Post Tagged with: "Environment"

New Study Report Makes a Strong Case for Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles

November 16, 2010 at 6:04 pm

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center has released a report that evaluates value-added propositions for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) that might help overcome the initial price premium related to comparable internal combustion engine and hybrid electric vehicles. The report also assesses other non-monetary benefits and barriers related to an emerging PHEV fleet, including environmental, societal, and electric grid impacts.

Image Courtesy: Dept of Energy - Click image to access the entire report

Image Courtesy: Dept of Energy - Click image to access the entire report



Here is a quick peek into the study’s background, objectives, results and conclusions as shown in the fact sheet:

Background:
PHEVs have been the subject of growing interest in recent years because of their potential for reduced operating costs, oil displacement, national security, and environmental benefits. Despite the potential long-term savings to consumers and value to stakeholders, the initial cost of PHEVs presents a major market barrier to their widespread commercialization.
Study Objectives:
  1. To identify and evaluate value-added propositions for PHEVs that will help overcome the initial price premium relative to comparable ICEs and HEVs and
  2. To assess other non-monetary benefits and barriers associated with an emerging PHEV fleet, including environmental, societal, and grid impacts.

Results:

Study results indicate that a single PHEV-30 on the road in 2030 will:

  • Consume 65% and 75% less gasoline than a comparable HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) and ICE (Internal Combustion Engine),  respectively.
  • Displace 7.25 and 4.25 barrels of imported oil each year if substituted for equivalent ICEs and HEVs, respectively, assuming 60% of the nation’s oil consumed is imported.
  • Reduce net ownership cost over 10 years by 8-10% relative to a comparable ICE and be highly cost competitive with a comparable HEV.
  • Use 18-22% less total W2W energy than a comparable ICE, but 8-13% more than a comparable HEV (assuming a 70/30 split of E10 and E85 use in 2030).
  • Emit 10% less Well to Wheel (W2W) CO2 than equivalent ICEs in southern California and emits 13% more W2W CO2 than equivalent ICEs in the ECAR region. This also assumes a 70/30 split of E10 and E85 (ethanol blends) use in 2030.
Image Courtesy: Dept of Energy - Click image to access the entire report

Image Courtesy: Dept of Energy - Click image to access the entire report

Conclusions:

PHEVs and other plug-in vehicles on the road in 2030 may offer many valuable benefits to utilities, business owners, individual consumers, and society as a whole by:

  • Promoting national energy security by displacing large volumes of imported oil.
  • Supporting a secure economy through the expansion of domestic vehicle and component manufacturing.
  • Offsetting the vehicle’s initial price premium with lifetime operating cost savings (e.g., lower fuel and maintenance costs).
  • Supporting the use of off-peak renewable energy through smart charging practices. However, smart grid technology is not a prerequisite for realizing the benefits of PHEVs.
  • Potentially using its bidirectional electricity flow capability to aid in emergency situations or to help better manage a building’s or entire grid’s load.

PHEVs and other plug-in vehicles still face barriers to commercial acceptance:

  • In the near term, the cost of energy storage, charging equipment, and PE&EM components must continue to descend to competitive levels, such as the ones assumed in this study. Industry trends imply that these cost reductions are on track to reach competitive price levels.
  • PHEVs’ inability to reduce carbon emissions relative to ICEs unless they are powered primarily by non-carbon energy sources. A grid-connected vehicle’s high dependence on its region’s generation mix is very evident in this study’s findings. Operating in regions with a high percentage of non- or low-carbon energy sources (e.g., renewable, nuclear, and natural gas) would ultimately help improve the long-term environmental impacts of PHEVs.

Note: The Acronym PHEV-30 stands for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle with an All Electric Range (AER) equivalent of 30 miles.

Click here to download/access the entire report (PDF – 218 pages long).

