COPENHAGEN STURM UND DRANG

Progress made in Copenhagen talks, sticking points remain: Chinese official
December 15, 2009 (Xinhua via China View)

"Progress has been made in the climate talks in Copenhagen but negotiators are still engaged in heated debate on some issues, the head of the Chinese delegation to the UN-led climate talks said…

"Xie Zhenhua, vice minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, told reporters that at the start of the talks, the debate focused on what draft texts should serve as the basis for discussion after some unofficial texts of the draft was leaked…[but] the Bali Road Map was upheld with the emergence of two draft texts proposed by the chairs of two major working groups…[though the Chinese delegation is] not fully satisfied with the texts…"

From AP via YouTube

"…[I]ssues in the texts need further discussion and modification, and the ensuing substantial discussion on the texts would be very hard, given the differences in national interests and understandings of the Kyoto Protocol…Many sticking points are yet to be resolved, such as the binding targets of emissions reduction for the United States…"

From StartLoving2 via YouTube

"Ministers arrived in Copenhagen over the weekend to work for consensus…More than 100 heads of state and government are expected to be arriving later in the week for a climate summit to endorse efforts to fight global warming…

"…The United States…announced a new plan to promote clean energy technologies in developing countries, despite its reluctance to make more concessions for a deal…"

EMISSIONS PICTURE WORSENING…

Global carbon emissions budget 10% off track for 2000-2050, and could run out by 2034
December 1, 2009 (PriceWaterhouseCoopers)

"Very few of the G20 nations are on track to live within their carbon budgets for 2000-50 according to a new report by economists and climate change specialists at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP(PwC). The report reviews G20 carbon intensity levels between 2000-2008 and the distance to go to 2050, underlining the case for an ambitious deal in Copenhagen.

"The report estimates a maximum global carbon budget for the period from 2000 to 2050 of just under 1,300 GtCO2, with national breakdowns for the G20 on an annual basis, to give the world a fair chance of limiting global temperature rises to no more than 2ºC (relative to pre-industrial levels), without sacrificing long term economic growth."

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"Against the levels implied by the estimates, global carbon emissions are already 10% off track, with even the EU currently 7% behind. At current rates of carbon intensity improvement, the world will already have exceeded its estimated global carbon budget for the first half of this century by 2034, 16 years ahead of schedule…Such a ‘business as usual’ scenario could result in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations exceeding 1000ppm CO2e by the end of the century with potentially disastrous implications for the climate system and the global economy.

"Using PwC’s global long-term economic growth and energy consumption model, the study derives plausible annual carbon budgets and carbon intensity pathways for the global economy and the individual G20 economies between 2000 and 2050, consistent with a consensus view of a 2ºC stabilisation scenario. The PwC analysis estimates a global energy-related carbon emissions budget to be under 1,300 GtCO2 for the period from 2000 to 2050, to have a fair chance of restricting global warming to 2C…"

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"PwC’s carbon budget analysis provides the basis for constructing two new PwC Low Carbon Economy indices, examining carbon intensity reduction achievements between 2000-2008 as compared to estimated carbon budgets for this period (the PwC Low Carbon Achievement index), and the mountain the world now needs to climb to get back onto a low carbon trajectory by 2020 (PwC Low Carbon Challenge Index) and continue on this track to 2050…

"Key facts from the report are…[1] One fifth of the global carbon budget for the first half of this century has gone in just eight years…[2] Global carbon debt in 2000-8 roughly equivalent to the combined 2008 emissions of China and the US…[3] G20 need to cut carbon intensity levels by 35% by 2020 - four times the annual rate achieved in 2000-8…[4] Global emissions from energy use need to peak by around 2015, declining to 2009 levels by 2020…[5] Collective policy pledges of G20 stronger than before, but still may not be sufficient to get back on to a 2ºC trajectory by 2020…"

…BUT WORSENING MORE SLOWLY

Rising prices will curtail energy consumption says DOE
John Funk, December 14, 2009 (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

"The American appetite for energy will grow by just 14 percent over the next quarter century as energy efficiency and high prices drive down demand, the U.S. Department of Energy said...

