Some of our members attended the public meeting on Monday 2nd November at the Quaker Meeting House in town to discussion a potential biofuel power station application by the company Rocpower.
Almuth Ernsting from Biofuelwatch attended the meeting to discuss the implications of Rocpower's plans and to share experience of campaigns against different biofuel power station applications
Background:
Hargreaves Services, through their subsidiary Rocpower, are planning to build six biofuel power stations with a total capacity of 60 MW across Yorkshire. One of them is planned in Ecclesfield. It is thought that the company intends to burn virgin (i.e. not recycled) vegetable oil. Their Sheffield application does not mention any particular type of vegetable oil, however another similar application of theirs which has been approved in Wakefield clearly states that they intend to burn palm oil. Given that all the fuel will be supplied through another Hargreaves subsidiary, it seems likely that palm oil will be at least part of the mix in Sheffield too.
Three other vegetable oil power station applications have recently been refused by local authorities (Ealing, Newport, Portland), amidst concerns about the impacts on the climate, on forests and peatlands, on communities including indigenous peoples, and on food security.
Showing posts with label Oil. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oil. Show all posts
Monday, 2 November 2009
Monday, 15 October 2007
RBS - The Oil & Gas Bank
The Rising Tide network called for Monday 15th October to be a day of local action against the Royal Bank of Scotland, a major backer of the aviation industry, key funder of the Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) pipeline currently tearing up the Welsh countryside, and the world's self-described ‘Oil and Gas Bank’.
Sheffield Friends of the Earth members, Julie and Liddy, joined this call for action by meeting up at the Broomhill branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland during their lunch break to leaflet customers about their involvement with funding new oil projects.
The RBS provides oil companies with the cash to build and operate drilling rigs, pipelines and oil tankers. And through Aviation Capital, RBS helps airlines to launch ever more planes – and carbon emissions – into the skies. From West Africa to the Ecuadorian rainforest, from the North Sea to the Middle East, RBS loans play a key role in forcing open the new carbon frontier, which contributes to environmental destruction, disruption of indigenous peoples and increased conflict across the planet.
The RBS is the second-largest bank in Europe and has global assets of over $1120 billion, including UK brands NatWest, Direct Line and Churchill Insurance. Despite creating a heavily green washed public image through sponsorship of sports and the arts, RBS activities have major destructive impacts on the environment and society. The thirty oil and gas finance deals RBS signed between 2001 and 2006 locked us all into 655 million tonnes of emissions over the next 15 years, more than the UK’s entire annual emissions.
The financial institutions funnelling cash into fossil fuel projects have stood in the shadows for far too long. They may be many miles removed from oil rigs and runways, safely ensconced in shiny glass towers, but if the profit motive is at the heart of the climate crisis, the banks are as culpable as the oil and airline industries.
The Sheffield Star printed two articles and one photograph of the event.
For more details see www.risingtide.org.uk. Download PLATFORM’s report 'The Oil and Gas Bank': www.carbonweb.org/documents/Oil_&_Gas_Bank.pdf
Sheffield Friends of the Earth members, Julie and Liddy, joined this call for action by meeting up at the Broomhill branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland during their lunch break to leaflet customers about their involvement with funding new oil projects.
The RBS provides oil companies with the cash to build and operate drilling rigs, pipelines and oil tankers. And through Aviation Capital, RBS helps airlines to launch ever more planes – and carbon emissions – into the skies. From West Africa to the Ecuadorian rainforest, from the North Sea to the Middle East, RBS loans play a key role in forcing open the new carbon frontier, which contributes to environmental destruction, disruption of indigenous peoples and increased conflict across the planet.
The RBS is the second-largest bank in Europe and has global assets of over $1120 billion, including UK brands NatWest, Direct Line and Churchill Insurance. Despite creating a heavily green washed public image through sponsorship of sports and the arts, RBS activities have major destructive impacts on the environment and society. The thirty oil and gas finance deals RBS signed between 2001 and 2006 locked us all into 655 million tonnes of emissions over the next 15 years, more than the UK’s entire annual emissions.
