The model has since gained in popularity and has been used to forecast oil production worldwide. However, recent studies show that the model does not take into account more complex oil production cycles of some countries. Those cycles can be heavily influenced by technology changes, politics, social upheavals, and other factors.

In 2008 there were dramatic and unprecedented fluctuations in oil prices. The price per barrel rose to $140 which was an all time high; then the price plunged to less than $50 per barrel by the end of the year losing more than 64 percent of the maximum price in less than a three months period.

The supply of crude oil in the international market oscillated accordingly. This behavior affected oil production in all exporting countries.

Yet despite the fluctuations demand for crude oil in some developing countries, such as China and India, has increased in the past few years because of the rapid growth in the transportation sector and consumer demand. The rapid growth in fuel demand has forced policy makers worldwide to include uninterrupted crude oil supply as a vital priority in their economic and strategic planning. Yet world oil supplies have to come to an end.

Forecasting the future is always difficult. With oil some new supply source may be discovered in some unsuspected geographical location as one example. Demand may also increase and wars may consume yet more.  Alternate energy sources may also be used or discovered.

Accurate prediction of oil production is affected by fluctuating ecological, economical, social, and political factors, which impose many restrictions on its exploration, transportation, and supply and demand.

The Kuwait study was done to develop a model to predict world crude oil supply with better accuracy than the existing models.

The original Hubbert peak theory posits that for any given geographical area, from an individual oil producing region to the planet as a whole, the rate of petroleum production tends to follow a bell shaped curve.

Choosing a particular curve determines a point of maximum production based on discovery rates, production rates and cumulative production. Early in the curve (pre-peak), the production rate increases because of the discovery rate and the addition of infrastructure. Late in the curve (post-peak), production declines because of resource depletion. Hubbert’s Peak was achieved in the continental US in the early 1970s. Oil production peaked at 10.2 million barrels a day. Since then, it has been in a gradual decline.

The new Kuwait approach originates from  the Hubbert model, it overcomes the limitations and restrictions associated with the original Hubbert model. As opposed to Hubbert single cycle model, this model has more than one cycle depending on the historical oil production trend and known oil reserves.

The world production is estimated to peak in 2014 at a rate of 79 million barrels per day. OPEC has a remaining reserve of 909 barrels, which is about 78 percent of the world reserves. OPEC production is expected to peak in 2026 at a rate of 53 million barrels per day. On the basis of 2005 world crude oil production and current recovery techniques, the world oil reserves are being depleted at an annual rate of 2.1 percent.

Other models predict peak oil production to occur anywhere from today to 2030. The exact date, of course, will not be known until it happens. Dramatic fluctuation in oil prices will continue and a new lifestyle for all of us will have to happen sooner or later.

Article by Andy Soos appearing courtesy Environmental News Network.

photo: chrisjfry

For that reason, Howard Friel’s painstaking book The Lomborg Deception: Setting the Record Straight About Global Warming represents time well and usefully spent.

Friel identifies two strains in Lomborg’s work: his “theorem” that though global warming is happening and is human-induced it is far from a catastrophe; his “corollary” that there is therefore little need to incur the costs of reducing greenhousegas emissions to the extent urged by concerned experts.

Friel concentrates on Lomborg’s two books The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State of the World (2001) and Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist’s Guide to Global Warming (2007). The first book covered a range of environmental concerns presented as an exaggerated “litany” of bad news generated by environmentalists. The second focused exclusively on climate change.

Friel spends most of his space on a detailed examination of Cool It. Lomborg has no hesitation in claiming that scientists exaggerate the effects of global warming, and has a large number of end notes supposedly backing his claims with reference to the sources of his evidence. By examining those supporting notes and citations in considerable detail Friel exposes the flimsiness of Lomborg’s claims. They are grounded, to say the least, in bad data. Indeed if Friel’s tracking of the referencing is accurate they are hardly grounded at all.

