EUROASIA: Turkey embraces wind power

In an era of record high oil prices, many countries increasingly are turning to alternative fuels, including biofuel, solar energy and wind power. This pattern is typically pronounced in Turkey, forced to import more than 90 percent of its energy needs, with energy suppliers that are not only expensive, but erratic.

In 2006, Turkey spent $29 billion on energy imports, primarily from Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Russia. High prices and fickle suppliers have stimulated Turkey's growing interest in wind power.

Turkish interest in alternative fuels has been spurred by recent events. Turkish natural gas imports come primarily from Russia via the South Stream pipeline and Iran. On Dec. 31, Turkmenistan halted its deliveries of natural gas deliveries to Iran, citing the need for urgent pipeline repairs. The cutoff subsequently forced Iran to reduce its gas exports to Turkey by 75 percent, from 20 million cubic meters to 5 million cu. m., as inclement weather increased domestic demand, disrupting Iran's domestic gas distribution. Tehran subsequently claimed that Turkmen action was, in fact, a retaliatory move over proposed price increases. Iran then stopped shipments completely Jan. 8, leading Ankara the next day to halt the flow of Azeri gas to Greece because of the suspension of gas supplies from Iran.

Turkey is Iran's sole export market for natural gas, but the relationship has not been smooth, again due to disputes over price. The Turkmen incident had a feeling of deja vu, as in January 2006 Iran halved its supplies of natural gas to Turkey to around 7 million cubic feet per day, citing "climactic conditions" and increased domestic need, while in December 2006 it temporarily shut off supplies completely.

During the most recent dispute, Turkey turned to Russia with a request for additional natural gas supplies, but was rebuffed. Instead, Moscow also reduced exports, citing severe weather. As natural gas powers half of Turkey's power stations, state pipeline company Botas was forced to tap reserves in its gas depot near Silivri, Turkey's sole gas-storage facility.

The incident has provided further incentives to Turkish efforts to seek alternatives. A measure of Ankara's determination to free itself from the grip of avaricious, erratic energy suppliers is a dramatic rise in governmental interest in wind power, which is illustrated in government figures. While in 2006, wind power in Turkey generated 19 megawatts of electricity, last year Turkey's 10 wind farms produced nearly 140 megawatts, a 736 percent increase.

Turkey's interest in renewable energy dates back to 2005, when the Turkish Grand National Assembly passed a renewable energy law harmonizing government legislation with European Union legislation to support renewable sources, including wind power. The new law provided a government guarantee to purchase electricity at a set price for seven years.

Marmara University Energy Department Associate Professor and World Wind Energy Association Vice President Tanay Sidki Uyar recently said that if Turkey properly developed all of its renewable energy potential resources, including solar, wind, hydroelectric and geothermal power sources, the country could become self-sufficient in energy. Uyar told RenewableEnergyAccess.com, "Wind power could supply Turkey's electricity needs twice over within five to 10 years if the government had the political will to develop this sector." Uyar added, "We have terrific geographic conditions for solar and wind power in Turkey. Exploiting it is already economically and technically possible, but the problem is that the government favors fossil fuels and nuclear energy."

Epitomizing Ankara's determination to become energy self-sufficient is a contract signed last July with General Electric for 52 of its latest generation of wind turbines with a generating capacity of 2.5 megawatts apiece. The GE 2.5xl is the largest GE wind turbine available for onshore applications and is specifically designed to meet EU requirements, where the relative lack of available land is a significant constraint on project size. While previous wind park projects were primarily situated in Turkey's western regions and the Aegean coast, the 130-megawatt GE wind power project in southeastern Turkey will be the world's largest installation of GE latest 2.5xl wind turbine technology and will more than double Turkey's installed wind capacity.

Turkey is not limiting itself to U.S. suppliers; on Jan. 30, Turkey's Rotor Energy Co., a subsidiary of Zorlu Energy, signed a contract with Ecosecurities to build a wind power plant in the southern province of Osmaniye. The Osmaniye facility, scheduled to come online in 2009, will initially generate about 135 megawatts daily, with an annual capacity of 500,000 megawatts.

