An international team of researchers has shown that alkanes participate extensively in autoxidation reactions with oxygen molecules. The discovery, which overturns current chemical wisdom, has implications for air quality prediction and efficient fuel combustion in engines. An open-access paper on the work is published in the journal Communications Chemistry. Oxidation... Read more →

Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with OCI N.V. (OCI) and MAN Energy Solutions (MAN) to develop methanol and ammonia as marine fuels to support industry-wide decarbonization and environmental preservation efforts. The partnership involves using select conventional vessels from EPS’ existing tanker fleet that use MAN... Read more →

FedEx Corp., home of the world’s largest cargo airline, has set a goal to achieve carbon–neutral operations globally by 2040. To help reach this goal, FedEx is designating more than $2 billion of initial investment in three key areas: vehicle electrification; sustainable energy; and carbon sequestration. This includes a pledge... Read more →

The Covid-19 crisis in 2020 triggered the largest annual drop in global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions since the Second World War, according to IEA data, but the overall decline of about 6% masks wide variations depending on the region and the time of year. After hitting a low in April,... Read more →

Deltamarin introduced the new LNG-powered Kielmax container vessel of the C.Delta series, C.Delta2100. This new design is based on extensive research and development work to establish the best-in-class design in terms of cargo capacity, flexibility and fuel economy, as well as the proven performance of the built Polar Code C.Delta2150... Read more →

Earlier this week, the State Auditor of California released a report on an audit of the California Air Resources Board’s (ARB’s) transportation programs intended to reduce greenhouse gases. (Earlier post.) The report suggested that California might not meet its GHG reduction goals for 2030, determined that CARB must do more... Read more →

A model-based analysis by Westport Fuel Systems and AVL indicates that H2-HPDI (High Pressure Direct Injection with pilot ignition)—a combustion approach for hydrogen in engines—has the potential to achieve fuel economy close to that of a fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) for heavy duty applications, due to its high efficiency at... Read more →

Little more than a year after a Joint Development Project (JDP) to develop an ammonia-fueled tanker design was launched by LR, MISC Berhad, MAN Energy Solutions and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), the partners have been joined by Yara International ASA, a giant Norwegian chemicals company and major ammonia producer, and... Read more →

A report from the State Auditor of California finds that California may not successfully meet its upcoming greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goal of 40% by 2030, which will require the State to reduce GHG emissions by nearly 40% over the next decade. Source: State Auditor Report Number: 2020-114 Although other... Read more →

Omnitek Engineering Corp. has received EURO VI-E certification for its OT13 heavy-duty natural gas engine. The 13-liter natural gas engine, which will be marketed worldwide in countries where this emissions requirement is mandated, can be utilized for truck and bus applications, and provides 420 hp and 1,960 N·m of torque—essentially... Read more →

Vitesco Technologies, a leading international supplier of advanced powertrain technologies and electrification solutions, is now making electrical catalyst heating available in high-voltage hybrid vehicles as well. With a new DC/DC converter, the heating discs of the electrically heated EMICAT catalyst (earlier post) can now also be supplied with electricity in... Read more →

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has released a comprehensive vision for deeply decarbonizing transportation. It is a strategy rooted in cross-cutting research and engineering to enable industry stakeholders, communities, government agencies, and early adopters to meet their climate goals. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, greenhouse gas... Read more →

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon’s College of Engineering have found that with an emissions-based incentive towards electrification, ridesourcing companies such as Uber and Lyft would electrify more and cut their emissions by amounts ranging from 10% in New York to 22% in Los Angeles. In LA alone, this represents a reduction... Read more →

Kobe Steel, Ltd. (KOBELCO) has successfully demonstrated technology that can reduce CO2 emissions from blast furnace operations by approximately 20% by combining the Midrex’ HBI technologies and the blast furnace operations of Kobe Steel. The demonstration test was conducted for a month at a large blast furnace (4,844 m3) of... Read more →

At the end of last week, the Virginia State Senate passed HB 1965, which directs the State Air Pollution Control Board to implement a low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle program for motor vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later. With this rule, Virginia joins 14 other states and the... Read more →

Summit Agricultural Group, a diversified agribusiness operator and investment manager with operations in the United States and Brazil, has created Summit Carbon Solutions (SCS), a new business platform that will develop the world’s largest carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. Expected to be operation in 2024, the Summit Carbon Solutions... Read more →

