Latest Buzz ...

Car industry increases workforce - No, not in Australia

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:56:00 +0000

Volkswagen workforce grows to 500,000 employees
Group creates 28,000 new jobs

Board Member for Human Resources Dr. Neumann: "The Group is making considerable investments in new employees."

Wolfsburg, 30 December 2011 - The Volkswagen Group has increased its global workforce by 100,000 employees in the current year. The growth in employee numbers is the result of the integration of new companies and the creation of 28,000 new jobs throughout the world. At the end of November, the Group employed 500,000 people, including more than 12,000 apprentices. (Read more ...)

Volkswagen Group developments in workforce

(Read more ...)

VW Golf TGI BlueMotion (CNG) Premiers at Geneva

March 9, 2013 | Germany, Wolfsburg and Switzerland, Geneva

Range of more than 1,300 km
Consumes just 3.4 kg natural gas per 100 km

VW Golf TGI BlueMotion

The VW Golf TGI BlueMotion powered with natural gas (CNG) will makes it debut alongside other new Golf models on the shores of Lake Geneva. At the same time, Volkswagen is renaming its so-called “EcoFuel” natural gas models as “TGI BlueMotion.” The new Golf TGI BlueMotion will be launched as the classic hatchback version in the summer and as an estate car in the autumn. (Read more ...)

Energy innovation earns farm income

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:11:00 +0000

An Australian led-project to turn 1.4 million tonnes of Chinese pig poo into alternative energy and fertiliser has been hailed in a national science award.

Giant pig waste biogas plant - artist impression

The project, run by the Adelaide-based Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), Chinese firm HLM Asia PL and Huazhong University of Science and Technology, has developed technology for treating one of the world’s largest and smelliest waste disposal problems.

The technology has been trademarked as pooCARE™. It has been demonstrated in the field and is now being scaled up to treat large volumes of waste from many piggeries.

Prof. Naidu, Managing Director, CRC CARE, says that the demonstration biodigester can:

remediate 200 tonnes of piggery waste daily (73,000 tonnes annually)
produce 380 cubic metres of biogas daily, worth around A$41,000 a year as a heating fuel
produce 5,600 tonnes of fertiliser worth A$550,000 per year.

CRC CARE has also been working with the pork industry in Australia, including the Pork CRC, to transfer the biodigester technology from China to farms in Australia. This will enable Australian piggeries to gain a new income stream from their waste, which will help support farm operations, grow algae and produce biochar to provide soil nutrients, and increase the sequestration of carbon in soil.

“Pig poo might seem like simple stuff, but it creates a very complex set of environmental problems, which I am pleased to say the CRC CARE/China team has managed to overcome with some lateral thinking and sound, practical, affordable technologies,” he says.

The project involved collaborations with a number of Australian and Chinese small to medium enterprises and its technology is likely to be taken up internationally in countries such as India, as well as in Australia and China.

More information:

Prof. Ravi Naidu, Managing Director, CRC CARE, +61 (0)8 8302 5041 or 0407 720 257

Adam Barclay, Communication Manager, CRC CARE, +61 (0)8 8302 3925 or +61 429 779 228

Coalition climate policy and practical emissions reductions

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Sat, 11 May 2013 12:24:00 +0000

Turrum, tuna and kipper fishing

The project described below is preparing to separate 800,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year from natural gas.

To release this carbon dioxide into the atmosphere with a carbon tax of $23 per tonne will cost $18.4 million a year.
Under the Coalition's Direct Action policy to release this carbon dioxide into the atmosphere will cost nothing.

There are commercial options that are in addition to these political choices to influence carbon dioxide emissions. The cost of the first option and the value of the second and third options are only estimates for the purposes of illustration:

Pay $10 per tonne - for a total expenditure of $8 million a year - to return the carbon dioxide into one of the gas reservoirs in the Bass Strait oil and gas fields.
Sell the carbon dioxide for $5 per tonne - for a total revenue of $4 million a year - for algae farming that uses it as a nutrient to produce bio-diesel fuel and cattle fodder.
Sell the carbon dioxide for $10 per tonne - for a total revenue of $8 million a year - for SolarGas production from methane and carbon dioxide used as fuel in a combined-cycle gas turbine power station. (Methane to produce 2,400 GWh a year can be converted to SolarGas with 800,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide to produce 3,200 GWh a year from the same power station.)

In Bass Strait the Esso-operated Kipper Tuna Turrum Project is currently one of the largest domestic gas developments on Australia's eastern seaboard. Over the past few years more than 60 kilometres of subsea pipelines, a new offshore platform (Marlin B) and subsea equipment above the Kipper field have been installed. Hook-up and commissioning work is underway to prepare these facilities for operation.

The oil and gas plants at Longford, 20 kilometres from Sale in East Gippsland are the receiving point for oil and gas produced in Bass Strait. They have been operating for more than 40 years and were designed to treat gas from fields developed as part of the original Gippsland operations to meet industry specifications for natural gas product.

Esso's Kipper Tuna Turrum Project, Bass Strait

These existing facilities are not able to process gas with the carbon dioxide content of some of the new fields and this is why a Gas Conditioning Plant is now needed.

The Longford Gas Conditioning Plant will not increase the capacity of the existing Longford Plants. Rather, the new facilities will remove carbon dioxide and mercury from the new sources of gas thus enabling processing by the existing Longford Gas Plants. The technology to be used for carbon dioxide and mercury removal is proven, reliable and commonly used around the world, including other parts of Victoria.

The Longford Gas Conditioning Plant is designed to process approximately 11 million cubic metres per day of gas containing up to 15 percent carbon dioxide. The amount of greenhouse gas to be emitted each year by the Gas Conditioning Plant will include about 800,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide separated from the gas.

Australia lagging world in clean technology

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Tue, 07 May 2013 02:15:00 +0000

The Rest of the World

Australia

Texas Company to Build Coal Gasification Plant in China

(Industry Week)
Adrienne Selko | IndustryWeek | April 9, 2013
Houston company Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc.’s agreement with Hainan Dongfang Henghe Energy Development Company Ltd. is for a $1.6 billion coal waste to synthetic natural gas project. (Read more...)

Researchers Outline Carbon Negative Gasification Using Coal

(Waste Management World)
A. R. Day, cost consultant; A. Williams, GL Noble Denton Ltd; Chris Hodrien, Timmins CCS Ltd. | April 5, 2013
Low cost carbon negative SNG (substitute natural gas) produced from co-gasified waste, biomass and coal, and decarbonised at source prior to injection into the gas transmission system, will assist in decarbonising downstream gas users – power, heat, transport and industry – at no cost to businesses and consumers, without alteration to their existing use of energy, provided that carbon negative SNG is cost competitive with fossil natural gas. (Read more...)