Take Lomborg’s claim that there will be only 12 inches of sea level rise this century. Of this he attributes 9 inches to thermal expansion.  He references the 9 inches to Figure 10.6.1 in Working Group 1 of the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment report (AR4).  No such figure can be found, says Friel. But assume Lomborg meant Section 10.6.1.  It contains three projections (using three SRES scenarios) of thermal expansion. They range between 4 and 15 inches. Lomborg apparently chooses a rough median and presents it as an unwarrantably precise estimate.

The remaining 3 inches of Lomborg’s 12 inch rise come from melting glaciers and ice caps. Here he references Figure 10.6.3 in WG1 of AR4. Again there is no such figure, and he probably meant Section 10.6.3 titled Glaciers and Ice Caps; nowhere in it or its subsections can Friel find any substantiation of the 3 inches claim. Lomborg then referenced a claim that Greenland is expected to contribute 1.4 inches by itself to, we assume, Section 10.6.4. With its subsections it spans five pages, which do not report any 1.4 inch expectation from Greenland.

Lomborg’s further claim that Antarctica will be accumulating ice as a result of increased precipitation and consequently contribute a 2-inch reduction in sea level rise is also referenced to Section 10.6.4 which offers no such report.

Writes Friel, “Lomborg referenced only these IPCC figures to itemize his assertion of a one-foot sea-level rise, even though none of these sources can be found in the IPCC assessment report.”

Friel finds similar loose sourcing to most of Lomborg’s claims. Polar bears are not threatened. Climate change will reduce human mortality due to an offsetting reduction in cold-related deaths. Extreme weather events will be much fewer than predicted by environmentalists. The World Health Organization exaggerates excess fatalities due to global warming. Food concerns related to global warming are vastly overplayed: “We will be able to feed the world ever better.”  And $4 billion dollars annually will be enough to bring water and sanitation to those in the world who lack these essential services.

Friel offers frequent useful statements of the scientific consensus on many of these issues against which Lomborg sets himself as an authority empowered in some extraordinary way to see the exaggeration of which he asserts a large scientific community is guilty.

The role of the IPCC, as set out in 1988 by the U.N. Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organisation, emphasises scientific objectivity, policy neutrality, balanced geographic representation, and consensus. By the time its reports are issued, Friel comments, one might conclude that its product would embody a scientifically sound consensus middle ground among its 2,500 contributors and reviewers.

He marvels that Cool It, which reflects none of these characteristics and which throughout asserts unsubstantiated claims that are completely at odds with the IPCC consensus can yet be described as representing “the practical middle” (Wall Street Journal) or “the pragmatic center” (New York Times). Lomborg has successfully competed with the IPCC in the United States.

Friel provides a telling analogy:

The favourable coverage of Lomborg and his books are to global warming what the triple-A ratings for mortgage-backed securities were to the U.S. financial system — misguided seals of approval with catastrophic consequences.

More catastrophic, Friel  notes, in the case of climate change than in the case of financial systems which can presumably be repaired. His verdict on the part played by publishers and journalists:

Lomborg’s success largely reflects an ability of elite publishing houses and news organizations to contruct an alternative but counterfeit network of knowledge about an issue of the highest public importance.

In the light of his thorough scrutiny of Lomborg’s claimed sources Friel considers it legitimate to maintain that Lomborg’s books are an assault on science, as Scientific American did when it convened a forum of distinguished scientists to write a rebuttal to The Skeptical Environmentalist in 2001. Friel reports this and other authoritative responses to Lomborg’s earlier book in some detail.

He also asks whether the success of Lomborg’s books in a cultural sense is a manifestation of a broader “assault on reason,” described by Al Gore in his book of that title as a systematic breakdown of rational consideration of the major challenges facing the US and the world.

There’s probably little reason to expect that a book like Friel’s will put a dent in the popularity Lomborg commands. Denial is rampant at present. And the book is not a light read. However, it has elicited a lengthy response from Lomborg himself, to which Friel has replied on his publisher’s Web site.

He comments there that his previous experience in the hermeneutics of deception mostly dealt with books and texts that sought to justify war:

Lomborg’s books are no worse then those, but they are no better. Perhaps twenty or fifty years from now, if and when the fuller impacts of man-made global warming are more apparent, people might argue that they were worse. This is because at least wars usually end whereas global warming past a certain point probably won’t.

