California close to setting ambitious clean energy goal

  • Spanish Market: Biofuels, Coal, Electricity, Emissions, Natural gas
  • 29/08/18

California is on the cusp of adopting one of the most aggressive clean energy goals in the US.

The state Assembly yesterday voted 43-32 in favor of SB 100, a bill to require all of California's electricity to come from zero-carbon sources by 2045.

The bill now goes back to the Senate for a vote on minor changes made in the Assembly. Supporters see the step as a formality as a majority of senators voted to approve largely the same measure last year.

The legislation would then go to governor Jerry Brown (D), who has not said whether he will sign it. Brown has supported past efforts to increase the state's renewable energy use.

"Today, California took another great stride toward a 100pc clean energy future. SB100 will spur technological innovation, jump-start new jobs and keep our air clean," said state senator Kevin de Leon (D), the bill's lead sponsor.

Clean energy advocates cheered the vote, which they said can help secure California's position as a world leader on clean energy and climate change policy.

"California has long been the home of big thinkers, innovators, and change-makers, and with SB100 we will be unleashing that entrepreneurial spirit to solve the existential challenge of climate change," Vote Solar executive director Adam Browning said.

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), the state's largest utility, said lawmakers were moving too fast, too soon to shift completely to zero-carbon sources of electricity. The state's two other investor-owned utilities also opposed the bill.

"Lawmakers in the Assembly have put the cart before the horse, by approving a long-term procurement mandate that will affect utilities and their customers for more than 25 years, without any assurance that the state's utilities will remain financially stable and able to shoulder these new mandates in the face of growing wildlife risk," PG&E said.

SB 100 would also raise the state's renewable portfolio mandate to 60pc of electricity use by 2030, up from 50pc. It does not specify that renewables should be used to meet the final 2045 goal, but as California is due to shut down its last nuclear power plant within a few years, it is likely that the state will lean heavily on sources like wind and solar, along with energy storage.

The state already has one of the cleanest grids in the US, but it still relies on natural gas for about one-third of its electricity. That will have to be replaced as well for the state to meet the target.

California is aiming to cut its overall greenhouse gas emissions by 40pc from 1990 levels by 2030 and 80pc by 2050. Electricity accounts for about 16pc of the state's emissions.

California would be the second US state to adopt a 100pc clean energy goal. Hawaii set a 100pc by 2045 renewable energy mandate in 2015. But given California's position as one of the largest economies in the world, and the most populous US state, achieving a completely carbon free grid will be a much bigger task.

California's electricity sector produces about 15 times as much power as Hawaii's, according to US Energy Information Administration. That does not include imports from out-of-state generators, which accounted for about 29pc of California's electricity supply last year, according to state data.


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18/04/24

Amapá cancela regime especial de ICMS

Amapá cancela regime especial de ICMS

Rio de Janeiro, 18 April (Argus) — O Secretário da Fazenda (Sefaz) do Amapá (AP) cancelou ontem o regime especial de tributação de empresas importadoras de combustíveis, colocando um fim a uma situação que gerava distorções de preços no mercado de diesel . A decisão do órgão foi publicada no diário oficial desta quarta-feira, dia 17, e contempla os regimes especiais do tributo estadual ICMS de oito empresas, entre elas a Refinaria de Manguinhos, que pertence ao grupo Fit, Amapetro, Axa Oil, Alba Trading e Father Trading. No caso da Amapetro, a empresa pagava uma alíquota efetiva de 4pc do valor da importação nas compras de outros países para uso próprio para consumo dentro do estado. Considerando a média do indicador Argus de importação de diesel de origem russa ao longo de março, isso equivaleria a R$136,9/m³.O valor atual do ICMS nos outros estados brasileiros é de R$1.063/m³ desde 1 de fevereiro. O estado teria importado 197.244m³ de diesel em março, de acordo com informações do Ministério do Desenvolvimento, Indústria, Comércio e Serviços (MDIC). Isso equivale a 15,9pc do total de diesel importado pelo Brasil no mês. O consumo de diesel A do estado foi de 6.250m³ no mês passado, equivalente a 0,1pc do consumo nacional, de acordo com os dados da Agência Nacional do Petróleo, Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis (ANP). As autorizações do estado criavam distorções de preços no mercado e perdas de arrecadação fiscal em várias estados onde o produto acabava sendo consumido. Associações de produtores e distribuidores de diesel vinham pressionando o poder público nos últimos meses para derrubar esses regimes especiais. De acordo com o Instituto Combustível Legal, a medida causou um prejuízo de R$1 bilhão aos estados onde o combustível importado no âmbito do regime especial era efetivamente consumido, citando os estados de São Paulo, Paraná e Pernambuco como principais destinos. No início do mês, a Refina Brasil, que reúne as refinarias de petróleo independentes do país, estimou que o contribuinte amapaense pagava um valor próximo a R$0,83/l em subsídios para importadores. Por Amance Boutin Envie comentários e solicite mais informações em feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . Todos os direitos reservados.

