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News > March
Natural Gas Buses to Enter Lima's Busy Public Transportation System
New passenger buses that run on natural gas are currently being tested in the Peruvian capital of Lima and the buses are successfully meeting the main objectives needed to improve Lima's chaotic public transportation system. Lima’s municipal authorities are confident that this alternative system will prove beneficial to government authorities, transportation companies, passengers, and above all, the environment. According to officials, the implementation of the natural gas bus project will not only reduce pollution, but also alleviate congestion since one natural gas bus will replace 4 vans used as buses, one mini-bus, and a traditional full sized bus, leading to an overall reduction in vehicles on the road.
Source: Natural gas buses to enter Lima's public transportation system, LivinginPeru.com
More Support Needed for EU Biodiesel Industry to Operate at Full Capacity
The European Union biodiesel industry is operating well below capacity despite top-level political moves to increase the use of biofuels to combat global warming, according to the European Biofuels Board, an industry association. Following the recent decision by EU leaders for a strategic cut in greenhouse gases by using more renewable energy, the outlook for the biodiesel industry appeared excellent. However, biodiesel is more expensive to produce than diesel from fossil fuels, and it needs tax breaks or legislative support to encourage its use. Several important countries including Britain, Italy and Spain have not fully implemented past promises to provide the support needed to raise biofuel use.
Source: EU biodiesel firms blame politicians as demand falls, International Herald Tribune
Peterbilt Developing a Full Range of Hybrid Trucks
Peterbilt Motors Company revealed at the Mid-America Trucking Show that it is developing a full range of hybrid trucks, including a heavy-duty long-haul model. Peterbilt’s hybrid initiatives include development of both medium- and heavy-duty vehicle platforms, for both on-highway and vocational applications, Hybrids can reduce fuel use by about 30% in medium-duty, stop-and-go applications and by 4-7% in heavy-duty on-highway applications, Peterbilt officials said.
Source: MATS Report: Peterbilt developing medium- and heavy-duty hybrids, Truck News
Study Finds Ships Release More Pollutants Than Road Vehicles
All the world's road vehicles can't compete with oceangoing ships when it comes to releasing smog-making pollutants, according to findings released by the International Council on Clean Transportation, a group of international transportation and environmental regulators. The study found that while emissions from road vehicles has declined sharply in recent decades, emissions from large ships have changed little while the volume of worldwide shipping has steadily increased. Those two factors have allowed pollutants from ships, estimated at 6 million metric tons in 2001, to surpass road vehicle emissions estimated at 2.2 million metric tons.
Source: NEW: Study: Ships dirtier than road vehicles, Tri Valley Herald
Research into Biofuels Spark Biotech Rally
Government agencies led by the Department of Energy are sinking millions into biotech projects aimed at making ethanol more efficiently. And startups dedicated to turning plants into fuel have captured the fancy of deep-pocketed venture capitalists. Venture capital investment in biofuels has increased from less than $1 million in 2004 to $20.5 million in 2005 to $813 million last year. Much of that investment is flowing to biotechnology companies that genetically engineer microbes that produce enzymes needed to break down crops into alcohol.
Source: Biofuels Spark Biotech Rally, Houston Chronicle
Malaysia’s Largest Bus Company Will Convert 30% of Fleet to CNG
The largest operator of public bus services in Malaysia, Nadicorp Holdings, plans to convert 20-30 percent of its fleet to buses using compressed natural gas (CNG). Under the US$77 million deal, Nadicorp will acquire 465 CNG buses over several years, starting with the purchase of 100 CNG-powered buses this year. With CNG at more than 50 percent cheaper than diesel, the company will realize a fuel cost savings of about 24 percent.
Source: Up To 30 Pct Of Nadicorp Buses To Be CNG-powered, Bernama.com
British Columbia Gets $200M For Hydrogen Highway Project
To cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has provided almost $200 million to fund environmental projects in British Columbia. The money—part of the government’s $1.5 billion EcoTrust Canada—will fund a number of projects, including landfill energy capture, but the bulk of the money will set up a ‘hydrogen highway’. Effectively the Canadian government is sponsoring a route from Vancouver to Whistler that can be made in a hydrogen car, although the long-distance hydrogen car is not yet a reality.
