What We Have Here is a Failure to Communicate…. in Ship Construction!

Rik van Hemmen, Contributor

Rik van Hemmen is the President of Martin & Ottaway...

August 17, 2021

The 17th Century ship Vasa. © warasit/AdobeStock

My brother, who is the executive editor of my favorite boating magazine (Soundings), and I occasionally send strange tidbits to each other by email. For some reason he sent me an email about the 17th Century ship Vasa and focused on one of the causes of the vessel’s failure to float properly.

This is the Wikipedia paragraph he focused on:

"The use of different measuring systems on either side of the vessel caused its mass to be distributed asymmetrically, heavier to port. During construction both Swedish feet and Amsterdam feet were in use by different teams. Archaeologists have found four rulers used by the workmen who built the ship. Two were calibrated in Swedish feet, which had 12 inches, while the other two measured Amsterdam feet, which had 11 inches.”

My brother more or less suggested that it might make a good column subject for me.

Since brothers mince no words when they can slag each other I was going to dismiss his idea along the line of: “Oh Please, an article on the Vasa? And next you want me to write yet another article about the cause of the loss of the Titanic?”

But I didn’t, because on rereading the note I realized he was probably referring to the Amsterdam foot, which had only 11 inches and that made me wonder. Was it shorter than other 12 inch feet (made of shorter inches) or was it actually divided in 11 inches? I checked and, I kid you not, that foot has only 11 Amsterdam inches!

Ever since coming to the United States I have had to submit to living with fractions of 12 in feet and 32nds of inches, but working in units that are fractions of a prime number? That must have started as a joke, or somebody set that measure for very nefarious purposes and then it did not disappear by common sense, just like in the US, where we are still stuck with the English system of measurement.

But that is not what this column is about. It is about ship construction. Untangling ship construction furballs has been a big part of my life, and while we can argue whether to use English units, or metric units, or warp fractions, the real cause of the Vasa failure is not measurement units; the real cause sits higher up. What it is really related to is a failure to communicate.

The Vasa Museum in Stockholm, Sweden, displays the Vasa ship, fully recovered 17th century viking warship, on October 27, 2019.

There is only one glorious truth about ship construction: 

Ship construction is a Communication Exercise

Nothing beats this glorious truth. A good spec will help, a good design will help, committed builders will help, knowledgeable purchasers will help, but, in the end, only good communications can make the project succeed.

In every single ship construction disaster that we have been involved in, the actual cause of the failure was a failure to communicate.

A cost overrun is a failure to communicate. Cost overruns are a reality in ship construction. Someday I would like to see a ship built without a cost overrun, but building one-of-a-kind ships is really really difficult, and therefore there will be cost overruns whether paid for by the builder, paid for by the purchaser or shared. Not talking about a cost overrun the moment it raises its ugly head results in after the fact hyperventilating, paranoia, polarization, and all kinds of other mean and nasty things.

An argument over the color of the curtains in a cabin is a failure to communicate. In ship construction one can never assume that the builder and the purchaser have the same esthetics and therefore the color of the curtains needs to be locked down before material is ordered.

One may conclude that the onus to communicate is on the builder, but this is untrue. It is a complete and total two way street. A purchaser and a builder need to spend a significant amount of time before construction starts to become familiar with each other’s expectations.

I am not talking about specifications; I am talking about emotional expectations. What is fair to me, and what is fair to you? Not just in terms of money, but also in terms of hull fairness. What is my biggest concern? What is your biggest concern?

Some of these discussions may be quite awkward, but once these issues have been established, it will be possible to reach back to them and develop fair and reasonable solutions when things get difficult.

When I was young, I worked with somebody who always asked very sharp, almost rude, questions at the start of the project. Even I would feel a little uncomfortable and felt it would upset the customer. Today I know that it is not important to be friends at the start of the project; what is important is to be friends at the end of the project. Therefore, ask the difficult questions at the beginning, and tell your project partners that you ask those questions so the project can be finished as friends, and siblings at arms, instead of enemies.

Ship construction projects never are easy. There will always be complications, some rational, and some totally unexpected and wackadoodle, but not talking about them will not solve them.

Getting back to the Vasa, while it may have been inefficient to use two different measurement systems in the construction of the Vasa (something we still do today in ship construction), it did not have to result in a failure to float. As long as, at some stage, somebody pointed out to everybody else that there will be two measurement systems during construction. This may have been just before contract signing, or may at the cocktail party celebrating the signing, or maybe in the sauna.

Later in the game it would have been particularly annoying, but if there was no alternative, it would not automatically result in a failure to float. Communication will save the day.

Since I started with trivia I will end with trivia. Not everyone may remember it, but in 1981, Ronald Reagan, “The Great Communicator”, pulled the plug on earlier efforts to get rid of the English Measurement System in the US. A pointless move that, among others, resulted in a failed Mars Climate Orbiter Mission in 1998. We need an actual great communicator who can get the US to finally buy into the metric system.