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Going Green!DOT, EPA Propose the Nation’s First Greenhouse Gas and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Trucks and Buses

October 25, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Environmental journalism supports the protecti...
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(Source: USDOT)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA)  and the U.S. Department of Transportation today announced the first national standards to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve fuel efficiency of heavy-duty trucks and buses. This comprehensive national program is projected to reduce GHG emissions by nearly 250 million metric tons and save 500 million barrels of oil over the lives of the vehicles produced within the program’s first five years.

EPA and DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are proposing new standards for three categories of heavy trucks: combination tractors, heavy-duty pickups and vans, and vocational vehicles. The categories were established to address specific challenges for manufacturers in each area.  For combination tractors, the agencies are proposing engine and vehicle standards that begin in the 2014 model year and achieve up to a 20 percent reduction in CO2 emissions and fuel consumption by 2018 model year.  For heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans, the agencies are proposing separate gasoline and diesel truck standards which phase in starting in the 2014 model year and achieve up to a 10 percent reduction for gasoline vehicles and 15 percent reduction for diesel vehicles by 2018 model year (12 and 17 percent respectively if accounting for air conditioning leakage). Lastly, for vocational vehicles, the agencies are proposing engine and vehicle standards starting in the 2014 model year which would achieve up to a 10 percent reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 2018 model year.

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Overall, NHTSA and EPA estimate that the heavy-duty national program would provide $41 billion in net benefits over the lifetime of model year 2014 to 2018 vehicles. With the potential for significant fuel efficiency gains, ranging from seven to 20 percent, drivers and operators could expect to net significant savings over the long-term. For example, it is estimated an operator of a semi truck could pay for the technology upgrades in under a year, and save as much as $74,000 over the truck’s useful life. Vehicles with lower annual miles would typically experience longer payback periods, up to four or five years, but would still reap cost-savings.

EPA and NHTSA are providing a 60-day comment period that begins when the proposal is published in the Federal Register.  The proposal and information about how to submit comments is at: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/climate/regulations.htm and http://www.nhtsa.gov/fuel-economy .

Click here read the USDOT presser on this issue.

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Job Alert: Environmental Protection Specialist – FHWA, USDOT @ Washington, DC

September 27, 2010 at 11:02 am

Federal Highway Administration

The FHWA Office of Natural Environment has announced a GS-13/14 position on the Sustainable Transport and Climate Change Team. The position will focus on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and sustainable transportation issues, research and policy. We are looking for a high-energy, team-oriented individual to help lead FHWA efforts in these high priority and emerging areas.

The position closes October 1.

Please see the USAjobs link below. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call or email Mike Culp, Sustainable Transport and Climate Change Team Leader (michael.culp@dot.gov, 202-366-9229).

http://jobview.usajobs.gov/GetJob.aspx?JobID=90782706&aid=46575945-17910&WT.mc_n=125

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Nissan Nails a Home Run! “All Electric” Leaf’s Advertisement Features “Emotionally Charged” Polar Bear

September 10, 2010 at 7:17 pm

(Source: via HuffingtonPost)

Brilliant idea and clever execution!  In today’s world, where scary climatic changes are threatening the planet – rising seas, melting glaciers, swirling wild fires, furious hurricanes, etc, etc – this advertisement sends a subtle  yet powerful message, which should go a long way in convincing the general public about buying a Nissan Leaf.  No doubt in my mind the consumers will for a moment think about Nissan Leaf in a positive light when they set out  the find an Electric Vehicle or a Hybrid Electric Vehicle! Not even Lance Armstrong can make such a compelling case!
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Show me what you got – GOOD wants you to create a Doodle about “A Day with a Bicycle”

August 24, 2010 at 3:50 pm

For this month’s project, dubbed A Day with a Bicycle, GOOD is asking you to pick a day and avoid using any kind of carbon-burning vehicles (cars, buses, mopeds, etc.), and then draw a doodle that illustrates your experiences.