"In its annual long-term forecast, the department's Energy Information Administration predicted slower growth in overall energy demand and a shift toward renewable energy…[B]y 2035, fossil fuels like coal and oil will drop from today's 84 percent to about 78 percent…"

click thru for the complete slide presentation

"The report is silent on future gasoline prices, though it does forecast less of a dependence on foreign oil because of lower demand and a switch to biofuels. Natural gas prices are expected to climb…despite huge new U.S. production gains, because electric utilities are expected to switch to [cleaner-burning] natural gas…

"…[The] forecast does not include the impact of proposed climate change legislation now pending in Congress…[but it] predicts carbon dioxide emissions will grow at the rate of three-tenths of a percent a year, a forecast that would change if Congress were to require power plants, refineries and factories to capture and store carbon dioxide…"

click thru for the complete slide presentation

"Key points in this year's initial forecast…[1] Efficiency gains will reduce overall energy demand by 15 percent over the period…[2] The growth in demand for electricity will creep up at just 1 percent per year over the next 25 years despite population growth as mandated conservation programs in more than half the states, including Ohio, kick in…[3] Automobiles will average 40 miles per gallon by 2025, with hybrids dominating the market…[4] Biofuels, including corn ethanol and ethanol from grasses, combined with a slight up-tick in U.S. crude oil production, will lessen the nation's dependence on foreign oil…

"…[5] Coal-fired power plants, which now generate half of the power consumed in the nation (88 percent in Ohio), will decline to about 44 percent nationally. (No word on Ohio)…[6] Renewable technologies like wind and solar will surge from about 9 percent of all power produced now to 17 percent by 2035. Natural-gas fired generation will also increase…[7] U.S. natural gas production from shale and other unconventional sources will increase, pushing out imports from Canada and abroad. But new uses for gas will mean price increases, doubling today's prices..."

BIG WIND FROM FLA TO CA VIA ORE

GE Receives $1.4 Billion Contract to Supply Turbines for Largest Wind Farm Ever Built in the US; Caithness Energy’s Oregon Wind Farm to Use GE’s Advanced 2.5xl Machines
December 10, 2009 (GE Energy)

"GE Energy…has received a $1.4 billion contract from independent power producer Caithness Energy to supply wind turbines and provide services for an 845-megawatt (MW) wind farm project to be located in Oregon. The wind farm, called Shepherds Flat, has received the majority of the necessary government permits to operate and is ready to be built. When completed it will be larger than any wind farm currently in operation…

"Stretching across 30 square miles of Gilliam and Morrow Counties in north-central Oregon, near the town of Arlington, the 845-megawatt Shepherds Flat project marks the US debut and largest single global order of GE’s 2.5xl wind turbines. A total of 338 turbines will be installed…The Shepherds Flat wind farm is the first in North America to deploy GE’s 2.5xl wind turbine, which has been proven in Europe and Asia…"

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"Caithness Energy estimates that the $2 billion project will inject $16 million annually of direct economic benefits into Oregon, and will employ 400 workers during construction and 35 during operation. Construction will be on a grand scale not only because of the large number of turbines, but because 85 miles of road and 90 miles of power connection to the grid will be built. Construction will begin in 2010 and will be completed in 2012.

"GE Energy Financial Services -- with a portfolio of more than 40 wind farms with a total capacity to produce more than 6 Gigawatts of electricity -- is investing in the project…[and] will provide ten years of operational and maintenance services to the project…The 2.5xl wind turbines for the Shepherds Flat wind farm will be assembled at GE’s site in Pensacola, Florida…"

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"Under three 20-year power purchase agreements, the Shepherds Flat wind farm will supply renewable energy to Southern California Edison… The project will help California meet…its capacity needs…[its] renewable energy goals…[and the California Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) which, if adopted nationally, would drive the development of New Energy]…

"With the capacity to generate two billion kilowatt-hours per year of renewable energy, the wind farm will represent more than one-tenth of Southern California Edison's overall renewable energy portfolio. The project will provide enough clean energy to power approximately 235,000 average California households…and will avoid more than 1.5 million tons a year in greenhouse gas emissions…"