YOU NEED A CANADIAN!

For every column I write, MREN has agreed to make a small donation to an organization of my choice. For this column I nominate the US Metric Association.  https://usma.org/#information-about Metric; Let’s get it done.

GREENWASHING
Chevron and Hess see key advantages for both deep-water and shale production

Lower-carbon footprints touted as a major selling point for both sources of production


Peaceful coexistence: Chevron and Hess executives see a need for both offshore and unconventional production in the decades to come 

Photo: CHEVRON

17 August 2021 
By Mark Passwaters
UPSTREAM
in Houston

Deep-water and unconventional oil and gas production have frequently been painted as adversaries, but Hess and Chevron leaders said Monday that their companies will be utilising both in the decades to come.

Shale plays have become appealing to producers with their cheap development costs and rapid production, while deep-water plays are more expensive to start but are more productive over the longer term.

“They seem like a story in contrasts,” said Chris Powers, Chevron's general manager of Strategy and Business Performance.

But the two have a couple of critical elements in common: With reduced break-even costs and both tending to have lower carbon emissions, unconventional and deep-water production could outlast other forms of oil and gas output, the executives said.

“Both deep-water and shale are essential to our future,” said Richard Lynch, senior vice president for Technology and Services at Hess.

Hess has partnered with ExxonMobil on a major oil find off the coast of Guyana, which could help push deep-water oil production higher in the coming years. Lynch said the company estimates global deep-water production could increase by 7 million barrels per day, to 17 million bpd, by 2030 — making up 10% of total global supply.

“Growth in deep-water is very strong (through 2040),” he said. “Deep-water grows much faster than most all others in the upstream.”


Challenge: Petrobras ponders plan for ultra-deepwater gasRead more

While much has been made of low break-even costs for shale plays, Lynch said break-even prices on the Guyana project were equal or lower. He said Phase 1 of the project had a break-even price of $30 per barrel, with Phase 2’s dropping to $25. Phase 3, which is under development, is estimated to have a break-even price of $32.

Chevron is an active player in the Permian basin and the deep-water Gulf of Mexico. Powers said those two plays highlight advantages which shale and deep-water commonly share: They are in regions with stable regulatory regimes, simplifying the exploration and development processes.

As increasing pressure is put on producers to reduce emissions, the lower carbon footprints of deep-water and shale plays only increase their attractiveness, officials from both companies said.

Powers said some technological advances first used in deep-water operations had synergies with onshore programmes and are now used in shale plays as well. A remote monitoring system, pioneered for use in deep-water, is also now used in the Permian.

“Shale and deep-water have proven they can deliver returns and will be key parts of the energy equation for years to come,” Powers said.(Copyright)

 

World’s First 100% Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Commercial Vessel Launched

MarineLink August 18, 2021

(Photo: All American Marine)

The world's first zero-emissions, hydrogen fuel cell-powered, electric-drive ferry has been launched and is gearing up for operational trials off the U.S. West Coast.

Constructed by Bellingham, Wash. shipbuilder All American Marine, Inc. (AAM), SWITCH Maritime's 70-foot newbuild Sea Change will operate in the California Bay Area as the United States' first hydrogen fuel cell vessel, developed to demonstrate a pathway to commercialization for zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell marine technologies. While still working on permitting of hydrogen fuel systems for maritime vessels with the U.S. Coast Guard, the completed ferry will exhibit the viability of this zero-carbon ship propulsion technology for the commercial and regulatory communities.

The project is funded by private capital from SWITCH, an impact investment platform building the first fleet of exclusively zero-carbon maritime vessels to accelerate the decarbonization and energy transition of the U.S. maritime sector. “By working closely with the U.S. Coast Guard, with innovative technology partners, and with best-in-class shipyards such as All American Marine, we can make the transition to decarbonized shipping a reality today,” said Pace Ralli, Co-Founder and CEO of SWITCH. “We don’t have to wait.”

SWITCH’s mission-driven platform seeks to work with existing ferry owners and operators around the country to help facilitate their adoption of zero-carbon vessels to replace aging diesel-powered vessels, leveraging significant experience from the technologies used in the build of this first ferry.

(Photo: All American Marine)

The vessel is equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell power package provided by Zero Emissions Industries (formerly Golden Gate Zero Emission Marine), comprised of 360 kW of Cummins fuel cells and Hexagon hydrogen storage tanks with a capacity of 246 kg. This system is integrated with 100 kWh of lithium-ion battery provided by XALT and a 2x 300 kW electric propulsion system provided by BAE Systems. The hydrogen fuel cell powertrain system affords the same operational flexibility as diesel with zero emissions and less maintenance. The vessel design originates from Incat Crowther, and the construction supervision and management is led by Hornblower Group.

“Hydrogen-fuel cell technology will prove to be a robust alternative to conventional powertrain technologies,” said Ron Wille, President & COO at AAM, a leading builder of hybrid-electric vessels in the United States. “AAM is continuing our tradition of building vessels on the leading edge of technology using advanced propulsion methods, which is why we are so proud to have to completed construction on such a revolutionary vessel.”

