Consult, Manage, Change

Sustainable practice in ACTION

Sustainable practice in ACTION

Last evening I attended the Winery Tour http://www.thewinerytour.co.nz/dates.html#feb4 at Matakana just north of Auckland City.

The concert was held in the picturesque winery grounds of Ascension Wines http://www.ascensionwine.co.nz/home and it was sold out. As you can imagine with a full house there was plenty of food and wine and drinks being sold to a hungry and thirsty crowd.

As we sat down the concert announcer advised us that the concert organisers together with the winery and their sponsors the NZ glass packaging forum they were running a recycling system for all glass, packaging and general wast at the event.

What struck me was this was not just lip-service sustainability. It was sustainable practice in action. I will tell you how the organisers of the event made it work!

First of all they told the concert goers about what recycling and sustainable practices they where promoting. The concert tour operator had partnered with organisations like the packaging forum http://www.glassforum.org.nz/ and the Love NZ brand http://www.glassforum.org.nz/outabout.html#lovenz to give them the street cred with the audience.

Secondly there where many recycle bins located around the seating. There where 3 bins, one for glass one for paper and one for general rubbish.

However what struck me was that they had recycling ambassadors roaming thru the crowd collecting empty bottles and collecting rubbish. It was great to see audience members rushing up to the collectors with empty bottles and rubbish.

The result of all of this effort was as I left there was hardly any bottles or rubbish littler on the ground so this would make the overnight or next day clean up very easy.

However the day after the concert I had the following questions:
1. Was the mixed rubbish that was collected in bags at the event separated?
2. Where did the general rubbish get dumped?
3. How many bottles or tonnes of glass was recycled?
4. What are the event organisers going about their energy footprint?

So I decided to do some research.

I checked out the Winery Tour web site and on the HISTORY/ABOUT http://www.thewinerytour.co.nz/about.html page it states that the tours waste management is managed by the Glass Packaging Forum.

On the SPONSORS http://www.thewinerytour.co.nz/sponsors.html page the concert organisers tell us:

The Glass Packaging Forum is delighted to be teaming up with the Winery Tour for the third year to provide and promote recycling nationwide.

The Winery Tour will again promote the LOVE NZ brand to its anticipated 50,000 audience nationwide.

Every single glass bottle can be recycled back into new glass bottles or they can even be crushed and used as mulch in vineyards to increase the yield of our grapes. Recycling cans, plastic bottles and paper saves valuable natural resources.

Your bottles and cans can’t recycle themselves, they need your help so- use the blue GLASS recycling bins; YELLOW mixed recycling bins and if it can’t be recycled use the RED waste bins

We are lucky to live in New Zealand. All of us enjoy our environment and scenery. This year around 2500 Love NZ recycling facilities have been put in place on our streets and at events as part of a major public place recycling initiative inspired by the Rugby World Cup. So when you are out and about Love NZ and recycle with care - find out where your local Love NZ recycling bins are on www.lovenz.org.nz
But the above does not answer my questions above.
The glass forum’s home page tells me “The Forum is once again proud to support Civic Events and Classic Hits to manage the waste on the 2012 Classic Hits Winery Tour. NO GLASS from any of the 14 concert locations will go to landfill! We're closing the loop - it's either back to the furnace or into alternative uses”

From my research there is no real time updates on the event recycling scheme. I personally think this would be a good idea.

I have sent an email to the promoters of the event to ask the questions above. I will keep you posted.

It was a great concert event and I fully support the promoters and sponsors for their sustainable efforts.

This post is my entry in the blog competition for World Environment Day. Please tweet this with the hash tag #WED2012 and with reference to @onespec http:\\www.twitter.com/onespec

Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEP)

 
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEP)

 

The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) is an active, global partnership that works to reduce the barriers limiting the uptake of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, with a primary focus on emerging markets and developing countries.