OFFSHORE WIND FOR THE WORLD

Copenhagen's offshore wind industry shows global potential
Aubrey Ann Parker, December 13, 2009 (Detroit Free Press)

"When it comes to wind power, Americans have all kinds of excuses not to use it. "It's too expensive" or "Not in my backyard" (NIMBY… they don't want a tall, skinny, white turbine obstructing their beautiful view…)… this is all a sham…

"…Detroit is rusting from the inside out. Michigan is currently experiencing a 15% unemployment rate…Why aren't we using our technical expertise and warehouses full of machinery equipment to help optimize wind turbines that could be used throughout the world? …[A] three-hour tour [of] Middelgrunden Wind Farm, just off the coast of Copenhagen…[highlighted] the need for better turbine design so that wind energy can become more affordable…But [for onshore and offshore wind] the potential is there, and estimates say the demand is growing fast."

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"…There are 11 offshore wind farms just like [Middlegrunden] scattered along the Danish coastline, but it still manages to retain its beauty…The coastline at Middelgrunden is marred with carbon emitting stackhouses… Denmark has 5,100 wind turbines total —- 78% of which are onshore, 22% offshore -— contributing to 20% of Danish electricity production…[B]y 2020 this will increase to 50%…

"…Michigan could lead the green revolution —- supplying wind turbines to the world instead of automobiles —- if we could only think outside the dinosaur graves buried beneath the Middle East. The laws of economics apply here: As fossil fuels become scarce and supply decreases, demand (and therefore price) of these industries will increase to an amount that no one can afford to pay…So why are we giving false hope to workers in Detroit by filling jobs manufacturing high mileage cars that we know are only temporary fixes? Why are we proposing to use our industrial knowledge and resources to build six new coal plants, if we know that the price of this energy is only going to increase? Why, instead, aren't we seeking our own, domestic solution to this very foreseeable problem in the near future? Shouldn't we be producing and manufacturing our own wind turbines, as well as supplying them to the rest of the globe?"

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"Simply put, because nobody wants a shiny white turbine obstructing their view of crystal clear Lake Michigan. Absurdity! …[A]t least we can sell the technology to other places like Denmark…The Danish wind industry started after the first oil crisis in the 1970s. Denmark was looking for domestic solutions to foreign fossil fuel dependence…[T]he market began with onshore wind turbines, offshore development—which produces 30% to 40% more energy per turbine -— has experienced a steady increase, expected to grow 45% annually in coming years. This means that in 2015 6% to 7% of the world's wind energy will be offshore, and the European Union will increase to 20% offshore…

"...Currently, there are wind projects totaling 33,000 MW under construction now, 22,000 of which are in China alone. Almost 29,000 MW of wind power are currently generated in the United States…I hope as we go into the next week of negotiations that the U.N. does decide to implement strict renewable energy goals. And I hope that the Michigan manufacturing industry will be watching."

CHINA YET MORE ATTRACTIVE TO NEW ENERGY

China Now In Top Two Nations For Renewable Energy Projects
10 December 2009 (Solar Industry)

"China is now one of the top two most attractive locations in the world in which to invest in renewable energy projects, according to Ernst & Young's latest global renewable energy country attractiveness indices.

"China, which is ranked just behind the U.S., has moved ahead of Germany for the first time in the report's six-year history. Ranked fourth in 2008 and sixth in 2007, China has been steadily improving its position as one of the powerhouses of the renewable industry as it increases its commitments to reduce emissions through its carbon intensity reduction plans…"

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"The Ernst & Young Indices rank countries according to their desirability as locations for investing in renewable energy technologies…[with] rankings for national renewable energy markets, renewable energy infrastructures and their suitability for individual technologies.

"The indices also see rises for both Brazil and Japan. The Japanese government's new targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% (based on 1990 levels) by 2020 are a significant increase on previous targets of 8%."

