Up to $7 Million in Grants Adds Fuel to the Methane to Markets Partnership

On December 6th the EPA made up to $7,000,000 available through a grant solicitation for innovative international projects and activities as part of the Methane to Markets Partnership.

The agency expects to award approximately 40 cooperative grants agreements ranging from approximately $100,000 to $700,000. The Methane to Markets partnership is an international initiative to reduce global methane emissions by promoting capture-and-use projects in oil and gas systems, coal mining, landfills, and animal waste management.

EPA is requesting proposals for projects that directly identify, characterize, or implement methane capture-and-use projects. Examples include technology transfers and demonstrations, feasibility studies, training and capacity building, and databases of potential sites.

EPA seeks proposals from a wide variety of institutions, including international governments, universities, and public or private non-profit organizations to advance project development in the following Methane to Markets Partner countries: Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, South Korea, Ukraine, and Vietnam. EPA will also consider regional proposals including other countries as long as at least one of the countries listed above is included.

The total grants cannot exceed $7 million. The estimated project period for awards is September 2008 through September 2011. Proposals are due by Feb. 22, 2008 at 4 p.m. EST.

More information about this grant: http://www.epa.gov/methanetomarkets/grants.htm or http://www.epa.gov/air/grants_funding.html#0801

emissions control

U.S. - Supported International Greenhouse Gas Reduction Initiative Continues Success

An EPA report released on Tuesday shows that the United States continues to provide significant support of the Methane to Markets Partnership to reduce emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas over 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Current U.S. Methane to Markets projects, when fully implemented, will deliver estimated annual emission reductions equivalent to more than nine million metric tons of carbon dioxide. This is nearly double the reduction estimate EPA made in 2005.

The report released today, "U.S. Government Accomplishments in Support of the Methane to Markets Partnership - September 2007," highlights U.S. accomplishments through 2006.
Additional highlights from the report include:

- More than 600 private-sector and non-governmental organizations internationally have signed on to participate in project development activities. This is an increase of more than 250 organizations in the past year.

- In fiscal year 2006, the U.S. Government dedicated $12.9 million to Methane to Markets, bringing the total U.S. financial commitment to the partnership to more than $18 million since it started.

- U.S. funding for partnership activities has leveraged public and private sector investment totaling over $261 million.

- U.S. commitment to the partnership has continued to assist the rapid growth of the program, including the entry of two additional countries and the European Commission, bringing the total number of partners to 21.

- Oct. 30 - Nov. 1 in Beijing, the U.S. will co-host with China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and other Chinese ministries and corporations the Methane to Markets Partnership Expo: A Forum for Projects, Technology, Financing and Policy.

The United States and 13 other countries launched the Methane to Markets Partnership in 2004.

See the Source:

Report - U.S. Government Accomplishments in Support of the Methane to Markets Partnership - September 2007

Caterpillar Generators Selected for Coal Methane Projects in Shanxi, China

Representatives of Caterpillar Inc. accompany James Connaughton, senior environmental and natural resources advisor to President George W. Bush, as he visited the Sihe Coal Mine in Jincheng city, Shanxi Province, China. Sihe is the world's largest coal methane power plant and will use 60 Caterpillar methane-gas-powered generator sets to create 120 megawatts of power when fully operational. Following the success of this project, Caterpillar has been selected to provide an additional 31 methane-gas-powered generator sets to produce 54 megawatts of power at the Cheng Zhuang and Mei Gan Shi coal mines in the same city in Shanxi Province.

"The United States and other nations including China are working together to set a long-term global goal for reducing greenhouse gases," said James Connaughton, who was appointed by President Bush in 2001 to serve as the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality. "Economic growth, energy security and climate change must be addressed in an integrated way. The Jincheng coal methane plants are excellent examples of how to increase energy use in an environmentally responsible way," Connaughton added. "We hope to advance more projects like these through the Asia-Pacific Partnership (APP) on Clean Development and Climate, which addresses growing energy demand by advancing clean energy technology development and deployment."

The Shanxi Jincheng Anthracite Coal Mining Group Co., Ltd. is the project developer for all three coal methane power plants. Caterpillar will work closely with its dealer WesTrac China Limited on product commissioning and ongoing support for these projects. Methane gas found in coal seams can be highly volatile and it is a major cause of underground explosions. Historically it has been vented into the atmosphere. By capturing the previously vented methane gas and converting it into electricity, the Caterpillar generator sets will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve mine safety and increase the capacity of the local power grid.

"This is a major step forward in China's road to sustainable development and demonstrates positive bilateral trade relations between the United States and China," said Stu Levenick, Caterpillar group president with responsibility for Asia.

