Polestar announces a 25% cut in emissions per sold car

Polestar’s fourth Annual Sustainability report announces significant GHG reductions, updates on the Polestar 0 project and a continued quest for increased transparency and more sustainable materials. Since the company started measuring in 2020, Polestar has reduced its carbon footprint per sold car by 24.7%. The most significant contributing factors to... Read more →


In a new lifecycle assessment study, researchers from MIT, Georgia Tech, and elsewhere found that burning heavy fuel oil with scrubbers in the open ocean can match or surpass using low-sulfur fuels, when a wide variety of environmental factors is considered. The scientists combined data on the production and operation... Read more →


European Commission proposes 3-year averaging to help manufacturers comply with CO2 emission targets

The European Commission has proposed a targeted amendment to the Regulation setting cO2 emission performance standards for new cars and vans. The amendment introduces a flexibility measure with their CO2 targets between 2025 and 2027. This proposal was announced as part of the Commission’s Industrial Action Plan for the European... Read more →


Bridgestone Corporation has developed a Tire and Road Wear Particles (TRWP) vehicle collection method aimed at understanding the environmental impact of TRWP. TRWP are the result of friction between the tire and the road surface, which is essential to ensuring a safe, comfortable journey. It consists of a mixture of... Read more →


The California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced the state is moving forward with an effort to reduce methane emissions with the help of innovative satellite technology. The project is made possible by a $100-million state budget investment to purchase methane plume data collected by satellites. The technology involves satellite-mounted methane... Read more →


Hino to pay $1.6B to settle emissions case in US; five-year ban on importing diesel engines into US

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that US District Court Judge Mark A. Goldsmith for the Eastern District of Michigan accepted Hino Motors, Ltd.’s guilty plea to a one-count criminal information charging it with having engaged in a multi-year criminal conspiracy to defraud... Read more →


EPA reconsidering 2009 Endangerment Finding; reconsidering light- and medium-duty regulations and GHG standards for heavy-duty vehicles

US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the agency will be kicking off a formal reconsideration of the 2009 Endangerment Finding in collaboration with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and other relevant agencies. EPA also intends to reconsider all of its prior regulations and actions that... Read more →


Selective combustion provides energy-efficient alternative to remove pollutants from industrial processes

Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities discovered a new method by which a catalyst can be used to burn one molecule selectively in a mixture of hydrocarbons. This new method could help in the removal of pollutants and improve efficiency for industrial processes ranging from the production of... Read more →


Yale study finds higher ozone levels increase heart attack risk in young adults

A new study by researchers at Yale University has found that higher ozone levels increase heart attack risk in young adults, particularly 4–5 days after exposure. This risk was higher for non-ST elevation (damage to the heart muscle often caused by the partial blockage of a coronar artery) and type... Read more →


A study by the University of Southampton has found microscopic particles emitted from certain types of commonly fitted brake pads can be more toxic than those found in diesel vehicle exhaust. The open-access research, published in the journal Particle and Fibre Toxicology, shows that a higher concentration of copper in... Read more →


Nissan to expand use of green steel in Japan; aims for FY2025 use to be five times higher than FY 2023

Nissan Motor announced that it will expand the use of low-CO2-emission steel manufactured in Japan. Through this initiative, the proportion of low-CO2-emission steel Nissan uses in Japan in fiscal year 2025 is expected to increase by a factor of five compared to fiscal year 2023. Nissan aims to reduce CO2... Read more →


Volvo CE brings low carbon emission steel to serial production of its articulated haulers

As part of efforts to reduce carbon emissions across every area of its business, Volvo CE is now for the first time implementing low carbon emission steel into serial production of all its articulated haulers built in Braås, Sweden. The announcement was made as part of the company’s biggest articulated... Read more →


Anglo American partners with University of Birmingham to commercialize carbon recycling technology for lower emission steelmaking: PeroCycle