Fast-tracked by advances in technology and increasing customer demand for sustainable supply chains, A.P. Moller - Maersk is accelerating its efforts to decarbonize marine operations with the launch of the first carbon-neutral feeder vessel in 2023—seven years ahead of the initial 2030 ambition. All future Maersk owned newbuildings will have... Read more →

Rio Tinto, Paul Wurth S.A. and SHS-Stahl-Holding-Saar GmbH & Co. KGaA (SHS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the viability of transforming iron ore pellets into low-carbon hot briquetted iron (HBI) (a form of Direct Reduced Iron, DRI), a steel feedstock (earlier post) using green hydrogen generated from... Read more →

Global oil and gas major Shell has outlined how it will achieve its target to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050, in step with society’s progress towards achieving net zero. This target covers the emissions from its operations and the emissions from the use of all the energy... Read more →

MAN Energy Solutions’ Two-Stroke Business has surpassed 1,000 orders for secondary-measure, Tier III-compliant, emission-reduction technology for its portfolio of MAN B&W-branded, low-speed ship engines. Approximately one-quarter of the orders have been for EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) systems, with SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) systems accounting for the remainder. The milestone was... Read more →

Boston Metal, an MIT spin-off working to commercialize molten oxide electrolysis (MOE) for emissions-free metals and alloys production, announced that Vale and Energy Impact Partners have joined its Series B fundraising, closely following a $50M close announced in January. MOE is an electrometallurgical technique that enables the direct production of... Read more →

C-Zero Inc., a pioneer in natural gas decarbonization, recently raised $11.5 million in a Series A funding round co-led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Eni Next, with participation from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and AP Ventures. The funding will accelerate the first commercial-scale deployment of C-Zero’s drop-in decarbonization technology, which... Read more →

A team led by NYU Grossman School of Medicine researchers measured real-time and gravimetric PM2.5 concentrations and particle composition from area samples collected in the subways of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Boston, Massachusetts; New York City, New York/New Jersey (NYC/NJ); and Washington, District of Columbia. A total of 71 stations across 12... Read more →

Shipping emissions form a significant part of the commodity supply chain’s carbon footprint, particularly for those commodities reliant on the mass transport of low-grade ores and concentrates. Roskill has analyzed the trend in carbon intensity of shipping using spodumene concentrate as an example. Spodumene concentrates currently represent more than 50%... Read more →

The lockdowns and reduced societal activity related to the COVID-19 pandemic affected emissions of pollutants in ways that slightly warmed the planet for several months last year, according to new research led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). The counterintuitive finding highlights the influence of airborne particles, or... Read more →

The BMW Group will begin sourcing aluminum produced using solar electricity with immediate effect. This marks an important milestone on the road to the company’s goal of lowering CO2 emissions in its supplier network by 20% by 2030. Producing aluminum is extremely energy-intensive. Generating the electricity needed to produce primary... Read more →

The amount of methane released into the atmosphere as a result of coal mining is likely approximately 50% higher than previously estimated, according to research presented at the recent annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union. The research was done by a team at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific... Read more →

Steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs has set a target to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030. This goal represents combined Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (indirect) greenhouse gas emission reductions on a mass basis (metric tons per year) compared with 2017 baseline levels. Achieving this goal would bring the... Read more →

GM plans to become carbon-neutral in its global products and operations by 2040 and has committed to setting science-based targets to achieve carbon neutrality. The company has also signed the Business Ambition Pledge for 1.5⁰C, an urgent call to action from a global coalition of UN agencies, business and industry... Read more →

Qantas and bp announced a strategic partnership to advance their shared net zero ambitions further. Through the collaboration, the companies will work together on opportunities to reduce carbon emissions in the aviation sector and contribute to the development of a sustainable aviation fuel industry in Australia. The two companies have... Read more →

A new study by a team from Environmental Health & Engineering (EH&E) has found that greenhouse gas emissions from corn ethanol are 46% lower than those from gasoline—a decrease in emissions from the estimated 39% done by previous modeling. The report, led by David MacIntosh, Chief Science Officer of Environmental... Read more →

Siem Car Carriers’s (SCC’s) Aristotle, the second of two LNG-fueled PCTC (pure car, truck carrier) ships in the SCC fleet (the other is the Confucius), is on her maiden voyage from Emden, Germany to North America. The ship’s first bunkering took on more than 800MT of LNG fuel. Nearly 4800... Read more →

A new study by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has found that there are currently 6.2 million medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles on the EU’s roads, the average age of which is 13 years. Almost 98% of all these trucks run on diesel, according to the 2021 Vehicles in... Read more →

