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1. E85: Not so good?
2. Hydrogen on the Cheap?
3. China is World's Leading Investor in Renewable Energy
4. The California Clean Tech Open business plan competition: "$100k start-up in a box"
5. Prof. Jim Sweeney: Oil Policy talk, May 31 3:30-5
6. Sustainable Spaces GreenUP Consultant
7. Climate Policy Analyst position with the Center for Clean Air Policy
8. Postdoc: Insituto de Inginieria, UNAM, Mexico
9. JOB Markets and Business Strategy Fellow, Pew Center on Global Climate Change
************************************************************
1. E85: Not so good?
Addressing Global Warming, Air Pollution Health Damage,
and Long-Term Energy Needs Simultaneously
By Mark Z. Jacobson
Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Stanford University
Summary (the full report is at http://www.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/E85vWindSol)
Proponents of ethanol suggest that it is a clean and renewable fuel that will reduce air
pollution and address climate change. Data, computer model results, and new emission
information suggest that ethanol is neither clean nor has it been shown that it can slow
global warming. To the contrary, its promotion will continue the public health crisis that
has resulted in thousands of premature air-pollution-related deaths and millions of cases
of asthma and respiratory disease each year in the U.S. It will also divert resources from
the primary practical solutions to global warming and air pollution simultaneously,
namely wind- and solar energy for electric power, electric vehicles, and electricity-
derived-hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. The main findings of this report are as follows:
1) Laboratory data and the first three-dimensional computer model simulations on the
subject suggest that E85 fuel (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) will increase
atmospheric levels of ozone and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), leading indicators of
photochemical smog, in the Los Angeles basin, the most polluted airshed in the U.S.
2) E85 will increase two major carcinogens, acetaldehyde and formaldehyde while
slightly reducing another, butadiene, and reducing a fourth, benzene.
3) E85 vehicles are at best an equal and at worst a greater risk to public health than
equivalent gasoline vehicles. E85 will continue to contribute to the thousands of cases
of premature mortality and millions of cases of asthma and respiratory disease in the
U.S. that gasoline and diesel vehicles currently cause.
4) Studies to date suggest little reduction or an exacerbation of global warming due to
corn-ethanol versus gasoline as a fuel. All the studies, though, have neglected at least
seven sources of emission that enhance global warming, suggesting that corn ethanol
must cause more warming than all studies have estimated.
5) Cellulosic ethanol is a technology that has been around for over 15 years at the
laboratory scale but still does not exist at the field scale. All studies of cellulosic
ethanol have missed the same emission sources as the corn-ethanol studies missed.
Thus, all estimates of the effects of cellulosic ethanol on global warming to date are
premature and low.
6) Wind and solar energy can reduce both global warming and air pollution
simultaneously. A recent world wind-mapping study suggests that sufficient wind
power is available over land to satisfy all electric and vehicle power demand
worldwide up to five times over. Solar power is more abundant than wind. Solar
photovoltaics are more expensive than wind but easier to site. Solar thermal is both
easy to site and inexpensive.
7) Fossil-fuel vehicles can be replaced, and their pollution eliminated, by electric
vehicles, where the electricity is derived from wind or solar power, and by hydrogen
fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs), where the hydrogen is derived from wind or solar power.
In the latter case, hydrogen is obtained by using electricity from wind or solar to split
water into hydrogen and oxygen. No pollution is emitted during this process or during
the use of the HFCV, in which the chemical reaction is reversed (hydrogen plus
oxygen producing water and energy). Although these technologies face hurdles (e.g.,
possible platinum shortages upon large penetration of HFCVs and setting up a fueling
or charging infrastructure in both cases), the technologies work. Today, California has
about 100 hydrogen vehicles and many electric vehicles on the road. Hydrogen
electrolysis from wind is estimated conservatively to cost $1.12-$3.20 per equivalent
gallon of gasoline.
8) Wind and solar together can eliminate millions of cases of asthma and respiratory
disease and hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide from air pollution each year
and ultimately, can eliminate global warming. The health and climate cost of E85
from corn-ethanol is estimated to be near $0.30-$1.80/gallon. This cost will also be
eliminated with wind- and solar-powered vehicles.
*********************************************************
2. Hydrogen on the Cheap?
By David Talbot May/June 2006 MIT Technology Review
General Electric researchers have built a prototype electrolyzer that splits water molecules to generate one kilogram per hour of hydrogen.What GE has achieved is a potentially inexpensive, mass-manufacturable version of the technology.
Whereas traditional electrolyzers are made with expensive metals requiring hand assembly, a team at GE Global Research in Niskayuna, NY, came up with a way to make them largely out of a GE plastic called Noryl that is easy to form and resistant to the highly alkaline potassium hydroxide electrolyte. To get more hydrogen out of a smaller electrode, the researchers borrowed a spray-coating process normally used for jet engine parts to coat the electrodes with a proprietary nickel-based catalyst that has a larger surface area.
