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Atos has announced that it has offset 100% of its 2018 CO2 emissions worldwide, through a dedicated wind farm program. In addition to offsetting emissions from its data centers, which it has done since 2014, Atos now ensures that this program also includes the offsetting of carbon emissions produced by its offices and business travel. This initiative is part of Atos’ global environmental program supporting Advance 2021 strategic plan.

As part of the world effort to tackle climate change, Atos is working to continuously reduce its environmental footprint through the implementation of its environmental program with multiple initiatives, including modernizing its data centers, increasing the use of renewable energies, reducing its carbon footprint and improving its overall energy efficiency.

To offset its CO2 emissions from all its activities, Atos has invested in three wind farms located in India. The project, which was started in 2010 across three states in India (Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra), promotes the use of renewable energy and has led to the installation of a total of 137 wind turbines generators.

Every year, the three wind farms with an output 109.6 MW, produce power approximately 40,000 households in rural areas. They improve the production capacity of the local industries and businesses and contribute to the development of the local economy – providing new jobs – and to education and healthcare initiatives.

Atos is supporting businesses in their journeys towards more sustainable operations. Going forward, Atos’ clients can report “ZERO” in their own carbon reporting for the solutions they host in Atos datacenters.

“Since 2008, Atos has rolled-out a major environmental program that encompasses the modernization of our datacenters and the reduction of their Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), the increasing use of decarbonized electricity and a global offsetting program. Within our Advance 2021 strategic plan, we are committed to reducing our carbon emissions by revenue up to 20% (2016 baseline) in order to help tackle climate change. We are therefore proud to be now delivering fully compensated hosting services to our clients.” says Philippe Mareine, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Atos.

So that this project conforms to the VCS standard, Atos has chosen to work with EcoAct.

“As a leading carbon neutrality advisory company, EcoAct is very proud to support Atos in the implementation of its carbon neutrality strategy – especially as they expanded the scope of their carbon offsetting in 2018 to their offices and business travel worldwide, in addition to their datacenter emissions” says Arnaud Doré, Executive Director at EcoAct France.

Over the long-term, Atos’ carbon reduction targets have been approved by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) as in line with the global effort to limit the rise of climate change below 2°C.

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The Spanish Bioenergy Association (Avebiom) and the Fundación Circe are participating in the European AgroBioHeat project, which seeks to extend the use of agro-biomass (straw, agricultural prunings, olive pits, almond shells, energy crops, etc.) heating in the European Union.

Avebiom and Circe are addressing the challenge with a view to changing the current model, in which agro-biomass is very underused despite being a resource of great potential. The AgroBioHeat project seeks to promote initiatives in which biomass installers, boiler manufacturers, agro-industries, associations, municipal councils and other institutions can become involved. For this purpose, Avebiom and Circe will identify, accompany and advise companies and entities in the undertaking of two specific projects in Spain.

Identifying initiatives

“Avebiom has the responsibility of identifying initiatives of interest in Spain and trying to ensure that they are successful in order to promote the use of agro-biomass”, points out the association’s project leader, Pablo Rodero. “We will accompany these initiatives until the end of the project and help them to overcome barriers and solve any technical issues or doubts that might emerge”, he added.

Daniel García, a researcher at the Fundación Circe, explains that AgroBioHeat has multiple lines of action. “It is necessary to promote the technologies capable of using agro-biomass with guarantees at trade fairs and other events. We have to put potential developers into contact with facilities that are already up and running and we have to convince the general public that this biomass is as eco-friendly and can be used as safely as forest biomass”, he points out.

Both Rodero and García highlight the fact that the project seeks to address an imminent threat that could limit the use of biomass. They point out that the current Eco-design Regulation, which comes into force in January 2020, imposes very stringent limits on emissions from wood pellet and wood chip boilers of less than 500 kW. And it is expected that a review of the Eco-design Regulation in 2021 will extend these emission limits to other types of biomass.

Avebiom and Circe will undertake a process to select the technologies and facilities to be used for testing and measurement purposes, as well as the new agro-biomass initiatives they wish to promote.

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A new report on the global market potential of biogas will be launched by the World Biogas Association (WBA) at the inaugural World Biogas Summit 2019 in July.

