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Jaipur Designer Turns Waste Paper into 100% Biodegradable, Water-Resistant Furniture

Posted on November 11, 2020 by dishanth

Ever since the Chinse invented the process of turning wood pulp into paper sheets, the world has been in love with this versatile product. But this process is both a great boon and a bane. Yes, we get everything from package labels to money to drawing sheets from it. But lakhs of trees are cut down every year to make paper, which can be used and tossed in ten minutes. The tree takes a lifetime to grow.

Are there any solutions?

We can do our best to reduce, of course. Recycling is a half-way solution since printed paper, with its dyes, glues and inks, makes dark and rough sheets when recycled. and cost more than fresh ones. There is reuse as well. We are certainly innovative with it in India. Street vendors wrap the goods in old notebook paper, homemakers line shelves with old newspaper and practically every home has an old paper stapled together as a writing pad. But these methods are not enough.

This is where upcycling comes in, with people like Spriha Chokhani making it interesting.

Spriha, a Jaipur-based product designer and entrepreneur, is the founder of Pulp Factory, a design studio founded in 2017 that makes products using waste paper.

The furniture made using paper is 100% biodegradable

The idea of making furniture out of waste paper first came to Spriha about ten years back when she was a student at a design school. As a part of the project assigned to them, they had to either work under someone or carry out independent work.

“We were supposed to work with materials and I started noticing that a lot of people were working bamboo or cane. While this helped in developing more products, materials like papier mache were heavily ignored. Other than a few souvenirs from Bihar and Kashmir, this material was hardly ever explored. This is what got me really curious,” says the 32-year-old, speaking to The Better India.

She came up with a range of papier-mache furniture, which is 100 per cent compostable. The six different styles of furniture that they have can withstand the weight upto 80-100 kg. Moreover, these are water-resistant and made using natural materials. Today she sells the same, along with pouches, totes, and box bags made using paper textiles, under her label – Pulp Factory.

Spriha Chokhani, designer and founder of Pulp Factory

Experimenting with Materials

Brought up in Assam, Spriha moved to Bengaluru to pursue a degree in Product Design from the Srishti Institute of Art, Design, and Technology.

After deciding to use papier mache as her material of choice for her three-month-long diploma project, a long period of experimentation followed.

“Initially, when I was making the furniture, I was using strong adhesives made with chemicals. That had a negative impact on my health. I began questioning myself about what is the point of making a product if it isn’t maker-friendly. That is when I decided to look out for natural materials that ensure the wellbeing of whoever was making the furniture,” she says.

Spriha then started experimenting with materials like corn starch, potato starch and even rice. Finally, she settled on tapioca glue but realised that it would, unfortunately, leave an odd smell. By this time, she had finished her course and decided to take a break to dabble in pottery.

Each piece of furniture is hand-sculpted and made using natural materials

The thought of Pulp Factory (a name she coined in 2010 itself) never left her as she could envision the potential that the idea had. In 2012, she led Pulp Factory into its first exhibition with products made with a mixture of odour-free natural glues.

In 2014, she showcased these products at the India Design week in Delhi.

Spriha moved to Jaipur the next year to conduct research on different kinds of paper. Having done her schooling in Jaipur, the pink city was familiar to her. In 2017, Bharat Chokhani, her cousin joined her as a partner and Pulp Factory was registered.

Going about the Operations

“Our studio is like a one-stop destination where we extensively work with paper in different ways with a sustainable approach,” says Spriha. The operations for Pulp Factory are carried out at a small bungalow close to her residence in Jaipur. The core team consists of just five people.

A master weaver weaves the paper yarn into paper fabric and another team member crafts paper products like the bags. The furniture is handcrafted by Spriha and another employee, who sits on the terrace every day since it requires ample sun.

The most important raw material for this is the waste paper (mostly newspaper) pulp which is sourced from the neighbourhood kabadiwalas. Each piece of furniture is upcycled from at least five to eight kg of waste paper and takes almost 25 days to be ready.

“I think the most interesting aspect of the operations is how the furniture is made. We have ensured that the waste generated during the process is a bare minimum while also ensuring the wellbeing of the person crafting the furniture,” she says. Even for packaging, Spriha informs that they use agricultural waste to make small cushions, which are used as padding.

These sustainable values and unique products have drawn the attention of customers.

Richa Siotia, for example, first discovered Pulp Factory over three years ago at the India Design Fair. She was surprised to see that furniture made by upcycling waste paper could be so sturdy.

