The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $5,959,842 million in research funding to nine institutions to improve air quality models used to simulate ozone, particulate matter (PM), regional haze, air toxics, and emerging pollutants. Research supported by these grants will improve air quality models—specifically the component of models that represent... Read more →

Although large emissions cuts are urgently needed to achieve global climate goals, it may take decades before we can measure the effect of the reductions on global temperature evolution, according to a new study by researchers at Norway’s CICERO Center for International Climate Research. In the open-access study, published in... Read more →

Replacing a gasoline-powered ride-hailing vehicle with an electric vehicle can deliver three times the carbon benefits of a personally owned electric vehicle, according to a study by a University of California, Davis, researcher of Uber and Lyft data. The paper is published in the journal Nature Energy. Ride-hailing vehicles travel... Read more →

The Environment Committee of the European Parliament voted to include CO2 emissions from the maritime sector in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). The European Commission had put forward a proposal to revise the EU system for monitoring, reporting and verifying CO2 emissions from maritime transport (the “EU MRV Regulation”)... Read more →

Neste, the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) produced from waste and residue raw materials, has delivered its first batch of sustainable aviation fuel to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) via pipeline, where it will be used by major airlines committed to reducing carbon emissions.... Read more →

Mike Manley, the CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and the current European Association of Automobile Manufacturers (ACEA) president, has sent a letter to Thierry Breton, Commissioner for the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, European Commission, requesting a 6-month postponement of the application dates of key upcoming EU standards,... Read more →

In an open-access study in the EGU journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, an international team of researchers reports that the greenhouse gas sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is rapidly accumulating in the atmosphere, driven by the demand for SF6-insulated switchgear in developing countries. Simmonds et al. Of all the greenhouse gases regulated... Read more →

The technology group Wärtsilä, in close customer cooperation with Knutsen OAS Shipping AS and Repsol, as well as with the Sustainable Energy Catapult Centre, will commence the world’s first long-term, full-scale, testing of ammonia as a fuel in a marine four-stroke combustion engine. (Earlier post.) The testing is made possible... Read more →

Norsepower Oy Ltd., the leading global provider of auxiliary wind propulsion systems, and SEA-CARGO, leading logistics provider in the North Sea market, announced an agreement to install two of Norsepower’s largest Rotor Sails (earlier post) on board the SC Connector, a sidedoor Ro-Ro. The agreement also marks the installation of... Read more →

A collaboration between Neste, HERE Technologies, and PTV Group indicates that traffic-related CO2 emissions can be reduced by choosing the right driving route, especially in urban areas on short trips with private cars. Earlier this spring, Neste and its partners tested the emissions of different route options by installing measuring... Read more →

A new study finds that automated pollution monitors in China led to more accurate readings and that citizens used this information to protect themselves better against the harms of air pollution. Less than a decade ago, not only was air pollution a recognized problem in China, but many didn’t trust... Read more →

The BMW Group now has a contractual agreement with it cell manufacturers so that they will use only green power to produce BMW’s fifth-generation battery cells, according to BMW AG Management Board Chairman Oliver Zipse. The production of high-voltage batteries is energy-intensive, and accounts for up to 40% of a... Read more →

Truck manufacturer Navistar Inc. has paid $2 million to resolve allegations that it altered heavy-duty vehicle engines from their certified design, potentially causing excess diesel emissions and negatively impacting air quality. The Illinois-based company modified its vehicle calibrations from their certified design through “running changes” in the engines of its... Read more →

Mercedes-Benz Vans is introducing a new 2.0-liter 4-cylinder diesel engine for the Sprinter Cargo Van. This powertrain produces 161 hp and 266 lb-ft 9360 N·m) of torque and is paired with a 7-speed automatic transmission. The 2.0-liter 4-cylinder diesel Cargo variant will join the versatile Sprinter lineup in the US... Read more →

In connection with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, satellite measurements made headlines showing how much the air pollutant nitrogen dioxide (NO2) had decreased in China and northern Italy. In Germany, traffic density is the most important factor. However, weather also has an influence on NO2 concentrations, according to a... Read more →

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted petitions to add 1-bromopropane (1-BP) to the list of hazardous air pollutants regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA). This is the first time since 1990 that EPA has granted a petition to add a hazardous air pollutant to the CAA. Petitioners... Read more →

According to provisional data published by the European Environment Agency (EEA), average CO2 emissions from new passenger cars registered in the European Union (EU), Iceland, Norway and the United Kingdom (UK), increased in 2019, for the third consecutive year. The average CO2 emissions from new vans also increased slightly. Zero-... Read more →

