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Li-ion Grid Batteries aren’t always the best replacement for Gas Peakers

April 24, 2023 by Maximilian Auffhammer

Gas peakers need to be replaced with something cleaner. Like grid batteries. But the question is “when”, says Maximilian Auffhammer at the Energy Institute at Haas. Summarising his co-authored paper, he explains that a review of 19 gas peakers in the U.S., replaced with Li-ion grid-scale batteries, reveals only 5 make economic and climate sense (i.e. a positive net present value after including monetised climate and human health impacts). … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Grids Tagged With: batteries, decarbonisation, electricity, emissions, gas, grids, peakers, pollution, US

The problem with CO2e: we need separate emissions data for each climate pollutant (methane, soot, etc.)

March 28, 2023 by Will Atkinson

Currently, we measure non-CO2 emissions by converting their impact into the CO2 equivalent over a 100-year period. The problem is that other pollutants can have their worst impact well within 100 years, like methane (the first 20 years is when the impact of methane is worst). Though CO2 has caused the most warming, other short-lived pollutants have contributed nearly half of the total, particularly methane, black carbon from soot, and some … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Policies Tagged With: Climate, CO2, CO2e, emissions, hydrofluorocarbons, methane, netzero, pollution, soot

Fulfilling U.S. wind and solar ambitions will use under 1% of its land (that’s less than the fossil fuel footprint)

March 16, 2023 by Steve Clemmer

Meeting the U.S.’s wind and solar ambitions in full would take up less than 1% of its land, less than the fossil fuel industry’s current footprint. Steve Clemmer at UCS goes into the details of NREL’s comprehensive study of land use for wind and solar. Of particular interest is the observation that setting a high bar for “responsible siting” of wind and solar projects - avoiding the use of sensitive, protected, urban areas, difficult terrain or … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Renewables Tagged With: Environment, fossils, land, netzero, NREL, pollution, solar, US, waste, wind

Health benefits of Wind Power: first replace the most polluting fossil plants, not the most expensive

December 13, 2022 by Jennifer Chu

It makes economic sense, when intermittent wind (or solar) generation rises, to turn down the most expensive fossil plants. Or does it? Join the dots to health costs and it may make more economic sense to turn down the most polluting plants first. Jennifer Chu at MIT describes research there that creates models and scenarios to interrogate that theory. Using hourly generation records, pollution and health cost data from across the U.S. they found … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Renewables Tagged With: coal, gas, generation, health, Intermittency, pollution, solar, wind

What does the “global carbon budget” mean? Have we got 9 years left?

November 24, 2022 by Piers Forster, Debbie Rosen, Robin Lamboll and Joeri Rogelj

Piers Forster and Debbie Rosen at the University of Leeds and Robin Lamboll and Joeri Rogelj at Imperial College London, writing for Carbon Brief, look at the carbon budget estimates of the Global Carbon Project and the IPCC, the methodology and the inevitable uncertainties. They compare it to their own latest report from the CONSTRAIN research project. Where the GCP and the IPCC estimate nine years left of carbon emissions at current emission … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Policies Tagged With: aerosols, CDR, emissions, GCP, IPCC, methane, methodology, policies, pollution, science, uncertainty

Pollution costs are driving U.S. states to look for alternatives to Gas-Fired Plants

November 4, 2022 by Caitlin Odom and Lauren Shwisberg

In the U.S. a growing number of states and regulators are directing utilities to look for alternatives to proposed gas-fired power plants, citing environmental justice and community health impacts, explain Caitlin Odom and Lauren Shwisberg at RMI. So it’s not just about emissions: pollution matters too. The authors quote studies that show clean energy portfolios (CEPs) not only reduce energy costs, but can save billions of dollars in community … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Oil, Gas & Coal Tagged With: Arizona, California, costs, DemandResponse, efficiency, Environment, gas, health, IRA, justice, Oregon, pollution, solar, storage, US, wind

Turning waste biomass into clean fuel: cheap, portable equipment, cuts emissions, earns income for rural poor

November 2, 2022 by Kathryn O'Neill

The burning of biomass accounts for 10% of primary energy used worldwide: wood, peat, animal dung, corn stalks, rice husks, hay, straw, and other agricultural waste. Billions of people, mainly in remote and poorer regions, rely on such fuels for cooking, heating, and other household needs. But it’s a major source of emissions as well as pollution. And, annually, an estimated $120bn worth of crop and forest residues are burned out in the open … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Biofuels, Energy, Innovations Tagged With: agriculture, biomass, CDR, cooking, crops, forests, heating, India, Kenya, pollution, torrefaction, waste

How to turn a 17-minute private jet flight into investment for green aviation

October 6, 2022 by Transport & Environment

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...]

Filed Under: Energy, Transport and energy Tagged With: aviation, celebrities, electric, emissions, jets, pollution, private, rich, transport

New U.S. ‘Buy Clean’ plan earmarks billions for low-carbon cement, steel and other building materials

September 27, 2022 by Victor Olgyay, Anish Tilak and Connor Usry

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...]