“Later, I decided to purchase two blue coloured stools that were made by them. The best part is they are sturdy, long-lasting and add a unique touch to the living space. I even take it out on the balcony once in a while. I have also checked out their other paper products like bags which are beautiful. I love the work they are doing and if you want to get into sustainable living, it is a good point to start from,” says the Delhi-based entrepreneur.

Another customer, Kolkata-based Neha Agarwal, first discovered the Pulp Factory while browsing through her Instagram feed last year. “When I first saw the pictures, I couldn’t even believe that furniture can be made from paper,” says the 32-year-old graphic designer.

She then began looking at all the products and settled on a bag made from paper fabric.

“I use the bag from Pulp Factory daily. It is very durable and can carry anything that I dump inside. I also love the fact that it is 100 per cent biodegradable. Even their packaging is completely sustainable and I appreciate their conscious efforts,” she says.

Overcoming hurdles and looking ahead

The journey towards establishing her own venture has not been easy and Spriha discusses a few challenges that she has faced in her entrepreneurial journey.

“Working as a woman can be really hard. People don’t take you seriously and one really has to hold their ground to put forth their ideas,” she explains.

Spriha informs that the water-resistant paper furniture is strong enough to withstand 80 to 100 kgs of weight

Other than that, she adds that it is often difficult to explain to people that the furniture handcrafted from papier mache actually works. But, she quickly adds that with an increase in eco-consciousness and the buzz around it on social media, explaining the concept is easier now.

Spriha has a few words of encouragement for other small business owners.

“I think if you are in a field like this, one needs to have an extreme amount of patience. Just believe in your idea and keep pushing it. It is an evolving process. Don’t rush things, keep evolving, and be open to learning,” she says.

Now, Spriha informs that they are experimenting with making newer accessories with the paper fabric. She also wants to increase the pace of production while also working closely with schools and other institutions where she hopes the sustainable furniture can be installed one day.

“I want people to understand that sustainability is not a trend or a fad but a way of living. It is a holistic way of looking at things where nothing is left behind,” she says.

Rapid-fire:
*An entrepreneur/designer you admire.
Ans: Wendell Castle, a leading American furniture artist

*New tech that can transform the future of small businesses
Ans: Tech developed to harness the use of bio-materials

*One value that can help small businesses thrive
Ans: A team that is open and communicates

*Your favourite book
Ans: Radical Matter: Rethinking Materials for a sustainable future by Caroline Till and Kate Franklin

*In my free time, I ____…
Ans: Daydream, listen to music and take it easy

* Before this interview, I was ____…
Ans: I was at a product shoot

* A message for your past self about small businesses
Ans: Success and failure are equally important in one’s journey

*Best advice you ever got is ____…
Ans: The higher we go up, the humbler we should become

By Angarika Gogoi

Source: The Better India

Do you have an idea to make buildings part of the fight against climate change?

Posted on November 11, 2020November 11, 2020 by dishanth

The inaugural CapitaLand Sustainability X Challenge is searching the globe for the most innovative solutions to make buildings more climate-resilient and resource-efficient.

In less than a decade, 60 per cent of the global population will live in cities. How can the built environment innovate and adapt to accommodate 360 million more people projected to live in urban areas by 2030 and build within planetary boundaries?

On Tuesday (10 November), real estate group CapitaLand launched the inaugural CapitaLand Sustainability X Challenge, a global search for innovations to make buildings more climate-resilient and resource-efficient from their initial design to construction.

Launched in conjunction with CapitaLand’s 2030 Sustainability Master Plan, the innovation challenge will source for solutions to meet its new sustainability targets.

The challenge falls under four key themes that address important pain points of the built environment: low carbon transition, water conservation and resilience, waste management and the circular economy, and healthy and safe buildings.

“Through the CXSC, we are inviting individuals and companies worldwide to contribute their impactful and scalable innovations. We are also discussing with local and international organisations on opportunities to partner us for the challenge. We look forward to working with our partners and the participants to bring great ideas to life and to co-create a more sustainable built environment across the global communities we operate in,” said Lynette Leong, chief sustainability officer of CapitaLand Group.

“In addition to tackling the challenges of lowering carbon emissions and water conservation as well as promoting circularity in our waste management practices, threats such as Covid-19 and the haze have sharpened our focus on further improving the health and safety of our building occupants and customers, beginning with elevating the indoor air quality at our properties. This will reinforce our leading position as a sustainable global real estate company,” she added.

Two winners will be selected for the High Impact Award and Most Innovative Award, and will receive up to S$50,000 (US$37,200) in project funding and mentoring.

