Category Archives: global warming

EPA – Children Especially Vulnerable to Climate Change

The peer-reviewed EPA report quantifies projected health effects associated with extreme heat, air quality, changing seasons, flooding, and infectious diseases. Where possible, the analyses consider the extent to which health effects disproportionately fall on children who are Black, Indigenous and people of color [BIPOC], low income, without health insurance, and/or have limited English proficiency. Continue reading

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CARB Approves Toyota HD Fuel Cell Electric Powertrain Kit

“Toyota aims to reduce or eliminate emissions for all mobility solutions, and our fuel cell electric powertrains have proven that hydrogen can play a significant role in the emissions reduction of emissions from heavy-duty transportation,” said Scott Friedman, senior program manager advanced mobility, Toyota Motor North America. “Receiving the Zero-Emission Powertrain Executive Order from CARB is a key achievement for our teams who have dedicated an incredible amount of time and effort, and we are excited to offer this powertrain commercially in the near future.” Continue reading

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Alternative Fueling Stations Way Up Since 2020. So What?

Alternative energy sources have been at the forefront of strategies to reduce carbon emissions. This is especially true in transportation, the sector responsible for the most greenhouse gas emissions in the US. However, the US has more than 280,000,000 registered vehicles, begging the question what are we doing about the planet killing use of existing fuels for the vast majority of vehicles that are on and will remain on the roads? Electric vehicle (EV) charging stations have been growing faster than any other fueling categories and now account for about 84% of all alternative fueling stations. Continue reading

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California Climate Investments – ~$1B in 2022 to Communities With Worst Impacts of Pollution, Climate Change

“California continues to put our cap-and-trade dollars to work through unprecedented investments in zero-emission infrastructure, housing, conservation, and more,” said Yana Garcia, California’s Secretary for Environmental Protection. “The majority of these funds benefit communities disproportionately burdened by pollution and experiencing the impacts of persistent economic inequity. In 2022 alone, we invested nearly $1 billion in under resourced communities to help ensure an equitable transition to carbon neutrality, and to leveraging improved health outcomes in communities suffering from air pollution and other climate impacts.” Continue reading

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US EPA – 2021 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Up

“For 30 years EPA has worked with researchers, federal partners, and stakeholders to produce a detailed and complete inventory of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and sinks,” said Joseph Goffman, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation. Well, yes, but it begs the question what is US regulatory policy doing about reducing the CO2 created by burning fossil fuels that is at the core of US economic activity? Continue reading

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EPA Wants Toughest Federal Emission Standards Ever

Thus far automakers are not commenting in public with details. AutoInformed suggests that this is likely due to the complexity of the problem and backroom lobbying by special interests groups and affected companies or international automotive groups with complex regulatory environments, so to speak, in various areas.

However, the European Union, Britain and Canada have at present enacted similar vehicle emissions standards designed to phase out the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by ~2035 while transitioning to electric vehicles. Continue reading

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First Look – 2025 Ram 1500 REV

As is the case with GM and Ford Motor EV pickup offerings now on sale,  vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid bi-directional charging thus far in theory provides the 1500 REV with the flexibility to charge another Stellantis battery-electric vehicle or send power back to the grid. The truck can also power a home during a storm, run a tailgate party, and provide power at a camp or jobsite. Continue reading

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Toyota, Huntsville Utilities Announce 168-acre Solar Plan

The solar project is expected to generate 62,000 megawatt hours annually, reducing ~22,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year. That’s enough solar energy to power more than 5600 U.S. homes. This project is the latest step towards achieving Toyota’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality in its operations by 2035. The solar facility is scheduled to begin generating solar energy in summer of 2024. Continue reading

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EPA Approves New California Heavy-Duty Emissions Standards

In this latest victory for environmentalists, CARB requested two waivers for regulations relating to heavy duty vehicles and diesel engines. After reviewing the technical information provided by CARB, reviewing comments submitted by the public, and applying the limited authority for review under section 209 of the Clean Air Act, EPA said it was “appropriate” to grant the waiver and authorization requests. Continue reading

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Ford Collaborates with Chinese Huayou on EV Battery Nickel

“This framework gives Ford direct control to source the nickel we need – in one of the industry’s lowest-cost ways – and allows us to ensure the nickel is mined in line with our company’s sustainability targets, setting the right ESG standards as we scale,” said Lisa Drake, vice president for Ford Model e EV industrialization. “Working this way puts Ford in a position to help make EVs more accessible for millions and to do it in a way that helps better protect people and the planet,” claimed Drake. Unmentioned by Drake is that Vale is conducting research in bio-leaching, which eliminates acid for leaching metals from ore by using bacteria to convert the metals such as nickel into a soluble form. Continue reading

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Mazda Adding Renewable Solar Power to Japanese Plants

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (MITI) provides subsidies to cover a portion of the expense of installing solar power generation facilities in cases where consumers of electric power coordinated with an electric power producer to establish such facilities. “These subsidies are intended to promote such collaborations and encourage wider adoption of independent initiatives to establish renewable energy sources, contributing to a reliable, long-term, supply-demand balance in energy use during the period up until 2030, thereby supporting the achievement of ambitious targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.” Continue reading

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Cordless EV w 400 Mile Range – 2023 Toyota Mirai Fuel Cell

At its heart, Mirai remains a breakthrough fuel-cell electric vehicle where the driver fills the tank with compressed hydrogen gas rather than liquid gasoline. It was derived from the Lexus LS 400 platform (rear-wheel drive – RWD-GA-L). A FCEV, of course, generates its own electricity onboard from hydrogen, with water as the only emission. A fuel cell system combines stored hydrogen with oxygen from the air, and a chemical reaction that produces electric current, and water, which drops out of a vent pipe beneath the Mirai. Continue reading

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CARB Environmental Justice Advisory Committee Renewed

“These appointments demonstrate the Board’s commitment to integrating environmental justice and equity as a cornerstone of CARB’s climate programs,” said CARB Chair Liane Randolph. “We know climate change impacts vulnerable communities the most. Each of these members brings a unique perspective from their communities. By partnering together, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address historic inequities by advancing environmental justice and equity in our implementation of the Scoping Plan.” Continue reading

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Stellantis to Spend ~€130M in the Eisenach Assembly for EVs

Opel announced last fall that it would revive GSe as a new sub-brand for electrified models with GSe now standing for Grand Sport electric. The Opel Grandland GSe follows the Astra GSe and the Astra Sports Tourer GSe. Opel claims it is a high-performance, plug-in hybrid with electric all-wheel-drive in the SUV compact class, arguably the fastest growing segment in Europe and Asia. The Opel Grandland currently produced at Eisenach includes plug-in hybrid variants. Opel wants a fully electric lineup by 2028. Continue reading

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Honda Using Fuel Cell to Back Up Power at Its Data Center

The power station uses Honda’s hydrogen fuel cell technology know-how and contributes to the company’s global goal to achieve carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities by 2050.In the coming years, Honda will begin applying a next-generation stationary fuel cell system to Honda manufacturing facilities and data centers globally, thereby reducing the company’s greenhouse gas emissions. Continue reading

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