promised:
1.Free education
Parents and caregivers have never paid this much for education. School fees have trebled. Higher school fees and ridiculously larger number of pupils per class, implying less and less individual attention to your child. Both parents need to work to ensure fees are paid.
2. Free water and electricity
Apparently some big wigs at Eskom did mention to the leaders of the New South Africa that a new power station needs to be built or else South Africa is sure to suffer in the near future.
However, the New South Africa's priorities were much too important. Road names needed to be changed for one, let alone the overseas holidays taken on the tax payers money. So unfortunately the promise of free water and cheaper electricity changed to higher rates and higher water bills.
3. Free or cheaper housing
Over the past three years property prices shot up so high that it became impossible for the average person to purchase. For those who did manage to just about qualify to buy, they were hit down when interest rates shot up so high that their entire salaries were going just towards the bond.
4. Cheaper everyday living
Bread is now R90, so let's round that off to R10. Since you now don't have your own home, for whatever reasons listed in point three above, you are back living with your parents.
There's grandma, grandpa, mum, dad, three children. So let's say two loaves are enough for everyone for the day. Lunch is reduced to one slice per person. R600 a month for bread. Meat prices... say no more.
5. Freedom
Our streets have never been more dangerous. In fact you don't even need to go out into the streets, the perpetrators will come to your home.
E-mails recently being circulated are a structured table of which vehicles are hijacked; e-mails on how to make it safely from a mall to your car; e-mails on how to fill up at the garage without being mugged, raped or killed. Crimes are taking new and exciting turns: schools, churches, mosques, offices, medical centres, and even grave yards.
The criminal profession has expanded. The criminal has the freedom to do as he pleases. The criminal has the freedom to mug, rape and shoot you. The criminal has the freedom to take away your most precious belongings. The criminal has the freedom to fair trial and evidence based judgement (if that evidence is ever found at the police station). The criminal has a right to education in prison. The criminal has a right to MNet and internet in prison. The criminal has a right to intercourse with his/her partner whilst in prison.
I am not white, Indian, black or coloured. I am SOUTH AFRICAN. As a South African I reserve the right not just to live in this country but to live happily. Think before you vote.
A Voter
Monday, March 2, 2009
lighting control
Young People to Swarm Capitol With Green Agenda
Mar 1, 2009
Washington Post
By Jonathan Mummolo
Thousands of young people, many of them emboldened by the 2008 presidential contest, will descend on the Capitol tomorrow to urge the government to take radical action to stem climate change and plant the seeds of a green economy.
Arriving Friday from every state in the union -- as well as every Canadian province and more than a dozen countries -- about 12,000 people, most between 18 and 26 years old, are in the District this weekend for Power Shift '09, a summit aimed at raising environmental awareness and lobbying leaders on green issues.
The four-day convention will culminate tomorrow with a rally at 11:30 a.m. on the Capitol's west lawn and meetings all day with members of Congress and their aides to press them for immediate action.
"We want to make sure our new president and new Congress pass bold federal energy and climate legislation in 2009 that dramatically reduces emissions and creates millions of green jobs," said Brianna Cayo Cotter, communications director for the convention's organizer, the Energy Action Coalition, a network of 50 national organizations that advocate for clean energy.
She said leaders "understand that young voters were a key to this 2008 election" and they are now demanding results. "We have come of age as a powerful voting constituency."
Among the hundreds flooding the lobby of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center yesterday -- where Power Shift hosted workshops, panel discussions and musical acts including The Roots -- were Lauralee Crain and Ayesha Siddiqi, students at Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky. They have been pushing for clean energy in the heart of coal country, which, they said, means they clash with powerful pro-coal interests on campus and off.
They said highlighting the ill effects of strip mining and mountaintop coal removal was among their top priorities.
"We don't have Angelina Jolie and George Clooney posing with these devastated mountains," Siddiqi said. "We're rising to the challenge of climate change ourselves. . . . We're not waiting for the naysayers to catch up."