Gasification Systems - Gasifier Optimization and Plant Supporting Systems Hybrid Solar Coal Gasifier

Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT) is developing a hybrid solar/coal gasification system and building a proof-of-concept gasifier; demonstrating that coal can be gasified with the hybrid system to generate clean syngas for energy production. The hybrid coal gasification system will be partly powered by solar energy to reduce the energy cost and associated carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. (Read more...)

Tax exemption on all future expansion projects at coal gasification facilities signed into law

North Dakota | Basin Electric Power Cooperative | April 26, 2013
Basin Electric, through its for-profit subsidiary, Dakota Gasification Company, owns and operates the Great Plains Synfuels Plant – the only commercial-scale coal gasification plant in the United States that manufactures natural gas. (Read more...)

RIL selects Phillips 66's E-Gas Technology

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) on Tuesday announced it has selected Phillips 66’s E-Gas technology for its planned gasification plants at Jamnagar in Gujarat. (Read more...)

Pakistan coal gasification a solution to power crisis

Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry has asked the caretaker government to encourage private sector investment in coal gasification projects that offer one of the most versatile and clean ways to produce electricity. In a statement here, LCCI President Mr Farooq Iftikhar said that 175 billion tonne of Thar coal reserves could provide guaranteed long term energy security to Pakistan.(Read more...)

Wanxiang and GreatPoint Energy Announce $1.25 Billion Investment and Agree to Construct World’s Most Efficient Coal-to-Natural Gas Production Facility in China

The Bluegas hydromethanation technology developed and owned by GreatPoint Energy directly converts coal into pipeline quality natural gas, the cleanest commercial fuel in use globally. GreatPoint Energy’s proprietary technology operates at the highest efficiency with the least environmental impact, and produces natural gas at the lowest cost in the industry. Its water consumption is only half of that of competing gasification systems. Inherent in the technology is the ability to capture nearly all emissions, including carbon dioxide, which can be sequestered and used for oil production through Enhanced Oil Recovery. (Read more...)

Coal gasification for low-emission power generation

CSIRO’s gasification and syngas research is supporting the transition to high-efficiency coal-based energy systems capable of operating with near-zero emissions.. (Read more...)

Economic benefits created by Australian Government budget deficits

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Thu, 02 May 2013 07:58:00 +0000

Spain's house prices to fall another 30pc as glut keeps growing

The UK Telegraph, by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, 27 December 2012.
Spain's property slump will deepen for much of the next decade, and tracts of buildings along the Mediterranean coast will have to be demolished, the country's top consultants have warned.

Spanish government says the housing market has 'touched bottom' after falling 30pc since 2008 | Photo: AFP

...
Fresh losses could reach 50pc and drag on for 10 to 15 years in those places where construction ran wild during the bubble, bringing the total decline from peak to trough towards 75pc.

"The market is broken," said Fernando Rodríguez de Acuña, the group's vice-president. "We calculate that there are almost 2 million properties waiting to be sold. We have made no progress at all over the past five years in clearing the stock," he said.

March 2013 Euro area unemployment rate...

EUROPA Press Room, 30 April 2013.
Among the Member States, the highest unemployment rates were recorded in Greece (27.2% in January), Spain (26.7%) and Portugal (17.5%).
...
Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate increased in nineteen Member States and fell in eight.
...
In March 2013, the highest youth unemployment rates (young persons under 25) were observed in Greece (59.1% (January 2013)), Spain (55.9%), Italy (38.4%) and Portugal (38.3%).

Spain: who is responsible for the property bubble?

BY EDWARD HARRISON / ON 22 FEBRUARY 2009.
This first part in a series of articles lays out the statistics of bubble and bust, demonstrating the scale of the bubble in Spain and it also makes a number of suggestion as to how to prevent a recurrence. You should note that this article points out Spain’s helplessness due to its lack of control over interest rates as a key impediment to solving the problem. ...

NSW Government lies to electricity consumers

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:06:00 +0000

Extract from Media Release by The Hon Chris Hartcher, New South Wales Minister for Resources and Energy, Special Minister of State and Minister for the Central Coast

23 April 2013

"NSW electricity bills will continue to show the cost of Labor’s carbon tax following the release of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal’s (IPART) draft pricing determination that estimates the carbon tax and green schemes component will increase to $330 for the typical household bill.
...
Energy Minister Chris Hartcher said that with the Government capping network price rises at CPI or below, the carbon tax and green schemes continue to drive up the price of electricity for NSW households.

“IPART estimates that NSW electricity bills would be $171 cheaper from 1 July if Labor scrapped its disastrous carbon tax,” Mr Hartcher said. "

What Mr Hartcher conceals is that personal income tax cuts averaging $520 per year were made to cover the cost of the carbon price. The Federal Coalition has promised to remove these income tax cuts.

Extract from Draft Report - Review of regulated retail prices for electricity 2013 to 2016

23 April 2013

Regulated electricity prices NSW, July 2013

The IPART review of electricity prices shows the carbon price and renewable energy generation has forced down the cost of electricity generation by 2.1 percent. The result is a REDUCTION of 1 percent in NSW electricity bills.

Unfortunately, there are increases of 0.4 percent for Network charges and 3.6 percent for Billling and Marketing charges by NSW electricity retailers.

These are responsible for the increase in NSW power bills of 3 percent on 1 July 2013.

Further deception by the NSW Government

The NSW Government has announced it will place a statement in red on all NSW electricity bills, falsely claiming that "NSW Govt estimates that the Federal carbon tax and green energy schemes add about $330 a year to a typical 6.5MWh household bill – www.ipart.nsw.gov.au"

Struggling NSW families are missing out on $40 million in electricity rebates. Tony Abbott, the NSW Government and the media spray the public with carbon tax nonsense. The NSW Government is less interested in letting 540,000 families know they are eligible for rebates.

Fewer than a couple of thousand have applied for this money to help with rising power bills.

Find out about the secretive NSW electricity assistance package in the related post -

News blackout on carbon tax relief

News blackout on carbon tax relief

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:11:00 +0000

What people have to say:

Everybody knows about the carbon tax and when it kicked in. Why not this?
The NSW and Federal Governments provide certain people and households with rebates on their electricity bills, and other forms of help to meet their electricity costs.
The NSW Family Energy Rebate - up to $250 a year in rebates for energy costs.
There are 540,000 families out there in New South Wales who are eligible, but only a few thousand have applied.
The rebate remains largely a secret while the Australian news media ear-bashes people about the carbon price.
This will be a great help to struggling families.
We're very much appreciative of Channel 9 (on 16 April 2013) for promoting the scheme (which began on 1 July 2011).

Woodside LNG Project hits energy innovation wall

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 06:08:00 +0000

ABC Rural, Friday April 12, 2013

RIL selects Phillips 66's E-Gas Technology

The Hindu Business Line | May 22, 2012

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) on Tuesday announced it has selected Phillips 66’s E-Gas technology for its planned gasification plants at Jamnagar in Gujarat.
...
The largest gasification project in the world...

