Category Archives: Climate Change

A place to discuss Climate Change news and events.

Black Earth Project helps Equip Farmers to Combat Climate Change

by CGR Staff Writer
Posted on February 18, 2013 by CGR Staff Writer

RWANDA–()–Radio Lifeline, a non-profit based in the US, announces the launch of the Black Earth Project, a new initiative designed to help farmers mitigate the growing effects of climate change. Radio Lifeline’s partner in this project is re:char, a leading developer of small-scale biochar technologies, based in Kenya. Major funding for the Black Earth Project is being provided by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (GMCR), headquartered in Waterbury, VT.

The Black Earth Project is a two-year research project designed to evaluate the effectiveness of biochar when used as a soil amendment by smallholder coffee and pyrethrum farmers in Rwanda. Biochar is produced through a process called pyrolysis, or the burning of dried biomass in a low or zero oxygen environment. The process prevents combustion and the usual release of carbon dioxide, black carbon and other greenhouse gases associated with traditional charcoal production methods. Continue reading →

Posted in Biofuels, BusinessWire, Climate Change, Sustainable Farming | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dioxide Materials Awarded $4 Million to Advance CO2 Recycling Technology

by CGR Staff Writer
Posted on December 5, 2012 by CGR Staff Writer

CHAMPAIGN, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dioxide Materials has been awarded $4 million by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E). The award will advance further research into Dioxide Materials’ technology that will produce transportation fuels and industrial chemicals electrochemically from carbon dioxide emitted by power plants. Dioxide is collaborating on the project with 3M (NYSE:MMM), a subrecipient of the ARPA-E award.

Although electrochemical recycling of carbon dioxide is not a new technology, Dioxide Materials has patented a catalyst that makes carbon dioxide recycling energy efficient for the first time ever, using three times less electricity. The technology’s scientific principles have been demonstrated, but the risks need to be lowered before the technology can attract the funding needed to move into the marketplace. ARPA-E funding will allow Dioxide Materials to create the first industrially relevant prototype and lower the risks so that substantial development funding can be obtained. Continue reading →

Posted in BusinessWire, Carbon Capture and Storage, Carbon Management, Climate Change, Emissions Trading, Energy Management, Environment, Pollution, Sustainability News, Technology | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Summit-Petrofac Project Advances in UK’s Carbon Capture & Storage Competition

by CGR Staff Writer
Posted on November 5, 2012 by CGR Staff Writer

SEATTLE & LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Summit Power Group, LLC (“Summit”) and Petrofac Ltd (“Petrofac”) have confirmed that the United Kingdom’s Department of Energy and Climate Change (“DECC”) has officially notified them on Friday November 2nd that DECC has selected the joint Summit-Petrofac project known as Captain: The Clean Energy Project (“Captain CEP”) to move forward to the next stage of DECC’s carbon capture and storage (“CCS”) competition for power plants that will capture and geologically sequester their carbon dioxide emissions. DECC made a public announcement to the same effect in London on 30th October. Captain CEP is one of four proposed CCS projects whose selection for the next stage of the competition was announced by DECC.

Captain CEP is a “full-chain” CCS project consisting of (1) a coal gasification power plant with ninety-plus percent (90+%) carbon capture, to be located at Grangemouth on the Firth of Forth west of Edinburgh, Scotland, plus (2) an existing on-shore pipeline and existing sub-sea pipelines that will be converted to CO2 transport, as well as (3) sub-sea depleted gas reservoirs and deep brine formations that will be used for the permanent geological sequestration of CO2 captured at the power plant. Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Energy, Business, BusinessWire, Carbon Capture and Storage, Climate Change, Energy Management, Environment, Green Business, Sustainability News, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

CSR Minute (VIDEO) – Union Pacific, ConAgra and CSR Conference in Ottawa

by 3BL Media Press Release
Posted on October 12, 2012 by 3BL Media Press Release

Union Pacific has scored its highest ever rating in the Carbon Disclosure Project’s S&P 500 Climate Change Report for 2012. The railroad’s rating of 87 is a 53-percent improvement over last year’s, and higher than 87 percent of all companies in the CDP’s Industrial Sector. The average disclosure score is 70 for all S&P 500 companies in the 2012 CDP Report.

ConAgra has recorded a zero total incident rate at 35 of its facilities in 2011, twice the number of facilities to do so in the previous fiscal year. The company also recorded a rate of more than 90 percent solid waste diversion. These and other details are included in ConAgra’s 2012 Citizenship Report, released for the first time on a micro site with a direct link to the company’s Web site, allowing for real time updating of information.

The 5th annual Corporate and Community Social Responsibility Conference to celebrate and showcase excellence in CCSR will be held in Ottawa this year. The event features both plenary and workshops sessions, focusing on topics from the shifting definitions of corporate responsibility to creating an Ottawa center eco-district. It also includes a youth social enterprise showcase and awards. The conference takes place on November 6th.

For more information on these and other stories, go to http://www.csrminute.com.

