Lending through Kiva helps Mongolia going green

From the Kiva newsletter:
Ulaanbaatar is ranked the world's 5th worst city for air pollution? The World Bank estimates that 60% of the air pollution comes from household heating systems and the fuel used to keep families warm in the winter. XacBank has partnered with Micro Energy Credits to develop green loans for items such as fuel efficient stoves, solar panels, warm housing covers, and energy efficient fuels.
Mongolia goes green

Energy, electricity and sustainability, by Carlos Pimenta (in Portuguese)

Público published an article about energy, electricity and sustainability by Carlos Pimenta, a former politician.
It's in portuguese but it is worth reading!

The Energy Report, 100% renewable energy by 2050, by WWF and Ecofys

The World Wildlife Fund just released The Energy Report, 100% renewable energy by 2050, where it states that 100% renewable energy by 2050 is expensive, but possible.

By 2050 power, transport, industrial and domestic energy demand could be met largely by renewables, with only small residual pockets of fossil fuels and nuclear power.

But for this we need improved energy efficiency in buildings, vehicles and industrial processes to drive down energy demand 15% compared to 2005 levels. Electricity transmission networks would need to be upgraded and smart grids installed and electric transport would have to be adopted on a global scale.

Read more:
Renewables could meet nearly all world’s energy needs by 2050, says WWF
Download the report

EU leaders rule out binding efficiency target

The European Union target of a 20% improvement in energy efficiency is not on track. Current estimates indicate that only about a 10% improvement will be reached.
The EU leaders gathered together last friday just to reiterate a commitment to review the implementation of the 2020 energy efficiency target by 2013, without a legal binding target.
The top priority should be upgrading the energy grid infrastructure.

Read more:
ECEEE
European Council shies away from action on energy efficiency

From the EcoGeek newsletter:

It's classic good news/bad news. The UK's greehouse gas emissions fell from 2008 to 2009, but this was not due to improvements in technology and cleaner industry, but rather simple economic downturn side-effects. While we're glad to see lower emissions levels, this isn't the way we want to see it happen. If the economy can bounce back, and emissions levels remain low, that would be far better. And if production increased and the emissions levels still continued downward? That would be outstanding!

The same in Portugal...

Clean Transport Systems Initiative

Based on the assumption that oil will be depleted by 2050 and that this is the main energy source for transport overall, supplying nearly 100% of road transport fuels, the European Commission created the Clean Transport Systems Initiative. This is a long term strategy to fully meet the energy demand of the transport sector from alternative and sustainable sources by 2050, such as:
1. Biofuels
2. Hydrogen and fuel cells
3. Electric vehicles

Energy Efficiency Proves Unattractive for Policy Makers in Europe

An interesting article in the New York Timess about energy efficiency policy in the EU. The European Commission has declined to endorse a motion passed last month by the European Parliament that would make a 20 percent improvement in energy efficiency by 2020 legally binding, but has approved a package of two loans worth €1 billion that is aimed at helping China use more renewable sources and increase energy efficiency.
Why?

The unit cost of reducing a ton of CO2 in Europe can be up to 30 times higher than in China.

Philippe Maystadt, president of the European Investment Bank
and

We simply don’t see the same levels of ambition for energy efficiency in Europe as does China.

Luigi Meli, the director general of the European Committee of Domestic Equipment Manufacturers, an industry group

Meli also states that Europe could improve its own levels of efficiency and thereby improve its energy security: replacing old appliances, insulating buildings and windows, installing new lighting and using power plants that generated both electricity and heat. In particular, Meli bemoaned a call by the European Commission to invest €1 trillion in projects to build new grids and pipelines during the next decade while setting aside a relatively meager sum, about €150 million, for energy efficiency. Europe would save the same amount of money it would take to build 15 natural gas pipelines by reaching its energy efficiency target of 20 percent.