This project has received municipal support including a $3 million grant from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), administered by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), that comes from California Climate Investments, a California statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen the economy, and improve public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities. Additionally, the project received the first ever loan guarantee under BAAQMD’s Climate Tech Finance program, which seeks to reduce greenhouse gases by accelerating emerging climate technologies. In partnership with the California Infrastructure Economic Development Bank and the Northern California Financial Development Corporation (NorCal FDC), the Climate Tech Finance team led a technology qualification and greenhouse gas analysis that deemed SWITCH eligible for a loan guarantee. This loan guarantee supported SWITCH in securing a $5 million construction and term loan with KeyBank, which enables SWITCH to bring this important project to completion.

(Photo: All American Marine)

 

Maersk Signs First Green Methanol Deal in Step Toward Dropping Fossil Fuels

 August 18, 2021

© Gestur / Adobe Stock

A.P. Moller-Maersk said on Wednesday it had signed a contract securing green methanol as the world's largest shipping firm gears up to operate its first carbon-neutral ship in 2023.

With about 90% of world trade transported by sea, global shipping accounts for nearly 3% of the world's CO2 emissions. Maersk needs to have a carbon-neutral fleet by 2030 to meet its target of net-zero emissions by 2050.

"Yes, it's one vessel, but it's a prototype for a scalable carbon-neutral solution for shipping," Morten Bo Christiansen, Maersk's head of decarbonization, told Reuters.

Maersk said it had signed its first deal with Denmark's REintegrate to produce roughly 10,000 tonnes of carbon neutral e-methanol, which the vessel will need to operate each year.

The company is also working on tackling challenges in securing the supply of fuel, which Christiansen pegged it at 20 million tonnes for the entire fleet. As the name suggests, green methanol is produced by using renewable sources such as biomass and solar energy.

"Let's stop talking about fossil fuels and instead focus on scaling this prototype because it's actually solving the problem," he said, while declining to give a time frame for when such a market would be realistic.

Future vessels fitted with engines that can run on green methanol will be 10-15% more expensive for the first years, while the cost of the fuel would cost more than twice as much as conventional bunker fuel, Christiansen said.

"The good news is that because of the amount of oil we consume we can actually start shaping a market just on our demand," Christiansen said.

He said while Maersk would carry the costlier vessels on its balance sheets, the additional fuel cost would be shared with its customers.

"But it's actually not that much more expensive, because even if we double our fuel cost, the impact on a pair of sneakers is less than five cents," Christiansen added.

Study finds blue hydrogen worse than gas or coal

 BLUE HYDROGEN IS A BIG OIL GIMMICK

'Expensive distraction': Chair of UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association resigns citing blue hydrogen concerns

Cecilia Keating

18 August 2021 • 

• 
  

Image: 

A 3D rendering of a hydrogen storage tank | Credit: iStock

Protium CEO Chris Jackson claims blue hydrogen risks locking UK into reliance on fossil fuels as he quits the trade body

Chris Jackson has stepped down from his role as chair of the UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (UKHFCA), arguing that he is no longer able to advocate in good faith on behalf of 'blue' hydrogen made using fossil fuel gas coupled with carbon capture technology.

Jackson announced his resignation on Monday, just prior to the publication of the long-awaited UK Hydrogen Strategy, which confirmed the government's intention to take a "twin track" approach to scaling the low carbon fuel that will see support provided to both blue hydrogen as well as 'green' hydrogen, which is broadly regarded as more climate-friendly as it is produced using renewable energy.

Advocates of blue hydrogen argue that it is a critical transition energy source that would enable a raft of industries and processes - from home heating, transport, energy and heavy manufacturing - to decarbonise over the medium term while electrolyser capacity for producing green hydrogen is scaled up to meet growing demand. Several governments around the world have announced they intend to subsidise production of the low carbon fuel over the coming years as they seek to wean hard-to-abate industries off fossil fuels. In the UK, oil and gas giant BP is aiming to produce 1GW of the fuel at its H2 Teesside project by the end of this decade.

However, in a statement provided to trade publication H2 View earlier this week, Jackson expressed fears that the roll out of blue hydrogen could derail the UK's climate goals, because it risks keeping the country reliant on fossil fuel infrastructure and exploration for years to come, right when emissions need to be rapidly reduced to hit net zero targets. Blue hydrogen is produced using a process known as steam reforming, which splits methane from natural gas plants into its component parts of hydrogen and carbon, with most - but not all - of the resulting CO2 emissions mopped up using CCS.

"I believe passionately that I would be betraying future generations by remaining silent on that fact that blue hydrogen is at best an expensive distraction, and at worst a lock-in for continued fossil fuel use that guarantees we will fail to meet our decarbonisation goals," he said, echoing growing concerns raised by green groups in recent months.

