Latest news with #greenjobs
Telegraph
09-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Britain will bankrupt itself before it admits the truth about net zero
It would lower energy costs. It would create hundreds of thousands of 'well-paid green jobs '. And it would turn Britain into a global leader in a series of major new industries. For more than a decade, we have been lectured that creating a net zero economy would pay for itself many times over. But hold on. Yesterday, the Office for Budget Responsibility admitted that it would cost £800 billion over the next two decades. Seriously? The blunt truth is this. For a country already drowning in debt, which can't even save £5 billion a year in welfare reforms, and where taxes have already been pushed to the maximum limits, that is an impossible sum of money. It is surely now official – we can't afford it. The OBR is hardly the home of climate denial fanatics. It represents the mainstream, consensus view of the policy establishment. Even so, its report this week laid bare the real cost of net zero. It reckons it will drain the Treasury of £30 billion a year up until 2015. It will require huge investments and subsidies, while fuel duty will be lost as electric vehicles replace petrol cars. Add it up, and the total comes to £800 billion. And of course, it may well go a lot higher.
News24
08-07-2025
- Business
- News24
Biochar boom? SA bets on super charcoal for green jobs
The country's coal jobs on the line. Biochar is seen as a green job creator. Scarce data on biochar poses a challenge. Sithandekile Nyathi confidently hoists herself into the compact loader, lowers the metal caging around the vehicle and drives towards large mounds of wood timber chips. The chips eventually go up a conveyer belt into a converter, where they are heated and turned into a type of 'biochar' called activated carbon, a charcoal that stores carbon and could help to cut planet-heating carbon dioxide emissions. 'I used to be a maid, I never thought I would work in an industry that also helps lives and helps the environment,' said Nyathi, a controller at the plant in Brakpan on the East Rand. It is owned by Adsorb, an SA manufacturer of activated carbon. Said Nyathi: SA is a coal-rich country but has been the poster child for international efforts to shift towards cleaner energy and industries. But funding challenges, high unemployment rate and a political divide have stalled these efforts, raising questions about how this transition should happen. Darryl Phipps, a chemical engineer and the manager of the Adsorb plant where Nyathi works, believed the plant was the first of its kind globally. This is because it uses self-sustaining energy – the heat in the converter – to turn wood chips directly into activated charcoal or steam-activated biochar, which allows for greater binding of organic molecules to its surface and has clean flue gas as its only byproduct. Statista / Kim Harrisberg Some proponents see the biochar sector as one answer to both job creation and carbon capture, but the young industry is struggling with a lack of SA data and funding support, experts say. Globally, the industry was valued $600 million (R10.6 billion) in 2023, up 97% from 2021, according to the International Biochar Initiative (IBI). Biochar and activated carbon have been praised by some researchers, farmers and industry experts for improving soil quality and water retention, absorbing toxins and capturing carbon. When used as a fertiliser, biochar improves water-holding capacity, which helps plants survive drought conditions, according to research published in the Frontiers journal. Initial studies into SA's agricultural sector have shown that biochar improved both maize yield and soil health, but researchers have called for further, long-term research, according to the University of Venda. The department of forestry, fisheries and the environment did not respond to requests for comment on the size and prospects for the country's biochar sector. But workers such as Nyathi are hopeful. 'If the company grows, I grow with the company,' she said. Carbon capture and job creation SA's high unemployment rates, funding cuts and size of the coal industry have slowed down the move towards clean energy and green jobs. Phipps said Adsorb's converter could be replicable in other parts of the country and the world. Adsorb uses wood chips from pallet repair centres that originally come from responsibly managed forests. When the wood is heated at 1 000°C, the gas generated first makes biochar and then activated charcoal. Activated charcoal has more adsorption capacity than biochar and can also be used as industrial pollutant removal, according to the academic journal Science of the Total Environment. The gas generated is then incinerated to create clean thermal energy and Adsorb is looking to recover this into electricity, said Phipps. Adsorb captured about 750 tons of CO₂ last year and supplies activated charcoal to fertiliser, animal feed and cosmetic industries and has eyes on water treatment, mine rehabilitation and cleaning mercury out of coal gas. 