The planned gasification plants at Jamnagar will process petroleum coke and coal into synthesis gas utilizing the new technology. The synthesis gas will be used as feedstock for a new chemical complex and will fuel the refinery's existing gas turbine power generation units... (Read more...)

... The E-Gas technology has been utilized in commercial applications since 1987. It incorporates a gasification system design that can be applied with gas and steam turbine combined-cycle power generation to produce electric power, as well as synthesis gas applications for the production of hydrogen, chemicals or substitute natural gas in highly flexible combinations.

It is among the cleanest and most efficient commercial technologies for coal or petroleum coke-based electric power generation and syngas production. It offers high system efficiencies, minimized water consumption and very low emissions...

Using the technology China, India, Pakistan and other countries have acquired, Australia's energy needs can be met with no coal seam gas and half of its existing coal mine output.

The cost-savings for Australian industry are substantial.
Australian industry would benefit from increased international competitiveness.

Carbon arithmetic

Australian coal industry and politicians argue with renewable straw man

China slashing carbon dioxide emissions

Coal for India, China and other developing countries

Investing on the Road to Global Financial Crisis II

Farm machinery and road transport fuel choices

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:59:00 +0000

Three reasons why liquefied natural gas (LNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) are looking good for fueling farm machinery and road transport.

1. Tax a trucking disgrace
2. WHO confirms diesel fumes carcinogenic
3. How long could Australia thrive if our oil supplies were cut?

Many Trucking Companies Testing Natural Gas Conversion

For more information on using LNG and CNG fuel see the related article -

Road Freight Transport Costs

1. Tax a trucking disgrace

FarmOnline | Thursday April 11, 2013

LIVESTOCK transporters and produce truckers are in the firing line to go broke under the federal government’s carbon tax scheme.

That’s the grim warning about the trucking industry’s future delivered by Australian Trucking Association (ATA) chairman David Simon in an address at the National Press Club in Canberra last week.
...
Mr Simon said the Clean Energy Package was based on the assumption that businesses would respond to the carbon tax by reducing their energy use or switch to renewable energy sources, and that businesses that cannot would be able to increase their prices, subsequently changing their customers’ behaviour.

But neither of these assumptions fit the commercial reality of the trucking industry, he said.

“Trucking businesses only have limited opportunities to reduce their energy use. Switching to renewables is not generally an option,” he said. (Read more ...)

2. WHO confirms diesel fumes carcinogenic

ABC News | The World Today | Lexi Metherell | Wednesday June 13, 2012

Experts at the World Health Organisation (WHO) say diesel engine exhaust fumes can cause cancer in humans.

They say they belong in the same potentially deadly category as asbestos, arsenic and mustard gas.

After a week-long meeting, the International Agency for Research on Cancer reclassified diesel exhausts from its group of probable carcinogens, to its group of substances that have definite links to cancer. (Read more ...)

3. How long could Australia thrive if our oil supplies were cut?

NRMA Motoring Blog | NRMA Policy Team | March 20, 2013

Australia is the world’s ninth-largest energy producer and there are many renewable and non-renewable energy resources in our country. Despite this, we are heavily dependent on imports of refined petroleum products and crude oil to meet our liquid fuel demand.

With such a spread-out population, Australia relies heavily on road transportation to move goods and services around. Our transport system is more than 95 per cent dependent on oil.

Did you know that if the oil stopped coming, goods and services could dry up in just over a week? (Read more ...)

CARBON TAX SAVING AUSSIE JOBS - LIBERALS STILL IN DENIAL

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:16:00 +0000

Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) data shows that the carbon tax has saved Aussie jobs: an average of 20 less companies collapsed each month after the carbon tax began than in the corresponding period a year earlier.

Sophie Mirabella, Shadow Minister for Industry, grabbed wrong ASIC data on company failures and penned a story -

"Carbon tax killing Aussie Jobs - Labor still in denial" | March 18, 2013

...
For the year to 1 March 2013, ASIC has registered a record 10,632 company collapses, almost 900 a month.
...
“Every time a company collapses, Australian jobs are lost,” said Sophie Mirabella, Shadow Minister for Industry, today.

What the data actually shows is that after the carbon price began, ASIC registered only 7,013 company collapses in the 8 months to 1 March 2013.

A year earlier, ASIC registered 7,191 company collapses in the 8 months to 1 March 2012.

Australian coal industry and politicians argue with renewable straw man

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 06:40:00 +0000

... while China races to an unbeatable low-cost energy lead.

Straw man - a distraction from substantive issues

Governments of New South Wales and Queensland are addicted to royalties from coal mining and coal exports.

Both major Australian political parties in the federal government and opposition identify coal seam gas as a significant new revenue base in a Petroleum Resource Rent Tax.

These factors must be behind the incredibly silly debate within Australia that wastes newspaper columns, radio broadcasts and television news reports on lame energy policies of the Greens, Labor and Liberal parties.

China of course has no need to entertain such time-wasting and pointless debate. It is getting further and further ahead of Australia with expertise in advanced energy generation technology. This is giving China a world's best practice competitive advantage in cheap energy.

Using the technology China has acquired, Australia's energy needs can be met with no coal seam gas and half of its existing coal mine output.

The cost-savings for Australian industry are substantial.
The loss of royalties would create a significant headache for the New South Wales and Queensland state governments.
Australian industry would benefit from increased international competitiveness.

Public debate over renewable energy targets, solar homes and cities, climate science and a carbon price are clever ways to avoid discussion of these facts. The coal royalty revenues of the New South Wales and Queensland State governments remain secure. The Australian Government's prospective revenue from a Petroleum Resource Rent Tax remains safely "in the bag".

Carbon arithmetic

China slashing carbon dioxide emissions

Coal for India, China and other developing countries

Investing on the Road to Global Financial Crisis II

Popular Recent Tweets

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 01:29:00 +0000

Climate Science Debate - The End

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 08:59:00 +0000

Earning income from a carbon price - extra information

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 04:46:00 +0000

IN SALAH

Industrial-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) in action

In Salah, an industrial-scale CCS project in Algeria has been in operation since 2004. More than three million tonnes of CO₂, separated during gas production, have been securely stored in a deep saline formation. BP, Sonatrach and Statoil, the project operators, aim to store a total of 17 million tonnes over the next 20 years. (Read more...)

Coal industry delaying CO2 cuts for another 15 years

Why is Australia to spend over $1 billion on CarbonNet and take 15 years developing new Carbon Capture technology ----
---- when proven technology has existed for decades in the USA?

