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ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS
14th October 2009 - Acquatic plants represent a CO2 tank
They cover only 1% of the seabed, but can store approximately 50% of emissions of carbon dioxide: they are the aquatic plants, as marsh and mangroves, the destruction of which, however, came at a rate of 7% per year. This is one of the findings of the report "Blue Carbon: The Role of Binding in Carbon Healthy Oceans", built by Nations Environment Program (UNEP) presented today in Cape Town at the National Marine Month.
According to the report, stemming the destruction of aquatic and marsh plants with appropriate protection policies and allocating funds sequestration of carbon dioxide could be increased by 25%, a share that would help to counteract the damages of climate change. In some parts of Asia, according to experts, approximately 90% of mangrove trees that grow in the estuary of the rivers, has been destroyed from 1940 to present. In many countries, however, policies of reforestation of these plants are being successfully pursued. Examples are Vietnam, mangroves, and Europe and the United States for the marsh plants.
Ansa.it
13th October 2009 - Anticipations from the UNEP Blue Carbon Report
A few days before the presentation of the UNEP Blue Carbon Report fixed for the next 14th October, FAO and UNESCO have anticipated some content to ''emphasize the symbolic date of two months which lack from the UN conference on climate change in Copenhagen which will begin December 7 .'' The report emphasized that ''the oceans, seas and marine ecosystems around the world, such as algae, coral reefs and coastal wetlands absorb every day large quantities of carbon from the atmosphere. They are one of the best (and neglected) natural allies in strategies for combating climate change.'' Unfortunately, these systems capture and storage of carbon are rendered ineffective by human activity that hampers their ability to sequestration of greenhouse gas emissions. The relationship that will provide data and analysis on the potential of capture and storage of CO2 in the marine environment and the impact of ecosystem degradation of the seas and oceans on climate change (and human health), intends to show how markets could begin to fund developing countries to encourage them to implement measures for the capture of CO2 in the environment and the natural services of carbon capture and storage (CCS).
The aim of the report is to guide the developed countries, now willing to dispense billions of dollars in Ccs in power plants, to direct them towards Ccs services of natural systems, such as seas and oceans, whose effectiveness has been tested are probably more profitable.
Ansa.it
13th October 2009 - Natural disasters quadrupled in last 20 years
Over the last 20 years natural disasters have quadrupled, from about 129 a year in the mid-eighties, to 500 per year today. This is the alarm raised by WWF in a dossier published ahead of "Stand Up 2009", an initiative which would bring millions of people around the world between 16th and 18th October, so that will rise up same time to remind their governments to keep their commitments to combat climate change.
Because of global warming, says WWF, between 15% and 37% of terrestrial plants and animal species may become extinct by 2050. While in the absence of adequate measures the sea level may rise to a meter by 2100. Dramatic scenarios that, as emphasized by the environmental organization, mainly affects poor countries: if the sea level will continue to rise at its current rate, then surely Bangladesh will pay the worst consequences, with 35 million of displaced people. Between 1990 and 1998, 94% of natural disasters, a total of 568, has hit countries in the developing world. Between 2000 and 2004, however, 262 million people were affected by climate-related disasters. But global warming will also bring thirst: by 2025 1 billion and 800 million people will suffer water shortages, most of them in Asia and Africa.
And if 180 million people suffer from hunger today, some 49 million could be affected by 2020 and, if nothing is done, the number could climb to 600 million by 2080. Global warming, in fact, could cause a collapse of 50% of agricultural production in some poor countries. Moreover, rising temperatures will affect health: Brazil, South Africa and the Horn of Africa, will be affected by infectious diseases absent today, thanks to the temperate climate. According to the dossier of the WWF, an investment of 1% of global GDP each year it is sufficient to stop climate change.
It must explain the environmental organization, "agree on a strong and binding climate regime after 2012" and "to ensure that carbon emissions reach a peak by 2017 before declining very soon after, in order to cut global emissions at least 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. "
Apcom.it
27 July 2009 - International Environmental Ship Index
On behalf of the principal ports of northern Europe such as Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, Bremen and Le Havre, the EC Delft presented a report in January 2009 which presents a proposal for international environmental index of ships or "International Environmental Index-Ship ESI: Air Pollutants and CO2". This index seeks to identify the ships that go beyond the average technology available for the reduction of air emissions.