Their prototype of an easy-to-manufacture apparatus could lead to a commercial version that produces hydrogen via electrolysis for about $3 per kilogram -- a quantity roughly comparable to a gallon of gasoline -- down from today's $8 per kilogram. "We've attacked the capital costs," says Richard Bourgeois, an electrolysis project leader. GE could potentially manufacture the machines within a few years, he says.
********************************************************
3. China is World's Leading Investor in Renewable Energy
May 17 - Xinhua News Agency - CEIS China has become the top investor in renewable energy in the world, experts said Tuesday at the ongoing forum for decentralized sustainable energy solutions in China.
Dr. Eric Martinot, a senior research fellow with the U.S.-based Worldwatch Institute and senior visiting scholar of Tsinghua University, said that excluding large hydropower, China invested 6 billion U.S. dollars in renewable energy in 2005 out of a global total investment of 38 billion dollars.
Government support for renewable energy was 10 billion dollars in 2004 for the United States and Europe, including budget fund and policy support. The United States and Europe provide more than 700 million dollars per year for research and development, said Martinot.
The industry of renewable energy is booming. There are now more than 70 renewable energy companies worldwide with a market capitalization greater than 40 million dollars each. Their total market capitalization has been over 30 billion dollars. Major investments and acquisitions have been made in recent years by leading global companies such as GE, Siemens, Shell, BP, Sanyo and Sharp and the industry could provide over 1.7 billion jobs worldwide, he said.China is a great potential renewable energy market for world investors.
The law for renewable energy, the first of its kind is China, came into effect at the beginning of this year. China plans to raise its electricity installed capacity for renewable energy to 10 percent of its total power capacity by 2010 and 20 percent by 2020.
By 2010, renewable energy excluding large hydropower will account for five percent of China's total primary energy consumption and the percentage is planned to rise to 10 percent by 2020.
********************************************
4. The California Clean Tech Open business plan competition: "$100k start-up in a box"
This is open to students and professionals doing innovative work intended to lead to a new or expanded business in the fields of:
The California Clean Tech Open is a nationwide business plan competition focused on accelerating clean technologies into the market place. We are an independent non-profit organization of experienced volunteer entrepreneurs and business professionals.
5 Category Winners will each receive a $100,000 "Start-up in a box"
Up to 50 Finalists will receive:
Note that the deadline is May 31.
*************************************************************
5. Prof. Jim Sweeney: Oil Policy talk, May 31 3:30-5
Please join us for the May 31 energy seminars
3:30-5:00 p.m., History Corner, Building 200, room 002.
Informal reception to follow.
Professor Jim Sweeney, Professor of Management Science and Engineering and co-director, Energy, Natural Resources and the Environment Program at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.
"Oil Policy: Responding to Environmental, Economic, and Security Challenges"
***************************************************************
6. Sustainable Spaces GreenUP Consultant
Sustainable Spaces is offering a 2 - day training course designed to enable motivated individuals the skills necessary to conduct whole-house home performance GreenUP assessments. This course will provide everything you will need to analyze a house as a system and help homeowners solve their home's energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and comfort issues at the source.
You will learn to use advanced diagnostic tools such as a blower door and duct blaster to measure key indicators of home performance. Our proprietary modeling software and testing procedures take the guess work out of this complex process.
As a Home Performance GreenUP Consultant, you will learn to identify and work with homeowners to diagnose their home and provide a prioritized plan to improve efficiency, air quality, and comfort. You will learn to create a customized diagnosis and prescription that will maximize results based on quantitative measurement and modeling.
Starting with fundamentals such as insulation, building envelope, ventilation and duct performance, and ranging to high performance HVAC systems, tankless hot water, solar PV and solar thermal systems, you will provide homeowners holistic solutions that work. You will not be selling a product, rather designing solutions based on homeowner's priorities, and their home's actual performance.
Sustainable Spaces provides GreenUP Consultants, with technical training, marketing, technology, and a network of qualified contractors that will allow you to focus on developing your business working with clients to improve their home's efficiency, indoor air quality, and comfort.
This is an opportunity to take a lead role in an emerging industry and to leverage green building expertise to make a difference in people's lives.
Visit www.sustainablespaces.com/greenup.html for additional information, or email greenup@sustainablespaces.com
*************************************************************
7. Climate Policy Analyst position with the Center for Clean Air Policy
May 18, 2006
CCAP is building its capacity to work in California and other Western states by adding a Senior Policy Analyst to our domestic staff. As such, we may prefer to locate such a person in California - ideally in Sacramento - but the Bay area and southern California would provide access to California partners and stakeholders as well.
The Center for Clean Air Policy is a non-profit environmental think-tank based in Washington, DC. Founded in 1985, The Center is the only organization focused exclusively on air quality, climate and energy policy at the domestic and international levels. Our teams of policy analysts work collaboratively with scientists, industry and political leadership in every venue where we can contribute our expertise toward effective policy making.