Kate Villars, a civil engineering student at the University of Virginia interested in environmentally friendly building techniques, attended a workshop about integrating the topic of energy efficiency into educational lesson plans, a step she said would improve her own program.
Andrew Nazdin, 20, a junior at the University of Maryland, said he is looking forward to meeting with House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) tomorrow to ask him to push for "science-based reductions in carbon emissions."
"He's got a room that will fit 75 of us," Nazdin said, "but we're going to bring 600 people and ask for a bigger room."
Mar 1, 2009
Washington Post
By Jonathan Mummolo
Thousands of young people, many of them emboldened by the 2008 presidential contest, will descend on the Capitol tomorrow to urge the government to take radical action to stem climate change and plant the seeds of a green economy.
Arriving Friday from every state in the union -- as well as every Canadian province and more than a dozen countries -- about 12,000 people, most between 18 and 26 years old, are in the District this weekend for Power Shift '09, a summit aimed at raising environmental awareness and lobbying leaders on green issues.
The four-day convention will culminate tomorrow with a rally at 11:30 a.m. on the Capitol's west lawn and meetings all day with members of Congress and their aides to press them for immediate action.
"We want to make sure our new president and new Congress pass bold federal energy and climate legislation in 2009 that dramatically reduces emissions and creates millions of green jobs," said Brianna Cayo Cotter, communications director for the convention's organizer, the Energy Action Coalition, a network of 50 national organizations that advocate for clean energy.
She said leaders "understand that young voters were a key to this 2008 election" and they are now demanding results. "We have come of age as a powerful voting constituency."
Among the hundreds flooding the lobby of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center yesterday -- where Power Shift hosted workshops, panel discussions and musical acts including The Roots -- were Lauralee Crain and Ayesha Siddiqi, students at Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky. They have been pushing for clean energy in the heart of coal country, which, they said, means they clash with powerful pro-coal interests on campus and off.
They said highlighting the ill effects of strip mining and mountaintop coal removal was among their top priorities.
"We don't have Angelina Jolie and George Clooney posing with these devastated mountains," Siddiqi said. "We're rising to the challenge of climate change ourselves. . . . We're not waiting for the naysayers to catch up."
Kate Villars, a civil engineering student at the University of Virginia interested in environmentally friendly building techniques, attended a workshop about integrating the topic of energy efficiency into educational lesson plans, a step she said would improve her own program.
Andrew Nazdin, 20, a junior at the University of Maryland, said he is looking forward to meeting with House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) tomorrow to ask him to push for "science-based reductions in carbon emissions."
"He's got a room that will fit 75 of us," Nazdin said, "but we're going to bring 600 people and ask for a bigger room."
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Punitive measures Electricty shortfalls
Making the Most of Residential Energy Efficiency Federal Tax Credits
Feb 24, 2009
Certainteed Release
Making the Most of Residential Energy Efficiency Federal Tax Credits Included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
VALLEY FORGE, Pa., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The newly reinstated federal tax credits for residential energy efficiency makes 2009 the perfect time for American homeowners to evaluate their homes. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), which was signed into law on Feb. 18, 2009, homeowners can receive up to $1500 in tax credits for investments in insulation, exterior doors and windows.
By maximizing a home's efficiency, homeowners can reduce their utility bills and ultimately lessen their impact on the environment. According to the ENERGY STAR(R) program, ensuring adequate insulation and proper air sealing and caulking can save homeowners up to 20 percent on utility bills. Coupled with the residential energy efficiency tax credits, this can add up to a healthy return on investment.
Drawing from more than 50 years of experience insulating homes throughout the United States, CertainTeed Insulation offers the following tips and advice:
-- Conduct a home energy audit. An auditor can pinpoint areas where your home loses valuable energy and can suggest ways to conserve heating fuel, hot water and electricity. Visit energystar.gov to locate an auditor in your area.