 

REEEP initiates and funds projects; targeted interventions in two specific areas that offer the greatest potential for developing the market for sustainable energy:

• assisting governments in creating favourable regulatory and policy frameworks
• promoting innovative finance and business models to activate the private sector

REEEP develops and supports policy-maker networks through initiatives such as the Energy Efficiency Coalition (EEC), the Sustainable Energy Regulation Network (SERN) and Renewable Energy and International Law (REIL) sub-networks.

 

The Partnership was established alongside the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. It is now comprised of nearly 300 partners including 46 governments as well as a range of private companies and international organisations.

 

REEEP is supported primarily by governments (Australia, Austria, Canada, the European Union, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, the US and the United Kingdom) and by contributions from the private sector. Robust governance and monitoring structures ensure that all contributions are spent transparently and effectively.

 

http://www.reeep.org/31/home.htm

 

Green logistics

To investigate how your company can improve the socio-environmental performance of its logistics activities or supply chain and to realise a sustainable logistics, you can start with an analysis of the energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions and other air contaminants from the logistics emission sources or of existing supply chains.

This will provide a baseline from which an emission reduction strategy can be developed and performance can be measured over time.

The Green Logistics Consultants Group is an international collaborative network of supply chain consultants with a proven general or specific expertise in areas where companies and/or local and national governments can improve the socio-environmental performance of their supply chains or transport infrastructure.

http://www.greenlogisticsconsultants.com/index.htm

 

 

Green Power

Generation	Details
Gen 1	First-generation technologies emerged from the industrial revolution at the end of the 19th century and include hydropower, biomass combustion, and geothermal power and heat. Some of these technologies are still in widespread use.
Gen 2	Second-generation technologies include solar heating and cooling, wind power, modern forms of bioenergy, and solar photovoltaics. These are now entering markets as a result of research, development and demonstration (RD&D) investments since the 1980s. The initial investment was prompted by energy security concerns linked to the oil crises (1973 and 1979) of the 1970s but the continuing appeal of these renewables is due, at least in part, to environmental benefits. Many of the technologies reflect significant advancements in materials.
Gen 3	Third-generation technologies are still under development and include advanced biomass gasification, biorefinery technologies, concentrating solar thermal power, hot dry rock geothermal energy, and ocean energy. Advances in nanotechnology may also play a major role.

 

US Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

http://www.eere.energy.gov/

 

http://www.energy.gov/

 

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) consists of ten programs and several offices that support the office and its mission.

 

How can you move past lip-service energy efficiency?

 
It could be stated that by turning off a light you are being energy efficient! However we know in reality this is not the case. Industrial energy efficiency is the cornerstone of any business based sustainability platform. Energy efficiency can include power, combustible fuels, gasses and water.

Making homes, vehicles, and businesses more energy efficient is seen as a largely untapped solution to addressing the problems of pollution, global warming, energy security, and fossil fuel depletion.

How do you move from transactional energy efficiency to transformational energy efficiency? The key is to imbed a business wide focus on energy efficiency which is captured in your business sustainability plan.

The ultimate goal is to save energy, cut costs and reduce pollution!

 

Trends

Global trends are happening at Country/Government level and at NGO and organisational level.

The International Energy Agency (IEA)[1] is an intergovernmental organisation which acts as energy policy advisor to 28 member countries in their effort to ensure reliable, affordable and clean energy for their citizens

Governments in many countries are increasingly aware of the urgent need to make better use of the world’s energy resources. Improved energy efficiency is often the most economic and readily available means of improving energy security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. To support better energy efficiency policy-making and evaluation, the International Energy Agency (IEA) is developing in-depth indicators of energy use, efficiency trends and CO2 emissions.

 

Overall Trends[2]

Between 1990 and 2005 global final energy use increased by 23% while the associated CO2 emissions rose by 25%. Most of the growth in energy use and CO2 emissions occurred in non-OECD countries.

Globally, energy consumption grew most quickly in the transport and service sectors, driven by rising passenger travel and freight transport, and a rapid expansion in the service economy.

Oil products remained the most important final energy commodity with a global share of 37% in 2005, driven by their use in transport. Electricity consumption is growing rapidly in many countries; its global use increased by 54% between 1990 and 2005.