Filed Under: Buildings, Energy Tagged With: asphalt, buildings, cement, decarbonisation, emissions, funding, ghg, glass, pollution, steel, US

Do e-bike subsidies lift sales, change habits and cut emissions?

May 27, 2022 by Lucas Davis

What happened when Sweden introduced a 25% rebate on the cost of an e-bike for 12 months over 2017-18? Lucas Davis at the Haas School of Business reviews a study that digs into the consequences. Sales increased by 70%. E-bike prices remained steady, so the sellers didn’t simply raise prices to eat up the rebate. The study estimates that although a third of those sales would have “happened anyway” (i.e. no additionality) the remaining two-thirds … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Transport and energy Tagged With: Austria, congestion, ebikes, emissions, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, micromobility, mobility, Norway, pollution, Scotland, subsidies, Sweden, transport

Pathway for 100% Renewables in 24 U.S. states by 2035

May 3, 2022 by Paula Garcia

We should not be surprised to see a growing number of 100% renewables roadmaps, with target dates in the 2030s, from nations as the transition gains pace. This study, “On the Road to 100 Percent Renewables” led by The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), details how the 24 states that make up the members of the U.S. Climate Alliance (USCA) can meet all of their electricity needs with renewable energy by 2035. Paula Garcia at UCS summarises the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Renewables Tagged With: coal, electricity, health, jobs, JustTransition, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, pollution, renewables, solar, US, USCA, wind

New York City to stop new buildings connecting to the Gas network

January 25, 2022 by Yu Ann Tan, Amar Shah and Talor Gruenwald

New York City is the U.S.’s largest metropolis, over twice the size of second spot Los Angeles, and is still growing. It has just passed a bill that effectively stops new buildings from hooking up to the gas network. The significance is not simply because of NYC’s global prominence, but because it gets very cold in winter with average temperatures just above freezing point. The move is a major win for the electrification of buildings. The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Oil, Gas & Coal Tagged With: buildings, electricity, gas, heating, HVAC, network, NYC, pollution, US

E-fuels for cars are expensive, and pollute the air as much as petrol

December 13, 2021 by Transport & Environment

MEPs and governments are currently deciding on an EC proposal for all new cars sold from 2035 to be 100% zero-emissions. Here, T&E present test results that show e-fuels should not be allowed to replace petrol. T&E are concerned that e-fuels are being promoted as a way to prolong the life of ICE vehicles. But their tests show that e-fuels produce just as much NOx, three times more carbon monoxide, and twice as much ammonia. Though e-fuels … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Transport and energy Tagged With: ammonia, BEV, CarbonMonoxide, cars, CO2, costs, efuels, electricity, emissions, EVs, ICE, NOx, petrol, pollution, transport, vehicles

Vehicle charge zones: too high, and driver detours can increase emissions

November 25, 2021 by James Sallee

Vehicle congestion charge zones are a way of taxing drivers for the emissions they create. They have great potential to steer polluters towards shorter and/or fewer journeys, and towards cleaner fuels. But it's full potential that has gone mostly untapped. Most “cordon zones” found in big cities like London, Stockholm, Milan and Singapore keep the rules very simple. Journey length is rarely, if ever, taken into account. Importantly, no one is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Transport and energy Tagged With: cordon, emissions, london, Milan, pollution, Singapore, Stockholm, transport, US, vehicles, zones

China’s car sales target: 40% EVs by 2030 will cost CNY 100bn/year (€13bn, $15bn)

May 5, 2021 by Nancy Stauffer

By the end of the 2020s China will phase out EV subsidies and instead rely on a mandate imposed on manufacturers to target 40% of car sales being electric by 2030. Nancy Stauffer at MIT reviews a study that estimates the new rules will result in 66m EVs sold in China in the next 10 years. That will move EVs well into the mainstream and have global consequences. According to the study, the total cost of that transition will be 100bn yuan/year … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Transport and energy Tagged With: BEV, China, costs, emissions, EVs, health, PHEV, pollution, transport

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  • U.S. EPA: new rules proposed for cutting Fossil Fuel-Fired Power Plant emissions by Cy McGeady | posted on May 30, 2023
  • Why hydrogen fuel cell cars are not competitive — from a hydrogen fuel cell expert by Zachary Shahan | posted on June 17, 2016
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      Recent Posts

      U.S. EPA: new rules proposed for cutting Fossil Fuel-Fired Power Plant emissions

      Financing Renewable Hydrogen globally: ramp up to 2030 only needs $150bn/year

      Five charts on the Energy Transition: the 2020s is the decade of maximum disruption. By 2030 the endgame will be clear

      Making Hydrogen direct from seawater using double-membrane electrolysis

      The history of evidence of CO2-driven climate change starts in the mid-1800s

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