Thailand’s greener energy future

February 11, 2008 (Bangkok Post) – To cope with high oil prices and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Thailand must pursue four options: development of renewable energy, energy efficiency, nuclear energy and carbon capture and storage. However, renewable energy has certain limitations, and options for each country are different depending on availability of natural resources, technologies and manpower. This is why the Thai government has mainly concentrated on renewable energy based on domestic raw materials and wastes.

Financial incentives together with the provision of information to investors and consumers have proved to work wonders, for instance in the promotion of biofuels. The consumption of gasohol (E10) more than doubled in 2007. With the introduction of E20 in 2008, daily demand for ethanol should reach two million litres by 2011 when new cars capable of using E85 should be on sale.

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Letter from Shell CEO

From: Jeroen van der Veer, Chief Executive
To: All Shell employees
Date: 22 January 2008 Subject: Shell Energy Scenarios

Dear Colleagues

In this letter, I’d like to share reflections about how we see the energy future, and our preferred route to meeting the world’s energy needs. Industry, governments and energy users – that is, all of us – will face the twin challenge of more energy and less CO2.

This letter is based on a text I’ve written for publication in several newspapers in the coming weeks. You can use it in your communications externally. There will be more information about energy scenarios inthe months ahead.

By the year 2100, the world’s energy system will be radically different from today’s. Renewable energy like solar, wind, hydroelectricity and biofuels will make up a large share of the energy mix, and nuclear energy too will have a place.

Mankind will have found ways of dealing with air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. New technologies will have reduced the amount of energy needed to power buildings and vehicles.

Fukuda pledges $40 billion to combat climate change

January, 26, 2008 (Bloomberg) – Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda vowed to cut carbon emissions and earmark funds to help developing nations cope with global warming, in a bid to take a leading role in combating climate change. Over the next five years, Japan will spend $30 billion on new environmental technology at home and provide another $10 billion for developing countries, Fukuda said in a speech today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Fukuda also proposed a 30 percent improvement in energy efficiency globally by 2020.

China Huadian Sells Carbon Dioxide under CDM Projects

December 17, 2007 (SinoCast) – China Huadian Corporation just signed a framework agreement of overall strategic cooperation with UK-based EcoSecurities Group PLC and Germany-headed Deutsche Bank, involving four clean development mechanism (CDM) projects. The Chinese power generation group will annually sell 3 million tons of carbon dioxide generated by its four super-critical power plants to the two foreign buyers, who will pay EUR 33 million for the deal per year.

Notably, the transaction is the biggest one that Chinese power generation companies have ever made in carbon dioxide sale business.

Emission (GHG) Reductions Support is Needed From Business Sector

October 5, 2007 (UN Chronicle): “Without binding commitments and the resulting downward pressure on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, there is no carbon market. What’s worse, we might fail in our battle against climate change and that would result in costs that are much higher than the cost of action now”, said Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the Carbon Finance World Conference, held on 19 September 2007 in Chicago. Support from the private sector is essential for industrialized countries to realize substantial emission-reduction as a response to climate change and for the continuity in the growing global carbon market, he explained.

One of First Climate Change Workshops Held in China

September 17, 2007 (People.com.cn) – An international workshop, sponsored by China’s top think tank and the UN Environment Program, recently in Beijing highlighted the significance in the participation of businesses in dealing with climate change. This is one of the first high-profile events for Chinese enterprises on the issue of climate change.

There is a large gap of awareness between Chinese enterprises and their international peers on the importance of integrating a program on climate change into their operational strategies and daily agendas. Experts and officials agree that it is not a question of whether or when, but how companies should face the risks and opportunities brought about by climate change.

Trade in Greenhouse Gas Permits and Credits up 45%

August 16, 2007  (Environmental Finance) — Volumes in the world’s carbon markets were up 45% year-on-year to 1.2 billion tonnes in the first six months of 2007, according to research from Point Carbon.Carbon allowances and permits worth €15.8 billion ($21.2 billion) were traded in the first six months of 2007 compared with €22.5 billion in all of 2006, an increase of 41% in annualised terms, according to the Oslo-based analyst company.

The European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) saw two-thirds of the traded volume, with the equivalent of 775 million tonnes (Mt) of carbon dioxide (CO2e) changing hands at a financial value of €11.5 billion.