-- Stay on top of rising energy costs. Plan ahead and don't get blind sided by high utility bills. Organizations like the Alliance to Save Energy, ase.org, offer tools that project upcoming energy costs in your state.
-- Know the recommended R-value in your area. In simple terms, R-value is a measure of the insulating power of insulation. Colder climates require a higher R-value to ensure a comfortable, energy efficient home. To determine the right R-value for your area, visit the U.S. Department of Energy website at doe.gov.
-- Choose the right insulation for the right area of a home. For example, blow-in insulation, such as InsulSafe(R) SP Premium Blowing Wool, provides uniform coverage that won't settle and is perfect for attic areas. Fiberglass batt insulation is a popular option for walls and in below-grade areas, such as unfinished basements. Visit certainteed.com to find a local contractor that can help determine the best solution for your home.
-- Consider the "big picture." Proper home insulation equates to less energy usage. Ultimately, this means less fossil fuel is burned to produce energy, resulting in a reduction of polluting gases emitted into the atmosphere. Considering the average home causes the emission of more than twice as much carbon dioxide -- the principle greenhouse gas -- as the average car, home insulation can go a long way reducing the impact on the environment.
CertainTeed offers a comprehensive line of insulation products, including time-tested and trusted fiberglass insulation batts and rolls, fiberglass blow-in insulation, polyurethane spray foam, innovative vapor retarder technology, as well as highly regarded HVAC products. All of CertainTeed's insulation products can help building professionals qualify toward credits for both the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED(R)) through the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the National Association of Home Builders' Green Building (NAHB) Program.
For more information or to find a qualified contractor in your area, visit certainteed.com.
To learn more about the ARRA, visit certainteed.com/energypolicyact or the Internal Revenue Service website at irs.gov.
Images, product samples and industry comment are available upon request. To speak to an insulation expert, contact Mike Loughery of CertainTeed Corporation at mike.b.loughery@saint-gobain.com or 610-341-7328.
About CertainTeed
Through innovation and creative product design, CertainTeed has helped shape the building products industry for more than 100 years. Founded in 1904 as General Roofing Manufacturing Company, the firm made its slogan "Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed," which quickly inspired the name CertainTeed. Today, CertainTeed(R) is North America's leading brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, windows, fence, decking, railing, trim, foundations, pipe, insulation, gypsum, ceilings and access covers.
Headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa., CertainTeed and its affiliates have more than 6,000 employees and more than 65 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. In 2008 the group had total sales of more than $3 billion. www.certainteed.com
Feb 24, 2009
Certainteed Release
Making the Most of Residential Energy Efficiency Federal Tax Credits Included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
VALLEY FORGE, Pa., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The newly reinstated federal tax credits for residential energy efficiency makes 2009 the perfect time for American homeowners to evaluate their homes. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), which was signed into law on Feb. 18, 2009, homeowners can receive up to $1500 in tax credits for investments in insulation, exterior doors and windows.
By maximizing a home's efficiency, homeowners can reduce their utility bills and ultimately lessen their impact on the environment. According to the ENERGY STAR(R) program, ensuring adequate insulation and proper air sealing and caulking can save homeowners up to 20 percent on utility bills. Coupled with the residential energy efficiency tax credits, this can add up to a healthy return on investment.
Drawing from more than 50 years of experience insulating homes throughout the United States, CertainTeed Insulation offers the following tips and advice:
-- Conduct a home energy audit. An auditor can pinpoint areas where your home loses valuable energy and can suggest ways to conserve heating fuel, hot water and electricity. Visit energystar.gov to locate an auditor in your area.
-- Stay on top of rising energy costs. Plan ahead and don't get blind sided by high utility bills. Organizations like the Alliance to Save Energy, ase.org, offer tools that project upcoming energy costs in your state.
-- Know the recommended R-value in your area. In simple terms, R-value is a measure of the insulating power of insulation. Colder climates require a higher R-value to ensure a comfortable, energy efficient home. To determine the right R-value for your area, visit the U.S. Department of Energy website at doe.gov.