Winning submissions will be assessed based on the impact, potential outcomes, and depth of innovation. Other judging criteria include the solutions’ ability to be scaled and deployed across the different geographies and asset types of CapitaLand’s properties.

As well as prizes for the winners, other shortlisted participants will stand a chance to trial their innovations on selected CapitaLand properties.

Shortlisted teams will pitch their projects to a panel of judges at a finale event held in May 2021. The challenge is currently accepting submissions until 1 February 2021.

Ideas for CapitaLand Sustainability X Challenge can be submitted here.

By Sonia Sambhi

Source: Eco Business

Toshiba to end construction of new coal-fired power plants

Posted on November 11, 2020 by dishanth

Toshiba Corp. has said it will stop taking orders for new coal-fired power plants as it makes a wider push to embrace renewable energy, though it will still complete work on about 10 further facilities.

The engineering and technology giant will continue to manufacture steam turbines, offer maintenance services for existing coal-power plants and work on the construction of plants that have already been ordered.

The shift away from coal highlights differences between equipment suppliers as they move to leave the sector behind and focus on gas turbines and renewable energy.

Samsung C&T Corp. has faced criticism over its intention to complete further coal projects before quitting the fuel, while General Electric Co. said in September it will pursue an exit from its existing obligations.

The firms are under pressure amid investor demands for action on climate change and over the prospect that tighter government policy on greenhouse gas emissions will limit scope for new coal-fired plants — even in Asia, where nations currently remain reliant on the fuel as a form of cheap electricity generation.

“Demand for new coal-power plants has been dwindling,” Toshiba President Nobuaki Kurumatani said during a media briefing Wednesday. “We started considering withdrawing from new coal-plant construction in the previous fiscal year, and finally made the decision” after the government pledged last month to become greenhouse gas neutral by 2050.

Renewable energy-related investments in Japan could total as much as ¥80 trillion ($760.6 billion) over the next decade amid national efforts to lower emissions, Kurumatani estimated.

Toshiba has existing orders for the installation of coal-fired plant facilities in countries including Indonesia and India, according to details listed on its website.

Shares in the firm rose 0.8% in Tokyo trading on Wednesday. The company also released its second quarter earnings the same day, announcing an annual dividend forecast that beat analyst estimates.

Toshiba “needs to change strategy to take advantage of growth sectors,” wrote Llewelyn Hughes, an associate professor at the Australian National University’s Crawford School of Public Policy, in an email. “Toshiba is able to make this shift because it is a diversified company, so exiting coal is not existential for them.”

The company plans to invest ¥160 billion in renewable energy for its operations through the fiscal year ending March 2023, and also aims to halve carbon dioxide emissions by 2030, including so-called Scope 3 pollution, spokesman Takashi Ebina said Wednesday.

Toshiba aims to increase annual sales from its renewable energy business to ¥650 billion by March 2031, compared to about ¥190 billion in the most recent full year. Sales from thermal coal power and hydrogen businesses amounted to ¥222.5 billion in the year ended March 31, representing 6.6% of total sales.

By Aya Takada and

Stephen StapczynskiSource: Japan Times

New Zealand government launches $70m fund to reduce carbon emissions from coal and gas

Posted on November 11, 2020 by dishanth

The Government has launched a $70m fund to help businesses switch from fossil fuels, such as coal and gas, to clean energy for process heat.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and energy minister Megan Woods announced the fund in New Plymouth on Wednesday, and said it would allow business and industries to access financial support to switch away from boilers run on coal and gas, to cleaner electricity and biomass options.

Process heat is the steam, hot water or hot gases used in industrial processing, manufacturing and space heating.

Jacinda Ardern is mobbed by students at Witt in New Plymouth. ANDY JACKSON/STUFF

“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from process heat is win-win for our climate and our recovery,” Ardern said in a statement. “It provides much-needed financial support to business to assist with the often costly transition of plant and equipment to clean energy sources.”

Ardern said the $70m fund would create jobs and stimulate the economy, while demonstrating the Government’s commitment to future-proofing New Zealand’s Covid-19 recovery.

“I have set out that the economic recovery from Covid and addressing climate change are priorities for the new Government,” she said. “This fund creates jobs while lowering emissions and is the exact sort of initiative that will help us to build back better from Covid.”

Ardern poses for a selfie while at New Plymouth’s polytech. ANDY JACKSON/STUFF

According to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA), 79 per cent of the process heat in New Zealand is used in the industrial sector, in sawmills, pulp and paper mills, and food processing plants (including dairy).