Santos Booklet "Moomba Carbon Storage project"

Science behind carbon storage validated

Australian media bias on carbon tax

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:11:00 +0000

What the Australian Media DID Report

US inaction on carbon tax shows Australia isolated: Tony Abbott

From: AAP January 22, 2013

FEDERAL Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has pointed to the Obama administration's inaction on carbon pricing after the US president said more must be done to address climate change.
...
Asked if the president's speech meant Australia should do more to tackle climate change, Mr Abbott said the US Democratic administration had backed away from an emissions trading scheme.

"The interesting thing is that President Obama's administration has three times, in the last few months, explicitly ruled out a carbon tax or an emissions trading scheme," he said.

"Now, all of us are concerned about climate change. All of us want to do the right thing by our planet. We all want to give the planet the benefit of the doubt.

"But we've got to have smart policies, not dumb policies, to do that."

(Read more ...)

Doorstop Interview, Forestville

Sunday, April 7, 2013

...
QUESTION:

The Prime Minister has recently been praising other countries in Asia with regards to climate change. Do you think that you should leave the carbon tax alone?

TONY ABBOTT:

The carbon tax is damaging our economy. It is not doing any good for the environment.
No other country is imposing a carbon tax on its economy at that scale.
So one of the best things I can do for the families of Australia, one of the best things I can do for the job security of workers, one of the best things I can do to boost our economy and make things like the NDIS more affordable is scrap the carbon tax.

QUESTION:

When is the Coalition going to release its broadband policy?

...

(Read more ...)

This nation's a bit player in game theory of climate change policy

	Noel Pearson, The Australian, April 20, 2013
... Having committed Australian industry to a tax of $23 a tonne, rising to $24.15 on July 1, our country will pay while the rest of the world will not, and there is still no sign other countries will join us.

(Read more ...)

What the Australian Media DIDN'T Report

UK Government action on carbon tax shows Australia is not isolated

March 20, 2013

The UK Government is acting to give private investors the confidence to invest in the UK’s energy sector.

From April 2013 the carbon price floor announced at Budget 2011 will come into effect, providing a clear and credible long-term signal to support investment in low carbon electricity generation.

[The carbon price floor starts at £16 ($AUD23.30) per tonne and has a target price for carbon of £30 ($AUD43.75) per tonne of carbon dioxide in 2020.]

(Read more ...)

University of Western Australia - Coalition's Direct Action plan may be impractical

January 23, 2013

NEW UWA research looking at the economic impacts of implementing soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration methods into farming practices, is showing that these impacts may prove impractical for farmers.
...
The authors found that while altering certain practices can be used to increase carbon sequestration it is costly and farmers would require high levels of compensation to make it a viable option.

By modeling the cost of these practices researchers estimate the profit lost for each additional tonne of CO2 stored on the model farm was $80.00 which is far more than the initial buying price of $23.00 per tonne under carbon tax legislation.

[It is 10 times more than the $8.00 per tonne estimate relied upon by Tony Abbott for costing the Coalition's Direct Action plan.]

(Read more ...)

Earning income from a carbon price

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 03:51:00 +0000

The notion that carbon dioxide-emitting industries and power stations MUST stop emitting carbon dioxide, regardless of the expense, and pass this increased expense onto customers is a widely held but WRONG belief.

It's easy to find criticisms of a carbon price and emission trading schemes. Reading these criticisms you could easily come to the conclusion that money ends up flying off to governments or foreign countries.

Information on how to earn an income from a carbon price is pretty scarce.

Every cloud has a silver lining and carbon pricing schemes are no different.

Suppose an industry can cheaply collect carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it.

It makes a lot of sense to pay this industry to collect as much carbon dioxide as possible.
If it can collect carbon dioxide for, say, half of the cost that would be incurred by a power station to prevent the carbon dioxide being emitted in the first place, then it is obviously cheaper, and more profitable, to collect it later and DON'T BOTHER preventing the carbon dioxide being emitted by the power station.

Collecting carbon dioxide for extra income

A couple of ideas on earning income by collecting carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as a byproduct from existing industries are described in the article Negative CO² emissions - Climate protection opens new business areas.

The Rumpke Sanitary Landfill near Cincinnati, Ohio collects landfill gas and upgrades it to pipeline-quality natural gas by separating carbon dioxide. No extra cost is involved. The process uses an XEBEC gas purification system. There is no new technology to be developed and commercialised.

XEBEC’s systems are being used worldwide
to effectively remove carbon dioxide (CO2)
from landfill, digester or well gas streams

Storing carbon dioxide for extra income

Want a new industry that generates $25 billion revenue?

Store one billion tonnes of carbon dioxide at a price of $25 per tonne.

Santos has designed one -

More information -

Earning income from a carbon price - extra information

Old plays won't save coal but a carbon tax could

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 23:52:00 +0000

Attempts to access this story had been unsuccessful throughout April.
(Error message: Oops! Google Chrome could not find www.kentucky.com)
The original can be accessed (on May 3, 2013): Old plays won't save coal but a carbon tax could

The cached copy is reproduced below -

Published: March 31, 2013 Updated 6 hours ago

Bob Inglis, who directs the Energy and Enterprise Initiative,
is a former Republican member of Congress
from South Carolina.

By Bob Inglis

Coal built our economy but its future is grim — unless we find an alternative to EPA regulation of heat-trapping gases like CO². If we can clean it up, coal can be a useful resource for years to come. If we can't, it will ultimately become much less valuable.

Strange as it may sound, that's why the CEO of one of the world's largest coal companies is in favor of a carbon tax. Marius Kloppers figures that BHP Billiton has hundreds of years of coal in the ground in Australia. The problem is that his biggest customer, China, may tire of breathing dirty air. If they do and if the Chinese innovate around coal, BHP's inventory could be reduced to a 20- or 30-year salable commodity. So BHP wants to push coal up the technology curve.

Some U.S. coal companies are also investing in the long-term viability of America's most abundant energy resource. They're rightly asking for and are conducting research on carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). If CCS could be combined with coal gasification technologies, it's possible that water vapor would be the only emission from coal-fired plants. That's a bold future — the kind of future that CEOs like Kloppers want to bring about.

The standard play is to try to slow the inevitable. And nowhere is it more standard than in Washington, D.C. The Environmental Protection Agency is under orders from the Supreme Court to regulate CO² as a pollutant under the Clean Air Act. The EPA has drafted CO² regulations for new coal plants. Soon, EPA plans to regulate CO² from existing coal plants. When it does, coal will lose, quickly, to competitors like natural gas. This regulatory scenario gives coal no time to innovate.

The standard line from coal state representatives is, "Let's get together and try to stop those regulations." It's the same play textile states attempted when the rest of the country decided it liked cheaper, imported clothes. It's the same play tobacco states tried when the rest of the county decided to quit subsidizing smoking.
When something becomes inevitable — like the pricing of carbon — there's little to be gained from simply slowing government regulation. Endless litigation and aggressive congressional oversight may delay the onset of regulations but, like textiles and tobacco, the writing's on the wall.