Traditional biomass and coal both remain important in non-OECD countries although their shares of total final energy use are declining.

 

Energy use has been increasing more slowly than economic activity in most countries. As a result, global energy intensity, calculated in terms of final energy use per unit of gross domestic product (GDP), fell by 26% between 1990 and 2005.

The reductions in energy intensity were largest in non-OECD countries, due to a combination of structural changes and efficiency improvements. In contrast, final energy use per capita increased in most countries between 1990 and 2005. This increase was linked to growing wealth which leads to increased per capita demand for energy-using goods and services.

On average, final energy use per capita in non-OECD countries is only 23% of the level in the OECD.

Better understanding of the factors affecting energy consumption, including the role of energy efficiency, requires indicators based on more detailed data than are available in the IEA statistical balances.

However, this more detailed informationis currently only available on a comparable basis for some IEA countries. Analysis with these disaggregate indicators for 16 IEA countries (IEA16) shows that improved energy efficiency has been the main reason why final energy use has been decoupled from economic growth. Without the energy efficiency improvements that occurred between 1973 and 2005 in 11 of those countries,

Energy use would have been 58%, or 59 EJ, higher in 2005 than it actually was. However, since 1990 the rate of energy efficiency improvement has been much lower than in previous decades.

These findings provide an important policy conclusion — that the changes caused by the oil price shocks in the 1970s and the resulting energy policies did considerably more to control growth in energy demand and reduce CO2 emissions than the energy efficiency and climate policies implemented in the 1990s.

 

 
Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable (naturally replenished). In 2006, about 18% of global final energy consumption came from renewables, with 13% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3% from hydroelectricity.

New renewables (small hydro, modern biomass, wind, solar, geothermal, and biofuels) accounted for another 2.4% and are growing very rapidly. The share of renewables in electricity generation is around 18%, with 15% of global electricity coming from hydroelectricity and 3.4% from new renewables.

 

What practical steps can you take?

Aligned to your GHG emissions inventory the first step is to measure your energy usage. Report your energy usage to your senior management team and then to manage your energy usage by setting a number of goals and initiatives to reduce your energy consumption and to become more energy efficient.

 

The key focus will be on your M³ strategy – Measure Manage and Mitigate – this is covered in the section on GHG emission inventories.

---

[1] http://www.iea.org/index.asp

[2] http://www.iea.org/papers/2008/Indicators_2008.pdf

What about your WATER FOOTPRINT?

We all know the importance of measuring your GHG emissions inventory. The only way to MANAGE your emissions profile is to have a base line measurement and to instigate specific initiatives to REDUCE real GHG emissions.

 

So in 2010 what are you doing about your WATER FOOTPRINT?

 

Water is a scare resource! As business users of water, we need to get smarter at managing our water usage! Are you including your water usage in your GHG inventory?

 

If not the following may help.

 

 

 

The Water Footprint Network [WFN] http://www.waterfootprint.org has launched its Water Footprint Manual, it is 131 pages covering a comprehensive set of methods for water footprint accounting. It shows how water footprints can be calculated for individual processes and products, as well as for consumers, nations and businesses, and includes methods for water footprint sustainability assessment and a library of water footprint response options.

 

WFN is a non profit foundation striving to promote the transition towards sustainable, fair and efficient use of fresh water resources worldwide, by advancing and applying the "water footprint" concept. The network has more than 80 partners (January 2010) from all relevant stakeholders in water resources management.

 

This information will be a great help to all of us who need to make a start in including water usage in our GHG inventories.

Who is worse? USA or China?

We have just been sent some data from the WRI's Earthtrends report and one of the data sets was of interest to us and we are sure it will be of interest to you?

The data compares 2005 GHG emissions in the USA with China.