The report will set out the potential for growth in biogas markets in different regions across the world and on a global scale, and will build on a series of existing WBA reports, some focused on biogas markets in particular countries and others on the contribution that biogas can make to meeting specific policy goals such as the United Nations’ (UNs’) Sustainable Development Goals, improving urban air quality, mitigating climate change, and tackling food waste.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) and biogas technologies convert organic wastes and purpose-grown crops into renewable heat and power, clean transport fuel, and nutrient-rich natural fertiliser.

WBA President David Newman said:

“If rolled out on a large scale, biogas technologies can reduce global emissions by a staggering 20% – a huge contribution to tackling the urgent challenge of climate change. There is enormous growth potential for these technologies right around the world, particularly in countries with poor existing facilities for managing wastes such as inedible food, sewage, and manures.

“This exciting new report will be the first to offer a global overview of the growth potential for biogas markets, as well as focusing on specific regions. We want this to be the go-to guide for investors, governments, and policymakers looking to reap the many economic and environmental benefits of biogas around the world.”

The report will be launched at the inaugural World Biogas Summit 2019, the largest ever dedicated global biogas conference, taking place on 3rd-4th July at the NEC in Birmingham, UK. The summit is being co-organised by WBA and the UK Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association (ADBA) and will be co-located with UK AD & World Biogas Expo 2019, the world’s largest tradeshow dedicated solely to AD and biogas.

Commenting on the development of plans for the Summit and Expo, Mr Newman said:

“Together with ADBA, we’ve been investing both time and money into these flagship events to make them the largest and most international to date. This has included appointing a dedicated events management company to grow the events and creating the World Biogas Summit, a major new international thought-leadership forum that will run alongside the Expo and put anaerobic digestion and biogas at the very heart of global sustainable development, where it needs to be.”

ADBA will be celebrating its tenth anniversary at the events and reflecting on the progress of the UK AD industry over the past decade. One of the key topics for the Summit and Expo will be food waste recycling, following the announcement at the ADBA National Conference 2018 this week by a government minister that the universal food waste collections will be included in the UK’s forthcoming Resources & Waste Strategy.

ADBA Chief Executive Charlotte Morton said:

“We’re hugely excited about both the Summit and the Expo, which will offer those working in the UK AD industry the perfect opportunity to network with and learn from others from around the world to discover the latest products, services, and expertise that can help to drive the growth of AD in the UK.”

The WBA will also host a reception at the House of Commons in London on 18th February bringing together WBA members, ambassadors, and trade officials to attract global interest in the benefits of AD and biogas worldwide and discuss how these technologies can support countries around the world in reducing their emissions quickly and deeply. International delegations will then be able to explore these benefits further at UK AD & World Biogas Expo 2019.

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Global carbon emissions are set to hit an all-time high in 2018 – according to researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the Global Carbon Project. The new data for 2018 reveals that global emissions from burning fossil fuels are expected to reach 37.1 billion tonnes of CO2 in 2018. CO2 emissions have now risen for a second year, after three years of little-to-no growth from 2014 to 2016. The rise this year is projected at 2.7%. In 2017 it was 1.6%.

The 10 biggest emitters in 2018 are China, the US, India, Russia, Japan, Germany, Iran, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Canada. The EU as a whole region of countries ranks third.

What is driving the rise?

This year’s rising emission figures are largely due to solid growth in coal use, but coal still remains below its historical high in 2013. Coal use may soon exceed this 2013 peak if current growth continues.

Oil use is growing strongly in most regions, with a rise in emissions from cars and lorries, including in the US and Europe. Flights have also contributed to the oil rise. Gas use has grown almost unabated in recent years.

CO2 emissions from deforestation and other human activities on land contributed an additional 5 billion tonnes of CO2 this year, bringing total CO2 emissions to 41.5 billion tonnes of CO2. The global trends in those emissions are unclear due to large uncertainties in the data.

Concentrations CO2 in the atmosphere are set to increase by around 2.3 ppm on average in 2018 in response to continued CO2 emissions, to reach about 407 ppm over the year. This is 45% above pre-industrial levels.

The good news

Countering rising global emissions are 19 countries where emissions have reduced and their economy has grown. Aruba, Barbados, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Malta, the Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, the UK, the US, and Uzbekistan have all decreased their emissions over the past decade (2008-2017).

Deployment of renewable energy worldwide is accelerating exponentially, with electricity generation growing at 15% per year on average over the last decade. But this has not been enough to offset the growth in fossil energy because renewables are growing from a low base. This is changing rapidly.

