DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight specialist of Deutsche Post DHL Group, says it will be neutralizing the carbon emissions of all less-than-container load (LCL) ocean freight shipments from 1 January 2021. As one of the leading ocean freight forwarders worldwide, and in line with Deutsche Post DHL... Read more →

A recent report from CE Delft, an independent research and consultancy organization, regarding the climate impact of Exhaust Gas Cleaning (EGC) systems for the marine industry. The study compares the results to the use of low-sulfur marine fuels and is made from a well-to-wake perspective in order to achieve an... Read more →

A new analysis of the real-world usage of more than 100,000 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles shows a large deviation between on-road CO2 emissions and fuel efficiency and the official vehicle type-approval values. The results of the joint study, released by German Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI and... Read more →

Anticipating increasing desire from airlines to reduce emissions, Neste and Shell Aviation have entered into a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supply agreement. This agreement significantly increases the supply and availability of SAF for the aviation industry with effect from October 2020. It brings together Neste’s expertise in the production and... Read more →

Tula Technology is presenting its diesel Dynamic Skip Fire (dDSF) technology (earlier post) at the 4th Future Diesel Powertrain Summit China 2020 on 24-25 September 2020 in Shanghai, China. In addition to providing an overview of dDSF technology, the presentation will address the Cummins-Tula 15L Heavy-Duty dDSF Project as well... Read more →

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has added two test stands to its Exhaust Composition Transient Operation Laboratory — ECTO-Lab. This computer-controlled, multi-fueled burner system simulates engine exhaust conditions to conduct steady-state and transient evaluations, including the ability to age a wide range of emission control systems rapidly. The ECTO-Lab expansion includes... Read more →

Sweden has an ambitious target of being fossil-free by 2045. As a part of the initiative, the Swedish Government announced on 11 September the introduction of a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction mandate for aviation fuel sold in Sweden in 2021. The reduction level will be 0.8% in 2021, and gradually... Read more →

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines has paid $253,300 in penalties to the California Air Resources Board for violating the Ocean-Going Vessel At-Berth Regulation. The rule requires container, passenger and refrigerated cargo ships to reduce emissions while docked at California’s busiest ports, including Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, Hueneme, San Francisco and San... Read more →

As of September 2022, new cars must meet EU limits on NOx emissions under real driving conditions to comply with air pollution limits, the European Parliament has voted. Data on car emissions such as NOx had been obtained through laboratory tests. The EU is the first region in the world... Read more →

Audi is adding a new member to its A3 family: the A3 Sportback 30 g-tron natural gas vehicle. Operation with natural gas or biomethane makes the compact model economical and more climate-friendly with low emissions. Sales in Germany and other European countries begin in fall 2020 at a base price... Read more →

Volvo Cars has introduced a world-first premium air quality technology in its cars, allowing Volvo drivers to breathe clean and healthy air inside their cars and clean the air of their cabin ahead of their journey. The company’s new Advanced Air Cleaner technology comes with a sensor that measures PM2.5... Read more →

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), USDepartment of Justice (DOJ), and California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced a proposed settlement with Daimler AG and its American subsidiary Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC resolving alleged violations of the Clean Air Act and California law associated with emissions cheating. Under the proposed settlement, lodged... Read more →

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. announced new and extended contracts for more than 20 million gallons of Redeem renewable natural gas (RNG) to accommodate the continued demand across key business segments for the ultra-low carbon fuel produced from organic waste. Alpha Lion, which carries mail for the US Postal Service between... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board has approved the first three Community Emissions Reduction Programs (CERP) within the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) under Assembly Bill 617. Residents living in the three communities are heavily impacted from high levels of air pollution sources including ports and inland warehouses traffic.... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board settled eight diesel cases totaling more than $130,000 for violations of the Truck and Bus Regulation in the Imperial Valley. The Truck and Bus Regulation protects public health by reducing emissions of diesel particulate matter, oxides of nitrogen, and other pollutants from diesel-fueled vehicles. This... Read more →

Uber is committing to become a fully zero-emission platform by 2040, with 100% of rides taking place in zero-emission vehicles, on public transit, or with micromobility. The company is also setting an earlier goal to have 100% of rides take place in electric vehicles (EVs) in US, Canadian, and European... Read more →

BASF’s Coatings division is presenting a new advanced refinish product line. By increasing the efficiency and significantly lowering the environmental impact, the products are designed to meet the highest expectations of modern body shops. During the development of the waterborne basecoat line, the focus was put on sustainable aspects: The... Read more →