'Processing centres could be established in areas where there were previously mines or coal plants. This could involve communities generating biomass and supplying it to these processing centres. If enough plants are rolled out it could eventually create jobs in the tens of thousands. Darryl Phipps Data and funding needs Despite the enthusiasm, experts said data on biochar is scarce and estimates on the size of the market in SA vary widely, potentially due to different classifications of what constitutes biochar. Romain Pirard, an environmental economist from the School for Climate Studies at Stellenbosch University, said to his knowledge there is 'no centralisation of information or any sort of policy specific to biochar'. Finding willing customers is also a challenge for the promotion of biochar, said Phipps. Farmers are extremely cost-sensitive and if there's anything that increases the cost, it damages the sales potential. Darryl Phipps Pirard said subsidies to incentivise farmers 'to use biochar in place of chemical fertilisers' – and using invasive, alien trees as a form of biomass – could help biochar 'take off'. The department of environmental affairs said in a 2015 report that 'consideration could be given by government to subsidising' small biochar businesses. The department did not immediately respond to the Thomson Reuters Foundation's request for a comment. Despite showing potential as a green job creator, attempts to create a biochar association to centralise data and information on initiatives have not led anywhere and the feasibility of the sector 'remains to be demonstrated', Pirard said. But Phipps is adamant they are on to something big – if more funding is made available. 'From my children's perspective, I want to leave behind a legacy, something positive that gave back rather than just extracted wealth from the world,' he said. – Thomson Reuters Foundation
Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- Times
SNP transition fund spends £43m on just 110 jobs for oil workers
A fund designed to protect North Sea oil and gas workers from the SNP's net zero drive created just 110 new jobs despite spending £43 million, a new report has found. An analysis of the first two years of the Scottish government's Just Transition Fund, which is set to cost taxpayers half a billion pounds over a decade, found that it had 'safeguarded' only another 120 further existing roles. The policy, announced by Nicola Sturgeon in 2021, was intended to ensure that new green jobs are created for workers whose livelihoods depend on fossil fuel industries. A report commissioned by the Scottish government found the scheme, which backed 24 projects such as a 'sustainable' whisky distillery, an eco-tourism firm and new tidal energy research projects, could be 'a successful catalyst for economic and environmental change'. However, critics claimed that it had delivered only a 'paltry return' after the SNP repeatedly vowed that it would ensure that North Sea workers do not end up on the scrapheap as part of its plans to wind down the oil and gas industry and replace it with clean energy industries. The North Sea oil and gas industry is estimated to directly employ around 30,000 people and supports a further 100,000 indirectly. The Scottish government has said it wants to hit net zero by 2045 — five years ahead of the rest of the UK — and is sticking to the target despite repeatedly failing to hit, and then scrapping, interim targets. The analysis, carried out by the research firm Blake Stevenson Ltd, found that 47 jobs had been created through the Social Enterprise Just Transition Fund, which include positions in 'green skills training'. A handful of others were created through a nature restoration project based around the River Findhorn and an 'adventure tourism' firm. However, the report warned that many of the roles were 'temporary, project-based, or contingent on further investment' and 'may not transition into lasting opportunities'. Douglas Lumsden, the Scottish Tory net zero spokesman, said: 'This paltry return will do nothing to allay the fears of tens of thousands of highly skilled workers in Scotland's oil and gas sector. 'They know the SNP and Labour are taking a wrecking ball to their industry and this report confirms they have not got a clue how to properly protect jobs for the future. 'Taxpayers will be rightly thinking their money has typically been squandered by the SNP who must urgently shift from their current reckless approach if we are to achieve an affordable transition.' The fund was created as a counter to claims that the SNP's net zero policies, which were enthusiastically championed under Sturgeon, would cost thousands of jobs and cause devastation to the north east economy. The SNP has repeatedly claimed that it will ensure the push to net zero does not mean that communities suffer in the same way as others did under deindustrialisation under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s. When the just transition fund was announced, ministers said they would target investment to help create 'good, green jobs' to replace those that would be lost in the North East and Moray. According to the report, the fund has also helped to leverage £30 million in private sector investment and £4.7 million from the public sector or charities. It claimed that initiatives funded by the scheme were also responsible for the training of 