Bluster may provide some cover to elected officials representing coal-dependent constituents, but it won't secure their constituents' future. Coal needs a different series of plays.

For coal, the right kind of CO² tax would be far better than pending CO² regulation. A well-planned and fair carbon tax would give coal time — time to try CCS, time for domestic users of coal-fired power to continue manufacturing here rather than moving production to non-CO² regulated countries, and time to continue exporting coal, tax-free.

The very different play for coal might look like this: Tax carbon upstream at the mine and at the pipeline. Pair that new carbon tax with a dollar-for-dollar reduction in other taxes so we don't grow the government and families have more money to cope with higher energy prices. Repeal Clean Air Act regulations that would be made redundant by the price on carbon. Make the new carbon tax border-adjustable so that it's removed on exports and imposed on imports.

The border-adjustable feature is critical in two ways. First, coal from the U.S. wouldn't be priced out of foreign markets because the U.S. carbon tax would be removed on export. Second, manufacturers who use coal-fired power in the U.S. would have level CO² costs with their foreign competitors. CO² pricing here wouldn't cause them to move their factories to a non-CO²-priced countries because imports would be taxed equally on CO² content.

Sometimes we find that something we've been doing for years has consequences we never envisioned. Years ago, who knew smoking caused cancer? Tobacco companies fought the inevitable conclusion of the research, but they ultimately lost. Now, some of the same people — literally some of the same people — are fighting the inevitable conclusion of chemistry and physics and the effects of greenhouse gasses. They will lose. Coal could lose with them.

Coal states have the opportunity to call the next series of plays. There's something better than "Up the middle, up the middle, up the middle, punt."

Ex-GOP rep talks climate change solutions

Bob Inglis’ plan proposes market-based climate change solutions, like fuel taxes and subsidy cuts

Joe Hockey talks about the Australian economy under Labor

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 04:04:00 +0000

Mornings with Steve Austin

Joe Hockey in Brisbane
28 March 2013 , 10:24 AM by Sally Rope

	In eight weeks, on May 14th, the Treasurer, Queenslander Wayne Swan will deliver another budget. Then on September 14, you will be asked to vote in a Federal Election. The opposition say they may move a no confidence motion against the Federal government if they don't like the May budget. Joe Hockey is the Federal Member for North Sydney and Shadow Treasurer, and he came in this morning to talk to Steve...
Opposition Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey at 612 ABC Brisbane

Prime Minister Julia Gillard with Steve Austin at 612 ABC Brisbane

Some extracts from the interview are available below.

Listen to or download the complete interview at the 612 ABC Brisbane website, Mornings with Steve Austin.

The high Australian dollar under the Gillard Labor Government

Opposition Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey talks with Steve Austin, 28 March 2013, Radio 612 ABC Brisbane, about the high Australia dollar under the Labor Government of Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

And well we might ask... "But Mr Hockey, what about the carbon tax? ...So it REALLY doesn't rate a mention?"

Tony Abbott finds out Australia's 'AAA' credit rating reaffirmed

@mikekellymp "Operation Debt Deception" Abbott finds out that Aust's 'AAA' credit rating has been reaffirmed youtu.be/E4tRk1YXdo4 #auspol
— Little Loud Guy (@LittleLoudGuy) March 31, 2013

Low Interest Rates under the Gillard Labor Government

Opposition Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey talks with Steve Austin, 28 March 2013, Radio 612 ABC Brisbane, about low interest rates in Australia under the Labor Government of Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Happy Antipodean - Look What Happened Again

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:54:00 +0000

A couple of days ago I stumbled upon a great article by Matt on his Happy Antipodean bog:

150 pageviews now. Read and RT to counter Abbott's misinformation on carbon price #auspol is.gd/Cy4SSp
— Matthew da Silva (@mattdasilva) March 24, 2013

Australian business response to carbon price: "Wut?"

After watching page views climb quickly over the next 10 hours, Matt tweeted a link to another interesting article on what resulted from the activity quite a number of people had generated:

.@askgerbil @pandymonium01 @whileyandrew @philyoung17 @knobtw Hey, look what happened is.gd/gloFy8
— Matthew da Silva (@mattdasilva) March 24, 2013

Thanks to those who helped ... and look what happened!

Well, guess what -

Another article, one I posted, "Direct Action hits brick wall" received similar concentrated exposure over the last 24-36 hours.
Thank you to the many tweeters who generated a lot of page views to the article. Nearly 370 pageviews now.

@joeobrien24 Important question for Tony Abbott. #UWA research shows Direct Action cost blowout $6B a year blog.gerbilnow.com/2013/03/direct… #abcnews24
— Askgerbil Now (@Askgerbil) March 25, 2013

@askgerbil @joeobrien24 Abbott's answer: spending is fixed ($3.2b over 4 years.) Cost up from $8 to $80/t. 5% target will be missed. #auspol
— Askgerbil Now (@Askgerbil) March 26, 2013

And look what happened! Again!

Tony Abbott has hinted the coalition's climate change policy
cost will be similar to a 2010 figure.

THE federal opposition has yet to put a budget figure on the cost of its "direct action" plan to tackle climate change but has hinted it will be similar to its 2010 election pledge.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has vowed to rescind the carbon tax and replace it with a system of incentives to help consumers and businesses achieve a five per cent national cut in carbon emissions by 2020.

Read more ...

Direct Action hits brick wall

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 07:20:00 +0000

Research by the University of Western Australia undermines the Coalition's costing of its plan to meet Australia's emission reduction target through Direct Action.

The "Coalition's Direct Action Plan" shows the Coalition has "bet the bank" on storing 85 million tonnes of carbon per year in the soil of Australia's farms at a cost of just $8 to $10 per tonne.

By modeling the cost of required changes in farming practices researchers estimated the profit lost for each additional tonne of CO2 stored on the model farm was $80.00 which is far more than the initial buying price of $23.00 per tonne under the Gillard Labor Government's Clean Energy Future legislation.

This is ten times greater than the costing assumed by the Coalition for its Direct Action Plan -

Executive Summary (page 1)

A Coalition Government will implement a climate change strategy based on direct action to reduce emissions and improve the environment.

Direct action on soil carbons will be the major plank of our strategy, supported by other direct action measures that will reduce CO2 emissions by 5 per cent by 2020 based on 1990 levels and deliver significant environmental outcomes - without the need for a great big new tax.

Emissions Reduction Fund

To facilitate direct action, a Coalition Government will establish an Emissions Reduction Fund to support CO2 emissions reduction activity by business and industry.