This index would allow ports to provide on a voluntary basis in incentives (reduction of port tariffs) in order to facilitate the introduction of new clean and efficient techniques on board ships. The initiative was announced by the World Association of Ports "International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH)".
However European shipowners have confirmed that discussions in the international area are now framed by the IMO, the only organization designated to treat the subject (Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and, therefore, we must avoid the development of parallel standards. This approach was shared by ICS who has already stated in the IMO instruments to which these kind EEOI or ESI are really just indicators of fuel consumption in certain circumstances, thus expressing its opposition to any "harbor's bonus" established by different instruments according to different formulas.
Meanwhile, the ports of Hamburg-Le Havre above have already organized a series of tests ESI based on a questionnaire sent to shipping for a planned implementation in 2010.
The Secretariat informed the ECSA ESPO that when the topic has not been a thorough discussion in the appropriate working groups of the association.
Confitarma Circular
21 July 2009 - Half green breakthrough for the shipping
A little understanding closed last Friday the London meeting of the IMO, the UN agency for the sea. Green light to the pact - to be signed on a voluntary basis - for cutting ship emissions, but according to environmental groups it is little less than we absolutely need. In view of the Copenhagen Summit some measures to reduce emissions based on the logic of the market are under focus, e.g. the market for emissions and fuel taxes. A way that industry is ready to accept. But the world of shipping warns that the IMO is the only authority entitled to speak on the topic.
The shipping and aviation are the only ones to not be regulated by Kyoto Protocol. The shipping produces nearly 3% of global emissions of carbon dioxide and the pressure for a green breakthrough is growing in preparation for the summit in Copenhagen next December. Delegates from 90 countries have approved a series of technical and operational measures designed to reduce emissions, but are not binding and mandatory. Among these, a classification of energy efficiency of the vessels to ensure a low impact of both new units and those already in circulation, defined energy efficiency design index. "These are voluntary and provisional guidelines" an IMO spokesperson stated. According to Peter Lockley, head of the transport of WWF UK, binding commitments and clear objectives are necessary in reducing emissions. "Decisions taken not respond to our demands or what is needed to protect the climate: that's why we appeal to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to sets the rules to be applied to the world of shipping", said Lockley.
But according to Peter Hinchliffe, Director of the Marine branch of the International Chamber of Shipping, which represents 75% of the global industry, the proposals developed by the IMO is an important step considering the willingness of owners to make them mandatory as soon as possible. "I think that the IMO do well to show some caution", he said adding that it believes the agreed trial period "is a very sensible way to go forward". Last month France had demanded that in Copenhagen a decision on cutting ship emissions should be taken, but the proposal had been stranded at the moment to define the figures.
Some analysts argue that IMO was slow to establish a mechanism to reduce emissions of CO2 due to the differences between country and country, and this especially in view of the Copenhagen summit. But Christian Breinholt, director of the Danish Maritime Authority and member of the delegation from the Scandinavian country, reiterated that the design index is an important step. "For some delegations will be very delicate and difficult to apply the protocol before the Copenhagen summit" he said.
The IMO General Secretary Efthimios Mitropoulos, moreover, last week had urged delegates to avoid the temptation of seeking "overly ambitious outcome for which we can not keep that promise".
Shippingonline
20 July 2009 - Maritime transport produces 2.7% of the global CO2 emissions.
International maritime transport "accounts for 2.7% of total global emissions of CO2".
In the 12 years passed since the Kyoto Protocol has been launched by the UN, the IMO (International Maritime Organization) "has failed to achieve even a measure to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases" which, since 1997 are "increased by 100%" and now "amounted to 870 million tonnes a year, equal to 2.7% of total global emissions of CO2".
The environmental associations Amici della Terra Italia, MareVivo and WWF Italy denounced this data and they, behind the London meeting of MEPC59, the Committee for the Maritime Environment of the IMO, have taken stock of the activities that alter the climate of the area of international maritime transport. According to environmentalists, this area is the only major sector to have been excluded under the control of emissions of CO2 by the European Union and launched by the major industrialized countries.
The national and international aviation was recently included in the Community scheme of emissions trading (ETS). "Since 1997, CO2 emissions from international maritime transport have grown by 100% and now amount to 870 million tonnes per year, equivalent to 2.7% of total global emissions of CO2. For example, this figure amounts to about twice the emissions of CO2 alone Italy".