Anglo American is partnering with the University of Birmingham and venture-builder Cambridge Future Tech to launch PeroCycle, a new venture aimed at developing and commercializing carbon recycling technology for implementation in steelmaking. PeroCycle will build upon innovations made at the University of Birmingham’s School of Chemical Engineering by Professor Yulong... Read more →


Catalina Express, Harbor Breeze Cruises and Port of Los Angeles receive $31M to test zero-emission vessels

In partnership with Catalina Express and Harbor Breeze Cruises, the Port of Los Angeles will soon begin emission-reduction technology demonstration projects for specialized harbor craft, due to a $31-million grant awarded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The project will involve testing and evaluation of two different harbor craft... Read more →


Hino to pay $237M settlement to California; part of $1.5B federal settlement

California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced a $236.5-million settlement with heavy-duty engine manufacturer Hino Motors, Ltd., Hino Motors Manufacturing U.S.A. Inc. and Hino Motors Sales U.S.A. Inc. (collectively, Hino), a subsidiary of Toyota Motors Corporation. It is part of a larger federal settlement... Read more →


ARPA-E awarding $38M to 9 projects to reduce ethanol-related emissions; TEOSYNTE

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) will award $38 million to projects to develop technologies that reduce synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use in corn and sorghum farming—key crops for US ethanol production. The Technologies to Emend and Obviate SYnthetic Nitrogen’s Toll on Emissions (TEOSYNTE) program aims... Read more →


The European Union (EU) via the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) has awarded a €1.8-million grant to a research project to establish decarbonization technologies for the steelmaking industry. The program aims to establish a process for injecting hydrogen using the Sequence Impulse Process (SIP) technology directly into the... Read more →


KIT and Fraunhofer ITWM researchers investigate the factors influencing tire wear on electrified vehicles; RAMUS project

The German Federal Environment Agency estimates that the contact of tires with the road surface produces abrasion particles amounting to at least 100,000 tons per year. This corresponds to approximately one-third of the microplastic emissions released every year in Germany. Due to their higher weight, vehicles with an electric drive... Read more →


Finish Thompson Inc. (FTI), a leader in pump manufacturing, is highlighting its Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) drum pumps, designed to meet the demands of modern Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems. These pumps offer reliability, compatibility, and versatility, making them suitable for a wide range of industrial settings. The PF Series... Read more →


Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation announced the development of the Integrated Greenhouse Gas Information System (IGIS), a platform designed to monitor, quantify and manage carbon emissions throughout the entire vehicle lifecycle. By leveraging Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, IGIS provides detailed quantification and tracking of carbon emissions throughout the... Read more →


New York enacts legislation requiring fossil fuel companies pay $3B annually for “climate damage repair”

New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation (S.2129-B/A.3351-B) requiring fossil fuel companies to contribute $3 billion annually for “climate damage repair” over 25 years for a total of up to $75 billion. By creating a Climate Change Adaptation Cost Recovery Program, this law—modeled on federal Superfund legislation—ensures that these companies... Read more →


Stellantis to pay $4.2M for violations of CARB air quality regulations; defeat devices in 3.0L diesels

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) reached a settlement agreement with FCA US LLC (FCA) of Auburn Hills, Mich., for $4,185,820 for violations of CARB’s air quality regulations. The FCA vehicles involved in the settlement include model year (MY) 2014 through 2016 Ram ProMaster 1500, 2500, and 3500 vehicles equipped... Read more →


DOE, EPA awarding $850M to 43 projects to reduce methane pollution from the oil and gas sector

The US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy announced approximately $850 million for projects selected for negotiation that will help small oil and gas operators, Tribes, and other entities across the country to reduce, monitor, measure, and quantify methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. The... Read more →


EPA grants California waivers for two clean vehicle regulations

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved waivers for two California clean vehicle regulations that will allow the state to implement and enforce its Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulations for light-duty vehicles, and its “Omnibus” low-NOx regulation for heavy-duty highway and off-road vehicles and engines. Under the... Read more →