The 11th Five-Year Plan guiding China's development between 2006 and 2010 emphasizes that building a recyclable economy is an important way for China to build a resource-efficient and environment-friendly society, thus realizing sustainable development. China has set a goal of reducing the emissions of major pollutants by 10 percent during this five-year period. As part of the second Strategic Economic Dialogue, the United States and China have agreed to develop up to 15 large-scale coalmine methane capture and utilization projects in China in the next five years.

"Caterpillar is a long-term investor in China, and we are excited to see that China has positioned methane gas capture and utilization as a priority." said Rich Lavin, Chairman of Caterpillar (China) Investment Co., Ltd. and a Caterpillar vice president with responsibility for Asia Pacific manufacturing operations. "Our trade relations will continue to strengthen and produce on-going returns."

The 3500 series generators used in these projects are produced at Caterpillar's Large Engine Center in Lafayette, Indiana. "Caterpillar generator sets have been producing electricity around the world for nearly 70 years," said Bill Rohner, Caterpillar vice president with responsibility for the Electric Power Division. "We are pleased to be involved with these new opportunities in China."

See the Source:
PRNewswire
Caterpillar, Inc.

air pollution
energy

Viet Nam Becomes Member of the International Clean-Energy Partnership

The Methane to Markets Partnership marked a major milestone this week as Viet Nam became its 20th country member. Methane to Markets is a public-private partnership that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by promoting the cost-effective, near-term recovery and use of methane, while providing clean energy to markets around the world.

“Viet Nam is the 20th country to join Methane to Markets. This is an important milestone in our efforts to promote energy security and greenhouse-gas reductions around the globe,” said Bill Wehrum, EPA's acting assistant administrator for Air and Radiation and chair of the Methane to Markets Steering Committee. “With its rapidly expanding economy, Viet Nam will make valuable contributions to clean energy development in the region.”

"Joining the Partnership will be an opportunity for Viet Nam to learn and share experiences on reducing methane gas from the livestock sector," said Nguyen Van Tai, Deputy General Director of Viet Nam’s Department of Environment, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Viet Nam joins a growing number of Asian countries that are actively participating in Methane to Markets. In particular, Viet Nam will bring into the Partnership its interest and experience in reducing methane emissions from livestock waste.

With the addition of Viet Nam to Methane to Markets, the Partnership now includes countries that represent nearly 60 percent of the world’s human-caused methane emissions.

Methane is a greenhouse gas that is over twenty times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. By 2015, Methane to Markets has the potential to deliver annual reductions in methane emissions of up to 50 million metric tons of carbon equivalent, which is roughly equal to the greenhouse gas emissions from 50 500-megawatt coal-fired power plants.

More than 500 public- and private-sector organizations from around the world have joined Methane to Markets through the Project Network. In addition to Viet Nam, Methane to Markets Partner countries include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States.

See the Source:
EPA - Methane to Markets Partnership

Greenhouse Gas Partnership Wants Clean Energy Projects for Beijing Expo

Washington, D.C. -- March 12, 2007 -- The Methane to Markets Partnership, a multilateral initiative that promotes greenhouse gas reduction, today issued a call for projects to feature at its first Beijing Partnership Expo Oct. 30 - Nov.1.

Twenty times more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere, methane is both a potent greenhouse gas and a valuable energy resource. The top three sources of methane are livestock emissions, landfills, and oil and gas production. The Methane to Markets Partnership focuses on promoting projects that reduce methane emissions and utilize the methane as a clean energy source.

“This Expo is a perfect example of how public-private partnerships can advance environmental goals such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and delivering clean energy to markets around the world,” said Bill Wehrum, EPA’s acting assistant administrator for Air and Radiation and chairman of the Methane to Markets Steering Committee. “I hope the private sector, site managers, and others will take advantage of this opportunity to showcase potential projects to financiers.”

The Expo will highlight potential projects in four sectors: agriculture, coal mining, landfills, and oil and gas systems.

The Expo will provide attendees with the opportunity to:
o Showcase project opportunities for potential investors
o Meet with potential project partners and financiers
o Learn about the latest technologies and services
o Explore key technical, policy and financial issues
Any entity, private or public, can enter a project proposal for consideration at www.methanetomarkets.org/expo. The submission deadline is July 2, 2007.

China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) will co-host the Expo with the Methane to Markets Partnership.

The is a public-private partnership that brings together the technical and market expertise, financing, and technology necessary to advance near-term, cost-effective methane recovery and use projects in the four industrial sectors mentioned above. Nineteen partner countries and a growing project network of over 500 public and private sector organizations work to reduce emissions of methane while delivering clean energy to markets around the world.

See the Source:
Methane to Markets Partnership