Ricardo plc has made a public commitment to its shareholders, customers and workforce to achieve net zero carbon emissions from its operations by the end of calendar year 2030. Ricardo has been working actively towards this goal of achieving Net Zero carbon emissions for some time and has been helping... Read more →

Asphalt is a near-ubiquitous substance—it’s found in roads, on roofs and in driveways—but its chemical emissions rarely figure into urban air quality management plans. A new study now finds that asphalt is a significant source of air pollutants in urban areas, especially on hot and sunny days. Yale researchers found... Read more →

Aviation accounts for 3.5% of the human-made climate impact; two-thirds of this impact are caused by emissions other than CO2, according to a new study by researchers in Europe and the US. The study was published in the journal Atmospheric Environment This new study is based on a thorough review... Read more →

In one of the first comprehensive assessments of the fuel economy standards in the United States, researchers from Princeton University and the University of Tennessee found that, over their 40-year history, the standards helped reduce reliance on foreign oil producers, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and saved consumers money. Transportation Statistics... Read more →

The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (APRA-E) will award $16.5 million in funding for six projects as part of the Systems for Monitoring and Analytics for Renewable Transportation Fuels from Agricultural Resources and Management (SMARTFARM) program. These projects will develop technologies that bridge the data gap in the biofuel supply chain... Read more →

A new study led by Colorado State University predicts significant climate benefits stemming from the use of advanced biofuel technologies. Accounting for all of the carbon flows in biofuel systems and comparing them to those in grasslands and forests, the team found that there are clear strategies for biofuels to... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board has approved a multi-pronged regulation that will significantly reduce NOx emissions from heavy-duty diesel trucks. The “Heavy-Duty Low NOx Omnibus Regulation” will require manufacturers to comply with tougher emissions standards, overhaul engine testing procedures, and further extend engine warranties to ensure that emissions of NOx... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board approved a new regulation designed to reduce pollution further from ocean-going vessels while docked at California’s busiest ports. The rule builds on progress achieved by the At-Berth Regulation adopted in 2007. That rule has achieved an 80% reduction in harmful emissions from more than 13,000... Read more →

Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) Group became the world’s first shipyard to construct an LNG-fueled very large container ship (VLCS). HHI Group announced that Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (HSHI), its shipbuilding subsidiary, has recently completed sea trial of the 14,800 TEU containership for Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) in the presence... Read more →

Children exposed to higher levels of PM2.5 in the air are more likely to develop asthma and persistent wheezing than children who are not exposed, according to an open-access study by researchers in Denmark published in the BMJ. Other risk factors associated with a higher risk of developing asthma and... Read more →

Air pollution is the world’s leading environmental risk factor, and causes more than nine million deaths per year. New research published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation shows air pollution may play a role in the development of cardiometabolic diseases, such as diabetes. Importantly, the effects were reversible with cessation... Read more →

While California is challenging the Federal government in court to overturn the revocation of California’s waiver enabling the state to issue greenhouse gas restrictions on light-duty vehicles, it has finalized with six participating automakers individual bilateral agreements based upon a Framework unveiled last year. Under the framework agreements, gasoline and... Read more →

A study conducted by Associate Professor Alberto Salvo from the Department of Economics at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences found that households respond to ambient air pollution by increasing electricity consumption, which in turn increases the carbon emissions that are co-produced in supplying... Read more →

A new study led by researchers from Northwestern University projects that if electric vehicles replaced 25% of combustion engine cars currently on the road, the United States would save approximately $17 billion annually by avoiding damages from climate change and air pollution. The open-access paper is published in AGU’s journal... Read more →

In some of the first research to try to address the physiological and molecular impacts of air pollution on wild plants and animals, scientists from the Bangalore Life Science Cluster in India report that air pollution could be devastating for organisms we rely on most for our own survival—like the... Read more →

Canada Nickel Company Inc. has created a wholly-owned subsidiary, NetZero Metals, to begin the research and development of a processing facility that would be located in the Timmins, Ontario region with the goal of utilizing existing technologies to produce zero-carbon nickel, cobalt and iron products. The Company has applied for... Read more →

Daimler AG and its subsidiary Mercedes-Benz USA LLC (MBUSA) have reached an agreement in principle with US authorities to settle civil and environmental claims regarding emission control systems of approximately 250,000 diesel passenger cars and vans in the United States. The involved US authorities are the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),... Read more →