Amplify’d from www.good.is

the OBJECTIVE
Create a doodle that tells your story of a day with a bicycle.

the ASSIGNMENT
The doodle can be as broad or as specific as you wish. Did you go somewhere unexpected? Did you feel lost? Did you save money? Did the experience bring up any interesting thoughts or observations? A day with a bike can certainly mean different things to different people. We’ll leave that to you.

the REQUIREMENTS
Send us an e-mail at projects[at]goodinc[dot]com with your doodle and the subject line “September DOODLE.” It can be in any image format, but ideally it should be high enough resolution that it can be printed at 300 dpi. We prefer images that are taller versus wider (the above was a 6:8 ratio). There are numerous methods for creating visual notes whether through digital means (tablets, digital sketchpads, etc.) or tangible methods such as using a Moleskine. Regardless of your choice, please ensure the images are as clean as possible. Feel free to include a brief summary of your illustration. We’ll take submissions now through September 12th.

Read more at www.good.is
 
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Wanna be skinny & healthy? Forget those crazy diets and take public transportation

August 20, 2010 at 1:57 pm
American Public Transportation Association
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(Source: APTA)

Have you ever wondered what is the key to a good health and long life – I knew that it has to be the public transport.  Look at the Europeans —  healthy & happy– riding their bikes, trains, trams, buses, etc.  If you still don’t believe what I’ve said, you now have the proof.

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has released a report that explores ways that public transportation affects human health, and ways to incorporate these impacts into transport policy and planning decisions.

Evaluating Public Transportation Health Benefits, a study conducted for APTA by Todd Litman of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute aggregates the findings of several recent studies and concludes that people living in transit-oriented “smart growth” communities enjoy several health benefits, not seen in other communities, including residents drive less, exposing them to a lower risk of fatal vehicle accidents.

People who live or work in communities with high quality public transportation tend to drive significantly less and rely more on alternative modes (walking,cycling and public transit) than they would in more automobile-oriented areas. This reduces traffic crashes and pollution emissions, increases physical fitness and mental health, andprovides access to medical care and healthy food. These impacts are significant in magnitude compared with other planning objectives, but are often overlooked or undervalued inconventional transport planning.

Various methods can be used to quantify and monetize(measure in monetary units) these health impacts. This analysis indicates that improving publictransit can be one of the most cost effective ways to achieve public health objectives, and publichealth improvements are among the largest benefits provided by high quality public transit andtransit-oriented development.

Some of the key findings from the report are listed below:

  • U.S. Center for Disease Control recommends that adults average at least 22 daily minutes of
  • moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking, to stay fit and healthy. Although less than half
  • of American adults achieve this target, most public transportation passengers do exercise the
  • recommended amount while walking to and from transit stations and stops.
  • The United States has relatively poor health outcomes and high healthcare costs compared with peers, due in part to high per capita traffic fatality rates and diseases resulting from sedentary living. Public transit improvements can improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.
  • Inadequate physical activity contributes to numerous health problems, causing an estimated
  • 200,000 annual deaths in the U.S., and significantly increasing medical costs. Among physically able adults, average annual medical expenditures are 32% lower for those who achieve physical activity targets ($1,019 per year) than for those who are sedentary ($1,349 per year).
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What 0->62 mph in 3.2 seconds and 78mpg looks like? Porsche debuts screaming hot “mother of all hybrids”

August 17, 2010 at 2:13 pm

(source: Porsche via Wired)

Hybrids and super fast were usually not spelled in the same sentence until Porsche opened a can (rather a car) of   surprise for the motoring world with its new hybrid 918 Spyder in Geneva earlier this year.

Now for the first time some of those potential customers got to see and hear Porsche’s latest creation in person. The 918 was flown over from Germany for the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in Montery, California. The video above shows a covert shakedown drive before the car was shown to the public.
Read More http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/08/video-porsche-918-hybrid-makes-debut-drive-in-california/#ixzz0wtLtUQEV

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The #Onion News – Millions Of Barrels Of #Oil Safely Reach Port In Major Environmental Catastrophe

August 13, 2010 at 4:41 pm

God bless The Onion – America’s Finest News Source.