Which is all the more reason to persist with trying to focus public attention on the real science and expose the falsity of confident deniers and delayers. And good reason to welcome what Howard Friel’s book has contributed to that exposure.

Article by Bryan Walker appearing courtesy Celsias.

Related posts:

• T. Boone Pickens – greedy capitalist or caring environmentalist?
• World Bank book with alarming figures for the developing world: “Financing Energy Efficiency: Lessons from Brazil, China, India, and Beyond”
• Wastewater: Dow Chemical Licenses BioPetroClean’s Tech To Gobble Up Oil
• Wind Energy: Bird kills on the radar
• Riding the Green Wave

Global statistics show that the solar thermal industry is taking large steps in fulfilling heating and cooling demand in the world. Most of the countries around the world have adopted incentive programs for both solar water heating and space heating. Whereas in some countries, solar thermal systems have been widely utilized for so many years even without incentives.

The most important decision criteria for a household to install a solar thermal system is basically the payback times of their investment. The main driving factors of the investment payback time are the total cost of the systems and the cost of alternatives heating systems.

I tried to create a simple table* in order to exhibit the differences in incentives, costs and payback times in the three cities where I have resided. According to the table, state incentives seem to be necessary for enabling market growth in the United States, where primary energy costs are lower, or in Austria where the irradiation factor is comparatively low.

Austria has been a pioneer in European solar thermal industry since the 1970s due to gas scarcity; solar thermal companies were developing their technologies while the state was creating public awareness and incentive programs for domestic solar heating systems.

Solar water heating systems have been widespread in Turkey because most of the southern cities did not have access to gas pipelines until recently. Turkey has a big climatic advantage for solar systems; however, the jump into domestic space heating has not been realized yet.

Israel and Cyprus are two countries with no solar incentives at all, but all new buildings must be able to supply a portion of their heating demand via solar thermal systems. Spain adopted a building law in 2006, very similar to that of Israel, and became the second largest for solar thermal in Europe while increasing its installed capacity dramatically.

In order to have a wider view on the issue, I drew a chart that exhibits the global installed solar thermal capacity. I have used the data from European Solar Thermal Industry Federation and Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21).

I was not surprised that China, Turkey, Japan and Israel are leading the industry since those are the countries who have been historically strong players in the solar thermal business. All these countries have substantial irradiation; however, Europeans succeeded in a rapid growth during the last five years. Despite their cloudy and cold climate, Germany is the market locomotive in Europe. The fluctuating price of foreign natural gas is one of the main reasons of European success.

According to the Potential of Solar Thermal in Europe study  published by ESTIF, Europe can deploy solar thermal systems covering 47 percent of its total heating and cooling demand by 2050, in the case where substantial financial and political support mechanisms together with energy efficiency measures and research activities are activated.

That requires an annual growth of 26 percent in the industry every year until 2020, which seems to be achievable given that the European solar thermal market grew by over 60 percent in just 2008. In the modest scenario, which foresees moderate advancement in policy and support mechanisms, Europe would cover 11 percent of its total heating and cooling demand by solar thermal systems by 2050.

China, on the other side of the world, is taking serious steps in order to reduce its carbon emissions. According to Renewables Global Status Report, China installed three quarters of the global added capacity in 2008 and remained the world leader in the solar thermal industry, with more than 65 percent of existing world capacity. Due to the low production costs and traditional use of cheap and compact systems, solar water heating systems have existed for a number of decades in China.

(I was unable to gather any data from the Chinese market due to a language barrier. I would be happy to receive more information and comments through this website or emails.)

