GWPF | 3 Nov 2015
The shine is coming off once bright prospects for natural gas as the future fossil fuel of choice in Asia as power companies in India and Southeast Asia tap abundant and cheap domestic coal resources to generate electricity. In Asia alone this year power companies are building more than 500 coal-fired plants, with at least a thousand more on planning boards. “Coal is still the cheapest and the fuel that most Asian countries will use,” said Loreta G. Ayson, undersecretary at the Philippine Department of Energy. –Florence Tan and Henning Gloystein, Reuters, 3 November 2015
1) Forget Paris: Asia Building 500 New Coal Power Plants (This Year Alone) – Reuters, 3 November 2015
2) Global Oil Supplies To Double By 2050 – The Times, 3 November 2015
3) India & Africa Join Forces, Ask Developed Nations To Pay Up, Reduce CO2 Emissions – Press Trust of India, 31 October 2015
4) Germany’s Green Energy Transition Hits Low Income Families Hardest – Welt am Sonntag, 1 November 2015
5) Obama’s Court Quagmire: Green Agenda At Risk – The Hill, 2 November 2015
6) UK Climate Funds For Poor Nations Pocketed By Green Campaigners – Bishop Hill, 29 October 2015
Fracking and other new drilling techniques can nearly double the available supplies of oil and gas in the next 35 years, according to BP. In a report published yesterday, the oil major says that this impending glut of hydrocarbons has demolished fears that the world is running out of oil. Mr Eyton added: “Energy resources are plentiful. Concerns over running out of oil and gas have disappeared.” –Robin Pagnamenta, The Times, 3 November 2015
Ahead of the crucial climate change summit in Paris, India and Africa on Thursday urged developed nations to undertake “ambitious” mitigation measures to reduce carbon emissions and “honour” their commitment of providing financial resources and technology to developing countries. “Excess of few cannot become the burden of many”, asserted Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had earlier invited African countries to join an alliance of solar-rich nations that he would announce on November 30 at crucial climate Summit in Paris. —Press Trust of India, 31 October 2015
The green energy transition is becoming ever more expensive for consumers. By the end of 2016 an average household will incur additional charges of approximately 540 euros. This is evident from calculations by the Institute of the German Economy in Cologne (IW Köln) seen by Welt am Sonntag. “Most subsidies are politically questionable,” said IW energy expert Esther Chrischilles, because they hit those on lower incomes particularly hard. –Martin Greive and Daniel Wetzel, Welt am Sonntag, 1 November 2015
President Obama’s environmental agenda hangs in the balance as federal courts consider whether his administration overstepped its authority in drafting a host of regulations designed to combat pollution and climate change. It’s now up to a select group of judges — many appointed by Republican presidents — to shape Obama’s environmental and climate legacy by deciding the regulations pass legal muster. –Timothy Cama, The Hill, 2 November 2015
On a whim, I downloaded the monthly expenditure details from the Department of International Development for August 2015, the most recent figures available. I don’t know about you but you could get the impression that a great deal of what DFiD reports as overseas aid spending is actually bungs to environmentalists. –Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, 29 October 2015
1) Forget Paris: Asia Building 500 New Coal Power Plants (This Year Alone)
Reuters, 3 November 2015
Florence Tan and Henning Gloystein
In Asia alone this year power companies are building more than 500 coal-fired plants, with at least a thousand more on planning boards.
The shine is coming off once bright prospects for natural gas as the future fossil fuel of choice in Asia as power companies in India and Southeast Asia tap abundant and cheap domestic coal resources to generate electricity.
Asian loyalty to coal is shrinking the space available for natural gas just as supplies are ramping up after massive investments in U.S. and Australian output. Demand growth for natural gas is also slowing in top energy consumer China, further dampening the fuel’s prospects.
While much attention has been given to a potential peak in China’s coal demand and worries about emissions, in Asia alone this year power companies are building more than 500 coal-fired plants, with at least a thousand more on planning boards.
Coal is not only cheaper than natural gas, it is often available locally and has no heavy import costs.
Growth in coal use is expected to hit liquefied natural gas (LNG) producers hardest, especially with prices half of year-ago levels as Australia and North America wind up their spending spree of hundreds of billions of dollars.
“Electricity is increasing its share in total energy consumption and coal is increasing its share in power generation,” said Laszlo Varro, head of the gas, coal and power markets division for the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Some of the biggest growth in coal use is in India, where it meets 45 percent of total energy demand, compared with just over 20 percent each for petroleum products and biomass/waste.