The financial institutions funnelling cash into fossil fuel projects have stood in the shadows for far too long. They may be many miles removed from oil rigs and runways, safely ensconced in shiny glass towers, but if the profit motive is at the heart of the climate crisis, the banks are as culpable as the oil and airline industries.
The Sheffield Star printed two articles and one photograph of the event.
For more details see www.risingtide.org.uk. Download PLATFORM’s report 'The Oil and Gas Bank': www.carbonweb.org/documents/Oil_&_Gas_Bank.pdf
Tuesday, 1 June 2004
Booler’s Bio Fuel
This is a North Sheffield based initiative to collect, re-process and market waste organic oils and fats for use as transport fuels and other purposes.
The fuel is suitable for use in diesel engines without requiring any modification and the biofuel is inter-mixable with fossil diesel. It is advised that a simple heat exchanger (£40) is fitted to improve the start-up and running performance when using any fuel.
This is an excellent way to run a diesel car guilt free. Not only does the biofuel have zero net CO2 emissions but because the fat is sourced locally the transportation costs are also reduced.
The fuel can be bought for 70p/litre in 15 litre containers. It is no more dangerous to store biofuel than to store cooking oil. (There is a slightly higher charge per litre for delivered biofuel.)
Check out the website today: www.booler-biofuel.o-f.com
The fuel is suitable for use in diesel engines without requiring any modification and the biofuel is inter-mixable with fossil diesel. It is advised that a simple heat exchanger (£40) is fitted to improve the start-up and running performance when using any fuel.
This is an excellent way to run a diesel car guilt free. Not only does the biofuel have zero net CO2 emissions but because the fat is sourced locally the transportation costs are also reduced.
The fuel can be bought for 70p/litre in 15 litre containers. It is no more dangerous to store biofuel than to store cooking oil. (There is a slightly higher charge per litre for delivered biofuel.)
Check out the website today: www.booler-biofuel.o-f.com
Monday, 19 April 2004
FoE Research shows Esso’s Historical Climate Damage
Friends of the Earth is launching four reports on the world's largest oil company. One of them is ExxonMobil's historical contribution to climate change or climate footprint.
This is the first time a company's climate footprint has been calculated. It covers ExxonMobil's main greenhouse gas emissions from 1882 (from its days as Standard Oil) through to 2002. The findings could prove vital to future compensation claims against companies by victims of climate change caused by man-made pollution.
The studies found:
This is the first time a company's climate footprint has been calculated. It covers ExxonMobil's main greenhouse gas emissions from 1882 (from its days as Standard Oil) through to 2002. The findings could prove vital to future compensation claims against companies by victims of climate change caused by man-made pollution.
The studies found:
- From 1882-2002 ExxonMobil's emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) total an estimated 20.3 billion tonnes of carbon. This is around 5% of the world total.
- Seven of the top 10 years of ExxonMobil's emissions have been since 1996 when the UN's IPCC second assessment report found 'a discernible human influence on global climate'
- Around 70% of the company's emissions have been since 1967.
- ExxonMobil's emissions contributed to 4.8 to 5.5% of total carbon dioxide concentrations above pre-industrial levels, in 2002.
- ExxonMobil's emissions have contributed between 3.4% and 3.7% of total attributable temperature change since 1882.
Monday, 21 April 2003
April 2003 - Campaign News
Sheffield FoE joined other environmental and anti-war groups on Saturday 14th December to protest outside the Esso Petrol station on Penistone Road, Hillsborough. The campaign to boycott Esso is due to their reluctance to reduce greenhouse gasses and their desire to obtain Iraq’s oil supplies.
Sheffield Friends of the Earth activists have been taking to the small screen to promote our cause (and our ego’s, of course). Liddy Goyder starred on Look North last September, cycling from Crookesmoor to the City Hall as part of the Pedal Pushers Commuter challenge. She helped to prove that two wheels beat four (almost) every time and that cycling is for civilised women, not just men in lycra.
