Making Economic Sense of Going Green for Small Business

A survey in the south west of England indicates that ‘green energy’ jobs could be the key to escaping the current economic downturn. Despite the recession, the number of people employed in the renewable energy sector grew to over 5,000 – a 78% increase. While the UK’s Energy Security and Green Economy bill must include measures to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) cut carbon emissions, according to a report Making Sense of Going Green.

Jessica Shankleman in BusinessGreen (23 August 2010):

The government’s upcoming Energy Security and Green Economy bill must include measures to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) cut carbon emissions, according to a new report from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

The report, titled Making Sense of Going Green, examines how SMEs can better contribute to the government’s low-carbon 2020 targets and recommends a range of measures, including expanding the government’s current green loan scheme for small businesses and offering incentives for firms that improve the energy efficiency of their buildings.

“The potential of the UK’s 4.8 million small businesses to contribute to the fight against climate change and drive green economic growth […] must be harnessed when the government publishes its forthcoming non-domestic Green Deal and Energy bill,” the report states.

The study cites research from the Carbon Trust which shows that if all UK businesses and public sector organisations undertook effective energy efficiency measures, they could save £3.6bn a year while slashing carbon emissions by 29 million tonnes.

Specifically, the report calls on the government to introduce a loan scheme for businesses that would see banks, energy and construction firms pay the upfront costs of major building energy efficiency upgrades; encourage firms in the worst G-rated buildings to invest in obtaining an F-rating; and waive planned increases to business rates for firms that improve building energy efficiency.

The report was released as the Welsh Assembly last week launched a package of measures to help SMEs profit from renewable energy.

Welsh environment minister Jane Davidson pledged to help small and medium-sized renewable energy installation companies access interest-free loans to cover the cost of gaining professional accreditation under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).

The move was welcomed by the Renewable Energy Association as a positive step to encourage more firms and households to install microgeneration technologies and take advantage of the new feed-in tariff.

Businesses and households can only access the feed-in tariff if they use renewable energy technologies and installers that have gained MCS certification. However, some firms have complained that the cost of gaining accreditation can be prohibitive for small businesses.

“In this new and rapidly growing market, it is important that customers are protected, as the investments are significant both in terms of cost and brain power,” said REA chief executive Gaynor Hartnell. “It is for this reason that there is a need for certification, but it must not be a barrier for installers and manufacturers. This scheme will help alleviate that.

Source: www.businessgreen.com

Business News (24 August 2010)

Survey shows 78% increase in ‘green energy’ jobs

A survey  in the south west of England indicates that ‘green energy’ jobs could be the key to leading the Westcountry out of the current economic downturn. The survey of over 200 businesses shows that over the last two years, despite the recession, the number of people employed in the renewable energy sector grew to over 5,000 – a 78 per cent increase.

The survey, commissioned by Regen SW, found that there were now 5,100 people working directly in renewable energy. It also found that the value of the industry to the south west economy (GVA) had risen by 17 per cent from £215 million to £251 million.

“This survey demonstrates the huge opportunity for renewable energy to be at the heart of our future prosperity. The 5,000 plus people already employed should be just the start” said Merlin Hyman, Regen SW’s chief executive.  Merlin added: “We will see massive investment in the next decade in meeting our climate change targets. That investment could go to overseas energy and technology companies – or we could equip local companies to win the business and generate thousands of skilled long-term jobs.”

Merlin added: “Regen SW is working with over 700 businesses, local authorities and many other partners on a huge range of exciting projects from wave power to woodfuel to help businesses create green jobs. The survey shows this work is greatly valued by business. It is vital that we build on this work as the new local enterprise partnerships, which are charged with setting the vision for our local economy in the future, are set up.”

Regen SW identified a total of 731 businesses active in the renewable energy and/or energy efficiency sectors, which together directly support almost 10,000 jobs.  The findings reinforce a study by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills* which demonstrated that the environmental goods and services sector is an important component of the regional economy, and that the south west outperforms other UK regional economies of a similar scale such as Scotland and the West Midlands in terms of the level of activity in the sector.

Source: www.swindon-business.net

Wind Drives Community Social Enterprise Investment

The prospect of a wind farm often generates a lot of heated debate in a community. But in country Victoria, Australia’s first community-owned wind farm will begin generating heat of a different kind next winter. Simon Holmes à Court, chairman, Hepburn Wind says “we’ve unlocked a whole new class of investor – the community social enterprise investor.” The report on ABC’s Inside Business.

Report on Inside Business, ABC (22 August 2010):Play video (Windows Media broadband)Play video (Windows Media dial-up)

REBECCA NASH, REPORTER: The prospect of a wind farm often generates a lot of heated debate in a community.

Here in country Victoria a different approach was taken, and, as a result, Australia’s first community-owned wind farm will begin generating heat of a different kind next winter.

SIMON HOLMES À COURT, CHAIRMAN, HEPBURN WIND: We’ve unlocked a whole new class of investor. The community social enterprise investor.

We’ve shown that given the opportunity the community is willing to put in very patient capital into building their own renewable energy infrastructure.

The fossil fuel industry is losing its social licence. There’s not a lot of support for building more coal plants.

REBECCA NASH: Five years ago a small group of Daylesford locals resolved to build a wind farm the community could embrace.

SIMON HOLMES À COURT: In the scheme of the wind industry Hepburn is a very small project. We’re building only two turbines.

But what is amazing to everyone in town and what really captures our imagination is that it just takes only those two turbines to generate as much power as our town uses on an annual basis.

REBECCA NASH: A cooperative structure was chosen for the project.