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"The U.K. has risen one point (ranked sixth) following further announcements relating to improvements with the grid connection process and a further 1.15 billion pounds of investment in the grid. But the scale of some overseas markets and, in particular, the speed of growth that is being achieved by the renewables industries in the tiger economies, has affected the U.K.'s ability to attract significant investment…

"In the U.S., the ambitious climate change bill has not yet been passed, but as the worst of the credit crunch starts to ease, the forecast for developments remains optimistic. In Eastern Europe, investment has become increasingly attractive over the last year as investors seek to exploit new, high-growth potential markets…Manufacture of solar modules in Europe has come under increasing price pressure from Chinese products as the cost of raw materials has fallen, with further consolidation looking likely…"

CUTTING EDGE GEOTHERMAL

New Report Examines R&D Needs in Geothermal Exploration and Drilling
December 11, 2009 (PR Newswire)

"A significant amount of the risk associated with geothermal energy lies in uncertainties encountered in exploration and drilling, and [ R&D Needs in Geothermal Exploration and Development from the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA)] outlines the needs and opportunities for research to help address those problems and propel more geothermal energy production…"

Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) hold enormous potential but... (click to enlarge)

"The GEA report used a broad approach to the issue and is based upon interviews with many experts in the industry and at universities and national laboratories regarding geothermal exploration and drilling. The paper gives an overview of the various stages of exploration and drilling and addresses areas where significant geothermal R&D needs and opportunities exist. The paper recognizes the potential of breakthrough technologies and [Enhanced Geothermal Systems, EGS] as being important areas for R&D. At the same time, the paper also emphasizes focusing R&D on developing conventional technologies that could positively impact the industry in the near term…"

...drilling deep to where the heat is can create earth-shaking instability. (click to enlarge)

"Current R&D efforts in the geothermal industry have recently received increasing amounts of attention. This last November the Department of Energy announced approximately $338 million for geothermal research projects, including 24 "Innovative Exploration and Drilling Projects" which will be awarded up to $98.1 million. The paper identifies those recipients of ARRA funding and their relation to the different exploration and drilling R&D needs being presented…"

DESIGNED FOR EFFICIENCY

New designs touted as reducing energy costs and pollution
Michael Morton, December 13, 2009 (Daily News Tribune)

"Carpets and rugs just block heat from energy-efficient radiant floors, so design consultant William Churchill decided to simply polish the concrete lining his multistory sustainable home rising from the banks of the Sudbury…[part of] Churchill's endeavor to erect a home earning a special green certification known as Leadership in Environmental Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED.

"With production of energy and power for buildings responsible for roughly two-fifths of national carbon dioxide emissions, the certification is touted as a means to reduce pollution and reliance on fossil fuels…But LEED also goes beyond conserving energy and tapping renewable sources, taking into account building on environmentally friendly sites, limiting water consumption, using nontoxic paints and finishes and employing local or recycled building materials."

Churchill's polished concrete floor and an efficient heating system. (click to enlarge)

"Applicants spend hundreds of dollars to register new homes and schools and new or renovated commercial projects with the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council, racking up marks on a 100-point scale and aiming for one of four ascending levels: certified, silver, gold and platinum…

"…But though the government offers incentives to weatherize homes and install personal alternative energy systems, it does not [provide incentives] for LEED certification, and the building council lists just three area homes…Unlike other projects, LEED-eligible homes must be inspected by a certified firm…[There said to be] three types of applicants: affordable housing developers looking to attract investors, architects and builders looking for a market edge, and residents pursuing dream homes…[C]ertified projects can cost more [but they are better buildings]…"

Churchill's custom air venting system. (click to enlarge)

"Churchill wanted the challenge of creating a structure that provided good air quality for his asthmatic girlfriend, durability and energy-efficiency. While he recommends simply hiring a trusted green builder for long-term habitation, he decided the LEED stamp offered a selling point to future buyers…The angular, modernist home features insulated beams made of steel, a recycled material and a durable one. The metal also comprises the insulated interlocking wall panels, typically used in cold storage facilities.