On Sunday 15th December, Maureen from the local group appeared on the ITV1 national political program, Jonathan Dimbleby to debate why the government's decision to widen the M1 motorway near Chesterfield was a waste of money and why it would create more congestion.
On Tuesday 17th December several very dedicated local and national FoE campaigners protested outside Sheffield’s Train Station from 7.30 am until 9.30 am to raise awareness of the regional rail franchise issues and to campaign for a better rail system. See the main article on page 2 for more details.
Just before Christmas, four local group members organised a FoE stall at the Sheffield Peace Fair to raise awareness of the group and our campaigns and to raise some money.
Members of Sheffield FoE have taken action to help get the Doorstep Recycling Bill into parliament. Read more about this on page 2.
Greenpeace activists were cleared of damaging the Sheffield Incinerator.
On Thursday 28 November, around 30 members of Sheffield FoE, Greenpeace, Sheffield Green Party and RABID protested outside the Business Awards as Onyx were presenting an award for the environment.
Local Group members have replied to the City Centre and M1 Air quality questionnaires.
More information and campaign details have been included on our web site.
Sheffield Friends of the Earth activists have been taking to the small screen to promote our cause (and our ego’s, of course). Liddy Goyder starred on Look North last September, cycling from Crookesmoor to the City Hall as part of the Pedal Pushers Commuter challenge. She helped to prove that two wheels beat four (almost) every time and that cycling is for civilised women, not just men in lycra.
On Sunday 15th December, Maureen from the local group appeared on the ITV1 national political program, Jonathan Dimbleby to debate why the government's decision to widen the M1 motorway near Chesterfield was a waste of money and why it would create more congestion.
On Tuesday 17th December several very dedicated local and national FoE campaigners protested outside Sheffield’s Train Station from 7.30 am until 9.30 am to raise awareness of the regional rail franchise issues and to campaign for a better rail system. See the main article on page 2 for more details.
Just before Christmas, four local group members organised a FoE stall at the Sheffield Peace Fair to raise awareness of the group and our campaigns and to raise some money.
Members of Sheffield FoE have taken action to help get the Doorstep Recycling Bill into parliament. Read more about this on page 2.
Greenpeace activists were cleared of damaging the Sheffield Incinerator.
On Thursday 28 November, around 30 members of Sheffield FoE, Greenpeace, Sheffield Green Party and RABID protested outside the Business Awards as Onyx were presenting an award for the environment.
Local Group members have replied to the City Centre and M1 Air quality questionnaires.
More information and campaign details have been included on our web site.
Monday, 15 April 2002
Boycott Esso
Earlier this year several Sheffield FoE members joined other local environmental groups to protest outside an Esso petrol station in the city centre. This action was in aid of the national Stop Esso campaign launched to persuade Esso to stop destroying the climate.
Saturday, 1 December 2001
Boycott Esso
While the rest of the world is trying to stop global warming and protect the planet for future generations, Esso is busy drilling for more oil and polluting the atmosphere. What's worse, Esso is doing its best to stop other countries' attempts to prevent the world from heating up. Here are five reasons why we should boycott Esso products:
- Esso pretends that global warming isn't happening even though it's a major cause of it. Esso spends millions of dollars on misleading propaganda every year.
- Esso has played a leading role in sabotaging international attempts to stop global warming. It would rather sell more petrol than protect future generations.
- Esso refuses to invest in clean, green energy and instead spends all its money on dirty oil and gas. Even Shell and BP will invest $500 million each over the next three years in green energy projects.
- Esso is the biggest oil company in the world - £12 billion in profits in 2000. If anyone can afford to help stop global warming it's Esso.
- Esso is among the most important groups that paid for George Bush's election campaign. As soon as George Bush became president, he said that the United States would pull out of international agreements to stop global warming - exactly the policy that Esso was promoting.
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