At issue is the state’s lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to prevent the agency from forcing it to issue greenhouse gas permits for its biggest polluters when national carbon rules take effect in January.

Until there is a ruling on the case, Texas asked the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans to block the EPA’s mandate that the state expand its pollution regulations to include greenhouse gases.

The Fifth Circuit court denied that request on Wednesday.

On Thursday, EPA published in the Federal Register details of its proposed permit rules for Texas to go into effect on Sunday, January 2.

Texas officials then filed a fresh petition to block the regulations in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, which generally has authority over federal agencies.

The petition argues that EPA’s creation of the new rules is an “improper overreach” that violates the federal Clean Air Act, which it said “declares pollution prevention to be ‘the primary responsibility of States and local governments,’ and not the federal government.”

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said the state was determined to fight the EPA’s intentions, saying that Congress had rejected such carbon rules but the EPA was now trying to legislate them itself through administrative rules.

“Texas law does not currently deem greenhouse gases to be pollutants,” Abbott said. “Once again, the federal government is overreaching, and improperly intruding upon the state of Texas and its legal rights.”"

Read more: Reuters

The investment will support Elevance’s continued growth, including expansion and creation of biorefineries in Asia, North and South America.

“Elevance is pleased with our rapid progress commercializing our products and technology,” said K’Lynne Johnson, CEO of Elevance. “This round of financing supports our company’s continued growth and innovation in making quality, high-performing renewable chemicals available on a world scale basis. The addition of Naxos Capital Partners and Total Energy Ventures International builds on the strength of our existing investors, and is an important step forward in achieving our goal of global expansion.”

Elevance was formed in 2007, with more than $40 million in capital and technology invested by TPG, Cargill and Materia. Major developments from Elevance in 2010 include a joint venture with Wilmar International to build the world’s largest biorefinery in Indonesia, and a joint development agreement with Stepan Company to commercialize novel surfactants and antimicrobials. In addition to Wilmar International and Stepan Company, Elevance counts Cargill Inc., Dow Corning Corporation, Trent University, Tetramer Technologies, United Soybean Board and SaskCanola among its strategic partners.”

Read more: Press Release

“Our utility customers and prospects view demand-side resources as an integral component of their overall strategies,” said Tim Healy, Chairman and CEO of EnerNOC. “By joining forces with the Global Energy Partners team, EnerNOC is strengthening its ability to capitalize on this attractive market opportunity. We are eager to welcome Global Energy Partners and the utilities that it works with into the EnerNOC family, while at the same time, significantly enhancing the go-to-market reach for Global Energy Partners’ world-class solutions.”

“EnerNOC’s reputation for superior customer service, reliability, and technology applications and services is directly aligned with Global Energy Partners’ DNA,” said John Kotowski, CEO of Global Energy Partners. “Our combined experience working with hundreds of utilities throughout North America, our complementary technologies, and our shared commitment to partnership with our utility customers will empower us to deliver the industry’s most innovative and proven solutions.”

Global Energy Partners, a 55-person enterprise headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, operates across the United States. Its past and present clients include Pacific Gas & Electric , Southern California Edison,  Bonneville Power Administration, Duquesne Light Company, the Midwest ISO, Inland Power & Light, Oklahoma Gas & Electric, and Portland General Electric, among others.”

Read more: Press Release

SunWind Solutions’ core competency lies in the development of web-based software that makes renewable energy system configuration simple. This software allows for the easy customization of commercial or residential systems that combine grid, generator, solar and wind power sources. Not only does SunWind’s software cut design time from days to minutes, but it also increases accuracy, lowers costs, and eliminates the need for specialized training.

“With the SunWind acquisition, we now have a ‘best-in-class’ dealer support tool, and the capability to model and optimize the complex integration of different power-generating systems.” said Dixon Thayer, CEO of Southwest Windpower. “Southwest Windpower’s renowned wind generator technology coupled with SunWind’s user-friendly software interface, allow us to offer integrated solutions to those wanting affordable energy.

The acquisition will also increase Southwest Windpower’s ability to support dealers and distributors in identifying prospects, as well as to support the complex integration of wind and solar “hybrid” systems into advantaged value propositions.

“This only the beginning for Southwest Windpower,” continues Thayer. “We will continue to expand our resources and offerings in order to develop breakthrough products and services in the future.”

“We are pleased to contract with SunPower for another solar power project in Italy,” said Marco Northland, Etrion’s CEO. “The two, 5-megawatt sites in Brindisi and Mesagne are part of our internal portfolio and once again demonstrate our team’s development and execution capability. Solar is a clean, silent, renewable source of energy that is becoming an increasingly valuable and necessary part of the world’s energy mix.”

