The chinese government is committed to stick to the targets announced at last year's Copenhagen Climate Summit to cut the country's carbon intensity by 40 to 45 per cent by 2020 compared with 2005 levels.
A new plan for 2011 to 2015 pledges to make "progressive efforts" to establish a carbon market, work towards improving energy efficiency, and further develop low-carbon technology on an international basis.
Yesterday, the Gulbenkian Foundation promoted a talk with Christine Loh, the founder of Civic Exchange about China and the World. Special attention was given to environmental challenges, particularly air pollution. It is expected that by 2020 China will have 50% of the population living in cities and this creates great challenges. This talk was broadcasted online (but with cuts) and it may be available soon here.
More information: China unveils climate goals
Thursday, November 25, 2010
A new climate deal in Cancun? Probably not
Starting on the 29th November, the climate change conference will be held in Cancun. A new climate deal for the period starting in 2013 is unlikely, but some agreements are possible, according to a UN official, on forestry, technology transfer and long-term financing to help governments tackle climate change issues.
More information: Cautious optimism ahead of climate summit
More information: Cautious optimism ahead of climate summit
http://www.climatepolicytracker.eu
WWF and Ecofys launched a new tracking tool that shows that only a third of the necessary action needed today to put EU countries on a path towards a low carbon economy by 2050 (reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80-95%), is currently being undertaken.
It provides for the first time an up-to-date snapshot of greenhouse gas emission controls across the EU using a Member State-by-Member State and sector-by sector analysis.
Niklas Höhne, Director Energy and Climate Policy, Ecofys
Portugal is rated E in the climate policy tracker, along with other 14 member states, including Spain and the UK. Denmark, Germany, Ireland and Sweden are rated D.
Country Summary
Portugal made a significant effort to implement new policies to reach the Kyoto target, but significant gaps exist for the country to be on a low-carbon development path. Several good initiatives are planned but not yet implemented. Highlights are its support for renewable electricity and efficient appliances. If the positive policy-making trend continues, Portugal will rate significantly better next year.
Success Stories
Portugal has a well-designed feed-in tariff for RES and is about to reach the ambitious target of 45% of electricity consumed coming from RES. - Energy efficiency policies in industry, buildings and transportation are promising.
Areas that need improvements
Portugal made a significant effort to implement new policies to reach the Kyoto target but significant gaps exist to be on a low-carbon development path. - Although the support for RES electricity is well designed and is giving important results, important barriers, such as administrative bottlenecks and grid development need to be removed to reach the targets.
Evaluation per sector for Portugal
It provides for the first time an up-to-date snapshot of greenhouse gas emission controls across the EU using a Member State-by-Member State and sector-by sector analysis.
“The Climate Policy Tracker is a powerful tool that measures the impact of policies and their effectiveness. It allows people to easily identify the policy sectors which need more attention and where action is most effective in reducing emissions. []
There are success stories in each country and policy makers should learn from best practices across Europe. Overall, however, the ratings are low. Support for renewable energy is most widely implemented across Europe and shows the most progress, whilst energy efficiency, transport and industry are lagging behind.”
Niklas Höhne, Director Energy and Climate Policy, Ecofys
Portugal is rated E in the climate policy tracker, along with other 14 member states, including Spain and the UK. Denmark, Germany, Ireland and Sweden are rated D.
Country Summary
Portugal made a significant effort to implement new policies to reach the Kyoto target, but significant gaps exist for the country to be on a low-carbon development path. Several good initiatives are planned but not yet implemented. Highlights are its support for renewable electricity and efficient appliances. If the positive policy-making trend continues, Portugal will rate significantly better next year.
Success Stories
Portugal has a well-designed feed-in tariff for RES and is about to reach the ambitious target of 45% of electricity consumed coming from RES. - Energy efficiency policies in industry, buildings and transportation are promising.
Areas that need improvements
Portugal made a significant effort to implement new policies to reach the Kyoto target but significant gaps exist to be on a low-carbon development path. - Although the support for RES electricity is well designed and is giving important results, important barriers, such as administrative bottlenecks and grid development need to be removed to reach the targets.
Evaluation per sector for Portugal
Green touchscreen
Green touchscreen is an online tool developed by Siemens to measure the energy efficiency of buildings, allowing to monitor energy consumption in real time.
Green touchscreen in Lx sustentável blog (in portuguese)
Green touchscreen in Lx sustentável blog (in portuguese)
Lighter coloured roads could reduce temperatures in hot urban areas
Urban areas are considered heat islands due to land use changes (materials that effectively retain heat with low permeability to water). Compared to rural areas, temperatures in cities can typically be warmer by several degrees. This heat is transferred to the surrounding air and increases air pollution problems (tropospheric ozone and smog) and the demand for air conditioning and even heat-related illness and dead in vulnerable people.
However, this effect can be minimised through the use of green roofs and lighter-colored surfaces, which reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat.