Ankara is not moving on the issue as swiftly as alternative energy advocates would like, however; proposals to build wind farms with a total operating capacity of 8,000 megawatts is still awaiting government approval. Ankara has already issued about 40 licenses for wind parks, each with an installed 20-60 megawatt capacity.

The future looks bright for alternative energy companies, as the Turkish government intends to privatize a significant proportion of the country's primarily state-owned energy and gas supply companies over the next few years. Given the "pipeline politics" that Turkey has recently endured with its fickle natural gas suppliers Russia and Iran, Ankara's move toward alternative energy makes both fiscal and ecological sense.

Source: United Press International |by John C.K. Daly

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EMIRATOS: Monarquías arábigas apuestan por energía nuclear

Los países árabes del Golfo Pérsico tardarán de 12 a 15 años en crear el sector de energía nuclear pacífico, una vez tomada la decisión correspondiente, anunció el ministro de Exteriores de Kuwait, jeque Mohammad Al-Sabah.

Conforme a la resolución sobre el desarrollo de la energía nuclear, aprobada en la última cumbre árabe de Riyad, Kuwait preparó la "hoja de ruta" para llevar a la práctica la voluntad que expresaron los líderes de las seis monarquías arábigas.

El documento se someterá a atención de la cumbre arábiga consultiva que se celebrará la semana que viene en la capital saudita con la participación de Kuwait, Arabia Saudita, los Emiratos Árabes Unidos, Bahrein, Qatar y Omán.

En la reunión se examinarán las medidas concretas a adoptar en la creación del sector de energía nuclear pacífico.

Republic Islamic News Agency

Blogalaxia Tags: Energia,
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CLIMATE CHANGE: El cambio climático estrecha el cerco a los gobiernos

by ANNA GRAU

El calentamiento global va a ser grave y es posible que no haya modo de evitarlo. Pero los gobiernos de todo el mundo están en primera línea de la responsabilidad de contenerlo o por lo menos retrasarlo. Hay que reducir como sea las emisiones de gases invernadero. «Como sea» incluye ralentizar el crecimiento económico mundial alrededor de un 3 por ciento en los próximos 30 años, ir renunciando a las energías más sucias en favor de las más limpias y obligar tanto a las grandes potencias, tipo Estados Unidos, como a los países en vías de desarrollo. Por ahí van los tiros del nuevo borrador que el Panel Intergubernamental del Cambio Climático de las Naciones Unidas (IPCC, por sus siglas en inglés) va a poner sobre la mesa la semana que viene en Bangkok. Y en noviembre, en Valencia.

Materiales y diseño

Temiéndose que, una vez más, los acuerdos habrá que buscarlos a cara de perro, los expertos han empezado a filtrar sus conclusiones provisionales. The New York Times era uno de los medios que ayer presagiaba de qué se hablará en la capital tailandesa.

Según este diario, los expertos consideran que los países en desarrollo, que viven precisamente ahora un imparable proceso de industrialización, tienen las mayores oportunidades de éxito contra el cambio climático, especialmente si eligen bien sus centrales energéticas y el diseño de sus edificios. El informe explica que cambiar los diseños convencionales y elegir bien los materiales de construcción puede ahorrar más de un 30% de las emisiones de gases de los edificios previstas hasta 2020.

Desde su creación en 1988, el IPCC, que involucra a miles de expertos científicos de centenares de países, no ha dejado de endurecer sus informes. El pasado febrero, en Bruselas, fue tajante: el calentamiento global se dispara, se dispara más allá de lo asumible, y no lo hace por causas naturales. Es la mano del hombre la que aprieta el gatillo. La temperatura mundial aumentará entre 1.1 y 6.4 grados centígrados a lo largo del presente siglo. Con un aumento de 2 grados basta para que desaparezca el 30 por ciento de las especies.

Parece la versión científica del Apocalipsis de San Juan, cuando ni siquiera ha acabado de abrirse el cuarto sello. En la reciente última entrega de su cuarto informe en curso, el IPCC pasó a detallar la amenaza casi país por país. España, muy vulnerable en su vertiente mediterránea, lo tiene crudo ya a partir del 2020: subidas de temperatura que en verano pueden llegar a los 7 grados alrededor de 2070, más incendios, caída en picado de los recursos hídricos, posible desaparición del Delta del Ebro y de la Manga del Mar Menor, tragados por la subida del nivel del mar, etc.

