Tag Archives: global warming

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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Power Plants Continue to Befoul Our Air During 2021

Emissions in 2021 were higher than 2020, EPA said because of  a rebound in coal-fired generation as natural gas prices and energy demand increased. Worse emissions increased at rates much higher than the demand for electricity. Continue reading

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California, New Zealand, Québec Sign Joint Agreement on Net Zero Green House Gases

The Joint Declaration accepts the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the latest findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It acknowledges the common intent of the three jurisdictions to transition toward net-zero greenhouse gas emissions while creating new, quality jobs in low- or zero-emission sectors and facilitating a just transition for people impacted by the shift towards a carbon neutral economy. Continue reading

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Ford to Take $1B Charge to Buy Back Expensive Debt

Last April, Ford sold $8 billion of bonds as the coronavirus pandemic closed Ford’s factories with a corresponding drop in sales. Actions such as the debt tender offer and the issuance of 0% convertible notes earlier this year, together with a “bet on the come line” of awaited broader access to capital from the new sustainable financing framework, combine with Ford’s objectives to further strengthen its balance sheet and financial flexibility and return its credit ratings to investment grade. Continue reading

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Climate Change Car Wars – GM to Reach 100% Renewable Energy in 2025

It’s the latest p.r. shot in the car marketing wars by automakers that no longer can deny the real life and planet threatening damages incurred by fossil fuel use. Continue reading

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General Motors Launches New Fund to Advance Climate Equity

The company also announced the creation of a new $25 million Climate Equity Fund, “dedicated to helping close equity gaps in the transition to electric vehicles and other sustainable technology.” The philanthropic fund joins the company’s $35 billion global investment in EV and AV programs, research, technology, manufacturing and charging infrastructure.   Continue reading

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CARB Revives Incentives for Clean Trucks and Buses

This year HVIP will be fulfilled in waves, allowing the opportunity for more fleets to participate, especially smaller fleets CARB said. Half of the funds will be released immediately. Remaining funds will be made available two months later, at 10 a.m. on Tuesday 10 August 2021. Class 8 trucks performing drayage operations, as well as vehicles purchased by public agencies are exempt from this pause. Continue reading

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California Law – 100% Clean Electricity by 2045. Here’s the Plan

The 178-page report claims that the goals of SB 100 can be achieved in different ways but reaching them will require significant investments in new and existing technologies and an increased, sustained build-out of clean energy projects to bring new resources on-line. The report modeled various scenarios to examine sample paths to carbon-free energy. It will be followed with additional analyses of energy reliability and evolving conditions. California’s electricity mix is already more than 60% carbon free. About 36% of that comes from renewable sources, predominantly wind and solar. Continue reading

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Environmental About Face – General Motors Ditching Internal Combustion Engines by 2035. Carbon Neutral by 2040?

More than half of GM’s capital spending and product development team will be devoted to electric and electric-autonomous vehicle programs. And in the coming years, GM plans to offer an EV for every customer, from crossovers and SUVs to trucks and sedans. This neatly coincides with President Biden’s executive orders dealing with climate change and converting federal fleets to EVs. The success of the initiative will depend on the voters, err buyers, who will ultimately decide. Continue reading

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CARB Settles AltAir Paramount Abuses of Low Carbon Fuel

The LCFS requires quarterly and annual reports to be submitted completely and accurately. CARB alleged that AltAir for the 2017 Reporting Period, and sold, supplied, offered for sale, and transported fuel into the State of California, but failed to report and submitted a report containing inaccuracies, misreported, or entered false quarterly and annual report information, which led to a failure to eliminate annual deficits. These are violations of the LCFS regulation. Continue reading

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CARB Regulation Limits Chemical Refrigerants to Lower Levels

The refrigerants, known as hydrofluorocarbons or HFCs, are super pollutants because they trap heat in the atmosphere thousands of times more effectively than carbon dioxide, the most prevalent greenhouse gas. These rules can serve as a national model for super pollutant reduction and come at a time when the newly elected Biden Administration is promising to do something about Global Warming after years of Republican resistance or malfeasance. Continue reading

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Bosch All In on Fuel Cell Power Stations. Production in 2024

With urbanization on the increase, Bosch is betting that fuel-cell technology has a vital role to in power supply. By 2050, it is expected that more than 6 billion people worldwide – 70% of the global population – will live in cities. Currently, the world’s metropolitan areas account for 75% of global energy consumed. By 2035, global energy consumption will have increased 30%. In the future, meeting this increased demand for electricity solely with large, centralized power stations will not be possible, claims Bosch. Continue reading

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Don’t Hold Your Breath Waiting for the New Hummer EV

Engineering targets include 1000 horsepower and 11,500 lb. ft. of torque. This should mean a zero-to-60 mph acceleration elapsed time of, oh, ~3 seconds. Continue reading

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COSCO Container Lines Fined $965,000 By CARB

The diesel air pollution violations were discovered during routine audits of the Shanghai-based company’s 2014-2017 fleet visits to the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach and the Port of Oakland. COSCO Container Lines committed over 2,600 air quality violations during visits to California ports. Continue reading

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