The World Economic Forum’s latest Net Zero Industry Tracker shows progress in reducing emissions across eight hard-to-abate sectors—steel, aluminium, cement, primary chemicals, oil and gas, aviation, shipping and trucking. Together, these critical industries, which play a crucial role in the global economy, achieved a 0.9% reduction in absolute emissions from... Read more →


DEUTZ AG is strengthening its technology and production expertise to make combustion engines even more efficient and cleaner by acquiring a stake in HJS Emission Technology GmbH & Co. KG, a specialist in exhaust gas aftertreatment. To this end, both parties signed an agreement end of November, under which DEUTZ... Read more →


Study estimates 151M excess mental disorders attributable to lead in gasoline in US

A new study by a research team from Florida State University and Duke University has found that an estimated 151 million excess mental disorders can be attributable to lead exposure from gasoline. The study is published in the Journal of Child Psychiatry and Psychology. More than half of the current... Read more →


Europe’s container ships pollute as much per container as they did six years ago, new EU shipping data shows, according to analysis by European transportation NGO T&E. T&E calls for stricter efficiency measures to ensure shipping companies sail slower and invest in energy saving technologies such as wind. According to... Read more →


Study finds that when anticipating the end of oil, industry cuts investments and produces less

A new National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) working paper by Ryan Kellogg, a professor and deputy dean for academic programs at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy finds that when oil producers anticipate a long-run decline in demand for oil, they begin investing less into exploration... Read more →


ArcelorMittal slows making final investment decisions on European decarbonization plans

ArcelorMittal has previously announced the intention to invest in lower carbon emissions “hydrogen ready” DRI-EAF (DIrect Reduced Iron - Electric Arc Furnace) facilities to replace several blast furnaces across its European business as a key strategic first step towards reducing emissions. In all cases, the host countries offered funding support... Read more →


EPA proposes tighter limits on NOx emissions from new stationary combustion turbines

The US Environmental Protection Agency proposed to strengthen limits on emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from most new, modified, and reconstructed fossil fuel-fired stationary combustion turbines. The proposal would ensure that new turbines built at power plants or industrial facilities—especially large ones that could operate for decades—would be among the... Read more →


EPA finalizes rule to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas sector; Waste Emissions Charge

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. The rule facilitates implementation of Congress’s directive in the Inflation Reduction Act to collect a Waste Emissions Charge. Congress established the charge on large emitters of methane if their emissions... Read more →


The carbon footprint from private jet travel grew 46% between 2019 and 2023 according to a new open-access study published in Communications Earth & Environment. The European research team calculated the sector’s CO2 emissions using flight tracker data from the ADS-B Exchange platform for the period 2019 to 2023. Flight... Read more →


Technology group Wärtsilä has introduced its innovative NextDF feature for the Wärtsilä 25DF dual-fuel engine. While operating on liquefied natural gas (LNG), the NextDF feature reduces methane emissions to less than 2% of fuel use across all load points, achieving as low as 1.1% in a wide load range. The... Read more →


Bay Area Air District and CARB fine Valero Refining $82M for air quality violations from hydrogen system

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced a nearly $82-million penalty in a joint case to address significant air pollution violations by Valero Refining Co. at its Benicia refinery. This penalty is the largest ever assessed in the Air District’s history. More... Read more →


Rio Tinto has completed the transition from conventional to renewable diesel for all heavy mining equipment at its Kennecott copper mine in Utah, giving the mine one of the lowest carbon footprints of any copper producer in the United States. Kennecott’s fleet of 97 haul trucks and heavy machinery equipment... Read more →


Mazda selects ABB’s new RB1000i-S paint atomizers to accelerate sustainability

ABB’s latest RB1000i-S high-transfer efficiency paint atomizers have been installed at Mazda’s Ujina plant, Japan, as the automotive manufacturer accelerates efforts to achieve carbon neutrality in its global production facilities by 2035. The digitally-enabled atomizers, which began operation earlier this year, significantly reduce paint usage by increasing the paint transfer... Read more →


