Summary
In today’s edition, some wonder (in the Power section) if the wind industry still a safe bet for investors. Also in the Power section, the solar industry predicts ‘staggering’ growth this year. Finally, in the Clean tech section, Feds propose safety rules to prevent shock in electric vehicles.
Quote of the day
“The [offshore] industry is probably at a tipping point … it has matured a lot in the past two to three years and we are starting to see the cost declines necessary to ensure the long-term viability of the sector but it is still very much a European world.”
David Hostert, European wind analyst at Bloomberg New Energy Finance, in the Guardian’s story Is the wind industry still a safe bet for investors? (in the Power section)
Lead stories
How the US can solve its multibillion food waste problem – report
By Alison Moodie – The Guardian
Businesses could save nearly $2bn a year by cutting the amount of half-eaten entrees, unsold milk and other foods that get tossed into trash bins across the US by 20% over the next decade, according to a new report.
http://bit.ly/1P0lySZ
Court Orders One of Japan’s Two Operating Nuclear Plants to Shut Down
By Jonathan Soble – The New York Times
A court in Japan ordered one of only two nuclear power plants operating in the country to shut down on Wednesday, citing insufficient safety measures put in place after meltdowns at a facility in Fukushima five years ago.
http://nyti.ms/1M7jYyJ
Temperatures rising at Hinkley’s core
By Sarah Gordon – Financial Times
How worried should investors be that EDF’s finance director has resigned?
http://on.ft.com/1Xdriys
How Climate-Change Negotiator Todd Stern Mastered His Diplomatic Skill
Vanity Fair
Climate-change negotiations are usually doomed by the sheer scope, complexity, and divisiveness of the issues involved—which makes the results of last December’s talk in Paris, where nearly 200 countries agreed to be held accountable for decreasing global-warming levels, even more impressive.
http://bit.ly/1QMH5k6
Americans, Canadians differ in concern about climate change
By Jacob Poushter – Pew Research Center
Justin Trudeau, the recently elected (and popular) prime minister of Canada, will hold his first formal meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House on Thursday, an occasion that will also be marked by the first state dinner for a Canadian leader since 1997.
http://pewrsr.ch/220zcCc
21 Kids Are Suing President Obama Over Climate Inaction
By Zoë Carpenter – The Nation
On Wednesday, a group of kids and teenagers will face off in an Oregon courtroom against the US government and the fossil fuel industry.
http://bit.ly/223OjHx
***LB: Also in this story “The young people, from states as far away as Florida, Arizona, New York, Hawaii, and Alaska, are suing President Obama and several federal agencies for inaction on climate change.”
Events
The Wall Street Green Trading Summit
Columbia University Club, New York
March 14, 2016
http://jlne.ws/doFbLA
Northeast RECs Regional Thought Leader Round Table
March 23, 2016
Environmental Markets Association
Office of Dentons, 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York
http://jlne.ws/1mg7iOT
Navigating the American Carbon World (NACW) 2016
Climate Action Reserve
May 4-6, 2016
San Diego, California
http://goo.gl/Ah5s1I
CARBON EXPO 2016
Global Carbon Market Fair and Conference
May 25-27, 2016
Cologne
http://jlne.ws/1mg8bqR
Cleantech Innovate Scotland
June 9, 2016
http://jlne.ws/1mg6nOG
Carbon
Sustainable chemistry: Putting carbon dioxide to work
By Eric J. Beckman – Nature
Carbon dioxide is an abundant resource, but difficult for industry to use effectively. A simple reaction might allow it to be used to make commercial products more sustainably than with current processes.
http://bit.ly/220AywR
Natural gas / coal
Coal Power Waning: Nearly 5% Of US Capacity Retired In 2015 As Aging Plants Lose Ground
By Maria Gallucci – International Business Times
U.S. coal power, once king of the energy mix, is getting old.
http://bit.ly/223P0k4
Coal Is Losing the Battle for the U.S. Market — Badly
By Alison Ciaccio – Bloomberg News
So much has changed since September. Just five months ago, coal and gas were neck and neck for their share of U.S. power generation.
http://bloom.bg/1QEqIbl
Global Natural Gas Refueling Stations Market to Grow at a CAGR of 4% by 2020, According to Technavio
Business Wire
According to Technavio’s latest report, the global natural gas refueling stations market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4%, with the total number of gas refueling stations worldwide to reach 32,731 by 2020.
http://bit.ly/1RRQ2ei
Power
Solar industry predicts ‘staggering’ growth this year
By Timothy Cama – The Hill
The United States’s solar power industry will grow in 2016 at a rate 119 percent higher than last year, an industry-backed report predicted Wednesday.
http://bit.ly/1TMoc6W
Sun shines on AGL’s Australia solar energy plans
By Jamie Smyth – Financial Times
In a dusty mining town in the Australian outback, AGL Energy is plotting a green power revolution that could transform the country’s electricity sector.
http://on.ft.com/1LdjUCy
Is the wind industry still a safe bet for investors?
By Emma Howard – The Guardian
Four years ago, Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas was on the brink of bankruptcy.
http://bit.ly/1XdskL7
E.ON reports record loss on power plant writedowns
Deutsche Welle
Germany’s biggest energy company has posted its second-consecutive record loss in as many years after writing down the value of its coal and gas-fired power plants. It plans to split in two separate entities this year.
http://bit.ly/1Xdsty7
Clean tech
Feds propose safety rules to prevent shock in electric vehicles
By Tim Devaney – The Hill
Federal regulators are proposing new protections to keep drivers of electric vehicles from getting shocked.
http://bit.ly/1TtaCoP
Water
The corrosive dangers lurking in private wells
By M.B. Pell and Joshua Schneyer – Reuters
In this town of 2,800 just south of the Canadian border, residents have long worried about the water flowing from their taps.
http://reut.rs/1LRVPS0