The final 21 per cent is used in the commercial sector, in shops and office buildings, the public sector, in schools, hospitals, prisons and public administration buildings, and in the agricultural sector, mainly for glasshouses.

Ardern meets with Colleen Tuuta during her visit to Witt on Wednesday. ANDY JACKSON/STUFF

About half of the country’s process heat demand comes from burning coal or natural gas.

It counts for about 9 per cent of our total emissions, and 27 per cent of our energy-related emissions.

Woods said this fund would be key to reducing those emissions in the coming year.

“The new fund will target New Zealand’s largest energy users to accelerate their uptake of electrification and other technologies that will dramatically lower emissions from this sector, and create clean energy jobs.”

Jacinda Ardern caught up with her aunt, Marie Ardern, and New Plymouth MP Glen Bennett during her visit. ANDY JACKSON/STUFF

Woods said a minimum of $15m was available in the first round, which opened on Wednesday.

“Successful applicants will likely already have a plan in place to decarbonise their process heat, and will be able to demonstrate value for money as well as their contribution to the economic recovery by boosting economic activity and providing local employment.”

By Jane Matthews

Source: Stuff

Your Guide to the Clean Energy Implications of the 2020 Election

Posted on November 5, 2020 by dishanth

Clean energy and climate change have received unprecedented levels of attention in the 2020 U.S. presidential contest between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The candidates hold strikingly oppositional views on decarbonizing the economy and leading global partnerships to combat climate change. The differences between the two candidates on these matters have been on stark display throughout this year’s campaign, from last month’s presidential debates to Trump’s last-minute push to highlight fracking as a campaign issue in the contested state of Pennsylvania.

The stakes of this election’s outcome are high. To combat what he’s called an “existential threat to humanity” from climate change, Biden has pledged to rejoin the Paris Agreement, commit the country to decarbonizing electricity generation by 2035, and issue a series of executive orders that would surpass the climate ambition of the Obama-Biden administration. Trump, who has questioned the reality of climate change caused by human activity, has committed his administration to deregulating industries and rolling back energy efficiency and automotive fuel economy standards to increase economic competitiveness, as well as expanding the roles of the coal, oil and gas industries in the country’s energy future.

To help you make sense of what’s at stake, we’ve compiled Greentech Media’s essential coverage of the 2020 election and its consequences for clean energy.

What’s at Stake for Clean Energy in the U.S. Election?

If you read one piece on clean energy and the election, make it this one. Insights from GTM writers explain how the outcome of the election could impact solar, energy storage, utilities and wind.

Biden’s First 100 Days: What Would They Look Like for Clean Energy?

How could Joe Biden, if elected, pursue the climate and clean energy policies his campaign has laid out? Policy experts discuss the executive actions and congressional policies that are most likely to gain traction in the first 100 days of a Biden presidency.

Biden Pledges $2T in Clean Energy and Infrastructure Spending

In July, the Biden campaign laid out a $2 trillion plan designed to encourage clean energy deployment and accelerate the energy transition. The plan built on a climate platform released earlier that month and developed by a “unity task force” of supporters of both Biden and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, a key rival for the Democratic Party nomination, and was geared to unite the progressive and moderate wings of the party on climate policy.

What the Kamala Harris VP Pick Means for Biden’s Energy and Climate Platform

A co-sponsor of the Green New Deal resolution (which the Biden campaign has not officially and entirely endorsed), U.S. Senator and vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris framed the environmental policies of her presidential bid around environmental justice. She’s to the left of Biden on some environmental issues but matches him as a moderate in other respects. In response to her selection to fill out the Democratic ticket, environmental activists noted Harris’ willingness to listen to feedback.

Can U.S. Lawmakers Agree on Big Climate and Clean Energy Legislation?

Even if Biden wins, his administration faces a difficult path to pass significant clean-energy or climate-focused legislation in Congress. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse shared the stage in an October event to discuss areas where bipartisan consensus may exist on energy policy.

WoodMac: Biden Loss Would End Hopes of U.S. Decarbonization by 2050

When it comes to the climate crisis, this election has extreme consequences. An analysis from Wood Mackenzie lays out the incredibly high stakes. “If Biden’s bid fails, the U.S. will forfeit four more years in the fight against climate change. This would dramatically reduce the possibility of eliminating carbon emissions from the region’s power grid before 2050,” writes Dan Shreve, WoodMac’s research director, in the report.

Would U.S. Solar Tariffs Disappear Under a Biden Administration? Don’t Count on It.

