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News: Energy
22/06/2010
The European Commission promotes integration of the electricity markets of the Maghreb.
The Algerian, Moroccan and Tunisian energy ministers met Commissioner Oettinger in Algiers today to step up the process to integrate the electricity markets of the Maghreb, the first step towards full integration of these markets into the European market [com200610].
17/06/2010
Biofuels: ‘Recognised by the European Union’, what does it really mean.
The Commission has published its guidance on the sustainability and certification of biofuels, which it hopes will stop the loss of credibility in the EU’s biofuels policy. But the new guidelines for the sustainability of biofuels production still do not take indirect land-use change into account, which experts and campaign groups say is the most crucial issue. [AM TE-170610].
Biofuels: ‘Recognised by the European Union’, what does it really mean.
The Commission has published its guidance on the sustainability and certification of biofuels, which it hopes will stop the loss of credibility in the EU’s biofuels policy. But the new guidelines for the sustainability of biofuels production still do not take indirect land-use change into account, which experts and campaign groups say is the most crucial issue. [AM TE-170610].
14/06/2010
Commission sets up system for certifying sustainable biofuels.
The Commission decided today to encourage industry, governments and NGOs to set up certification schemes for all types of biofuels, including those imported into the EU. It laid down what the schemes must do to be recognised by the Commission. This will help implement the EU's requirements that biofuels must deliver substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and should not come from forests, wetlands and nature protection areas. [TRDGener-100610].
City of the Sun: illuminating sustainable cities.
Architect Ashok Bhalotra developed a concept for a truly sustainable city. Through his perseverance, this idea has been realised in the form of Heerhugowaard’s City of the Sun [AMET-030610].
07/06/2010
UNEP report calls for major energy and agriculture reforms.
The energy and agricultural sectors need to be dramatically reformed if the world is to become truly sustainable, cautions the UNEP (the United Nations Environment Programme) in a new study report, put together by the International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management [Cordis020610].
04/06/2010
Buzek opens discussion on new EU Energy Community.
Strengthened cooperation in energy networks, an EU energy research fund and a common gas purchasing group. Three concrete first steps towards a European Energy Community presented by Parliament's President Jerzy Buzek in the Energy Committee [PE030610] .
01/06/2010
Energy: Hidden annex calculates the indirect carbon footprint of a range of biofuels.
The Commission has been forced to release an annex to a study on the impact of biofuels policy it had withheld. The hidden information suggests that biodiesel made from soy beans can emit four times more greenhouse gases than conventional diesel [AMTE200510] .
Global biomass potential under sustainable constraints.
Biomass is increasingly used to make biofuels and generate electricity and is seen as a valuable source of renewable energy. A recent study has assessed the key factors relating to the sustainability of bioenergy production and suggests global biomass could potentially meet up to one third of the projected global energy demand in 2050 [AM-270510].
26/05/2010
Miscanthus grass better than corn as a biofuel crop.
Miscanthus grass has greater potential to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than some other biofuel crops, such as switchgrass and corn, according to researchers. By modelling how carbon and nitrogen circulate through ecosystems, the research estimated a net sink of up to 350-428 g of CO2 per m2 per year [AM200510].
Hidden annex calculates the indirect carbon footprint of a range of biofuels.
The Commission has been forced to release an annex to a study on the impact of biofuels policy it had withheld. The hidden information suggests that biodiesel made from soy beans can emit four times more greenhouse gases than conventional diesel [AM201010].
MEPs join NGOs in expressing alarm about oil from 'tar sands'.
The environment impact of oil produced from ‘tar sands’ is becoming an increasingly high-profile issue, after three developments in the last month that could be important in the fight for cleaner fuels. MEPs and a group of NGOs have warned that fuel quality legislation agreed in 2008 could be undermined because the true impact of tar sands on CO2 emissions is not reflected in the small print of the law now being discussed, and another NGO says oil from some of the most carbon-intensive sources is probably already in use on this side of the Atlantic. [AM200510].
The impact of energy efficient buildings on energy sources.
A recent study in Finland suggests new building regulations will lead to a substantial reduction in the total energy demand and CO2 emissions in new apartment buildings. This could have an impact on the source of energy used for new buildings. In particular, the demand for space heating will fall, which could have an impact on the source of energy used for new buildings [AM200510].
24/05/2010
EU financial aid for closure of Bulgarian nuclear plant to be extended.
