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☆ Feds vote to reduce bottlenecks in connecting new power sources to the energy grid
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Also, power generators will have to meet certain requirements to keep their place in the queue, including a financial deposit. Deadlines and penalties for transmission providers: Transmission providers will have strict deadlines to to respond to power generators waiting in the queue, and will face penalties if they miss those deadlines. Also, power generators will be able to add a source of power to a single interconnection request. It can be so expensive to build new transmission, sometimes power generators can't afford the cost and have to cancel their power generation plans completely. Also, power generators wait for an average of five years in these queues because grid operators are flooded with interconnection queue applications.

Persons: Jeffrey Lamb, LADWP, Al Seib, George Rose, Rob Gramlich, Gramlich, Joseph Rand, Rand, Gregory Wetstone Organizations: Sylmar, Pacific DC, Los Angeles Department of Water, Los Angeles Times, Getty, Aera Energy, CNBC, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, FERC, Vw, American, Renewable Energy Locations: Columbia, Oregon, California, Southern California, Angeles, Los Angeles , CA, CA, San Joaquin Valley, McKittrick , California, North, Lost, Kern County, Bakersfield, United States, Milford , Utah, Milford, Smithfield, ACORE

☆ California has enough power during heat wave after Thursday emergency
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 21 (Reuters) - California's power grid operator said it does not plan to ask consumers to conserve power on Friday after declaring an energy emergency late Thursday as homes and businesses cranked up their air conditioners to escape a lingering heat wave. The California Independent System Operator (ISO), which operates the grid serving more than 32 million consumers representing about 80% of the state's power load, has said it has enough resources available to meet demand. California residents have worried about the effect of extreme weather on the power grid since a brutal heat wave in August 2020 forced the ISO to impose a couple of days of rotating blackouts on around 800,000 homes and businesses. The ISO forecast demand would rise from 42,266 megawatts (MW) on Thursday to 43,512 MW on Friday. Gas is important in California since much of the power generated in the state comes from gas-fired plants.

Persons: Scott DiSavino, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Soaring, Columbia, Thomson Locations: California, Los Angeles, U.S, Pacific Northwest

☆ Climate startup CleanHub helps groups in India, Indonesia, and Cambodia save trash from landfill. Check out the 12-slide pitch deck it used to raise $7 million.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Climate startup CleanHub wants to make it easier for developing economies to recycle trash. About a third of trash globally is dumped or burned, contributing to the climate crisis. Check out the 12-slide pitch deck CleanHub used to raise $12 million. Material that can be is recycled, while other waste is co-processed, meaning it is burned and used as fuel. Check out the 12-slide pitch deck it used to raise the cash below.

Persons: Joel Tasche, Tasche, CleanHub, Louis Pfitzner Organizations: World Bank, Integra Partners, Übermorgen Ventures Locations: Mount Rinjani, Lake Constance, Germany, Berlin, India, Indonesia, Cambodia

☆ Why the U.S. Electric Grid Isn’t Ready for the Energy Transition
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Nadja Popovich | Brad Plumer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +13 min

Power lines 100KV 345kV 500kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. Power lines 100KV 345kV 500kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. Power lines 100KV 345kV 500kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. Power lines 100KV 345kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. Power lines 100KV 345kV 500kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. That makes it hard to build the long-distance power lines needed to transport wind and solar nationwide. To make the plan work, the nation would need thousands of miles of new high-voltage transmission lines — large power lines that would span multiple grid regions. Utilities are sometimes wary of long-distance transmission lines that might undercut their local monopolies. “The grid is already a critical element of our energy system,” said Matteo Muratori, an analyst at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

☆ Amazon employees plan to walk out and accused the company of 'actively accelerating' the climate crisis, leaked email shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In the email, the organizing group encourages employee participation in the walkout by pointing out five areas of concern over Amazon's climate initiatives. Here's what the email says:Emissions that are rising: Amazon's emissions have increased 40%(!!) Partnering with Big Oil: AWS Al and machine learning are being used by Big Oil to greatly accelerate oil and gas discovery and extraction. Amazon launched the Climate Pledge in 2019, committing to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. Partnering with Big Oil: AWS Al and machine learning are being used by Big Oil to greatly accelerate oil and gas discovery and extraction.

☆ Fact Check-Cervical smear test sterilisation process is safe, no evidence for cancerous claims
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

There is no evidence that tools used for cervical cancer screenings are cancerous, despite a video circulating online warning about the sterilisation process of test utensils. A controlled amount of the gas ethylene oxide (EO), a carcinogen, is used to sterilise medical instruments, but the process is safe, experts told Reuters. There is no evidence, however, that its use in cervical screening sterilisation processes is cancerous. Guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows EO is used in the sterilisation process for speculums in line with international standards (here). The use of ethylene oxide in the sterilisation process for cervical cancer screening utensils is safe and strictly regulated.