SunPower is installing proprietary SunPower® Tracker technology at the Italian sites. The Tracker follows the sun during the day and delivers up to 25 percent more energy than fixed-tilt systems, while significantly reducing land use requirements.

“SunPower offers a unique value proposition to power plant developers in terms of technology and bankability,” said Yoram Amiga,  president of utility and power plants international at SunPower. “Our proprietary Trackers optimize our clients’ return on investment while our proven performance gives financial institutions confidence. We are very pleased to partner with Etrion to deliver clean, reliable solar power to the rapidly expanding Italian market.”

The 10-megawatt ground-based solar photovoltaic project is expected to produce 17 million kilowatt hours of electricity and 6 million euros of earnings to Etrion before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) per year.

Construction of the solar project is targeted to begin by the end of November 2010. The first electricity sales from the project under the Italian feed-in-tariff regime are expected during the third quarter of 2011. The Italian feed-in-tariff guarantees the purchase price for solar electricity by the Italian government for 20 years from the start of operations.

SunPower has more than 650 megawatts of solar power plants installed or under contract around the world, including Italian power plants such as Etrion’s 33-megawatt Montalto plant, the largest operational solar park in Italy.”

Read more: Press Release

Hilda Solis

LINK to all GRANT RECIPIENTS: ETP_SGA_Award_Summaries_120409

According to the Press Release, “Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced nearly $100 million in green jobs training grants, as authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). The grants will support job training programs to help dislocated workers and others, including veterans, women, African Americans and Latinos, find jobs in expanding green industries and related occupations. Approximately $28 million of the total funds will support projects in communities impacted by auto industry restructuring.

Through the Energy Training Partnership Grants being administered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, 25 projects ranging from approximately $1.4 to $5 million each will receive grants. These grants are built on strategic partnerships — requiring labor and business to work together.

“Today’s announcement is part of the administration’s long-term commitment to fostering both immediate economic revitalization and a clean energy future. It’s an investment that will help American workers succeed while doing good,” said Secretary Solis. “Our outstanding award recipients were selected because their proposed projects will connect workers to career pathways in green industries and occupations through critical, diverse partnerships.”

Training activities funded through this grant program will be individually tailored based on occupations and skills identified as in demand in local areas around the country. Training programs will seek to prepare workers for a range of careers including: hybrid/electric auto technicians, weatherization specialists, wind and energy auditors, and solar panel installers.

Grant recipients are expected to work in conjunction with a diverse range of partners, including labor organizations, employers and workforce investment boards. Bringing together the workforce expertise of these groups will allow grantees to develop programs that are responsive to the needs of both workers and employers, and that provide participants with the support needed to successfully complete training. The grantees will utilize these partnerships to design and distribute training approaches that lead to portable industry credentials and employment, including career opportunities in registered apprenticeship programs.

These grants are part of a larger Recovery Act initiative — totaling $500 million — to fund workforce development projects that promote economic growth by preparing workers for careers in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. The Department of Labor expects to release funding for two remaining green grant award categories over the next several weeks.”

Source: US Department of Labor – Press Release

According to Reuters, “Voluntary carbon markets in the United States will grow especially at the regional level even if a stalled federal climate bill fails to impose “cap and trade” on American industry, the chairman of the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) said on Tuesday.

“I think we will continue to see interest in voluntary carbon markets … And I would expect that without a federal law you will continue to see growth in regional initiatives in the United States,” Richard Sandor, the exchange’s founder, told Reuters in a telephone interview.

He noted regional moves that he said were gaining traction such as the Western Climate Initiative.

“After all, we started CCX when there was virtually no movement in Washington (on mandatory emissions caps) back in 2003,” Sandor said.

U.S. lawmakers face an uphill battle enacting a climate bill in 2010 that includes a cap-and-trade market in greenhouse gases after December’s U.N. meeting in Copenhagen failed to hammer out a global pact on emissions cuts.

U.S. climate legislation remains likely as lawmakers feel pressure to help the country lead in production of low-carbon energy sources such as wind, solar and nuclear power.

But the Copenhagen Accord did not include mandatory emissions targets. This will make it difficult for lawmakers to argue that the U.S. should have a binding emissions cap.

Political uncertainty has contributed to low carbon prices in the United States. The Carbon Financial Instrument contracts on the Chicago exchange have fallen to about 15 cents per tonne from about $2 early last year. In Europe, carbon allowances are worth about $18.50 a tonne.

But Sandor, an innovative and key figure in the history of the global derivatives industry, said he still saw “momentum” for cap and trade in the United States.