Conab: Safra de cana-de-açúcar bate recorde


18/04/24
18/04/24

Conab: Safra de cana-de-açúcar bate recorde

Sao Paulo, 18 April (Argus) — A moagem de cana-de-açúcar da safra 2023-24 foi a maior da história do país, em meio a condições climáticas favoráveis e investimentos no setor, de acordo com dados da Companhia Nacional de Abastecimento (Conab). O processamento total de matéria-prima da safra de 2023-24, entre abril de 2023 e o mesmo mês deste ano, totalizou 713,2 milhões de t, alta de 16pc em comparação a 610,8 milhões de t na temporada anterior. As áreas destinadas à atividade canavieira aumentaram 0,5pc, para 8,3 milhões de hectares (ha). A maior disponibilidade de matéria-prima estendeu as operações de moagem – que normalmente param em novembro – até dezembro em importantes estados produtores, como São Paulo. Produção de etanol Tanto a produção de etanol quanto a de açúcar cresceram, segundo a Conab. A produção total de etanol do Brasil – excluindo o biocombustível à base de milho – atingiu 29,6 milhões de m³, salto de 11pc na base anual. O etanol hidratado representou a maior parte do crescimento do processamento este ano, totalizando 17,6 milhões de m³, aumento de 16pc em relação ao ciclo anterior. A paridade favorável para o E100 frente à gasolina na bomba nos principais estados consumidores impulsionou a demanda pelo biocombustível na temporada. Já a produção de etanol anidro subiu 6,5pc, para 12 milhões de m³. O processamento de etanol à base de milho avançou 33pc, registrando 5,9 milhões de m³, com crescentes investimentos no setor tanto no Centro-Sul quanto em outras regiões. O anidro de milho subiu 45pc, para 2,2 milhões de m³. Para o hidratado, o resultado foi de 3,6 milhões de m³, alta anual de 26pc. O Brasil exportou 2,5 milhões de m³ de etanol na temporada de 2023-24, queda de 2,9pc em comparação à safra passada. Os Estados Unidos foram os maiores compradores do biocombustível, com 33pc dos embarques. Em seguida, a Coreia do Sul e o hub Amsterdã-Roterdã-Antuérpia (ARA) responderam por 17pc e 12pc, respectivamente. Já as importações de etanol caíram 43pc em comparação ao ano anterior, somando 215.000m³. Quase todo o produto chegou dos EUA e do Paraguai, que representaram 55,5pc e 44,3pc do volume total. Enquanto isso, a produção de açúcar aumentou 24pc, para 45,6 milhões de t, com usinas direcionando mais matéria-prima para o adoçante em meio a preços atrativos para a commodity no mercado internacional. O Brasil exportou 35,2 milhões de t de açúcar de abril a março, alta de 26pc no ano, em um cenário em que grandes exportadores, como Índia e Paquistão, diminuíram as entregas. China, Índia e Indonésia foram os maiores importadores do produto brasileiro. Por Laura Guedes Envie comentários e solicite mais informações em feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . Todos os direitos reservados.

Wind capacity additions down 93pc under AMLO


18/04/24
18/04/24

Wind capacity additions down 93pc under AMLO

Mexico City, 18 April (Argus) — Mexico installed just 96MW of wind power capacity in 2023, a new low amid President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's policy to limit private sector development. Last year's wind power capacity additions were down by 93pc from the 1,281MW installed during Lopez Obrador's first full year in office in 2019, according to the Global Wind Report 2024 published by the Global Wind Energy Council. New wind power additions were also down by 39pc from the 158MW installed in 2022. Lopez Obrador's statist energy policy has sought to claw back state-owned utility CFE's market position in the face of an enormous private sector clean energy build out launched during the previous administration. Between 2016 and 2018 CFE held three long-term power auctions, contracting 7,000MW of new renewable energy projects as the government made a push to decarbonize Mexico's power matrix. But Lopez Obrador ruled out further auctions and has actively curtailed the award of new generation permits, stalling the development of 5,800MW of wind projects, according to wind energy association Amdee. Mexico has 7,413MW of installed wind capacity, accounting for 8.2pc of the country's 89,890MW total installed generation capacity, according to the energy ministry. Despite the slowed pace in Mexico, new wind installation continued to grow in Latin America last year, led by Brazil with 4.8GW to bring total onshore capacity in the country to 30.4GW in 2023. GWEC expects 28.7GW of new wind capacity in Latin America over the next five years, on top of the 50.6GW of current capacity. Globally 117GW of new wind energy capacity was installed last year, up by 50pc on the previous year and a new record. GWEC expects global wind capacity to double to 2TW by 2030, as governments agreed to triple global renewable energy capacity at the climate talks in Dubai last year. The outlook for Mexican wind power also looks more positive with both presidential candidates in the 2 June election committed to accelerating the energy transition through the build out of new clean energy capacity. Governing party candidate and current frontrunner Claudia Sheinbaum pledged to make renewable energy a "hallmark" of her administration and committed this week to investing $13.6bn in clean energy projects if elected. By Rebecca Conan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