Shippingonline
9th July 2009 - The ship building future looks at the environment
Today 90% of freight is transported by sea on huge cargo ships run by diesel engines that consume huge quantities of fossil fuels, pouring into the atmosphere annually between 600 and 800mila tons of CO2 (about 5% of the global total). Their environmental impact is by no means negligible, but the solution of the problem is not immediate.
The way that they are trying is to a return to energy of the wind, accompanied by the exploitation of solar energy. The Solar Sailor, the Australian company based in Sydney, specializing in the use of renewable energy for sustainable mobility, has designed and built the sails of 30 meters long, completely covered with photovoltaic panels. They are now being tested on vessels of various sizes. The goal is to build cargo ships that can exploit the wind as a processing aid in the propulsion of the means. In practice, in the presence of strong winds the ship could be conducted only with large sails, if the wind was not enough, the diesel engine would intervene (with a fuel consumption reducted, however having regard to the "collaboration" of wind energy).
The photovoltaic panels are designed to provide energy to fuel the plant for lighting, heating / cooling and electronic systems of the craft. Through computer sails will be moved automatically in response to changes in the wind, so that they are always at the most efficient. The adoption of a solution of its kind on a large scale would lead to a substantial containment of consumption and emissions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Before announcing the revolution in the maritime transport sector, however, expect to know what the real effectiveness of these systems, the savings that result. According to the CEO of Solar Sailor, Robert Dane, in the near future all ships, for goods such as passenger, will house solar sails, which will adopt a hybrid power system: motor diesel / wind / sun.
"Certainly the initial cost of vessel is high, but once installed", says Dane, "the sails are self-pay in terms of fuel savings in only 4 years of regular activity". In Kiel, a city in northern Germany, is under way to build a large catamaran sails without hulls in which the cabin is completely covered with solar panels. The boat, which will be called Planet Solar, will be 30 meters long and equipped panels for a total of 470mq. It was created with the idea of Raphael Domjan - president of the homonymous Franco-Swiss company that produces it- which he conceived with the aim to demonstrate the potential that renewable energy can have if they are supported by appropriate technologies.
Once built, the catamaran will face a major undertaking: the tour of the planet moving only by virtue of solar energy. The same Domjan with another skipper, Gérard d'Aboville, will drive it. It will start in 2010 from the port of Marseilles, France, will pass through the Atlantic and through the Straits of Panama. From here continue along the Pacific Rim, China and India, then will cross the Red Sea and the Straits of Suez. Will come again in the Mediterranean en route to Marseille. Over 40,000 miles travelled in 120 days (as declared by the corporation), at an average speed of 10 knots, or 18.5 km / h. There will be calls in some big cities like New York, Shanghai, Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Monaco. To ensure constant supply of solar energy to the engine, the boat will follow an equatorial route (as evident from the route announced): this fact will allow you to maximize the capacity of solar panels.
Obviously the Solar Planet is more like a business than as a demonstration project to be carried over identically in the transport, given the obvious limitations of an engine that is fed only to solar energy and is therefore subject to climatic factors. If the trip will take place, however, successfully and on time, it will still demonstrate the effectiveness of solar technology used for shipping. The hope of policy Domjan and that such an initiative stimulates investment in research in the field and thus lead to concrete changes in the design of engines for boats. Projects involving the use of solar energy and a "return" to the partial wind, trace elsewhere. In Japan, for example, Nippon Yusen KK in collaboration with Nippon Oil Corp has recently launched the Auruga Leader, a cargo vessel with engine hybrid diesel-solar. According to figures supplied by the company, however, the 320 photovoltaic panels installed are able to develop a power of only 40W, and can meet only 0.3% of energy required by the engine and 7% of that used by plants board: the savings and environmental benefits do not seem so exciting.
Moreover, France, in the STX Shipyards in Saint-Nazaire, is working on a cruise ship called ecological. Eoseas, this is the name of the vessel, will be 305 meters long and 60 wide, will host five bridges and six sails, a total area of 12.440mq and can carry 3400 passengers. As the Planet Solar, Eoseas will use the power of wind to reduce fuel consumption (it is expected that the sails can contribute an average of at least 10% of the propulsion of the means), while solar panels installed on them to provide energy for lighting. A deposit of liquefied natural gas (LPG) on board will feed the plants with it to adjust the temperature. Moreover, the injection of air under the hull, forming a sort of cushion, will facilitate the sliding of the vessel on the water, reducing friction by 17% and thus in turn resulting in a saving of fuel.