On most policies related to clean energy, Joe Biden and Donald Trump are leagues apart. But under a potential Biden administration, solar tariffs could “still be on the table.” GTM examines the likelihood that this divisive policy sticks around post-2020 if Democrats win the White House.

Energy Becomes a Hot Issue in the Final Days of the Election

The hosts of The Energy Gang recap the role of energy and climate in the 2020 election. The episode also highlights important down-ballot races to watch.

What to Watch for in Climate and Energy After Election Day

Th hosts of Political Climate, along with Josh Freed, founder of Third Way’s Climate and Energy Program, outline the policies that could take root in a Biden administration and how those contrast with what a continuation of the Trump presidency may look like.

Examining Efforts to Elect Climate Candidates

Joe Biden has pitched the most ambitious climate plans of any presidential candidate to date. Political Climate talks to two groups, Vote Climate U.S. PAC and Climate Cabinet Action Fund, that are pushing for more aggressive climate policies from candidates at the state level as well as those running for Congress.

John Podesta’s Climate Policy Recommendations for a Biden Presidency

John Podesta worked in Bill Clinton’s White House, led Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and founded think tank the Center for American Progress. The long-time Democratic strategist lays out his thoughts on how a hypothetical Biden administration should approach climate policy and what it could accomplish in its first 100 days.

How Joe Biden’s Climate Plan Stacks Up

Political Climate digs into Biden’s $2 trillion clean energy plan, which includes a nationwide clean electricity standard and investments in research, development and federal procurement.

Source: Green Tech Media

Bank customers offered carbon footprint-tracking app to give them ‘ethical nudges’

Posted on November 5, 2020 by dishanth

Westpac is offering its customers an app to track their carbon footprint through their spending.

The bank is promoting CoGo, which uses their transaction data to estimate their carbon footprints, and deliver little “ethical nudges” by suggesting ways to lower it.

Hundreds, rather than thousands of Westpac customers have so far downloaded the app, but CoGo founder Ben Gleisner wasn’t surprised.

CoGo was offered by British bank Natwest to its customers in September, and the proportion of its customers to download the app had been growing steadily.

”It’s about 2 per cent so far,” Gleisner said. “But it will come in time. People will say, ‘What, you don’t know your carbon footprint?’ It will be socially unacceptable not to understand.”

The CoGo app relies on “open banking” architecture with Westpac customers giving their bank permission to share their transaction data with CoGo.

CoGo’s algorithms analyse users’ spending, and estimate their carbon footprints, but it is only an estimate.

A large part of people carbon footprints is to be found in the production of their food, but as yet neither Countdown nor Foodstuffs had partnered with CoGo, so all the app currently saw was how much a person spent on groceries, not what they spent their money on, said Gleisner, a former Treasury economist.

If users of the app designate themselves as vegetarians, the carbon footprint estimate of their grocery spending was reduced, as meat was more carbon intensive to produce than vegetables.

But Gleisner was working to persuade the two big supermarket chains to partner with CoGo.

“The supermarket that decides to go first on this will be seen as a true leader,” he said. “They are very interested, but they are slowly coming to the table.”

Once people were using the app, they would start getting “ethical nudges” to give them tips on how to reduce their carbon footprints.

The experience with users of the app in Britain, where it had been available for over a year, had shown a large proportion of users were responsive to the ethical nudges, Gleisner said.

“In the UK, we have found that 25 per cent of users have adopted a new climate-friendly action. One in four people have done something completely new,” Gleisner said.

The nudges would encourage changes of habit, sometimes big ones, such as becoming vegetarian, replacing car journeys with pedal-powered trips, of cutting down on spending on clothes by switching at least partly to buying secondhand.

In time, it could become much more specific, suggesting alternate products with lower carbon footprints.

More than half of the people who have ever downloaded the app and linked their banking data to it, were still using it, Gleisner said.

People using the app could pay money to offset their emissions at the end of each month through it, Gleisner said, allowing them to become carbon neutral.

In time, CoGo would evolve and provide more than just carbon footprints to users, Gleisner said.

His plans included providing users with data on which businesses they gave custom to were living wage employers, and which were not.

“If they care about plastic waste in time we will able to track their plastic waste to help them reduce it,” Gleisner said.

“We’ll also do your pension, and your savings,” he said.

“Think about it a one-step shop to live a more ethical – in terms of your own values – life.”

“We call it sustainable living made easy,” he said. “We’re trying to help you live a life that’s more aligned with your values and aspirations.”

Westpac has been working to build a climate-friendly image with customers, and was also a living wage employer.