The WRI tells us :

The single largest source of China’s greenhouse gas emissions is the burning of fossil fuels -- coal, oil and natural gas -- for electricity, heat and transport. Coal is by far China’s most important fossil fuel, and some 80% of its total carbon dioxide emissions from energy sources are related to the use of coal. The other major sources of China’s greenhouse gas emissions are agriculture (roughly 15%), industrial processes (9%), and waste (2%).

 

The WRI's citation is to ChinaFAQs: The Network for Climate and Energy Information. Convened by the World Resources Institute. Available online: http://www.chinafaqs.org

This web site tells us:

What is ChinaFAQs?
ChinaFAQs is a project facilitated by the World Resources Institute that provides insight into critical questions about Chinese policy and action on energy and climate change.

The ChinaFAQs network is comprised of U.S.-based experts and partner organizations, including researchers at U.S. universities and government laboratories, independent scholars, civil society organizations, and other professionals.

Is this kind of information helpful or useful to you?

Do you think it is biased to the USA and makes China look bad?

Do you think China will take a leadership role in the meetings in December?

Let us know what you think?

Do TV adds make a difference???

If you have been watching prime time mainsteam TV recently you would have seen The Energy Spot TV adds!

The current TVC relates to fuel efficient driving.

Have you watched the add?

 

 

If so, would you change your driving behaviour?

Have you visited the Energy Sport web site?

Energy wise tells us:

Take action

Wise fuel use is not just what you drive - how you drive and care for your car makes a big difference.

• Drive smoothly. Accelerate and brake gently and smoothly, including in and out of corners.
• Watch your speed. Travelling at 100 km/h instead of 110 km/h can cut around 10% off your fuel bill.
• Cut your idling time. Idling wastes fuel. If you're going to be stationary for more than 30 seconds, switch off the car.
• Check your tyre pressure monthly. If it's too low your car has to work harder, and it can impact on the way the car handles and brakes.
• Keep your load down and your car streamlined. It sounds obvious, but the heavier your load is or the more drag you've got, the harder your car's engine needs to work - it can add up to 5% onto your fuel bills. So if you're not using something - like the golf clubs or the pram - take it out of your car. Reduce drag by taking off roof and cycle racks when you don't need them.
• Love your car.A well-maintained car can use up to 10% less fuel than an inadequately maintained one. Regular servicing, the right tyres for the conditions and proper wheel alignment can all make a difference.

>> Learn more simple ways to cut your car's fuel use.

Did you know?

• The average kiwi household spends around the same amount of money on vehicle fuel as on energy for their home - about $2200 a year.
• There are about 2.5 million light passenger vehicles in New Zealand that each use, on average, over 1,200 litres of fuel a year.
• If every New Zealand motorist used 20% less fuel, NZ would use about 628 million litres less fuel each year - that's like taking 500,000 cars off our roads.
• The top driving team in the 2008 AA ENERGYWISE™ Rally - in which new cars and drivers battle to achieve the lowest running costs over a four-day route - beat the stated fuel consumption of their vehicle by a whopping 40%.

This is good advice. However I do not believe the mainstream TV consumer gets it??

China, the United States, and the Climate Change Challenge

 
I am a subscriber to the WRI's monthly digest.

In the latest edition there is a link to the research they have undertaken on China and the USA.

As the two largest current global emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs), it is imperative that the United States and China work together to support effective domestic energy and climate change programs and an effective international climate regime. As China’s domestic energy policy has transformed over the last several years to incorporate climate-friendly goals – increased energy efficiency and a greater contribution of non-fossil fuels to its energy mix – this opportunity is already becoming a reality, especially as the United States advances comprehensive climate policy.

READ MORE HERE

If you want to download a copy of the report CLICK HERE

41st Tokyo Motor Show 2009 - Green cars

The 41st Tokyo Motor Show 2009 will be held from October 23 to November 4, 2009 at Makuhari Messe, Chiba City.

Electric cars take on hybrids at Tokyo show !!

  

Futuristic concept cars, plug-in hybrids, zero-emission electric vehicles and even a hydrogen-powered scooter jostled for the limelight as the Tokyo Motor Show kicked off on Wednesday.