Through the Fund, we will support 140 million tonnes of abatement per annum by 2020 to meet our 5 per cent target [of which 85 million tonnes per annum will be met by increasing soil carbons in agricultural land. (See table of CO2 Emissions Reduction Estimates at page 22.)] This is a once in a century replenishment of our soil carbon.

Soil Carbons - Once in a Century Replenishment of our Soils (page 16)

The single largest opportunity for CO2 emissions reduction in Australia is through bio-sequestration in general, and in particular, the replenishment of our soil carbons. It is also the lowest cost CO2 emissions reduction available in Australia [sic] on a large scale.

Significantly improving soil carbons also helps soil quality, farm productivity and water efficiency, and should be a national goal regardless of the CO2 abatement benefits.

Through the Emissions Reduction Fund a Coalition Government will commit to a 'once in a century' replenishment of our national soils and farmlands. Through the Fund we will support up to 85 million tonnes per annum of CO2 abatement through soil carbons by 2020 - and reserve the right to increase this, subject to progress and evaluation.

Farmers will be entitled to tender for all verified new additions in soil carbon beyond the commencement of the Fund.

We will commence this work by offering to purchase 10 million tonnes of CO2 abatement through soil carbons for 2012-13.

Happy Antipodean - Look What Happened Again

Abbott: The Man without a Plan

Tony Abbott Stopped an ETS IN 2010

Liberals threaten Tony Abbott on trade

Carbon tax and Australian jobs

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 08:49:00 +0000

The Coalition claims job losses at Penrice Soda in South Australia are due to the carbon tax.

Another 60 jobs to go in Adelaide from Penrice Soda. Carbon Tax named as part of the reason. A real blow #auspol
— Greg Hunt (@GregHuntMP) January 18, 2013

Carbon tax claims more manufacturing jobs: tinyurl.com/b9wflqy #auspol
— Sophie Mirabella (@SMirabellaMP) January 17, 2013

Penrice Soda was losing money for 2 years BEFORE the carbon tax began.
Its market for sodium carbonate was disappearing as glass manufacturer after glass manufacturer either closed factories or scaled back operations.
On closing its antiquated, inefficient plant, Penrice Soda signed an import licence under which it will supply Australian glass manufacturers with the cheapest available sodium carbonate from the world's most efficient producer - in the United States of America.
This U.S. manufacturer implemented carbon capture and re-use technology 35 years ago. Instead of dumping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, it uses it as a raw material in the efficient production of sodium carbonate.

1. Penrice Soda lost $90 million in the two years to 30 June 2012 - before the carbon tax

October 30, 2012 | Brian Robins | SMH

Penrice Soda first company to strike out

The company has been hit by weak demand for its soda ash from glassmakers, as some winemakers have opted to bottle their product offshore, reducing demand for glass produced locally.

Penrice Soda lost $64 million in the year to June, up from $26 million a year earlier, on revenue of $149 million. (Read more ...)

2. Australian glass manufacturers were closing down before 30 June 2012 - before the carbon tax

November 30, 2010

Penrice increases list prices of soda ash

Dear Valued Customers,

Penrice announces today that effective 1 January 2011 ... it will increase the list prices for all bulk and packaged soda ash by $60 per metric tonne (to prices from $535 to $655 per metric tonne). (Read more ...)

July 20, 2011

Glass Manufacturing Jobs in Australia 457 Visa Sponsorship

Are you looking for an employer sponsored job in Australia in the glass manufacturing field?

If so, we want to hear from you! (Read more ...)

September 2, 2011 Sarah Falson | Manufacturers' Monthly

CSR cuts 100 jobs at Viridian Glass

Viridian Glass is now expected to generate a loss of around $6 to $8 million for the six months to 30 September 2011. (Read more ...)

January 23, 2012 | Annie Dang | Manufacturers' Monthly

Glass manufacturer shuts down furnace; 74 jobs lost

Glass manufacturer OI Australia will close one of its three furnaces in Spotswood leaving approximately 74 workers without jobs.

Production at the Melbourne-based Spotswood plant is largely geared at making glass bottles for the beer and wine industry.

The closure of one furnace comes as a result of a fall in demand for beer and wine production nationally, the ABC reports. (Read more ...)

July 30, 2012 | Eli Greenblat | SMH

More cuts loom as bottle giant blames local market

THE world's leading glass packaging supplier, Owens-Illinois, could again be forced to shrink its Australia operations, leading to potential job losses, as the US manufacturing giant cites a sluggish local beer and wine market. (Read more ...)

3. Penrice Soda signs agreement to supply soda - 40 percent cheaper for its customers

January 17, 2013

Penrice forms joint venture to resell and distribute soda ash

Penrice’s sodium bicarbonate business, a predominantly export business to food and pharmaceutical customers, has doubled sales and profits over the past five years.

Penrice’s soda ash business has been under extraordinary pressure. Imported soda ash continues to be substantially (over 40%) cheaper because of a number of factors which are likely to continue for the foreseeable future...

These same pressures are also playing out across Penrice’s soda ash customer base - mainly glass and detergent manufacturers - creating significantly less demand for soda ash.

The company has decided to import soda ash rather than manufacture it. This will reduce production and impact 60 jobs at its Osborne plant in South Australia from May 2013 onwards.

The soda ash will be sourced from American Natural Soda Ash Corporation (“ANSAC”), which represents three leading producers of natural soda ash in the United States. (Read more ...)

4. U.S. manufacturer implemented carbon capture and re-use technology 35 years ago

1978

Start commercial carbon dioxide (CO2) capture

Soda ash, also known as sodium carbonate, is an important inorganic chemical that is used by many industries for various applications. The United States is the world's largest soda ash-producing nation with the world's largest natural deposit of trona, the ore from which soda ash is refined.

The IMC Chemicals Facility in Trona has been performing CO2 capture from flue gas since 1978, longer than any other such plant in the world. CO2 is separated from flue gas of a coal-fired boiler, which is used to produce electricity. The captured CO2 is used for carbonation of brine from Searles Lake.

This facility is able to capture up to 800 tons of CO2 per day, using sodium carbonate based scrubbers. (Read more ...)

Liberals threaten Tony Abbott on trade

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 05:43:00 +0000

Simon Benson and Tim Vollmer The Daily Telegraph August 31, 2011

SENIOR Liberal frontbenchers have privately threatened to withdraw support for Tony Abbott if he continued down a "protectionist" economic policy agenda.

The warning came after a keynote economic speech where the Opposition Leader appeared to hedge his bets on a commitment to free trade, and promised to protect jobs in the ailing manufacturing industry.

A senior Liberal source said there had been a flurry of phone calls following the speech, expressing concern about the mixed messages Mr Abbott was sending.

They fear the Liberal Party's economic credibility is on the line if Mr Abbott did not start articulating a strong economic argument, which also meant tackling the "elephant in the Liberal Party room" of industrial relations and labour market practices.