SIMON HOLMES À COURT: The nature of cooperatives, one member one vote not one share one vote was very important in establishing the authenticity of the project that it really was community owned and not a corporate project or a commercial project in the first instance.

Hepburn Wind is a $12.9 million project. We originally expected that we would raise about half in debt finance and then of the remainder about half through the community and half through the institutional investors.

We found very low interest from institutional investors in the project and that’s a lot due to the scale of the project, we’re very small. So we redoubled our efforts in the community and the community, we’re very proud, put together nearly $8 million for the project.

We currently have 1,200 members, the majority of whom are local and the median share holding is about two to three thousand dollars.

REBECCA NASH: Community and investor education is a constant, with tours provided to other wind farms.

SIMON HOLMES À COURT: We’re still out there at least once a month just telling people about the vision for the project, dispelling any fears or myths about wind farms. A lot of people are really not sure about wind farms until they see them, until they stand underneath the turbine.

REBECCA NASH: Now the turbines are on their way, the next step is finding a buyer for their electricity.

SIMON HOLMES À COURT: To the retailers we’re talking to we might represent one,two or three days of their annual demand. So we’re not so interesting from an energy sale but what we do offer is a large group of members who would be prepared to sign on as customers.

There’s obviously value to a retailer in gaining customers, but there’s also value to a lot of retailers in being associated with successful community based renewable energy project.

REBECCA NASH: Hepburn Wind has welcomed new federal legislation which separates domestic and commercial renewable energy certificates.

SIMON HOLMES À COURT: Unfortunately we still have a very significant surplus of renewable energy credits that will take quite a few years to wash through the system.

There are a lot of projects that are ready to go except for financing where financing is keyed off the energy market prices so a lot of projects are waiting for a recovery in the market and won’t get up.

REBECCA NASH: Another hurdle is the differing planning laws in Australia.

SIMON HOLMES À COURT: Around the country the planning frameworks are in flux and there’s quite a lot of uncertainty. A lot of the planning issues have long been solved in Europe, and Australia’s still working their way through it.

REBECCA NASH: Hepburn Wind is setting up a non-profit organisation to help other community energy projects get off the ground.

SIMON HOLMES À COURT: Not a week goes by without another community calling us up and saying how do we start, how do we build our own project and communities need to know how to do it. They need large access to information resources. They also need assistance with capital raising.

REBECCA NASH: For Hepburn Wind members, the last five years have been empowering in more ways than one.

SIMON HOLMES À COURT: There’s a real appreciation that we can get on and take constructive action right now. We don’t have to wait for government, we don’t have to wait for a CPRS. We can take action today on climate change.

Source: www.abc.net.au

Here’s a release from Hepburn Wind in the Friday 13 August 2010:

As the federal election campaign drags on, Hepburn Wind is sparing us the hot air and

“moving forward” with real, “real action” with a big local member drive on Election Day.

Over 1300 people have already joined Hepburn Wind, together sending a strong message

that communities want a clean energy future. Hepburn Wind wants to make sure that as

many as possible have the chance to join this exciting project, an Australian first.

“Hepburn Wind is about taking direct community action to reduce our reliance on dirty coal

for our power. While our politicians make election promises we want as many people as

possible to join us and show that communities are getting on with it” local director Vicki

Horrigan said.

“By joining Hepburn Wind you are not only making an ethical, green investment but you

become part of a community network working for sustainable solutions. Local membership

is just $100 and will return dividends over the next 25 years — that’s not much to ask for a

better future for our children.” Vicki said.

Hepburn Wind will have a special registration and information stall at the Daylesford

Primary School on polling day. Application forms and information about the project will be

available from 10am – 4pm on Saturday 21 August. Locals are invited to bring along $100 for

membership and join up on Election Day.

Construction on the locally-controlled two turbine wind farm is scheduled to begin in

October and is expected to produce more clean energy annually than used by the houses in

Daylesford.

Hepburn Wind is building Australia’s first community-owned wind farm. Our two turbines on Leonards Hill, 10km south of Daylesford, Victoria, are expected to be operational in the first half of 2011. Expert analysis predicts that the wind farm will annually generate more power than used by the houses of Daylesford.

Source: www.hepburnwind.com.au

Smart Grid & Clean Energy Solutions on Paris Agenda

GE technology available today can be employed to create reliable, sustainable and more efficient energy networks. This is the message from GE to a major event in Paris this week which brings together members from over 80 countries to discuss electrical generation and transmission of high voltage networks. The energy industry is facing some significant challenges in order to deliver upon the European Union’s ambitious commitments to fight climate change and promote renewable energy.

Business Wire from Paris (23 August 2010):

Technology available today can be employed to create reliable, sustainable and more efficient energy networks. That will be the message that John McDonald, director, technical strategy & policy development, digital energy for GE Energy Services will deliver to delegates at a GE workshop during this year’s CIGRE event in Paris.

The energy industry is facing some significant challenges over the next 10 years in order to deliver upon the European Union’s ambitious commitments to fight climate change and promote renewable energy up to 2020 and beyond.

Back in December 2008, the European Parliament and Council reached an agreement on the package that will help transform Europe into a low-carbon economy and increase its energy security. By 2020, Europe must cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20%, produce 20% of its energy from renewable sources and increase energy efficiency by 20%, according to the proposals–or “20/20/20″.

“GE is already deploying solutions that are enabling more efficient ways to make, move and use energy while reducing carbon footprints on six continents. GE’s smart grid solutions are changing the ways utilities, governments, businesses and consumers interact with energy,” confirmed McDonald.