*Basic assumptions on drawing of the table:

1) Market tendencies in three different cities were used as the basis for the size selection of collectors and storage tanks.
2) Natural gas was assumed to be the primary heating source and the prices were gathered from utility companies of Vienna, Istanbul and Northern California.
3) The costs of solar systems are gathered through a short telephone survey with contractors in the countries. Moreover, the examples given in the website of Austrian Solar Thermal Association and Solar Map of San Francisco were used as a resource.
4) All values are converted from national currency to USD with the following rates in March 2010: USD/EUR= 0,731 ; USD/TL= 1,5345
5) CO2 emissions for natural gas were assumed to be 6,1 kg/therm.

photo: julian

data sources: ESTIF and REN21; chart and table by author

Related posts:

• Solar Thermal Energy – cheaper & easier than Photovoltaics
• HelioFocus Raises $10M From China’s Sanhua and IC Green Energy
• Over-Consumption Causes More Emissions Than Population Growth?
• On Rooftops Worldwide, A Solar Water Heating Revolution
• Where were the big STEG Players in San Diego?

The Strata Tower, a 408-unit apartment building scheduled to open in July, will be topped with three 19-kilowatt turbines — each with five 29.5-foot blades designed to suck wind from various angles and accelerate it through tubes, generating as much as 50 megawatt-hours of electricity annually.

It will also generate about £16,000 to £17,000 annually through the nation’s new feed-in tariff, the developers say.

The £13-million tower, which developers hope will be a model in sustainable construction, will also utilize natural ventilation rather than air conditioning.

By 2019, government law will require carbon neutral design for all new buildings.

Green building advocates described the Strata design as pioneering, but questioned whether wind turbines would become common in skyscraper projects.

“I doubt wind power will become a common feature in high-rise inner-city projects,” said Paul King, chief executive of the U.K. Green Building Council. “But without this type of bold innovation, how would we ever know?”

Article appearing courtesy Yale Environment 360.

photo: Rodents rule

Related posts:

• Wind Turbine Fight Splits French Environmentalists
• Floating Wind Turbines Set Sail
• Wind Energy Could Meet China’s Energy Needs Until 2030
• London Will Become Europe’s Electric Car Capital, Mayor Vows
• Chile: the Windy El Dorado, EWEC, Part IV

The world’s oceans capture about 25 percent of the carbon dioxide emitted by human activities, including the burning of fossil fuels, scientists say. Among the largest “carbon sinks” is the Southern Ocean between Antarctica and Australia.

Underpinning that cycle is the microscopic plant phytoplankton, which absorbs the carbon dioxide at the ocean surface and then eventually carries it to the ocean floor.

While it is well known that iron carried in dust or in coastal sediments can trigger phytoplankton blooms, the extent and consistency of deep-sea vents as a source of nutrients was not as well understood, according to the study published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

That source, researchers say, produces between 5 and 15 percent of the total carbon storage in the entire Southern Ocean, and as much as 30 percent in some parts.

Article appearing courtesy Yale Environment 360.

photo: Astacus

Related posts:

• Carbon Capture vs. Renewables — Why The Lawyers Will Win
• Coal Industry Inserts Carbon Capture Provision in Climate Bill
• Carbon Capture and Storage & the Key to Subsurface Technical Issues
• Carbon Capture Potential Found in Biochar
• Energy Tax Credits for Storage Technology Benefit Renewables Industry

In an open letter, the scientists, some of whom have contributed to IPCC reports, defend the quality and transparency of the panel’s research. But they suggest the IPCC should become more responsive in acknowledging mistakes and should publish an erratum online that corrects any errors discovered after publication.

The recent controversy surrounding mistakes in the group’s 2007 report caused a distraction in the climate debate, the letter says.

“Given the recent political and media commotion surrounding a few clear errors, it is now equally essential that we find ways to restore full trust in the integrity of the overwhelming majority of the climate change research and policy communities,” says the letter, whose original signers include Stephen Schneider of Stanford University, Cynthia Rosenzweig of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and Gary Yohe of Wesleyan University.

The letter can be found at www.openletterfromscientists.com.

Article appearing courtesy Yale Environment 360.

photo of Malaspina Glacier, Alaska: NASA Visible Earth

Related posts:

• U.S. Creates Office to Handle Climate Change Data
• Deception of a ‘Skeptical Environmentalist’ Dissected
• Scientists Back Reduction in Coastal Drilling
• Copenhagen Climate Conference: U.S. to Offer Modest Emissions Targets
• Effects of CO2 May Be Underestimated In Climate Models

China, for example, is now home to 27 million rooftop solar water heaters. With nearly 4,000 Chinese companies manufacturing these devices, this relatively simple low-cost technology has leapfrogged into villages that do not yet have electricity. For as little as $200, villagers can have a rooftop solar collector installed and take their first hot shower.