How different countries compare

Almost all countries have contributed to the rise in global emissions, either through growth in emissions or through reductions that are slower than expected.

China’s emissions account for 27% of the global total, having grown an estimated 4.7% in 2018 and reaching a new all-time high. The growth in emissions is linked to construction activity and economic growth. Energy from renewables is growing by 25% per year, but from a low base.

Emissions in the US account for 15% of the global total, and look set to have grown about 2.5% in 2018 after several years in decline. The new rise is due to robust growth in oil use of about 1.4%, associated with an increase in car journeys, and gas of about 7.6%. Emissions from coal use look set to have decreased by around –2.1% in 2018, continuing a shift away from coal, with a 40% decrease in CO2 emissions from coal since 2007, mainly towards gas, and more recently also towards renewables for power generation.

EU emissions account for 10% of global emissions and a small decline of around –0.7% is projected, well below the declines of −2% per year in the decade up to 2014. Estimated declines in coal and gas use due to the growth in renewable energy have been partially offset by a growth in oil use. The amount of fuel used for road transport and flights has surged by around 4% in the EU. Overall EU emissions are still near or above their 2014 levels.

India’s emissions, accounting for 7% of the global total, have continued to grow by around 6.3%, as their economy booms. Wind and solar are growing fast, albeit from a low base.

Emissions in the rest of the world, the remaining 42% of global emissions, are expected to grow about 1.8% this year. The five countries contributing most to the rest-of-the-world growth in global emissions in the last decade are Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Iraq and South Korea.

Source: Global Carbon Project & University of East Anglia

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For another year, Acciona has revalidated its position as the “greenest” electric power generation company in the world. It has held this position since 2015 in the “New Energy Top 100 Green Utilities” ranking of Energy Intelligence, an independent consultancy that specialises in energy markets.

The ranking, which has just been published in its seventh edition, selects a hundred of the best electricity generation companies in the world and classifies them based on their CO2 emissions and installed capacity in renewable technologies (excluding hydroelectric) to determine their level of involvement in the transition to a low-carbon electric power system.

Acciona continues to be the main pure player in renewables and stands in first place in the world ranking of the US-based firm. In its report, Energy Intelligence highlights the growing role that specialised renewables companies such as Acciona play in achieving an ever cleaner energy system worldwide.

The 100 companies that make up the ranking total 3,370 gigawatts (GW) and account for around 50% of electricity generation capacity in the world. European companies figure prominently in the Top 10, with five companies, together with three from China and two from the USA. After Acciona, the greenest utilities are China General Nuclear, Iberdrola (ES), E.On (AL), NextEra Energy (US), Invenergy (US), EDP (Portugal), China Energy Investment, Orsted (DK) y State Power Investment (Ch).

An analysis of the Top 100 Green Utilities of Energy Intelligence reveals, among other things, that the companies listed had CO2 emissions below 500 kg/MWh last year (precisely 495 kg/MWh, as opposed to 565 kg/MWh in 2011).

It also highlights that, in the seven years of the study, non-hydro renewables have almost tripled in the ranking, up to 299 GW (116 GW in 2011). In this respect, Energy Intelligence emphasizes the role played by European electricity companies that have undergone greater transformations in their generation assets, adding a total of 35 GW in wind and solar in that period and divested in fossil assets to the extent of 90 GW.

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E.ON, DeltaPort and the aluminium producer TRIMET have presented the “EcoPort 813” project. The partners are planning to convert heat from the production of aluminium into a resource-saving energy source in order to supply logistics properties at the Rhine port of Voerde-Emmelsum. The low-cost and CO2-neutral energy in the form of heat or cold is intended to create incentives for the settlement of further companies.

In addition, the partners want to make the logistics chain for food climate-friendly. Usually, temperature-controlled containers that land in the seaport by sea-going ship are unloaded in refrigeration centres and then transported on the road to the hinterland.

“EcoPort 813” aims to optimize this supply chain ecologically. In the future, refrigerated containers will be transported to the hinterland by inland waterway or rail. The containers can be unloaded at a temperature-controlled distribution centre in the port of Emmelsum, from where they can be distributed by truck. The truck will thus only be used on the last mile.