Technology innovators, academia and business leaders from the Energy Industry will meet to discuss these challenges at an invite-only event hosted by GE at the Concorde Lafayette Hotel on the 24th of August. The workshop coincides with the CIGRE (International Council on Large Electric Systems) event in Paris from the 23rd to 27th of August 2010 at the Palais des Congres. CIGRE is a permanent international, non-government, not-for-profit association founded in France in 1921.

The event brings together members from over 80 countries to discuss and develop technical knowledge in the field of electrical generation and transmission of high voltage networks. “GE is committed to helping shrink carbon production while increasing the energy capacity and reliability,” McDonald said. ” Many of the solutions we are demonstrating at this event have already been deployed and are making a difference today, helping the industry meet targets for increased renewable energy generation and grid efficiency.”

McDonald is CIGRE’s U.S. National Committee vice president for technical activities and has 36 years of experience in the electric utility transmission and distribution industry. He received his B.S.E.E. and M.S.E.E. (power engineering) degrees from Purdue University and received Purdue University’s 2009 Outstanding Electrical and Computer Engineering (OECE) Award.

As a member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Smart Grid Electricity Advisory Committee (EAC), NEMA’s Smart Grid Council and as the chair of the NIST SGIP (Smart Grid Interoperability Panel) Governing Board, McDonald is expected to deliver the latest insights into the challenges and potential solutions for sustainable energy success from across the globe.

Attendees will learn how smart grid upgrades enable a host of benefits, including increased energy productivity, uncompromised energy security, increased use of renewables such as wind and solar, increased energy efficiency, lower carbon emissions and the ability to manage and meet growing demand.

About GE

GE is a diversified infrastructure, finance and media company taking on the world’s toughest challenges. From aircraft engines and power generation to financial services, health care solutions and television programming, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs about 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ge.com.

GE serves the energy sector by developing and deploying technology that helps make efficient use of natural resources. With nearly 85,000 global employees and 2009 revenues of $37 billion, GE Energy is one of the world’s leading suppliers of power generation and energy delivery technologies. The businesses that comprise GE Energy–GE Power & Water, GE Energy Services and GE Oil & Gas–work together to provide integrated product and service solutions in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; and other alternative fuels.

In a Reuters report late last year (2009), General Electric Co said it aims to boost its investment in clean-tech research and development to $1.5 billion a year by 2010, the largest U.S. conglomerate said on in its annual “Ecomagination” report.

The maker of products ranging from electricity-producing wind turbines to energy-efficient compact-fluorescent lights, wants to grow green-business revenues to what it called a “stretch” target of $25 billion next year, up from $17 billion in 2008 and $6 billion in 2004.

When GE unveiled the Ecomagination initiative in 2005, it set an initial revenue target of $10 billion by 2010. By last year it had raised the 2010 benchmark to $25 billion.

The Fairfield, Connecticut-based company last year spent $1.4 billion on green research, up from $700 million in 2004.

GE said it expects stimulus spending in the United States, China and elsewhere around the globe to create about $400 billion of new demand for green technologies and clean-energy products, including wind turbines and solar panels.

Source: www.marketwatch.com an www.ge.com/energy

States Go It Alone with Cap & Trade plus Wind & Solar

States don’t have to wait for Federal Government to mandate it. A cap-and-trade program already exists in the US. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) involves 10 Northeastern states and a US$2 per ton on carbon emissions from power plants. Meanwhile, a Nobel Prize-winning US scientist says the world could soon enter an era in which renewable wind and solar power will be the globe’s main sources of energy.

UPI News Track Health and Science News (24 August 2010):

Scientist: Wind, solar energy is future

A Nobel Prize-winning U.S. scientist says the world could soon enter an era in which renewable wind and solar power will be the globe’s main sources of energy.

Walter Kohn, who shared the 1998 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, told a meeting of the American Chemical Society that total oil and natural gas production, which today provides about 60 percent of global energy consumption, is expected to peak about 10 to 30 years from now, followed by a rapid decline, an ACS release said Tuesday.

But ongoing research and development of alternative energy could lead to a new era in human history in which two renewable sources — solar and wind — will become Earth’s dominant contributors of energy, Kohn said.

Global photovoltaic energy production increased by a factor of about 90, and wind energy by a factor of about 10, during the last 10 years, Kohn said. He expects vigorous growth of these two effectively inexhaustible energies to continue.

Kohn, from the University of California, Santa Barbara, cited students on his campus who spent their own funds to convert an athletic building to total solar power.

“When it comes to providing leadership by young people in the area of energy conservation and energy efficiency and global warming — they are fantastic,” he said. “It is a major social commitment for our times.”

Source: www.upi.com

Gina Marie Cheeseman for Care2 (23 August 2010):

US States and Regions Taking Up the Charge to Reduce Carbon Emissions

As prospects for Congress to pass climate legislation this year dim, states are taking up the charge to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Take last week’s hearings in New Mexico to create a cap on GHGs as an example. New Mexico’s Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) held five days of hearing testimony on a proposal by New Energy Economy (NEE). The EIB will hold more hearings to listen to testimony from groups opposed to the NEE proposal.

In 2008, the NEE petitioned the EIB to regulate the state’s GHG emissions. The NEE’s proposed cap on GHGs would be phased in, and first applies to gas and oil industry and energy generation sources that emit over 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide a year, and would be required to reduce emissions by three percent a year from 2010 levels, beginning in 2012.

“I think with the failure of federal action on climate change, it is going to be incumbent on states to lead, and having an opposition witness notice that, that’s pretty important,” NEE executive director John Fogarty said in an interview.