From a super-skinny Nissan electric car that leans when going around bends, to a lightweight Toyota sports car and a Daihatsu vehicle with a design based on a basket, Japanese makers showed off their visions of the future.

While hybrids are still a big feature, electric cars are competing for attention at this year's show as technological breakthroughs in rechargeable batteries bring mass-produced zero emission cars closer to reality.

Foreign makers are almost entirely absent at this year's show, now dominated by the Japanese makers, which are pinning their hopes on growing interest in fuel-efficient automobiles to rescue them from a brutal industry slump.

Toyota, the world's largest automaker, displayed a new version of its electric concept car, the FT-EV II, as well as a Prius plug-in hybrid.

The pioneer of hybrids thinks that such vehicles, which have a petrol engine and an electric motor, will be "the core of the auto market in the future," said Toyota Motor president Akio Toyoda.

But he added: "Toyota is not limiting itself to gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles. The era of reinventing the automobile is nearly upon us."

Toyota also showed off a new lightweight, concept sports car inspired by the iconic Corolla AE86 coupe of the 1980s, along with a Lexus two-seat supercar with a 4.8-litre engine and a price tag of about 375,000 dollars.

Sales of the Lexus, which is set to go into production next year, will be limited to just 500 worldwide.

Nissan meanwhile unveiled a concept car that leans to the side when going around bends. Just 1.1 metres (3 feet 7 inches) wide, the "Land Glider" seats two people -- one in the front and one in the back.

Inspired by motorbikes and glider aircraft, it has tilting wheels that enable it to lean by up to 17 degrees. Nissan says it may start selling the car if there is enough interest.

It will also put its Leaf plug-in electric car on public display for the first time at the show, which opens to general visitors near Tokyo on Saturday and runs until November 4. The mid-sized car will go on sale in late 2010.

"Leaf will make waves in our industry as the world's first affordable zero-emission car," Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn said.

"The time is now for zero emissions. Sustainable mobility is within our reach. We stand on the threshold of a new era in the automotive industry."

While Nissan lags behind its bigger rivals in hybrids, it is one step ahead in electric cars. Toyota has said it aims to launch an electric car by 2012.

From Honda comes the EV-N, a cute new electric concept car with a retro look that can store a one-wheel personal mobility device inside its door.

Fuel cells, which run on hydrogen and emit only water, also make an appearance at the Tokyo show as Honda and Suzuki put on display cars powered by the technology.

There is even a fuel-cell scooter and a fuel-cell wheelchair from Suzuki.

Proponents of hydrogen-powered vehicles argue they are the only true zero emission technology because fossil fuels are often burned to generate electricity, particularly in emerging nations like China and India.

While the high production cost of fuel-cell vehicles poses a significant challenge, some think they may eventually overtake plug-in electric cars.

"We believe that the fuel cell electric vehicle will be the ultimate form for automobiles in the future as it has advantages such as zero carbon dioxide emissions in use, can travel considerable distances without refuelling and can be quickly refuelled," said Honda president Takanobu Ito. 

Is "sustainability" now a bad or dirty word in New Zealand?

I have been having a number of conversations with business owners and corporate managers regarding the business case for sustainability recently.

It seems under the National Government the word "sustainability" has been banned and is seen as a legacy of the previous Nanny State!

It has not helped the business community that programmes such as Govt3and the CNPS Carbon Neutral Public Service have been canceled and a number of key roles with in the Ministry of the Environment have been disestablished! What kind of message is this sending to business and our citizens?

If you are a reader of this BLOG you will know the mantra we make which is sustainability is good for business and that with the upcoming introduction of the ETS all consumers and business owners will pay more for certain commodities such as ENERGY.

But what can we do?

EECA CEO Mike Underhill gives some sage advice in the current edition of the IN-Business Magazine. He states " An energy audit of the business is often the best way to start an energy management programme. Typically,for every dollar invested in an energy audit, $10 of savings are identified"

So what Mike is telling us is that to minimise the impacts of energy price rises we need to be more efficient. If we measure it we can manage it!