This technology is sweeping China like wildfire, already approaching market saturation in some communities. Beijing plans to boost the current 114 million square meters of rooftop solar collectors for heating water to 300 million by 2020.

The energy harnessed by these installations in China is equal to the electricity generated by 49 coal-fired power plants. Other developing countries such as India and Brazil may also soon see millions of households turning to this inexpensive water heating technology. This leapfrogging into rural areas without an electricity grid is similar to the way cell phones bypassed the traditional fixed-line grid, providing services to millions of people who would still be on waiting lists if they had relied on traditional phone lines. Once the initial installment cost of rooftop solar water heaters is paid, the hot water is essentially free.

In Europe, where energy costs are relatively high, rooftop solar water heaters are also spreading fast. In Austria, 15 percent of all households now rely on them for hot water. And, as in China, in some Austrian villages nearly all homes have rooftop collectors. Germany is also forging ahead. Janet Sawin of the Worldwatch Institute notes that some 2 million Germans are now living in homes where water and space are both heated by rooftop solar systems.

Inspired by the rapid adoption of rooftop water and space heaters in Europe in recent years, the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation has established an ambitious goal of 500 million square meters, or 1 square meter of rooftop collector for every European by 2020—a goal slightly greater than the 0.93 square meters per person found today in Cyprus, the world leader. Most installations are projected to be Solar-Combi systems that are engineered to heat both water and space.

Europe’s solar collectors are concentrated in Germany, Austria, and Greece, with France and Spain also beginning to mobilize. Spain’s initiative was boosted by a March 2006 mandate requiring installation of collectors on all new or renovated buildings. Portugal followed quickly with its own mandate. ESTIF estimates that the European Union has a long-term potential of developing 1,200 thermal gigawatts of solar water and space heating, which means that the sun could meet most of Europe’s low-temperature heating needs.

The U.S. rooftop solar water heating industry has historically concentrated on a niche market—selling and marketing 10 million square meters of solar water heaters for swimming pools between 1995 and 2005. Given this base, however, the industry was poised to mass-market residential solar water and space heating systems when federal tax credits were introduced in 2006. Led by Hawaii, California, and Florida, U.S. installation of these systems tripled in 2006 and has continued at a rapid pace since then.

We now have the data to make some global projections. With China setting a goal of 300 million square meters of solar water heating capacity by 2020, and ESTIF’s goal of 500 million square meters for Europe by 2020, a U.S. installation of 300 million square meters by 2020 is certainly within reach given the recently adopted tax incentives. Japan, which now has 7 million square meters of rooftop solar collectors heating water but which imports virtually all its fossil fuels, could easily reach 80 million square meters by 2020.

If China and the European Union achieve their goals and Japan and the United States reach the projected adoptions, they will have a combined total of 1,180 million square meters of water and space heating capacity by 2020. With appropriate assumptions for developing countries other than China, the global total in 2020 could exceed 1.5 billion square meters.

This would give the world a solar thermal capacity by 2020 of 1,100 thermal gigawatts, the equivalent of 690 coal-fired power plants. This would account for more than half of the Earth Policy Institute’s renewable energy heating goal for 2020, part of a massive effort to stabilize our rapidly changing climate by slashing global net carbon emissions 80 percent within the next decade.

The huge projected expansion in solar water and space heating in industrial countries could close some existing coal-fired power plants and reduce natural gas use, as solar water heaters replace electric and gas water heaters. In countries such as China and India, however, solar water heaters will simply reduce the need for new coal-fired power plants.

Solar water and space heaters in Europe and China have a strong economic appeal. On average, in industrial countries these systems pay for themselves from electricity savings in fewer than 10 years. They are also responsive to energy security and climate change concerns.

With the cost of rooftop heating systems declining, particularly in China, many other countries will likely join Israel, Spain, and Portugal in mandating that all new buildings incorporate rooftop solar water heaters. No longer a passing fad, these rooftop appliances are fast entering the mainstream.

