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Stay up to date with the latest stories, insights, and announcements.3 Ways Paris Climate Agreement Will Expand Global Investment in Clean Energy
By Christopher N. Fox, Ceres.
On Dec. 12, 2015, the world’s governments agreed to a universal, legally-binding agreement that sets out ambitious goals to tackle climate change, including:
- Holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit temperature increase to no more than 1.5°C
- Reducing net greenhouse gas emissions to zero in the second half of this century
While there are many challenges ahead to achieving these objectives, the Paris agreement provides a critical shot in the arm for clean energy investment globally. As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted at the end of the climate talks, “Markets now have the clear signal they need to unleash the full force of human ingenuity and scale up investments that will generate low emissions and resilient growth.”
Landfill Tipping Fees See Minimal Increases
By Megan Greenwalt, Waste 360.
Despite reports of tipping fees increasing at some landfills across the U.S., industry officials say that these spikes are minimal and in line with inflation and normal rate increases.
“In the central state regions where many of our clients are based we are seeing moderate increases in tipping fees in line with cost of living increases,” says Keith Connor, P.E. project manager for Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co. Inc. based in Kansas City, Miss. “Landfill costs are frequently developed based on cost of service analysis and then frequently checked against prevailing market rates before setting the tipping fees. Some consolidation of landfill ownership is allowing landfills to pass on increased costs rather than absorb them.”
SCS Engineers Awarded Orlando Utilities Commission Contract for Landfill Gas to Energy System
From PR Web.
SCS Engineers was hired by the Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) to expand its existing landfill gas (LFG) treatment and compression facility located at the Orange County Landfill. Expanding the LFG facility will double the nominal inlet flow capacity to 8,000 standard cubic feet per minute.
Doubling capacity will help support the OUC’s sustainability goal to offset non-renewable resources by using local renewable resources to generate energy at its coal-fired powerplant. OUC chose SCS to design, build, test, and commission its facility because SCS’s environmental engineers and contractors could meet the strict project time frame and budget.
California waste-to-energy facilities close as solar energy dominates
By Arlene Karidis, Waste Dive.
Dive Brief:
- California's biomass energy plants are shutting down as competing, subsidized solar farms emerge, mainly in San Joaquin Valley. Six of these waste-to- energy facilities have closed in two years, including a plant in Delano, owned and operated by Covanta, after San Diego Gas & Electric terminated its power purchase agreement with the company.
- Nearby, the Rio Bravo biomass facility will receive some of the fuel that would have gone to Delano, but that plant’s power purchase agreement with Pacific Gas & Electric Co. expires this year. And a Buena Vista biomass facility in Ione may lose its contract with Sacramento Municipal Utility District, according to the district’s spokesman Christopher Capra.
- As a result of the plant closures, San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District may allow more agricultural waste to be burned in open piles, which produces pollution and compounds tied to cardiovascular illnesses.
Arnold Schwarzenegger pumps up California’s clean energy debate
By Chris Nichols, Politifact.
Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to terminate the idea that California’s clean energy experiment has turned it into an economic wimp.
The muscle-bound movie star, who’s now a climate change activist, argues it hasn’t.
As governor, Schwarzenegger signed California’s signature clean energy regulations into law in 2006. Known as the California Global Warming Solutions Act, or AB 32, the law requires the state to dramatically cut its greenhouse gas emissions.
Two Firms Now Working on Smithfield Animal Waste-to-Energy Project
By Allan Gerlat, Waste 360.
Two alternative energy companies now are teaming with Smithfield Foods to convert gas from animal waste into renewable energy.
Kennesaw, Ga.-based ABUTEC and Roeslein Alternative Energy, St. Louis, are partnering with Smithfield Foods Missouri to trap the biogas released from Smithfield’s manure lagoons and store it for energy production, according to a news release. Food producer Smithfield houses nearly two million pigs through nine facilities, and they produce enough manure to make 2.2 billion cubic feet of natural gas.
FuelCell Energy Announces 5.6 Megawatt Fuel Cell Project With Pfizer Inc.
By Global Newswire, via CNN Money.
FuelCell Energy, Inc., a global leader in the design, manufacture, operation and service of ultra‐clean, efficient and reliable fuel cell power plants, announced plans for the installation of a 5.6 megawatt fuel cell power generation system for Pfizer Inc., one of the world’s largest biopharmaceutical companies, to provide reliable and low carbon electricity and steam for its 160 acre research and development facility in Groton, Connecticut. Pfizer will purchase the power and steam under a 20 year power purchase agreement that will lead to a reduction in energy costs while enhancing power reliability from on-site power generation. The highly efficient combined heat and power (CHP) fuel cell system will be configured to operate continuously, in parallel with the grid during normal operation and independently supplying electricity to campus loads during grid outages, while supporting Pfizer’s commitment to sustainability with power generation that is low carbon and efficient. The fuel cell installation is expected to be fully operational by summer 2016.
“This power purchase model delivers immediate value while increasing electrical reliability by providing the security of on-site power with a financial structure that avoids an investment in power generation assets, and FuelCell Energy installs, operates and maintains the fuel cell power plants,” said Chip Bottone, President and Chief Executive Officer, FuelCell Energy, Inc. “Affordably addressing both energy and sustainability goals is an attractive value proposition offered by FCE.”
Blue Sphere Secures $3m to Acquire Italian Biogas Plants
By Ben Messenger, Waste Management World.
Charlotte, North Carolina based anaerobic digestion and renewable energy developer, Blue Sphere Corp. (OTCQB: BLSP) has closed on a financing round of $3 million as it continues its program of acquisitions.
The company explained that while the financing has a face value of £3 million, after commissions and selling expenses it has netted £2,672,000.
To secure the deal it worked with the Maxim Group, a New York based investment banking firm to market and close the private placement of Notes which will be used for general business activities.
EPA looks to build on 2015 wins this year
By Devin Henry, The Hill.
The head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said Monday that the Obama administration is preparing to roll out and implement new climate rules this year after pushing an aggressive agenda in 2015.
In a blog post on the EPA website, administrator Gina McCarthy said the agency will look in 2016 to help implement the goals of the landmark international climate agreement reached in Paris last month.
The agency will finalize rules this year to cut carbon pollution from heavy-duty vehicles, she wrote, as well as a rule to limit methane leaks from oil and gas operations. The methane rule — which targets a pollutant with 25 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide — is seen as a major step President Obama can take to address climate change in his final year in office.
2016 holds flurry of state planning, legal drama for Clean Power Plan
By Emily Holden, E&E Publishing.
U.S. EPA's Clean Power Plan will continue to enjoy the spotlight in 2016 as the Obama administration works to follow through on international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
States must submit at least initial thoughts about how they might cut power-sector carbon emissions by Sept. 6.
Here are the top developments ClimateWire will be tracking in the meantime:
State, utility planning advances
Most states will submit status updates in the fall and request two-year extensions to send EPA their final carbon-slashing plans.
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