The EU is planning to prolong its financial support for the decommissioning of four blocks of the nuclear power plant at Kozloduy in Bulgaria until the end of 2013. On Thursday MEPs backed proposals to earmark 300 eur million for site cleaning and safe treatment of radioactive waste but they also called for stricter financial controls and more investment in energy efficiency [PE-200510].
19/05/2010
Energy efficiency: new labels for household appliances and other products.
Labels on household appliances such as fridges, washing machines and ovens will have to include more information on energy consumption, following a vote by MEPs on Wednesday. Parliament approved a new layout of the EU energy efficiency label introducing additional "plus" classes to the familiar colour scheme. And in future any adverts promoting price or energy efficiency of such appliances will have to indicate the product's energy consumption class. [PE-180510].
18/05/2010
BioScore tool assesses biodiversity impacts of biofuel plantations.
Researchers have developed a new cost-effective tool to assess the impact of policy on biodiversity at a European scale. The study used it to assess the policy of expanding woody biofuel plantations in the EU, which indicated that 28 per cent of wild species would be negatively affected and 10 per cent would experience beneficial effects [AM-Env170510].
Getting real forecasts for China's future coal use.
From 1980 to 2000 China quadrupled its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) whilst only doubling its energy use. New research has indicated that this trend will not continue and China is likely to experience much greater energy use, coal demand and CO2 emissions than has been forecast by international energy agencies.[AM-Env170510].
11/05/2010
What's missing from biofuel production standards.
A number of standards and initiatives exist to minimise the negative environmental impacts of growing crops for biofuels. New research has reviewed these standards and recommended minimally acceptable criteria in the areas of biodiversity, agricultural practices, and mitigation of indirect land-use change [AM-060510].
Marine ecosystem impacts of wave energy installations.
Environmental impact studies which are conducted early on in the development of wave and tidal-power schemes allow the schemes' technology to be adapted to consider their impacts on marine ecosystems, according to a recent study which reports on a Swedish research wave park [AM-060510].
10/05/2010
EU conference: 500 cities pledge to reduce CO2 by more than 20 pc.
More than 500 European mayors have committed to cut CO2 emissions by more than 20 percent by 2020. By signing the Covenant of Mayors, they pledge to save energy, foster renewable energy and raise awareness among their citizens. [TR-060510].
Gas Committee: Member States agree to improve transparency on gas networks.
The Gas Committee has recently agreed on new transparency requirements for gas transmission networks. Information on gas flows and available capacities is not only needed to optimise utilisation of the existing infrastructure and to ensure fair and non-discriminatory access to the network for all, but also to warrant good management in case of supply emergencies. After consultation with the European Parliament, the new transparency rules will apply from 3 March 2011 [TR-060510].
Commission refers Greece to Court for failure to implement a Euratom Directive.
The European Commission decided yesterday to refer Greece to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for its failure to implement a Directive on the supervision and control of shipments of radioactive waste and nuclear spent fuel. [TR-060510].
03/05/2010
EU project targets 4G telecom energy savings.
The EU is committing more than EUR 9.5 million to a research-business consortium's drive to reduce the energy consumption of 4th Generation (4G) mobile wireless communication networks. The EARTH ('Energy aware radio and network technologies') project is funded under the 'Information and communication technologies' (ICT) Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) [COR-290410].
29/04/2010
New tool estimates economic feasibility of biogas production.
Researchers have developed a new tool to evaluate the economic viability of biogas production from agricultural waste, such as manure and straw. It focused on a co-digestion method where farmers treat several types of waste together, including industrial by-products, such as glycerol [AM-290410].
Enel's plans to export its pollution to Albania exposed by new report.
Italian energy company Enel's plans to construct a 1600 megawatt coal-fired thermal power plant in Porto Romano, Albania would increase Albania's carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2.5 times their current level, according to a new report released today by Albanian NGO EDEN Center and CEE Bankwatch Network to coincide with Enel's annual shareholders' meeting. The plans also contradict Albania's national energy strategy that sees no major role for coal-fired power in the country's energy sector [FI-270410] .
Radioactive Waste: Large majority of citizens in favour of European legislation.
The European Commission has published today a Eurobarometer survey showing that an overwhelming majority of Europeans would find it useful to have European legislation on radioactive waste management. The concern for the safety risk related to radioactive waste is shared both in countries with nuclear power plants and those with no nuclear energy [EN-290410].