E.ON will contribute the hub of the project: an energy centre with heat recovery. The excess heat from TRIMET’s aluminium production is recycled here. Converted into cold, it can be made available to cooling logistics companies, but also in the form of heat for the manufacturing industry. The companies receive cold or heat at uniquely low energy costs without polluting the climate with CO2. The plant generates up to 136 GWh of usable heat per year. More than 27,000 t of CO2 can be saved. At the beginning of the year, E.ON initiated a similar project in the port of Dortmund.

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A typical mid-size electric vehicle (EV) can generate up to 67% lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than a gasoline internal combustion engine (ICE) car on a well-to-wheel basis. However, the crucial factor is the location in which they are driven, according to Wood Mackenzie’s latest research on mobility transition.

The analysis is focused on well-to-wheel assessment. This involves a number of factors – how the fuel is produced in refineries, where the crude oil is sourced from, mileage of the car, how the electricity is produced, and the energy use associated with vehicle and battery manufacturing and charging. These factors differ from country to country.

Comparing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from an EV and an ICE car is not straightforward. It’s worth noting that, even though EVs have zero tailpipe emissions, they are not GHG emissions-free when evaluated on a well-to-wheel basis. When using Wood Mackenzie’s integrated model, based on the existing electricity generation mix in developing economies such as China and India, an EV can only displace up to half the GHG emissions of an ICE gasoline car.

The demand for road transport is growing rapidly with urbanisation – and EVs are starting to challenge the supremacy of ICE cars by addressing air quality concerns. However, when there is a high share of coal or other fossil fuels in the power mix, typical in APAC countries, the competitiveness of EVs versus ICE cars decreases. To overcome this issue, governments in developing countries – such as China and India – could look at electrifying the current ICE car taxi fleet. In doing so, this would help achieve emissions abatement faster than incentivising and promoting the use of privately owned EVs because of their greater utilisation in terms of miles travelled.

The most crucial factor in sustaining the current advantage for EVs is decarbonisation of the power sector. As gasoline ICE vehicles become more fuel efficient, the power mix must comprise more renewables for EVs to remain GHG competitive. Currently, the power sectors in the UK and US are 30% less emissions intensive than markets in Asia.

For climate change enthusiasts and regulators, electrification of transport is a useful remedy to tackle air pollutants and GHG emissions, and fulfil NDC pledges as a result. The focus again shifts to the power sector. However, the findings in this report reflect the current state. Only time will tell if power sector decarbonisation will go hand-in-hand with EV cost reduction and adoption.

Source: Wood Mackenzie

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Puregas Solutions, a part of the technology group Wärtsilä, has been contracted to supply a turnkey biogas upgrading plant to the USA. The plant will upgrade an existing anaerobic digester (AD) to produce biomethane. It has been ordered by a leader in sustainable agricultural practices, located in the state of Oregon.

The Puregas solution will process 3,100 cfm (cubic feet per minute) of biogas from the anaerobic digestion of manure from more than 50,000 dairy cows. The renewable natural gas will then be injected into a pipeline for use as transportation fuel in California, the adjoining state. The project generates Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, as well as credits under California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).

The plant is expected to produce around 81 mmBTU of biomethane per year. This is equivalent to the annual energy consumption of over 15,000 households, 570 city buses, or 10,000 cars, with an annual CO2 reduction of 51,000 tons.

The project includes the installation of gas conditioning equipment, as well as compression to 975 psi for pipeline injection. The Puregas CApure CA80 biogas upgrading plant is scheduled to be delivered during the first quarter of 2019. The contract also includes the supply and installation of a hydrogen sulphide removal system.

This is the first order received by Puregas from the USA, and is in line with the increasing global trend for using chemical absorption technology to provide unrivalled methane recovery, thereby maximising revenues with low operating costs.

Source: Wärtsilä

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Siemens and Northvolt today announced a partnership for the development of best-in-class technology to produce high-quality, green lithium-ion batteries. The partnership, which will be supported by Siemens through an investment of EUR 10 million, also includes the supply of lithium-ion batteries.

To mitigate the effects of climate change, Europe is accelerating its transition to renewable energies. Electrification and an increased use of batteries is one of the cornerstones of this transition, enabling the large-scale conversion to sustainable transportation as well as a deep integration of renewable sources in the energy mix. With limited current and planned capacity in place, Europe is now facing a major battery deficit of within the next few years.

