World:
¶ Typical industry scenarios see coal, oil and gas use growing by 30% to 50% and still making up 75% of the global energy supply mix in 2040, but none take into account the potential for reducing fossil fuel demand as ever-more countries seek to ‘decarbonize’ their economies, according to a new Carbon Tracker Initiative report. [National Observer]
Two of the oil pumps at the well head near Glentworth, Lincolnshire, UK. Photo by Richard Croft. CC BY-SA 2.0. Wikimedia Commons.
¶ Climate change and the risk of stranded assets are of growing concern for investors. Ernst & Young’s second annual survey of over 200 global institutional investors finds that 63.6% of respondents believe companies do not adequately disclose the environmental, social and governance risks that could affect their business models. [CleanTechnica]
¶ Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has promised a solar power revolution in his country in the next one year. He made the promise after inspecting solar power stands mounted at a trade fair by the Department of International Development as a follow up to the agreement signed between Nigeria and the UK. [The Eagle Online]
50% of roofs in London are suitable for solar PV panels
¶ London Mayor Boris Johnson has called for a gradual reduction of solar subsidies rather than the ‘cliff edge’ cuts suggested by the UK Government. Johnson said that the current proposals created great uncertainty in the industry, threatening more than 3,000 jobs in London and affecting his energy efficiency programmes. [edie.net]
¶ This year marks the 70th anniversary of the nuclear industry in Russia, which is the world’s third-largest generator of nuclear power. The country never had a “nuclear pause” even after the Chernobyl Disaster in 1986. Russia’s current target program envisions a 25% to 30% nuclear power share of total generation by 2030. [EJ Insight]
US:
¶ The EPA officially issued the Clean Power Plan, regulations on power plants to cut carbon emissions part of the Obama administration’s plan to cut carbon emissions by more than 30% by 2030. The plan requires each state to create an effective plan to meet emissions cuts at power plants, but 24 states will fight the new rules in court. [Voice of America]
Steam billows from a coal-fired station in Bow, N.H., Jan. 20, 2015. VOA file
¶ California Governor Edmund G Brown Jr today issued a statement after numerous states took legal action to block the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan, which sets nationwide limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. He said he will do everything in his power to fight “this pernicious lawsuit.” [Imperial Valley News]
¶ Friday’s 24-state lawsuit seeking to block the EPA’s Clean Power Plan showed a rift between Colorado’s governor and attorney general. Governor Hickenlooper supports the EPA plan, but Attorney General Cynthia Coffman will fight it. Some accuse her of being unduly influenced by the fossil fuel industry. [The Colorado Statesman]
¶ The US wind energy industry installed over 1,600 MW in the third quarter, and nearly 3,600 MW for the whole year, but still faces policy uncertainty. The American Wind Energy Association’s most recent market report, highlights the more than 1,600 MW of new wind energy capacity, but also examines policy uncertainties. [CleanTechnica]
US annual and cumulative wind power capacity growth
¶ Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin has been a forceful proponent of renewable energy during his three terms in office. But a recent proposal by Ranger Solar LLC to construct 20-MW solar arrays in six Vermont communities, Ludlow, Brandon, Highgate, Randolph Center, Irasburg, and Sheldon, is going too far, he said. [Barre Montpelier Times Argus]
¶ Xcel, the Minneapolis-based utility that serves eight states, is receiving bids for 20-year power-purchase agreements at about $25/MWh for wind energy, according to its CEO. While gas prices are close to historic lows, he doesn’t see them remaining there forever, and expects prices for gas-generated electricity to be closer to $32/MWh. [Bloomberg]
¶ Analysis by the American Council of Energy-Efficiency Economy reviewed a sweeping array of factors in each of the 50 states. It rated the top ten states, in order, as Massachusetts, California, Vermont, Rhode Island, Oregon, Connecticut, Maryland, Washington, and New York, with Minnesota and Illinois tied for 10th. [GoLocalPDX]
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