We should all be driving electric vehicles. But we have to wait for renewable electric grid capacity to support them all, charging points everywhere, and enough new batteries to be manufactured and put in all the new, affordable BEVs. And we’re running out of time. An interim solution has come from a study by MIT and Ford. David Chandler, writing for MIT, explains the study, which says that an interim solution – for certain regions - is … [Read more...]
Member States must decide: cash for climate or cash for carbon?
Over 3 billion euros of EU money meant for Europe’s poorer regions could be up for grabs by the fossil fuel industry if EU Member States do not change their current position on 25 June. The funding, which is part of the 374 billion Euro ‘Cohesion Policy’ pot, was - in the European Commission’s proposal - meant to go to sustainable economic activities. Yet if EU Member States get their way, a significant portion of the funding would be made … [Read more...]
Advanced Aviation Biofuels: ready for take-off?
A survey by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) of leading biofuel investors and producers worldwide reveals that they are still struggling to get governments to deliver the right regulatory framework – and carbon pricing – to ensure biojet fuel’s rapid growth. Scaled up, the fuel also needs to come down in price to compete with jet fuel’s 50 eurocents per litre. Technological progress is being made. But biofuel investment has … [Read more...]
Smart Charging: parked EV batteries can save billions in grid balancing
95% of a car’s time is spent parked. It’s why parked and plugged-in EVs could be the battery banks of the future, stabilising grids powered by wind and solar. More than 1bn EVs could be on the road by 2050, their 14 TWh of EV batteries dwarfing the projected 9 TWh of stationary batteries, according to the IRENA report “Innovation Outlook: smart charging for electric vehicles”. Smart charging could therefore save billions of dollars in grid … [Read more...]
The European Battery Alliance is moving up a gear
Europe needs batteries, primarily for clean mobility and grid stabilisation. But EU lithium-ion cell manufacturing is less than 3% of the global share, and mainly for high-end niche markets, not the automotive sector. If Europe doesn’t act fast, catching up with Asia will become impossible, writes Carole Mathieu of the IFRI’s Centre for Energy, reflecting the views of the European Battery Alliance (EBA). It’s a strategic imperative, given the … [Read more...]
New Car sales data shows EVs still a luxury as Petrols keep rising
It’s hard to argue that the EV revolution is around the corner when petrol car sales keep rising. Yes, diesel sales are falling, but more people are switching to petrol than EVs. This month, two data releases from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) show that EV’s big gains are only happening in the high income countries. Even wealthy Norway’s 49.1% EV market share is an exception. The nations that come second and third are … [Read more...]
Electric Cars: only big subsidies lift market share off the 1.5% floor
You only need to compare the US to Norway to see how the main driver for EV sales is coming from government subsidies. Total Norwegian EV incentives cut the cost of running a typical 60 kWh battery pack from over $200/kWh to negative $336/kWh. US incentives bring it down to negative $23/kWh. The consequences are clear: generous Norway sees EVs take 31% of the market share in cars. In the US it’s 1.4%. That makes EVs a luxury item in the US (like … [Read more...]
Leaked German govt report: emissions target will be missed despite on-target renewables
A leaked draft of Germany’s Energiewende Progress Report 2019, due to be released by the economy ministry in May or June, predicts the country will miss its targets for reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by wide margins. This is despite the inevitable emissions reductions due to the 2009 recession and being on track for renewables. If no other measures are taken Germany will reduce emissions by 33% by 2020, falling short of the … [Read more...]
Should electric vehicle drivers pay a mileage tax?
In the U.S., EV drivers don’t pay tax when they buy gasoline. That means EVs have reduced U.S. gasoline tax revenues by $250m annually. It’s only 1% of the total, but that’s because EVs are less than 1% of the vehicle stock. Clearly, as EV numbers increase, so will that lost revenue. As a result, several states are considering imposing a mileage tax on electric vehicle drivers to make up for it. And why not?! EVs are not carbon-zero (most … [Read more...]
German task force agreement on traffic emissions 1/3 off target
During what was billed as the decisive meeting, the German transport commission charged with proposing emissions cuts for the sector could only reach consensus on measures that will lower emissions by around two thirds of the necessary amount. Pro-climate activists, disappointed with the results, nevertheless welcomed the recommendation to look into the introduction of a CO2 price. Meanwhile emissions have actually increased. And VW, siding with … [Read more...]
Clean air transport: batteries or biojet or both – but let’s get on with it
In his last article for Energy Post, Mike Scott looked at how airlines are under increasing pressure to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions rather than offsetting them as they do now. How can it be done? There is no one-size-fits-all solution for the varied size of aircraft and flight distances but that should be no excuse. Battery innovation offers solutions for some cases whilst biojet (aviation biofuel) can fill many of the remaining gaps. … [Read more...]
Airline emissions: pressure is on to reduce, not offset
Oil and gas, shipping, utilities, automotive – the list of sectors that investors have turned their spotlight on to examine their impacts on climate change is growing all the time. The latest to come under pressure is aviation. The airline sector currently accounts for 2% of global CO2 emissions and 12% of transport-related CO2 emissions and its share of total emissions is growing fast. In addition, aviation has climate impacts beyond CO2 … [Read more...]
Millennials aren’t spurning cars after all. They’re driving more than ever
We hoped Millennials would save the planet. Digitally savvy, climate conscious, they would naturally incline towards an emissions-low lifestyle. Sure enough, they were riding bikes, using public transport and, crucially, spurning cars. But Lucas Davis at the Haas School of Business at the University of California reveals data showing they are now buying and driving cars like everyone else. It was the recession that had put them on the bikes and … [Read more...]
Decarbonisation of Transport: Options and Challenges – free Brussels debate and report launch
Decarbonisation of transport remains one of the most challenging aspects of the transition to a sustainable energy system. Focussing on road transport, the European Academies' Science Advisory Council (EASAC)'s upcoming report contains detailed recommendations for actions on the part of all major stakeholders. The report will be officially launched at what promises to be a fascinating event featuring a high-level panel discussion with speakers … [Read more...]
Sails make a comeback as shipping heads for complete decarbonisation by 2035
Last year’s ITF report asserts that an almost complete decarbonisation of shipping could be achieved by 2035 using currently known technologies. Whilst LNG is gaining momentum, hydrogen, ammonia and biofuels could be more sustainable means of delivering much of the required reductions, complemented by a mix of electronic propulsion and wind assistance. The message, according to independent journalist Eric Marx, is “Hold on. There’s a decade of … [Read more...]
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