“We’re absolutely sure India’s coal demand will continue to grow,” Varro said.
At the same time, costs for solar, wind and other renewables are falling, and countries are stepping up investments, eating away more of natural gas’ portion of the market.
China, in particular, added nearly as much wind capacity as the rest of the world in 2014, according to the latest annual report from the Global Wind Energy Council, and India is also investing heavily in renewable energy.
Renewables are attractive as an offset to the carbon emissions and pollution associated with coal, and also because they help reduce import bills for expensive fossil fuels.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Other emerging Asian economies are seeing similar growth to India’s in coal-fired generation.
“Coal is still the cheapest and the fuel that most Asian countries will use,” said Loreta G. Ayson, undersecretary at the Philippine Department of Energy.
Forty percent of the 400 gigawatts in generation capacity to be added in Southeast Asia by 2040 will be coal-fired, the IEA says. That will raise coal’s share of the Southeast Asian power market to 50 percent from 32 percent, while natural gas declines to 26 percent from 44 percent.
And growth in coal is not only seen in developing economies. Coal’s share of the energy mix in Japan, top importer of LNG, will rise to 30 percent by 2030, up from 22 percent in 2010, according to the nation’s Institute of Energy Economics, while natural gas will hold at 18 percent.
2) Global Oil Supplies To Double By 2050
The Times, 3 November 2015
Robin Pagnamenta
Fracking and other new drilling techniques can nearly double the available supplies of oil and gas in the next 35 years, according to BP.
In a report published yesterday, the oil major says that this impending glut of hydrocarbons has demolished fears that the world is running out of oil. It acknowledges, however, that the new approach has profound implications for greenhouse gas emissions and for climate change, which only the imposition of a firm price on carbon can restrain.
BP’s Technology Outlook reveals the internal assessment by its scientists on the impact of evolving technologies on the oil and renewable energy industries. The report claims that technological advances, which have enabled the extraction of previously unavailable reserves of oil and gas locked in deep underground geological formations, could boost the world’s proven reserves of oil from 2.9 trillion barrels to 4.8 trillion barrels. That, BP says, is nearly double the cumulative projected global demand of 2.5 trillion barrels of oil up to 2050.
David Eyton, BP’s group head of technology, said: “We are probably nearing the point where potential from additional recovery from discovered reservoirs exceeds the potential for exploration.” He added that with new exploration and technology, the available resources could jump as high as 7.5 trillion barrels.
Mr Eyton said that if all that available oil eventually was used, it could have devastating environmental consequences for the world’s climate. He said the developments meant that a new approach would be needed to stabilise greenhouses gases.
“Without a price on carbon, fossil fuels are fiercely competitive,” Mr Eyton said. “You have to find a way to put a price on carbon, otherwise fossil fuels will keep on winning.”
Taking into account all accessible forms of energy, including nuclear, wind and solar, there are enough resources to meet 20 times what the world will need until 2050, BP says in the report.
Mr Eyton added: “Energy resources are plentiful. Concerns over running out of oil and gas have disappeared.”
3) India & Africa Join Forces, Ask Developed Nations To Pay Up, Reduce CO2 Emissions
Press Trust of India, 31 October 2015
Ahead of the crucial climate change summit in Paris, India and Africa on Thursday urged developed nations to undertake “ambitious” mitigation measures to reduce carbon emissions and “honour” their commitment of providing financial resources and technology to developing countries.
“Excess of few cannot become the burden of many”, asserted Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had earlier invited African countries to join an alliance of solar-rich nations that he would announce on November 30 at crucial climate Summit in Paris.
Modi asserted no one has done less to contribute to global warming than India and Africa and no one can be more conscious of climate change than Indians and Africans.
Both India and Africa also decided to enhance cooperation and coordination in finalizing an “ambitious and comprehensive” climate change agreement during the forthcoming Conference of Parties (COP21) negotiations in Paris even as it stressed that developing countries need to be “assisted” to mitigate climate change.
“Urge the developed countries to undertake ambitious mitigation commitments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and honor their commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)… “…to provide financial resources as well as transfer of technology and capacity building support to developing countries to enable them to effectively address the impacts of climate change,” the joint Delhi Declaration 2015 adopted during the 3rd India Africa Forum Summit said.