Article by Lester Brown appearing courtesy Celsias and adapted from Stabilizing Climate: Shifting to Renewable Energy.

photo: Tolka Rover

Related posts:

• Are Solar Thermal Markets Set for Rapid Growth?
• Solar Thermal Energy – cheaper & easier than Photovoltaics
• Acadia Heating and Cooling Claims Geothermal Performance
• France studying carbon tax introduction & possible negative effects
• Phoebus Energy unveils hybrid water heating system in Israel

Bubble, Bubble, Methane is Trouble:

Now a Word from Our Other Gases: It was a promising week in the world of fuels. A Colorado startup revealed a solar concentrator that can vaporize biomass and make high-yield synthetic fuels. British scientists explored enzymes in the gut of a boat-eating bug that could break down straw or waste wood. Meanwhile, a California newbie called Transonic Combustion claims to have invented a fuel-injection system that could boost mileage of plain old gas by 50 percent. The company registered 64 miles to the gallon in recent test drives.

As if that wasn’t enough, Brazil’s 10 millionth vehicle powered by sugarcane ethanol hit the road. Also, the world’s largest shipping company, Maersk, said it would try to cut its CO2 output by 20 percent over the next seven years by blending its heavy engine oil with biofuels.

Winners in the Cheap, Common-Sense Category Are: Rooftop solar water heaters are spreading like dandelion seeds in China and Europe; if worldwide growth projections hold true, in the next decade they could save the energy equivalent of 690 coal-fired power plants. Hurrah also for the efficient cookstove, a simple contraption that could stamp out soot, reduce the melting of glaciers, and help women and children live longer in the developing world.

Electric Batteries Cheaper; Charging Stations Out? Prices for electric-car batteries are dropping so fast that an electric car might not cost as much as the bean-counters thought. Also, a study finds that most electric-car drivers get around fine by charging at home; does this mean electric-car charging stations are a big waste of money?

Now Get Out of Here: With the Greek economy in meltdown, there’s never been a better time to buy an island. If it sinks underwater because of global warming, then make like the Maldives and build your own.

Article by David Ferris appearing courtesy Matter Network.

photo of Siberia: PacificKlaus

Related posts:

• The Future of Electric Vehicles May Be Here Sooner Than We Think
• U.S. Car Fleet Shrinks For First Time in 50 Years, Report Says
• With oil at $65 will renewables lose steam?
• London Will Become Europe’s Electric Car Capital, Mayor Vows
• Better Place Refuels Electric Car Commuters In Israel

The approvals, announced late on Thursday by BC Hydro, the government-owned electricity utility, mark the first phase in the provincial government’s long-delayed push to generate more green power.

Fourteen of the 19 proposals are 14 run-of-river hydroelectric projects, in which river water is diverted through turbines to produce power without the use of dams. The remainder are wind power projects.

Combined, the projects will generate more than 2,400 gigawatt hours of electricity annually.

Another 28 projects remain under consideration, said BC Hydro, which will announce additional awards in late March. The utility’s target in the program is 5,000 gigawatt hours a year of clean power.

After four of its wind projects, with a combined capacity of 293 megawatts, got the green light, shares of tiny Finavera Renewable Inc soared 128.5 percent to 16 Canadian cents on the TSX Venture Exchange on Friday.

In contrast, shares of Plutonic Power Corp shed 4 percent after its Upper Toba Valley run-of-river project in a wilderness area on the Pacific Coast was selected.

Macquarie Capital Marks analyst Steve Harris said the market was likely surprised by Plutonic’s decision to cut one of three planned facilities from Upper Toba Valley due to transmission constraint concerns.

Plutonic, whose project partner is GE Energy Financial Services, also said earlier this week that it had withdrawn its Bute Inlet proposal so that it could collect more data while advancing project studies and permit efforts.

Plutonic stock was down 14 Canadian cents at C$3.34 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Friday afternoon.