The CSR Minute is produced for 3BL Media by Video4Good: http://www.video4good.com

Posted in 3BL Media, Business, Climate Change, CSR, CSR Minute, Energy, Green Business, Sustainability News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lack of Subsidies and Transparency Hinder Renewable Energy in Russia

by CGR Staff Writer
Posted on October 12, 2012 by CGR Staff Writer

DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Research and Markets has announced the addition of the “Russia Renewables Report Q4 2012″ report to their offering.

BMI View: Despite favourable climatic conditions that are supportive of renewable energy generation, a vast electricity market and strong growth in GDP per capita, all factors which are indicative of the considerable potential in terms of renewables expansion, a whole host of challenges stand in the way of prospective investors. A distinct lack of renewable energy subsidies and questions over the transparency of the tendering process and the level of market liberalisation are likely to hinder project development across all renewable technology sectors.

Russia’s Energy Strategy 2030 aims to develop non-hydropower renewable energy sources so they account for at least 4.5% of the total electricity generation by 2020. Despite the significant potential for renewable technology, in particular wind energy, the fact there are no government subsidies will almost certainly dampen investment appetite. Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Energy, Business, BusinessWire, Carbon Management, Climate Change, CSR, Energy, Energy Management, Green Business, Press Companies, Sustainability News, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Almost 23 Million Autogas Vehicles Will be Operating on Roads Worldwide by 2020

by CGR Staff Writer
Posted on October 10, 2012 by CGR Staff Writer

BOULDER, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As a vehicle fuel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), commonly known as propane or autogas, has some powerful positive characteristics. It is relatively clean burning, easy to store and transport, has high energy content, and is widely available in many countries. The cost per gallon of autogas is significantly lower than gasoline or diesel in many countries, but increasing interest in natural gas as a vehicle fuel is likely to constrain future growth in the autogas market. Nevertheless, according to a new report from Pike Research, a part of Navigant’s Energy Practice, the number of autogas vehicles will rise steadily through the remainder of this decade. By 2020, the study concludes, there will be 22.6 million autogas vehicles on roads worldwide.

“The autogas market is caught in a classic chicken and egg scenario,” says senior research analyst David Alexander. “As with any fuel, availability is the key to market growth. Unfortunately, fuel suppliers have taken the view that no need exists to grow the infrastructure if not that many vehicles are equipped to use the fuel. Some form of incentive will be needed to kick-start growth if autogas is going to advance.” Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Energy, Business, Business Transportation, BusinessWire, Carbon Management, Climate Change, CSR, Emissions Trading, Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy Management, Energy Storage, Goods, Services & Product Design, Green Business, Home Energy, Pollution, Sustainability News | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

GE and Chesapeake Energy Launch “CNG In A Box” System at NACS 2012

by CGR Staff Writer
Posted on October 8, 2012 by CGR Staff Writer

LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GE (NYSE: GE) and Peake Fuel Solutions, an affiliate of Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE: CHK), today launched the CNG In A Box™ system, which allows easier adoption of compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling options for large- and small-scale retailers. The solution was unveiled at the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) 2012 Annual Show.

Natural gas is an abundant, reliable and cleaner-burning source of energy for consumers and commercial users. A vehicle fleet operator that uses the CNG In A Box system for natural gas fueling instead of traditional gasoline fueling can save about 40 percent in fuel costs1. The CNG In A Box system is a plug-and-play on-site fueling solution that comes with everything retailers need to add low-cost natural gas fuel to their operations quickly and simply. This GE ecomagination™ qualified refueling optionprovides an easy, lower-cost fueling experience for consumers and a higher-margin solution for facility operators compared to gasoline or diesel.

“In collaboration with Peake Fuel Solutions, GE is developing infrastructure solutions to accelerate the adoption of natural gas as a transportation fuel,” said Mike Hosford, general manager—Unconventional Resources, GE Oil & Gas. “The CNG In A Box system is a unique fueling solution that brings together some of the best innovation from across GE to help fleet owners and everyday drivers realize the benefits of cleaner burning, abundant, more affordable natural gas.” Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Energy, Business, Business Transportation, BusinessWire, Carbon Management, Climate Change, Energy, Energy Management, Goods, Services & Product Design, Green Business, Sustainability News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Electric Scooters as Transportation in Asia Pacific Will Increase Nearly Tenfold from 2012 to 2018

by CGR Staff Writer
Posted on October 8, 2012 by CGR Staff Writer

The difference between electric scooters and electric motorcycles is that the former have a top speed of between 20 and 50 kilometers per hour (kph), while e-motorcycles can reach speeds greater than 50 kph.  While the latter have a healthy and growing customer base in the Asia Pacific region, consumers tend to consider e-motorcycles a luxury, rather than an essential mode of transportation, and their market in Asia Pacific is expected to be small compared with e-scooters.  According to a recent report from Pike Research, a part of Navigant’s Energy Practice, the market for electric scooters is expected to expand from around 12 million vehicles in 2012 to a cumulative total of more than 103 million vehicles on Asia’s roads by 2018.

The majority of those will be in China, which will have almost 91 million e-scooters by 2018, according to the report. Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Business Transportation, Climate Change, Energy, Energy Management, Environment, Green Business, Green Living, Home Energy, Sustainability News | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
Page 1 of 3012345678910...2030...Last »