“We are happy to support Northvolt in building the battery factory of the future. With our Digital Enterprise portfolio, we contribute to a competitive battery cell production in Europe that fully exploits the benefits of software and automation: greater flexibility, efficiency and quality with shorter time to market”, said Jan Mrosik, CEO of Siemens Digital Factory Division.

“Northvolt is driving the battery production to build a battery with very low CO2 footprint. Our Digital Enterprise portfolio will support Northvolt in building a state-of-the-art battery plant. We are excited to go in as a partner in this project”, said Ulf Troedsson, President and CEO of Siemens Nordics.

Once completed in 2020, Siemens intends to purchase batteries from the factory, making Northvolt a preferred supplier. Siemens will support the partnership through an investment of EUR 10 million.

Siemens sees the Northvolt initiative as a reference project for the battery production of the future, which will rely on the integration and digitization of the entire value chain: from the design of the battery cell through production planning, engineering and production to services.

The technology partnership is set up around two main areas of collaboration:

  • Cutting edge technology. Use of the Siemens’ Digital Enterprise portfolio, encompassing everything from manufacturing planning and design software to automation, including industrial communications networks and cloud solutions, will allow Northvolt to optimize its battery production and sharpen its competitive edge.
  • Supply of lithium-ion batteries. Siemens intends to purchase batteries from Northvolt once its large-scale production facility is up and running. The companies are also exploring potential areas for joint development programs.

“The European industry is moving rapidly towards electrification. With its world-class expertise within electrification, automation and digitalization, Siemens will become an important technology partner, supplier and customer to Northvolt in this coming transition. Once we begin large-scale production, our aim is to supply the greenest lithium-ion batteries in the world”, said Peter Carlsson, Co-Founder and CEO, Northvolt.

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The renewable energy industry created more than 500,000 new jobs globally in 2017, a 5.3 per cent increase from 2016, according to the latest figures released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). According to the fifth edition of Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review, launched at IRENA’s 15th Council in Abu Dhabi today, the total number of people employed in the sector (including large hydropower) now stands at 10.3 million globally, surpassing the 10 million figure for the first time.

China, Brazil, the United States, India, Germany and Japan remain the world’s largest renewable energy employers, representing more than 70 per cent of all industry jobs globally. Although growing numbers of countries are reaping the socio-economic benefits of renewables, the bulk of manufacturing takes place in relatively few countries and domestic markets vary enormously in size. Sixty per cent of all renewable energy jobs are in Asia.

“Renewable energy has become a pillar of low-carbon economic growth for governments all over the world, a fact reflected by the growing number of jobs created in the sector.” said Adnan Z. Amin, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency.

“The data also underscores an increasingly regionalised picture, highlighting that in countries where attractive policies exist, the economic, social and environmental benefits of renewable energy are most evident,” continued Mr. Amin. “Fundamentally, this data supports our analysis that decarbonisation of the global energy system can grow the global economy and create up to 28 million jobs in the sector by 2050.”

The solar PV industry remains the largest employer of all renewable energy technologies, accounting for close to 3.4 million jobs, up almost 9 per cent from 2016 following a record 94 gigawatts (GW) of installations in 2017. China was estimated to account for two-thirds of PV jobs – equivalent to 2.2 million – representing an expansion of 13 per cent over the previous year.

Despite a slight dip in Japan and the United States, the two countries followed China as the largest markets for solar PV employment in the world. India and Bangladesh complete a top five that accounts for around 90 per cent of global solar PV jobs.

Jobs in the wind industry contracted slightly last year to 1.15 million worldwide. While wind jobs are found in a relatively small number of countries, the degree of concentration is lower than in the solar PV sector. China accounts for 44 per cent of global wind employment, followed by Europe and North America with 30 and 10 per cent, respectively. Half of the top ten countries with the largest installed capacity of wind power in the world are European.

“The energy transformation narrative is one of improving economic opportunity and a rise in social wellbeing as countries implement supportive policies and attractive regulatory frameworks to fuel industrial growth and sustainable job creation,” said Dr. Rabia Ferroukhi, Head of IRENA’s Policy Unit and Deputy Director of Knowledge, Policy and Finance.

“By providing policy makers with this level of detail about the composition of renewable energy employment and skills requirements, countries can make informed decisions on several important national objectives, from education and training, to industrial policies and labour market regulations,” continued Dr. Ferroukhi. “Such considerations will support a fair and equitable transition to a renewables based energy system.”

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