A cap-and-trade program already exists in the U.S. It is called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and 10 Northeastern states participate. The program consists of a $2 per ton on carbon emissions from power plants. Although the cap is small, it will increase. Furthermore, carbon permits are auctioned off by state governments “which has allowed states to raise about $88 million for efficiency and renewable-power programs,” according to The New Republic.  

An analysis by Point Carbon estimated that the RGGI and the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), a cap-and-trade system for seven Western states and four Canadian provinces that will begin in January 2012, could meet about 41 percent of the Obama administration’s 2020 target of reducing carbon emissions by 17 percent from 2005 levels. The two programs expected to bring in about $100 billion until 2020 for public investments in renewable energy.

The WCI will require regional GHG emissions to be reduced by 15 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. It will be completely implemented in 2015, and will cover almost 90 percent of the GHG emissions of its participating states and provinces.

Nobuo Tanaka, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) said that the U.S. “certainly has to introduce carbon prices either by cap-and-trade or carbon tax” to meet the 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020 target. Until that happens, expect regions and states to implement their own emissions reduction programs.

Source: www.care2.com

Overhaul CDM for Carbon Credibility & Environmental Integrity

The European Union’s top climate official this week called for a major overhaul of the UN’s carbon credit mechanism amid concerns from environmental groups. The Clean Development Mechanism “has been successful in some aspects but has also given rise to criticism with regard to environmental integrity,” European Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said. CDMs and carbon trading are a major focus of the Carbon Forum Asia from 27 – 28 October in Singapore.

AFP report in The Age (26 August 2010):

The European Union’s top climate official this week called for a major overhaul of the UN’s carbon credit mechanism amid concerns from environmental groups.

The Clean Development Mechanism “has been successful in some aspects but has also given rise to criticism, for example, with regard to environmental integrity,” European Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said.

“As a first step towards a more advanced carbon market the CDM therefore needs a major overhaul,” Hedegaard said in a statement.

The commissioner said she would propose new restrictions on the use of credits from industrial gas projects under the EU’s emission trading scheme after 2012, the end of its current trading period.

Under the CDM, companies in rich countries can claim carbon credits to offset against their own greenhouse-gas emissions if their project qualifies as an initiative that reduces emissions in a poor country.

The credits can then be bought and sold, like any asset.

But environmental groups have asked for a revision of the mechanism, arguing that it lacks balance, has actually led to growth in the potent HFC-23 greenhouse gas and subsidised the chemical industry.

“The international debate has made it quite clear what changes to the CDM are needed … and also what successor mechanisms should be put in place to make the carbon market an even more powerful instrument to reduce emissions,” Hedegaard said.

Source: www.news.theage.com.au

Carbon Forum Asia Report from Singapore:

As of July 2010, the United Nations Framework on Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) has registered over 2,300 CDM projects globally, an increase of more than 35 percent over a year ago. More than three-quarters of these projects are registered in Asia and the Pacific, spelling once again the abundant opportunities in the region’s carbon trading markets.

With the Kyoto protocol nearing its expiration date in 2012, climate change negotiators are focusing their attention on reaching a definitive agreement for a global fight against climate change. These, and other exciting developments in the emissions trading and global carbon markets will be the centrepiece of the discussions at the fifth edition of CARBON FORUM ASIA, from 27 – 28 October 2010 in Singapore.

Returning with an even more incisive conference program and comprehensive trade fair, CARBON FORUM ASIA 2010 will once again bring together representatives from more than 50 countries in a key gathering prior to the climate change talks in Cancun, Mexico, at the end of this year.

As the Carbon Market continues to grow and the need for a new international treaty becomes more intense, the leading Trade Fair and Conference in Asia is expecting to welcome some 1,000 international participants over the two days.

“Asia has dominated the supply side of the global carbon market over its short but dynamic history,” said Henry Derwent, President and CEO of the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA). “But key Asian countries are now on the brink of adopting emissions trading; so investors and market players must now gauge Asian demand as well as supply. CARBON FORUM ASIA is the place where the experts set out the trends and the politics that will define what could be the most exciting new market of the 21^st century”.

Asia still a key driver in global CDM market

While China and India account for more than 60 percent of 1,780 registered Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects in Asia to date, emerging economies like Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines are also notable contributors to the world’s CDM market.

With some 150 international companies and organizations such as Enel, Endesa, Vattenfall, Orbeo, Rhodia Energy Services, TÜV Rheinland, DNV, Baker & Mckenzie and Deutsche Bank expected to be represented at the CARBON FORUM ASIA Trade Fair, visitors to the event will gain a unique and comprehensive perspective of the Carbon Market activities across the globe.

Australia, Germany, Japan and Singapore are some of the countries who will be hosting official country pavilions, providing visitors with a more focused view of the carbon market regulations, initiatives and innovations in each country.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will once more continue to gather project owners from developing countries in a special projects pavilion where Carbon Market sellers and traders can easily identify the opportunities available in these economies, while gaining insights into the types of projects dominating the global CDM investment market.

Held just prior to the important round of climate change talks in Mexico, CARBON FORUM ASIA continues to play a key role in shaping Asia’s viewpoints and contributions to the global climate change abatement efforts.

With over 130 speakers from key global and regional private and public organizations, and authoritative players in the emissions trading landscape, such as World Resources Institute, WWF, China Clean Development Mechanism Fund Management Center, Malaysia’s Biomass-SP, National Australia Bank, Chevron, Shell, Asian Development Bank, IETA, Japan Bank for International Cooperation, UNFCCC, World Bank, and Mexico as the COP16 Host, the CARBON FORUM ASIA Conference will define the key issues impacting the outcome at Cancun.