Jackson, who is also the CEO and founder of green hydrogen outfit Protium, reiterated this sentiment in a statement provided to BusinessGreen on Wednesday, arguing his personal views on blue hydrogen meant that he could no longer "in good conscience" represent the interests of all players across the UK's fledgling hydrogen industry.

"Our industry is at a very important crossroad, one where the decisions we make will have long-lasting effects," he said. "I fully appreciate the energy transition cannot be achieved by one silver bullet, and green hydrogen alone cannot solve all the worlds challenges. Equally, I cannot ignore or make arguments for blue hydrogen being a viable and ‘green' energy solution (a fact also validated by external studies)."

"As chair of the UKHFCA, my role has been to represent the interests of all, even when I disagree," he added. "However, I feel I can no longer do this in good conscience. "There is a hugely important role for a trade group like the UKHFCA that can be a bridge between different interests, perspectives and companies. But it is also one that requires its leaders to hold positions of neutrality on some of the biggest questions the sector must answer. And I no longer feel that is consistent with my personal views on the role of hydrogen in the transition to a net zero world."

In a statement, UKHFCA CEO Celia Greaves thanked Jackson for his work as chair of the association and emphasised the body represented companies engaged in all types of hydrogen production. "We would like to thank Chris for his hard work on behalf of the association over the past 10 months and welcome his continued involvement on our executive committee," she said. "As the oldest and largest pan UK association, dedicated to the hydrogen sector and the fuel cell industry, our duty is to support stakeholders across the entire value chain and across all hydrogen production methods."

Jackson's resignation comes just a few days after a controversial academic study into the full lifecycle emissions of hydrogen produced by fossil fuel gas with carbon capture technology concluded its production could in some circumstances be worse for the climate than natural fossil fuelgas. The study estimated the emissions generated from the production of blue hydrogen are more than 20 per cent greater than burning natural gas or coal for heat and some 60 per cent greater than burning diesel oil for heat - although the study also drew criticism in some quarters over some of the assumptions used to draw its conclusions.

‘Blue hydrogen’ more carbon-intensive than gas and coal

By E&T editorial staff

Published Friday, August 13, 2021

A study by Cornell and Stanford University researchers has found that – despite being touted as an environmentally friendly approach to heating – blue hydrogen has a carbon footprint significantly greater than natural gas, coal and diesel.

Hydrogen is a potentially zero-carbon fuel source, producing just heat and water when burned or used in fuel cells and making it an attractive alternative to fossil fuels in transport, heating and industry. For instance, part of the UK government’s decarbonisation plan is a significant expansion in hydrogen to 5GW of capacity by 2030.

There are two approaches to producing hydrogen: blue hydrogen (produced by splitting natural gas into hydrogen and carbon dioxide) and green hydrogen (produced by splitting water via electrolysis into hydrogen and oxygen). While green hydrogen requires a large energy input, blue hydrogen cannot be described as a zero-emission fuel source, though it may be described as net-zero when used in conjunction with efficient carbon capture. Climate think tanks and campaigners have warned the UK government that blue hydrogen expansion will compromise its net-zero target.

The Cornell and Stanford researchers assessed the carbon footprint associated with blue hydrogen as defined by the US Department of Energy. The process begins by converting methane to hydrogen and carbon dioxide using heat, steam and pressure (grey hydrogen). Once some of the carbon dioxide has been captured and sequestered along with other impurities, it can be classed as blue hydrogen. This is a particularly energy-intensive process, with energy typically provided by burning more natural gas.

The researchers calculated that the carbon footprint to create blue hydrogen is more than 20 per cent greater than using either natural gas or coal directly for heat and 60 per cent greater than using diesel oil for heat.

“In the past, no effort was made to capture the carbon dioxide by-product of grey hydrogen and the greenhouse gas emissions have been huge,” said Professor Robert Howarth, a Cornell University environmental biologist. “Now the industry promotes blue hydrogen as a solution, an approach that still uses the methane from natural gas, while attempting to capture the by-product carbon dioxide. Unfortunately, emissions remain very large.”

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas: more than 100 times stronger as an atmospheric warming agent than carbon dioxide when first emitted. The UN’s recent climate change report called on governments to focus on cutting methane emissions in addition to decarbonisation efforts.

Emissions of blue hydrogen are less than for grey hydrogen by nine per cent to 12 per cent. The researchers wrote: “Blue hydrogen is hardly emissions free. Blue hydrogen as a strategy only works to the extent it is possible to store carbon dioxide long-term indefinitely into the future without leakage back to the atmosphere.”

Commenting on indiscriminate political support for hydrogen, Howarth said: “Political forces may not have caught up with the science yet. Even progressive politicians may not understand for what they’re voting. Blue hydrogen sounds good, sounds modern and sounds like a path to our energy future. It is not.”

The researchers emphasised the difference between blue hydrogen and green hydrogen, the latter of which has not yet been commercially realised.

“The best hydrogen, the green hydrogen derived from electrolysis - if used widely and efficiently - can be that path to a sustainable future,” said Howarth. “Blue hydrogen is totally different.”