By Rob Stock

Source: Stuff

Black & Veatch: No More Coal Construction

Posted on November 5, 2020 by dishanth

Black & Veatch is ending the company’s participation in coal-based power market design and construction, saying it will allow the company to focus on clean energy technologies. The engineering and construction giant’s announcement Oct. 29 comes just more than a month after another major energy company, General Electric, said it would exit the new-build coal power market.

“We are an employee-owned company, and we do not make decisions based on what the market wants to hear, or how the market will react,” said Mario Azar, president of Black & Veatch’s power business, in an interview Thursday with POWER. “We make decisions based on the values of our company. We’ve been around for more than 100 years, and we want to be around for another 100 years or more.

“That’s how we make decisions as the executive committee of Black & Veatch,” he said. “It’s really centered around our values and our future. It was us, telling ourselves, did we really want to be part of that [coal] legacy anymore?”

Overland Park, Kansas-based Black & Veatch in a news release said it recognizes “the global power industry is in a state of transformation and needs to accelerate the path to net zero as many companies, communities and stakeholders forge ahead with commitments to lower carbon emissions.” The company said it “will fulfill current project commitments to completion,” but going forward its efforts “will focus on supporting clients through their transition to a balanced energy portfolio with cleaner energy sources and towards achieving their decarbonization and sustainability goals.”

Black & Veatch, founded in 1915, is a global leader in the engineering and construction industry, and had revenues of $3.7 billion in 2019. The company over the past several years has increased its participation in renewable energy and energy storage technologies, and in Thursday’s announcement said it has supported “deployment of hydrogen as a carbon-free fuel and advanced technologies for carbon capture.” The company also has invested in modernizing a power grid that increasingly must accommodate intermittent renewable energy and different baseload sources of generation.

Decarbonization Targets

The company in its announcement said the move away from coal is a recognition that “clients need to reliably achieve varying decarbonization targets,” and said the shift allows the company’s workforce “to further accelerate the creation of solutions that help transform the industry, including helping clients reduce dependence on coal power assets and minimize the impact of those assets to the environment.”

“The transition away from any coal-related activity is about our commitment as a company to sustainability and accelerating our efforts to lead the emerging carbon-free energy future,” said Steve Edwards, the company’s CEO.

“There’s going to be a point when you have to make some of these difficult decisions,” Azar said. “We have been involved in building power plants in Asia, some of which we’re in the process of finishing, and as we near completion—particularly in Asia—there’s been a new wave of projects we’ve been invited to participate in. Looking at the future, looking at our sustainable commitment as a company, looking at the economics today that make renewable energy affordable, and certainly energy that is far, far lower in emissions than coal … we asked ourselves, ‘Do we really want to build another coal plant that is going to pollute the air for a very long time to come?’ We decided we don’t. It’s time to recognize that this is just the right thing to do.”

He continued: “There is a financial implication to this decision. We are leaving projects that we can participate in behind, and there is a [financial risk] to it, but we believe it is a very short-term implication compared to a longer-term vision. It’s really about the future, a cleaner and very robust energy alternative to coal.”

New Technology Needed

Azar, who came to Black & Veatch in 2018 after stints with Siemens and Westinghouse, said the changing power landscape calls for more engineering prowess and technical innovation. “At the same time the industry wrestles with its transformation, global communities continue to have demand for safe, reliable and cost-effective power,” he said. “These forces create a delicate balance that requires deep engineering and technology expertise to help guide the complex transition of power generation and delivery infrastructure.”

Black & Veatch in its news release noted that earlier this year the Intermountain Power Agency (IPA) selected the company as Owner’s Engineer on IPA’s Intermountain Power Project Renewal Project, “one of the earliest installations of combustion turbine technology designed to use a high percentage of green hydrogen,” it said.

The company’s new 2020 Strategic Directions: Electric Reports details how the power generation industry is pursuing lower-carbon solutions, including integration of renewable resources to the power grid to increase resilience and reliability.

Black & Veatch already is working on emerging technologies for carbon capture and utilization. It also is looking at advanced nuclear power technologies, such as small modular reactors, which were part of the focus of POWER’s virtual Distributed Energy Experience event Oct. 19-22.

Black & Veatch on Thursday said it recently surveyed more than 600 power industry executives, and more than 75% indicated their companies are investing more money in clean energy, with 8 in 10 saying spending on new generation capacity will be directed toward solar power, microgrids, and other distributed energy resources (DERs). Black & Veatch said its commitment to help clients achieve clean energy goals mirrors its own; by 2023, the company plans to have reduced its overall emissions by 20%, and its fleet and building emissions by 40% compared to 2019 levels.