"To hit the LEED mark, Churchill recycled and tracked all construction debris…But the home proved so airtight, Churchill needed a venting system, with exiting air warming the incoming flow to trim energy use. Also, the steel exterior formed a "shield," requiring a special antenna for cell reception. And even before he began, he realized he would have to serve as his own general contractor, since no home builder dealt with steel…"

WILL PAY FOR JOBS, MAYBE FOR CLIMATE

Poll: We'll pay to avert climate change if it creates jobs
Steven Thomma, December 9, 2009 (McClatchy Newspapers)

"…A majority of Americans are willing to pay more for a [climate change] solution only if it would create "green" jobs in the United States, according to a McClatchy-Ipsos poll…Take away the benefit of new jobs, and the willingness to pay a little more on their monthly electric or other bills drops.

"Just half the country is willing to pay higher prices to cut the emissions of greenhouse gases if it doesn't also create jobs, and that slender support turns into outright opposition if the price rises from $10 a month to $25 a month…"

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"A solid majority of Americans, 70 percent, thinks that global warming is real, though a sizable minority, 28 percent, says it isn't…61 percent think that it's happening because of the burning of fossil fuels, while 34 percent say it's mostly a natural phenomenon.

"Americans are closely divided on the proposed solution pending in Congress, a "cap and trade" system aimed at cutting U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases from smokestacks and tailpipes… 52 percent of Americans support the legislation, which has passed the House of Representatives but is stalled in the Senate. Forty-one percent oppose the measure."

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"A solid majority, 69 percent, said they'd support it even if it cost them $10 a month if it created a "significant" number of American jobs. Twenty-nine percent said they'd still oppose the legislation…That majority support dropped to 60 percent if the costs rose to $25 a month, and opposition rose to 36 percent.

"How much the legislation would cost is a subject of debate among partisans. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said it would cost the average U.S. household $90 a year in lost purchasing power in 2012, rising to $925 a year by 2050…Whether it would create or kill jobs also is heavily debated. The CBO said it would [likely have only a small impact over time]…"

GREEN JOBS BEAT OTHER JOBS

CA Green Job & Business Growth Significantly Outpace Rest of CA Economy
December 9, 2009 (Next 10)

"…California green businesses have increased 45 percent in number and 36 percent in employment from 1995 to 2008 while total jobs in California expanded only 13 percent. As the economy slowed between 2007 and 2008, total employment fell 1 percent, but green jobs continued to grow five percent…

"Many Shades of Green: Diversity and Distribution of California’s Green Jobs, released by the nonpartisan Next 10 and Collaborative Economics, provides the most comprehensive green jobs accounting to date, systematically tracking the most recent available data on green companies, job type, location and growth across every sector and region of California…"

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"While the absolute numbers of green jobs are not large, they are comparable to the biotech and software sectors, according to the report…

"Highlights…[1] Between 1995-2008, green businesses increased 45 percent, green jobs grew 36 percent while total jobs in the state grew only 13 percent…[2] Even in rural areas with a smaller economic base, green jobs are growing faster than the overall economy…[3] Between 2007-2008, green jobs grew 5 percent while total jobs dropped one percent…[4] Manufacturing represents 21 percent of all green jobs, and grew 19 percent, while manufacturing represents only 11 percent of all jobs in California…"

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"…[5] Half of all manufacturing jobs are split between Energy Efficiency and Energy Generation…[6] Services accounted for 45 percent of all California green jobs, the largest portion in Environmental Consulting…[7] With nearly 43,000 jobs in 2008, Air & Environment is the largest of California’s green segments…[S]ince 2005 the number of green jobs in this segment has increased 24 percent…[8] From 1995-2008, Energy Generation employment expanded 61 percent by nearly 10,000 jobs. Solar makes up the largest portion, and strongest growth (63 percent)…

"…[9] Employment in Energy Efficiency increased 63 percent from 1995-2008…[10] Employment in Green Transportation has increased 152 percent since 1995. Green Transportation Jobs are primarily in Motor Vehicles & Equipment and Alternative Fuels, with the latter growing faster at 201 percent, and representing 48 percent of all jobs in this segment…[11] Green Logistics is an emerging field, only in the Bay Area at present, with employment growing by 1144 percent since 1995…"

THE OPPORTUNITY OF EFFICIENCY

Study Cites Substantial Efficiency Savings
Kate Galbraith, December 9, 2009 (NY Times)

"[Real Prospects for Energy Efficiency in the United States (2009)] from the National Research Council has found that energy efficiency measures in the United States could cut energy use by 30 percent below 2030 projections.