TUI Cruises receives methanol-ready ship


18/04/24
18/04/24

TUI Cruises receives methanol-ready ship

New York, 18 April (Argus) — Cruise ship company TUI Cruises took delivery of a methanol-ready cruise ship which will start operations at the end of June. Methanol-ready vessels allow ship owners to easily retrofit their vessels to burning methanol in the future. The 7,900t deadweight Mein Schiff 7 will operate in the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, along the European Atlantic coast and in the Mediterranean and run on marine gasoil (MGO). It was built by Finland's Meyer Turku shipyard. In January, TUI Cruises signed a memorandum of understanding with trading company Mabanaft for future supply of green methanol. Mabanaft would cover TUI's methanol needs in northern Germany, and gradually add other European locations. Grey methanol was pegged at $717/t MGO equivalent and biomethanol at $2,279/t MGOe average from 1-18 April in Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp. About 0.9 times and 2.9 times, respectively, the price of MGO, Argus assessments showed. TUI Cruises is a joint venture between the German tourism company TUI AG and US-based cruise ship company Royal Caribbean. By Stefka Wechsler Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Oil firm ReconAfrica agrees to class action settlement


18/04/24
18/04/24

Oil firm ReconAfrica agrees to class action settlement

Cape Town, 18 April (Argus) — Africa-focused, Canada-based upstream firm ReconAfrica has agreed to pay $10.8mn in total to eligible shareholders to settle class action lawsuits lodged in different jurisdictions over allegations that the company made misleading statements. The company will pay $7.05mn to investors who bought its shares on the US over-the-counter (OTC) markets and $3.7mn to shareholders who bought securities in the firm on Canada's TSX Venture Exchange and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange within specified class periods. In Canada, parties reached the proposed settlement after a full-day mediation in October 2023, without any admission of liability by ReconAfrica. A hearing has been scheduled on 20 June for the British Columbia Supreme Court to approve the settlement. The plaintiffs allege that between May 2020 and September 2021, ReconAfrica released misleading statements, including its plans to undertake hydraulic fracturing of "unconventional" resources and "shale" deposits within Namibia. The firm failed to disclose that Namibia has never before allowed fracking. The plaintiffs further claim that ReconAfrica did not disclose data from its test wells that revealed poor prospects for achieving commercially viable oil and gas production. The company also stands accused of undertaking unlicensed drilling and illegal water usage, as well as other environmental and human rights violations. It denies all these allegations. ReconAfrica has a current market capitalisation of C$204.7mn. Earlier this month, it raised C$17.25mn in a public share offering. The firm plans to undertake a multi-well drilling campaign this year, with the first well in Namibia's Damara Fold Belt scheduled for June. The company controls the entire Kavango sedimentary basin, which spans over 300km from the northeast of Namibia to northwest Botswana. Early estimates claimed the basin could hold as much as 31bn bl of oil, of which 22.3bn bl are in Namibia and 8.7bn bl in Botswana. ReconAfrica has a 90pc stake in the PEL 73 licence, which extends 25,000km² across northeast Namibia. The remaining 10pc is held by Namibian state-run company Namcor. The Kavango basin includes part of the ecologically sensitive Okavango Delta, a Unesco World Heritage site. The Okavango watershed consists of the Okavango river and a network of shallow, interlinked aquifers, which is a vital water source for more than a million people. The delta also serves as a habitat and migration path for many endangered animal species. Last year, ReconAfrica received environmental approval to drill 12 more wells in the Kavango. The firm recently completed a technical review of its entire exploration inventory in Namibia and now expects to find a mix of oil and gas. ReconAfrica announced an updated prospective resource estimate for Damara last month, indicating an unrisked 15.4bn bl of undiscovered oil initially-in-place. This compares with a previous estimate that pointed only to prospective natural gas resources amounting to 22.4 trillion ft³. The change "is the result of in-depth analyses of all geochemical data, including cores, cuttings, mud logs, seeps and additional basin modelling studies," ReconAfrica said. The firm has made the updated estimates available to potential joint venture partners and expects to complete this month a farm-out process that it started in December 2023. By Elaine Mills Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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