One frontbencher, an Abbott supporter, said they would have to "pull the pin" on Mr Abbott if some "sense" wasn't re-established in the Coalition party room - a reference to the National Party's Barnaby Joyce having too much say in the joint party room. (Read more ...)

Abbott lines up with left-wing union on protectionism

Chris Berg The Sydney Morning Herald August 14, 2011

The Coalition's position on anti-dumping laws is part of a worrying trend.

RARELY does the federal opposition line up with the Australian Workers' Union on economic policy but that's where they are on free trade. Unfortunately, the nominally market-orientated Coalition is playing fast and loose with one of its core philosophies. (Read more ...)

Abbott must spell out policies

EDITORIAL | THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW | 02 NOV 2012

The parliamentary vote on legislation to abolish Wheat Exports Australia has cast the Liberal Party led by Tony Abbott in a role which it should never play – that of opposing deregulation. Instead the Labor Party has forced the bill, which abolishes the authority and its small levy on wheat, through the House of Representatives against Liberal and Nationals party opposition. The bill is now expected to pass the Senate.

Although their position was not to halt deregulation, only delay it and retain certain safeguards, this is a sad day indeed for the Liberals. The party should never be seen on the side of protectionism, even when that protectionism was a shadow of its former self. The Liberals’ opposition to the bill also highlights the broader question of Mr Abbott’s failure to articulate his policies. What exactly does he stand for? (Read more ...)

Abbott stuns WA wheat growers with experience claims

October 29, 2012

Western Australian farmers are stunned over Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s claims that the WA wheat industry remains divided over the issue of deregulation...

“It is incredulous that Tony Abbott and his Federal Liberal cohorts continue to make the case for collectivised wheat marketing by taking their advice from those ‘senior and experienced wheat growers’ who fully supported the activities of the corrupt Australian Wheat Board rather than listening to those growers who simply want to exercise free choice in the sale of their product,” PGA Western Grain Growers Chairman, John Snooke said.

“He now diminishes and refuses to listen to the same growers whose advice he ... desperately sought when, under Brendan Nelson’s leadership, the Liberals broke free from the Nationals and voted to begin the process of deregulation.”
...
“It would appear that the Liberal Party’s short holiday from the protectionist policies of the Nationals is truly over and their brief flirtation with supporting a free market for wheat is at an end.”

“One has to wonder whether this refusal by Mr Abbott to allow the Liberals to stand up against the Nationals on a simple issue like wheat deregulation is an indication of things to come if the Coalition ever forms Government.” (Read more ...)

Coalition conflicts clear between the lines

Dennis Atkins From: The Courier-Mail December 08, 2012

Malcolm Turnbull launched The Modest Member: The Life and Times of Bert Kelly, a biography by author and polemicist Hal Colebatch this week and gave us some coded insights into the forces that would be at play if a Tony Abbott-led Coalition is in government this time next year.

Turnbull was, of course, talking about one of the Liberal Party's great anti-protectionists, the late South Australian farmer and politician Bert Kelly, who was first elected to federal Parliament in 1958.

Kelly was a free trader who devoted his political life to the causes of consumer rights and open markets, neither of which were in vogue in post-war Australia when the self-interested policies of strong-willed conservatives such as the Country Party's John "Black Jack" McEwen held sway.

The lesson Turnbull takes from Kelly's policy advocacy is to warn his colleagues that not all "opponents of freedom - economic, social, political - are only to be found on what we like to call the left" and people pushing for "big government" are often found on the right of the spectrum.

Political watchers who like reading between the lines will not miss the coded message in Turnbull's speech.

Abbott's handout proclivity, which is best illustrated by his generous parental leave scheme, might meet some resistance in a Cabinet containing Turnbull and Hockey. As Turnbull said recently he will be in Cabinet, if people vote for Tony Abbott. His Bert Kelly speech told us a little of what's behind that promise. (Read more ...)

Peter Costello demands Julia Gillard axe advert

KATE LEGGE | The Australian | August 10, 2010

PETER Costello yesterday sought to cleanse his criticism of Tony Abbott's economic credentials from the public record....

Mr Costello's dim view of Mr Abbott is set out at length in the former treasurer's memoirs published in 2008.

"Never one to be held back by the financial consequences of his decisions, he had grandiose plans for public expenditure," Mr Costello wrote of Mr Abbott.

He then lists the projects Mr Abbott wanted the commonwealth to fund. ...

"He used to tell me proudly that he had learned all of his economics at the feet of Bob Santamaria," Mr Costello revealed in his book. "I was horrified. ..." (Read more ...)

Tony Abbott and protectionism
More coal seam gas for Tony Abbott

UK Carbon Price Floor - Budget 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:39:00 +0000

Extracts from UK "Budget 2013 documents",
20 March 2013

Chapter 1 - Budget Report

- at http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget2013_chapter1.pdf

Support for private investment in infrastructure

(Chapter 1, page 35-36)

1.90 The Government is acting to give private investors the confidence to invest in the UK’s energy sector. From April 2013 the carbon price floor announced at Budget 2011 will come into effect, providing a clear and credible long-term signal to support investment in low carbon electricity generation.

1.91 The Energy Bill, currently making its passage through Parliament, will introduce Electricity Market Reform. By providing stable revenues for investors at a fixed level known as a strike price, Contracts for Difference, as set out in the Bill, will provide long-term certainty for investors in low carbon generation. This will lower the cost of capital and help developers secure the large upfront amounts of capital investment required. Support available for low carbon electricity investment through the Levy Control Framework up to 2020 will rise to £7.6 billion a year (in 2012 prices), more than triple the £2.35 billion available in 2012-13. Together with the Government’s Energy Bill and Gas Generation Strategy, published in 2012, this will provide the framework needed for new energy investment.

1.92 The Government intends to take forward two Carbon Capture and Storage projects to the detailed planning and design stage of the competition. This represents the next step in the £1 billion Carbon Capture and Storage commercialisation programme and follows a period of intensive commercial negotiations with a number of bidders. The Department for Energy and Climate Change will set out the details of the preferred bidders, next steps on these front end engineering and design studies, and the process to final investment decision.

Chapter 2 - Budget policy decisions

- at http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget2013_chapter2.pdf

Carbon Taxes

(Chapter 2, page 85)

2.159 Climate change levy (CCL) rates – CCL rates will increase in line with RPI from 1 April 2014. (Finance Bill 2013)

2.160 Carbon price floor (CPF) rates – The Government will set 2015-16 carbon price support rates equivalent to £18.08 ($26.35) per tonne of carbon dioxide in line with the carbon price floor set out at Budget 2011. The Government will continue to provide support to energy-intensive industries to compensate for the indirect cost of the CPF in 2015-16. Further details will be announced at the next spending round. (Finance Bill 2013)

Carbon Price Floor - Briefing Paper

- at www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/sn05927.pdf

Fluctuations in the price of carbon in the form of EU ETS allowances have resulted in uncertainty for investors in low carbon technologies. This has contributed to a lower level of investment in these technologies, below what is required to meet UK carbon reduction and renewable targets.