He also said he saw a lot of growth and excitement around a U.N.-backed system to pay poorer nations for saving or replanting their forests, known as the reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation, or REDD.

“I think REDD will continue to grow and capture the imagination of many, many people in and out of the environment movement,” he said.

He said he saw regional markets and exchanges being set up in places like Brazil while Africa would begin to benefit from offset projects.

Sandor is executive chairman of Climate Exchange PLC, which owns not only the CCX but the European Climate Exchange, a key part of the European Union’s carbon trading scheme put in place after the U.N.’s Kyoto Protocol in 1997.

Asked if it was seeking new partners or markets, he replied: “We continue to explore other markets.”

Source: Reuters

Tom Vilsack

According to the Press Release, “Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the United States, joined by Australia, France, Japan, Norway, and the United Kingdom, agreed, in the context of an ambitious and comprehensive outcome in Copenhagen, to dedicate a total of USD3.5 billion as initial public finance towards slowing, halting and eventually reversing deforestation in developing countries. This funding will help facilitate immediate actions in REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) for the years 2010-2012.

“Protecting the world’s forests is not a luxury – it is a necessity,” said Vilsack. This substantial commitment is reflective of our recognition that international public finance must play a role in developing countries’ efforts to slow, halt and reverse deforestation.”

The U.S. contribution to this effort will be $1 billion over the next three years. These funds will be available for countries that develop ambitious REDD+ plans for their forest sector, according to their respective capabilities.

Protecting the world’s climate is one of the greatest challenges of our lifetime and forests have a vital role to play in overcoming this challenge. The world loses more than 13 million hectares of tropical forests annually producing approximately 17% of global warming emissions. The loss of tropical rainforests is devastating to the protection and storage of water, the health of biodiversity, and the livelihood of rural populations.

The United States is already working with international partners to protect forests across the globe. The State Department¸ USAID, and USDA’s Forest Service are starting to work with developing countries around the world to learn how REDD+ can be implemented on the ground and we expect to ramp up these programs in the near future. This includes improvements in carbon inventories, payment systems for ecosystem services, and assistance in helping forests adapt to a changing climate.

While REDD+ can make it possible for developing countries to protect their forests, developed countries must also recognize their responsibility towards their own lands. In the United States, the Obama Administration is taking steps to protect and restore our forests in order to sustain our climate and our water resources. This week, the US Forest Service will formally announce a process for development of a new forest planning rule to govern the way we manage our publicly-owned National Forests.

“It is imperative that we sustain our forests everywhere so that they, in turn, can sustain us,” said Vilsack.

Reactions From NGOs To The U.S. Commitment:

“The President has taken the first step forward to bring resources to the table to break the deadlock in Copenhagen. Combined with the funding included in the clean energy and climate legislation pending in the Senate, this would amount to 10 billion dollars over three years. That’s real money to preserve forests and the essential carbon capture they provide. That’s a big step and an important first start on the long-term commitment we need.” – Frances Beinecke, President of the Natural Resources Defense Council

“The President’s commitment to jumpstart REDD+ is a powerful and timely signal of the US’ commitment to protecting tropical forests and reducing climate change. It should help drive progress toward a successful deal here in Copenhagen,” said Kevin Knobloch, President, UCS.

“The commitment of the United States announced by Secretary Vilsack today to spend $1 billion over 3 years for building capacity from reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation is exactly what is needed to begin to address the global challenge of deforestation. We encourage other nations to join with commensurate commitments to support taking the actions that are urgently needed to begin solving this global problem.” – Mark Tercek, President and CEO of The Nature Conservancy

Reactions From Developing Countries To The Joint Contribution:

“The announcement is a major breakthrough, bringing us towards the estimated costs of fast-tracking REDD+ start-up through the first three years of an interim start-up phase. Gabon is committed to moving forward.” – President Omar Bongo, Republic of Gabon.

“Colombia is committed to reduce its emissions from deforestation, as one of its ways to contribute to the global mitigation effort. We welcome initiatives such as this one that provides prompt start finance that will allow developing countries, and their communities, to start work on the ground.” – Columbian Environment Minister, Carlos Costa

“Costa Rica has demonstrated that halting and reverting deforestation in tropical developing countries is possible, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks is feasible and cost-effective. Our country had 72 percent cover in 1950, it went down to 21 percent in 1987 and it has now recovered to 51 percent in 2005. Although this is an achievement, we aspire to do more. That is why we welcome the pledge for fast-start financing for REDD+ because it will allow us move forward as well as helping other developing countries to become effective carbon sinks.” – Dr. Alvaro Umana, Ambassador for Climate Change and Chief Negotiator of Costa Rica.”