UK hydrogen strategy 'needs clearer focus on renewables'

Trade body RenewableUK slams government plans for seeming to treat blue and green hydrogen as ‘interchangeable’

The UK government has launched a consultation on its new Hydrogen Strategy 

(pic credit: AsimPatel/Wikimedia Commons)


17 August 2021 by Craig Richard


The UK government aims to have 5GW of low-carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030, but industry group Renewables UK has criticised the strategy for not focusing enough on developing a green hydrogen industry.

The government is consulting on using a business model similar to the contracts for difference (CfDs) used for renewable energy tenders in the UK in an attempt to reduce the cost gap between low-carbon hydrogen and fossil fuels.

Under the plan, the government would work with industry to assess the feasibility of mixing 20% hydrogen into the existing gas supply and determine what is needed from the UK’s network and storage infrastructure to support the hydrogen sector.

It is consulting on the design of a £240 million (€282 million) net-zero hydrogen fund to support the commercial deployment of low-carbon hydrogen production plants across the UK.

The government also plans to use a “twin track” approach to supporting multiple technologies, featuring a mix of green and blue hydrogen. Green hydrogen is made when renewable energy is fed through water, splitting oxygen from hydrogen molecules. Meanwhile, blue hydrogen is made by using methane to split natural gas to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide, though some of the carbon dioxide is then captured.

Researchers from Cornell and Stanford Universities last week said blue hydrogen may be more harmful than gas and coal.
Not green enough

RenewableUK CEO Dan McGrail today said that the government’s strategy “doesn’t focus nearly enough on developing the UK’s world-leading green hydrogen industry”.

“The government must use the current consultation period to amend its plans and set out a clear ambition for green hydrogen,” he added. “We’re urging the government to set a target of 5GW of renewable hydrogen electrolyser capacity by 2030, as well as setting out a roadmap to get us there, to show greater leadership on tackling climate change.”

Meanwhile, director of future electricity systems at RenewableUK Barnaby Wharton said that both green and blue hydrogen would be needed to meet net zero targets, as green hydrogen is “truly zero carbon”, while blue hydrogen “can provide volume”. He said the government appeared to be treating the two as interchangeable and that he was concerned that creating a single market mechanism for both would be a “struggle”.

The government believes a UK hydrogen economy could be worth £900 million and create more than 9,000 jobs by 2020. This could then grow to being worth £13 billion and creating 100,000 jobs by 2050, by which point it could account for 20-35% of the UK’s energy consumption, it believes.

Study finds blue hydrogen worse than gas or coal

 Adis AjdinAugust 16, 2021

 Xodus

The carbon footprint of creating blue hydrogen is more than 20% greater than using either natural gas or coal directly for heat, or about 60% greater than using diesel oil for heat, according to joint research by Cornell and Stanford universities in the US.

The paper, which was published in Energy Science and Engineering, warned that blue hydrogen may be a distraction or something that may delay needed action to truly decarbonise the global energy economy.

A research team claimed blue hydrogen requires large amounts of natural gas to produce and said that even with the most advanced carbon capture and storage technology, there are a significant amount of CO2 and methane emissions that won’t be caught.

Blue hydrogen sounds good, sounds modern and sounds like a path to our energy future, it is not

Professors from the universities calculated that these fugitive emissions from producing hydrogen could eclipse those associated with extracting and burning gas when multiplied by the amount of gas required to make an equivalent amount of energy from hydrogen.

The paper comes hot on the heels of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report claiming methane has contributed about two-thirds as much to global warming as CO2 and as many governments are looking to invest in hydrogen production.

Robert Howarth, a Cornell University professor and co-author of the study, said: “Political forces may not have caught up with the science yet. Even progressive politicians may not understand for what they’re voting. Blue hydrogen sounds good, sounds modern and sounds like a path to our energy future. It is not.”

The UK is high up on the list of countries aiming to put blue hydrogen at the core of its energy transition agenda. UK energy consultancy Xodus recently launched a new report urging a bolder vision to enable the country to become a global leader in the adoption of hydrogen. The researchers, on the other hand, recommended a focus on green hydrogen, which is made using renewable electricity to extract hydrogen from water, leaving only oxygen as a byproduct.

“This best-case scenario for producing blue hydrogen, using renewable electricity instead of natural gas to power the processes, suggests to us that there really is no role for blue hydrogen in a carbon-free future. Greenhouse gas emissions remain high, and there would also be a substantial consumption of renewable electricity, which represents an opportunity cost. We believe renewable electricity could be better used by society in other ways, replacing the use of fossil fuels.”

UK Government to investigate electricity deals that may not be as 'green' as they claim

The review comes after a poll showed 75% of consumers believe suppliers should be more transparent over their green tariffs.

Consumer protection advocates and price comparison services have also called for greater transparency around suppliers who market their tariffs as green (Image: PA)

The UK Government is set to review electricity tariffs that claim to be "green" over concerns some energy firms could be exaggerating their environmental benefits.