-- Choose the right insulation for the right area of a home. For example, blow-in insulation, such as InsulSafe(R) SP Premium Blowing Wool, provides uniform coverage that won't settle and is perfect for attic areas. Fiberglass batt insulation is a popular option for walls and in below-grade areas, such as unfinished basements. Visit certainteed.com to find a local contractor that can help determine the best solution for your home.
-- Consider the "big picture." Proper home insulation equates to less energy usage. Ultimately, this means less fossil fuel is burned to produce energy, resulting in a reduction of polluting gases emitted into the atmosphere. Considering the average home causes the emission of more than twice as much carbon dioxide -- the principle greenhouse gas -- as the average car, home insulation can go a long way reducing the impact on the environment.
CertainTeed offers a comprehensive line of insulation products, including time-tested and trusted fiberglass insulation batts and rolls, fiberglass blow-in insulation, polyurethane spray foam, innovative vapor retarder technology, as well as highly regarded HVAC products. All of CertainTeed's insulation products can help building professionals qualify toward credits for both the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED(R)) through the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the National Association of Home Builders' Green Building (NAHB) Program.
For more information or to find a qualified contractor in your area, visit certainteed.com.
To learn more about the ARRA, visit certainteed.com/energypolicyact or the Internal Revenue Service website at irs.gov.
Images, product samples and industry comment are available upon request. To speak to an insulation expert, contact Mike Loughery of CertainTeed Corporation at mike.b.loughery@saint-gobain.com or 610-341-7328.
About CertainTeed
Through innovation and creative product design, CertainTeed has helped shape the building products industry for more than 100 years. Founded in 1904 as General Roofing Manufacturing Company, the firm made its slogan "Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed," which quickly inspired the name CertainTeed. Today, CertainTeed(R) is North America's leading brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, windows, fence, decking, railing, trim, foundations, pipe, insulation, gypsum, ceilings and access covers.
Headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa., CertainTeed and its affiliates have more than 6,000 employees and more than 65 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. In 2008 the group had total sales of more than $3 billion. www.certainteed.com
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Lighting Control Solutions
Feb 24, 2009
The Guardian (UK)
China's increasing carbon emissions blamed on manufacturing for west
New research shows extent of 'off-shore' emissions as Chinese manfacturing for US accounts for 6% of total
The full extent of the west's responsibility for Chinese emissions of greenhouse gases has been revealed by a new study. The report shows that half of the recent rise in China's carbon dioxide pollution was caused by the manufacturing of goods for other countries — particularly developed nations such as the UK.
Last year, China officially overtook the US as the world's biggest CO2 emitter. But the new research shows that around a third of all Chinese carbon emissions are the result of producing goods for export.
The research, due to be published in the scientific journal Geophysical Research Letters, underlines "off-shored emissions" as a key unresolved issue in the run up to this year's crucial Copenhagen summit, at which world leaders will attempt to thrash out a deal to replace the Kyoto protocol.
Developing countries are under pressure to commit to binding emissions cuts in Copenhagen. But China is resistant, partly because it does not accept responsibility for the emissions involved in producing goods for foreign markets.
Under Kyoto, emissions are allocated to the country where they are produced. By these rules, the UK can claim to have reduced emissions by about 18% since 1990 – more than sufficient to meet its Kyoto target.
But research published last year by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) suggests that, once imports, exports and international transport are accounted for, the real change for the UK has been a rise in emissions of more than 20%.
China, as the world's biggest export manufacturer, is key to explaining this kind of discrepancy. According to Glen Peters, one of the authors of the new report at Oslo's Centre for International Climate and Environmental Research, around 9% of total Chinese emissions are now the result of manufacturing goods for the US, and around 6% are from producing goods for Europe.
Academics and campaigners increasingly say responsibility for these emissions lies with the consumer countries.