If you are interested in more information on this debate check out the following LINK to a recent article in the idealog magazine.

Let you be assured in business sustainability is not a dirty word. As we dont need the Government to tells us what to do! Being a sustainable business makes prefect sense!

ETS 101 - a starting guide

There is much debate in NZ on the proposed NZETS. We must remember that an ETS is not the total solution to all of the emission problems nor is it the only response.

To follow is a 101 guide to ETS.

It has always been our position that being sustainable is good for business! This is now bearing fruit as there is a direct positive economic impact related to the cost of carbon under and NZETS.

For example if the power price is set to rise in the NZETS then being more energy efficient will save you money! We think this is a "no brainer"!

Emissions Trading

 

Emissions trading is a policy instrument available to mitigate GHG emissions. It involves putting a limit on the quantity of GHG emissions that can be emitted to the atmosphere over a set period of time – the “emissions cap”

 

Government policy documents state that emissions trading schemes are internationally recognised as an equitable, effective and efficient way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Emitters of carbon will need to purchase carbon credits. As carbon is emitted, the credits that a business holds/processes will need to be surrendered, effectively “paying” for the greenhouse gasses produced.

 

GHG emissions are usually converted to their carbon dioxide equivalent [CO₂e]

 

Trading participants can then purchase and sell emission allowances in order to meet their emissions cap.

 

Emissions trading operates like a commodity market where the price is determined by the Market based on the relative supply.

 

The price of the emission allowance [the carbon price] is the financial incentive to limit emissions.

 

Emissions trading alone will not be sufficient to achieve the global reductions in GHG emissions that are required to stabilise atmospheric GHG concentrations, but ETS is the principal instrument that governments are employing in the first instance.

 

Any ETS system has advantages and disadvantages. Potential advantages of an ETS include:

 

• The guarantee of a specific emissions reduction [abatement] outcome which is set by an emission cap
• Can lead to the use of innovation and business responses to reduce the resource intensity and affect of business on GHG emissions

 

Potential disadvantages can include:

 

• The carbon price is not known in advance
• Can be costly to establish
• If free rebates and permits are offered then economic distortions can occur

 

Cap and Trade

 

New Zealand has chosen a cap and trade system. This involves setting a specific limit (a cap) on the quantity of emissions that can be released to the atmosphere from a specified group of emission sources over a given time period.

 

For an ETS to be effective and efficient as a mitigation instrument the trading  system should cover some of the following key principles:

 

• Maximum emissions coverage
• Provide a clear market incentive to reduce emissions
• Be embodied in long term government policy
• Maximise administration efficiencies to reduce compliance costs
• Have a clear set of standards that allow for accurate emissions accounting
• Provide economic efficiency and equity

 

What is the ETS

 

Under an ETS, prices are established for units to emit greenhouse gases. It is hoped that these prices influence decisions by producers, consumers and investors, in their decision making around the reduction of emissions and to look at viable alternatives.

 

Put more simply, essentially, if you create emissions, say by using fossil fuels by driving your car e.g. petroleum, it costs you units (so called carbon credits). If you create a carbon sink (plant trees) that then soak up carbon emissions, you create credit units that can be traded.

If you have any questions or comments let us know?

[WRI's EarthTrends Delivered] Climate and Energy Charts and Figures

I recently signed up with the WRI's earth trends service which I have previously mentioned in this BLOG.

I have received my first update and wanted to share one set of data with you.

Global CO2 Emissions Growth in Select Sectors: 2000-2005

Total global emissions grew 12.7% between 2000 and 2005, an average of 2.4% a year. However, individual sectors grew at rates between 40% and near zero percent, and there are substantial differences in sectoral growth rates between developed and developing countries.

This chart shows emissions growth by region in four select sectors: electricity & heat, transport, industry, and building use. Emissions growth in every sector is primarily attributable to developing countries, which now account for the majority of emissions from electricity & heat, as well as industry. However, developed countries still account for a majority of emissions in the transport and building use sectors.