26/04/2010
Energy: EU report reveals damage from biodiesel.
Biofuels can create up to four times more climate-warming emissions than standard diesel or petrol, according to an EU document released under freedom of information laws.[AM-EU260410].
23/04/2010
Energy: Erec, renewables can cut emissions by more than 90 percent.
The EU could cut its emissions by more than 90 pc by 2050 by moving to produce all its energy from renewable sources, according to the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC), an industry group[AM-EU-190410].
22/04/2010
Sticky information' holds up energy-efficient housing.
New EU-funded research from Finland has indicated that poor communication between producers of energy-efficient housing technologies and potential house-buyers is a major barrier to sustainable housing. It suggests that government bodies can encourage energy-efficiency innovations not only through regulations but also by improving information flow [AM-ScEnv220410].
21/04/2010
New index to rank acceptability of onshore wind farms.
A new study has developed a scoring system that could help authorities approve proposals for onshore wind plants. It considered four aspects of a wind farm: the technical properties, the social impact, the environmental impact and the share of earnings offered as compensation for any negative effects [AM-150410] .
Risk of EU allowing tar sands oil.
A group of 12 environmental groups, including T&E, has written to the climate action commissioner, Connie Hedegaard, warning about the likely implications of new rules that will form part of the EU’s fuel quality directive [AM-TE190410].
Commission study establishes 'tipping point' for effectiveness of biofuels.
A study undertaken by the European Commission into the potential for biofuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport has found that reductions can be made as long as biofuels are produced in small quantities, but after a certain point, the indirect effects of growing biofuel crops cause galloping increases in emissions.[AM-TE190410].
18/04/2010
Common standards for electric vehicles.
A new regulation on the certification of electric and hybrid vehicles has been adopted on 10 March by the UN Economic Commission for Eu rope (UNECE), setting common certification requirements for vehicles [TR-Etsc160410].
14/04/2010
GreenLight and GreenBuilding EU awards: winners save up to 85% of their energy consumption.
These awards, launched by the European Commission in 2000 and 2005 respectively, promote the reduction of energy consumption by public and private organisations on a voluntary basis. One of the 12 award winners in the 2010 edition of the GreenLight programme is Dagda town council in Latvia, which reduced its energy consumption in lighting by 85 percent after joining the initiative in 2007 [COm140410].
13/04/2010
Energy: Commission steps up biomass use.
A major European Commission initiative on sustainable use of biomass will provide nearly 80 million eur for biorefinery research to develop new ways to convert biological feedstock into energy and valuable materials.[AM-ETAP120410].
09/04/2010
Ecoinnovation: Energy Labelling Directive extended to energy-related products.
The revised Energy Labelling Directive will extend the scope of EU legislation on energy-related products to include all goods impacting energy consumption directly or indirectly.[AM-ETAP310310].
30/03/2010
Solar-powered irrigation improves food security in West Africa.
Solar-powered irrigation that delivers water directly to plant roots could help ensure food security in Africa, say researchers. Their study in the Sudano-Sahel region of West Africa indicated that this irrigation method could increase both household income and nutritional intake, particularly during the dry season[AM-250310].
23/03/2010
Energy: New EU-funded project targets 'home-made energy'.
EU-funded researchers have embarked on a project to develop mini solar power systems that will allow homes and workplaces alike to generate their own electricity and meet their heating and cooling requirements [Cordis-2010-03-19].
16/03/2010
Energy: NGOs take Commission to court over biofuels reports.
Four environmental groups have sued the European Union's executive for withholding documents they say will add to a growing dossier of evidence that biofuels harm the environment and push up food prices AM-EU150110].
11/03/2010
Renewable energy: forecasts show EU on track to meet 20 per cent target.
The EU will surpass its target to consume 20 per cent of its energy from renewable energy by 2020, according to national forecasts submitted to the European Commission. In its summary published today, the Commission finds that the EU will reach an overall share of 20,3 per cent renewables [COM-110310].
05/03/2010
Unintended energy impact from bioethanol production.
Increasing crop production to meet demand for biofuels potentially increases the use of nitrogen fertilisers, which can lead to nitrate pollution in surface and groundwater. A new study is the first to consider the unintended extra energy needed to treat water to remove nitrate contamination in drinking water supplies [AM-040310].
Friendly discussions help reduce household energy use.
Information policy measures aimed at reducing household energy consumption need to take a number of approaches, according to Swedish researchers. They should stress both economic and environmental motives and encourage public discussion.[AM-040310].