The declaration also said that the United Nations should function in a “transparent, efficient and effective” manner while the composition of the central organs must reflect “contemporary realities” in order to work towards the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and tackle challenges and threats ranging from security environment to climate change.
“Enhance cooperation and coordination in finalizing an ambitious and comprehensive climate change agreement during the forthcoming COP 21 negotiations, which will be held in Paris,” the declaration said.
4) Germany’s Green Energy Transition Hits Low Income Families Hardest
Welt am Sonntag, 1 November 2015
Martin Greive and Daniel Wetzel
By 2016 the green energy transition will cost households 540 euros p.a. on average. Business representatives estimate that its total cost will be 100 billion euros in ten years.
The green energy transition is becoming ever more expensive for consumers. By the end of 2016 an average household will incur additional charges of approximately 540 euros. This is evident from calculations by the Institute of the German Economy in Cologne (IW Köln) seen by Welt am Sonntag.
As a result of the increase of the renewables surcharge (EEG) to 6.35 cents, the subsidy costs for renewable energy by the end of 2016 are likely to be around 350 euros higher than in 2011, according to the IW. Since the nuclear phase-out additional network charges cost an average household 142 euros more. If the amendment to subsidise co-generation goes ahead as planned, these costs will rise by 30 euro more compared to 2011.
Then there is the liability allocation for the delayed connection of wind farms on the high seas which are quite new since 2011. Additional cost: 17 euros more for electricity consumers.
Business concerned about rising costs
“Most subsidies are politically questionable,” said IW energy expert Esther Chrischilles, because they hit those on lower incomes particularly hard.
German business is also greatly concerned about rising energy costs. “An increasing burden on businesses and households to the amount of 100 billion euros in ten years is not unrealistic,” said Eric Schweitzer, president of the German Chamber of Commerce (DIHK). “The Government should pull the emergency brake and give up the capacity mechanism and the increase in CHP support.”
5) Obama’s Court Quagmire: Green Agenda At Risk
The Hill, 2 November 2015
Timothy Cama
President Obama’s environmental agenda hangs in the balance as federal courts consider whether his administration overstepped its authority in drafting a host of regulations designed to combat pollution and climate change.
The rules under attack range from standards for hydraulic fracturing to carbon dioxide limits for power plants and fulfill various promises the Obama administration has made.
It’s now up to a select group of judges — many appointed by Republican presidents — to shape Obama’s environmental and climate legacy by deciding the regulations pass legal muster.
“We are certainly in a moment where in relatively short order, a lot could be unraveled,” said Justin Pidot, an environmental law professor at the University of Denver who served as a litigator in the Justice Department from 2008 to 2011.
Obama has made it clear that the climate and other environmental policies would be a second-term priority for him and part of what he hopes to define his presidency. But the courts could throw a wrench in those plans.
The latest regulation to face court scrutiny is the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new limits on ground-level ozone pollution.
Numerous states and business interests filed lawsuits challenging it in the days after its Oct. 26 publication in the Federal Register, putting the matter before the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
The influential DC Circuit, which generally has jurisdiction over regulations, and other federal courts are also mulling over the carbon dioxide limits for existing and newly built fossil fuel-fired power plants, regulations defining which streams and wetlands are subject to the EPA’s authority and Interior Department standards for hydraulic fracturing for oil and natural gas on federal land.
The latter two rules have been blocked by courts while they consider the cases.
The DC Circuit is also working through how to enforce the Supreme Court’s decision earlier this year that the EPA did not properly account for the costs of its landmark limits on mercury and other toxic air pollutants from power plants.
The administration’s allies and foes agree that the confluence of litigation is likely a result of officials trying to finish major rules in the waning days of Obama’s presidency.
6) UK Climate Funds For Poor Nations Pocketed By Green Campaigners
Bishop Hill, 29 October 2015
Andrew Montford
On a whim, I downloaded the monthly expenditure details from the Department of International Development for August 2015, the most recent figures available.
Of interest are payments to:
* ClientEarth £246,171 Aid programme
* Climate Policy Initiative £32,500 Project delivery
* WWF £371,860 Aid programme, Asia, Caribbean and Overseas Territories
* World Resources Institute £867,847 Aid programme grants, Policy division
* Solar Aid £239,875
* Environmental Investigation Agency £69,416 Aid programme grants, policy division
I don’t know about you but you could get the impression that a great deal of what DFiD reports as overseas aid spending is actually bungs to environmentalists.