Ahora hay que ver qué se hace. Es en el momento de buscar soluciones que surgen los desacuerdos, internacionales y domésticos. El gobierno actual de Estados Unidos sigue ignorando el Protocolo de Kyoto, mientras su opinión pública es cada vez más beligerante en contra de esa política. En España, todo el mundo está con Kyoto, pero falta mucho para cumplirlo.

En la última gran cumbre del IPCC, fueron Rusia, Arabia Saudí y China quienes más embrollaron el consenso, cuestionando los borradores casi punto por punto. En Bangkok es fácil que suceda lo mismo, si se confirman las filtraciones previas y el dato de que son los países en vías de desarrollo (o en un punto clave de su despegue industrial y tecnológico) los que más esfuerzos pueden tener que hacer. Incluso los países que quedaron exentos de las recomendaciones de 1997, en atención a sus urgentes necesidades de desarrollo, serán llamados al orden esta vez.

ABC

Blogalaxia Tags: Energia,
Sostenibilidad y
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CLIMATE CHANGE: EU Says Report Underscores Need to Limit Global Warming

A major UN report on the potentially devastating effects of global warming provides new evidence for the need to limit climate change. But the US, China and Russia stand accused of seeking to water down some sections.

EU leaders agreed tough targets last month for reducing emissions of the gases that cause global warming, with the aim of limiting the rise in temperature to below two degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the UN's top expert authority on global warming, said in its report Friday that up to 30 percent of animal and plant species will be vulnerable to extinction if global temperatures rise by 1.5-2.5 C (2.7 F to 4.5 F).

"The report shows many of the serious impacts that would occur if global warming exceeded the EU's target of not more than two degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level," European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said.

"The temperature today is already almost 0.8 degrees Celcius above that level, so the world needs to act fast if we are to succeed in stabilizing climate change and thereby prevent its worst impacts," he said in a statement.

Global warming to hit Europe unevenly

The report predicted greenhouse gases would change rainfall patterns, intensify tropical storms, accelerate the melting of Arctic ice and mountain glaciers, and amplify the risk of drought, flooding and water stress.

Global warming will hit Europe hard but unevenly this century, cursing the south but giving a mixed blessing to the north, the report said. Mediterranean countries can brace for a higher risk of severe droughts, reduced harvests and deadly heat waves, while high-latitude nations will face flooding and severe weather balanced by longer growing seasons and expanded areas for agriculture and forestry.

"Today's IPCC report spells out very clearly the severe effects that climate change will have on all of us," Dimas said. "This further underlines both how urgent it is to reach global agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and how important it is for us all to adapt to the climate change that is already under way," he said.

US, China try to dilute damning sections of report

However, the report -- the UN's most toughly-worded warning on climate change as yet -- was the subject of fierce disputes in Brussels between scientists and governments. Gary Yohe, one of the report's lead authors, told Reuters that the mood at the conference in Brussels was tense.

He said China, Russia and Saudi Arabia had raised most objections during the night to a 21-page summary which has to be approved unanimously and will guide policy in coming years on issues such as extending the U.N.'s Kyoto Protocol beyond 2012.

The United States was also reported to be among countries seeking to water down sections about damaging impacts from a warming widely blamed on human use of fossil fuels.

Some scientists objected, for instance, after China tried to eliminate a note saying that there was "very high confidence" that climate change was already affecting "many natural systems, on all continents and in some oceans."

China, the second largest source of greenhouse gases after the United States and ahead of Russia, wanted no mention of the level of confidence.

Poor countries most at risk

The report underlined that poor tropical countries will be hit worst. Worsening water shortages in thirsty countries, malnutrition caused by desiccated fields, property damage from extreme weather events and the spread of disease by mosquitoes and other vectors will amount to a punishing bill that is beyond the ability of vulnerable countries, especially in Africa, to pay.

"Poor people are the most vulnerable and will be the worst hit by the impacts of climate change. This becomes a global responsibility," IPCC's chairman, Rajendra Pachauri, said.

German Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul repeated the warning in Brussels as she reminded western countries that they are responsible for most of the world’s climate change. She said they must do more to help poor countries who are the least responsible yet are most affected by it.

“Our production processes, the way we treat the environment and use our energy: these are a direct, ongoing attack on the basic foundations needed to sustain life," Wieczorek-Zeul said.

The German minister said industrial nations must do everything possible to protect such regions by lowering emissions. The minister suggested that since 20 to 25 percent of global warming can be traced back to the destruction of tropical rainforests, countries who maintain forests should receive financial assistance.

"I suggest, that we set up international financial mechanisms to compensate developing countries who maintain their forests because countries who do that, do something for the world climate, and they ought to be rewarded for their efforts."

Leading conservation groups on Friday urged an immediate global response to the damning UN report.

"The urgency of this report, presented by the world's top scientists, should be matched with an equally urgent response by governments," said Hans Verolme, director of the World Wildlife Fund's global climate change program.

CLIMATE CHANGE: Impugnan científicos documento de la ONU sobre cambio climático

Científicos se enfrentaron este viernes con funcionarios de más de 100 países del comité de la ONU sobre el clima, quienes acordaron un texto final que, según los investigadores, ignora a la ciencia y suaviza el informe para los políticos.

Los ambientalistas dicen que los gobiernos intentaron debilitar el informe a fin de evitar tomar fuertes medidas para reducir las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero, y acusaron directamente a los delegados de China, Rusia y Arabia Saudita.

"Parece que intereses personales evidentes están intentando evitar que salgan a la luz mensajes particulares", dijo Neil Adger, del Centro Tyndall para la Investigación sobre Cambio Climático de Gran Bretaña.

"Hacemos todo lo posible para proveer la mejor evaluación científica, pero luego, cuando se cambian las palabras de eso (...) nos enojamos mucho. Es el trabajo de tres años", agregó sobre el texto aprobado este viernes.

Adger dijo que los delegados también intentaron amortiguar el vínculo entre las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero provocadas por los humanos y los impactos en el calentamiento global en todo el mundo.

El Panel Intergubernamental para el Cambio Climático (IPCC, por su sigla en inglés) agrupa a 2 mil 500 científicos y es la mayor autoridad del mundo en cambio climático.

Cynthia Rosenzweig, del Instituto Goddard para Estudios Espaciales de la NASA, dijo que envió una carta de protesta al presidente del IPCC luego de que delegados chinos insistieron en eliminar una referencia a una "alta seguridad" de que el cambio climático ya está afectando los sistemas naturales de todos los continentes y algunos océanos.

"Declaré que los autores realmente sienten que el nivel de 'alta seguridad' es correcto", dijo a la prensa luego de la reunión. "Protesté porque sentí que no se estaba teniendo en cuenta la ciencia", agregó.

Rosenzweig abandonó la reunión luego de la protesta, pero indicó que necesitaba un descanso y que no la había abandonado.

Los delegados terminaron sacando cualquier referencia a niveles de seguridad y revisaron el texto para que diga: "Evidencia observable de todos los continentes y la mayoría de los océanos muestra que muchos sistemas naturales se ven afectados por cambios climáticos regionales, particularmente el aumento de temperaturas".

Martin Parry, co-presidente del grupo que preparó el informe, negó que se haya debilitado al documento como un todo.

"Creo que no sería correcto decir que se lo suavizó. Se perdieron ciertos mensajes, pero de ninguna manera pienso que se perdió el mensaje", dijo. "Cuando se realizan grandes reuniones, hay que reducirlo a argumentos comunes", añadió.

Pero aunque Rosenzweig señaló que estaba contenta con el compromiso, otros científicos sintieron que el resumen no fue tan contundente como el informe más extenso que están preparando.

"Hay una frustración residual entre los científicos. No hay dudas sobre eso", dijo Kevin Hennessy, investigador del Grupo de Impacto Climático de Australia y también autor del informe.

"Pero vamos a animar a la gente a que busque la información más detallada en el resumen técnico y en los capítulos individuales", concluyó.

La JORNADA