Source: Press Release

According to the Press Release, “WASHINGTON – After a thorough examination of the scientific evidence and careful consideration of public comments, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that greenhouse gases (GHGs) threaten the public health and welfare of the American people. EPA also finds that GHG emissions from on-road vehicles contribute to that threat.

GHGs are the primary driver of climate change, which can lead to hotter, longer heat waves that threaten the health of the sick, poor or elderly; increases in ground-level ozone pollution linked to asthma and other respiratory illnesses; as well as other threats to the health and welfare of Americans.

“These long-overdue findings cement 2009’s place in history as the year when the United States Government began addressing the challenge of greenhouse-gas pollution and seizing the opportunity of clean-energy reform,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Business leaders, security experts, government officials, concerned citizens and the United States Supreme Court have called for enduring, pragmatic solutions to reduce the greenhouse gas pollution that is causing climate change. This continues our work towards clean energy reform that will cut GHGs and reduce the dependence on foreign oil that threatens our national security and our economy.”

EPA’s final findings respond to the 2007 U.S. Supreme Court decision that GHGs fit within the Clean Air Act definition of air pollutants. The findings do not in and of themselves impose any emission reduction requirements but rather allow EPA to finalize the GHG standards proposed earlier this year for new light-duty vehicles as part of the joint rulemaking with the Department of Transportation.

On-road vehicles contribute more than 23 percent of total U.S. GHG emissions. EPA’s proposed GHG standards for light-duty vehicles, a subset of on-road vehicles, would reduce GHG emissions by nearly 950 million metric tons and conserve 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of model year 2012-2016 vehicles.

EPA’s endangerment finding covers emissions of six key greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride – that have been the subject of scrutiny and intense analysis for decades by scientists in the United States and around the world.

Scientific consensus shows that as a result of human activities, GHG concentrations in the atmosphere are at record high levels and data shows that the Earth has been warming over the past 100 years, with the steepest increase in warming in recent decades. The evidence of human-induced climate change goes beyond observed increases in average surface temperatures; it includes melting ice in the Arctic, melting glaciers around the world, increasing ocean temperatures, rising sea levels, acidification of the oceans due to excess carbon dioxide, changing precipitation patterns, and changing patterns of ecosystems and wildlife.

President Obama and Administrator Jackson have publicly stated that they support a legislative solution to the problem of climate change and Congress’ efforts to pass comprehensive climate legislation. However, climate change is threatening public health and welfare, and it is critical that EPA fulfill its obligation to respond to the 2007 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that determined that greenhouse gases fit within the Clean Air Act definition of air pollutants.

EPA issued the proposed findings in April 2009 and held a 60-day public comment period. The agency received more than 380,000 comments, which were carefully reviewed and considered during the development of the final findings.”

Source: Press Release – EPA

U.S. and Chinese Presidents, Barack Obama and Hu Jintao, more or less announced their partnership in clean energy technology last Tuesday. Specifically, the two signed official documents declaring their “cooperation on climate change, energy and environment.”

Their first task will be constructing a U.S-China Clean Energy Research Center in a joint effort to promote clean energy. The $150 million research center will facilitate research and development of clean energy technology by groups of engineers and scientists from the U.S. and China. The center will be both publicly and privately funded evenly between the two countries over the course of its predicted five-year construction period. Their current research priorities include energy efficiency, clean coal including carbon capture and storage, and clean vehicles.

In addition to the research center, the two presidents agreed to launch an Electric Vehicles Initiative. The initiative includes joint standards development, demonstration projects, technical roadmapping, and public education projects. The standards include common design standards for electric vehicle plugs and batteries among other devices. The demonstration projects will entail large electric vehicle demonstrations in major cities to promote production and consumption. Technical roadmapping will analyze the needs of research and development in regards to the production, introduction and use of electric cars. Lastly, public awareness will be promoted through events similar to the hugely successful U.S.-China Electric Vehicles Forum which made its debut in September of this year.

As part of their partnership, Obama and Jintao also announced a U.S.-China Energy Efficiency Action Plan. As consumers of over 40% of the world’s energy, the two have decided to undergo a comprehensive energy efficiency upgrade in buildings, industry and consumer products. As a result, U.S. and China plan to cut spending on polluted, imported energy and focus on investing in new sources of energy to stimulate jobs and economic growth from within.

This alliance shows tremendous initiative and awareness on both countries’ behalves since they are world’s largest energy consumers and greenhouse gas emitters. They are also the leading producers of energy, however they finally show some accountability for the type of energy they make. This is no small feat given the magnitude and scope of their power and influence in the world. They are leading by example and quietly acknowledging their mistakes, hoping to start a trend for generations to follow.