750 people. The report said that while the fund 'has been a successful catalyst for economic and environmental change' in the area, 'several administrative and logistical challenges have emerged'. These include uncertainty over long-term funding, confusion over the application process and a lack of clarity over funding criteria. The report said: 'Many projects remain in early stages, making it difficult to fully assess employment outcomes, carbon savings, and long-term economic benefits.' Gillian Martin, the climate action secretary, said: 'This independent report demonstrates our Just Transition Fund is a catalyst for economic growth. With £75 million allocated to the fund since 2022, the expert report makes clear it has supported job creation and re-skilling, empowered communities, catalysed private investment and initiated innovation in green technologies. 'Thanks to the Just Transition Fund, more than 230 jobs have been created and safeguarded, 750 training places opened up and over £34 million in additional investment secured in its first two years. These are the initial impacts of the fund and we are confident that job numbers, investment leveraged and other key outputs will increase as projects continue. 'This is just one example of how this government is supporting Scotland's valued and highly skilled oil and gas workers, who are at the very heart of the just transition to net zero — despite the fact that decisions on offshore oil and gas licensing, consenting and the associated fiscal regime, are all matters that are currently reserved to the UK government.'
The Independent
03-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Here's what to know about clean energy in Republican megabill headed to Trump
Congress passed a massive tax and spending cuts package Thursday that curbs billions of dollars in spending across clean energy. That means people will be paying a lot more for home solar, energy efficiency and other green technologies — and the nation's efforts to address climate change just got a lot more challenging. The bill supports mining, drilling and production of the oil, coal and gas that are largely driving Earth 's warming and the increasingly deadly and costly extreme weather that comes with it. Producing and burning these fossil fuels also contributes to air pollution and human health problems. At the same time, the bill slashes tax credits for clean technologies including wind and solar energy. That will likely mean delay or cancellation of countless projects, affecting thousands of jobs and driving up household energy costs. Here are four things to know about what the bill means for clean energy: Cuts to home energy credits will make updates more costly The climate law passed during former President Joe Biden's term included tax credits for systems and projects at home — like solar and batteries — that save homeowners money over time and significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions. These systems have gotten cheaper over the years but they're still hefty upfront expenses that some homeowners would struggle to absorb without the credits. An average rooftop solar installation can run $20,000 or more; the credit has covered almost one-third of that. An average heat pump typically costs several thousand dollars; the tax credit reimbursed up to 30% of the cost, or $2,000. The U.S. Treasury Department said more than 2 million families claimed more than $2 billion of the credit for upgrades such as windows, insulation, heating and cooling systems in tax year 2023 returns. More than 1.2 million families claimed more than $6 billion in the credit for solar installations, solar water heating, geothermal heat pumps and battery storage and other improvements that same year. The bill ends both tax credits at the end of this year. 'No one asked Congress to make their energy bills even higher,' said Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a nonprofit that advocates for cutting energy waste. 'Taking away incentives for energy-saving improvements would raise monthly bills for families and businesses.' But Republican lawmakers hailed the measure. Republican Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said it helps unleash American energy and will save taxpayers money. 'Extending good tax policy, delivering targeted relief and reining in wasteful spending is the best way to restore economic prosperity and opportunity for all Americans," he said. Electric vehicl e credits disappear The bill eliminates credits of up to $7,500 for buyers of new electric vehicles and up to $4,000 for buyers of used EVs. That's likely to hurt the growth of a technology that is seen as critical to cutting down on a big source of Earth's warming. Transportation is the largest single source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions — 28% in 2022, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. EV sales have grown steadily, making up about 8% of new car sales in the U.S. last year, according to Biden had set a target for half of all new vehicles sold in the U.S. to be electric by 2030. But that purchase may be harder for consumers to swallow without a credit. EVs sold for an average of $57,734 in May, while new vehicles overall sold at an average of $48,799, according to Kelley Blue Book. The credits go away after Sept. 30. Big wind and solar projects will struggle to qualify for tax credits For large-scale wind and solar, the bill speeds up the timelines projects must meet to qualify for a tax credit. The industry says it will be nearly impossible for many projects to meet those accelerated timelines, putting massive projects from Colorado to Texas to Arizona at risk. The bill allows a full tax credit for wind and solar developments that start construction within a year of the law's enactment. But projects that begin more than a year after the bill's passage have to be operational by the end of 2027 or they won't get a credit. Atlas Public Policy, a policy consultancy, said roughly 28 gigawatts of wind and solar projects are planned to be operational after the start of 2028 but haven't begun construction yet. Under the bill, they're unlikely to qualify for a credit. Wind provides about 10% of the electricity generated in the U.S., according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, with a goal of 20% by 2030. Solar is at about 4%, with the industry's target at one point to reach 30% by the end of the decade. Clean energy advocates, developers and investors say wind and solar are crucial for the nation's renewables ambitions, and tax credits help to make them viable. But Trump has pulled the U.S. out of the Paris agreement, which calls on signatories to try to keep global temperatures from warming 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times. Instead, the bill supports traditional fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal, as well as nuclear power. Proponents say it will increase reliability since the wind doesn't always blow and the sun doesn't always shine. 'Americans need reliable and affordable energy, wasteful spending needs to be cut, and our country needs to be able to build again,' said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, applauding the bill. Experts say watch out for higher energy prices But others say Americans can expect to see higher utility bills. That's unwelcome news at a time when the nation's growth in data centers, driven by demand for artificial intelligence, are sending energy use higher, and when climate change is fueling more frequent extreme weather. Nonpartisan and energy groups estimate the bill's passage could increase average annual electricity costs by more than $100 per household by next year. If fewer solar and wind projects are added to the grid because there is less incentive and it is too expensive for developers to do so without credits, some states could see increases of more than $200. 'At a time when energy demand is surging and families are already struggling to make ends meet, this bill would raise costs, make the grid less reliable, and make the U.S. more dependent on foreign oil," said Lori Lodes, executive director of climate action advocacy group Climate Power. "It threatens our power supply just as extreme weather and record demand are putting historic strain on the grid, forcing brownouts and blackouts across the country.' The loss of tax credits might not immediately impact project plans. But increased uncertainty makes it more difficult to invest in innovative new technologies and maintain national security. ___ Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ___ ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Here's what to know about clean energy in Republican megabill headed to Trump
Congress passed a massive tax and spending cuts package Thursday that curbs billions of dollars in spending across clean energy. That means people will be paying a lot more for home solar, energy efficiency and other green technologies — and the nation's efforts to address climate change just got a lot more challenging. The bill supports mining, drilling and production of the oil, coal and gas that are largely driving Earth's warming and the increasingly deadly and costly extreme weather that comes with it. Producing and burning these fossil fuels also contributes to air pollution and human health problems. At the same time, the bill slashes tax credits for clean technologies including wind and solar energy. That will likely mean delay or cancellation of countless projects, affecting thousands of jobs and driving up household energy costs. Here are four things to know about what the bill means for clean energy: Cuts to home energy credits will make updates more costly The climate law passed during former President Joe Biden's term included tax credits for systems and projects at home — like solar and batteries — that save homeowners money over time and significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions. These systems have gotten cheaper over the years but they're still hefty upfront expenses that some homeowners would struggle to absorb without the credits. An average rooftop solar installation can run $20,000 or more; the credit has covered almost one-third of that. An average heat pump typically costs several thousand dollars; the tax credit reimbursed up to 30% of the cost, or $2,000. The U.S. Treasury Department said more than 2 million families claimed more than $2 billion of the credit for upgrades such as windows, insulation, heating and cooling systems in tax year 2023 returns. More than 1.2 million families claimed more than $6 billion in the credit for solar installations, solar water heating, geothermal heat pumps and battery storage and other improvements that same year. The bill ends both tax credits at the end of this year. 