Dieter Helm, professor of economics at Oxford University, said "focusing on consumption rather than production of emissions is the only intellectually and ethically sound solution. We've simply outsourced our production. If you add foreign manufacturing emissions to the transport emissions of bringing things from abroad, and you consider the lower energy efficiency and greater use of coal in China, then the result is hugely significant."
By contrast, the Department for Energy and Climate Change (Decc), argues that these "embedded emissions" in Chinese-produced goods are "not the UK's emissions; the UK calculates and reports its emissions according to the internationally agreed criteria set out by the UN."
However, Decc admitted to the Guardian that "the footprint associated with the UK's consumption has risen".
Elliott Morley, chairman of the energy and climate change committee, believes importers and exporters share responsibility for the environmental impact. "Everyone has some responsibility. It is true that UK emissions have been off-shored. But the UK has paid a price in terms of lost jobs, while China has benefited from job creation."
Even if world leaders did agree a deal based on consumption rather than production of CO2, it is unclear how national figures would be calculated.
Jonathon Porritt, head of the Sustainable Development Commission, said: "Ultimately, the only place to register emissions is in the country of origin – in this case, China. Otherwise, the whole global accounting system for greenhouse gases will be undermined by the complexity of double-accounting."
The difficulty of measuring exported emissions is reflected in the fact that the new research focuses on the years 2002 to 2005. Relevant trade data is not yet available for subsequent years.
However, Dieter Helm believes these challenges can be overcome. "It's complicated but there are ways of taking consumption into account, such as a border tax on carbon transfer", he said.The bigger obstacle, Helm believes, is political will. "Few policymakers have come out in favour of a consumption model", he said, "because the implications are quite radical. "
Commenting on the report's implications, Glen Peters said, "We're not saying that trade is bad, or that we shouldn't trade with China. The question is how China's comparative advantage in low-cost manufacturing can be applied in environmentally friendly ways. If China focused on exporting wind turbines and low-energy lightbulbs, for example, that would be a win-win."
The Guardian (UK)
China's increasing carbon emissions blamed on manufacturing for west
New research shows extent of 'off-shore' emissions as Chinese manfacturing for US accounts for 6% of total
The full extent of the west's responsibility for Chinese emissions of greenhouse gases has been revealed by a new study. The report shows that half of the recent rise in China's carbon dioxide pollution was caused by the manufacturing of goods for other countries — particularly developed nations such as the UK.
Last year, China officially overtook the US as the world's biggest CO2 emitter. But the new research shows that around a third of all Chinese carbon emissions are the result of producing goods for export.
The research, due to be published in the scientific journal Geophysical Research Letters, underlines "off-shored emissions" as a key unresolved issue in the run up to this year's crucial Copenhagen summit, at which world leaders will attempt to thrash out a deal to replace the Kyoto protocol.
Developing countries are under pressure to commit to binding emissions cuts in Copenhagen. But China is resistant, partly because it does not accept responsibility for the emissions involved in producing goods for foreign markets.
Under Kyoto, emissions are allocated to the country where they are produced. By these rules, the UK can claim to have reduced emissions by about 18% since 1990 – more than sufficient to meet its Kyoto target.
But research published last year by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) suggests that, once imports, exports and international transport are accounted for, the real change for the UK has been a rise in emissions of more than 20%.
China, as the world's biggest export manufacturer, is key to explaining this kind of discrepancy. According to Glen Peters, one of the authors of the new report at Oslo's Centre for International Climate and Environmental Research, around 9% of total Chinese emissions are now the result of manufacturing goods for the US, and around 6% are from producing goods for Europe.
Academics and campaigners increasingly say responsibility for these emissions lies with the consumer countries.
Dieter Helm, professor of economics at Oxford University, said "focusing on consumption rather than production of emissions is the only intellectually and ethically sound solution. We've simply outsourced our production. If you add foreign manufacturing emissions to the transport emissions of bringing things from abroad, and you consider the lower energy efficiency and greater use of coal in China, then the result is hugely significant."