☆ Fact Check-Image of Pope Francis wearing oversized white puffer coat is AI-generated
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An image showing Pope Francis wearing a white-colored puffer coat with a cross around his neck was generated using an artificial intelligence-based system, but sowed some confusion online. The image has been widely shared on Twitter (here) (archive.is/JlIqq) and Facebook (here), (here). Midjourney is an AI program that generates imagery based on text descriptions users can input to its system (www.midjourney.com/). BuzzFeed News reportedly interviewed the creator of the photo, who said it was made using Midjourney (here). Image was generated using AI, not an authentic photo of the Pope.

☆ Why Blackouts, Power Outages Are Becoming More Common
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Taylor Dorrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Power outages have increased 64% from the early 2000s, and weather-related outages — many driven by the worsening climate crisis — have increased 78%. A record-breaking blizzard in Buffalo, New York, this winter caused power outages throughout the city, resulting in the deaths of 47 residents. In 2021, a heat wave led to power outages and the deaths of hundreds in the Pacific Northwest. While regional organizations might use fees to penalize companies for power outages, it's now much harder to pinpoint and hold a person or entity responsible. In the meantime, the climate crisis will continue to wreak havoc on an aging grid system that puts profits over reliability.

☆ US Senators Menendez, Warren urge regulators to support new gun sale code
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Ross Kerber | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Senators Bob Menendez and Elizabeth Warren on Wednesday called on federal regulators to issue guidance to speed the adoption of a new merchant category code (MCC) by payment networks to identify firearms sellers. The Republicans say the codes could be used to improperly track gun purchases. The letter noted reports that mass shooters had used credit or debit cards to buy the guns and ammunition they used. There are more than 40,000 U.S. gun deaths per year, and regulations around guns are again emerging as a major political issue. On Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden issued an executive order that reinforced background checks for gun buyers.

New York CNN —Visa, Mastercard and Discover announced they will pause a plan to implement a new merchant category code for the nation’s gun retailers after political pressure from Republicans. In the wake of mass shootings, some financial companies, including Mastercard and Visa, have explored the possibility of tracking gun sales through their payment systems. The merchant category code (MCC) system would have separately categorized sales at gun and ammunition stores. Nearly every retail item has a merchant category code. Accordingly, Visa is pausing implementation of the MCC.”It’s the latest example of companies changing their plans based on pressure from Republican lawmakers.

☆ Visa, Mastercard pause work on new payments code for firearms sellers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Ross Kerber | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Geneva-based International Organization for Standardization (ISO) approved the new merchant category code (MCC) in September to help detect suspicious firearms and ammunition sales to combat gun violence. A Mastercard representative said on Thursday via email that such bills would cause "inconsistency" in how the code could be applied by merchants, banks and payment networks. "It's for that reason that we have decided to pause work on the implementation of the firearms-specific MCC," said the Mastercard representative, Seth Eisen. Accordingly, Visa is pausing implementation of the MCC," Visa said in a statement sent by a spokesperson. The moves mark a setback for gun-control activists, though the payment networks stopped short of saying they would reject the code outright.

☆ Analysis: US Republicans aim to stymie gun sale codes at state level
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Ross Kerber | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

"I don't want card companies to raise interest rates or fees on merchants as a way to dissuade them" from selling guns and ammunition, Owen told Reuters. Visa Inc (V.N) declined to comment on the state bills. Other payment card companies Discover, Mastercard Inc and (MA.N) American Express Co (AXP.N) did not respond to requests for comment. Owen, the Mississippi state legislator, said he expects that payment companies could address any technical issues the bills could create. "I think the credit card companies are going to have to adapt on a state-by-state basis," Owen said.

☆ Exclusive: Discover to enable tracking of purchases at gun retailers from April
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Ross Kerber | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Proponents of the move, including gun control activists and Democratic politicians, say it will allow financial institutions to better assist authorities in investigating crimes involving gun violence in the United States. Discover said it will include the new code in its next policy and product update to merchants and payment partners, in April. A Visa representative declined to comment on its schedule for the new code. "The decision to use the new merchant category code is eventually left up to the users in the industry," the ISO representative said. Industry leader Visa had a 61% share, Mastercard 26% and American Express 11%.

More than 1.5 million homes and businesses lost power, oil refineries in Texas cut gasoline and diesel production on equipment failures, and heating and power prices surged on the losses. Oil and gas output from North Dakota to Texas suffered freeze-ins, cutting supplies. Freeze-ins - in which ice crystals halt oil and gas production - this week trimmed production in North Dakota's oilfields by 300,000 to 350,000 barrels per day, or a third of normal. Power prices on Texas's grid also spiked to $3,700 per megawatt hour, prompting generators to add more power to the grid before prices fell back as thermal and solar supplies came online. That is the biggest drop in output since the February 2021 freeze knocked out power for millions in Texas.

