Blog by Jane Marsh: What Infrastructure Does the U.S. Need for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles?

Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) are necessary for decarbonizing transportation, primarily as lithium-ion-based batteries in conventional EVs receive pushback. The potential for a zero-waste, carbon-neutral fuel cell is possible with more research and development in hydrogen. However, those efforts are moot if the U.S. does not install adequate infrastructure to support them. The State … Continue reading Blog by Jane Marsh: What Infrastructure Does the U.S. Need for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles? →

Energy in Demand News, February 4, 2024

This week the European Commission will propose the new level of ambition for GHG emissions reductions it considers necessary for 2040. The Financial Times (behind a paywall) notes that the EU’s climate chief, Wopke Hoekstra, “has warned the bloc must not be lured into a “false narrative” that action against global warming is undermining the … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, February 4, 2024 →

The gap between official and real-world data on CO2 emissions from passenger cars in the EU has developed since introducing a new type-approval test procedure

A new study found that when official and real-world CO2 emission values of passenger cars in Europe are compared, the figures do not align. In an article on the Euractiv website, Sean Goulding Carroll discusses latest findings. Car emissions 14% higher than advertised by manufacturers, study finds The gap between official and real-world car … Continue reading The gap between official and real-world data on CO2 emissions from passenger cars in the EU has developed since introducing a new type-approval test procedure →

Energy in Demand News, January 28, 2024

There is encouraging good news that carbon emissions dropped in the EU in 2023. The Guardian reported on analysis from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (Crea) showing that the EU “pumped out 8% less carbon dioxide from the fossil fuels it burned in 2023 than it did in 2022.” Crea analyst … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, January 28, 2024 →

The troubling trend of SUVs getting wider

Spurred on by rising sales of large SUVs, newly-sold passenger vehicles are getting one centimetre wider every 2 years. Bigger cars more likely to kill people, release more toxic gas and are outgrowing design of cities. Ajit Niranjan writes on the Guardian website about new analysis about this latest trend. Note also that on February … Continue reading The troubling trend of SUVs getting wider →

Energy in Demand News, January 21, 2024

The EU taxonomy is a cornerstone of the EU’s sustainable finance framework and an important market transparency tool. It is designed to help direct investments to the economic activities most needed for the transition, in line with the European Green Deal objectives. Controversially, nuclear and gas activities are included, prompting legal challenges by some NGOs … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, January 21, 2024 →

Recent trends in average fuel efficiency of new cars in US

In the US, gasoline-powered cars have stopped making big efficiency gains. Some automakers’ offerings have gotten less efficient as they swap out sedans for SUVs. Nicolás Rivero discusses the energy performance of American cars in an article on the Washington Post website. Why decades of progress in cars’ fuel efficiency is ending In 2017, … Continue reading Recent trends in average fuel efficiency of new cars in US →

Blog by Jane Marsh: The Aviation Industry: The Largest Remaining Source of Airborne Lead Emissions

A recent endangerment finding from the EPA confirmed that airborne emissions from lead-based fuels threaten human health and public welfare. How does this long-overdue regulatory action impact flyers and the planet? Lead in Aviation Is an Overlooked Concern The EPA has been researching the public health and environmental impact of lead from aviation for years. … Continue reading Blog by Jane Marsh: The Aviation Industry: The Largest Remaining Source of Airborne Lead Emissions →

A whole ecosystem has developed in France over the past two years around rail travel, seen by young urbanites as the antithesis of polluting airplanes

From specialised media platforms to travel agencies and influencers, a whole ecosystem has developed in France over the past two years around rail travel, seen by young urbanites as the antithesis of polluting airplanes. In an article on the Le Monde website, Jessica Gourdon discusses how young people are taking a more sustainable approach to … Continue reading A whole ecosystem has developed in France over the past two years around rail travel, seen by young urbanites as the antithesis of polluting airplanes →

Paris to hold vote on whether SUVs should pay more for parking

The vote, to be held next February 4th, will be the second city-wide referendum on urban matters, after residents in April voted to ban rental e-scooters from the capital. An AFP news item on the Le Monde website discusses the upcoming referendum. Paris will have residents vote on increasing parking fees for heavy SUVs … Continue reading Paris to hold vote on whether SUVs should pay more for parking →