By contrast, the Department for Energy and Climate Change (Decc), argues that these "embedded emissions" in Chinese-produced goods are "not the UK's emissions; the UK calculates and reports its emissions according to the internationally agreed criteria set out by the UN."
However, Decc admitted to the Guardian that "the footprint associated with the UK's consumption has risen".
Elliott Morley, chairman of the energy and climate change committee, believes importers and exporters share responsibility for the environmental impact. "Everyone has some responsibility. It is true that UK emissions have been off-shored. But the UK has paid a price in terms of lost jobs, while China has benefited from job creation."
Even if world leaders did agree a deal based on consumption rather than production of CO2, it is unclear how national figures would be calculated.
Jonathon Porritt, head of the Sustainable Development Commission, said: "Ultimately, the only place to register emissions is in the country of origin – in this case, China. Otherwise, the whole global accounting system for greenhouse gases will be undermined by the complexity of double-accounting."
The difficulty of measuring exported emissions is reflected in the fact that the new research focuses on the years 2002 to 2005. Relevant trade data is not yet available for subsequent years.
However, Dieter Helm believes these challenges can be overcome. "It's complicated but there are ways of taking consumption into account, such as a border tax on carbon transfer", he said.The bigger obstacle, Helm believes, is political will. "Few policymakers have come out in favour of a consumption model", he said, "because the implications are quite radical. "
Commenting on the report's implications, Glen Peters said, "We're not saying that trade is bad, or that we shouldn't trade with China. The question is how China's comparative advantage in low-cost manufacturing can be applied in environmentally friendly ways. If China focused on exporting wind turbines and low-energy lightbulbs, for example, that would be a win-win."
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Energy Management
More birds stay north during winter months Audubon Society sees it as evidence of climate change
Feb 11, 2009
Chicago Tribune
Michael Hawthorne
Feb. 11, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Once a harbinger of spring in the Chicago area, the American robin increasingly is hanging around for the winter too.
Their familiar dawn-to-dusk caroling might not be as prevalent when snow is on the ground. But robins are among scores of bird species that are steadily moving northward as average temperatures across the United States get higher, according to an Audubon Society study released Tuesday.
More than half of the 305 species in North America are spending winters at least 35 miles farther north than they did 40 years ago, the study found. During the same period, the nation's average January temperature rose about 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the changes appear to be less significant in Illinois than in other parts of the nation, nearly 20 bird species in the state have shifted their ranges farther north, the study found. Robins moved the farthest among species seen locally, and now are wintering about 200 miles north of where they did four decades ago.
Other transients include the turkey vulture, Eastern bluebird and hermit thrush, all of which now are seen more frequently in the Chicago area during the winter. Meanwhile, some species rarely seen in Illinois, such as the rough-legged hawk and pine siskin, have become virtual no-shows because they hang out even farther north nowadays.
Researchers say the findings are another sign that climate change is having direct effects far beyond the Arctic and Antarctic. It also backs up anecdotal evidence collected by birders, who have speculated for years that rising global temperatures are leading many species north.
"Some of these birds have almost vanished from the state during the winter," said Judy Pollock, director of bird conservation for the Audubon Chicago Region. "Others are being seen in far greater numbers, drawn perhaps by warmer temperatures and more abundant food supplies."
Indeed, bird ranges can change for various reasons, including habitat loss from urban sprawl and deforestation. Even backyard feeders can have an impact. But authors of the Audubon study said climate change is the only plausible reason so many different birds across the U.S. have shifted north during the past four decades.
Doug Stotz, a conservation ornithologist at the Field Museum, said researchers are just beginning to understand how changes in temperature, vegetation and food supplies are affecting different species. Local biologists have focused more intently on other threats, including loss of habitats and bird crashes into skyscrapers.
The Audubon study is limited to data from the society's Christmas Bird Count, and more research is needed to discover how species are affected during the spring breeding season, Stotz said.
