Top Stories
Unlocking Energy Efficiency in China: A
Guide to Partnering with Suppliers.—reliability high.
"While energy-efficiency investments in China are cost-effective,
challenges related to the country's regulatory structure, professional
energy-service-provider industry, and lack of information about
opportunities and standards for measuring emissions often prevent
companies from capitalizing on this opportunity. This new report from
BSR provides a clear outline for how leading companies how to launch
supply chain energy-efficiency programs in China." Story at Greener
World Media. PDF of report here.
[Yesterday's
Shanghai GM item shows the magnitude of potential savings in Chinese
supply chains.]
The oil well and the damage done.—reliability
high.
Latest on the oil spill. Presidential, Congressional and media
scrutiny continue to generate bad news for oil companies, especially
BP. Article focuses on the consequences for BP. "After adjusting for
declines in the wider stockmarket, about $90 billion has been wiped off
the combined value of BP (which has a 65% stake in the stricken field),
its two minority partners, Anadarko and Mitsui, and the rig’s owner,
Transocean. ... A BP insider says that what has spooked investors is
the prospect of unlimited liability." Article in The Economist. [If you haven't
heard enough already, this is a good update. President Obama will
continue to beat the BP drum to focus the public's attention on an
identifiable villain, while trying to prevent such damage to BP that it
might have trouble paying for cleanup, fines and economic harm. (The
"escrow" deal actually eased pressure on BP because it spreads the
payments out over three years rather than demanding it all up front.)
Media and some Congress members in the U.S. are forgetting that BP
hasn't had "British" in its name since 1998. This mess will continue to
be a center of public attention until something new comes along, and
will be a long-term influence on U.S. energy policy.
Companies,
Industries, Markets and Supply Chains
Incremental change is no longer good enough
- Coca Cola.—reliability high.
"Coca Cola's European recycling director Patrick McGuirk said stand
alone initiatives that each did their bit for the environment would not
cut it any more and responsible corporations needed to look beyond the
four walls of their own factories, warehouses or retail outlets. ... He
said the single largest sustainability issue he had to consider was
what happened to plastic Coke bottles once drinks have been consumed."
See edie.net.
ROI Driving Supply Chain Sustainability.—reliability
high.
"Return on investment is the second-highest driver of supply chain
sustainability initiatives among shippers, third party logistics
companies and supply chain solution providers, according to a recent
survey by eyefortransport. According to the report, which surveyed more
than 600 professionals, almost 80 percent of the respondents said that
ROI was an important driver of sustainability initiatives. Improving
customer relations was seen as a slightly more significant driver,
while increasing supply chain efficiency was seen as slightly less
significant." Story at Environmental
Leader. PDF of "North American Sustainable Supply Chain Report" here.
Sealing Deals in Virtual Space.—reliability
high.
"New technologies that rely on broadband Internet have so improved the
video conference experience that even major companies doing major deals
are sealing them in virtual space. That means less airline travel and
fewer of the greenhouse gas emissions that scientists say are warming
the planet." Some results of CDP study. Video about impacts with
demonstration. See Environmental Leader. PDF of "The Telepresence
Revolution" report here.
[Article doesn't
emphasize the concomitant savings of time and improvements of business
efficiency. Telepresence-type technologies could change business the
way the telegraph, telephone and personal computer did.]
10 Innovations Changing the Way Products Are
Packaged and Shipped.—reliability medium.
"We've seen no shortage of packaging improvements by companies over
the past decade, but these 10 packages and concepts represent some of
the most innovative, far-reaching and promising efforts we've come
across. ... The Smallest Detergent Bottle ... HP's Boxless Laptop ...
Plant-Based Plastics ... Non-Foam Cushioning" and others. Greener
World Media article.
Water Savings a Top Business Concern.—reliability
high.
"Water stewardship is one of the top five business concerns among 52
percent of sustainability professionals, according to a survey by
Ethical Corporation, while 99 percent believed water will become a
priority in the next five to ten years. Water savings can result in
significant cost savings for businesses, according to a CNET report."
Examples of savings at several companies. From Environmental
Leader. Press release on this commercial report here.
[And saving water
also saves energy needed to pump, heat and treat it, reducing carbon
intensity.]
Government and
Regulation
Security Tops the Environment in China’s
Energy Plan.—reliability high.
"while Mr. Obama voiced goals of addressing climate change and
improving national security at the same time, the discussions in China
have been focused almost entirely on security issues, people inside and
outside the government said. In other words, as China counts on more
years of global leadership in economic growth, global warming remains a
secondary concern. ... The proposed law, which is expected to be
adopted by early next year, says that 'energy supply should be where
you can plant your foot on it,' meaning that as much as possible should
come from within China, said Li Junfeng, a senior energy policy maker
and member of the interagency committee drafting the law. That belief
has underpinned China’s rapid expansion in renewable energy, because it
tends to be made in China, Mr. Li said. China has just emerged as the
world’s largest manufacturer of wind turbines and solar panels, and
plans to be the world’s biggest builder of nuclear power plants in the
coming decade. It invested nearly twice as much as the United States
last year in renewable energy." Story in The
New York Times. [Totally
unsurprising. Any country would put energy security above longer-term
benefits. Especially China. The article emphasizes that this
means China will burn more coal. But in fact China is a coal
importer--Renewables and nuclear are more secure.]
Sweden gives green light to new nuclear
reactors.—reliability high.
"Sweden's parliament voided a 30-year-old ban on building new nuclear
reactors on Thursday after a debate pitting the country's need for
low-carbon energy sources against environmental concerns over atomic
energy." See Reuters.
Valley Fill Permitting to Become More
Difficult.—reliability high.
"Companies conducting surface mining in Appalachia will be required to
undergo a lengthier permitting process for valley fills following the
suspension by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of the use of its
Nationwide Permit 21 in the region. ... NWP 21 is the Corps of
Engineers’ streamlined dredge-and-fill permit for surface mines. ...
But within Appalachia, mining companies now will be required to use the
lengthier individual permit process." Story in State
Journal. [Obama
administration is gradually increasing regulation of dirty energy. This
move tightens the Corps of Engineers permitting process for dumping
surface mining spoil in waterways. Now individual permits for each
project will have to be obtained under the Clean Water Act, which
allows more public comment and takes longer.]
[Crossposted from HaraBara.com courtesy of HaraBara, Inc. Copyright © 2010 HaraBara, Inc.]