Finally, it will use environmentally friendly and recyclable materials in various parts of the structure and store rainwater for reuse in the rinse of the bridges. In terms of greenhouse gases, cutting emissions is expected by 50% for carbon dioxide and 80% for nitric oxide. Erik Pélerin, the head of Ecorizon (company constructed Eoseas), expresses enthusiastic and satisfied with the results achieved so far: "A number of technological challenges were faced and overcome, from the ease of manipulation of semi-rigid wings, until the installation of LPG. To see Eoseas navigate the seas of the world but we must wait five years. At that point, thousands of passengers can spend their vacation on a unique and eco footprint reduced (compared to those currently in operation).
Terranauta.it
3rd July 2009 - USA sharpens emission related regulations
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the U.S. has announced a coordinated strategy to reduce emissions from ocean ships, setting new standards for types of fuel used and the efficiency of engines.
The new rules cover vessels flying the American flag, but they are in harmony with international standards in order to reach new agreements that are shared to a significant reduction of pollutant emissions from shipping on the planet.
Emissions due to large diesel ship engines (in particular nitrogen oxides and fine particles) have heavy consequences on the quality of vast areas around the main ports and the health of people living there also a km away.
Indeed, it is a pollution that is expected to substantial growth in parallel with the development of vessel traffic. International strategies aimed at reducing emissions from large ships, by 2030, 80% for nitrogen oxides and 85% for the fine particulate emissions compared to the trend set by the increase of maritime traffic.
According to EPA, these objectives will allow to prevent, to 2030, from 13 thousand to 33 thousand deaths per year caused by diseases directly attributable to marine pollution, and to recover 1.5 million days of work lost and 10 million reduced days of work because of illnesses related. In economic terms, the benefits arising from the reduction of marine pollution are estimated between 110 and 280 billion dollars a year.
Shippingonline
5th June 2009 - In France the first site for the production of bio-fuels from algaes
The first pilot site for industrial-size third-generation bio-fuels has been opened a few days ago in France. The bio-fuel will be produced from algae in Vigeant, in Poitou-Charentes region led by former French presidential candidate Royal Se'gole'ne. The plant is the fruit of collaboration between Se'che' Environnement, a specialized company in the treatment and storage of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes, the company owned by the region Valagro Carbone Renouvelable and the Center of Studies and Development of Algae (Ceva).
The cultivation of algae occurs in many basins of water from 3 to 10 meters long and 50 centimetres deep. Currently there are six basins which occupy an area of 100 square meters. But should be created soon new basins to reach a production area of about one hectare. The investment so far is 200 thousand euros, of which 50 thousand have been allocated by the Poitou-Charentes, but the region has announced the launch of another pilot units for the production of ethanol from waste textiles, a system patented by Valagro whose launch is expected for the next year in Melle.
The algae are fed through the fermentation of household waste. ''With 100 pounds of algae - has ensured Patrice Sarrazin, coordinator of the project - we can produce only 15 litres of bio-fuel, but we are looking to rapidly increase the capacity of the site. We are only at the beginning of our work''. According to calculations, the site will initially produce 4500 litres per hectare per year to reach, once fully operational, to 20 thousand litres of ethanol per hectare.
Ansa.it
MAY 28th 2009 - New inspection regime for EU vessels
With effect from January 2011, the Port State Control (PSC) will introduce a new European regime for inspections, approved in Reykjavik by the members of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding. The new procedure will take into account what has been stated with the third package of EU maritime safety, and will be based on the identification of the levels of risk for ships.
Therefore the quality shipping, which will be subjected to fewer controls, will be rewarded. The inspections will be more deep and frequent on ships at high risk, identified on the performance of companies and their flags, as well as the type and age of ships and of course the results of previous inspections. The risk categories will be three. Vessels deemed low risk will be inspected every two - three years, those at risk standard once a year, while for those at high risk will be inspected at least every six months.
The inspections will cover also the application of the new Convention International Labour Organization (ILO), which should also come into force in 2011.