Amplify’d from www.theonion.com

PORT FOURCHON, LA—In what may be the greatest environmental disaster in the nation’s history, the supertanker TI Oceania docked without incident at the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port Monday and successfully unloaded 3.1 million barrels of dangerous crude oil into the United States.

According to witnesses, the catastrophe began shortly after the tanker, which sailed unimpeded across the Gulf of Mexico, stopped safely at the harbor and made contact with oil company workers on the shore. Soon after, vast amounts of the black, toxic petroleum in the ship’s hold were unloaded at an alarming rate into special storage containers on the mainland.

From there, experts confirmed, the oil will likely spread across the entire country’s infrastructure and commit unforetold damage to its lakes, streams, and air.

“We’re looking at a crisis of cataclysmic proportions,” said Charles Hartsell, an environmental scientist at Tufts University. “In a matter of days, this oil may be refined into a lighter substance that, when burned as fuel in vehicles, homes, and businesses, will poison the earth’s atmosphere on a terrifying scale.”

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Mid-life crisis? How about getting a bike? Hey, that’s what British men are doing

August 10, 2010 at 11:27 am

Research suggests a boom in cycling among affluent ‘mid-life crisis’ men and car owners.

“Thirty or 40 years ago, people would ride a bike for economic reasons, but our research suggests that nowadays a bicycle is more a lifestyle addition, a way of demonstrating how affluent you are,” said Michael Oliver, who wrote the report for market researchers Mintel.

I wonder if this is a universal trend or more a regional one. These days I see more and more middle aged men taking to riding the bikes here in the US too. What do you guys think..?

Amplify’d from www.guardian.co.uk
bike traffic london

Much has been written about a war between cyclists and drivers, as if the two groups were such polar opposites that they could never cross in a Venn diagram. But according to new research, people who cycle the most are likely to own at least two cars.

Regular cyclists – those who cycle at least once a week – are also disproportionately likely to read broadsheet newspapers, be well educated, have a household income of at least £50,000 per year and shop at Waitrose, claims the latest Mintel report, Bicycles in the UK 2010. In addition, they are twice as likely to be men as women.

Men of a certain age now pride themselves on their bicycle collection. In a documentary last year, Alan Sugar showed off the full-carbon Pinarello machines he has bought for his many residences at a cost of many thousands of pounds each.

His research reveals that bike sales are being driven by 35- to 45-year-old family men. Where this age group might once have treated themselves to a sports car – in an attempt to hang on to their youth – they now invest in a luxury bike instead.

Read more at www.guardian.co.uk
 
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#Mexico City starts to breathe easy – Govt. efforts to cut down vehicle emissions works

August 2, 2010 at 5:59 pm

Efforts such as strict vehicular emissions checks and car free days help in curbing the air pollution and cited for improvement in air quality.

Amplify’d from www.economist.com
A breath of fresh air

The capital’s filthy atmosphere has improved at last

HEMMED in by mountains and volcanoes, Mexico City is the perfect smog-trap. At its altitude of 2,250m the air is already thin; on days when the toxic “cream”, as the familiar brown cloud of pollution is locally known, descends on the city, it is hard to breathe. Locals used to joke that the only life that could survive in the skies was jumbo jets.

Yet the smog is lifting. The average concentration of ozone, one of the most common pollutants, is about half its level in the early 1990s, when the air was at its dirtiest (see chart). In those days the national ozone limit of 0.11 parts per million was breached for at least an hour on nine days out of ten. Yet last year over half the days were below the cap. Joggers are back in parks and wildlife is airborne once more: a hummingbird regularly looks in on The Economist’s offices.

More recently, a car crackdown has helped: old bangers are checked twice a year for emissions, and all but the newest cars are forbidden from driving in the city on one day of each week. Every Sunday 22km of roads in the centre are roped off for bikes and pedestrians. From next year taxi drivers will be offered tax incentives to use electric technology. Mexico City’s pollution has been so severe that cleaning up the environment “is not a theoretical thing—it’s about life and death,” says Marcelo Ebrard, the mayor.

Read more at www.economist.com
 
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