By Darrell Proctor

Source: Power Mag

What Will It Take to Make Offshore Wind Viable in the U.S.?

Posted on November 5, 2020 by dishanth

The benefits of offshore wind power have become indisputable. While it takes significant investment to bring these sources of power about, we can see that where offshore wind is being introduced, jobs are being created and clean, sustainable energy is being generated.

Despite these clear and appealing benefits, however, only a handful of countries have made significant progress toward embracing offshore wind in a meaningful manner. Of the countries leading in offshore wind power, just three—China, Germany, and the UK—account for more than 80% of worldwide installations. The UK leads (at 34%), and is expected to obtain one-third of all its energy from wind power by 2030 (with tens of thousands of new jobs created along the way).

So, what would it take for the U.S. to inch toward that group of leaders? With many Americans increasingly focused on clean power and broader sustainability efforts, it’s a fair question to ask. And there are a few developments and steps that would seem to make for the clearest path forward for offshore wind viability in the U.S.

The Block Island Wind Farm off the coast of Rhode Island began operating in 2016. It is still the only commercial offshore wind farm operating in the U.S. Courtesy: Deepwater Wind

Ongoing Struggles for Oil & Gas

There hasn’t been much good news in 2020, but some with interest in the clean energy movement have seen silver linings in the oil and gas industry’s struggles. As a result of decimated demand due to the coronavirus, this industry experienced a catastrophic crash in March and April. And while the movement in oil’s trading price since has shown some recovery, it’s been anything but complete. Oil is still trading much lower than it typically does, demand remains unreliable, and major producers have had to curb output to avoid further price crashes.

There are no guarantees about how all of this will play out, but some see it as the development that was needed for renewable energy to gain ground. An oil and gas industry that is even partially crippled will make way for alternative fuel and energy sources, including offshore wind power. And if the oil and gas struggles continue, we could even see meaningful shifts in energy investment.

Government Emphasis on Clean Energy

Without getting too far into politics, it’s important to note that government policy will play a role in any meaningful transition toward offshore wind power as well. Somewhat surprisingly, some analyses of clean energy and the 2020 election actually suggest that the industry is poised to progress regardless of outcomes. The suggestion is that there’s an inevitability to clean energy, and that in time, we’ll see more renewable options regardless of politics.

With that said, there’s no denying the fact that some in politics prioritize the transition to cleaner energy more than others. Should changes in the government this year result in more power for those who want to focus explicitly on environmental sustainability and energy-related job creation, the U.S. will have moved closer to the widespread viability of offshore wind power.

Demonstrated Effectiveness and Public Buy-In

We mentioned above that the UK is already seeing significant job creation and the availability of clean power as a result of its emphasis on offshore wind. But information from overseas isn’t necessarily likely to move the American public—at least not as much as the same information at home would be. However, there is some hope of a snowball effect once offshore wind power does begin to expand in the U.S.

That is to say, if Americans see for themselves that offshore wind is a developing industry—one providing new jobs and clean, affordable energy—public demand for a focus on clean power could intensify. It may be that in a few years’ time, it will be in the best interest of government officials and related companies alike to satisfy that demand.

Investment from Key Companies

Perhaps most important of all will be significant investment from key companies in the energy sector. This may come about as a result of greater government emphasis or a declining oil and gas industry, but it’s still the step that will truly bring about meaningful advancement in offshore wind power (and, possibly, that snowball effect).

Fortunately, it’s also something we may be witnessing the beginnings of. POWER covered changes being made by Duke Energy in the Carolinas, in pursuit of net-zero carbon goals by 2050. And among those changes are the transition away from coal and significant capital investment in renewable energy sources, including offshore wind. It’s only one example, but it’s a big one, and it’s the kind of story we’ll be seeing more of when the U.S. is ready to make more of a leap toward harnessing offshore wind.

—Alyssa Regina Rose is a writer with a passion for the environment. She believes that the world needs to switch to renewable energy now and hopes that her articles help people understand why.

Source: Power Mag

British Petroleum Signals Imminent Hydrogen and Offshore Wind Plays

Posted on November 4, 2020 by dishanth

BP is readying offshore wind bids during the next six months with heightened hydrogen activity also in the pipeline, the oil major’s CEO, Bernard Looney, said Tuesday.

During the company’s Q3 results call, Bernard Looney said BP would “probably” bid in offshore wind auctions that are scheduled in the next six months. The firm revealed a U.S.-focused partnership with Equinor in September, its first foray into offshore wind. Looney said bidding in auctions over the next six months would also be carried out in partnerships rather than independently.