Source: British Columbia Gets $200M For Hydrogen Highway Project, All Headline News
Tax Break for Biodiesel Could Continue Until 2017
Producers of biodiesel could continue to get tax breaks until 2017, and federal officials say that will help ensure a competitive price at the pump for such fuels. A bill introduced in the U.S. Senate would extend the existing $1-per-gallon federal excise tax credit and income tax credit on pure biodiesel by 10 years. The intent of the law, which dates back to 2004, has been to entice producers to build more plants and add capacity. Lower production costs help the producers pass savings on to retailers. Retailers, in turn, can pass that savings down to consumers.
Source: Tax break for biodiesel could be extended until 2017, Land Line Magazine
New Technology May Improve Hybrid Vehicle Performance
During short periods of heavy acceleration or braking, hybrid vehicles require instant access to large energy pulses. Unfortunately, batteries aren't very efficient at these tasks. But researchers at the University of Arizona are developing a technology based on DESDs capacitors that could solve this problem. The devices quickly store and discharge large amounts of power and would be suitable for hybrid vehicles due to their ability to deliver energy capacity in a small package. In addition, DESDs don't wear out like batteries and would last the lifetime of the vehicle.
Source: New Capacitor Technology May Improve Hybrid Vehicle Performance, University of Arizona News
50 Million Gallon Ethanol Plant to Help Meet California’s Demand for Ethanol
With demand at nearly one billion gallons last year, California is the largest single market for ethanol in the U.S. A new 50 million gallon-per-year ethanol facility will dramatically increase ethanol production capacity in the state, helping to meet some of the demand. Pacific Ethanol, Inc., the largest West Coast-based marketer and producer of ethanol, will begin construction on the facility at the Port of Stockton in California soon.
Source: Pacific Ethanol Announces Groundbreaking for 50 Million Gallon Ethanol Plant in Stockton, CA; Construction on Fourth Facility Expected to Begin in Thirty Days, Earth Times
Survey Identifies Top Ten Alternative-Fueled City Fleets
SustainLane, an online sustainability resource, surveyed the largest 50 US cities in 2006 as to the percentage of their city vehicles fleets using alternative-fueled vehicles. Las Vegas led the nation with almost 63 percent of its vehicles using alternative fuels, such as cleaner-burning B20 biodiesel and compressed natural gas. Other cities ranking high in alternative fuel use included Honolulu; Kansas City, MO; Albuquerque; and Dallas. Denver, which ranked sixth, has plans to convert 100 percent of its city fleet to alternative fuel by the end of 2007. Albuquerque has set a similar goal.
Source: Top Ten Alternative Fueled City Fleets, SustainLane Government
Agreement Reached by EU Leaders on Greenhouse Gas Reduction
EU leaders have reached an agreement on a bold set of measures to fight global warming, pledging that by 2020, 10 percent of all cars and trucks in the 27 EU nations will run on biofuels. European leaders said the agreement, the first to go beyond the 35-nation Kyoto Protocol in its targets for greenhouse gas emissions cuts, marked a turning point in the fight against global warming. "These are a set of groundbreaking, bold, ambitious targets," said British Prime Minister Tony Blair. "It gives Europe a clear leadership position on this crucial issue facing the world."
Source: EU Leaders Agree to Cut Greenhouse Gases, Washington Post
Largest City in Central China to Build 69 CNG Stations by 2010
With a population of 8 million, Wuhan is the largest city in central China. It currently has approximately 5,000 buses and 20,000 taxis. With the cost of using CNG at only 60% of gasoline, the number of CNG automobiles in the city is increasing rapidly. To meet the growing demand for this alternative fuel, the city’s municipal government has approved a natural gas filling station construction program that will begin in September 2007. The Wuhan government plans to authorize the construction of 69 CNG gas stations by 2010.
Source: Sinoenergy Corporation Receives Approval to Build Four CNG Filling Stations in Wuhan, PR Newswire
Demand for Ethanol Expected to Push Food Prices Higher
The U.S. Agriculture Department has stated that ethanol will use 50 percent more corn this year, eating into the food industry's share of the crop. Demand for ethanol is pushing feed prices higher and enticing farmers to switch from other crops. Farmers are expected to grow a record 12.2 billion bushels of corn in 2007, said Keith Collins, the department's chief economist. An estimated 3.2 billion bushels will go into ethanol, up from 2.15 billion in 2006. This emphasis on ethanol could impact prices for all kinds of foods, from breakfast cereal to beef to beer.