Energy minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said nine million households across the UK are on tariffs branded "100% renewable" or "green". But industry figures have warned that the claims may be misleading and are calling for changes to rules over the labelling.

Energy companies are currently able to market tariffs as "green" even if some of the energy they supply to customers comes from fossil fuels. They do this by purchasing Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin certificates to offset the use of fossil fuels, with each certificate guaranteeing a similar amount of green energy is produced.

READ MORE
Green and brown energy difference explained plus the top three suppliers to switch to this year

But energy companies are not compelled to reveal how much of their energy is based on the purchase of certificates against those supplying electricity directly from renewable sources, such as wind farms.

Options being explored include looking at whether the system around these certificates needs to be smarter, as well as whether suppliers need to provide clearer information to householders about their green tariffs.

MoneySavingExpert.com is currently reviewing how they rank suppliers that offer such tariffs given the concerns raised as “this is not the first time such worries have been aired”.

The UK Government is also planning to investigate third-party intermediaries in the retail energy market, including price comparison sites, auto-switching services and non-domestic brokers, after figures showed about half of households now use them when engaging with the energy market.

They currently operate outside of retail market rules, and ministers will seek views on whether a regulatory framework is needed.

Ms Trevelyan said: "Millions of UK households are choosing to make the green switch and more of our energy comes from renewables. But I want people to know that when they sign up to a green tariff, they are investing in companies that make a conscious choice to invest in renewable energy. Part of that is ensuring companies are being as transparent as possible on where their power comes from."

According to a recent YouGov poll for Scottish Power and Good Energy, nearly two thirds of UK energy consumers say their purchasing decisions are influenced by how eco-friendly an energy tariff is.

However, three quarters believe suppliers should be open and transparent about their tariffs, including how much of their renewable energy they buy from other companies

Consumer protection advocates and price comparison services have also called for greater transparency around suppliers who market their tariffs as green.

CFC ban bought us time to fight climate change, say scientists

By Victoria Gill
Science correspondent, BBC News
Published8 hours ago

The ozone hole over Antarctica, in 2000

A worldwide ban on ozone-depleting chemicals in 1987 has averted a climate catastrophe today, scientists say.

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, banning chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons, has now simulated our "world avoided".

Without the treaty, Earth and its flora would have been exposed to far more of the Sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has called it "perhaps the single most successful international agreement".

Tortured plants

Continued and increased use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) would have contributed to global air temperatures rising by an additional 2.5°C by the end of this century, the international team of scientists found.

Part of that would have been caused directly by CFCs, which are also potent greenhouse gases.

But the damage they cause the ozone layer would also have released additional planet-heating carbon dioxide - currently locked up in vegetation - into the atmosphere.

"In past experiments, people have exposed plants - basically tortured plants - with high levels of UV," lead researcher Dr Paul Young, of the Lancaster Environment Centre, said.

"They get very stunted - so they don't grow as much and can't absorb as much carbon."

The world's vegetation would have been "stunted" by UV radiation damage

The scientists estimated there would be:

580 billion tonnes less carbon stored in forests, other vegetation and soils
an extra 165-215 parts per million (40-50%) of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

"What we see in our 'world-avoided experiment' is an additional 2.5C warming above any warming that we would get from greenhouse-gas increases," Dr Young said.

But similar collective action to limit greenhouse-gas emissions was likely to be much more challenging.

"The science was listened to and acted upon - we have not seen that to the same degree with climate change," he told BBC Radio 4's Inside Science programme.

The experiment could appear to suggest hope for an "alternative future" that had avoided the worst consequences of climate change.

"But I would be cautious of using it as a positive example for the climate negotiations," Dr Young said.

"It's not [directly] comparable - but it's nice to have something positive to hold on to and to see that the world can come together."

• COMMODITIES

'They made a mistake': Ex-PotashCorp CEO

 still has bone to pick with BHP

Paul Bagnell

Anchor

“Maybe in the intervening 11 years, they learned something about potash.”

Those words were spoken by Bill Doyle – the former chief executive officer of Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan – in an interview Wednesday. He was talking about BHP Group Ltd. Doyle has never soft-pedalled his view on the global potash industry. And he’s been notably blunt about one potash project in particular – the Jansen mine project that was given final approval by global mining giant BHP on Tuesday.

In an interview on Wednesday, Doyle had plenty to say about BHP’s rocky history in Saskatchewan’s potash sector.  He praised BHP for scaling back its previously grandiose ambitions for Jansen, but nonetheless said the mine will be the most expensive in the world – putting BHP at the mercy of world potash prices.  He urged BHP to get some potash-expertise in its management ranks and suggested BHP may view Jansen as a costly mistake into which it now has little choice but to keep pouring in billions of dollars.

Doyle, of course, was CEO of Potash Corp. in 2010, when BHP launched a hostile takeover offer for the company.  The attempt failed when Ottawa blocked it on the grounds it would not provide a “net benefit” to Canada.