To address this, the Coalition Government committed to introduce a floor price carbon and published a consultation on carbon price support in December 2010. Following this it announced in the March 2011 Budget that it would be introducing price support via the Climate Change Levy and fuel duty with a target price of £30 per tonne of carbon dioxide in 2020. The floor price will start at about £16 per tonne. At the time of the announcement the trading price was around £15 per tonne, but by January 2013 it had fallen to under £4.

Detailed proposals for the carbon price floor were published by HMRC in December 2012 as part of the draft Finance Bill 2013.

1 Background

1.1 The EU ETS

The EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is a mandatory cap-and-trade scheme for carbon dioxide, which is central to the EU’s climate change target of reducing emissions by 20% by 2020. It sets a decreasing cap for emissions from energy intensive sectors, and allocates or auctions emissions allowances (EUAs) which can be traded on the open market. It is currently in Phase II, which imposes reductions of 6.8% compared to 2005 emissions.
...

1.2 Is the price of carbon too low?

Over allocation of permits in Phase I led to the price falling to only a few cents. The consensus is that an allowance price of at least €30 a tonne is needed to drive investment. For Phase II the price reached €29 in 2008. However prices have fallen significantly since and at the end of January 2013 were hovering around €4.

The response from the Commission has been to consider raising the emissions reduction target for 2020 from 20% to 30%. This has full support from the UK Government and most Member States, although it has so far been strongly resisted by Poland. The EU Commission has also proposed holding back future credits due for auction – or backloading – but there is opposition to this from the EU Parliament.
...

3 Coalition Position

The Coalition Agreement made the following commitments with regard to the EU ETS:

We will push for the EU to demonstrate leadership in tackling international climate change, including by supporting an increase in the EU emission reduction target to 30% by 2020.
We will introduce a floor price for carbon, and make efforts to persuade the EU to move towards full auctioning of ETS permits.

Further details on a floor price were provided in July 2010 in response to a written parliamentary question:

The creation of a floor for the carbon price is an important commitment in the Programme of Government. As announced in the Budget, the Government will publish proposals in the autumn to reform the climate change levy in order to provide more certainty and support to the carbon price. Further detail will be published as part of the consultation process.

...

4 Government Budget Announcement

The Government announced its decision in the March 2011 Budget:

Carbon price floor – The Government announces a floor price for carbon in the power sector from 1 April 2013 to target a price for carbon of £30 ($43.75) per tonne of carbon dioxide in 2020. The floor will start at around £16 per tonne of carbon dioxide and the carbon price support rates for 2013-14 will be equivalent to £4.94 per tonne. The Government intends to introduce relief for carbon capture and storage and combined heat and power (CHP), and remove an existing exemption in the climate change levy for electricity CHP plants supply indirectly to an energy consumer. Anti-avoidance provisions will be introduced to prevent forestalling with effect from 23 March 2011. (Finance Bill 2011)

The then Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Chris Huhne, welcomed the decision, together with the commitment in the Budget to a Green Investment Bank:

“There’s a clear, long term signal to energy investors in today’s Budget. A Green Investment Bank with substantially more capital and borrowing capacity and a stronger, more stable carbon price put investment in green energy technologies at the heart of the coalition’s strategy for sustainable, balanced economic growth.”

4.1 Costs and Benefits

The costs and benefits for a target price of £30 for 2020 were set out in the regulatory impact assessment. This concluded that the resource cost – investment in new technology – would be around £6.1bn for 2013-2030. Over the same period there would be a carbon saving of £7.2bn and savings due to improvement in air quality of £0.9bn. This results in a total benefit in net present value of £1.9bn.

Solar, Science and Technology Clips

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:19:00 +0000

Latest Solar Clips	Latest Science & Technology Clips

Summer Study 2013 Update

noreply@blogger.com (Gerbilnow) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:46:00 +0000

SUMMER STUDY UPDATE

Summer Study videos, photos and
international events

Videos and Photos of the Summer Study

A2SE is on YouTube! What better way to kick off our YouTube channel than with two of the most requested Summer Study speaker videos: The Hon Greg Hunt (Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage) and the charismatic and passionate Benoit Lebot of the United Nations Development Programme, Global Environment Facility.

Greg and Benoit's videos can be viewed on the A2SE YouTube channel. Be sure to add our channel to your subscriptions list to be notified when new videos are uploaded.

We've also popped some of our favourite Summer Study photos on our website.
Check them out at our website.

Summer Study Presentations Coming Soon

Yes – we know you're all eagerly awaiting presentations. We appreciate your patience while we prepare the presentations for our website. They will be up on our website early next week.

EE Global Forum hosted by (US) ASE

The United States Alliance to Save Energy (ASE) is hosting this year’s Energy Efficiency Global Forum on 20 and 21 May, 2013 in Washington DC. Public registration for this event opens 1 April. To learn more about this gathering of influential international energy efficiency professionals, please visit the EE Global website. For more information about ASE, please visit www.ase.org.

European Summer Study Registration now open

Registration for the European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy’s Summer Study in the French Riviera is open now! The event will be held from June 3-8, 2013. For more information on the event, program, venue and registration, please visit the ECEEE Summer Study website.

The 2^nd A2SE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency and Decentralised Energy was a not for profit event

run by the Australian Alliance to Save Energy (A2SE). The A2SE is an independent, not-for-profit coalition of business, government and environmental leaders. It supports the widespread introduction of the world’s best practices and technologies in energy efficiency. The organisation informs public and policy discussions on energy efficiency, demand management, environmental protection and sustainability through high quality, unbiased research. A2SE’s key research partner is the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology, Sydney, and it has established links with global leaders in energy efficiency and decentralised energy including The American Council for an Energy Efficient Future, The Alliance to Save Energy (USA), The Energy Saving Trust (UK), The World Alliance for Decentralised Energy (WADE), European Alliance to Save Energy, the European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy and the Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (India). www.a2se.org.au

The Clean Energy Council is the peak body representing Australia’s clean energy and energy efficiency sector. It is an industry association that provides a unified voice for over 550 member companies involved in the development or deployment of technologies such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, wave, bioenergy, cogeneration, storage and energy efficiency. The Clean Energy Council provides a variety of services to members but its primary role is to develop and advocate effective policy to accelerate the development and deployment of all clean energy technologies. The council also promotes awareness of the industry, thought leadership and clean energy business opportunities through industry events, meetings, newsletters, directorates and the media. For more information visit www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au

Follow A2SE on Twitter

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