These figures are quite sobering. At a time when there is still lots of debate here in NZ about the implementation of the NZETS these figures show why every country must do something to reduce consumption, resource intensity and the release of CO2e emissions.

The following graph is courtesy of the WRI service.

2020 or 2040 what should the target be for NZ

It is interesting times when it comes to the announcement of New Zealand's 2020 and 2040 emission reduction targets.

The Government has strongly rejected the Greenpeace Sign On initiative!

Here is some information that you may find of interest? It is about 2050 targets in the USA.

This is reproduced courtesy of WBCSD and Greenwire

U.S. can cut half its transportation emissions by 2050 -- report

The United States can cut greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in half by 2050 with strategies ranging from cutting speed limits to imposing road pricing, according to a report released today by federal agencies and environmental and industry groups.

Examining about 50 transportation strategies, the report found transportation emissions could be reduced 24 percent by 2050 by acting to change travel behavior and land-use patterns. The emissions reduction hit 47 percent by adding road pricing techniques, ranging from pay-as-you-go insurance to charging Americans for every mile driven.

The report found environmental gains from advances in fuel efficiency would be mostly undermined by increased travel and population, making it important to address the efficiency of the transportation sector by investing in public transit, land-use planning and other low-carbon alternatives.

John Porcari, deputy secretary at the Department of Transportation, said the report shows that lawmakers looking to recast the nation's transportation system to curb emissions and fuel consumption will need to look for combinations of policy changes. "There is no magic bullet," he said. "There is no single strategy that can be pursued to help us turn our corner. We need to look at a number of options."

Transportation accounts for roughly 28 percent of the United States' greenhouse gas emissions, and the sector has been one of the fastest-growing in the past two decades -- representing nearly half of the nation's total increase in greenhouse emissions since 1990.

The sweeping energy and climate measure that the House passed last month, H.R. 2454, would require carbon dioxide emissions to drop 17 percent below 2005 levels and a total of 83 percent by 2050. The study released today finds that making the transportation sector more efficient is critical to meeting those goals.

"We can't get there from here without reducing emissions from transportation," said Colin Peppard, climate and infrastructure policy director for Environmental Defense Fund, one of the groups that commissioned the report.

The report was written by consulting firm Cambridge Systematics. Its sponsors include DOT, the American Public Transportation Association and Shell Oil Co.

MAKES FOR INTERESTING READING!

Hyundai introduces the Elantra LPI

If you have read this BLOG for some time you know that we have written about the pros and cons of Hybrid cars.

It is interesting to see that Hybrid cars are one of the biggest selling segments in Japan.

I was made aware recently of a new Hybrid model being produced by Hyundaithat rather than being a petrol electric hybrid it is a LPG electric Hybrid. Unlike conventional hybrids (the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight), the Hyundai has a liquid-petroleum gas engine (with a 1.6-liter displacement) mated to its electric motor. The motor runs on a lithium-ion battery pack.

This got me thinking of the glory days of LPGin New Zealand when you could apply to the Ministry of Energy and get a loan to convert to LPG. I remember doing just that - I had a big Valiant Regal straight 6 and converted it toLPG.

When I visited my local petrol station the other day I noticed that you could still fill up on LPG.

So with this new models being released by Hyundai it got me thinking would this be a great model to introduce here?

The issue with Hybrid vehicles at present is the price differential between standard petrol models and Hybrids.

Having said that maybe this model would be an excellent choice for the Taxi industry?

Oil vs. Sustainability! UAE earmarks $136 mln to fund green energy agency

I have just read an interesting press release:

Reuters, 22 June 2009 - The UAE is ready to spend $136 million to fund the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) if its bid to host the agency's headquarters is successful, a senior official said on Monday.

The world's third-largest oil exporter wants to place itself at the forefront of developments that may shape the future energy industry and hosting IRENA was part of that plan, Sultan al-Jaber, chief executive of Abu Dhabi's state-owned green energy initiative Masdar told Reuters in an interview.