'No one asked Congress to make their energy bills even higher,' said Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a nonprofit that advocates for cutting energy waste. 'Taking away incentives for energy-saving improvements would raise monthly bills for families and businesses.' But Republican lawmakers hailed the measure. Republican Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said it helps unleash American energy and will save taxpayers money. 'Extending good tax policy, delivering targeted relief and reining in wasteful spending is the best way to restore economic prosperity and opportunity for all Americans," he said. Electric vehicl e credits disappear The bill eliminates credits of up to $7,500 for buyers of new electric vehicles and up to $4,000 for buyers of used EVs. That's likely to hurt the growth of a technology that is seen as critical to cutting down on a big source of Earth's warming. Transportation is the largest single source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions — 28% in 2022, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. EV sales have grown steadily, making up about 8% of new car sales in the U.S. last year, according to Biden had set a target for half of all new vehicles sold in the U.S. to be electric by 2030. But that purchase may be harder for consumers to swallow without a credit. EVs sold for an average of $57,734 in May, while new vehicles overall sold at an average of $48,799, according to Kelley Blue Book. The credits go away after Sept. 30. Big wind and solar projects will struggle to qualify for tax credits For large-scale wind and solar, the bill speeds up the timelines projects must meet to qualify for a tax credit. The industry says it will be nearly impossible for many projects to meet those accelerated timelines, putting massive projects from Colorado to Texas to Arizona at risk. The bill allows a full tax credit for wind and solar developments that start construction within a year of the law's enactment. But projects that begin more than a year after the bill's passage have to be operational by the end of 2027 or they won't get a credit. Atlas Public Policy, a policy consultancy, said roughly 28 gigawatts of wind and solar projects are planned to be operational after the start of 2028 but haven't begun construction yet. Under the bill, they're unlikely to qualify for a credit. Wind provides about 10% of the electricity generated in the U.S., according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, with a goal of 20% by 2030. Solar is at about 4%, with the industry's target at one point to reach 30% by the end of the decade. Clean energy advocates, developers and investors say wind and solar are crucial for the nation's renewables ambitions, and tax credits help to make them viable. But Trump has pulled the U.S. out of the Paris agreement, which calls on signatories to try to keep global temperatures from warming 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times. Instead, the bill supports traditional fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal, as well as nuclear power. Proponents say it will increase reliability since the wind doesn't always blow and the sun doesn't always shine. 'Americans need reliable and affordable energy, wasteful spending needs to be cut, and our country needs to be able to build again,' said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, applauding the bill. Experts say watch out for higher energy prices But others say Americans can expect to see higher utility bills. That's unwelcome news at a time when the nation's growth in data centers, driven by demand for artificial intelligence, are sending energy use higher, and when climate change is fueling more frequent extreme weather. Nonpartisan and energy groups estimate the bill's passage could increase average annual electricity costs by more than $100 per household by next year. If fewer solar and wind projects are added to the grid because there is less incentive and it is too expensive for developers to do so without credits, some states could see increases of more than $200. 'At a time when energy demand is surging and families are already struggling to make ends meet, this bill would raise costs, make the grid less reliable, and make the U.S. more dependent on foreign oil," said Lori Lodes, executive director of climate action advocacy group Climate Power. "It threatens our power supply just as extreme weather and record demand are putting historic strain on the grid, forcing brownouts and blackouts across the country.' The loss of tax credits might not immediately impact project plans. But increased uncertainty makes it more difficult to invest in innovative new technologies and maintain national security. ___ Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ___ Read more of AP's climate coverage at ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at Alexa St. John, The Associated Press