Innergex Renewable Energy Ltd had three run-of-river projects chosen. Innergex, whose stock rose 1.9 percent to C$12.39, holds a two-thirds stake of the projects and Ledcor Power Group Ltd the remainder.

Fraser Mackenzie analyst John Safrance raised his rating on Innergex stock to “strong buy” from “buy” and hiked his target price to C$10.55 from C$8.40, citing the company’s growth prospects.

Capital Power Corp’s Quality Wind project in northeastern British Columbia, which the company estimates will cost C$455 million to construct, was also chosen by BC Hydro. Commercial operation is expected by spring 2013, the company said.

Brookfield Renewable Power said it has been selected for a 40-year power purchase deal for its Kokish River hydroelectric project, being developed by Kwagis Power. The project has a planned start date of 2014.

Power purchase agreements, which will include the range of prices BC Hydro will pay for the power, will be submitted to the British Columbia Utilities Commission for review.

British Columbia has mandated that 90 percent of electricity generated in the province must come from clean or renewable sources by 2016. It also plans to achieve electricity self-sufficiency by 2016.

Green power developers have despaired at delays in the call for clean power, made in 2007. BC Hydro had been expected to announce winners last summer.

“We believe that BC Hydro’s management of the call has been an embarrassment for the province,” said analyst Harris in a note. “But the silver lining may be that it should set in motion a series of initiatives and reforms that are positive for (independent power producers) in B.C.”

NaiKun Wind Energy Group Inc said its offshore wind project was not among the first wave of winners, but its proposal remains under consideration. Its shares fell 13 percent to 52 Canadian cents on TSX Venture on Friday.

NaiKun said its Hecate Strait project has won provincial environmental approval and that it is now working with the federal government and native Indian group Haida Nation to advance their reviews.

The company said it is also trying to diversify and reduce risk by acquiring electricity generating assets that are in advanced development. It said it is negotiating with multiple parties.

Article by Susan Taylor appearing courtesy Reuters.

photo: nycGRAEME

Related posts:

• Oceans’ Ability to Absorb CO2 May be Diminishing, New Study Says
• UK Approves Construction of 10 New Nuclear Power Stations
• British Airways Opts to Turn Trash to Energy
• Wind Power Falls Short of Expectations
• British Program to Promote Home Energy Retrofitting

In the video below, Hidary discusses Vancouver’s Green Olympics (VANOC sustainability page ) even as he highlights some gaps, such as a shortfall in the use of highly cost-effective solar outdoor lighting.

(Note that Jack, in this case, seems to have missed an item in terms of the high cost-effectiveness of solar outdoor lighting: that not having to put in the infrastructure to wire the lighting to the grid often is a greater cost savings than the additional capital cost of solar panels and batteries to provide nighttime lighting.)

Hidary also questions the path toward offsetting the Olympics’ large carbon footprint, suggesting that this is something that merits watching. On the other, more positive side, Hidary highlights Vancouver’s “green” nature, which is far from limited to just the Olympics.

One of Hidary’s anecdotes provides an insight into the quality of Vancouver’s public transport: the taxi driver he spoke with is far from busy, which isn’t what one might expect amid a massive event like hosting the Olympics.

There is much of value in Hidary’s discussion, including highlighting the Carbon War Room :

The Carbon War Room harnesses the power of entrepreneurs to implement market-driven solutions to climate change. The world needs entrepreneurial leadership to create a post-carbon economy. The War Room’s unique approach focuses on bringing together successful entrepreneurs, business leaders, policy experts, researchers, and thought leaders to focus on market-driven solutions. Our approach is to identify the barriers that are preventing market-based scale up of climate change solutions and thereby perpetuating the status quo. In addition to technology and policy gaps, these barriers include principal-agent problems, information gaps, and lack of common standards or metrics.

Article by A. Siegel appearing courtesy Celsias.

photo: Van Felt

Related posts:

• Winter Sports Champions Fight Canada’s Tar Sands Industry
• Planning High Speed Rail Line For 17 Years: The Pacific Northwest
• Green Media Panel: Practical & Legal Considerations for Communicating Your Message
• Green Job Training: U.S. government holding five grant competitions
• Coming Soon: State of Green Business Forum