Covering topics spanning the latest developments in markets around the world, how Asia will fit into the global market of the future, the role of CDM at a time of global change, climate and carbon financing, venture capital, forestry and renewable energy, the CARBON FORUM ASIA 2010 Conference aims to provide participants with insights into the decisive and critical topics influencing the global discussion on emissions trading and climate change.

The Asia-Pacific carbon market crossroads

CARBON FORUM ASIA 2010 is expected to attract about 1,000 participants from across the globe, providing the perfect avenue for networking and exploring further opportunities and innovations in the multi-billion dollar Carbon Market.

Jointly organized by IETA and Koelnmesse, CARBON FORUM ASIA 2010 will be held on 27 and 28 October at the Raffles City Convention Centre, Singapore.

CARBON FORUM ASIA 2010 is the opening anchor for the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW), which features a week-long calendar of energy-related trade fairs, conferences and dialogues, expected to draw more than 10,000 participants.

Last year’s CARBON FORUM ASIA showcased over 60 projects and drew 924 participants from 106 countries.

Source:  www.singapore.iew.com.sg and www.carbonforumasia.com

Focus on Singapore as Global Green Building Hub

For the first time, the World Green Building Council International Congress will take place in Asia in the lead up to World Green Building Day on 23 September. It is one of a trio of eco-events in Singapore next month to create Southeast Asia’s biggest and most important gathering of ‘green’ builders and property developers ever organised. Meanwhile, Australia is putting renewed focus on greening existing building stock.

WorldGBC International Congress: 13-15 September, Singapore

Southeast Asia’s premier Build Eco Xpo, BEX Asia is back from 13-15 September at the new Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

Focused on green building architecture, design, products, practices and technologies for environmental sustainability, BEX Asia 2010 provides a platform for industry practitioners, professionals and key buyers across the region to network and do business with Southeast Asia’s developing economies.

The four-day event is being staged alongside the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) International Congress 2010 and the inaugural Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) ‘Green Building Conference’.

It will be the first time the WorldGBC International Congress has taken place in Asia and is part of the lead up to World Green Building Day on 23 September.

In partnership with the SGBC and Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA), the trio of eco-events combine to create Southeast Asia’s biggest and most important gathering of ‘green’ builders and property developers ever organised. Participants will have the opportunity to meet and engage with invited experts at workshops, tours and talks scheduled throughout the four days.

Over 200 exhibiting companies from more than 20 countries internationally will showcase their latest environmentally-friendly building technologies, products, concepts and solutions at BEX Asia 2010. Major players to showcase include BASF, Carrier, EnGro Corporation Limited, Johnson Controls and Trane.

“BEX Asia is quickly establishing itself as a must-attend event in the industry by offering a platform for exhibitors to present their products and to educate potential customers on the benefits of their solutions,” said Michelle Lim, Managing Director of Reed Exhibitions

In tandem with growing global concern and commitment to environmental sustainability, BEX Asia has gone from strength-to-strength since its inception in 2008. It has grown from 100 exhibiting companies in the first year to more than 200 in its third year, and from 4000 visitors in its first year to an expected 7,000 this year.

“We expect the momentum to continue this year with possibly another record-breaking turnout,” added Ms Lim.

About WorldGBC International Congress

The WorldGBC International Congress forum, a series of sessions from senior government officials, industry experts and a minister from China, India, Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia will also play a poignant role during the event. Discussion topics will include: A World Green Building Campaign, Tackling Global Climate Change, Meeting Local Priorities; Rating Tools and Common Carbon Metric; Policies Paradise (with UNEP); Innovations in Financing Green Solutions.

One of the highlights of the show will be “Leadership in Green Building Lecture Series 6″ led by green building experts from around the world including David Johnson, Westcoast Director, San Francisco of William McDonough + Partners, and Bill Odell, Director, Science and Technology Group The HOK Group.

SGBC’s inaugural “Green Building Conference” on Day Three will tackle various debates pertaining Zero Energy Buildings and Cutting Edge Green Building Technologies and Designs, with practical application through case study analysis.

Source: www.sgbc.sg

Report from RMIT (25 August 2010):

Greening the existing building stock

What does it take to make old buildings green? How can we encourage innovative renovations and retrofits to improve the nation’s environmental footprint?

The challenge of transforming existing buildings for a sustainable Australia will be explored next week at the 8th annual Green Building and Design Conference (Friday, 3 September – Saturday, 4 September).

RMIT University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Margaret Gardner AO, will introduce the Victorian Minister for the Environment and Climate Change and Minister for Innovation, Gavin Jennings MLC, to give a welcoming address.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle will welcome delegates and speak about the City of Melbourne’s 1200 Buildings initiative – a program that places the city at the cutting edge of the global green building movement.

Keynote speaker, RMIT Adjunct Professor Alan Pears AM, will examine ways for renovators and project teams to ensure that renovated buildings become assets for the future, rather than liabilities.

The conference aims to bring together architects and designers, policy makers, energy consultants, building owners and the building industry to explore innovative trends and practices in building retrofits.

An outstanding line-up of speakers from the residential and commercial sectors, as well as private and public institutions, will detail case studies of building adaptation and elaborate on closing the gap in energy and water efficiencies between old and new buildings. Site visits on Saturday, 4 September will complement the program.

The Green Building and Design Conference is presented by RMIT’s Centre for Design and School of Property Construction and Project Management, and is sponsored by Sustainability Victoria.