The Center is seeking a senior Climate Change Policy Analyst to play a leading role in its Domestic Program initiatives. These programs would include state and regional climate and air quality programs, the CCAP Climate and Air Quality Dialogue and others.
We seek to add staff with analytical, outreach and project management skills. We are looking for candidates with a Master's degree in public policy, economics or a related field and five years of related experience in analysis, policy development, client and fundraising outreach. The successful candidate will have a keen sense of the political and jurisdictional issues that are at the heart of finding consensus-based solutions.
Candidate must have strong writing and analytical skills as well as political experience or networking skills. Candidate must have a good understanding of air quality, climate mitigation options and emissions trading. Candidate should have strong skills and experience in managing projects and people. Salary is commensurate with experience. This position will be based either on the West coast to help support our California and Western States initiatives or in the DC headquarters.
Please email your resume, cover letter, a short writing sample and salary history to: (Please enter "Domestic Policy Analyst" in the subject line. No telephone inquiries please.)
Mr. Steven Kallan, EVPskallan@ccap.org
****************************************************************
8. Postdoc: Insituto de Inginieria, UNAM, Mexico
We recently obtained from the President of the University his support to invite postdoctoral reseachers (less than 2 years from their graduation) to work with us for one year in something related to our project (desalination, renewable energies, or new energies in general). Our University pays all the expenses and a perdiem (salary) for one or perhaps two years. This letter is to ask you if there is any possibility to have here a recently graduated student from Stanford. I know that I am shooting high, but perhaps one can find someone interested to work with us in a very attractive ambience. If you know of any body interested, tell him to contact me please.
Best regards, hope to see you before next year meeting.
Saludos
Gerardo Hiriart L.
Instituto de Ingeniería, UNAM
Torre de Ingeniería 6° piso.
Tel. (52-55) 5623-3500 ext.1650
Ciudad Universitaria, México DF.
*******************************************************************
9. JOB Markets and Business Strategy Fellow, Pew Center on Global Climate Change
Posted: May 17, 2006
Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Arlington, VA
The Pew Center on Global Climate Change seeks a highly qualified and committed individual to work with the Markets and
Business Strategy team on business/investment issues and outreach.
Starting Date: Immediate
Responsibilities Include:
* Research and communicate (both externally and internally) information on climate change-related corporate strategies, business
community developments, and capital markets issues as well as related domestic and international policy matters
* Support the Center's communication and collaboration with companies in the Business Environmental Leadership Council
(BELC), the finance and investment community, NGOs, governments, and other key stakeholder groups
* Support research and editing of Pew Center reports and white papers
* Attend, report on, and present at climate change-related meetings, conferences, and hearings
* Develop and support workshops and briefings for BELC member companies and other stakeholders
* Maintain and improve content of business portions of the Center's website (web design experience not required)
* Assist with administrative tasks as needed
Qualifications:
* Bachelor's degree or Masters in business/economics or related disciplines with focus in energy/environment, or in
environmental policy/science with focus on economics and business; Masters level student strongly preferred
* Prior work experience in business or finance preferred; skills in financial analysis and/or modeling a plus
* Interdisciplinary understanding of the climate change issue (technology, politics, economics)
* Top-notch writing, editing, research, and analytic skills
* Advanced PowerPoint skills a plus
* Excellent attention to detail
Status: Full-time, regular, exempt
Compensation: $35,000 - $40,000; excellent benefits
Application Deadline: Rolling until position is filled; interested applicants should submit cover letter and resume as soon as possible
About the Pew Center on Global Climate Change:
The Pew Center is an independent, non-profit, and non-partisan organization dedicated to providing credible information, straight
answers, and innovative solutions in the effort to address global climate change. The Center was formed in 1998 with a large
grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts. The Pew Center strives to inform the debate by publishing reports in the areas of domestic
and international policy, economics, environmental impacts, and practical solutions relating to climate change. To facilitate
dialogue among business, government, and non-governmental organizations, the Center hosts conferences and workshops on
climate-relevant topics. Finally, Pew Center staff members participate in meetings on international climate change issues,
including the ongoing negotiations on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. For more information
about the Pew Center visit http://www.pewclimate.org/.
About Center's Business Environmental Leadership Council (BELC):
The Center's Business Environmental Leadership Council (BELC) is the largest U.S. based association of companies devoted to
advancing solutions on climate change. The BELC comprises 40 major companies in diverse sectors, with combined revenue
exceeding $2 trillion and more than 3 million employees. Members lead by reducing emissions, developing climate-friendly
technologies and services, and publicly supporting sound public policy. The Center accepts no funding from corporations.
To apply - send resume and cover letter to:
Human Resources Office
Attn: Markets and Business Strategy Fellow Search
The Pew Center on Global Climate Change
2101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 550
Arlington, VA 22201
or electronically in a Word Document or pdf to hr@pewclimate.org
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