Shippingonline
MAY 18th - 2009 Imo convention about demolition of ships signed
A diplomatic conference held in Hong Kong adopted the new IMO convention "Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships". which is expected to enter into force in 2013 after the ratification of at least 15 nations representing 40% of the whole world fleet and a dismantling capacity of at least 3% of the total.
In any case the adopted Convention will immediately enter into force for what regards the adoption of design requirements for the dismantling modalities of ships, minimizing the dangers for the health and the environment. The Convention will also concern the already existing whole merchant fleet: about 50,000 ships all over the world shall have a certificate onboard listing the hazardous materials of structures and equipments.
Shippingonline
MAY 12th 2009 - Illegal dumping, higher sanctions
Legal sanctions within an year for who (in europe) executes illegal dumping in the sea: noxious products like oil, fuel oil, hydrocarbon residuale, discharged in the sea from the ships during the cleaning of the tanks or during the discharge of the ballast.
Moreover, people executing illegal dumping in minor scale (if performed intentionally, for imprudence, or serious negligence), could incur in legal sanctions. This is the strong message launched today by the European Parliament that approves with the great majority a maxi-amendment about the EU directive that enforces the existing normatives about the pollution caused by the ships.
The deal "forces the member States to plan, within one year, legal sanction for the sea-dumping of polluttant substances". The individual governments will also adopt the measures essential to estabilish the sanctions that must be "effective, proportionated and dissuasive" towards who commits these crimes: Natural Persons, Legal Persons, Class Societies, Cargo Owners, etc.
Shippingonline.it
MAY 12th 2009 - The North Sea will be a great CO2 store
The North Sea, far from the Scottish coasts, can store CO2 for hundreds of years in underwater saline formations and in exhaust basins of crude petroleum and methane. The potential of this area has been analysed in a study conducted by the Scottish Centre for Carbon Storage.
The exams revealed that in the North Sea area some natural stores exist which could be able to adsorb from 4,600 to 46,000 million of tons of CO2. ScottishPower, one of the industrial partners of this study together with the Scottish Government, would be able to start with a pilot project for the CO2 capture and storage in five years.
Wallstreetitalia.com
MAY 11th 2009 - The rise of CO2 gets oceans acid
With the rise of CO2 an increasing acidity of the oceans is produced with high impact above the whole marine environment. This is a result of a study developed by the Enea, taking into consideration the fact that the marine water adsorb 50% of the whole CO2 produced.
The CO2 adsorbed by the oceans caused an average lowering of 0,1 units for the pH in the upper layer of the sea. with the actual trend, an average lowering between 0,14 and 0,35 units is foreseen by the end of the 21th century. An increase of the acidity will have an impact on carbonate solubility and on the life of all organism which made their shells from calcium carbonates, e.g. corals.
Ansa.it
APRIL 24th 2009 - Ships emissions increase coastal acid rains
A new research shows that emissions from ships increase acid rains on the coast and could be responsible of more than 25% of ozone in those regions. the outcomes of the research has been published on the Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics magazine.
Previous studies showed that 70% of the maritime traffic is within 400 km from the mainland. A team from the University of Oslo has checked the quantity of pollutant from ships, evaluating data from all over the world in 2004. In 2004 the world merchant fleet included more than 90.000 ships, each of about 101 metric tonnes. The researchers divided ships in 15 categories, with the main scope of calculating the emitted pollutant. The team has assessed emissions that, according to their calculations, should be generated when the ship was in high sea or in port. From this calculation found out that in 2004 ships consumed fuel for about 217 millions of metric tonnes and that the 5% was used in port. The main part of the fuel used was rich in sulphur and so it produced more than 16 million of mt of SO2, that is, together with NOx, the main responsible of the acid rain.
The team of researcher calculated that ships are responsible of about 10% of the acid rains due to NOx emissions and about 5% of acid rains due to SOx emissions. Also important is the fact that in some coastal regions, like North Africa, with no commercial activities but with ships sailing in proximity, about 50% of acid rains are due to ships emissions. Moreover the 5-15% of ozone detected at land level in some West Europe regions is caused by ships emissions.
The most interesting thing is that the results of these studies meet data gathered by IMO.
Ecoblog.it
APRIL 1st 2009 - The International Forum about the Clean Energy in Trieste
Today the International Forum about the Clean Energy starts in Trieste, which join together representatives from 17 different states, with the aim to promote low consumption and low CO2 emission technologies, arranged by the Ministry for the Environment.