BHP’s Plan B has been Jansen – a huge potash deposit about 200 kilometres north from Regina.   Over the years, BHP has spent US$4.5 billion on Jansen but until yesterday, had not committed to fully developing it into a producing mine.  Yesterday’s announcement called for a further US$5.7 billion in spending over the next six years. But it’s nonetheless a more modest project than BHP has envisioned in the past.

“The tone of the announcement is completely different from what we heard back in 2010,” Doyle said. “In 2010, they were going to take over the potash world.  What was announced yesterday was a much different scenario.  It’s a four million tonne mine, not ten million or 12 million – not this mega project that they have talked about,” he said.

At four million tonnes of potash production a year, Jansen will account for about four percent of global output, Doyle said.  That’s not enough to sway the supply fundamentals of the marketplace, which will likely make BHP a price-taker.

“It really benefits existing players in the industry,” he said, pointing to Nutrien Ltd. and The Mosaic Company.

BHP will need to earn a return on the roughly US$10 billion it will have spent on Jansen, a sum that makes it the most expensive potash mine development project ever.

“I think in hindsight, they wish they hadn’t done it,” Doyle said.  “I think they made a mistake. They threw so much money at it.  So the question is: Is this good money after bad?”

“The fact of the matter is they are going to have, by far and away, the most expensive potash project in the history of the industry.”

His advice to fellow Canadian Mike Henry, the current CEO of BHP?

“Get yourself some expertise.  It’s a much different industry than copper or iron ore.”

A NOTHING BURGER 

Irving Oil partnering with TC Energy to reduce emissions from refinery

Two companies will work at 'decarbonizing' Irving Oil's current assets

Jacques Poitras · CBC News · Posted: Aug 18, 2021 

Irving Oil, New Brunswick's largest greenhouse gas emitter, says it will partner with TC Energy to work on "decarbonizing" its current assets. (Shane Fowler/CBC)

New Brunswick's biggest greenhouse gas emitter and its one-time oil pipeline partner say they will work together to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the province.

Irving Oil says it will partner with Calgary's TC Energy on upgrades to its Saint John refinery aimed at "decarbonizing current assets and deploying emerging technologies to reduce overall emissions."

The Saint John refinery is the province's single biggest emitter of carbon dioxide. It pumped an estimated 2.8 megatonnes of climate-warming carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in 2019, almost one-quarter of all emissions in New Brunswick.

An Irving Oil news release says the two companies have a goal of "significantly reducing emissions through the production and use of low-carbon power generation."

In the longer term, they say they'll look at producing and selling low-emission hydrogen and at capturing and sequestering carbon to "aid in decarbonizing local industry."

If Irving Oil's actions match its words, it would mark a historic shift for a company built on oil.

New Brunswick finalizes carbon tax details with Ottawa for largest emitters

A made-in-New Brunswick carbon tax is here, but will it actually curb consumption?

Responding to strong policies, public opinion

Founded almost a century ago with the opening of a single gas station, Irving's Saint John refinery is now Canada's largest and a major supplier of gasoline to the northeastern United States.

But stronger climate policies and public opinion are pushing it to adapt, Atlantica Centre for Energy president Colleen d'Entremont said.

She said all fossil-fuel companies "are very sensitive to changes in public demands, in changes to regulatory improvements … so they have to be thinking about what kind of requirements are going to be required in the future, going forward."

Irving's mention of hydrogen as a future product is notable because of research and development into cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells, d'Entremont said.

"This is something we're playing catch-up to, and I think the producers of transportation fuels are also looking at that, and I can't imagine Irving Oil isn't one of them.

"The Aug. 12 announcement contained no information on when the work would begin or what kind of [greenhouse gas] reductions the companies are aiming for, though it says targets will "align with carbon reduction goals."

New Brunswick emitted 12 megatonnes of greenhouse gases in 2019. The province's official target is 10.7 megatonnes by 2030.

The timing and cost of the initiatives will depend on feasibility studies and regulatory approval, the companies said.

Irving Oil did not acknowledge an interview request from CBC News, and TC Energy said no one from the company was available.

"It's not easy to get a sense of what they're actually proposing," said environmental researcher Louise Comeau.

Louise Comeau, a researcher at the University of New Brunswick, says it's difficult get a sense of what Irving Oil is proposing, adding it would be good to see the company diversify into renewable energy. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)

The lack of timelines and targets makes it impossible to assess the plan, said Sarah MacWhirter, a spokesperson for the Pembina Institute, an environmental think tank.

"Unfortunately we don't know enough about this agreement and the emissions reductions it will deliver and on what timeline to provide meaningful comment," she said in an email.

Comeau said reducing emissions from the refining process itself would be one thing, but the real question is whether Irving is preparing for a market shift away from combustion-powered cars and trucks.

"It would be great to see Irving diversify into renewable energy," she said.