For example, earlier springs might spawn bursts of insects before migratory birds arrive from wintering grounds farther south, meaning the birds would have less to eat when they get here. Changes in vegetation also could play a role if trees and shrubs bud before or after birds fly through the area.
Nationwide, the Audubon study found that one-fourth of the species tracked wintered farther south between 1966 and 2005. The number moving farther north, though, is twice that.
Audubon officials said the study should help support legislation pending before Congress that would cap heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions for the first time. President Barack Obama has set a target of reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by 80 percent by 2050.
"These birds are like canaries in the coal mine," said John Flicker, Audubon's president. "We are witnessing an uncontrolled experiment on the birds and the world we share with them."
Climate change affects each species differently. But the Audubon study suggests that birds in some cases adapt better than other species.
"Some of these birds have moved hundreds of miles," Stotz said. "It takes centuries for a snake to pull that off."
Feb 11, 2009
Chicago Tribune
Michael Hawthorne
Feb. 11, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Once a harbinger of spring in the Chicago area, the American robin increasingly is hanging around for the winter too.
Their familiar dawn-to-dusk caroling might not be as prevalent when snow is on the ground. But robins are among scores of bird species that are steadily moving northward as average temperatures across the United States get higher, according to an Audubon Society study released Tuesday.
More than half of the 305 species in North America are spending winters at least 35 miles farther north than they did 40 years ago, the study found. During the same period, the nation's average January temperature rose about 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the changes appear to be less significant in Illinois than in other parts of the nation, nearly 20 bird species in the state have shifted their ranges farther north, the study found. Robins moved the farthest among species seen locally, and now are wintering about 200 miles north of where they did four decades ago.
Other transients include the turkey vulture, Eastern bluebird and hermit thrush, all of which now are seen more frequently in the Chicago area during the winter. Meanwhile, some species rarely seen in Illinois, such as the rough-legged hawk and pine siskin, have become virtual no-shows because they hang out even farther north nowadays.
Researchers say the findings are another sign that climate change is having direct effects far beyond the Arctic and Antarctic. It also backs up anecdotal evidence collected by birders, who have speculated for years that rising global temperatures are leading many species north.
"Some of these birds have almost vanished from the state during the winter," said Judy Pollock, director of bird conservation for the Audubon Chicago Region. "Others are being seen in far greater numbers, drawn perhaps by warmer temperatures and more abundant food supplies."
Indeed, bird ranges can change for various reasons, including habitat loss from urban sprawl and deforestation. Even backyard feeders can have an impact. But authors of the Audubon study said climate change is the only plausible reason so many different birds across the U.S. have shifted north during the past four decades.
Doug Stotz, a conservation ornithologist at the Field Museum, said researchers are just beginning to understand how changes in temperature, vegetation and food supplies are affecting different species. Local biologists have focused more intently on other threats, including loss of habitats and bird crashes into skyscrapers.
The Audubon study is limited to data from the society's Christmas Bird Count, and more research is needed to discover how species are affected during the spring breeding season, Stotz said.
For example, earlier springs might spawn bursts of insects before migratory birds arrive from wintering grounds farther south, meaning the birds would have less to eat when they get here. Changes in vegetation also could play a role if trees and shrubs bud before or after birds fly through the area.
Nationwide, the Audubon study found that one-fourth of the species tracked wintered farther south between 1966 and 2005. The number moving farther north, though, is twice that.
Audubon officials said the study should help support legislation pending before Congress that would cap heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions for the first time. President Barack Obama has set a target of reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by 80 percent by 2050.
"These birds are like canaries in the coal mine," said John Flicker, Audubon's president. "We are witnessing an uncontrolled experiment on the birds and the world we share with them."
Climate change affects each species differently. But the Audubon study suggests that birds in some cases adapt better than other species.
"Some of these birds have moved hundreds of miles," Stotz said. "It takes centuries for a snake to pull that off."
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