Top Stories
Bicycle E-volution.—reliability
high.
Battery-powered scooters ("e-bikes") are catching on in China, driven
by the growing young middle class's demand for mobility. "Recent
figures estimate that there are approximately 120 million e-bikes on
the streets [of China], up from just 50,000 a decade ago, and half the
world's e-bike manufacturers are located in China. The US has an
estimated 200,000 e-bikes on the roads. ... The country produced 23.69
million electric bicycles in 2009, up by 8.2% compared with 2008"
Article discusses the pros and cons of e-bikes. Since they are still
thought of as bicycles no license is required, and the industry is
lightly regulated. They can also use bicycle lanes. "Over 1,000
companies are estimated to be operating in the e-bike business in
China, and many do not have the necessary permits to design and
manufacture motor vehicles. These operations will be forced to shut
down if the new laws come into effect." And China exports more e-bikes
than the rest of the world produces. From China
International Business. [Many worry about
the environmental impact of China's middle class as it aspires to own
cars. But e-scooters are obviously an attractive, cheaper alternative
that may put off car ownership for millions for a few years. This is
possible because of China's established bicycle culture. The same thing
might not be possible in India where bicycles are much less common.]
Sustainable packaging promises to deliver
$140bn market.—reliability high.
"Demand for sustainable packaging is set to grow exponentially over
the next five years, according to new figures that suggest the global
market for packing materials that have a minimal impact on environment
will reach $142bn (£89bn) by 2015. The report from research firm Global
Industry Analysts (GIA) predicts that while Europe and the US currently
account for 70 per cent of the market for packaging that is either
biodegradable or recyclable, growing demand from Asian markets will
lead to an explosion in demand over the next few years." Article at BusinessGreen.
Companies,
Industries, Markets and Supply Chains
Report: Transport sector's green efforts
stuck in the slow lane.—reliability high.
"The report, from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), found that only
36 per cent of transport firms have implemented carbon-reduction plans,
compared to 51 per cent of Global 500 firms across all sectors. The CDP
said the failure of transport firms to address climate change risks is
startling, given that the transport industry accounts for 13 per cent
of global greenhouse gas emissions and 60 per cent of oil consumption
in high-income countries. ... "There really is quite a big spread
between the leading companies' understanding of carbon reductions and
the broader group which has quite a long way to go," CDP chief
partnerships officer Joanna Lee told BusinessGreen.com." See BusinessGreen.
PDF of report here.
[But see EPA item
under Government below.]
Three China HFC projects face U.N. CO2
offset probe.—reliability high.
"A UN panel will review carbon offset issuances requests by three
Chinese greenhouse gas destroying projects, a UN spokeswoman said on
Tuesday, a sign the most lucrative projects under the Kyoto Protocol
may face more scrutiny. ... There are around 20 HFC projects registered
under the CDM and they account for around half of the 428.5 million
CERs issued by the UN to date." Such projects have been accused of
'gaming the system' to inflate the number of CERs claimed. Tightening
standards for such projects could cut CER supply and drive up prices. Reuters
article.
Ford installing 500 kW solar array at Focus
assembly plant.—reliability medium.
"When Ford's re-tooled Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne starts
building the Focus Electric next year, a chunk of the electrical
energy used in the plant will be provided by one of the largest solar
arrays in Michigan. Detroit Edison, Xtreme Power and the state of
Michigan are partnering with Ford to install a 500-kilowatt solar array
along with a 750-kilowatt battery system with 2 megawatt-hours of
capacity. The solar power system will be used to power production of
the Focus and Focus Electric and feed excess energy back into the
electrical grid. The solar power system will save Ford about $160,000
per year in energy costs with the nearly $6 million cost being funded
by DTE Energy, the Michigan Public Service Commission and Ford." From Autoblog
Green. [Large
spaces (flat roofs) and generous subsidies make solar systems pay off
in many places.]
Government and
Regulation
EPA seeks to regulate carbon from trucks,
buses.—reliability high.
"U.S. environmental regulators sent draft rules to the White House on
Friday that would for the first time cut greenhouse gas emissions from
heavy trucks and buses, a government website showed. ... The
administration hopes to finalize the regulation by July 2011 covering
truck fuel standards for the 2014 to 2018 period." From Reuters.
Malaysia's 2011 Proposed Solar, Biomass,
Biogas, & Hydro Tariffs.—reliability high.
Malaysia has announced proposed feed-in tariffs for some renewable
energy technologies with a view to quintupling renewable energy supply
by 2015. The tariff structure is sophisticated, hoping to avoid some of
the problems encountered with other programs, as in Spain. Tariffs for
wind and geothermal power were not announced. More details. See Renewable
Energy World.
Science and
Economics
Workers say 'green' buildings boost
productivity.—reliability high.
"The researchers, who looked at two case studies in the Lansing area,
found that moving to LEED-certified buildings contributed to noticeable
reductions in self-reported absenteeism and stress. It also improved
the workers’ productivity as a result of perceived improvements in
health and well-being. 'These preliminary findings indicate that green
buildings may positively affect public health,' the researchers write."
See Michigan State University
site. Abstract of paper here
(paper behind pay wall).
But on the other
hand: LEED Building Standards Fail to Protect Human Health.—reliability
medium.
Opinion piece. "LEED is now the most prominent and widely adopted
green building certification program in the country, with architects
and developers striving to earn LEED’s coveted platinum or gold rating,
and an increasing number of local, state, and federal regulations
beginning to incorporate LEED standards into official building codes.
But LEED — sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council, an industry
group — has a glaring and little-known drawback: It places scant
emphasis on factors relating to human health, even as the largely
unregulated use of potentially toxic building materials continues to
expand." More on challenges of indoor air quality in tightly sealed
energy-efficient buildings. From Yale
environment 360.
