EDITOR'S PICK

Ross Gelbspan, Author Who Probed Roots Of Climate Change Denial, Dies at 84

20 Feb 2024 | Synopsis

"Mr. Gelbspan, a longtime journalist, criticized the profession for giving a forum to those who sow doubts about global warming

"Mr. Gelbspan's 2004 book, 'Boiling Point,' delivered a harsh assessment of general coverage of climate issues, criticizing journalists for repeating the "manufactured denial" of the energy companies and paid representatives...the news media are reflecting the cowardice of the larger society in not looking reality in the eye and reporting the truth of our situation."

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Biden Could Delay EV Switch As Auto Industry Pressure Mounts

20 Feb 2024 | Synopsis

"According to a new report from the New York Times, the Biden administration is considering amending its emissions regulations, which would currently require 67 percent of new cars and light-duty trucks sold in America to be all-electric by 2032...

"...administration officials are tweaking the plan [so] electric vehicle sales would increase more gradually through 2030 but then would have to sharply rise.

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Honda's Hydrogen-Powered SUV Is Coming, Even if There's Nowhere to Fill It

20 Feb 2024 | Synopsis

"Honda has also fitted the CR-V with a plug, meaning that drivers can charge their car up at normal EV charging stations across America.

"...there are currently more than 130,000 charging points for EVs across America. In contrast, there's just 59 retail hydrogen filling stations, and all of them are located in California...oil giant Shell announced that it was closing it's [7] publicly accessible hydrogen filling stations."

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Ukraine Strives to Kickstart Electric Car Industry

20 Feb 2024 | Synopsis

"These are huge prospects for Ukraine - not just to be an exporter of lithium - but to establish full-cycle production here and create products with high added value for domestic and foreign markets.

"Ukraine's lithium reserves are enough to provide batteries for almost 20 million electric cars...there are four known lithium deposits in Ukraine, but one is in occupied parts of the Donetsk region, while another one sits close to the front in the Zaporizhzhia region."

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As Demand Grows for Electric Cars, So Does the Market for Green Jobs in the EV Industry

17 Feb 2024 | Synopsis

"As battery plants from Ohio to Nevada start operations, and automakers ramp up EV production, the number of new EV jobs and facilities announced in the U.S. auto supply chain has exploded...The transition to clean and electric vehicles and a cleaner economy is a huge opportunity to remedy injustices that underpin our current economy.

"EV jobs can typically be found in three sectors: design and development; battery manufacturing; and charging network development and maintenance."

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Hertz Electric Fleet Sell-Off Does Not Spell Doom For Future Of EVs

17 Feb 2024 | Synopsis

"Make no mistake, [Hertz] is developing a clear understanding of the key levers needed to deliver a more profitable EV rental fleet in a world that is moving toward electrification...the company had not prepared for in its EV adoption projections...EVs came with significantly higher repair costs...

"Hertz's snail's pace is not indicative of the wider market. By 2026, battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids will account for 42% of European new passenger vehicle sales and 52% of sales in China."

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Future Electric Cars Could Go More Than 600 Miles On A Single Charge Thanks To Battery-Boosting Gel

17 Feb 2024 | Synopsis

"By using gel, researchers have found a way to incorporate silicon into batteries while negating its destructive tendency to expand."

"...researchers used tiny silicon particles and a gel-based electrolyte to tap into the high-charge capacity of silicon anodes in lithium-ion batteries...Silicon has been widely explored as a candidate for the anode in lithium-ion batteries because it can hold up to 10 times as many lithium ions..."

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Carbon Passports: Are We Really on the Eve of Seeing Travel Rationed?

17 Feb 2024 | Synopsis

"Some in the tourism sector see a huge environmental benefit to limiting flights, while others see an 'uproar' waiting to happen"

"The idea of a so-called 'carbon passport' is now being suggested by the tourism industry as a potential way of addressing its climate impact...A personal carbon emissions limit may be a tool used in the future to try and curb carbon emissions if there is a lack of action to tackle the climate crisis now."

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PHEV vs BEV vs ICE vs Hybrid CO2 Emissions

17 Feb 2024 | Synopsis

"Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) sold in the U.S. between 2012 and 2023 emitted on the average just 115 grams of CO2 per mile driven vs. 427 grams. That is 26.9% or basically 1/4th of the CO2 emissions of the average ICE autos measured

"Hybrids are about half the CO2 pollution of ICE. PHEVs are about half the CO2 pollution of Hybrids. BEVs are an absolute zero...PHEVs are a fantastic crossover technology and are easily rechargeable overnight from any home 110/120V, 15/20 amp outlet."

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Will Hydrogen Overtake Batteries In The Race For Zero-Emission Cars?

16 Feb 2024 | Synopsis

"The key problem for hydrogen cars is not the fuel cell but actually getting the clean hydrogen where it is needed...must be stored under pressure and leaks easily. It also carries less energy per unit volume than fossil fuels...Compare nine UK hydrogen stations with 8,300 petrol stations or 31,000 public charging locations (not counting plugs at homes).

"Even Toyota acknowledges that hydrogen in cars has so far 'not been successful.'

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Why You Shouldn't Freak Out About Electric Car Depreciation

16 Feb 2024 | Synopsis

"...fear of depreciation hangs a certain cloud over the entire battery-powered car market...Fast forward to 2023, and we're seeing much slower depreciation on used EVs than we did before the pandemic...take the headline of EVs averaging 49.1 percent depreciation with a grain of salt. The fastest depreciating EV in the study, the Tesla Model S, depreciated 55.5 percent over five years... it's actually on par with several midsize luxury sedans...

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How Sulfur Could Be A Surprise Ingredient In Cheaper, Better Batteries

16 Feb 2024 | Synopsis

"Sulfur is widely abundant and inexpensive...The cost of materials is around half that of lithium-ion cells...they could also beat out lithium-ion on a crucial metric: energy density. A lithium-sulfur battery can pack in nearly twice the energy as a lithium-ion battery of the same weight

"...there are still major technical barriers...Chief among them is getting batteries to last..."

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