15/02/2010
Rhodococcus bacteria can help clean up fuel-contaminated sites.
Fuel spillages and leaks from petroleum storage facilities can lead to serious pollution of soils and underground water. In a recent study, two strains of Rhodococcus bacteria were found to be effective at degrading a number of petroleum hydrocarbons and thus helping clean up contaminated sites [AM-110210].
06/02/2010
Making energy systems more resilient to climate change .
A set of indicators has been devised to assess the vulnerability of energy systems to climate change and suggest possible adaptation measures that could be taken in response[AM-SEP050110].
19/01/2010
Offshore wind farm: Uk green light to unprecedent expansion .
The UK government gave its green light to the construction of nine new offshore wind farms, which would see Europe's capacity multiply and bring the UK closer to meeting its renewable energy targets [EN-EU150110].
Estonia: Environmental groups asks the Eu to take action on Nord Stream pipeline.
Estonian environmental groups have asked the European Commission to take action against EU countries that have granted permission to construct the Nord Stream pipeline, accusing them of failing to comply with EU environmental laws.[EN-EU150110].
18/01/2010
Energy: Hearing of Gunther Oettinger .
Security of energy supply, energy efficiency, the role of nuclear power, energy poverty and his own suitability for the post were among matters raised by Members of the EP Industry and Environment Committee at the hearing of Gunther Oettinger, Commissioner-designate for Energy.[PE14010].
17/01/2010
Ukraine and Moldova to accede to the Energy Community upon amendments of their gas laws.
The 7 th Energy Community Ministerial Council approved today the accession of Ukraine and Moldova to the Energy Community; accession will be effective when and if these countries solve the remaining gaps and make their gas laws comply with the EU acquis requirements and complete their respective ratification procedures.[TR-140110].
Gas:Coordination Group discusses security of gas supply .
In its first meeting in 2010, the Gas Coordination Group, under the chairmanship of the Commission, has focused today on the assessment of the situation on security of gas supply in the EU-27 and countries of the Energy Community and discussed priorities for the work of the Group in 2010. [TR-140110].
Ok from the Council to a Nuclear Partnership Agreement with Russia.
The Council of the European Union adopted today a mandate authorising the Commission to negotiate a partnership agreement for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy between the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the Russian Federation. Russia is one of the main global suppliers of nuclear materials and equipment. It is also a key supplier of nuclear fuel and related nuclear fuel cycle services to nuclear power plant operators in the EU. [TR-140110].
Agreement reached on Integrated Safeguards in the European Union.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in cooperation with the European Commission, has reached agreement on arrangements to implement ‘integrated safeguards’ in all non-nuclear weapon States of the European Union with significant nuclear activities. [TR-140110].
12/01/2010
Energy: Carbon capture to win EU funding before renewables.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects will be first to benefit from funding of the EU emissions trading scheme (EU ETS), with support for renewables to follow later, a draft European Commission proposal suggests [EN-EU080110].
Energy: NGO, EU should tackle energy poverty .
To help households to pay their energy bills, a group of NGOs has urged the EU to create strategies to combat fuel poverty in its energy legislation by improving efficiency and building social support structures [EN-080109].
Lithuania: Soviet nuclear plant shut down.
Lithuania shut down its Soviet era nuclear power plant in Ignalina raising fears of increased energy dependency on Russia [EN-EU080109].
11/01/2010
Oil: Dispute between Moscow and Minsk.
Russia said it had resumed flows of crude to refineries in Belarus but it did not reach a deal to resolve a tense price dispute with Minsk, which had raised fears that oil supplies to European Union countries might be blocked. The Russian press reported that Minsk is threatening to cut electricity supply to the Kalingrad enlave [EN-EU080110].
08/01/2010
Energy: Towards a more sustainable future with biofuels.
Biofuels have a role in future energy production. However, the way in which they are produced and managed can determine if they benefit society, the economy and the environment, concludes a recent report on the sustainable production and use of biofuels [AM071209].
Nord Stream Baltic Sea: Bankwatch, pipeline assessments breach EU laws.
Bankwatch member group the Estonian Green Movement, along with the Estonian Fund for Nature, has sent a former complaint to the European Commission that lays out how Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany have failed to comply with EU environmental legislation when granting Nord Stream a licence to construct the EUR 8 million Baltic Sea gas pipeline [FI-070110].
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