The main scope of the forum is to find and set alternative ways for the energy production, and to answer to the rising demand for the next thirty years, without increasing CO2 emissions. Among the most important proposals, there are investments in low carbon content technologies, through appropriate support measures and global standards definition of both price and carbon content, in order to reduce of about 50% the world's emissions in thirty years. At the same time, the forum will debate about the possibility to motivate projects for renewable sources in developing countries.
Ecoblog.it
MARCH 31st 2009 - Australia: ten places found to store GHG (31/03)
Australian Government has detected ten places far from the continental coast that could be used for the storage of GHG produced by industries, by putting them into cavities under the sea bed. The Indistry Minister Martin Ferguson announced that the governmental scientific entity Geoscience Australia confirmed that five areas far form the states of Victoria, Southern Australia and Western Australia, and the Northern Territory, containing ten sites, are sufficiently stable to allow the storage of gases.
They are mainly exhausted natural gas basins. The commercial exploration licences of the sites will be available to the companies by the end of the year, the Minister said. The scheme for the commercial utilization of the storage areas for GHG is the first at all in the world and it represents a key component of the Government answer to the climatic change, thus keeping the economic growth.
Ansa.it
MARCH 25th 2009 - Greenpeace: reducing emissions next to zero by 2050
In preparation of the Copenhagen Conference that will be held from 29th March to 9th April, Greenpeace announced that the objective to halve the GHG emissions by the 2050 is not enough if we want to avoid a no-way climatic situation. Last data from the scientific community point out a dramatic acceleration in the climatic changes and their connected impact. For the environmentalist organization the only possible answer is to schedule a 40% emission reduction by 2020 for the industrialized countries and calibrated objective for the developing ones.
An acceleration is required starting from the next deadline of 2015, when, according to Greenpeace, the GHG situation would be stabilized to proceed with a decrease next to zero by the half of the century.
RINNOVABILI.IT
MARCH 24th 2009 - Venice: from the seaweeds the energy for the port
Venice Port Authority presented a project for the realization of a seaweed's central which will allow the port of Venice to be self-sufficient. The project arise from the cooperation between Enalg, which deals with the design, creation and management of electrical plants according to the Solena Group and Solena Biofuel technology. For the realization of this project, there will be constituted eNave, a society (with the 51% participation of the Port Authority and 49% of Enalg) which will deal with the elaboration of the technical and economical project for the startup of a central which uses the photosynthesis of microalgae. The plant will be able to produce 40 MW of electric power with zero impact. Actually, the interest for the environmental policies is a major issue for the development of a modern port that has to make attention to the ecosystem it sets into. Especially in an area of particular naturalistic value, a the Venice lagoon, where the ecological balances have to be necessarily protected.
SHIPPINGONLINE
MARCH 23th 2009 - Flying Soldiers for biofuels
Their scientific name is Hermetia illucen, But they are weel known as "Black Soldier Fly": they are a type of insects which can feed themselves with any organic substance in decomposition and so they can be used a san innovative component in the bio-fuel production. The idea has been tested in Eco System Corp. laboratories where the researchers fed with organic waste a great quantity of adult Hermetie obtaining tons of grubs.
These insects in their embryonic state are rich of proteins, roughage and greases, the former can be used as fish and reptile's food, while oils would be used in bio-fuel production.
Eco System main intention is to take alimentary waste form a rubbish transfer station in Ohio for the feeding of these insects in order to obtain embryos.
The "Black Soldier Fly" is a waste material converter very efficient and is fed with 100 kg of alimentary waste, they could produce 20 kg of grubs. The process is very simple and can be realized at competitive prices with petrol-based diesel. The pilot plant should be able to produce 150,000-190,000 litres for year. In practical terms is means to eliminate from the waste discharges the alimentary part that, if not treated in any other way, would decompose releasing in the air methane, a powerful GHG. This material could instead constitute the raw material for the bio-fuel.
According Eco System estimates, a quarter of all US alimentary waste could bring 100 million gallons of petrol yearly, but in order to demonstrate the validity of the process the company is waiting for a $1,75 millions funding from the USA Energy Dept.