A group of leading shipping industry companies are taking the next step to develop new fuel types and technologies by launching the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping. The founding company partners behind this initiative are ABS, A.P. Møller - Mærsk, Cargill, MAN Energy Solutions, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries,... Read more →

The Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association (MECA) released a new report quantifying a county level MOVES emissions inventory in the continental US (CONUS) 48 states and subsequent air quality modeling report of a potential scenario should the US EPA Cleaner Trucks Initiative (CTI) be finalized as a national program at... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board has adopted a first-in-the-world rule—the Advanced Clean Trucks(earlier post)—requiring truck manufacturers to transition from diesel trucks and vans (Class 2b to Class 8) to electric zero-emission trucks beginning in 2024. By 2045, every new truck sold in California will be zero-emission. The proposed regulation has... Read more →

Ford Motor Company intends to achieve carbon neutrality globally by 2050, while setting interim targets to address climate change challenges more urgently. Carbon neutrality refers to achieving zero carbon emissions by balancing such emissions with carbon removal. To achieve its goal, Ford will focus initially on three areas that account... Read more →

As the number of heavy-duty vehicles increases, roads are being subjected to even higher loads, usually requiring replacement after ten to twelve years. An innovative bitumen additive from BASF has been designed to help roads last longer. BASF has spent several years developing the additive together with the Institute of... Read more →

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced the “Clean Cars Nevada” initiative, which will evaluate the adoption of new regulations to provide Nevadans with more choices for low and zero emission electric passenger cars and trucks at dealerships throughout the state beginning in 2024. Also referred to as “Clean Car Standards” which... Read more →

A team of researchers, led by Professor Gavin Shaddick at the University of Exeter, has shown that, despite global efforts to improve air quality, half of the world’s population is exposed to increasing air pollution. The study, carried out with the World Health Organization, suggests that air pollution constitutes a... Read more →

Mercedes-AMG is moving ahead with electrification through innovative developments while also benefiting from motorsport know-how. An electric exhaust gas turbocharger, which in future will be used for the first time in a series production model, is already in the final stages of development. Developed in partnership with Garrett Motion, this... Read more →

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have found a link between traffic-related air pollution and an increased risk for changes in brain development relevant to neurodevelopmental disorders. Their study, based on rodent models, corroborates previous epidemiological evidence showing this association. While air pollution has long been a concern for... Read more →

New research from Energy Innovation and the Environmental Defense Fund calculates that California’s Advanced Clean Trucks rule proposal—the first of its kind in the US—will generate between $7-$12 billion in overall economic savings by 2040 and would also help create a market for up to 500,000 new electric trucks across... Read more →

Pursuant to section 95489(c)(3)(B) of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) Regulation, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Executive Officer has posted the final 2017 Crude Average Carbon Intensity calculation: 12.52 CI (gCO2e/MJ). The 2019 CI is up from 2018 (12.35) and from 2017 (11.93); volume delivered to California refineries... Read more →

BMW i Ventures has invested in Prometheus Fuels (earlier post), a company removing CO2 from the air and turning it into zero-net carbon gasoline that it will sell at gas stations, at a price that competes with fossil fuels, starting as early as this year. The ability to create gasoline... Read more →

A study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a center supported by the “la Caixa” Foundation, contributes new evidence about the negative impact of air pollution on cardiovascular health. The results of the study, which analyzed the relationship between several cardiovascular markers and personal exposure to two... Read more →

The Volvo Cars manufacturing plant in Chengdu, the company’s largest in China, is now powered by 100% renewable electricity, taking the company’s global renewable electricity mix in its manufacturing network to 80%. The 100% renewable electricity mix in Chengdu is the result of a newly signed supply contract and will... Read more →

The California Energy Commission has released a UC Irvine roadmap for the buildout and deployment of renewable hydrogen production plants in California to support policy decisions and inform stakeholders. The study concludes that, with appropriate policy support, the renewable hydrogen sector can reach self-sustainability (price point at parity with conventional... Read more →

The US Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced approximately $130 million in grant selections through the Low- or No-Emission (Low-No) Grant program, which funds the deployment of transit buses and infrastructure for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses and supporting facilities. In this... Read more →

Scientists, engineers, and analysts with the US Department of Energy’s Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative are examining how simultaneous improvements to fuels and engines can improve efficiency and reduce emissions and costs for the entire on-road fleet, including light-duty (LD), medium-duty (MD), and heavy-duty (HD) internal combustion vehicles... Read more →