A recent study by Synnefa, A., Karlessi, T., Gaitani, N. (2010) tested the use of cool colored thin layer asphalt and estimated its potential to improve microclimate. This solution could significantly lower surface temperatures in hot urban areas, making living conditions more comfortable and reducing the amount of energy needed to cool buildings. Paved roads are typically made of a mixture of asphalt (bitumen) and aggregate material. But different ways are being developed: in this study they used a colourless, flexible asphalt binder and various pigments and sizes of coloured aggregates (granular materials), resulting in beige, off-white, green, red and yellow paved material that were tested for their ability to reflect solar energy and compared to a thin-layer sample of conventional black asphalt. All samples reflected back higher levels of solar radiation than conventional black asphalt, ranging from 55% (off-white) to 27% (red and green), compared with 4% radiation reflection of black asphalt.
However, lighter coloured surfaces can cause glare, which can be a problem for drivers. But some 'invisible' reflectance is possible if the reflectance is in the 'near-infra-red' part of the spectrum.
In conclusion, the thin-layers of coloured asphalt could be applied onto existing or new asphalt road surfaces. Computer modelling suggests an off-white coloured surface on a road could lower the average air temperature by 5°C in low wind speeds.
Reference: Synnefa, A., Karlessi, T., Gaitani, N. (2010) Experimental testing of cool colored thin layer asphalt and estimation of its potential to improve the urban microclimate. Building and Environment. 46: 38-44.
Contact: asynnefa@phys.uoa.gr
However, this effect can be minimised through the use of green roofs and lighter-colored surfaces, which reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat.
A recent study by Synnefa, A., Karlessi, T., Gaitani, N. (2010) tested the use of cool colored thin layer asphalt and estimated its potential to improve microclimate. This solution could significantly lower surface temperatures in hot urban areas, making living conditions more comfortable and reducing the amount of energy needed to cool buildings. Paved roads are typically made of a mixture of asphalt (bitumen) and aggregate material. But different ways are being developed: in this study they used a colourless, flexible asphalt binder and various pigments and sizes of coloured aggregates (granular materials), resulting in beige, off-white, green, red and yellow paved material that were tested for their ability to reflect solar energy and compared to a thin-layer sample of conventional black asphalt. All samples reflected back higher levels of solar radiation than conventional black asphalt, ranging from 55% (off-white) to 27% (red and green), compared with 4% radiation reflection of black asphalt.
However, lighter coloured surfaces can cause glare, which can be a problem for drivers. But some 'invisible' reflectance is possible if the reflectance is in the 'near-infra-red' part of the spectrum.
In conclusion, the thin-layers of coloured asphalt could be applied onto existing or new asphalt road surfaces. Computer modelling suggests an off-white coloured surface on a road could lower the average air temperature by 5°C in low wind speeds.
Reference: Synnefa, A., Karlessi, T., Gaitani, N. (2010) Experimental testing of cool colored thin layer asphalt and estimation of its potential to improve the urban microclimate. Building and Environment. 46: 38-44.
Contact: asynnefa@phys.uoa.gr
Thursday, November 18, 2010
IEA Open Energy Technology Bulletin (18th November)
The IEA Open Energy Technology Bulletin states that if their 25 energy-efficiency policy recommendations were applied globally, carbon emissions equal to 200% of those currently emitted by the EU could be saved per year.
The IEA release the following Policy Pathways Brochures:
Monitoring, Verification and Enforcement - Improving Compliance within Equipment Energy Efficiency Programmes - provides policy makers and other stakeholders with “how-to” guidance for hands-on action to capitalise better on energy-efficiency policies.
Energy Performance Certification of Buildings - A Policy Tool to Improve Energy Efficiency - focuses on the building sector that is responsible for 40% of energy consumption.
The IEA release the following Policy Pathways Brochures:
Monitoring, Verification and Enforcement - Improving Compliance within Equipment Energy Efficiency Programmes - provides policy makers and other stakeholders with “how-to” guidance for hands-on action to capitalise better on energy-efficiency policies.
Energy Performance Certification of Buildings - A Policy Tool to Improve Energy Efficiency - focuses on the building sector that is responsible for 40% of energy consumption.
Natural gas network and energy grid upgrades
According to the European Commission, €200bn will be spent in the next ten years to upgrade EU's natural gas networks (€70bn) and energy grids(€130bn) and bring more renewable energy on-line.
The EU energy strategy 2020 published on 10th November
Some priority areas for improving energy transport systems include a North Sea offshore electricity grid to link wind power installations in the regions and south-western electricity links between the North of Africa, Spain, France and Italy for solar power projects.
It is also referred that the implementation of smart grids could reduce the EU's annual primary energy consumption in 2020 by almost 9%. A decision on a specific strategy for smart grids is expected in the first half of 2011.
Carbon capture and storage should be treated with caution because the technology has not been proven.
More information:
Brussels unveils energy infrastructure overhaul
The EU energy strategy 2020 published on 10th November
defines the energy priorities for the next ten years and sets the actions to be taken in order to tackle the challenges of saving energy, achieving a market with competitive prizes and secure supplies, boosting technological leadership, and effectively negotiate with our international partners.
Some priority areas for improving energy transport systems include a North Sea offshore electricity grid to link wind power installations in the regions and south-western electricity links between the North of Africa, Spain, France and Italy for solar power projects.
It is also referred that the implementation of smart grids could reduce the EU's annual primary energy consumption in 2020 by almost 9%. A decision on a specific strategy for smart grids is expected in the first half of 2011.
Carbon capture and storage should be treated with caution because the technology has not been proven.
More information:
Brussels unveils energy infrastructure overhaul
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