RINNOVABILI.IT
MARCH 19th 2009 - Ecoseas, the ecologic cruise ship
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0y7xGoku1U&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ecoblog.it%2Fcategoria%2Fnavi&feature=player_embedded
The video linked above refers to a presentation, in French language, of the cruise ship Eoseas that is being built in the STX Shipyards (ex Chantiers de l'Atlantique) in Saint-Nazaire. The five-deck giant will be launched, if everything proceeds as scheduled, in five years and will allow a reduction of the power consumption for the 50% and a considerable reduction in GHG emissions.
Along the 305 meters of length, 3400 passengers will find accommodation, five decks, six sails on a total area of 12.440 sq m. The sails will be used with strong wind for the propulsion of the ship, but if the wind is weak they will contribute for the fuel consumption. The 1000 sq m solar panels will provide energy for the lights onboard.
There will also be a GPL plant and an air contribution under the hull which might reduce the water friction for 17% and contribute for the fuel saving. Finally, the ship will be totally built with recyclable materials.
The cost of this ship will be not negligible as Eoseas costs about 30% more than a traditional transatlantic, but its developers are hopeful that they can write off the investments in the long term thanks to the fuel savings.
ECOBLOG
MARCH 16th 2009 - Major progress on energy efficiency for ships during intersessional IMO meeting
Major progress was made in developing measures to enhance energy efficiency in international shipping, and thereby reduce greenhouse gas emissions, when the second intersessional meeting of IMO's Working Group on Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) from Ships was held at IMO's London headquarters from 9 to 13 March 2009.
The meeting will report to IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) when it meets for its 59th session in July.
The working group, which was attended by more than 200 experts from all over the world, concentrated on the technical and operational measures to reduce GHG from ships - two of the three pillars of IMO's GHG work. The third pillar, possible market-based instruments, will be debated in depth at MEPC 59.
The working group considered a large number of papers from Member Governments and observer organisations on how to increase fuel efficiency in the world fleet.
The main focus was the further refinement of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new ships, on the basis of experience gained through its trial application over the past six months. The EEDI is meant to stimulate innovation and technical development of all the elements influencing the energy efficiency of a ship, thus making it possible to design and build intrinsically energy efficient ships of the future.
The group also considered how to improve the Energy Efficiency Operational Index (EEOI), which enables operators to measure the fuel efficiency of an existing ship and, therefore, to gauge the effectiveness of any measures adopted to reduce energy consumption. The EEOI has been applied by Member States and the shipping industry, on a trial basis and since 2005, to hundreds of ships in operation; it provides a figure, expressed in grams of CO2 per tonne mile, for the efficiency of a specific ship, enabling comparison of its energy or fuel efficiency to similar ships.
The experts at the meeting debated a draft Ship Energy Management Plan (SEMP) that has been developed by a coalition of industry organizations and agreed to forward it to MEPC 59 for further consideration. The draft SEMP incorporates guidance on best practices, which include improved voyage planning, speed and power optimization, optimized ship handling, improved fleet management and cargo handling, as well as energy management for individual ships.
The outcome of MEPC 59 will be presented to the Conference that the United Nations will convene in Copenhagen in December 2009, which is set to agree on a successor instrument to the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
MARCH 6th 2009 - Intersessional Working Group meeting to further develop GHG reduction mechanisms
The Second Intersessional Meeting of IMO's Working Group on Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) from Ships will be held next week at IMO Headquarters (9 to 13 March, 2009); more than 200 delegates, comprising experts from all over the world, are registered for attendance.
The week-long session is tasked with further developing and finalizing the Energy Efficiency Design Index for new ships and the revised Interim Guidelines on the Energy Efficiency Operational Index.
The Working Group will also consider the introduction of a management tool for all ships, guidance on best practices and other voluntary operational measures, as well as discuss the possible impacts of the measures envisaged on the shipping sector.
The Group will submit a report of its discussions to the 59th session of IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), which will meet from 13 to 17 July 2009. MEPC 59 is also expected to further discuss market-based measures, following consideration of the issue at MEPC 58 in October last year.
Although, to date, no mandatory GHG instrument for international shipping has been adopted, IMO has given extensive consideration to the matter, with substantive progress being made in 2008 at the first GHG Working Group intersessional meeting (in June 2008) and at MEPC 58.
MEPC 59 will report on the measures agreed to reduce GHG from ships to the Conference that the United Nations will convene in Copenhagen in December 2009, which is set to agree on a successor instrument to the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
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