"Oil exporting countries can either see renewable energy as a threat or as an opportunity and we know that this is the future so that's why we are committed to IRENA," Jaber said. "If we win, the Abu Dhabi government will fund the agency with $136 million until 2015."

READ MORE .........

The information about the IRENA makes interesting background reading.

Do you think the UAE is the right place for this agency?

We hear a lot about "peak oil" and the end of oil as we know it!

I find it interesting that their is now engagement by oil producers on green energy issues. In my view this raises some challenges about oil ethics and the commitment to find sustainable energy solutions for the generations to come?

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK????

Will Mr Chu be the next big player in the global fight for saving the planet?

Mr Chu was chosen by President Obama to head up the Department of energy and be Obama's advise on Climate Change and Sustainability and Energy Issues.

You should check out the Department of Energy's web site as it has some great resources to call on.

Mr Chu is quoted here inNZ today and tells us all to paint the roof of our house white as positive action in the fight for climate change. Do you agree or do you think this is crazy science?

If Mr Chu is going to play a major part in the upcoming meetings in Europe at the end of the year then I suggest you check this guy out.

I am not sure if you can call him a science geek, green guru or not and I have not made up my mind on if this guy can make a difference and get the USA to play a leadership role in the post Kyoto world?

Let me know what you think?

Tax breaks for low emission vehicles - we should follow this initiative

With the debate raging here in NZ today on the delayed implementation of the NZETS it was great to read that the Japanese Government has reduced taxes on low emission vehicles in Japan from 1 April 2009 and there has been a corresponding increase in sales of low emission vehicles.

What do you think of this initiative?

I think it is a great example of Government Policy stimulating growth while encouraging the purchase and use of low emission vehicles! This is an example of transformational sustainability in action.

This is a great initiative that the NZ policy makers should be considering here as well.

To follow is some background to this story from the WBCSD site or CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL STORY.

Japanese carmakers are reporting a sharp rebound in sales in their home market this month after the government cut taxes on lower-emission vehicles.

Toshiyuki Shiga, chief operating officer at Nissan, Japan's third-largest car producer, said Tuesday orders at Nissan's dealerships had risen 30 per cent so far in May compared with a year earlier.

Mr Shiga credited the “eco-car tax break” for the improvement. The tax break came into effect on April 1 and can cut the cost of the most fuel-efficient vehicles by several hundred thousand yen, or several thousand dollars.

If nationwide vehicle sales rise for the full month, it will be the first such increase since last July.

Will the Electric Car take off in NZ???

I have been on a few plane trips lately and when you are on-board with no cell phone calls you can chill out, listen to sounds on the ipod or read? On a recent trip between the Gold Coast and Melbourne on Virgin Blue I read the in-flight magazine "Voyeur" May 2009.

There was a cool article on Twitter but the one I like the most was on page 74 and it was about Evan Thornley the CEO of Better Place in Australia.

What Better Place Aussie are up to is the introduction of a nationwide electric car battery refilling system. The point that got me was the innovative way that the are goings to have 1000's of battery exchange stations that will overcome the battery life issue with electric cars.

They are also working with the power companies so that the batteries are recharged with 100% renewable energy such as electricity from wind power.

What I like about this idea is the way innovative thinking has helped overcome the current short-comings of electric cars and they way that the Better Place system is a subscription service and is supporting and encouraging the development of electric cars.

Australia has the advantage of it size geography and population to make a system like this work.

Could this kind of system work in NZ?

1. Would we have the numbers to make it viable?

2. Would it get the support from the current government?

What do you think? I believe that we can learn from systems like this and come up with innovative ways of applying a system like this in New Zealand.

The power is in our hands. We the consumers can demand it and we can also make it happen!

Renewal energy in Taranaki

I recently visited the Taranaki Region. A region that is dominated by Mt Taranaki and the oil and gas industries.

I had the chance to view (from the outside) the Maui Gas operation and the Kapuni Oil and Gas operation. Wow renewal energy is awesome. Here are some pictures below.

MAUI

KAPUNI