A STEP IN RIGHT DIRECTION

EU leaders on Friday agreed that developing nations will need 100 billion euros per year by 2020 to tackle climate change, but failed to put a figure to Europe’s own contribution amid sharp east-west differences.

“We have an agreement,” said Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, at the end of a two-day European summit in Brussels. “The EU now has a strong negotiating position and the countdown to Copenhagen now has started,” he added, referring to international climate talks in Denmark in December.

France, Germany and Italy had been keen not to show Europe’s hand ahead of the Copenhagen talks. “We are going to link our promises to what other countries offer and similarly our financial engagements,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, whose country had hoped for more flesh on the bones of the agreement, agreed the deal shows that “the European Union and its member states are ready to contribute their fair share of the cost. “Of course it is conditional on other countries playing a part too,” he added.

Even the 100 billion euro (150 billion dollar) per year figure which developing nations will need by 2020 will be found through an unspecified combination of developing countries’ “own efforts, the international carbon market and international public finance”.

The 27-nation bloc prides itself on leading the fight against climate change, and has already agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020.

It needs a strong, unified line to take to Copenhagen if it is to persuade the likes of China, the United States and India to make swingeing cuts themselves.

The EU also said it is willing to increase its own promised emissions cuts to 30 percent if the rest of the developed world does likewise at Copenhagen.

Join the Green Movement at www.theglobalenergy.com

ALTERNATE ENERGY IS ANSWER

Top Democrats put the issue of climate change back in the spotlight Tuesday, debating legislation to cut greenhouse gas emissions while announcing $3.4 billion in new clean energy funds.

A key congressional committee began hearings on a “cap-and-trade” bill requiring emissions to be cut by more than 80 percent over the next four decades.

Questions related to global warming have been among the most politically contentious in recent years. Democrats are generally more receptive to proposals designed to curb energy consumption in order to slow climate change; leading Republicans continue to express concern about the necessity and economic impact of such measures.

President Obama has made the push for greater investment in a clean energy agenda one of his top domestic priorities. Attempting to move that agenda forward, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee kicked off hearings on the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. Supporters say the bill would reduce nationwide greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050 through a cap-and-trade program under which companies would buy and sell emissions credits.

Almost one-third of the credits would be given away to the electric power sector through 2026 in an effort to diminish negative economic effects. Leading Democrats have expressed optimism that the bill would help stimulate the creation of new “green energy” jobs.

The measure is similar to a climate change bill narrowly passed by the House of Representatives in June.
Join the Green Movement at www.theglobalenergy.com

QUEST FOR ALTERNATE ENERGY

NV Energy and Solar Millenium, together with its joint venture partner MAN Ferrostaal Inc., have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop solar power facilities in Amargosa Valley.

The initial project under consideration is a 250-megawatt solar trough technology plant, the companies announced in a press release Tuesday. A megawatt is enough power to serve roughly 675 homes; using that formula a 250 megawatt plant would be able to provide electricity to 168,750 homes.

The press release only refers to a site in Nye County. Solar Millenium has applications for rights-of-way from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for three sites in Amargosa Valley. The BLM would have to conduct an environmental impact statement on solar projects on public land, which is expected to take a year and a half to two years.

NV Energy spokesman Adam Grant said a specific site has not been announced yet but the company is looking at Amargosa Valley. He said it’s the first time NV Energy signed an MOU with a company interested in building a solar plant.

“We hope to find the support from the involved agencies to be able to permit the power plants such that we can start construction no later than 2010,” said Uwe T. Schmidt, CEO of MAN Ferrostaal Inc. “Having constructed more than 5,000 facilities around the world we are very much looking forward to building a CSP plant with NV Energy that will set a new benchmark for advanced solar energy in the U.S.”

Plans call for the project to be completed in 2013-14, depending on permitting, financing and other government approvals. The company is undertaking transmission and environmental studies, along with financing options. Grant said resource studies will be included, determining the solar potential of the location.

The plant would include thermal storage, enabling the plant to produce energy beyond daylight hours during hot summer months when electricity demand is at its highest, the companies state. That technology is being used at Solar Millenium sites in Spain, the company states.

“NV Energy is excited about being involved in storage technology that has long been talked about. As a result, we expect that our company will remain at the forefront of utilizing renewable resources and technologies in this case solar energy, for the benefit of our customers and the environment,” said Michael Yackira, president and CEO of NV Energy.

The law requires utilities like NV Energy to have 20 percent of their source of power from renewable energy by 2015. Grant said developing renewable energy resources is part of a three-fold company strategy along with energy efficiency and conservation, clean and efficient generation.

The local electric cooperative, Valley Electric Association, is not bound by a requirement to have a percentage of renewable power, unless state law is changed.

“Solar technologies have been making great strides in the last several years,” Yackira said. “It is now reasonable to believe that projects like this one will be capable of providing a reliable power supply as part of a mix of resources that will include other types of renewable resources as well as clean and efficient traditional generation such as natural gas-fired plants. Such a project as the one being studied in Nye County would also provide a boost to the local economy.”

SEN. REID AT CLEAN ENERGY SUMMIT

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the Center for American Progress Action Fund have once again brought together some of the most respected leaders from industry, science, government, and advocacy organizations to discuss a policy agenda for creating good jobs in the new economy by accelerating the deployment of clean energy and energy efficiency, advancing energy independence, and ensuring long-term prosperity for Nevada, the nation, and the world.

This year’s National Clean Energy Summit 2.0 assessed the progress made since the first Summit in 2008, including the major clean energy and energy efficiency investments in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and looked ahead towards upcoming legislative opportunities as we continue to chart a course for our nation’s clean energy future.

2009 provides a pivotal opportunity for our nation to come together to define a policy agenda that accelerates the deployment of clean energy and energy efficiency, creates good jobs, advances energy independence, and ensures long term economic prosperity for Nevada, the nation, and the world.

Nevada is at the epicenter in the debate of how America should generate and use energy in the future. Nevada has abundant clean energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, and efficiency technologies that could be developed to meet its future energy needs. The question is whether Nevadans—and all Americans—will shift to a clean energy economy that creates less expensive and more efficient energy, cleaner air, clean energy markets, and the creation of good new jobs that strengthen and grow our economy in Nevada, the nation, and the world.

We owe it to our children and grandchildren to protect the air they breathe and our nation’s great outdoors. Nevada has the opportunity to do that and lead the nation in a clean energy revolution by developing clean, renewable energy and efficiency technologies that will meet the state’s current and future energy demands.

Once again, America can lead the way. Developing new technologies will result in a robust clean energy economy our country can be proud of while creating good-paying jobs and diversifying our economy while not polluting our air.

This is our vision for America’s future. And the National Clean Energy Summit is a pivotal opportunity to help get us there.