"The report, which received funding from the Department of Energy as well as several private companies and foundations, argued that energy efficiency represents an enormous money-saving opportunity for the country. Measures to achieve it include fuel-economy standards, stricter building codes and efficiency requirements for home appliances…"

Shifting to industrial combined heat and power is an essential efficiency change. (click to enlarge)

"Buildings account for 41 percent of the energy used in the United States, according to the report, and they could cut their electricity use cost-effectively by 1.2 percent per year…Other studies, such as one in July by the consulting firm McKinsey, have also found enormous savings potential in buildings.

"The findings in the transportation sector — not covered by the McKinsey study — may be of particular interest. Some 28 percent of the country’s energy is used in transportation (nearly all of it is oil)."

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"In the near term — at least until 2020 — any efficiency gains will probably come from improvements to the internal combustion engine, the report states. Plug-in vehicles may be a “promising mid- to long-term option,” but they will be difficult to roll out quickly on a mass scale. As for the long term, the report says that it could take perhaps until 2050 for hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles to gain significant share.

"The report also acknowledged the many potential barriers to energy efficiency initiatives…[such as Americans’ lifestyle preferences,] high initial costs, volatile energy prices, and a lack of information or incentives…"

WIND POWER WANTS A POLITICAL PUSH

Wind energy industry looks to Copenhagen for a mandate; In an interview, Denise Bode, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association, says the industry needs a renewable energy mandate from the climate conference in Copenhagen and from Congress.
Mark Clayton, December 9, 2009 (Christian Science Monitor)

[Denise Bode, CEO, American Wind Energy Association AWEA):] “Last year during an almost depression we added 55 new manufacturing facilities and 35,000 new jobs in the US, which I think makes it one of the bright spots in the economy… We’re shovel ready, ready to rock and roll, and we can get to 20 percent [of US energy generation] easy, clearly by 2030…”

"Right now the industry employs more than 85,000 people with many new wind-power factories having taken over previously empty appliance, auto, and steel plants…Last year the US took over first place globally in terms of the amount of installed wind power…2008 turned out well indeed for US wind…The economic hammer really didn’t hit the wind industry until the fall – about a year ago. Wind power had its financing yanked out from under it just as the rest of the economy did."

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"Even so, many projects that already had their funding soldiered ahead, and by year’s end, a record 8,500 megawatts worth of turbines had been installed…[Projects with financing] were still in the pipeline in [the first half of] 2009…[T]he picture is less clear [now] even though there are bright spots…Growth was strong through the end of the third quarter of 2009 with 5,800 megawatts of capacity built…[but] there is just 5,000 megawatts of wind power in the near-term development pipeline compared with 8,000 megawatts last year…That slowing is hurting US wind manufacturing…

"The wind power industry got a pick-me-up this summer when stimulus funding began to hit. A measure that allowed an alternate means of financing kicked in – enabling wind-power developers to turn investment tax credits into dollars by getting direct refunds from the federal government…So far at least $1 billion in such financing has supported the industry this year…"

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"But as important is the stimulus aid was, what happens next in Copenhagen and in Congress – and how soon – is critical…[The industry wants] a strong statement or agreement coming out of both the climate summit and Capitol Hill committing the US and the rest of the world to shift away from fossil fuels and put in place clear requirements – a mandate – to build renewable energy."

[Denise Bode, CEO, American Wind Energy Association AWEA):] “Until the end of 2008, [wind power manufacturers] were making machinery as fast as they could…Now we’re still seeing significant problems in this manufacturing sector. The recovery package threw us a lifeline, but they’re still hurting… It makes a huge difference if the world as a community decides to recognize these [carbon emissions] costs … and say we’re going to do something about it collectively – and move to cleaner sources of generation… But what we really need is a strong national commitment from Congress – a [Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) that sets a percentage requirement for how much renewable energy utilities must use…”

SCANDAL IN HOPENHAGEN?