The California Energy Commission (CEC) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) will host a remote-access workshop to solicit feedback on the forthcoming, first of its kind, joint solicitation for the Zero-Emission Drayage Truck and Infrastructure Pilot Project. This is a combined effort, with funding provided by CEC’s Clean Transportation... Read more →

Ricardo Inc., the North American operating arm of UK-based Ricardo plc and specialists in advanced propulsion, software and thermal management, signed an agreement to partner with Iowa-based Excel Engineering, which includes the sale of Ricardo’s Michigan engine testing and prototype facility. The agreement allows Ricardo, with offices in Detroit, Chicago,... Read more →

The technology group Wärtsilä has joined a consortium of key partners to form Zero Emission Services B.V. (ZES), an enterprise aimed at making inland waterway shipping more sustainable. The other founders of ZES are ING Bank, energy and technical service provider Engie, and the Port of Rotterdam Authority. The concept... Read more →

SSAB, LKAB and Vattenfall, the partners in the joint venture HYBRIT (earlier post), are preparing for the construction of a demonstration plant for the production of fossil-free steel on an industrial scale. Consultations have begun for deciding on placement of the plant in Norrbotten, Sweden. The plan is for construction... Read more →

Southwest Research Institute engineers have developed the next generation of clean diesel engine technology to reduce hazardous nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon dioxide emissions while minimizing fuel consumption. Working with regulatory agencies, vehicle manufacturers and suppliers, SwRI combined engine modifications with integrated aftertreatment technology and control strategies to reach near-zero... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board has reached a settlement of $1,927,800 with American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) to resolve clean-air violations related to the sale of small off-road engines in California. The violations involved small off-road engines used in generators and lawn and garden equipment. Through extensive tests in... Read more →

A new UCLA study in zebrafish identified the process by which air pollution can damage brain cells, potentially contributing to Parkinson’s disease. Published in the journal Toxicological Sciences, the findings show that chemicals in diesel exhaust can trigger the toxic buildup of a protein in the brain called alpha-synuclein, which... Read more →

Seven Japan-based companies—Asahi Tanker Co., Ltd.; Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.; Exeno Yamamizu Corporation; Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.; Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.; Tokyo Electric Power Company; and Mitsubishi Corporation—have formed the e5 Consortium, with the goal of establishing new ocean shipping infrastructure services through various initiatives to... Read more →

The VW diesel scandal began on 18 September 2015. On the opening day of the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a Notice of Violation: VW diesel engines with 1.6 and 2.0 liters displacement (type code EA 189) contained illegal software designed to manipulate... Read more →

Lightning Systems, a leading developer of zero-emission powertrains, has received reaccreditation under bp’s Advancing Low Carbon (ALC) program. The ALC program was created by bp to encourage bp and its partners to identify lower carbon opportunities. Activities within the program include everything from low carbon products to global research initiatives... Read more →

A preliminary analysis of global data has found that carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel sources reached a maximum daily decline of 17% in April as a result of drastic decline in energy demand that have occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Percentage change in global daily fossil CO2 emissions, Jan-May... Read more →

The construction sector accounts for a quarter of CO2 emissions, in Sweden and globally. Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg studied the construction of an 8km stretch of road in detail and calculated how much emissions can be reduced now and until 2045, looking at... Read more →

Southwest Research Institute has launched a new automotive emissions aftertreatment catalyst testing facility, expanding the capacity and capabilities of its Universal Synthetic Gas Reactor (USGR) technology. These systems simulate real-world exhaust gas conditions to characterize catalyst performance quickly and accurately. The Catalyst Technology Center includes two new USGR systems, bringing... Read more →

Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute have developed a web tool called the Carculator that can be used to compare the environmental performance of passenger cars in detail. The program determines the environmental balance of vehicles with different size classes and powertrains, and presents the results in comparative graphics. The... Read more →

Levels of two major air pollutants have been reduced significantly since lockdowns began in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but a secondary pollutant—ground-level ozone—has increased in China, according to new research. Two new studies in AGU’s journal Geophysical Research Letters find nitrogen dioxide pollution over northern China, Western Europe and... Read more →

FCA says that its latest Global Warming Potential (GWP) analysis found that the redesigned-for-2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited has an overall GWP 15% lower than that of its predecessor. The GWP improvement was calculated using industry-standard software that examines multiple factors associated with a vehicle’s design, production and on-road performance. These... Read more →