In September, she and her boyfriend, Jay, moved into their teal 30-foot school bus and started living and working from the road. Now, she works from her converted school bus and makes up to $15,000 per month. CNBC Make It"The goal was to make a couple of hundred dollars every month for gas money," Everdeen, 31, tells CNBC Make It. But that freedom has a lofty price tag: Everdeen and Jay bought their school bus from a government auction for $7,324 in January 2020. They decided to buy the school bus, and started deconstructing its seats and windows to convert it into their 30-foot home.

☆ How to transform your business's payables and receivables to keep up with customer demand
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Sponsor Post | Created Citizens With Insider Studios | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

By Matt Richardson, head of treasury product solutions, CitizensFueled by greater connectivity and faster transactions, the digital transformation of the payables and receivables landscape continues to reshape the outlook for treasury management. We've seen many companies embrace faster and easier payments systems. This is set to launch by 2023 and will extend access to real-time payments to more financial institutions and customers nationwide. The dominant force in this area will be cloud-based, intelligent payables and receivables platforms like Citizens' integrated payables solution powered by Paymode-X. Relatedly, payment messaging will be an essential area to keep track of as new digital payment options are becoming increasingly sophisticated and data-intensive.

☆ U.N., standard setter ISO launch net-zero guidelines
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Virginia Furness | Hugo Dixon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 11 (Reuters) - The United Nations and standard setter the International Organization for Standardization launched a set of guidelines on Friday to help organisations construct net-zero emissions plans. As regulators increasingly focus on tackling weak corporate environmental claims, and investors call for harmonised global standards, the U.N. and ISO said its work would act as a core reference text on what to include in their net-zero plans. The ISO's guidelines were developed by a group of 1,200 organisations and experts from over 100 countries. While around 80% of global emissions are covered by net-zero pledges, many organisations lack a clear strategy, and the new ISO guidelines are intended to provide a practical guide. "The guidelines support clarity, we don't replace the ISSB but help companies navigate these multiple initiatives," said Emily Faint, net-zero policy manager at Our 2050 World, the group's secretariat.

During long, cold winters, the U.S. Northeast consumes more oil and gas for heat than most of the country, especially the six-state New England region. Exacerbating those high energy costs, New England lacks enough gas pipeline capacity to meet all its heating and power generation needs on the coldest winter days. "The worse conditions get for Europe, the more exposed New England will be to elevated gas prices and LNG cargo shortages this winter." U.S. pipeline gas costs about $6 per million British thermal units, far cheaper than in Europe where gas is trading around $39 to attract LNG cargoes. But LNG accounts for about 5% of New England's gas supply, so power generators there are competing with global markets for the fuel.

☆ U.S. FDA classifies recall of Teleflex's respiratory filters as most serious
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 1 (Reuters) - U.S. health regulators on Tuesday classified the recall of Teleflex Inc's (TFX.N) Iso-Gard filter S, a medical device to protect patients from potential airborne contaminants, as most serious, saying its use could lead to injuries or death. It had recalled about 2.7 million filters distributed between Sept. 1, 2020 to July 5, 2022. The company did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment on the impact from the recall. There have been 36 complaints and 4 injuries, no reports of deaths or long-term injuries associated with the use of the product, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Tuesday. Reporting by Khushi Mandowara; Editing by Shinjini GanguliOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Trinidad gets to work on design of small LNG hub to feed the Caribbean
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationPORT OF SPAIN, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Trinidad and Tobago's state-owned gas company has started work on designing a small-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) hub that could help the Caribbean move away from oil-based power generation, the firm told Reuters. LNG producers in Trinidad have ramped up supplies to Europe this year amid buoyant demand and high prices. LNG to be handled by the plant will be sourced from the Atlantic LNG project. NGC said it will continue selling the fuel to customers in other regions and will evaluate the feasibility of LNG shipments via ISO containers that can be loaded onto feeder ships, or via small LNG carriers if economical. For shipments via LNG carriers, regasification terminals will be required at destinations.

☆ 24 GOP attorneys general warn Visa, AmEx, and Mastercard about using a code that identifies purchases at gun stores
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Sarah Belle Lin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AGs from 24 states sent a letter threatening to take action over a new merchant code for gun stores. The attorneys general warned that tracking the data could lead to misuse, whether intentional or unintentional. They said using a merchant code for gun stores would be an inaccurate method for keeping track of firearms purchases. The coordinated move came after the Geneva-based nonprofit International Organization for Standardization (ISO) approved the creation of the merchant code earlier this month. Gun rights advocates, including the NRA, have expressed concerns that the new merchant category code would effectively create a gun registry, and put gun owners at risk.

