Day: February 4, 2019
Beijing to Shut All Major Coal Power Plants to Cut Pollution
Beijing, where pollution averaged more than twice China’s national standard last year, will close the last of its four major coal-fired power plants next year.
Obama Orders US Agencies to Cut Carbon Emissions 40 Percent by 2025
President Barack Obama ordered the federal government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from 2008 levels over the next 10 years by shifting to renewable energy sources such as solar power.
Land Claim Could Halt South Africa Bioenergy Project
A land claim brought against South Africa’s largest sugar farmer threatens to stop a 1.1 billion rand ($90 million) renewable-energy project that will produce electricity by burning leftover cane leaves and tops.
Sweden, Norway Increase Renewable Target Amid Power Glut Concern
Sweden and Norway agreed to boost their target for renewable energy production amid concerns the additional capacity will exacerbate a power glut and strain the region’s electricity grid.
Carbon Emissions Stop Rising for First Time in 40 Years
Global emissions were unchanged last year, the first time that’s happened amid economic growth in four decades, according to the International Energy Agency.
Chile Gets Cleaner at a Profit with Renewable Energy Push
Policies favoring clean energy and increased competition would normally dim prospects for existing producers. Not in Chile, where foreign investors are driving a renewable boom at a time of surging returns by local utilities.
Japan Panel Considers 16 Percent Cut for Solar Feed-in Tariff
Japan is considering reducing the incentives for developers of solar power projects by as much as 16 percent to reflect lower operating and maintenance costs.
Apple To Build Two Renewable-Powered Data Centers in Europe
Apple Inc. plans to spend 1.7 billion euros ($1.9 billion) building data centers in Ireland and Denmark in its biggest European investment, with the facilities set to run services such as iTunes and maps for users of its devices.
Harvard’s Star Alumni Urge Week of Fossil Fuel Protests
Actress Natalie Portman, environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and other high-profile Harvard University alumni are calling for demonstrations to urge divestment from fossil fuels.
UK Coal-to-Biomass Conversion Project to Be Probed by EU
U.K. subsidies for RWE AG’s Lynemouth power plant face a European Union probe amid concerns government aid would give the company too much to convert the site from coal to biomass and may hamper competition.