What: Green Building and Design Conference 2010
When: Friday, 3 September, 8.30am (Keynote Speech: 9.20am)
Where: Village Roadshow Theatrette, State Library of Victoria Access through Entry 3, La Trobe Street, Melbourne 

Source: www.rmit.edu.au

GBCA media release (26 August 2010):

The GBCA is exploring a new approach in addressing existing buildings within its Green Star suite of rating tools. This approach would allow a Green Star tool for existing buildings to:

- address building operations and maintenance, including performance benchmarking;
o incorporating NABERS metrics where available
o incorporating other reporting standards where appropriate
- address many different building types – not just office buildings;
- be comparable to Green Star Design and As Built ratings;
- assess individual buildings and entire portfolios;
- be cost-efficient and user friendly in its delivery;
- reward environmental performance that exceed standard practice;
- recognise market leadership in holistic building operations and management.

The scope of the tool is to be developed based on the guiding principles above and in consultation with a Stakeholder Reference Group (SRG). The SRG is made up of organisations that would potentially use a Green Star tool for building operations – portfolio managers, facilities managers, maintenance organisations and building owners.

It is expected that the scoping phase of the Green Star ‘existing buildings’ project and the SRG involvement will last 3 to 6 months. Following the scoping phase, and approval by the GBCA Technical Steering Committee and Board, a Technical Working Group (TWG) will be assembled to allow wider industry consultation and to address specific technical issues relating to existing buildings.

Source: www.gbca.org.au

Putting Green in the Spotlight for Viewers, Tourists & Drivers

In an exciting new development for the sustainable tourism industry, EarthCheck has partnered with Travel Wild to launch a series of television shows that will air on the Discovery Travel Channel, highlighting tourist destinations that have taken sustainability to heart. And the Holden Service Centre Environment Award, sponsored by Double-E EnviClean, is the first environment award to recognise the achievements of car service centres in Victoria, providing leadership to achieve positive outcomes for the environment, waste reduction and improved safety.

Earthcheck reports:

In an exciting new development for the sustainable tourism industry, EarthCheck has partnered with Travel Wild to launch a series of television shows that will air on the Discovery Travel Channel, highlighting tourist destinations that have taken sustainability to heart.

EarthCheck is widely acknowledged as the global leader in sustainable travel and tourism environmental management systems, with more than 1000 organisations in over 70 countries using their science and technology. Among these are market leaders such as ACCOR, InterContinental Hotels Group, Sandals Resorts International, Banyan Tree and Club Med.

In a world increasingly confused by varying shades of green, the EarthCheck brand offers consumers a simple way to quickly recognise those companies that are operating to international best practice standards and have had their eco credentials independently verified.

Fronted by effervescent presenter Lin Sutherland, Travel Wild currently airs on the Discovery Travel Network and has a potential footprint of 100 million viewers worldwide. The show has traditionally shone the spotlight on Australian destinations, but series two will broaden its content focus to include exotic destinations from Mexico to the Maldives and beyond.

Coupled with the show, the Travel Wild website () will allow viewers to find out more about the properties and tours profiled, as well as access special EarthCheck deals.      

Travel Wild is currently on air and Series Two is in production.

Source: www.earthcheck.org and  www.travelwild.tv

A report from Melbourne:

Double-E EnviClean, the supplier of EE-EnvicLean® Super Dry Encapsulant for Liquid Spills, in partnership with the Holden Dealers Service Managers Association and the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC) has announced a call for entries from Holden Service Centres in Victoria and Tasmania to enter the Holden Service Centre Environment Award.

The Holden Service Centre Environment Award is the first environment award for Holden service centres to recognise the achievements of Service Centres in changing their practices and providing leadership to achieve positive outcomes for the environment and Service Centre operations in areas such as waste reduction and improved safety.

The award will be conducted under the auspices of the Holden Dealers Service Managers Association and will initially be open to all Holden Service Centre teams in Victoria and Tasmania.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with an innovative company like Double-E EnviClean for an award that recognises the great work Holden Service Centres are doing in achieving positive outcomes for the environment and their service centres,” said Richard Rayner, President of the Victorian Holden Dealers Service Managers Association.

The Environment Award will recognise service centre initiatives in waste water reduction and the reduction of waste. Assessment and judging of entries will be conducted by a panel including members from the Holden Dealers Service Managers Association, a representative from EE-EnvicLean and VACC’s Environmental Advisor.

“Training and innovative awards programs such as this assist businesses in the automotive trades to incorporate processes and practices that avoid, reduce, reuse, recycle and dispose of their wastes in an environmentally sensitive manner, said Sarah Thomas, VACC’s Environmental Advisor who is soon to launch the Green Stamp Plus environmental accreditation program at VACC.

Entries open on August 1 with the leading three service centres to be announced at the Holden Dealers Service Managers Association annual dinner on 3 December, 2010. A special judges discretionary award category has also been created in recognition of an idea or initiative that breaks the mould.

About Double-E EnviClean – Double-E EnvicLean Pty Ltd is the manufacturer and worldwide distributor of the revolutionary EE-EnvicLean® Super Dry Encapsulant for Liquid Spills and innovative liquid waste management products and services that meet the highest environmental standards.

About Green Stamp Plus – Green Stamp Plus accreditation is encouraging automotive businesses to comply with environmental laws and more importantly, rewarding the many that have gone beyond their legislative requirements. The accreditation for automotive trades has been developed with state and territory Motor Trade Associations, and the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.

Source: www.enviclean.com.au and www.greenstampplus.com.au

Lucky Last Word on The Greenest Way to Go

The world’s first water cremation centre on the Gold Coast is offering a liquid alternative to cremation and burial, using a process it hopes will revolutionise the funeral industry.

