General
News
Australia's Annual Emissions Continue To Rise, Driven By LNG Production.
According to The Guardian, “Emissions in Australia are continuing to rise, with the latest increases driven predominantly by an increase in liquefied natural gas production in Western
Australia. Emissions for the year to September 2018 went up 0.9% on the previous year, according to the latest inventory, primarily due to a 19.7% increase in LNG exports, but there were also increases in stationary energy, transport, fugitives, industrial
processes and waste sectors. The increased pollution from stationary energy reflects production growth in the mining sector, in steel and aluminium. The increase in LNG production has driven a 7.3% increase in fugitive emissions over the year to September
2018. Transport emissions also increased 2% over the year to September, with an 8.4% increase in diesel consumption, reflecting increased diesel passenger vehicle sales and more freight activity. But emissions in Australia’s electricity sector continued to
fall, courtesy of a 12.3% reduction in brown coal supply, and a 14.2% increase in generation from renewable sources.” [The Guardian,
2/28/19 (=)]
County Dairies Begin Passing Gas From Cows To Homes.
According to the Sun Gazette, “Once thought of as major polluters, Central Valley dairies are now converting the gases released from tons of cow manure into one of the most cost effective
and renewable energies, natural gas. And earlier this month, a Tulare County facility became the first ever to pump renewable natural gas from dairies directly into a state utility’s pipeline. On Feb. 14, Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and biogas producer
Calgren Dairy Fuels announced that renewable natural gas produced at Calgren’s dairy digester facility in Pixley, Calif. was being injected into SoCalGas pipelines. The alternative fuel is not only considered carbon neutral, it is carbon-negative because it
captures the methane produced by manure before it is released into the atmosphere, a major contributor to global warming, creating an alternative to dirtier forms of fossil fuel, such as diesel. The ethanol-based fuel can then be used in trucks and buses,
to generate electricity, fuel heating systems in homes and businesses, and for cooking. ‘Biomethane, or renewable natural gas, is no different than traditional natural gas found under the earth,’ said George Minter, regional VP of external affairs and environmental
strategy.” [Sun Gazette,
2/27/19 (=)]
West Slope Officials Push For Stricter Air Quality Regulations.
According to the Aspen Times, “Several elected officials from the Roaring Fork Valley and throughout the Western Slope have joined in calling on the Statewide Hydrocarbons Emissions
Reduction (SHER) Task Force to push forward stronger air quality standards in the state. A letter sent to the task force included signatures by 27 county and municipal elected officials, including Carbondale Mayor Dan Richardson, all five Pitkin County commissioners
and Aspen City Councilman Adam Frisch. It asks for stronger rules to control statewide ozone and methane emissions and reduce natural gas waste across the state. ‘We cannot afford the environmental costs of leaky or poorly supervised gas infrastructure,’ Pitkin
County Commissioner Greg Poschman said in a statement from the Western Leaders Network.” [Aspen times,
2/27/19 (=)]
Chad Ellwood
Research Associate
202.448.2877 ext. 119