In its home market in the U.K., there are active seabed leasing rounds. Denmark’s 800 MW to 1,000 MW Thor project closes to bids on March 15. The Netherlands’ Hollandse Kust (west) project, which could be as large as 1,400 MW, is scheduled to tender in Q2 2021.

BP is targeting 20 gigawatts of renewables by 2025 and 50 GW by 2030. It currently has around 10 GW completed or in the works and options on another 20 GW. Most of its early successes have come via its 50 percent stake in solar developer Lightsource BP.

Looney said the company is more likely to add megawatts via partnerships, like those with Lightsource BP and Equinor, and capacity auctions than through merger and acquisition activity.

“Partnerships will be…a key factor in this build-out, quite frankly, just like [they are] in the traditional oil and gas business. […] We partner all around the world today in oil and gas, and partnership will be no different as we look to build out our low-carbon position.”

“Over the coming six months, you’ll probably see us bid [in offshore auction rounds]. We’ll do that in partnerships; we consider that a sort of organic build-out,” he said, adding that there are no “material” merger and acquisition deals in the immediate future but that they should not be ruled out as a possibility.

French rival Total has made several huge deals to swell its own portfolio of renewables, including major solar deals in Spain and India and wind acquisitions in the U.K., Denmark and France. Three solar deals in Spain have netted the company more than 5 gigawatts of capacity.

Hydrogen action likely “in the coming months”

Like many of its peers, BP is eyeing the potential of hydrogen across its business. Looney again stated that hydrogen is unlikely to become a significant accounting line until 2030. Despite that, he trailed an uptick in hydrogen activity in the short term.

BP is backing both blue and green hydrogen. A gas power plant in northeast England with carbon capture and storage capabilities will be the foundation of a low-carbon industrial cluster with blue hydrogen fed to industrial customers.

“I think hydrogen is a core part of what we believe in for the future,” he told analysts, adding that the focus for BP will be heavy transport and industry, with the company looking at using hydrogen at its own refineries in Germany. It is also exploring a green hydrogen distribution trial with utility RWE.

“We are believers in hydrogen being a fuel of choice, and maybe the fuel of choice for heavy-duty transport over the medium term. We’re in the midst of exploring that more [and the] partnerships that we might have around the world. That’s work that’s ongoing at the moment,” said Looney.

“You should expect to see a bit more from us in the coming months and certainly as we head into 2021,” he added.

BP results beat expectations

BP’s Q3 results saw it post a modest, and surprise, profit of $100 million. Financial analysts had been expecting a similar-sized loss. The figure compares to losses of $6.7 billion in the second quarter of 2020 when oil and gas asset write-downs hit it hard.

The company also managed to dial its debt down by $500 million as it continues to improve its balance sheet and invest in low-carbon technology and services. To that end, the company halved its dividend earlier this year, the first dividend cut in a decade.

CFO Murray Auchincloss reiterated BP’s spending priorities, which start with the dividend, followed by reducing debt, low-carbon investment, oil and gas investment, and, finally, share buybacks, in that order.

By John Parnell

Source: Green Tech Media

Spain to hold clean energy auction by year-end under new system

Posted on November 4, 2020 by dishanth

A vocal supporter of European efforts to limit planet-warming emissions, Spain has set out an ambitious plan to install 50 gigawatts (GW) of renewable capacity by 2030.

Reuters Newsagency reports it hopes the process will also create more than 100,000 jobs annually and reduce energy costs for consumers and businesses.

Rolling out renewables “is a crucial lever to reactivate the economy, for a recovery, and we cannot wait,” Energy and Environment Minister Teresa Ribera said.

The auction system being replaced was created in 2013, when the costs of producing energy from renewable sources were higher than the price it could command in the market, Ms Ribera said, but solar energy can now be produced at costs lower than the market price.

“We have to make sure this can be integrated into the system in an orderly fashion, benefiting consumers,” she said.

The new decree should give the sector “confidence to be able to hold the first auction before the end of the year”.

Bids will be submitted sealed, and the winners will receive different prices based on their offers, in what is known as a “pay as bid” system.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s cabinet also approved a plan setting out a route to make Spain’s economy carbon neutral by 2050, using offsets like planting carbon-absorbing trees to balance out climate-changing emissions.

Under this plan, Spain expects to be able to reduce its emissions by 90 per cent from their 1990 levels and offset the remaining 10 per cent.

By David Twomey

Source: Eco News