Aquamation Industries chief executive John Humphries says the service, at the Eco Memorial Park at Stapylton, appropriately near Dreamworld, is the first of its kind in the world.

“Aquamation is a more natural, ethical and environmentally friendly alternative to cremations and uses water instead of fire to return a body to nature, Mr Humphries said.

This has been reported  in New Scientist and around the world, even in Queensland by Courier Mail.

In his book “The ABC of Carbon”, Ken Hickson drew attention to various ways to green up the end of life as we know it, from eco friendly coffins to eternal reefs. There’s even advice on how to turn ash  into diamonds. Have a look at Funeral Rights and Funerals Recycled.  Read More

Wendy Zukerman in New Scientist (19 August 2010):

Want to leave a light footprint on this Earth when you die? Perhaps you should consider “aquamation”, a new eco-alternative to burial and cremation.

With land for burials in short supply and cremation producing around 150 kilograms of carbon dioxide per body – and as much as 200 micrograms of toxic mercury – aquamation is being touted as the greenest method for disposing of your mortal remains.

The corpse is placed into a steel container and potassium is added, followed by water heated to 93 °C. The flesh and organs are completely decomposed in 4 hours, leaving bones as the only solid remains.

This is similar to what’s left after cremation, where the “ashes” are in fact bones hardened in the furnace and then crushed.

Low-energy funeral

Aquamation uses only 10 per cent of the energy of a conventional cremation and releases no toxic emissions, says John Humphries, chief executive of Aquamation Industries in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, who developed the technology. The decomposition process, called alkaline hydrolysis, “simply speeds up the natural way that flesh decomposes in soil and water”, he says.

Similar methods for decomposing corpses have been developed elsewhere, but they decompose corpses at much higher temperatures. For example,Resomation, based in Glasgow, UK, dissolves bodies in sodium hydroxide at 180 °C.

By decomposing pig carcasses at different water temperatures, Humphries found that the higher heat was unnecessary and that 93 °C was the most efficient temperature for body decomposition.

Life from death

There are recycling possibilities too. Humphries says that aquamation, unlike cremation, will not destroy artificial implants such as hip replacements, allowing them to be reused. And after the body is decomposed, “the water is a fantastic fertiliser”, he says.

Since his company began offering the process last month, 60 people in Australia have nominated aquamation for the disposal of their own corpse.

“This is a great initiative,” says Barry Brook, a climate scientist at the University of Adelaide, South Australia. “It’s easy to dismiss these small-scale technologies as trivial, but if you add enough small-scale solutions together they can add up to something meaningful.”

Source: www.newscientist.com

AAP reports in Courier Mail (12 August 2010):

The world’s first water cremation centre on the Gold Coast is offering a liquid alternative to cremation and burial, using a process it hopes will revolutionise the funeral industry.

Aquamation Industries chief executive John Humphries says the service, at the Eco Memorial Park at Stapylton near Dreamworld, is the first of its kind in the world.

But he expects around 30 centres around Australia will offer the option within 12 months.

“Aquamation is a more natural, ethical and environmentally friendly alternative to cremations and uses water instead of fire to return a body to nature, Mr Humphries said.

“And within a year we would expect you would be able to have this done anywhere in Australia.”

The process, called alkaline hydrolysis, relies on the same natural forces by which which a dead animal is returned to nature in the bush, he said.

“So we’ve put this totally natural process into a stainless steel tube where the body is washed for about four hours; it’s the same natural breakdown of tissue, just at a faster rate, and even the Catholic church has now approved it,” he said.

Mr Humphries said the equipment he invented was based on an experimental unit in the US that uses extreme pressure and temperature to destroy the infectious remains of cattle with mad cow disease.

“We haven’t invented the process, nature discovered that,” he said.

“We’ve simply re-designed the equipment so the water breaks down the cells and brings the body back to the chemical component it’s made up of, leaving only white chalky bones which are returned to the family in an urn, like ashes.”

Aquamation costs about the same as cremation, but without the 200kg of greenhouse gas emissions produced in a cremation, he said.

“It’s expected that in America, within about 10 years, there won’t be cremations because the public reaction to this process is just overwhelming,” Mr Humphries said.

He said the technology was also an answer to new European regulations that state mercury pollution has to be reduced at crematoriums by 2012.
 

Source: www.couriermail.com.au

Ignore  ideas at your peril!

Isn’t it a pity when we see great examples of innovation, enterprise and clear thinking – even leadership – from the private sector and not for profit organisations, which get totally ignored by the powers that be – or would be. Here we have a brilliant plan for a Zero Carbon Australia, backed by science and business – and the odd politician – that was started by one young man, Matthew Wright, who we profile. Then there’s a ten-step plan from Michael Molitor (in Lucky Last) which could put Australia at the forefront of the world’s biggest economic growth opportunity and to help ensure that a widespread global carbon correction is avoided. The best the Labor Government can come up with is an endorsement of carbon farming – which was promoted by Malcolm Turnbull two years ago. The Climate Change and Business conference was very cool on Australia, but decidedly warmer for New Zealand and China. There’s an Australian business – now based in Singapore – which has built the biggest tidal turbine to produce clean energy for Scotland. As a global miner, Rio Tinto is making surprisingly positive sounds in favour of a price on carbon, while the first of the big four accounting firms has committed to clean tech growth. Electric cars are showing how to go around the world in 80 days, while China is taking drastic action against polluters and boosting green building (and clean energy). The US has a new plan to consider that’s good for the pocket and the environment, and scientists in Australia and New Zealand are standing up to the senseless challenge of the sceptical coalition. Some things never change! – Ken Hickson

Profile: Matthew Wright

As chief executive of the Beyond Zero Emissions group, Matthew Wright claims the multi-billion dollar Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan  was more realistic than Australia’s continued dependence on foreign oil supplies and fluctuating fuel prices. ”If you’re going to secure Australia’s energy future, then you’re going to do that with risk-free renewable energy that has no fuel costs.”