Alfa Laval, DTU Energy, Haldor Topsoe, Svitzer and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping are entering into a joint project to accelerate the development of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology. Funded by a grant from Danish EUDP (Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program), the partners will... Read more →

As of the beginning of 2021, Audi has converted its European vehicle range to the level of the Euro 6d emission standard. All models included in the currently valid sales program comply with the strict limits of the Euro 6d-ISC-FCM standard. Currently, 193 models are certified according to the new... Read more →

The United States has filed and simultaneously settled a civil lawsuit against Toyota Motor Corporation, Toyota Motor North America Inc., Toyota Motor Sales USA and Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America for systematic, longstanding violations of Clean Air Act emission-related defect reporting requirements, which require manufacturers to report potential... Read more →

Denmark leads the way when it comes to putting zero-emission urban buses on the streets in Europe, with 78% of new vehicles being electric, according to the latest data from green NGO Transport & Environment. In Luxembourg and the Netherlands about two-thirds of new buses were zero-emissions. T&E said other... Read more →

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of grant funding to implement projects which reduce emissions from the nation’s existing fleet of older diesel engines. EPA anticipates awarding approximately $46 million in Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grant funding to eligible applicants, subject to the availability of funds.... Read more →

At cruising altitude, airplanes emit a steady stream of NOx into the atmosphere, where the chemicals can linger to produce ozone and fine particulates. Previous research has shown that the generation of these chemicals due to global aviation results in 16,000 premature deaths each year. Now, MIT engineers are proposing... Read more →

Power management company Eaton has introduced a complete suite of solutions from its Vehicle Group to reduce vapor emissions produced during the refueling of gasoline-powered vehicles. Industry data reveals that significant amounts of hydrocarbons are commonly forced out through the filler neck and released into the atmosphere while a gasoline-powered... Read more →

BayoTech, Inc., a provider of on-site hydrogen production, received an equity investment of up to $157 million from Newlight Partners LP, a growth equity investor, with participation from existing investors Cottonwood Technology Funds, Sun Mountain Capital and new investor Fortistar. The proceeds will be used to accelerate BayoTech’s strategic growth... Read more →

Southwest Research Institute has expanded its capability to evaluate internal combustion engine aftertreatment catalysts, integrating an existing SwRI technology with a mass spectrometer. A mass spectrometer identifies a molecule by analyzing its mass-to-charge ratio, detecting chemicals invisible to other instruments. Researchers added the mass spectrometer to SwRI’s Universal Synthetic Gas... Read more →

A fast, green and one-step method for producing porous carbon spheres—a component for carbon capture technology and for new ways of storing renewable energy—has been developed by Swansea University researchers. Carbon spheres range in size from nanometers to micrometers. storage and conversion, catalysis, gas adsorption and storage, drug and enzyme... Read more →

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for airplanes used in commercial aviation and large business jets. This action will align US standards with the international carbon dioxide emissions standards already set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). In its technical support document for... Read more →

Earlier this month, Achates Power announced that its innovative 3-cylinder, 10.6L opposed-piston (OP) heavy-duty diesel engine achieved Ultralow NOx (ULNOx) performance results. (Earlier post.) A key element of the achievement is the low engine-out NOx from the opposed-piston engine, which reduced the requirements for the aftertreatment system (ATS). The original... Read more →

Norway-based energy company Equinor Energy and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a low-carbon technology collaboration. The non-exclusive cooperation agreement will see both companies develop and use technology to reduce the carbon footprint of oil & gas operations. In particular, the companies will look at... Read more →

Less traffic on the roads during the first COVID-19 lockdown in the UK led to a reduction in air pollution but may have caused potentially damaging surface ozone levels to rise, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of York. The open-access study, published in the... Read more →

Air pollution in India resulted 1.67 million deaths in 2019—the largest pollution-related death toll in any country in the world—and also accounted for $36.8 billion (US) in economic losses, according to a new study led by researchers from the Global Observatory on Pollution and Health at Boston College, the Indian... Read more →

California’s progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions has temporarily reversed, with pollution upticks signaling an increasingly difficult path ahead in achieving the state’s 2030 and 2050 climate targets, according to the 12th annual California Green Innovation Index—released by the nonpartisan nonprofit Next 10 and prepared by Beacon Economics. This year’s... Read more →

The governors of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, and the mayor of the District of Columbia announced that theirs will be the first jurisdictions to launch a new multi-state program that the principals expect will invest some $300 million per year in cleaner transportation choices. The Transportation and Climate Initiative... Read more →