Copenhagen: Leaked draft deal widens rift between rich and poor nations; Climate talks are in disarray barely days into the summit, putting at risk international unity to fight global warming
John Vidal, 9 December 2009 (UK Guardian)

[Lumumba Di-Aping, Sudanese chairman, G77 plus China group of 132 developing countries:] "The [leaked, so-called Danish text] robs developing countries of their just and equitable and fair share of the atmospheric space. It tries to treat rich and poor countries as equal…This text destroys both the UN convention on climate change and the Kyoto protocol. This is aimed at producing a new treaty, a new legal initiative that throws away the basis of [differing] obligations between the poorest and most wealthy nations in the world…"

"The [Danish] text is a draft proposal for the final political agreement that should be signed by national leaders…at the end of the Copenhagen summit on 18 December. It was prepared in secret by a group of individuals known as "the circle of commitment" but understood to include the US and Denmark."

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[Yvo de Boer, Executive Director, UN FCCC:] "This was an informal paper ahead of the conference given to a number of people for the purposes of consultations. The only formal texts in the UN process are the ones tabled by the chairs of this Copenhagen conference at the behest of the parties [involved]."

"But the representatives of developing nations felt betrayed by the intent of the proposals in the draft…The existing [Kyoto Protocol] is the only global agreement that legally obliges rich countries to reduce their emissions…[but has seemed vulnerable to being voided] since the climate negotiations were effectively taken over by [the developed countries and] conducted outside the UN, the only forum in which poor countries feel they are equally represented."

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"The text is now likely to be withdrawn because of its reception by China, India and many other developing countries [in G77]…Few numbers are included in the text, because these would be filled in later after negotiation by world leaders…[I]t does seek to hold global temperature rises to 2C, the safe limit according to scientists, and it mentions the sum of $10bn a year in aid to help poor countries cope with climate change, starting in 2012…[T]he G77 reaction was seen by some developed world analysts as an exaggerated but fundamentally correct response to the way that the US, the UK and other rich countries have sought to negotiate…Over the next days several new texts will emerge…[The rich countries can expect fresh assaults from the Africa group of countries, the least developed countries group, and the association of small island states]."

[Lumumba Di-Aping, Sudanese chairman, G77 plus China group of 132 developing countries:] "We will not walk out of the talks at this late hour, because we will not allow the failure of Copenhagen. But we will not sign an inequitable deal; we will not accept a deal that condemns 80% of the world population to further suffering and injustice. We call ordinary people to put the utmost pressure on politicians to come to their senses…"

PAPER BATTERY FOR CHEAP POWER

Dip Ordinary Paper Into Ink Infused With Nanotubes and Nanowires to Create an Instant Battery
December 8, 2009 ("Highly Conductive Paper for Energy Storage Devices" in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences via Science Daily)

"Stanford scientists are harnessing nanotechnology to quickly produce ultra-lightweight, bendable batteries and supercapacitors in the form of everyday paper.

"Simply coating a sheet of paper with ink made of carbon nanotubes and silver nanowires makes a [low-cost] highly conductive storage device…such as batteries and simple supercapacitors…Like batteries, capacitors hold an electric charge, but for a shorter period of time…[though] capacitors can store and discharge electricity much more rapidly than a battery…"

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"…[N]anomaterial energy storage devices [had previously been created] using plastics…[N]ew research shows that a paper battery is more durable because the ink adheres more strongly to paper (answering the question, "Paper or plastic?"). What's more, you can crumple or fold the paper battery, or even soak it in acidic or basic solutions, and the performance does not degrade…[Burning has not yet been tested]…"

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"The flexibility of paper allows for many clever applications…[Researchers have] demonstrated the battery…by connecting it to an LED (light-emitting diode), which glowed brightly.

"A paper supercapacitor may be especially useful for applications like electric or hybrid cars, which depend on the quick transfer of electricity. The paper supercapacitor's high surface-to-volume ratio gives it an advantage…[as a] low-cost, flexible electrode for any electrical device...[T]he biggest impact may be in large-scale storage of electricity on the distribution grid. Excess electricity generated at night, for example, could be saved for peak-use periods during the day. Wind farms and solar energy systems also may require storage…"