Report from Hatch Generation:

Matthew Wright is an advocate of climate and energy solutions.  He has been working with government and industry to educate and enable the execution of renewable energy, water saving and energy efficiency. He is the lead campaigner with the climate advocacy and awareness group, Beyond Zero Emissions & hosts the Beyond Zero radio show biweekly where he interviews leading world experts on climate science and solutions.

Matthew and the Beyond Zero Emissions team are at the forefront of Australia’s climate science, solutions and politics. They are currently working on a blueprint to completely de-carbonise the Australian economy by 2020. Called Zero Carbon Australia (ZCA), the project draws on the wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise of individuals in the Australian community to develop this transition plan.

Prior to that he was in Technical Sales in Mission Critical server architecture at Reuters, servicing amongst others the Finance Sector.

Source: www.hatchgeneration.com.au

Ben Cubby in Sydney Morning Herald (13 August 2010):

AUSTRALIA could switch completely to renewable energy within a decade by building a dozen vast, new solar power stations and about 6500 wind turbines, according to a major new study.

The Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan – a collaboration between Melbourne University’s Energy Research Institute, the environment group Beyond Zero Emissions and engineers Sinclair Knight Merz, puts the cost at $37 billion in private funding and public investment every year for the next decade.

The price tag may make it sound like a pipedream but the scheme earned the endorsement of the federal Liberal MP Malcolm Turnbull who added his support at a forum at Sydney Town Hall last night.

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”The work they have done is important,” Mr Turnbull said. ”It provides the most comprehensive technical blueprint yet for what our engineers, our scientists, can begin to do tomorrow.”

Mr Turnbull contrasted the Coalition’s ”direct action” plan with Labor’s policy, which he claimed would lead to longer delays in cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

”I believe our long-term global goal is to very substantially reduce our emissions, a goal that will require almost all of our stationary energy to be produced from zero or near-zero emission sources,” Mr Turnbull said.

”This report demonstrates we could already be technologically ready to do that.”

The plan has also been endorsed by Australia’s former chief scientist Robin Batterham, and a senior official at the International Energy Agency’s renewable energy division, Cedric Philibert.

However, the National Generators Forum, which represents power station owners, and the office of the federal Energy Minister, Martin Ferguson, were decidedly lukewarm about the plan when asked about the findings last month. Under the plan, 60 per cent of the nation’s electricity would be sourced from 12 huge solar thermal power plants, which use Australian-developed technology to store heat in molten salt, allowing them to operate for long periods when there is no sunshine.

The remaining 40 per cent of the power grid would be filled by about 6500 wind turbines at 23 large-scale wind farms dotted mainly around the coast.

The plan would generate 325 terawatt hours of electricity a year, meeting the nation’s entire power demands in the year 2020, if a comprehensive energy efficiency plan is also factored in. Any shortfalls could be made up by biomass energy generation, using a portion of the stubble from the nation’s wheatfields.

To properly harness all the renewable energy, the report calls for the unification of Australia’s three separate electricity grids and some new transmission lines to link the new power stations to capital cities, at a total cost of $92 billion.

If the cost of completely transforming the energy sector was passed directly on to households, it would add 30 per cent to the average utility bill.

Matthew Wright, the chief executive of the Beyond Zero Emissions group, claimed the report was more realistic than Australia’s continued dependence on foreign oil supplies and fluctuating fuel prices.

”The fact is, from an energy perspective, we are in big trouble,” said Mr Wright when he briefed staff from the NSW Department of Climate Change, Environment and Water on the plan yesterday.

”If you’re going to secure Australia’s energy future, then you’re going to do that with risk-free renewable energy that has no fuel costs.”

Source:  www.smh.com.au

Beyond Zero Emissions is an Australian-based, not-for-profit climate change campaign centre founded by Matthew Wright and Adrian Whitehead. An editorial by Matthew Wright was published on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s editorial website Unleashed.

The group advocates reducing human-caused greenhouse gas emissions to ‘zero and below’ by implementing structural changes to stationary energy, transport, agriculture, logging, housing and construction, etc. and by implementing energy efficiency measures.

They subscribe to the view that 2010 atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide are at a dangerous level (approximately 390ppm) and growing, and that even when the goal of a zero emissions global economy has been achieved, atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide will still need to be reduced to a safe threshold. They state that given 350ppm was the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide at which the disintegration of the Arctic sea-ice began, and a level somewhere between 280ppm (pre-industrial level) and 325ppm is considered to be a safe threshold, reducing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide to this threshold is desired.

They believe that this will be achieved using methods such as ending the logging of native forests and by the widespread production of crop-residual agrichar.

The group advocates reducing human-caused greenhouse gas emissions to ‘zero and below’ by implementing structural changes to stationary energy, transport, agriculture, logging, housing and construction, etc. and by implementing energy efficiency measures.

Zero Carbon Australia 2020 is Beyond Zero Emissions’ plan to decarbonise Australia in 10 years, with the goal of achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions from electricity (stationary / energy sector) and transport.

Source: www.beyondzeroemissions.org