Source: The fuel behind rising food prices, Seattle Times
Port of Los Angeles to Fund World's First Hybrid Tug Boat
A new hybrid tug boat, funded in part by the Port of Los Angeles, will be substantially less polluting, more fuel efficient and quieter than today's modern tug boats. As part of the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan, the Port of Los Angeles will co-fund the "green" tug initiative, contributing $850,000. Due to be delivered in 2008, the hybrid tug will exceed the EPA's Tier 2 emissions requirement for marine engines. Initial estimates are that particulate matter and nitrogen oxides will be reduced by 44% compared to the current tugs operating in San Pedro harbor.
Source: The Port of Los Angeles Will Fund $850,000 toward Foss Maritime Company's Development of the World's First "Hybrid" Tug Boat, CSRWire
UN Given Roadmap to Meet Climate Challenge
The world must ramp up efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions, an international panel of experts has told the United Nations. The Scientific Expert Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development—consisting of 18 experts from 11 nations—took two years to compile its report for the upcoming meeting of the UN's Commission on Sustainable Development. It comes in the wake of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) conclusion that human activity, namely the burning of fossil fuels, is almost certainly changing the climate. Policies to encourage energy efficiency are needed, according to the report, which called on the world to increase public and private energy technology research to more than $45 billion a year. Measures include improving transportation through increased efficiency standards and incentives for alternative-fuel cars.
Source: UN Given Roadmap to Meet Climate Challenge, Environmental News Service
ADM Chief Takes Realistic Look at Bush's Ethanol Goal
President Bush's push for annual use of 35 billion gallons of alternative fuels in 10 years might be difficult to achieve—from an ethanol perspective—according to Patricia Woertz, chief executive of Decatur, Archer Daniels Midland Co., the world's largest producer of ethanol. Bush has called for a mandate for the U.S. to use 35 billion gallons a year of all alternative fuels, including ethanol, by 2017. While fuels such as natural gas and biodiesel are expected to play their part in reaching the President’s goal, obstacles in the biofuels sector include uncertainty about whether cellulosic ethanol, or fuel made from switchgrass and farm waste, will be commercially viable.
Source: Bush's goal for biofuel use faces hurdles, ADM chief says, Chicago Tribune
Global LNG Market Expected to Double by 2010, Says Report
The global market for liquefied natural gas is expected to grow rapidly until the end of the decade, doubling in size over five years to 2010, according to a report published today by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC). LNG will be contributing around 40 percent of the anticipated growth in global gas supply between 2005 and 2010, it said. Qatar, Nigeria and Australia will lead the growth, said Michael Hurley, head of the Global LNG team at PwC.
Source: Global LNG market to double by 2010 - PwC, Forbes
Sales of News Hybrid Vehicles Rose 28 Percent in 2006
U.S. sales of gas-electric hybrid vehicles rose 28 percent in 2006. Consumers bought 254,545 hybrids last year as gasoline prices hit $3 per gallon or more for much of the year—up from 199,148 in 2005, according to nationwide auto registration data. Although the rate of growth is starting to slow, due in large part to car buyers having more environmentally friendly options, demand is expected to remain strong and three new hybrid models are in the works this year. California led all states in hybrid sales with 67,533 last year, with Los Angeles the top market at 30,989.
Source: Hybrid vehicle sales cool, Whittier Daily News
All Major Cities in Pakistan to Have CNG Public Transport in Five Years
The federal government of Pakistan has approved an ambitious program to introduce CNG-based public transport systems in all major cities in five years. The project is aimed at replacing existing diesel vehicles with CNG buses. The government will provide funding to partially offset the interest cost of loans needed to purchase buses and put in place the required infrastructure. Karachi will be the first major city to benefit under the plan, with about 500-600 CNG buses hitting the city roads early next year.
Source: Major cities to have CNG-based transport system in five years, Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates
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