Taxation is an effective way to steer people towards zero-emission cars. But there is wide variation between European countries in how this is done, and therefore the results. Griffin Carpenter at Transport & Environment (T&E) summarises their report “The good tax guide: A comparison of car taxation in Europe” that covers seven forms of car taxation across 31 European countries in detail. The ultimate goal should be to create a clear … [Read more...]
Investing in Hydrogen: is there a “first mover advantage”?
Is there a “first mover advantage” – or not - for an investor in the new hydrogen economy? Michiel Korthals Altes offers a series of “tests” of investment decisions based on the following criteria: economics, climate efficiency, system optimum, price stability, regulation, technology, now and in the future. He concludes that until the sector reaches maturity, conversion inefficiencies make the production of hydrogen a poor choice for most … [Read more...]
EVs are on track for net-zero emissions
The IEA says “Electric Vehicles” is one category that is on track to meet their Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario. Road transport accounts for 16% of global emissions. Recent years have seen exponential growth in the sale of EVs, together with improved range, wider model availability and increased performance. The IEA estimates that 13% of new cars sold in 2022 will be electric. Most of the progress is taking place in established markets – i.e. … [Read more...]
Aviation emissions: don’t wait for CORSIA. Strengthen EU ETS and Fit-for-55
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has projected growth in flights of 40% between 2018 and 2035. So how do we reduce aviation emissions? The global implementation of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) remains low. Meanwhile, Europe’s EU ETS has helped reduce the sector’s emissions by around 17m tonnes of CO2eq per year - but it did not bring a net decrease in emissions. Technological progress … [Read more...]
Hydrogen imports: strict rules can deliver a win-win for Europe and developing nations
### Today’s article flags up a fascinating panel discussion on the book “Touching Hydrogen Future”, as part of the European Hydrogen Week taking place from 24-28 October 2022. This webinar, on Oct 28 at 10:00 CEST, will be blue-sky thinking about the future of the hydrogen economy. Global in scope, it will dive into how a hydrogen-powered future might look in the Netherlands, Greece, Ukraine and Morocco. REGISTER HERE ### The EU is moving … [Read more...]
New U.S. study: damage per ton of CO2 costs $185, not the official $51
Maximilian Auffhammer at the Energy Institute at Haas reviews a new paper that suggests CO2 causes over three times as much damage in dollar terms as the figure currently used by the US government, $51 per ton. The new study shows $185 per ton of CO2 as the Social Cost of Carbon (SCC). The updated model is superior to previous models, says Auffhammer. It’s also open source, so anyone can use it, criticise it, and tweak the numbers to get … [Read more...]
How to turn a 17-minute private jet flight into investment for green aviation
Flights in private jets are 10 times more polluting than commercial flights, according to T&E. It’s why, this summer, public anger grew over their use by celebrities and rich individuals, following the attention drawn to them by the Twitter account @CelebJets that tracks their use. Kylian Mbappe, Taylor Swift, Kylie Jenner, Elon Musk and many more: sports stars, pop stars, rich entrepreneurs, they were all named along with the very short … [Read more...]
Electrochemical CO2 removal: efficient, cheaper, first industrial client
Leda Zimmerman at MIT describes a method of removing CO2 electrochemically, now being taken forward by MIT spin-off company Verdox. Electrodes are coated with polyanthraquinone. When it is charged, CO2 sticks to it. When it’s time to store it away, the charge is reversed and the gas is expelled as a pure stream of CO2. The technology works in a wide range of CO2 concentrations, from the 20% or higher found in cement and steel industry exhaust … [Read more...]
China: decades of support for innovation is now delivering results
The evolution of China’s clean energy sector used to be based on a technology catch-up approach, which meant secondary innovation based on imported technologies. Daisy Chi at ECECP looks at the IEA’s recent report, “Tracking Clean Energy Innovation: Focus on China”, to conclude that the nation is now a major force in clean energy innovation. Decades of innovation-focussed policies, strong funding support, institutional reforms, big targets and … [Read more...]
Copenhagen will miss its 2025 net-zero target: a case study of how pledges fail
Copenhagen is going to miss its 2025 net-zero target. The reason can be taken as a template for why we may soon see other failing pledges from governments and corporates. Kirstine Lund Christiansen at the University of Copenhagen and Inge-Merete Hougaard at Lund University explain that Copenhagen’s emissions overspill stems from an unrealistic dependence on technology when the promise was first made in 2012. As the target date got closer, other … [Read more...]
Veracity of corporate net-zero pledges and advertising is being challenged in court
Clean Energy Wire (CLEW) is putting the spotlight on corporate climate pledges, the advertising they use to win customers, and their claims of reducing their emissions. Here, Isabel Sutton at CLEW summarises the major landmark legal cases in multiple countries being brought against corporates by activists and other claimants. Companies under scrutiny include TotalEnergies, KLM, Drax, Shell, BP, Beiersdorf (personal care products), and more. … [Read more...]
New U.S. ‘Buy Clean’ plan earmarks billions for low-carbon cement, steel and other building materials
New guidance from the U.S. federal government, combined with historic Inflation Reduction Act investments, could turbocharge markets for low-carbon cement, steel, and other building materials. Victor Olgyay, Anish Tilak and Connor Usry at Rocky Mountain Institute explain how the new “Buy Clean” recommendations will mean the procurement of green building materials for federal building and transportation projects. That will lead to a boost in … [Read more...]
Is a Carbon Tax the best way to decarbonise the Grid?
Severin Borenstein at the Energy Institute at Haas and Ryan Kellogg at the University of Chicago question whether carbon pricing is the best way to decarbonise the electricity grid. The authors did an empirical analysis of all of the fossil plants in the US. It shows that a CES (clean electricity standard) or zero-emissions subsidies would close down fossil plants in almost the same order as a carbon tax. So using alternative policy tools can … [Read more...]
Carbon Capture is a risky decarbonisation pathway: 13 flagship projects reviewed
The debate around the effectiveness of carbon capture (you can register now for our CCUS session on Wednesday at 10.45 - Editor) has led to polarising views. Although the first implementations began 50 years ago, serious efforts to capture large volumes cost-effectively are in their infancy and unproven at scale. Is it, given time and support, a solution to excess emissions worldwide? Or is it a distraction that will allow fossils to be used yet … [Read more...]
Can China’s 14th 5-year-plan for Renewable Energy deliver an early emissions peak before 2030?
At the beginning of June China released its 14th five-year plan (FYP) for renewable energy for the five years 2021-2025. Hu Min at Innovative Green Development Program, writing for Carbon Brief, reviews the plan’s targets and actions, and its implications. Unchanged from the 13th FYP, 25% of China’s energy will come from non-fossil sources by 2030. But the 14th FYP says at least half of the increase in electricity demand will be covered by … [Read more...]
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