"That would be the thing I think that would position them well for the future and keep jobs in the region. But if the intent is to maximize the investment in fossil fuel infrastructure in the long term, I do think that's risky."
Companies have partnered before

TC Energy has partnered with Irving before. The company built a co-generation plant within the Irving Oil refinery in 2005 that uses gas byproduct to generate electricity. The companies say emissions from the refinery would have been higher without the plant.

TC, then known as TransCanada, was also Irving's partner in the proposed Energy East pipeline, which would have shipped Alberta crude to Saint John for export to world markets. A small share of the oil would have been processed at the refinery.

TC cancelled the project in 2017, blaming new emissions criteria adopted by federal regulators.

In 2019, Andy Carson, Irving Oil's director of growth and strategy, told a Senate committee there was "a role for us to play" in reducing emissions and fighting climate change.

Andy Carson, Irving Oil's director of growth and strategy, said the company has a role to play in fighting climate change. (Roger Cosman/CBC)

But the company's chief financial officer, Jeff Matthews, told the same hearing that too high a carbon tax would put Irving at a disadvantage compared to refineries in countries with weaker climate change policies.

"We wouldn't want to find ourselves in a position where we've taxed our industry out of business," he said.

Later that year, Reuters news agency reported that Irving Oil had quietly dropped its goal of reducing carbon emissions by 17 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020.

The Aug. 12 announcement follows a signal from the federal government earlier this summer that it will require New Brunswick to toughen its carbon-pricing system for large industry.

The provincial system requires industrial plants to pay if they fail to reduce emissions intensity — for Irving, the amount it emits per barrel of oil it refines — by one per cent, a threshold that will increase to 10 per cent in 2030.

The federal requirement is already a more stringent 20 per cent and federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said all provinces will have to match that starting in 2023, as a way to help Canada achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

 NOT ARSON, RAILROAD SPARKS

Lytton wildfire lawsuit filed against CP, CN Rail

BY CLAIRE FENTON AND MARCELLA BERNARDO

Posted Aug 18, 2021 

(Martin MacMahon, NEWS 1130 Photo)

SUMMARY

The notice of civil claim was filed Wednesday in B.C. Supreme Court

The plaintiff is taking legal action claiming negligence on the part of the railroad companies

The cause of the Lytton Creek Wildfire is still under investigation by the TSB

LYTTON (NEWS 1130) — A Lytton resident is filing a lawsuit in B.C. Supreme Court against Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway Company.

The plaintiff, Carel Moiseiwitsch, claims trains are to be blamed for the Lytton Creek Wildfire which destroyed 90 per cent of the village on June 30.

The majority of homes, businesses, and buildings were left to ashes and rubble, and most essential services were destroyed as a result of the fire. The bodies of two people were pulled from the rubble.

Moiseiwitsch was among those left homeless after the fire and her lawyer is asking the court to certifthe suit as a class action.

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The lawsuit details the plaintiff also believed she was almost killed in the fire, and suffered “psychological injury from proximity to death and loss of her home and life as she knew it,” the lawsuit adds her cat was killed in the fire.

In addition to claiming CN and CP Rail were negligent, Moiseiwitsch is seeking financial compensation, and that the Lytton Fire be constituted a private and public nuisance.

Moiseiwitsch is a visual artist and operated her business out of her home, and lost business records and electronic equipment in the fire.

The fire is believed to be human-caused but officials have not released more details, despite many residents saying they saw a train in the area just before the fire.

Her lawyer, Jason Gratl says they hope to have this case certified as a class action on behalf of victims who can’t afford to sue on their own.

“A significant reason for bringing a class action proceeding rather than an individual proceeding is to modify the behaviour of the defendant, to instill a sense of corporate responsibility,” he said.

The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada is investigating to see if the fire could have been sparked by a freight train. The TSB says that investigation may take up to two years.

In July, Canada’s two major railroad operators were ordered to step up their fire prevention efforts as wildfires continue to scorch British Columbia.

The order requires the companies remove any materials such as vegetation from the tracks. It also makes conductors responsible for spotting and reporting fires on those lines, and makes the companies responsible for ensuring a 60-minute response time to any fires.

The order applies to operations along the stretch of rail line between Kamloops and Boston Bar, and between Kamloops and North Bend on the Thompson and Ashcroft subdivisions. It remains in effect until Oct. 31.

CN Rail has maintained its trains were not linked to the fire and that “CN will offer its full assistance to help authorities identify the causes of this tragic incident.”

CP Rail also denies any link to the fire and has pledged $1 million to the recovery effort for the Fraser Canyon community.

“Based on our review of train records, including contemporaneous video footage, CP has found nothing to indicate that any of CP’s trains or equipment that passed through Lytton caused or contributed to the fire,” the company wrote in a statement. 

The companies have 30 days to reply to the notice of civil claim.

With files from Kier Junos, Hana Mae Nassar, and The Canadian Press

VIDEOS

Lytton wildfire lawsuit filed against CP, CN Rail - NEWS 1130 (citynews1130.com)