NYK Line, Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU), and Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) signed a joint R&D agreement for the commercialization of an ammonia-fueled ammonia gas carrier (AFAGC) that would use ammonia as the main fuel, in addition to an ammonia floating storage and regasification barge (A-FSRB). Ammonia-fueled Ammonia Gas Carrier... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board will consider the proposed Heavy-Duty Low NOx Omnibus Regulation on 27 August 2020. The proposed regulation is intended to ensure reductions in smog-forming NOx and protect communities most impacted by air pollution. On-road heavy-duty vehicles are an essential part of the state’s economy. These vehicles... Read more →

Researchers at the University of Surrey (UK) are to begin work on a new lithium-ion battery technology that is capable of capturing CO2 emissions, following a £243,689 award from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The project, which will be led by Dr Yunlong Zhao, will undertake research... Read more →

Car users from the world’s least affluent cities are exposed to a disproportionate amount of in-car air pollution because they rely heavily on opening their windows for ventilation, according to a new global study led by researchers at the University of Surrey. In a study published in the journal Science... Read more →

New research by the IHS Markit Canadian Oil Sands Dialogue shows that the combined greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of Canadian oil sands projects has declined 20% from 2009 levels. The new analysis, using most recent data available, shows trends remaining in line with previous IHS Markit projections that oil sands... Read more →

A new report from Australia’s national science agency CSIRO shows that clean hydrogen can significantly reduce aviation emissions with potential benefits seen within five years. The report, Opportunities for hydrogen in commercial aviation, which had technical input and funding from The Boeing Company, finds that growing hydrogen industry momentum could... Read more →

Researchers from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research Kiel have found that considerable quantities of the greenhouse gas methane escape uncontrolled into the water from abandoned oil and gas wells in the North Sea. The work, published in the International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, confirms earlier studies based... Read more →

Particulate air pollution continues to cut global life expectancy by nearly two years as progress in some countries counterbalances worsening air quality in others, according to the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI). Produced by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), the AQLI is based on frontier... Read more →

Large improvements of air quality in China during the lockdown have been widely reported, but new research shows that two pollutants harmful to human health—fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone—were only slightly reduced. The study, by scientists from the University of Leeds, UK and the Southern University of Science and... Read more →

The BMW Group is making sustainability and resource efficiency central to the company’s strategic direction. Chairman of the Board of Management Oliver Zipse announced initial details of this strategic direction in Munich on Monday and presented the targets the company has set itself for the phase up to 2030. The... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Group announced new technologies to improve the quality of air in vehicles and to create a more pleasant in-vehicle environment for customers. Recognizing the growing concern about air quality, the Group unveiled three new air-conditioning technologies: ‘After-Blow’, ‘Multi-Air Mode’, and ‘Fine Dust Indicator’. The technologies will be introduced... Read more →

The Office of Inspector General of the US Environmental Protection Agency plans to begin an evaluation of the EPA’s actions on the final Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule Part 2. (Earlier post.) The SAFE rule reduces the increase in stringency of CAFE and CO2 emissions to about 1.5% each... Read more →

Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., a unit of Korea Shipbuilding, has been given the green light for its ammonia-propelled ships from Lloyd’s Register. Hyundai Mipo Dockyard intends to commercialize the ammonia-propelled ships by 2025 in cooperation with global engine maker MAN Energy Solutions and Lloyd’s Register. Ammonia has been attracting attention... Read more →

Inspired by naturally occurring processes, a team of Boston College chemists used a multi-catalyst system to convert carbon dioxide to methanol at the lowest temperatures reported with high activity and selectivity. A paper on the work is published in the journal Chem. Methanol is a promising renewable fuel that can... Read more →

Scientists from ExxonMobil, University of California, Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a new material that could capture more than 90% of CO2 emitted from industrial sources using low-temperature steam, requiring less energy for the overall carbon capture process. Laboratory tests indicate the patent-pending materials—tetraamine-functionalized metal organic frameworks—capture... Read more →

OptiFuel Systems, a system integrator of Cummins and BAE Systems hybrid power products for decarbonizing the rail, marine, and microgrid power market, is in the process of finalizing a $2.6 million US Department of Energy (DOE) grant to demonstrate a pre-production Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) hybrid 4,300 hp line-haul locomotive.... Read more →