At the International Suppliers Fair (IZB) in Wolfsburg, Germany, Volkswagen Group and thyssenkrupp Steel signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the planned supply to Volkswagen Group of low-carbon steel from thyssenkrupp Steel’s future direct reduction plant. thyssenkrupp Steel’s direct reduction plant, which is scheduled to go into operation in... Read more →


South Korean Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, along with the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, the First Vice Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy visited POSCO’s Pohang Steelworks on 17 October to discuss measures for boosting investment and toured around the proposed site for hydrogen-based steelmaking and the operations at... Read more →


EPA awarding about $125M under Diesel Emissions Reduction Act

The US Environmental Protection Agency announced selections totaling nearly $125 million under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) National Grants Program which will incentivize and accelerate the upgrade or retirement of older diesel engines to cleaner and zero-emission solutions leading to significant emission reductions and air quality and public health... Read more →


The lack of air-quality monitoring capabilities across the US affects the health of millions of people and disproportionately impacts minority and low socioeconomic-status communities, according to a new open-access study by researchers from UC Berkeley and the University of Washington, published in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology Letters. Motivated by... Read more →


A team of researchers from University of California Riverside, BASF, Virginia Tech and Brookhaven National Laboratory have mixed platinum (Pt) catalyst with zeolites to improve significantly catalytic performance in the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides (NOx) with H2 (H2-SCR), a process aiming at NOx removal from internal combustion engines... Read more →


Researchers find that gaseous emissions from brake wear can form secondary particulate matter

In an open-access paper in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers in Sweden demonstrate, for the first time, that the photooxidation of gaseous brake wear emissions can lead to formation of secondary particulate matter, which could amplify the environmental impact of brake wear emissions. Due to increasingly strict controls of exhaust... Read more →


Alstom and SSAB in partnership for fossil emission-free steel

Alstom and SSAB entered a partnership for the supply of steel made with close to zero fossil carbon emissions. The first delivery of SSAB Zero will take place this year and be used in Alstom’s first Traxx Shunter locomotives, a new platform designed for shunting and trackwork operations. SSAB Zero... Read more →


EPA and Justice Department announce settlement to reduce benzene and volatile organic compounds emissions from wastewater at Lima Refining Company’s refinery in Ohio

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a settlement agreement with the Lima Refining Company (LRC) resolving alleged Clean Air Act violations for excess emissions from wastewater of benzene and other volatile organic compounds from its refinery in Lima, Ohio. Under the settlement, LRC... Read more →


A new report by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) finds that only four of the 17 major automakers selling vehicles in Europe and North America have committed to start using any fossil-free steel by 2030. The commitments total an estimated 2% of the global steel used by all... Read more →


Methane emissions increase by 20% in 20 years

The newly released Global Methane Budget 2024 highlights methane emissions from human activities have increased by 20% in the past two decades. Methane is one of three core greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. It lasts in the atmosphere for just a few decades, which is shorter when compared... Read more →


The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is launching a new program to enhance air quality monitoring across the state, with a heavy focus on communities where residents live near multiple sources of pollution. The goal of the program, known as the Statewide Mobile Monitoring Initiative (SMMI), is to get more... Read more →


In 2024, a small electric SUV with a range of 300 miles produces 52% fewer life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than a comparable gasoline vehicle, according to Argonne National Laboratory’s R&D GREET Model. R&D GREET is a life cycle analysis (LCA) model that assesses the energy use and environmental... Read more →


The global concentrations of particulate matter have been graphically illustrated for the first time by a team of scientists. Data from computer simulations and satellite observations were combined to estimate the changing concentrations of particulate matter since the beginning of the industrial revolution, with the colur palette for the stripes... Read more →