☆ GOP attorneys general call on credit card companies to drop plans for gun store code
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Two dozen Republican attorneys general are urging Visa, MasterCard, and American Express to drop their plans to adopt a new merchant category code for gun retailers, saying the move would infringe on consumers' privacy. In a letter sent to the companies Tuesday, the attorneys general warn the credit card companies that they could face legal action if they move forward with the code adopted by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). On Saturday, Senate Republicans sent a similar letter to the three credit card companies. The letters come after the credit card companies announced plans to start applying the new sales code to transactions made at gun stores. "A fundamental principle for Visa is protecting all legal commerce throughout our network and around the world and upholding the privacy of cardholders who choose to use Visa," Visa said in a statement last week.

Ajustarea tarifelor la serviciile Agenției Servicii Publice: Prin Hotărârea Guvernului nr.314/2017 a fost constituită Agenția Servicii Publice (ASP). Instituția menționează că cheltuielile pentru prestarea serviciilor ASP cu titlu gratuit sau cu înlesniri au constituit în 2019 – 97,5 mil. Astfel, procedura licitației a avut loc în anii 2011-2012, contractul a fost semnat în 2013, iar prima livrare a fost efectuată la sfîrșitul anului 2014. Astfel, achiziția respectivă a fost doar inițiată în anul 2021, fără alocarea mijloacelor financiare în Bugetul ASP pentru anul 2021. Anunțul de participare a fost publicat în Buletinul Achizițiilor publice la 29 aprilie 2021 – termenul a fost extins de 2 ori.

Persons: ., achiziţie Organizations: Ministerul Finanțelor, Externe, Integrării Europene, Finanţelor, Finanțelor, ISO, Tender, Uniunii Europene, Agenția, Publice Locations: Republicii Moldova, 11.12.2019, ASP, Republica Moldova, 19.10.2012, Moldova, 16.02.2021, 25.02.2021, România, Lituania, Muhlbauer, Germania, Ungaria

☆ METRO Cash & Carry Moldova aplică o politică consecventă în domeniul managementului calității, responsabilității sociale, integrității și deservirii clienților
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-30 | by ( Onixmedia Srl | ) diez.md time to read: +3 min

Rezultatele politicii companiei METRO Cash & Carry Moldova, în domeniul managementului calității, responsabilității sociale, deservirii consumatorilor și integrității au fost apreciate în cadrul concursului „Marca comercială a anului 2020”. METRO Cash & Carry Moldova a primit pentru al șaselea an consecutiv cea mai mare distincţie – Laureat al „Concursului pentru realizări în domeniul calităţii 2020”. De asemenea, compania a fost premiată cu distincția „Mercurul de aur” și diplomă de onoare pentru politica sa de responsabilitate socială. Compania a fost apreciată și cu „Premiul integrității” pentru standarde înalte în domeniul politicilor de conformitate și integritate, în sectorul privat. În anul financiar 2019/20, compania METRO a înregistrat un volum al vânzărilor de 25,6 miliarde EUR.

Persons: METRO Cash, METRO, Dow Jones Organizations: METRO Cash, METRO, Moldova Locations: Moldova, Republicii Moldova, Sustenabilitatea, Republica Moldova

☆ METRO Cash & Carry Moldova проводит последовательную политику в области управления качеством, социальной ответственности, неподкупности и обслуживания клиентов
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-30 | by ( ) ru.diez.md time to read: +3 min

Результаты политики компании METRO Cash & Carry Moldova в области управления качеством, социальной ответственности, неподкупности и обслуживания клиентов получили высокую оценку в рамках конкурса «Торговая марка года - 2020». Вот уже шестой год подряд METRO Cash & Carry Moldova получила наивысшую награду, став лауреатом в конкурсе «Премия за достижения в области качества 2020». Помимо этого компания удостоилась премии «Золотой Меркурий» и была отмечена почетной грамотой за проводимую ей политику социальной ответственности. Полученные награды стали признанием усилий и вовлеченности всех работников METRO Cash & Carry Moldova, внедривших и поддерживающих высокие стандарты качества в компании, вовлеченность и проведение политики социальной ответственности, соблюдение принципов соответствия в бизнесе, а также удовлетворение потребностей клиентов. METRO занимает первое место по индексу устойчивости Доу-Джонса в сфере торговли продовольственными товарами.

Organizations: METRO, Moldova, Торговопромышленная палата, доуджонс Locations: Moldova, –, Республика Молдова

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